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bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 12th, 2026 09:11 am)
bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 12th, 2026 09:11 am)A candlelit vigil was held on Wednesday night in the remote British Columbia town where six people were killed and dozens injured.
1. It's the annual insurance open enrollment period at work, and even if we want to keep the exact same plans we currently have, we are required to go in to a session with HR and confirm everything in person, which is annoying, especially as I looked at the calendar and the times they were having a session at the Gardena store were all not great with my schedule. But I saw that there was one at the West LA store today, so last night I messaged the HR guy who is handling it and asked if I could go to that one or if it's just for employees at that location, and he said it was fine, so I popped over there quickly this morning and got that done and then otherwise just worked from home. Plus I hadn't been to that store in several months, and it was nice to see my old employees.
2. I bought a couple sumo tangerines the other day at the store and had one for breakfast this morning and it was so good.
3. Suspicious Gemma! What am I plotting taking her picture like that!?
2. I bought a couple sumo tangerines the other day at the store and had one for breakfast this morning and it was so good.
3. Suspicious Gemma! What am I plotting taking her picture like that!?
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Alien Clay, Adrian Tchaikovsky. That sure was an Adrian Tchaikovsky novel! It succesfully did what it did but I've read enough Tchaikovsky that I didn't feel like it really stood out.
Chroniques du Pays des Mères, Élisabeth Vonarburg. Still having to resist from reading ahead of book club pace, but also this past week I went and reread/skimmed everything I'd already read to help keep track of all the plot/worldbuilding details. Our protagonist has just left home for the first time and I'm curious to know what comes next.
Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously, by Jessica Pan. Saw this recommended as a self-help book, and thought I'd try it. It's very readable -- the author is the sort of shy introvert that I can easily relate to, and I appreciated that her writing voice was very confident in discussing her anxiety. This sort of self-help memoir is a bit odd in that she's trying to position herself as an everywoman, but reading between the lines it's clear that she wasn't just working to break out her shell so she could make more friends and overcome anxiety, but also so that she could write a book based on it; which seems like it has advanages both in motivation and in getting access to expert professionals to provide advice.
To Ride a Rising Storm, Moniquill Blackgoose. Sequel to To Shape a Dragon's Breath. At heart these are school stories, and even when they're not at school the focus is still on the characters and relationships, with a lot of social commentary about colonialism in an AU North America, with the political plot and the dragons and alchemy, while present, being less of the focus. I liked the new characters here, in particular the Jewish ones. (This AU, instead of "Jewish", uses a different word with Slavic etymology; I'm aware there's a related word in Russian that's an offensive slur; I wasn't bothered but some people migh be. Anyway AU Judaism does not seem to have any noticeable differences from our world.) This book ended on a rather abrupt cliffhanger, so now I can't wait for the next one.
Chroniques du Pays des Mères, Élisabeth Vonarburg. Still having to resist from reading ahead of book club pace, but also this past week I went and reread/skimmed everything I'd already read to help keep track of all the plot/worldbuilding details. Our protagonist has just left home for the first time and I'm curious to know what comes next.
Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously, by Jessica Pan. Saw this recommended as a self-help book, and thought I'd try it. It's very readable -- the author is the sort of shy introvert that I can easily relate to, and I appreciated that her writing voice was very confident in discussing her anxiety. This sort of self-help memoir is a bit odd in that she's trying to position herself as an everywoman, but reading between the lines it's clear that she wasn't just working to break out her shell so she could make more friends and overcome anxiety, but also so that she could write a book based on it; which seems like it has advanages both in motivation and in getting access to expert professionals to provide advice.
To Ride a Rising Storm, Moniquill Blackgoose. Sequel to To Shape a Dragon's Breath. At heart these are school stories, and even when they're not at school the focus is still on the characters and relationships, with a lot of social commentary about colonialism in an AU North America, with the political plot and the dragons and alchemy, while present, being less of the focus. I liked the new characters here, in particular the Jewish ones. (This AU, instead of "Jewish", uses a different word with Slavic etymology; I'm aware there's a related word in Russian that's an offensive slur; I wasn't bothered but some people migh be. Anyway AU Judaism does not seem to have any noticeable differences from our world.) This book ended on a rather abrupt cliffhanger, so now I can't wait for the next one.
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Pixel Scroll 2/11/26 Look, I’ve Got One Pixel On This Lousy Scroll, Its Stupid, But I’m Going To Do
(file770_feed Feb. 12th, 2026 02:24 am)
file770_feed Feb. 12th, 2026 02:24 am)(1) 2026 HUGO NOMINATIONS BEGIN. LAcon V today started accepting nominations for the 2026 Hugo Awards. Hugo Administrator Tammy Coxen says: Eligible nominators should have received an email on February 11 about how to set up their LAcon V virtual … Continue reading
We had some stormy weather last night so I went to see if anyone interesting had blown in. The Bufflehead had not been reported immediately previously but the Hooded Merganser girl gang (probably Winter residents), the Mallards, and the Pied-billed Grebes were all expected birds. The only surprise to me was a juvenile Double-crested Cormorant; I would love to know where they were hatched. ( The list: )
I'm not too sure of that list. Was I not paying attention? It's hard to believe there were no Yellow-rumped Warblers around the Lake, but there were periods of extreme wind, so who knows? From there I drove down to Creekside Park, Alameda County, where there were lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers! It was fixin' to rain when I arrived, and after some beautiful moments of sunshowers, standing under a huge oak watching fine rain blown around and shining in the sun, as I left it began to rain in earnest. Nothing specially interesting there. The Oak Titmice were singing but the Lesser Goldfinches were still flocking rather than pairing up. ( The list: )
Again, this list seemed lacking, but maybe it was just that sort of day.
I'm not too sure of that list. Was I not paying attention? It's hard to believe there were no Yellow-rumped Warblers around the Lake, but there were periods of extreme wind, so who knows? From there I drove down to Creekside Park, Alameda County, where there were lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers! It was fixin' to rain when I arrived, and after some beautiful moments of sunshowers, standing under a huge oak watching fine rain blown around and shining in the sun, as I left it began to rain in earnest. Nothing specially interesting there. The Oak Titmice were singing but the Lesser Goldfinches were still flocking rather than pairing up. ( The list: )
Again, this list seemed lacking, but maybe it was just that sort of day.
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fail_fandomanon Feb. 12th, 2026 01:39 pm)
sunnymodffa posting in fail_fandomanon Feb. 12th, 2026 01:39 pm)I would love a human Heathcliff who still plays it absolutely straight while in a passionate clinch with Miss Piggy's Catherine.
Everyone in the Muppets Wuthering Heights movie talks about how weirdly off Heathcliff is, just the way they do in canon, and it's very obviously (but never spoken) because he's the only human.
All the
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AO3 Link | Strange Support (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Green Arrow
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dinah Lance & Shado
Characters: Shado, Dinah Lance
Additional Tags: Drabble, +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis, [Green Arrow Vol. 2 - 1988-1998]
Summary:
Dinah knew she wasn't alone as soon as she stepped into her house, but the assassin there was quick to show she was not openly armed. In fact, Shado's eyes were filled with concern, and it was not for the sleeping child on the couch, but for Dinah herself.
"I thought, perhaps, you needed support."
Shado's words broke her reserves, letting Dinah weep. What even was her life that Oliver's one-night fling had come to give more of herself than any hero in the community?
Shado held her, eased her down on the end of the couch, and stayed close.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Green Arrow
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dinah Lance & Shado
Characters: Shado, Dinah Lance
Additional Tags: Drabble, +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis, [Green Arrow Vol. 2 - 1988-1998]
Summary:
When the community forgot about her, her ex's other lover didn't.
Strange Support
Dinah knew she wasn't alone as soon as she stepped into her house, but the assassin there was quick to show she was not openly armed. In fact, Shado's eyes were filled with concern, and it was not for the sleeping child on the couch, but for Dinah herself.
"I thought, perhaps, you needed support."
Shado's words broke her reserves, letting Dinah weep. What even was her life that Oliver's one-night fling had come to give more of herself than any hero in the community?
Shado held her, eased her down on the end of the couch, and stayed close.
Tags:
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FFA DW Post #2431 How to construct a properly-formed verb for "transform into a Pomeranian" in Latin
(sunnymodffa posting in fail_fandomanon Feb. 12th, 2026 01:28 pm)
sunnymodffa posting in fail_fandomanon Feb. 12th, 2026 01:28 pm)Meme, I just want you to know that I am trying this and I blame you for it a lot.
(I'm also fairly certain the pomegaverse characters are not supposed to be able to produce human speech while in Pomeranian form, but in my version they can because it's funnier if the greatest oratory in Roman history came from the mouth of a small dog.)
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January was rereading, and not much of that: Paladin of Souls, by Lois McMaster Bujold, and Sorcery and Cecilia by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer: the latter was a read-aloud, with Cattitude and Adrian switching off depending on which character the letter was from.
I also bounced off a couple of rereads, and read news and other articles online.
Just finished:
Grown Wise, by Celia Lake: another of her Albion historical romances, set in a fantasy Britain with a middle-sized community of people who use or are aware of magic. This one is set a couple of years after World War II, and people are dealing with both individual loss and trauma, and the war's effects on the land. I enjoyed this, but I don't know whether it would be confusing as a starting point. (It's the first in a new series of these books, which might help.)
I also bounced off a couple of rereads, and read news and other articles online.
Just finished:
Grown Wise, by Celia Lake: another of her Albion historical romances, set in a fantasy Britain with a middle-sized community of people who use or are aware of magic. This one is set a couple of years after World War II, and people are dealing with both individual loss and trauma, and the war's effects on the land. I enjoyed this, but I don't know whether it would be confusing as a starting point. (It's the first in a new series of these books, which might help.)
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(cosmolinguist Feb. 11th, 2026 11:06 pm)
cosmolinguist Feb. 11th, 2026 11:06 pm)This morning I got to call one of the candidates we interviewed yesterday and offer her the work placement. That felt nice.
But also weird. I've never done anything like this before! I am in a very technical sense her line manager, in that her actual manager, my manager, is now on leave for the next week and a half and he asked me to take care of this. Which meant not just the fun phone call but doing paperwork, and that meant having to write down my own name and contact details where it said "Manager."
Wild.
The less said about the rest of the work day the better, but the rest of the day was good. I went for a nice long walk in the warm(ish) drizzle with Teddy, who drank from so many muddy puddles that he had a big dirty circle on his snout. Like the dog equivalent of a kid with a milk mustache. The air smelled amazing, the plants and the soil are starting to wake up.
Then angelofthenorth invited us over for cheesy toad in the hole, which is a genius idea and I think I might have to make it in future. It was great to see her, and Mr Smith.
And since we'd all planned to go to the gym, she and I walked there while D drove V home and then came back to join me (Miriam having gone swimming). The gym is so much more fun with him there.
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I made a third, failed attempt to see the Green-tailed Towhee at Damon Slough but as so often, there were good birds and I enjoyed myself. The tide was about half down and there were an overwhelming number of shorebirds. I did not make a list for the seasonal wetlands, where there were a few ducks but a great many Long-billed Dowitchers, all of whom flew over to the mud along the Slough where I was standing. I id'd them, Long-billed versus Short-billed, by call, comparing their calls to Sibley's recordings. I don't think they are often id'd by sight; in the hand, sure, but not in the field. Weirdly, it didn't occur to me at the time to check merlin, although later I noticed that it agreed. Scattered amongst the Dowitchers were a few Willets, Marbled Godwits, American Avocets, and Black-necked Stilts, and this was just a peripheral feeding area. When I'd given up on the Green-tailed Towhee I walked over to the viewing platform that looks out on a large expanse of freshly uncovered mud, finding all those plus Dunlin, Least Sandpipers, Black Turnstones, and Black-bellied Plovers, with an array of gulls and terns behind them. It was impressive. ( The list: )
I hope the rain this week will revive the Garretson Point seasonal wetland as well as Berkeley Meadow. I'm going to wait til next week to go and see, though.
I hope the rain this week will revive the Garretson Point seasonal wetland as well as Berkeley Meadow. I'm going to wait til next week to go and see, though.
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(bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 11th, 2026 10:23 pm)
bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 11th, 2026 10:23 pm)The US Attorney General faced lawmakers during a hearing that covered the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, among other investigations.
(bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 11th, 2026 06:33 pm)
bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 11th, 2026 06:33 pm)Lindsey Vonn says she is "making progress" after having a successful third surgery on the broken leg she sustained in a crash at the Winter Olympics on Sunday.
Three times a year, the forecasting platform Metaculus hosts a tournament that is known to have especially difficult questions. It generally attracts the more serious forecasters, Ben Shindel, a materials scientist who ranked third among participants in a recent competition, told me. Last year, at its Summer Cup, a London-based start-up called Mantic entered an AI prediction engine.
A few months later, the guesses from Mantic’s prediction engine and the other tournament participants were scored against the real-life outcomes and one another. The AI placed eighth out of more than 500 entrants, a new record for a bot.
Mantic’s prediction engine combines a bunch of LLMs and assigns each one different tasks. One might serve as an expert on a database of election results. Another might be asked to scan weather data, economic outcomes, or box-office receipts, depending on the question that it’s attacking. The models work together as a team to generate a final prediction.
On Metaculus, a group of forecasters has taken to estimating when AIs will have the chops to out-predict an elite team of humans. Last January, they said there was about a 75 percent chance this would happen by 2030. Now they think it’s more like 95 percent.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/02/ai-prediction-human-forecasters/685955/
The feedback cycle is long, but the approach seems to be working nevertheless.
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(Which last I took in part because A only discovered last week that many snowdrops have decorative green bits on their frilly inner noses, courtesy of a waist-high planter outside one of our local pubs!)
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Since the group finished a week of downtime only to leave port and have their ship half-destroyed by a kraken less than twelve hours later, which means they now have another week of downtime, most of that second batch of downtime happened via chat over the past two weeks.
I'm going to summarize the important events from the downtime channel here, for recording purposes. We'll still be covering some parts of the downtime in the game tonight, as there are some scenes that needed played out for various reasons, but I wanted to make this post to cover the things that happened that won't be in the game itself.
( The rest under a cut for those who don't care. )
I'm going to summarize the important events from the downtime channel here, for recording purposes. We'll still be covering some parts of the downtime in the game tonight, as there are some scenes that needed played out for various reasons, but I wanted to make this post to cover the things that happened that won't be in the game itself.
( The rest under a cut for those who don't care. )
Tags:
(bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 12th, 2026 04:30 pm)
bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 12th, 2026 04:30 pm)Lawmakers accused Bondi's justice department of making improper redactions to Epstein files as she fired back.
(bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 11th, 2026 09:04 pm)
bbc_news_americas_feed Feb. 11th, 2026 09:04 pm)The shooting left nine people dead and at least 25 wounded, with one student saying he barricaded in a classroom for two hours.
.