delphipsmith | Network

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189/365: Field at evening, edge of Bewdley
Click for a larger, sharper image
Not much to report here today. I only went out for one walk, and here's a photo from it. This was in the evening, hence the low sun. It's a field on the edge of Bewdley that's well known locally as it's conserved in a low-tech fashion to encourage wildlife. Those ancient trees are the cherries -- they no longer produce fruit, but they're the last remnants of the orchards that used to cover this area a century ago, before modern suburban development. (Just behind me is a housing estate.) Under the trees is a long-abandoned tractor. Also, we could do with some rain.

How am I? sleepy

james_davis_nicoll

The Sidewise Award for Alternate History is looking for new judges to join the award committee.

This is the first time in the 30 year history of the award that they've made an open call for awards judges.

Apply here.

pauraque

This poll brought to you by some questions relevant to my next book post, and a discussion with

phantomtomato.

Poll #33473

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 49

View Respondents

Is it a spoiler to state the PREMISE of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, which is revealed 80 pages in but is treated as a secret by the jacket copy?

View Answers

Yes.
4 (8.2%)

No.
3 (6.1%)

Technically yes, but the book is 20 years old and it's common knowledge now.
26 (53.1%)

I'm not familiar with the book.
16 (32.7%)

Is it a spoiler to state the GENRE of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, which is discernible neither from the jacket copy nor from where it was shelved in my library?

View Answers

Yes.
1 (2.0%)

No.
19 (38.8%)

Technically yes, but it's in the first sentence of the book's Wikipedia article so you're probably good.
16 (32.7%)

I have not become familiar with the book between the previous question and this one.
13 (26.5%)

For what it's worth, I was spoiled(?) years ago for the reveal, and I don't think it hindered my enjoyment of the book at all.

(Comments may contain spoilers? I guess?)

tentaclemod posting in

raremaleslashex

The Pinch Hits are due the same time as regular assignments. The deadline is set for Saturday 16 August at 20:00 UTC. You can view a countdown here.

To claim: please reply to this post with your AO3 username and the name and number of the pinch hit you want to claim. Comments are screened. You can also email tentaclemod@gmail.com.

Anon commenting is fine but bear in mind that I cannot reply if you comment anon!

You don't have to be signed up to the exchange to claim a pinch hit, but you do need an AO3 account.

All pinch hits must comply with the rules here. The minimum is a completed work of fanfiction of at least 1000 words or a completed piece of fanart or 500 words of podfic (depending on what the recipient has requested).

CLAIMED! PH 5 - 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) RPF, 镇魂 | Guardian - priest, Crossover Fandom, 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)

( PH 6 - [Fanfic + Fanart] NoPixel (Web Series), 鴨乃橋ロンの禁断推理 | Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri | Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective (Manga), 文豪ストレイドッグス | Bungou Stray Dogs, 吸血鬼すぐ死ぬ | Kyuuketsuki Sugu Shinu | The Vampire Dies in No Time (Anime), Runescape (Video Games) )

( PH 8 - [All Fanfic] Bandom, Cool Runnings, due South, Good Omens, Zootopia, Real Genius- )

( PH 9 - [All Fanfic] Dishonored (Video Games), BioShock 1 & 2 (Video Games), Revenge (1990) )

( PH 11 - [All Fanfic] X-Men: The Animated Series (Cartoon 1992), World of Warcraft, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV 2000), Hellboy (Comics) )

CLAIMED! PH 14 - Bleach (Anime & Manga), Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends, フェルマーの料理 | Fermat no Ryouri (TV)

CLAIMED! PH 16 - 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, Elden Ring (Video Game), 魔尊也想知道 - 青色羽翼 | Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know - Cyan Wings, The Magnus Archives (Podcast), The Glory (TV 2022), 苍兰诀 | Love Between Fairy and Devil (TV), 人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 | The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 내가 키운 S급들 - 근서 | S-Classes that I Raised - Geunseo, 오픈 더 도어 - 임짜달 | Open The Door - Imjjadal, 山河令 | Word of Honor (TV 2021)

( PH 17 - Crossover Fandom, Naruto (Anime & Manga), 新世界狂歡｜NU: carnival (Video Game) )

( PH 18 - Biggles Series - W. E. Johns, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Labyrinth (1986), Sime~Gen - Jacqueline Lichtenberg & Jean Lorrah, Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band (Song), Original Work )

CLAIMED! PH 19 - Red One (2024), Justin and the Knights of Valour (2013), Spacelords (Video Game), Original Work

libitina

Shows to watch
Friday night - ~~War of Faith~~
Saturday 11am - Cancelled - The Heart Killers
Saturday 2pm - ~~My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho~~
Sunday 1pm - ~~Apothecary Diaries~~
Sunday 2pm - ~~Moon Embracing the Sun~~

Things to do
Have tea with Egyptian friend to exchange stuff ~~(Sunday night?)~~ (postponed)
~~buy some groceries and work snacks from Aldi~~
~~get cash / deposit a check~~
~~pick up my laundry~~
~~buy gas (for the car)~~
~~Ask neighbor if he will help clear the plants out of my alley and backyard (in exchange for cash)~~
~~gardening! (there still are some plants not in proper pots)~~
~~Keep sewing my red SCA dress~~
~~package up the dried herbs so you can harvest more herbs to dry~~
package up craft swap things to mail to people!
new: ~~put away the groceries~~
new: ~~put away the dishes~~
new: put away the laundry

Things to cook/eat
~~Clear room to put pickled things in the refrigerator~~
~~eat pickles?~~
start another jar of cucumber pickles
Do I want to try making cabbage kimchi? (not with this cabbage - use a fresher one)
marinate tofu for dinners (try making spicy tofu with the chinese soybean paste in the sauce)
~~eat butternut squash!~~
make paste to take to work for some book repairs!

xkcd_feed

https://xkcd.com/3126/

You say no human would reply to a forum thread about Tom Bombadil by writing and editing hundreds of words of text, complete with formatting, fancy punctuation, and two separate uses of the word 'delve'. Unfortunately for both of us, you are wrong.

https://xkcd.com/3126/

malada

Apple CEO Tim Cook presented Trump With a glass statue with a gold base, gets tariff break.

I really hope Timmy Boy wasn't stupid and the base is actually gold plated. He could probably afford to give tRump real gold but what's the point? tRump could turn around and pull the tariff break at any time.

So I guess bribery is completely legal now - if yo9're bribing tRump.

I hope tRump does pull the tariff break. They're both assholes.

Anyways, older Apple desktops and laptops work great with Linux or with Open Core Legacy Patcher. Work was tossing out 15 old Macbook Pro laptops (mostly from the 2010- 2012) and I resurrected 8 of them with more RAM, SSD hard drives and Open Core Legacy Patcher. The others were too damaged to waste my time on. I donated 7 of them to my church. They're a little pokey but for cruising the web, office stuff and other light usage they're just fine.

Repair and reuse!

james_davis_nicoll

Not every gamer finds joy in wildly complicated, esoteric, hard-to-learn rules...

Five User-Friendly Rulesets for Tabletop Roleplaying Games

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/who-cut-the-cheese-2025

That's right, folks: the day you've been waiting for is finally here. All those hours of planning, long nights of anticipation, and stockpiling of Lactaid pills will finally pay off, because today...is Cheesecake Wreck Day.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Jem," you're thinking - because you frequently get me mixed up with the 80s cartoon rocker - "Jem, how is it even possible to Wreck a cheese cake?"

Why, like this, my adorably confused reader:

[singing] "This-is-how-we-do-it!"

Aww, I see this was taken on my birthday, Mike & Angie. Well, thanks for the thought and all, but that drippy brown splotch has just reminded me: I...uh...don't eat drippy brown splotches. Sorry.

So that's a traditional cheesecake Wreck, but what if I told you it gets even Wreckier?

BEHOLD, THE WEDDING CHEESE CAKE WRECK!!!

Yes, my dear Wreckies, I'm afraid it's true: that is a "cake" made entirely of cheese. And not a sweet cream cheese, either - oh no. I'm talkin' the stuff that gets described with words like "sharp," "green veining," and "stinky feet." And it's a wedding cake.

I wish I could say this is a one-time fluke, but unfortunately wedding cheese "cakes" are a growing trend. They're not in addition to the traditional cake, either; they're in place of it. Meaning there is no actual wedding cake at these weddings - just cheese. Cheese! As if that's an acceptable substitute!

What happened to the time-tested wedding arrangement? You know, the one where we bring expensive linens, crystal, and espresso-makers in exchange for a free meal, a little boozy dancing, and a slice of gorgeously decorated, oh-so-scrumptious cake?

Frankly, it only adds insult to injury when someone tries to "pretty" these things up, too:

Fake flowers and ribbon pinned (yes, pinned) into cheese wheels does not an elegant "cake" make.

Still, nothing's as bad as combining cake, cheese, and a pork pie all into a single display:

The question is, can you tell which layer is which?

Cass J., Anony M., Stella P., & Second Anony., I Camembert it; all the Gouda puns Havarti been used!

*****

P.S. If you also enjoy cheesy puns, then BRIE-HOLD!

"Sweet Dreams Are Made Of Cheese" Shirt

::wipes away tear:: It's just so beautiful.

Also it comes in more colors at the link, but I think purple is prettiest. :)

******

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/who-cut-the-cheese-2025

james_davis_nicoll

Watch on YouTube

Hosted by Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Liz May Anderson.

Sunday August 10 at 5 PM: Livestream broadcast of the 2025 Aurora Awards, Canada’s annual English-language Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards.

aurumcalendula posting in

baihe_media

Seven Seas' August survey again includes a question specifically asking what baihe novels people would like them to license!

(I kinda thought the question last survey would be a one off)

james_davis_nicoll

Righteous characters pursue great justice in this wuxia TTRPG.

Hearts of Wulin by Joyce Ch'ng & Lowell Francis

james_davis_nicoll

More details later but it seems the group is essentially Don Quixote in the form of a Brettonian knight's bastard who has completely bought into chivalric ideals despite the fact no true knight considers him worthy to have such ideals, and an assortment of hangers-on who see him as a meal ticket.

Which is to say, the group is centred on someone who will seek out adventure.

james_davis_nicoll

Based on the photometry and orbital properties, the planet candidate could have a temperature of 225 K, a radius of 1-1.1 and a mass between 90-150 , consistent with RV limits.

modball posting in

fandomcalendar

( You're about to view content that a community administrator has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

loganberrybunny

Public

River Severn from Worcester Bridge, 7th August 2025

188/365: River Severn from Worcester Bridge
Click for a larger, sharper image
I had to be in Worcester today for reasons that aren't interesting and took up quite a bit of the day without being especially enjoyable. Ah well, at least it didn't rain! Today's 365 photo is a classic scene that, like yesterday's pic, I've posted before but not as part of this project. It's the view down the River Severn from the main bridge in Worcester city centre. You can see the Cathedral in the distance and the "Glover's Needle" (a spire that's lost its church) to the left.

How am I? sleepy

rarepairmod posting in

rarepairexchange

Thank you for pointing out duplicates! I will be removing them shortly — please keep letting me know if you see any duplicates/errors in the tagset as you see them.

Reminders:

We do not accept Canon Character/Reader nominations. These will be rejected without query.

Please disambiguate your nominations or risk these being rejected.

Please refer to the nominations guidelines before nominating.

We have a few queries. If I do not hear back from the nominators 24 hours after the publishing of this post, I will be rejecting the applicable nominations.

*

Renominate under correct fandom

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Angel/Lindsey McDonald (Angel: the Series)
Larry Blaisdell/Daniel "Oz" Osbourne
Rupert Giles/Spike
Spike/Andrew Wells
Spike/Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Xander Harris/Andrew Wells

Please renominate under "Buffyverse". If it is not, these nominations will be rejected.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Annabeth Chase/Piper McLean (PJO - AMT)
Annabeth Chase/Rachel Elizabeth Dare (PJO - AMT)
Annabeth Chase/Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano (PJO - AMT)
Rachel Elizabeth Dare/Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano (PJO - AMT)

Please renominate under the correct fandom as per our guidelines — are you after the book ("Percy Jackson - Riordan"), movie ("Percy Jackson (Movies)"), or TV show ("Percy Jackson TV")? If this is not renominated, these nominations will be rejected.

Appaloosa - All Media Types
Virgil Cole/Everett Hitch (Appaloosa)

We do not accept "All Media Types" nominations. We're happy to hear cases about why this should remain under the AMT umbrella from the nominator. If we don't hear back, or if this is not amended per our guidelines, this nomination will be rejected. Accepted as is.

Fire Emblem Series
Edelgard von Hresvelg (FE3H)/Karin (FE5)

The disambiguations dictate this is a crossover. Please renominate under "Crossover Fandom". This nomination will be rejected if it is not amended.

Real Person Fiction
Aaron Taylor-Johnson/Fred Hechinger
Aaron Taylor-Johnson/Original Female Character(s)

Please renominate under "Actor RPF".

苍兰诀 | Love Between Fairy and Devil (TV) RPF
Changheng/Dongfang Qingcang (Love Between Fairy and Devil)
Changheng/Dongfang Qingcang/Xiao Lanhua (Love Between Fairy and Devil)
Changheng/Xiao Lanhua (Love Between Fairy and Devil)
Dongfang Qingcang/Shangque (Love Between Fairy and Devil)
Dongfang Qingcang/Shangque/Xiao Lanhua (Love Between Fairy and Devil)
Jieli/Xiao Lanhua (Love Between Fairy and Devil)

This is nominated under an RPF tag, but it looks like all the relationships are fictional characters. Can the nominator please correct the fandom for this nomination, or explain why this should be accepted as is. This nomination set will be rejected if not amended/if case is not made. Accepted.

Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth (Video Games 2020-2024)
Cloud Strife/Wedge

Should this be under "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII" as a fandom? Please amend the fandom or this nomination will be rejected. Accepted.

*

Queries

Multi-Fandom
Roberta (L'ultimo Terrestre)/Majid Zamari

This looks like it is fandoms thrown together under one umbrella. Is this a canon? (Google says it is fan-created content.) Or is this an AO3 canon? We will not accept this if this is an AO3 canon as it looks like recursive work. Please amend to Crossover Fandom and correctly disambiguate.

Severance (TV)
Irving B./Burt G.
Irving Bailiff/Burt Goodman

I am assuming this are the same characters nominated under different formats. Can someone canon familiar please confirm? Both tags accepted, assuming it's clear that they are asking for two different versions of the pairing.

*

Rejected nominations

If your nomination is rejected and you have a case for why it shouldn't be (or if we have made a mistake), please discuss it with us before nominations close; otherwise it will remain rejected.

Kraven the Hunter (2024)
Dmitri Smerdyakov/Reader
Nikolai Kravinoff/Reader
Sergei Kravinoff/Reader

Hades (Supergiant Games Video Games)
Moros (Hades Video Game)/Reader
Polyphemus (Hades Video Game)/Reader

Nosferatu (2024)
Friedrich Harding/Reader

The Gentlemen (2019)
Raymond Smith/Reader

Gladiator (Movies - Scott)
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus | Emperor Caracalla/Publius Septimius Geta/Reader
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus | Emperor Caracalla/Reader

28 Years Later (Movie 2025)
Jamie (28 Years Later)/Reader

Bullet Train (2022)
Ladybug/Tangerine (Bullet Train)/Reader
Tangerine (Bullet Train)/Reader

MobLand (TV)
Harry De Souza/Reader

Real Person Fiction
Aaron Taylor-Johnson/Reader

Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Garth/Raven — Over 250 works. Added to the tagset. Apologies to the nominator — I misread Garth for Garfield!

Marvel Cinematic Universe
Phil Coulson/Steve Rogers — Over 250 works. Last works were posted in 2024.
Loki/Steve Rogers — Over 250 works.
Loki/Sif — Over 250 works.

Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Draco Malfoy/Severus Snape — Over 250 works.
Luna Lovegood/Harry Potter — Over 250 works.
Minerva McGonagall/Severus Snape — Over 250 works.
Sirius Black/Severus Snape — Over 250 works.
Seamus Finnigan/Dean Thomas — Over 250 works.

Video Blogging RPF
Andrew Ilnyckyj/Steven Lim — Over 250 works.
Rhett Mclaughlin/Link Neal — Over 250 works.

Riptide (TV)
Cody Allen/Nick Ryder — Over 250 works.

Laramie (TV)
Jess Harper/Slim Sherman (Laramie) — Over 250 works.

Thank you!

douqi posting in

baihe_media

Once again, time for my reading choices to be judged. The candidates this time are:

The Rose in the Abyss (深渊的玫瑰, pinyin: shenyuan de meigui) by Wu Liao Dao Di (无聊到底). By the same author as the alpaca baihe, this is set in a post-apocalyptic world. According to the JJWXC synopsis (which often can't be 100% trusted), the protagonist rescues a silent, feral girl whom she eventually discovers may not be entirely human.
The Pumpkin Coach and Cinderella (南瓜马车灰姑娘, pinyin: nangua mache huiguniang) by Mo Bao Fei Bao (墨宝非宝). A contemporary romance of some sort, by an author who mostly writes yanqing (and has had some of her stuff adapted as live action dramas). I'm reading this mainly because my pack rat tendencies mean I have it as an uncensored print edition — it's the first baihe to be licensed by morefate. Other than that, I know absolutely nothing about it.
Home for the Funeral (奔丧, pinyin: bensang) by Nan Hu Tang (南胡唐). Advertised as folk horror. The protagonist returns to her home village to host a funeral, and eerie things start to happen. I'm not particularly superstitious, but I will take extra care to make sure I'm not reading this during Ghost Month.
Memories of a Shanghai Summer (沪夏往事, pinyin: hu xia wangshi) by Shi Ci (是辞), a Republican Era tragedy (as 90% of them are).
365 Ways of Surviving at a High Difficulty Level (三百六十五种高难度活法, pinyin: sanbai liushiwu zhong gao nandu huo fa) by Mo Ran Piao (莫然漂). Thriller that seemingly begins with one of the leads in a psychiatric institution. Here's hoping the author is at least vaguely normal about mental illness.
Salieri and Mozart (萨列里与莫扎特) by Z Lu (Z鹿), showbiz baihe with a romance between a pop idol type and a classically-trained opera singer.

I wanted to throw in at least one historical but the ones I looked at were just. Too long.

anais_pf posting in

thefridayfive

This week's questions were suggested by

sparklesalad.

1. What is one food (or meal) you used to hate but now love?

2. If you had to give up one of your favorite foods (or meals) for good, what would it be, and why?

3. Which food seems like it should be healthy and isn't, and do you eat it? Why?

4. If you were an item of food, personified, what would you be and why?

5. You've seen tomatoes and pies used for this purpose ... now think of a more inventive item of food one could throw at someone. What is it and why would throwing it at someone be hilarious?

Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.

If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!

aurumcalendula

( Read more... )

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HSU IT Department

#!/usr/bin/girl

Network

Just a quick post tonight

Sidewise Award Announcement

poll: Never Let Me Go

Some More Pinchhits #5, #6, #8, #9, #11, #16-19

CLAIMED! PH 5 - 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) RPF, 镇魂 | Guardian - priest, Crossover Fandom, 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)

CLAIMED! PH 14 - Bleach (Anime & Manga), Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends, フェルマーの料理 | Fermat no Ryouri (TV)

CLAIMED! PH 19 - Red One (2024), Justin and the Knights of Valour (2013), Spacelords (Video Game), Original Work

Things to do this weekend

Disclaimer

I hope there's a worm in that Apple

Five User-Friendly Rulesets for Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Who Cut The Cheese?

BEHOLD, THE WEDDING CHEESE CAKE WRECK!!!

Aurora Award Livestream

Seven Seas asking about baihe novels

Hearts of Wulin by Joyce Ch'ng & Lowell Francis

The Old World Character Generation

! Seen in email

MULTIFANDOM - Cuppa JOE: Jealousy & Obsession Exchange

Bridging

Nomination queries #2.

Judge My Upcoming Baihe TBR!

The Friday Five for 8 August 2025

more Star Trek vid thoughts

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December 2022

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