#wikipedia as a source of many delights

[pywren]

Hello my fellow Trek obsessed,

because I can’t keep my mouth shut about my hoarding like crazy collecting fanfiction, specifically old fanfic from different ships (so...so many ships you have no idea) and keep getting asks about it: here is something you lovely people might enjoy.

There is a collection of fanzines both Gen and Slash curated and continuously expanded on by some absolute legends over at the internet archive! There are over 400 items in the collection many of those are zines with a couple hundred pages of fanfiction, poems, musings, comics, and original art. Not all of them are Trek, but the majority is (I found some Star Wars stuff from the 80s and was delighted!). 

And if you don’t find what you’re looking for in this collection, there are more to find, if you just go and search through the archive by yourselves!

Go nuts! Have fun and if you have a couple bucks left maybe think about donating them to the archive, because they are not only the main source of wikipedia, they also house the waybackmachine, and fight for open source knowledge.

P.S. You can also look through the Orion Press Archive but I personally found success there is pretty 50/50.

[femininefreyanyctophile]

"hi, since when is it okay to promote violence towards citizens " ask israel and the majority of their citizens... not that you actually care because I'm sure you view Palestinians as subhuman, anyway, and are too cowardly to admit it.

hi, since you seem very adamant in your opinion and seem to have educated yourself a bit on the situation in the land of palestine, I would assume you know who "israel" is. The current government, right? Now tell me. If you ask a right wing extremist who, on multiple accounts has said things about humans that would have gotten almost any person in a court, what do you think his answer regarding Palestinian civilians would be? You know, the current Israeli government is currently ruled by a far right to moderate right wing coalition? You know, people who "we" like to call fascists? I think the answer is clear. As for the populace of Israel, you probably also know that since October 7th and the beginning of this "war" (its more of a beating up with warcrimes) that some of the biggest, ongoing protest have started in israel against the war? Even some of the moderate right have joined the call to end or halt the war. And surely you also know the effects on Propaganda on people. That the Israeli military is trying to be the Saint for israelians.

As for the second part, I don't know what made you come to that conclusion. Maybe you're projecting? Maybe you have spent a little too much time with antisemites that you didn't know were antisemitic? "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" is just not applicable outside of a 2 sided conflict. And almost not a single conflict worldwide is 2 sided.

I'm sure you'd be delighted to know that there are many people outside of your bubble you can talk to, I can recommend talking to Jewish/Israeli people specifically. (Personally I want to thank the people that corrected me on my pretty bad post some few months ago, I forgot your names but you made me realize what lies and antisemutic paroles are present in the oh so accepting pro-palestinian movements)

the worldwide proletariat is present in every nation, in every peoples. Just because there are right wing extremist at the head of one nation, does not mean that the people living in them are at fault. What's next, italians declared not worthy of respect because they elected people who work on manipulation (fascists)?

Try looking inward a bit. Try identifying what things you are saying are just antisemitic paroles that have the word "jew" replaced with "israeli". Free Palestine.

Here are some sources. I'm lazy so just accept the Wikipedia links

[sybilius]

Old Internet Fridays #6: Marxist Internet Archive Library

Marxist Internet Archive Library

What’s this?

-

What’s this website?

An archive of primary sources and short summary remarks on prominent Marxists, and associated historical events. It's a very old-school HTML archive, few widgets, text-heavy, independently maintained.

Okay, how did you find it?

I figured I'd do a history-focused sniff around and ended up in the bibliography for one of my favourite podcasts, Mike Duncan's Revolutions (highly recommend, by the way). This one was one of the few easily online-accessible sources (most are books).

How’s it doing on Internet Archive?

Saved a delightful 899 times-- a great thing for a site that archives so many primary sources.

What delighted you the most?

First and foremost-- it's just very old internet-feeling, you know? The blocky menu, the links upon links on the page, heading on to solid pages of text. I've sort of bookmarked it mentally to look into more deeply at another time. I definitely don't consider myself well versed in theory by any means, and this seems like a neat way to find some resources.

I read one page, Rosa Luxembourg's summary page, and then a published piece from 1918, on her opposition to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. These were interesting to me because of Mike Duncan's Revolutions. One critique I have of this is I am a little skeptical this isn't a translation-- given that Spartacus was a German Socialist movement, it feels right that it would have originally been published in German. I was unable to find another source corroborating this hunch, though.

One further remark is reading independently maintained archives, one wonders a little more than Wikipedia who is keeping them up and how. One neat aspect is they do have biographies for their volunteers-- here is a guy I came across on my travels.

[hiidkwhatimdoing7525]

August 25, 1824

Lafayette was in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Lafayette visited his old friend John adams in Massachusetts at his house

as adam’s grandson had written in his diary

The Marquis met my Grandfather with pleasure and I thought with some surprise, because really, I do not think he expected to see him quite so feeble as he is. It struck me that he was affected somewhat in that manner. Otherwise the meeting was a pleasant one. Grandfather exerted himself more than usual and, as to conversation, appeared exactly as he ever has. I think he is rather more striking now than ever, certainly more agreable, as his asperity of temper is worn away. . . . How many people in this country would have been delighted with my situation at this moment, to see three distinguished men dining at the same table, with the reflections all brought up concerning the old days of the revolution, in which they were conspicuous actors and for their exertions in which, the country is grateful! It is a subject which can excite much thought as it embraces the high feelings of human nature. . . . My grandfather appeared considerably affected and soon rose after dinner was over.

he also gave him a French clock

Sources:

Lafayette 200 website

Wikipedia

Massachusetts historic society

[the-good-spartan]

The Rites dedicated to Helen at Sparta

So I've been re-watching a section of the Bettany Hughes documentary about Helen of Sparta (here), and I just have thoughts that I have to let out, for the purposes of getting my own ideas in order.

I'm preparing to write a scene based on these rites, so they're uppermost in my mind right now.

This is my own transcription of what Hughes says in the documentary:

The Greeks told stories of how Helen would come to the banks of the Eurotas to dance all night with other young girls. Centuries later these dances were re-staged in some kind of attempt to capture the spirit of Helen. And we still have fragments of the poetry the girls sang together*. These rites are vital to understanding Helen's appeal. The gift she is giving the girls isn't beauty but what the Greeks call kharis[...] the root of our word charisma, and it can simply mean grace. But it also has an erotic connotation. By invoking the spirit of Helen, the young girls are learning to become charismatic, sexually aware, and certainly these rituals would have been highly charged affairs. They were [there] alone together all night, there was drinking, and torchlight, and they danced naked until dawn.

(* The maiden-song is at 31:15. As no source is provided in the documentary, I have yet to find the source itself. I will update this post should I find it. Another maiden-song can be read here, though.)

Point by point then:

I truly don't know why anyone would argue that beauty wasn't at least amongst the gifts the girls went to Helen for during these rites, even if that isn't mentioned explicitly in the few fragments of poetry we have to go on. To my knowledge, it's the only attested reason to worship her [Herodotus, Bk. 6.61.], so it's illogical to discount it.

To be clear, I don't speak Greek, modern or ancient, but everywhere I've looked, kharis is defined as grace predominantly, just as Hughes says, but wikipedia did give me the additional words beauty, elegance, and charm. The only place I could find reference to anything hinting at an overtly sexual definition (if you squint and look at 'attraction' with the eye of faith) was at the website Baring the Aegis, which is a website dedicated to modern Hellenic Polytheism.

There, it's said:

Kharis is an important word. It means everything from beauty to joy, delight, kindness, good will, grace, favor, benefit, boon, charm, attraction, appeal, elegance, gracefulness, pleasure, cheerfulness, wit, gratitude, thankfulness and gratification. It's the name of a Goddess as well; the Goddess of Grace and Beauty.

It feels like a stretch to imply that there's anything sexual about the gift of kharis in the specific setting of a group of young girls dancing together, even if there is an erotic undertone to that word in some instances... Unless, that is, we look at it the details of the rite as Hughes presents them purely through a modern western lens.

Suggesting that a group of young girls being naked together is inherently sexual is so western it slaps you in the face. It's quite obvious from our sources that nudity was acceptable at Sparta in a way that many modern scholars seem to find it very difficult to accept. I addressed this a little here, but in brief, for example - we're told that young girls exercised naked together - though scholars argue over it, the texts don't leave that open to interpretation - they use the same word for the girls' exercise as they do for the boys, literally, exercise in the nude. Girls are also said to have marched naked in public parades where the boys were present.

There's as good a grounds to suggest that everyone might have been naked in public fairly regularly, at least during the hotter months, as there is to suggest that your average Spartan would've found nudity inherently sexual, weird, uncomfortable, or especially gendered.

I don't for a second believe these girls would've been alone and unsupervised, when Sparta was to its core a surveillance state. No one went anywhere without being watched over - especially during the classical period when there was the ever-present danger of helot uprisings. They were hardly likely to allow a group of young girls into the night without any guardians going with them. If nothing else, surely there would've been priestesses/female elders to guide the girls on what was required to ensure the rites were executed correctly and to the satisfaction of the gods/Helen herself.

Further to that - the idea that drinking wine implies 'something sexual is bound to happen' is also misguided, in my opinion. It's incredibly unlikely that the girls would've been drinking enough to get drunk, when even Spartan men were debarred from drinking to excess. Even if we assume they hadn't drunk wine before, which may or may not have been true, they aren't going to be falling down in a wine induced orgy after a shared kylix.

And torchlight being sexy? That's like saying when we flick on the light switch in modern times, sex must be on the cards. It was literally just their lighting.

So yeah. I just think this is one of those examples of a scenario that should be labelled fantasy rather than fact and perhaps not be inserted into a documentary without more preamble. Of course my version is much less exciting - but unfortunately, reality (at least as much as we can reconstruct it now) tends to be like that when you go looking for it, especially where Sparta is concerned.

[Also, I am once again putting this into the cosmos: documentary makers should be required to site their sources. If a YouTube essayist can do it, so can they.]

[proton-wobbler]

Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis)

"I am submitting this while shaking, I have no idea if I'm gonna be the one who screws up whether they can be included or not and that terrifies me. Begging that they live in enough obscurity that no one else thought to submit then even with the more recent surge in interest with that maybe-footage 🙏🏼 ANYWAYS! This thing is like Schrodenger's Cat but a woodpecker, have you SEEN its description on wikipedia?? Possibly extinct, maybe still alive, people jeep thinking they have evidence + footage of it still being around but we can't ID it for sure, the government wants to try delighting it from the Endangered Species list as an extinct species but enthusiasts and conservationists are trying to stop that since their listing protects a lot of forests they would need to live in if they're still around etc etc etc. This woodpecker is like a cryptid, but like we know they existed recently and it's completely possible they're still out there just chilling. also when I look at photos of them they look like a Looney Tunes character. if they're still around, they're THE largest species of woodpecker in the US and one of the largest in the world, with a wingspan of ~30 inches and a length of ~21 in. Their range has been severely reduced by hunting and deforestation (has was done to many of our old-growth forests in the swamps/bottomlands for the logging industry 😭😭), but there are those who believe a population could still be out there, deep within the bottomland forests that still remain in the southeastern wetlands. there are entire memes with the X-files guy and that I Want To Belive poster. I'll share when either voting starts if they make it into the polls, or to your inbox directly if by some horrible twist they get more than one entry and fall out entirely 🥲 #IWantToBelieve"

I really can't think to add anything else, as this submitter really got their info down. My only addition is my personal statement that as much as I do want to believe there's a population hanging on, I don't think I can. The birds weren't very shy when they were still hanging on, and many of the birders who got the final photos and videos of them remember that they were easy birds to follow, if you were familiar with the area.

That aside, delisting a species that is helping to protect endangered habitat is always tricky, so even if they are truly extinct, we should still do what we can to keep that habitat protected. If keeping an extinct bird on the books is what we need to do so, I'm all for it.

Sources:

Image Source: eBird (Arthur A. Allen);

The source of the birders saying it was easy to follow comes from the National Geographic "Birds of Eastern America" identification guide's section on Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

[bakerstreetbabble]

Granada TV Series Review: "The Greek Interpreter" (S02, E02)

"The Greek Interpreter," one of the adventures from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, is of interest to Sherlock Holmes fans mainly due to its being our first glimpse of Mycroft, Sherlock's older brother. And Mycroft is certainly a fascinating character: described as "absolutely corpulent" by Watson, but with "the sharpness of expression which was so remarkable in that of his brother," Mycroft has, according to his younger brother, "better powers of observation than I." So the tale is notable for its expansion of the great detective's back story. Sadly, as the reader reaches the end of the story, it is profoundly disappointing compared to many of Holmes's other cases. The bad guys get away, and a man is dead. The Greek interpreter of the title survives, just barely.

Therefore, it's no wonder that the writers of the Granada adaptation felt the need to flesh out the plot considerably. As a result, the last ten minutes or so of the episode contain a plot original to the episode, that is frankly rather ridiculous. Sherlock, Watson and Mycroft go running (literally) after the villains, and confront them on a train. The whole thing becomes a "train adventure," complete with the violent death of one of the baddies, a smooth bit of pocket picking by Mycroft, and even a moment where Mycroft holds a pistol to the other bad guy's head. One gets the distinct impression that the writers knew the ending as Doyle wrote it was worthless, so they just took a sharp turn, and wrote the adventure they wanted to see the main characters have. 

Still the episode is not completely worthless. Charles Gray does an admirable job as Mycroft. (My impression was that he was too old to play the role,  but I see from a quick Wikipedia search that he was only 5 years older than Brett.) I don't know that Gray was quite as "stout" as Watson describes him in the story, and he doesn't seem nearly tall enough. However, considering the trend in many Holmes adaptations for a slim Mycroft (BBC Sherlock, Elementary, and Enola Holmes spring to mind), I think the casting was pretty good. And we are treated to a lovely scene at the Diogenes Club, wherein Sherlock and Mycroft trade deductions about a random guy in the street below, to Watson's very clear delight.

Speaking of Watson, I am always impressed by David Burke's Watson. I only wish that he had been able to continue the role after this first series. Edward Hardwicke was very good, too, but Burke was the best, in my opinion. Indeed, if I had to rank all the Watsons I've seen over the years, I believe David Burke would be at the top of my list. It is also important to remember that, at the time, Burke was a breath of fresh air for a role that had been largely defined by Nigel Bruce's comic portrayal of the character.

Overall, in "The Greek Interpreter," we are left with an episode that is enjoyable enough for its character development, but that inherits many of the defects of its source material, and tries to over-compensate with a new ending that borders on the ludicrous. So, not a complete waste of time, but not one of the better episodes I've seen thus far.

Postscript: The Nashville Scholars of the Three Pipe Problem, the Sherlockian group in which I participate here in Nashville, TN, just discussed this story a week ago at our monthly meeting. Many of the opinions I've shared above (about the original story and its adaptation by Granada) were voiced by other members of the group. Indeed, we had a lively discussion about the story. And a good time was had by all...

[firespirited]

a vague post I made a year ago just got confirmed by hbomberguy's twist.

no-one will ever know but this is a note to myself that it's not the first time, more importantly it's also not the first time I tried to talk myself out of being a cynical hater.

I do NOT do vibes or gut based anything, I just keep a mental note of when people do something from the playbook of various manipulative people i've known and emotionally pull back slightly. (In this case I went down a rabbithole and found a lot of what's presented)

Sometimes, if it's closer to home, i'll write letters to never be sent; decide whether it's something I can move past when i'm done writing, because every circumstance is different. This is superficial internet entertainer stuff, i'm really gesturing to broader patterns about more personal and IRL stuff here.

-------------------------------

You know how I like to add "further reading" on some movie reviews? I like to go to video essay and article sources and do the reading if it's not too dense.

So I spent the first part of the hbomberguy video seething about a 2h video I once watched about end of the world theories in western culture that turned out to be ripped wholesale from early 2000s PBS that was a 30 minute read with many more sources for further research. It had seemed so legit, of course it was good, it was PBS: they cited experts in their fields.

There are other youtubers who make books or chapters from books digestible and I'm going to keep my mouth shut on that because youtube is full of regurgitated stuff (ever tried to get an ending explained and get a TTS wikipedia summary instead?), these are often people with less work options and sometimes the books are quite tough reads that I needed help getting into:

yeah i'm including the dude who did a read through of Dune while skipping all the boring bits and getting out the explanation charts when things got complicated because that's actually a great way to absorb Dune... while also very mildly side-eyeing everyone who read How to Blow up a Pipeline or All about Love by bell hooks and decided to spoon-feed its uncomplicated messages back without much transformative value.

But stuff like Foucault and Federici are so academic, I actively seek out the digested bite sized bits with examples of how it applies, it's practically written in a foreign language with how each term has its own history and meaning and you end up with twenty wikipedia pages open to get through 5 pages.

On a positive note: I would like to shout out delightful Tee Noir who releases pop culture videos that, let's say, spread the seed for other videos that often get more attention.

-------------------------

PS: Dear past!me, maybe you're not inflicted with a "spirit of bitterness" but have a good nose for spotting bullies who pretend to be nice people. Dear future!me, could you remember this for once or must we always do this mental song and dance?

[misterspectacular]

Last Voyage of the Demeter Review (SPOILERS) PART 1

I finally got to watch it, and I am IN LOVE WITH THIS VERSION OF DRACULA!!! The build up was great; expertly done. He goes through an INCREDIBLE transformation -- beginning as looking more human, but a full-fledged vampire by the end of it, and it is delightful. We need a second movie, ASAP -- now that they're off the ship, and Clemens is hunting him in London!! SO COOL! The movie is basically based on this bit from Bram Stoker's novel (taken from Wikipedia):

"Dracula leaves his castle and boards a Russian ship, the Demeter, taking along with him 50 boxes of Transylvanian soil, which he needs to regain his strength and rest during daylight. During the voyage to Whitby, a coastal town in northern England, he sustains himself on the ship's crew members. Only one body is later found, that of the captain, who is found tied up to the ship's helm. The captain's log is recovered and tells of strange events that had taken place during the ship's journey. Dracula leaves the ship in the form of a dog and runs up the 199 steps to the graveyard of St Mary's Church in the shadow of the Whitby Abbey ruins."

I will be making so many gifs but for now, here are some screenshots I took.

He's stunning.

Even his coffin is cool.

Claws! He's just a newborn vampire at this point.

The first real glimpse.

So new. So frail. He hungers!

He started licking up the blood, it got me in the good spots.

Digging his claws in! What a beast!

His hands/fingers are abnormally long because they're slowly turning into wings -- it's phenomenal.

He hungee (the gulping and slurping sounds got me, too, he just CHUGS).

So much blood. Oh my God. (I have a blood kink, btw)

Reminding me of Gollum ~

His newborn vampire state really IS quite Gollum-y.

He just SMILES -- he DELIGHTS in his own wickedness, and I love it. There's something really quite thrilling about a sentient monster.

He talks! He kind of looks like a naked mole rat at this point. Can you imagine him coming after you?

This shot is incredible. He's perfectly spooky. I love him so much. Javier Botet is freaking awesome.

HALLO!

My boy's got his wings ~

There he is! His full vampire form! SO GOOD (and by good, I mean he's absolutely terrible, but I love that about him). His eyes glow red when he's intense hehe ~

I'm a sucker for wings.

I regarded the human beings in the same way he did, during this movie. I have this thing where I tend to root for the villain, the bad guy, the monstrous creature that everyone fears. "Yeah, there you go, there's another snack! Oh, that's a good one, too!"

He literally just chugs.

*Shivers* Look at him.

They refer to him as the Devil. I'm almost speechless, what can I say at this point? Just look at him.

Part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/misterspectacular/727503300017192960/last-voyage-of-the-demeter-review-spoilers-part?source=share

[kyndaris]

A Hidden World

Popo and I woke early the next day, mostly owing to the return of my temporary insomnia, but also because during our trip through Turkey, we were expected to always be on the coach by 8AM. As for why my insomnia returned? Impossible to know although I chalk it up to me watching YouTube videos quite late on my phone and sneaking in a few songs on my Switch before bed. 

Hey! Even though I was travelling overseas, a girl’s got to treat herself, all right?

Regardless, we were up and getting our luggage stowed into the underbelly of the coach and eating a decent breakfast. By 8AM we were seated on the coach and ready for the long journey east to a small town in the Black Sea region of northern Turkey: Safranbolu. 

Along the way, we stopped for lunch and also enjoyed brief toilet breaks at petrol stations along the highway. At one particular stop, a Shell station, I purchased some hot chocolate that was middling at best. To be fair, it was still superior to whatever I had in North America but once you’ve had Australian coffee/ hot chocolate, there is simply no going back. Especially if you like milk froth.

It was about 2PM when we pulled into the UNESCO World Heritage City of Safranbolu. Of particular interest to tourists is the Old Town, which showcased hundreds upon hundreds of preserved red-roofed Ottoman houses on cobblestone streets. The only thing missing were horse drawn cabs. While I was wandering the streets and admiring it from above, the architecture of the houses somewhat reminded me of old Tudor-style houses although there werestill quite a few differences.

Unfortunately, leading Popo around the city centre meant that I missed out on many an explanation from the tour guide. Wikipedia, which is CLEARLY a reliable source that should be cited often, tells me that the name of the town derives from the spice, Saffron, and the Greek work ‘polis.’ 

And to be fair, the growing  of saffron or ‘safran’ by the locals is still very common practice in the city, what with all the saffron scented performed and flavoured Turkish delights that were on sale. 

Once we had viewed the the Old Town from above at a lookout, we headed to our hotel that was close by and modelled in the original Ottoman style. Afterwards, we headed to the centre to get in some ‘shopping. And shop I did! In fact, as I roamed the stores, I bought myself a handmade leather courier bag for only 700 Turkish lira! Others might have been able to haggle further this was not a skill I possessed.

Walking along with a few other members of the tour group, we stopped by a few stores to try out their free samples of Turkish samples. True, it was a ploy to get us to come in and actually buy their merchandise, but it also helped satiate my sweet tooth.  In fact, I even picked up some Turkish delights, courtesy of one fo the tour members hoping to bribe me back to their place and into the clutches of their diabolical mother who wanted to keep me as a prized pet. 

You might be asking anyone would do that. And for that well thought out question, I have no answer except maybe I had somehow imprinted on this mother. Or she thought me cute and adorable in spite of my actual age and temperament. 

After all, I can be quite playful and mischievous if I so wish. I was born in the Year of the Monkey! But, I’m also quite serious and very down-to-earth.

And if that sounds like an excuse, it is. 

In any case, our half-day in Safranbolu was quickly over and we retired to our hotel with its quaint little room that was supposed to sleep two.

[queer-ragnelle]

Episode 2 thoughts. Hope this is alright sjfje I'm spamming my friend with these currently but, well,

Once again, I cant believe they fridged ectors wife. I went on Wikipedia to try and find her name and she doesn't have one... This is so sad. Can we get an F?

I love Kay. I love Ector. I love Igraine. They're so so good. Ingraine especially is fantastic, even if she didn't appear so much, but she's so humanised, what a blessing. The characterization in this is fantastic - they incorporated little things from so many sources and other than plain le Morte and honestly that is so cool.

Arthur. Stop jumping off things. I beg you. Don't make this your shtick.

that spin on the sword in the stone is really cool! I like how they don't call it Excalibur, but Mars' sword - is excalibur going to make an appearance? Or are they gonna double down? 👀

Merlin... Well I don't really like the merlin from the original legends; he kinda gives me the icks and I just *cant* like him. But he's a good character in this. Excited to see how the show treats him.

You weren't lying those warnings can content.

"Leontes, do you know Guinevere?" "No :)"

Ector deserved that kill 100%. God that was heart wrenching. What a fantastic resolution. and Yes I understand why narratively he had to die but it made me sad :( rip

Anyway, loved this episode. What a delightful series. Can't wait to see what else is in store. Sorry for the super long message xP

they really did fridge ector’s (unnamed) wife. i will say the show is pretty good about naming everyone else tho, and most of these characters are around doing stuff for a good while. igraine included!

the characterization is superb. you’re right, it has a lot of subtle depth and makes use of a variety of sources in nuanced ways. i won’t spoil about swords or anything else, but it doesn’t disappoint!

starz camelot merlin walked so netflix cursed merlin could be a shitty half assed knock off :^)

next episode…gawain time…….almost here. enjoy!!

[versey21]

22nd March

Spring by William Blake

Taken from his collection Songs of Innocence and Experience, Blake typically plays around with rhythms, words and imagery in his own paen to the spring.

William Blake: portrait by Thomas Phillips (1807). Source: Wikipedia

Spring

Sound the Flute!

Now it’s mute.

Birds delight

Day and Night;

Nightingale

In the dale

Lark in Sky

Merrily,

Merrily, Merrily, to welcome in the Year.

Little Boy,

Full of joy;

Little Girl,

Sweet and small;

Cock does crow,

So do you;

Merry voice,

Infant noise,

Merrily, Merrily, to welcome in the Year.

Little Lamb,

Here I am;

Come and lick

My white neck;

Let me pull

Your soft Wool;

Let me kiss

Your soft face:

Merrily Merrily, we welcome in the Year.

Although conceived in the sixteenth century, the Gregorian calendar, with its twelve named months, took time to gain popular acceptance. For many, particularly in rural areas, the older calendars seemed more relevant, starting the new year with the arrival of spring in late March. Blake reflects this tradition in this poem.

[haleyhalcyon]

How to write a You Don’t Know Jack-style trivia question

by Haley Walker, the head writer of Salty Trivia with Candy Barre, a YDKJ fangame

The anatomy of a YDKJ question

As the tagline says, YDKJ is where “high culture and pop culture collide”. A good YDKJ question is first and foremost a soft trivia question that most people can reasonably confidently expect to guess. It also has a little pop culture coating around it, like the hard candy shell on a Tootsie Pop.

The “pop culture” bit could be references to movies, video games, music, memes, or TV shows (or their modern equivalent, online streaming service originals). It could even just be a stupid pun.

Asstronomy How many Earths could you stuff into the volume of Uranus before it just couldn’t take any more? A. 6 B. 63 C. 630 D. 6300 —YDKJ2011 E1 Q1

Oh, and of course, official YDKJ questions have a lot of fart jokes in them.

High-to-Pop Balance

The questions should be fully understandable with cursory knowledge of the reference in question. For example, someone who has only kind of heard the name “Paul Rudd” in passing could get all the questions right in YDKJ2015’s Paul Rudd episode. In fact, none of the questions ask anything about Paul Rudd.

Let There Be Rudd If Paul Rudd’s real first name were like Paul the Apostle’s original first name, what would he be called? A. Raul Rudd B. Saul Rudd C. Gaul Rudd D. Simon Rudd —YDKJ2015 “Paul Rudd Episode” Q4

Be careful, though, to make the pop culture reference clear enough, without sacrificing the understandability of the trivia question underneath it.

The ideal YDKJ question is a Tootsie Pop, with a soft trivia center inside a hard pop culture shell. When there’s too much lollipop, it’s too much effort to get to the tootsie roll center. Too little lollipop, it’s just a tootsie roll on a stick.

Examples

Let’s review some fanmade YDKJ questions.

This is a well-balanced question.

Moderating’s Hard Say you were spamming in a server. Mostly what were you caught doing? A. posting multiple chicken pics at once B. starting beef with others C. slapping someone with a large fish D. not shutting up about pork

The high culture layer is what kind of meat Hormel’s luncheon meat Spam is made of, and the pop culture layer is the act of spamming that the Monty Python skit gave name to.

This is a question with too much pop culture.

Mythic Baked Liquids Guess what Pastry's Skill Quote this rhymes with In test, Delight of Denise. 1: You are able to control all water and have a Crush on the Moon. 2: You want your Enemies to WITNESS something. 3: Perhaps something about the SEAS?

This question is all pop culture, and requires more than a cursory knowledge of what "Pastry's Skill Quote" is. (The question writer then clarified that it's supposed to be some kind of thing from Cookie Run, but that doesn't explain anything and doesn't cause us to be able to guess that the right answer is "Witness the might of the seas", and that’s kind of the point of why this question is so unbalanced.)

I would raise an example of a question with too much high culture, but ample of them are already in Jeopardy!, so I won’t harp on about it.

Pitfalls

Some sources are not very reliable, including Wikipedia, but there are a lot of other places that are less reputable.

Names of phobias come up in fanmade YDKJ questions quite often, but the vast majority of them are invented by some random person with a less than stellar understanding of Greek and Latin. If you can find it in Wikipedia’s list of phobia names that aren’t in the “Jocular and fictional phobias” section, it’s safe to use. Otherwise, if you can’t find a medical paper that uses that name, it’s wise to discard it.

Terms of venery are another iffy subject. Aside from the very famous “flock of birds” (but “murder of crows”), “pack of dogs/wolves”, “herd of cows/horses”, “pride of big cats”, and “school of fish”, you should generally shy away from them.

Writing patterns

There are some common pitfalls that a YDKJ question can fall into, most of which arise from the wording not being clear enough. Here are some phrases to mitigate the issues.

“Which of these [things] is the MOST/LEAST likely”

This pattern is used when there are multiple correct answers, or the options all apply to a different degree. It is also used to signal that it’s a matter of opinion or simple wordplay.

“Based on [criterion]” or “Because [criterion]”

This pattern is used to clarify why. I will show you a bad YDKJ question for a change.

Pixar Movies Make Me Gassy If I wanted to reenact the movie Up, what would I definitely not want to attach to my house? A. hydrogen balloons B. helium balloons C. carbon dioxide balloons D. ammonia balloons —YDKJ2011 E25 Q6

The intended answer was C. carbon dioxide balloons, because it was the only one of the three had a lower density than air at room temperature. However, you wouldn’t want to attach the rest of them to your house for various reasons: Hydrogen and ammonia are both hazardous to handle because they are flammable, while we are running out of helium, so they would be very expensive to use. This is not even to mention that ammonia has a very strong odor. (Did I mention YDKJ has a lot of fart jokes?)

Adding the phrase “Based on” to the question, I can rewrite the question to clarify why Cookie would definitely not want to attach to his house:

Hydrogen: Because it is the most flammable, what would I...

Helium: Based on the price, what would I...

Carbon Dioxide: Based on its density, what would I...

Ammonia: Based on the level of health hazard, what would I...

“If/Say/Suppose [premise]. [question]?”

This pattern is used to introduce a premise that too complex to be woven into the question itself. If you need multiple sentences to introduce the premise of the question, even after the little rant Cookie sometimes does before the questions, you may want to reword the question, work on it some more, or scrap it.

[ichhya]

How to Use Home Scent Diffuser? Best Aroma Device for Room

A home scent diffuser is a simple, efficient way to fill your living space with delightful fragrances. To use it properly, add water and a few drops of essential oil, set the timer, and let it disperse. Regular maintenance and moderation ensure cost efficiency and long-lasting use.

How to Use Home Scent Diffuser: a Short Guide

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt relaxed by a pleasant scent? That’s the magic of home scent diffusers. But are you using yours the right way? In this gadget guide, we'll explore what a home scent diffuser is, how to use it properly, and good practices to maximize its efficiency without wasting essential oils or money. Whether you're a beginner just learning how to operate a diffuser or someone familiar with essential oils, this gadget blog will help you get the most out of your device. A good diffuser can improve your mood, promote relaxation, and even enhance focus. The key is knowing how to use it correctly and maintain it over time.

What is a Home Scent Diffuser?

A home scent diffuser is a smart home gadget device that disperses essential oils into the air, creating a pleasant aroma in your space. Diffusers work by breaking the oils down into smaller molecules that spread easily through the air. The most common types include: - Ultrasonic diffusers: These use water and ultrasonic waves to create a fine mist of essential oil particles. They are quiet and double as humidifiers, making them a popular choice. - Heat diffusers: These work by warming up the essential oil, causing it to evaporate and spread through the air. While effective, they can sometimes alter the chemical structure of the oil due to heat. - Evaporative diffusers: These use airflow to disperse the essential oils, often with a fan. They are straightforward but less consistent in the strength of the aroma. - Nebulizing diffusers: These create a very fine mist without water or heat, ensuring the purest form of essential oil dispersal. However, they can be more expensive. What Is Diffuser A diffuser is a wellness gadget device that releases essential oils into the air. It's often used for aromatherapy, which is the practice of using essential oils to promote physical and emotional well-being. Diffusers work by using heat, ultrasonic vibrations, or a fan to disperse the essential oils into the air. There are many different types of diffusers available, including ultrasonic diffusers, reed diffusers, and evaporative diffusers. Each type has its unique method of dispersing essential oils. Source Wikipedia, Some Home Gadget Ideas for You: What is the importance of Cleaning Tools and Equpment? Electric Fire Pit Buyer’s Guide: What to Check First? Window Shades: Best Tips to Install DW Blinds What is Scent? The scent is the sensation perceived by the nose. It's the unique smell or aroma that a substance emits. Scents can be pleasant, like the fragrance of flowers, or unpleasant, like a foul odor. Our sense of smell is powerful and can evoke strong memories and emotions. For example, the scent of freshly baked cookies can evoke feelings of nostalgia and comfort, while the smell of something burning can trigger a sense of danger. Scents can also affect our mood and behavior. Some scents are known to promote relaxation, while others can energize us. Understanding the power of scent can help us appreciate the world around us and improve our overall well-being. Each type has its benefits, so choosing the right one depends on your personal needs. Ultrasonic diffusers are widely popular for their versatility and affordability. Source; Britannica

Why Use a Home Scent Diffuser?

People use home scent diffusers for a variety of reasons, and they can serve different purposes depending on the essential oils used. Some of the most common reasons include: - Mood enhancement: Scents like lavender or citrus are known for their mood-boosting properties. These aromas can help create a more positive and energetic atmosphere. - Stress relief: Aromas like chamomile or eucalyptus are famous for their calming and stress-relieving effects. They help soothe the mind after a long day. - Air freshening: Diffusers offer a natural alternative to artificial air fresheners, which often contain chemicals. Essential oils can freshen up your home while also offering therapeutic benefits. - Improved focus: Oils like peppermint and rosemary are often used to increase focus and concentration, making them great for home offices or study areas. - Better sleep: If you struggle with sleep, lavender, ylang-ylang, or cedarwood can help create a calming environment that promotes relaxation and restful sleep. Beyond these practical benefits, diffusers also provide a pleasant way to naturally scent your home without using sprays or candles, which can sometimes contain harmful chemicals. Step-by-Step Guide on How to Use a Home Scent Diffuser Using a diffuser is simple, but following these steps will ensure you're getting the most out of your device: 1. Choose the Right Location To get the most out of your diffuser, place it in a central location in the room. The scent needs space to spread evenly. Ensure the diffuser is on a flat surface, away from modern electronics or areas where pets or children could accidentally knock it over. Bedrooms, living rooms, and bathrooms are common spots for diffusers. In larger rooms, you may need to place the diffuser closer to where you spend the most time. 2. Fill the Diffuser with Water Most ultrasonic diffusers have a small water tank. Fill it with clean, room-temperature water. There’s typically a fill line inside the tank, so be careful not to exceed this line as overfilling can affect the diffuser’s performance. Tap water is usually fine, but if your area has hard water, using filtered water may prevent mineral buildup over time. You May Like this to read: Best Washer and Dryer 2024: An In-Depth Analysis Counter-Depth Refrigerator: The Hidden Facts? What is Not a Physical Security Measure for Your Home? 3. Add Essential Oils Once the tank is filled, it’s time to add essential oils. Start with 4-5 drops for a light scent. You can adjust the amount depending on how strong or subtle you want the aroma to be. Some people enjoy mixing oils to create custom blends, but if you're new to diffusing, stick to single oils until you get a feel for what you like. Make sure to use pure essential oils rather than synthetic ones, which can clog the diffuser and may not offer the same health benefits. 4. Set the Timer or Mist Setting Many modern diffusers have various mist settings or timers. For example, you might choose a continuous mist, which disperses the scent until the water runs out, or an intermittent mist, which alternates between misting and resting periods. If your diffuser has a timer, set it for a duration that fits your needs. Generally, an hour or two is enough to fill a room with a pleasant aroma. 5. Turn It On and Enjoy After everything is set, turn on your diffuser and let it work. You’ll notice the scent slowly begin to spread throughout the room. Depending on the strength of the essential oils and the size of the room, it may take a few minutes for the aroma to fully disperse. Moderation is Key: Learn How to Use Home Scent Diffuser While diffusers are an excellent way to freshen your space, moderation is essential. Running a diffuser for long hours can lead to several issues: - Overpowering scent: Too much essential oil can be overwhelming and might cause headaches or nausea in sensitive individuals. - Wasting oils: Using too much oil in each session or running the diffuser continuously can lead to unnecessary waste. Essential oils are potent, and a little goes a long way. - Olfactory fatigue: Overexposure to a particular scent can dull your sense of smell over time, meaning you’ll stop noticing the aroma, even though it’s still in the air. A good practice is to run the diffuser intermittently. For example, you can run it for 30 minutes, then turn it off for another 30. This allows the scent to linger without becoming overwhelming or wasted.

How to Use Diffuser Oil for Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils to promote physical and emotional well-being. Diffusers are devices that release these essential oils into the air, allowing you to enjoy their benefits. Here's a simple guide on how to use a home scent diffuser for aromatherapy: - Choose your essential oil: Select an essential oil that suits your desired outcome. For example, lavender is often used for relaxation, while peppermint can be energizing. - Fill your diffuser: Follow the manufacturer's instructions for filling your diffuser with water. Add a few drops of your chosen essential oil. - Turn on the diffuser: Turn on the diffuser to allow the essential oils to disperse into the air. - Enjoy the benefits: Breathe in the aroma of the essential oils and relax. You may notice a change in your mood or physical sensations. Remember: Always follow the instructions provided with your specific diffuser. Some diffusers may require different amounts of water or essential oil. Additionally, it's important to use high-quality essential oils to ensure the best results. Important Article on Home Lights: What is Himalayan Salt Lamp? Best Healing Lamp. What are Epic Waterproof Outdoor LED Flood Lights Bulbs? What Are the Best Outdoor Solar Fairy Lights?

How to Maintain Your Home Scent Diffuser?

Proper maintenance ensures that your diffuser lasts longer and operates efficiently. Here’s how to keep it in top condition: 1. Regular Cleaning Cleaning your diffuser regularly is essential, especially if you use it frequently. Oils can leave a residue that clogs the mechanism or affects performance over time. After each use, empty the water tank, wipe it down with a damp cloth and let it air dry. Deep cleaning can be done weekly by running a mixture of water and vinegar through the diffuser. 2. Avoid Overfilling Overfilling the water tank can cause the diffuser to malfunction or leak. Always stick to the recommended fill line inside the tank. If the diffuser isn’t working correctly, check the water level first before troubleshooting further. 3. Use Quality Natural Oils Low-quality essential oils may be cheaper, but they can contain synthetic ingredients that are harmful to both your diffuser and your health. Stick to pure essential oils from reputable brands to ensure both the longevity of your diffuser and the quality of the scent.

Cost Efficiency: Maximize Your Diffuser’s Lifespan

While diffusers are generally affordable, there are a few tricks to maximize their efficiency and minimize costs: - Use fewer drops of oil: You don’t need a large amount of oil to get a strong scent. Starting with 4-5 drops is usually enough, and you can add more if needed. By using fewer drops, you extend the life of your essential oils, making them last longer. - Rotate your oils: Using different oils on different days can help prevent olfactory fatigue and allow you to enjoy the full benefits of each scent. This also prevents the need to constantly add more oil, which saves you money in the long run. - Invest in a timer: Diffusers with built-in timers can help regulate how long the device runs, preventing overuse. This not only saves on electricity but also helps to prolong the life of your diffuser and your oils.

Good Practices for Using Home Scent Diffusers

Using your diffuser correctly not only enhances your experience but also ensures safety and longevity. Here are some best practices: - Ventilation: Ensure the room is well-ventilated to avoid overpowering scents. Too much exposure to strong essential oils can cause headaches or irritation. - Don’t mix oils carelessly: Some essential oils don’t blend well together. If you’re not experienced in creating blends, start by diffusing one oil at a time. Once you understand the properties of each oil, you can experiment with blends. - Avoid continuous use: Long-term continuous use can strain the diffuser and waste essential oils. To get the most out of your device, use it intermittently throughout the day. From Our Choice to You: How Much Does Dryer Vent Cleaning Cost? Read for Ideas Best Washing Machine Repair Tips: Troubleshoot It Yourself. What Is an Outdoor Electrical Box? Why Do You Must Get Top 1?

Conclusion

A home scent diffuser is an excellent tool for enhancing the atmosphere in your home. Whether you’re using it for relaxation, focus, or simply to freshen up a room, knowing how to properly use and maintain your diffuser can make all the difference. By following the steps outlined above, you can enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy without wasting oils or damaging your device. So, go ahead and make the most of your home scent diffuser today, and enjoy a fresher, more inviting space with the blog "How to Use Home Scent Diffuser?"! Happy reading "How to Use Home Scent Diffuser?" You must have learned the use of the Home Scent Diffuser. Read the full article

[max-rainet]

[allourideas]

allourideas.org is being reborn

We are delighted to announce that the All Our Ideas project will soon be housed within Citizens Foundation, a non-profit based in Iceland and the United States.  All Our Ideas will remain free to use and open-source.

As many of our users know, All Our Ideas started out as a research project housed at the Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University.  We are now happy to evolve into a project focused on social good.

As part of this transition, there will be many positive changes:

Updated website with new features, including GPT-4 integration

Improved web hosting capacity 

Modernized version of the codebase, with easy Docker-based deployment

Support for government partnerships, including consulting, technical support, customization, and service level agreements

Citizens Foundation was founded in Iceland in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis, and it is an ideal place for All Our Ideas to continue to thrive.  Since it was founded, Citizens Foundation has worked with governments in more than 45 countries to use technology to support democratic deliberation.  

Finally, on a personal note, I’d like to say thank you all for everything.  All Our Ideas would not have been possible without the support of many amazing people and organizations.  I’m looking forward to all the excitement to come.

Matt

FAQ

Will allourideas.org be shutting down?

Sort of.  The version of allourideas.org that was housed at Princeton will be shutting down, and the version of allourideas.org that is housed at Citizens Foundation will be starting up.  The transition will happen in the fall of 2024 with the exact date to be determined.

Will data from allourideas.org be transferred from the project housed at Princeton to the project housed at Citizens Foundation?

No.  These are two separate systems.  Wiki survey creators the Princeton version of allourideas.org can download the data from their wiki survey before it shuts down.

Can I see the new modernized code?

Of course.  Here is the open-source code.

Has Citizens Foundation ever done something like this before?

Absolutely.  Citizens Foundation has been developing and supporting a system similar to All Our Ideas called Your Priorities.  You can learn more on the Citizens Foundation website and Citizens Foundation Wikipedia page. 

Can you share more about the research that came out of this project?

Of course.  Here’s a paper that Karen Levy and I published titled “Wiki Surveys: Open and quantifiable social data collection”.  I also wrote about this project in my book Bit by Bit: Social Research in the Digital Age.