jarandhel

People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

What will the economy of wealthy countries look like in 50 to 100 years?

Like this.

I'm copying this from dialecticdreamer:

Our online friend chanter1944  needs help re-linking works from their old user name to the current one. (This affects the Schroedinger’s Heroes stories that they have written, specifically.) I have no idea how to do this, but there are plenty of people here who probably have a better clue about how to proceed. So I’m asking.

They have many stories which should not be lost in the black box of their former DW handle. Please contact chanter1944 , who uses a screen reader which can slow down response time.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Wishing success to chanter1944 , and the helpers who tackle this project!


I will add that this affects the Schrodinger's Heroes links for the Orange!verse on my website; I know I've got some folks here who can edit that, so hopefully someone will have time to help.

1. What was recently interrupted?

Gardening, because today we went to the Broomcorn Festival.


2. What could you use a break from?

The drought. Seriously, the weeds are dying. My sunchokes continue to give zero fucks though.


3. What would get you to continue that long-unfinished project?

Time. And since I have time currently, I am working on an unfinished poem.


4. When did you last attend something that had an intermission?

Gosh, it's been years, we used to attend theatre events.


5. What’s your favorite way to spend a lunch break?

Eating lunch.

How Parking Day Brought This Louisiana City Back to Life

To break the impasse, the city of Lafayette partnered with a local nonprofit to host a Park(ing) Day event. Together, they installed 16 temporary parklets throughout the downtown, several of which simulated outdoor dining areas. “People enjoyed the experience, and it allowed downtown business owners and stakeholders to experience the change in a temporary way,” explained Carlee Alm-LaBar, then Lafayette’s planning director and now Strong Towns’ chief of staff. “They started to see the vision of how Lafayette could use its public space differently and how it might bring more energy to the downtown neighborhood.”

That experience mattered. Less than a year later, the city passed an ordinance allowing for parklets and outdoor dining to be built in former parking spots.


Other things you can playtest with this method:

* food truck parks

* busk stops

* pop-up shops (e.g. selling local art, fresh produce, seasonal decor)

* skateable / climbable sculptures

* new types of public seating

Today is partly sunny and mild.  It dribbled a bit last night, just enough to rinse some of the dust off the leaves, not enough to do any real good.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/4/25 -- We got the cover fully back over the septic tank. \o/

I saw a gray squirrel.  This one looked adult or nearly so.  Last fall we had a young one arrive, but it was only here for a month or two before disappearing, presumably eaten.  I hope this one sticks around.  We have grays occasionally, and they make a nice contrast to the established fox squirrels, but they've never managed a breeding population.

EDIT 9/4/25 -- I gathered a large amount of Shithouse Marigold seeds.  :D

I've seen a gray catbird and a male rose-breasted grosbeak.  It looks like the fall migration is starting.

EDIT 9/4/25 -- I gathered a large amount of small yellow and orange marigold seeds.  

EDIT 9/4/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/4/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

*goflopnow*

Folks have mentioned an interest in questions and conversations that make them think. So I've decided to offer more of those. This batch features hobbies.

Sewing is a hobby of making things from fabric, mostly clothes but also toys and other stuff. It includes both hand sewing and sewing machines. Note that most modern sewing machines are computers that sew, and lack certain features of older machines. If you feel frustrated by planned obsolescence, artificial intelligence, and other current issues then consider hand sewing as a form of protest. Nothing says "Fuck off, fast fashion!" like hand-rolling seams to make a 100% natural-fiber garment last for years and years.

On Dreamwidth, consider communities like crafty, everykindofcraft, get_knitted, justcreate, quilting, sewing, and sewing101.

( Read more... )

The university at the end of economic growth

Decoupling labour market training from economic growth will be one of the biggest implications, because it frees higher education from preparing students for “the labour market” (to which university operations are tightly coordinated) to address the pressing existential concerns that surpass narrow concerns over reproducing labour for capitalism in the short-term. Universities should be free to pursue learning about the world to figure out alternative ways of organizing social systems, mitigate planetary breakdown, and cultivate engaged students with the critical consciousness necessary to navigate this unprecedented era of human history. Universal basic services would see free tuition, allowing everybody to choose what they want to learn about. The release of learning from obtaining high grades (which, again, are meant to translate into success in employment to the detriment of consciousness raising) frees up student time and energy to explore what they’re learning, experiment and truly collaborate with diverse actors.


This article explores not just what is wrong with universities today, but how a better system of higher education could look.

Today is partly cloudy and warm.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds. The honeybees had drained the metal birdbath again.

EDIT 9-3-25 -- My partner Doug re-mowed the ritual meadow, prairie garden path, and south lot.

EDIT 9-3-25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9-3-25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I picked 2 yellow pear tomatoes, 2 red cherry tomatoes, and a whole handful of groundcherries. :D

EDIT 9-3-25 -- I watered the telephone pole garden, savanna seedlings, patio plants, irises, and new picnic table.

Then I noticed that the cap of the septic tank was ajar, so we had to wrestle that mostly back in place.

I also saw a bunch of moths busily pollinating the sunflowers! :D That never occurred to me. I guess it makes sense, because sunflowers don't close at night, but "sunflower + moth" is really not an obvious connection. I would say, if you wish to plant sunflowers in your moth garden, choose light yellow to white ones. Those will be easier to see than the orange to red range.

Cicadas and crickets are singing.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

This poem came out of the September 3, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired and sponsored by fuzzyred. It also fills the "parrot" square in my 9-1-25 card for the Piracy Bingo Fest. This poem belongs to the Dr. Infanta thread of the Polychrome Heroics series. It happens after "The Outside of a Horse" and "Inside of Him a Piece of Good News," so it will make more sense if you read those first.

( Read more... )