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This is a prayer to Baba Yaga; this is a prayer of resistance.
Mar. 28th, 2026 12:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
twistedchickThis is a prayer for Baba Yaga. This is a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for the magic of chicken feet, the heat of old hates, the way old bones hurt. This is a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for hat knitters, sign-carriers, Congress-callers. Old women make up the Resistance.
This is a prayer for casserole-bakers, newsletter-writers, nuisances. Old women make up the Resistance.
This is a prayer for phone-bankers, neighborhood-canvassers, early-voters. Old women make up the Resistance.
When the Moon is full, I call to Her.
I bring coals for Her oven. I bring flour, to cover Her tracks. I bring paprika salve for Her old, sore joints.
I bring a list of complicit women. I bring a doll poked with pins and bound with vines. I bring a bottle of ancient anger.
“Come, Baba Yaga,” I say. “Come find me alone in the woods.”
She comes as she always comes: after a long, scary wait.
She comes as she always comes: riding a mortar, a mop handle, a big, black bird.
She comes as she always comes: hungry, grumpy, alone.
“Old One,” I cry, “We are deep in the darkness. We stand on the front lines, but we are afraid.”
Old One,” I say, “We are tired, our legs get shaky, our fingers are sore.”
“Old One,” I whisper, “It seems to us as if we have worked all our lives and only gone backwards.”
“Oh, shut up,” Baba Yaga says, grabbing all the cookies and putting them into her bag. “Give me those for my cat,” She demands, pointing to liver mousse, sausages, cheese.
She pulls down the skin below my eyes. “Not enough yogurt,” She decides.
“Oh,” She says, turning her chicken hut around and going way past the speed limit, “You’ll be fine. I saw it in some tea leaves. This all works out in the end.”
“Build you a fence made of bones,” She says. “Write this on your wrist: ‘By my mother’s blessing.’”
This is a prayer to Baba Yaga. This is a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for women in sneakers. This is a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for one more phone call. This is a prayer for Resistance.
-- by Hecate Demeter
* * *
She did not write one for Ostara, but I found this one, from near the same time of the year a few years ago, and I think it's suitable on the eve of NO KINGS.
This is a prayer for the magic of chicken feet, the heat of old hates, the way old bones hurt. This is a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for hat knitters, sign-carriers, Congress-callers. Old women make up the Resistance.
This is a prayer for casserole-bakers, newsletter-writers, nuisances. Old women make up the Resistance.
This is a prayer for phone-bankers, neighborhood-canvassers, early-voters. Old women make up the Resistance.
When the Moon is full, I call to Her.
I bring coals for Her oven. I bring flour, to cover Her tracks. I bring paprika salve for Her old, sore joints.
I bring a list of complicit women. I bring a doll poked with pins and bound with vines. I bring a bottle of ancient anger.
“Come, Baba Yaga,” I say. “Come find me alone in the woods.”
She comes as she always comes: after a long, scary wait.
She comes as she always comes: riding a mortar, a mop handle, a big, black bird.
She comes as she always comes: hungry, grumpy, alone.
“Old One,” I cry, “We are deep in the darkness. We stand on the front lines, but we are afraid.”
Old One,” I say, “We are tired, our legs get shaky, our fingers are sore.”
“Old One,” I whisper, “It seems to us as if we have worked all our lives and only gone backwards.”
“Oh, shut up,” Baba Yaga says, grabbing all the cookies and putting them into her bag. “Give me those for my cat,” She demands, pointing to liver mousse, sausages, cheese.
She pulls down the skin below my eyes. “Not enough yogurt,” She decides.
“Oh,” She says, turning her chicken hut around and going way past the speed limit, “You’ll be fine. I saw it in some tea leaves. This all works out in the end.”
“Build you a fence made of bones,” She says. “Write this on your wrist: ‘By my mother’s blessing.’”
This is a prayer to Baba Yaga. This is a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for women in sneakers. This is a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for one more phone call. This is a prayer for Resistance.
-- by Hecate Demeter
* * *
She did not write one for Ostara, but I found this one, from near the same time of the year a few years ago, and I think it's suitable on the eve of NO KINGS.
The dying seasons
Mar. 28th, 2026 03:57 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
metafilter_feedTop five covers ranked of the saccherine hit Seasons in the Sun - all beaten out by the original Le Moribond with a fantastic 1961 performance by Jacques Brel. Brought to you by my daughter's wide-eyed wonder that this new hit she'd found was older than her mum.
How much of a housepet's metabolism is devoted to growing fur?
Mar. 28th, 2026 03:30 amask_metafilter_feedThey never stop shedding and never stop grooming but somehow never go bald. How much energy does this take?
It's springtime in the northern hemisphere and my cats seem to be leaving tumbling tangles of fluff with every step. But how much energy did it take to grow that fur? How much of their daily metabolic load is dedicated to maintaining a plush, even coat? Are they really starving in the mornings after nightly follicular frenzies? These are short haired cats between 10-18lbs.
Canis familiaris and felis catus only, please, unless you have a really detailed examination of some other furry domestic mammal.
It's springtime in the northern hemisphere and my cats seem to be leaving tumbling tangles of fluff with every step. But how much energy did it take to grow that fur? How much of their daily metabolic load is dedicated to maintaining a plush, even coat? Are they really starving in the mornings after nightly follicular frenzies? These are short haired cats between 10-18lbs.
Canis familiaris and felis catus only, please, unless you have a really detailed examination of some other furry domestic mammal.
Could a spider survive my boiling pot of instant rice?
Mar. 28th, 2026 02:52 amask_metafilter_feedI was making instant rice tonight and a spider got involved.
The process is that you boil water, turn off the stove, and then add a cup of instant rice to sit for a few minutes to absorb the water. When I added the rice to the hot water, a very small spider ran to the top of the rice and started running back and forth in the pot. I grabbed a spoon and scooped up the spider and put it outside, but by then it had curled into a ball and stopped moving. Spiders have exoskeletons and seem like pretty hardy creatures - what are the odds that this very tiny spider could have survived?
Also, there is a small chance it was an ant. I need glasses. If it was an ant, would there be a higher or lower chance of it surviving?
The process is that you boil water, turn off the stove, and then add a cup of instant rice to sit for a few minutes to absorb the water. When I added the rice to the hot water, a very small spider ran to the top of the rice and started running back and forth in the pot. I grabbed a spoon and scooped up the spider and put it outside, but by then it had curled into a ball and stopped moving. Spiders have exoskeletons and seem like pretty hardy creatures - what are the odds that this very tiny spider could have survived?
Also, there is a small chance it was an ant. I need glasses. If it was an ant, would there be a higher or lower chance of it surviving?
Electrons to the people: Neighbours build commercial solar farm
Mar. 28th, 2026 02:28 ammetafilter_feedElectrons to the people: Neighbours build commercial solar farm. Hundreds of residents of a rural New South Wales town combine to build their own commercial solar farm, demonstrating the community benefits of renewable energy.
How do people deal with email
Mar. 28th, 2026 01:04 amask_metafilter_feedMy email box gets 50+ emails a day. (It feels like 50+ but I'm not sure. Also depends on whether I recently went on an Ebay bender.) Of course the political emails are like an open stream. The bank, stores, credit card people, local events, electric co, phone co, vet, wordpress, receipts, news, people I choose to follow. I am way past the point of keeping up. How do you manage that or how have you managed to avoid that?
Several times a day I will go through and clean up several pages (almost entirely trash) but what is the point when I have 16k emails in my inbox? The first time my inbox hit about 5k I moved the entire thing into a new file to see if I would ever look through my email to find something once. Maybe once or twice for one thing that probably wasn't there anyway.
Do I need to setup a million filters so stuff goes into their own folders? Is that how people manage? I feel like even if I unsubscribed to everything it would barely make a dent. Also, about 30% of the time the unsubscribe button fails to produce the desired result.
Funny enough I went to college with Merlin Mann, the zero inbox guy. He had a dog named Chauncey. Also that college is now in the hands of the bad guys. I never read the zero inbox stuff but I'm pretty sure that is very old news at this point.
This 2024 question has a lot of good tips, though it is mainly for a work environment. It is too late for my work environment as my inbox there has about 60k.
Several times a day I will go through and clean up several pages (almost entirely trash) but what is the point when I have 16k emails in my inbox? The first time my inbox hit about 5k I moved the entire thing into a new file to see if I would ever look through my email to find something once. Maybe once or twice for one thing that probably wasn't there anyway.
Do I need to setup a million filters so stuff goes into their own folders? Is that how people manage? I feel like even if I unsubscribed to everything it would barely make a dent. Also, about 30% of the time the unsubscribe button fails to produce the desired result.
Funny enough I went to college with Merlin Mann, the zero inbox guy. He had a dog named Chauncey. Also that college is now in the hands of the bad guys. I never read the zero inbox stuff but I'm pretty sure that is very old news at this point.
This 2024 question has a lot of good tips, though it is mainly for a work environment. It is too late for my work environment as my inbox there has about 60k.
Caesar dressing woes
Mar. 28th, 2026 01:00 amask_metafilter_feedAnnie's Caesar Salad Dressing is gone from the shelves (and the internet shelves). Help me (hopefully) find a replacement!
It appears that it is no longer possible to purchase my beloved Annie's Caesar Salad Dressing. Can someone who has also consumed that particular dressing recommend a replacement Caesar salad dressing that is as close in taste as possible to Annie's?
Please don't tell me about your favorite Caesar salad dressing, or about a Caesar salad dressing that you think is tasty and amazing. I am sure there are many options, beloved by many people in their rich variety. But this is a "flavor match" or a "flavor approximation" question.
Other dressings I have tried so far: Brianna's and Paul Newman's Creamy Caesar. Did not like them / nowhere near the target taste.
It appears that it is no longer possible to purchase my beloved Annie's Caesar Salad Dressing. Can someone who has also consumed that particular dressing recommend a replacement Caesar salad dressing that is as close in taste as possible to Annie's?
Please don't tell me about your favorite Caesar salad dressing, or about a Caesar salad dressing that you think is tasty and amazing. I am sure there are many options, beloved by many people in their rich variety. But this is a "flavor match" or a "flavor approximation" question.
Other dressings I have tried so far: Brianna's and Paul Newman's Creamy Caesar. Did not like them / nowhere near the target taste.
The two and the four on Jokes Seth Can't Tell
Mar. 27th, 2026 10:02 pmask_metafilter_feedHow is "The two and the four and how to find them" a crack aimed at white people?
n this recent edition of "Jokes Seth Can't Tell" Amber Ruffin held up a prop/fake magazine cover as part of a joke - the title of the magazine was "White People Monthly."
Seth made a point of reading the teaser headlines off the magazine cover, which included this: "The two and the four and how to find them."
I don't get it and googling got me nowhere. Is there anyone Anyone who can explain this apparent funny dis on white folks?
n this recent edition of "Jokes Seth Can't Tell" Amber Ruffin held up a prop/fake magazine cover as part of a joke - the title of the magazine was "White People Monthly."
Seth made a point of reading the teaser headlines off the magazine cover, which included this: "The two and the four and how to find them."
I don't get it and googling got me nowhere. Is there anyone Anyone who can explain this apparent funny dis on white folks?
2025: Many Things
Mar. 27th, 2026 11:21 pmschneefinkIt's very late March, I know, but better late than never. Most of this was written back in December/January.
( Fannish things )
( Non-fannish things )
( Fannish things )
( Non-fannish things )
The $5 paywall was accidentally the greatest AI-repellent ever invented.
Mar. 27th, 2026 10:01 pmmetafilter_feedMetaFilter survived Web 2.0, social media, Reddit, and the death of blogs — turns out a community of snarky intellectuals who pay $5 to join is the one moat AI can't cross. A side project by Sam Williams that takes any website, scans the content and works out if it could be replaced with a markdown file in Claude.
Then it gives the prognosis.
Inspired by someone posting about the death of SaaS by Claude Code.
MetaFilter may not be immortal in the eyes of DeathByClawd, but it is to me.
Then it gives the prognosis.
Inspired by someone posting about the death of SaaS by Claude Code.
MetaFilter may not be immortal in the eyes of DeathByClawd, but it is to me.
Identify these songs
Mar. 27th, 2026 08:24 pmask_metafilter_feedFour mysterious musical tracks below the fold.
1) This one is (I think) a recent-ish pop song (within the last five years or so). The real version has a female vocalist singing indistinct words over an instrumental track.
2) This one I'm not sure where I heard originally. Not much to go on, but the original was guitar.
3) This one is a recurring melody from, of all things, someone's rendition of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Now if only I knew which someone it was...
4) And finally, this one is from... circa 2010? Possibly a Korean artist, though I'm far from certain.
Quadruple hope me, oh glorious hivemind. I've had these bouncing around my head for ages.
1) This one is (I think) a recent-ish pop song (within the last five years or so). The real version has a female vocalist singing indistinct words over an instrumental track.
2) This one I'm not sure where I heard originally. Not much to go on, but the original was guitar.
3) This one is a recurring melody from, of all things, someone's rendition of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Now if only I knew which someone it was...
4) And finally, this one is from... circa 2010? Possibly a Korean artist, though I'm far from certain.
Quadruple hope me, oh glorious hivemind. I've had these bouncing around my head for ages.
True North Strong And Free My Aunt Banana
Mar. 27th, 2026 09:15 pmmetafilter_feedCanada will cancel thousands of refugee claims under new retroactive law. (slTOStar)
Are. You. Fucken. Kidding. Me.
Are. You. Fucken. Kidding. Me.
On holding a mug
Mar. 27th, 2026 08:48 pmmetafilter_feedWhat's your favorite way to hold a mug? Is it more important to prevent spills? To keep your hands warm? To prevent your hands from being too hot while keeping the drink warm?
Here is the proper etiquette from harpers bazar Singapore Here's the mug alignment chart if you're curious about how you stand. I'm neutral when the mugs hot, hot, hot and good/chaotic once it cools down
Here is the proper etiquette from harpers bazar Singapore Here's the mug alignment chart if you're curious about how you stand. I'm neutral when the mugs hot, hot, hot and good/chaotic once it cools down
On Becoming a Cat.
Mar. 27th, 2026 07:17 pmmetafilter_feedThere are five distinct steps to the process of felinization. Had enough of the world? Don't blame you. "It is possible, with practice and determination, to become a cat."
LGBTQIA+ News Post, March 27, 2026:
Mar. 27th, 2026 06:52 pmmetafilter_feedWelcome to the LGBTQIA+ News Post for March 27, 2026. Every day is so wonderful / Then suddenly it's hard to breathe.
The Bad News Today we're starting internationally. First, The International Olympics Committee has banned transgender women from all competition. The policy also restricts women athletes (such as two-time Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya) with medical conditions collectively referred to as differences in sex development, or DSD. The Olympic Charter reads, "Every individual must have access to the practice of sport, without discrimination of any kind in respect of internationally recognised human rights", but I guess that trans people don't matter for this. The Indian Parliament has passed a bill, which is waiting for President Nahendra Modi's asset to become law, that seeks to change how transgender people are legally recognized and alters their right to self-identify. In 2014, India's Supreme Court recognized transgender people as a "third gender" and affirmed their right to self-identify. In 2019, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act was enacted, aimed at addressing vulnerabilities faced by the community. The new bill - essentially a proposed amendment to the 2019 law - centers on how a transgender person is defined. It will remove the right to self-identification, and will limit recognition to those defined by biological or physical traits. It will also make access to medication and surgeries require certification from medical boards and district authorities. Despite legal protections, many transgender people in India continue to face discrimination and limited access to education, healthcare and formal employment, often relying on traditional or informal forms of work. The government says the current definition is too vague and makes it difficult to identify those who are most marginalized and argues that the new definition will make it easier for benefits to reach those who need it; and protect them from discrimination, exploitation and trafficking. A board from the nation's Supreme Court has requested the bill be withdrawn as it violates the court's 2014 ruling on the rights of transgender persons. The UK Girlguiding organization has announced all trans women and girls must leave leadership positions and local troops by September 6, claiming that while they are still trans-inclusive but recent court decisions left them no choice. I guess now cowardice is a Girlguilding value. The Ohio House voted on Wednesday to move forwards on House Bill 249, which, if passed and signed, will ban drag and gender performances outside of "adult cabaret" venues or in any public venue where a minor may be present. It specifically states it restricts "performers or entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performer's or entertainer's biological sex using clothing, makeup, prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts, or other physical markers..." The bill's sponsor, Josh Williams (who identifies as a Republican and a conservative Christian, of course), states that the bill would stop transgender Ohioans from using gendered public facilities like locker rooms to change their clothing (because "being trans in public" is, in his eyes, a performance, I guess?), while referring to an event in Xenia, Ohio, where a transgender person was sued after trying to change clothes in a communal gendered locker room (quelle horror!!), and was found not guilty of public indecency by a judge; Williams finds this bad and says this law would prevent this from happening again. In Texas, Governor Greg "Hot Wheels" Abbot put out an order last year that no road decorations that were not plain lines should exist, after a recommendation from Transportation Secretary (and dweller in the UnReal World) Sean Duffy. On Monday, the Texas Department of Transportation started removing the rainbow and BLM crosswalk decorations from the south Dallas neighborhood of Oak Lawn, which has been the center of LGBTQ+ life in the city. This is after similar destruction in Houston and San Antonio, a request for a exception from the Dallas city exception, and the threat of pulling transportation funding if they do not comply. California teachers are pushback from the right-wing when teaching history, especially when it talks about the LGBTQ+ community. While it's required under California's Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful Education (FAIR) Act, the current regime's push against such things is making it more difficult, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which ruled parents could require their children not be exposed to lessons that "substantially interfere with the religious development of their children". Oh, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Mormons, would like to remind trans people that they aren't welcome for temple rites unless they detransition. Finally, an introduction to Katy Faust (no, that's her real name), leader of The Greater Than Campaign, a coalition of what she claims is more than 100 anti-LGBTQ+ groups working together to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges. They're claiming that children are "victims" when raised by gay couples. The Good News Delegates at the United Nations 70th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) overwhelmingly voted against considering a proposal by the U.S. to adopt an anti-trans definition of "gender." On behalf of 25 other member states, Belgium called for a "no action motion" to block the proposal. Pakistan and Chile were the only two member states to vote with the U.S. against the motion, with 23 countries voting to block the anti-trans proposal and 17 abstaining. As far as the International Olympic Committee trans ban, here's comments from LGBTQ+ athletes on it: Caster Semenya, Nikki Hiltz, Harrison Browne (the first out trans pro hockey player and currently acting on Heated Rivalry), Devin Ibanez (the first out gay Major League Rugby player) and Chris Mosier. The American Medical Association reaffirmed its support for gender-affirming care. After the American Society of Plastic Surgeons released a statement advising against conducting "gender-related breast/chest, genital, and facial surgery" on people under the age of 19 on February 3, the AMA released their own statement, that:
The Bad News Today we're starting internationally. First, The International Olympics Committee has banned transgender women from all competition. The policy also restricts women athletes (such as two-time Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya) with medical conditions collectively referred to as differences in sex development, or DSD. The Olympic Charter reads, "Every individual must have access to the practice of sport, without discrimination of any kind in respect of internationally recognised human rights", but I guess that trans people don't matter for this. The Indian Parliament has passed a bill, which is waiting for President Nahendra Modi's asset to become law, that seeks to change how transgender people are legally recognized and alters their right to self-identify. In 2014, India's Supreme Court recognized transgender people as a "third gender" and affirmed their right to self-identify. In 2019, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act was enacted, aimed at addressing vulnerabilities faced by the community. The new bill - essentially a proposed amendment to the 2019 law - centers on how a transgender person is defined. It will remove the right to self-identification, and will limit recognition to those defined by biological or physical traits. It will also make access to medication and surgeries require certification from medical boards and district authorities. Despite legal protections, many transgender people in India continue to face discrimination and limited access to education, healthcare and formal employment, often relying on traditional or informal forms of work. The government says the current definition is too vague and makes it difficult to identify those who are most marginalized and argues that the new definition will make it easier for benefits to reach those who need it; and protect them from discrimination, exploitation and trafficking. A board from the nation's Supreme Court has requested the bill be withdrawn as it violates the court's 2014 ruling on the rights of transgender persons. The UK Girlguiding organization has announced all trans women and girls must leave leadership positions and local troops by September 6, claiming that while they are still trans-inclusive but recent court decisions left them no choice. I guess now cowardice is a Girlguilding value. The Ohio House voted on Wednesday to move forwards on House Bill 249, which, if passed and signed, will ban drag and gender performances outside of "adult cabaret" venues or in any public venue where a minor may be present. It specifically states it restricts "performers or entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performer's or entertainer's biological sex using clothing, makeup, prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts, or other physical markers..." The bill's sponsor, Josh Williams (who identifies as a Republican and a conservative Christian, of course), states that the bill would stop transgender Ohioans from using gendered public facilities like locker rooms to change their clothing (because "being trans in public" is, in his eyes, a performance, I guess?), while referring to an event in Xenia, Ohio, where a transgender person was sued after trying to change clothes in a communal gendered locker room (quelle horror!!), and was found not guilty of public indecency by a judge; Williams finds this bad and says this law would prevent this from happening again. In Texas, Governor Greg "Hot Wheels" Abbot put out an order last year that no road decorations that were not plain lines should exist, after a recommendation from Transportation Secretary (and dweller in the UnReal World) Sean Duffy. On Monday, the Texas Department of Transportation started removing the rainbow and BLM crosswalk decorations from the south Dallas neighborhood of Oak Lawn, which has been the center of LGBTQ+ life in the city. This is after similar destruction in Houston and San Antonio, a request for a exception from the Dallas city exception, and the threat of pulling transportation funding if they do not comply. California teachers are pushback from the right-wing when teaching history, especially when it talks about the LGBTQ+ community. While it's required under California's Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful Education (FAIR) Act, the current regime's push against such things is making it more difficult, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which ruled parents could require their children not be exposed to lessons that "substantially interfere with the religious development of their children". Oh, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Mormons, would like to remind trans people that they aren't welcome for temple rites unless they detransition. Finally, an introduction to Katy Faust (no, that's her real name), leader of The Greater Than Campaign, a coalition of what she claims is more than 100 anti-LGBTQ+ groups working together to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges. They're claiming that children are "victims" when raised by gay couples. The Good News Delegates at the United Nations 70th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) overwhelmingly voted against considering a proposal by the U.S. to adopt an anti-trans definition of "gender." On behalf of 25 other member states, Belgium called for a "no action motion" to block the proposal. Pakistan and Chile were the only two member states to vote with the U.S. against the motion, with 23 countries voting to block the anti-trans proposal and 17 abstaining. As far as the International Olympic Committee trans ban, here's comments from LGBTQ+ athletes on it: Caster Semenya, Nikki Hiltz, Harrison Browne (the first out trans pro hockey player and currently acting on Heated Rivalry), Devin Ibanez (the first out gay Major League Rugby player) and Chris Mosier. The American Medical Association reaffirmed its support for gender-affirming care. After the American Society of Plastic Surgeons released a statement advising against conducting "gender-related breast/chest, genital, and facial surgery" on people under the age of 19 on February 3, the AMA released their own statement, that:
"In the absence of clear evidence, the AMA agrees with ASPS that surgical interventions in minors should be generally deferred to adulthood."It was interpreted as the AMA walking back support for gender confirming care, and one could see how the quote might inspire that. The American Academy of Pediatrics released their own statement at the time of the ASPS statement:
"The AAP continues to hold to the principle that patients, their families and their physicians — not politicians — should be the ones to make decisions together about what care is best for them."Republicans keep trying to add anti-trans amendments to the SAVE Act. Democrats keep stopping it. That bit in the Bad News about the erasing of crosswalk colors in Dallas starting Monday? Meet Mason Whiteside, arrested for starting to repair them with spray paint and chalk on Tuesday. While the arrest was supposedly for a years-old unrelated traffic incident, he has pledged to keep doing it. The Colorado Legislature is considering a bill allowing conversion therapy survivors to sue for damages, suing the therapists and facilities that employed those therapists. While there is a ban on conversion therapy in Colorado, it is before the Supreme Court as a Colorado therapist sues to have it overturned due to its impact on her rights to free speech and the free exercise of her religion. Bridgerton's next season will focus on a queer romance storyline. Of course, people are upset - some for good reasons, some for not so good reasons (I mean, who expects it to be historically accurate?!), and some for general homophobia. According to creator Jacob Tierney, Hollywood execs wanted to tone down the gay sex in Heated Rivalry, so he went to Canada to make it. O Canada, thanks you for all the sex.... The Vortex As Pink News is moving to a reporter-free newsroom, I will be moving as best I can to a Pink News-free posting style if at all possible. The Cinnamon Roll Report If you're interested, toy company Hot Toys has released pictures of the figure of Din Djarin, aka The Mandalorian, for the upcoming movie. It has a lot of accessories, including the fact you can swap the head, so you can either have a Mandalorian helmet, or the very, very well sculpted head of Pedro Pascal. Abigail Thorn has confirmed she is she is returning to House of the Dragon as Admiral Sharako Lohar. Be well, friends. If you have news I missed or you want to share your personal triumphs, bring them here! Let us know your joys, so that we can offset the sadness and horror. I am beautiful no matter what they say Words can't bring me down I am beautiful in every single way Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no So don't you bring me down today
We show up together: No Kings protests tomorrow, March 28
Mar. 27th, 2026 06:40 pmmetafilter_feed"It is on us, the people, to show that we will fight to protect one another and our country." No Kings protests are happening all over the United States on March 28. Indivisible invites you to be a part of the largest day of protest in US history. The ACLU urges you to join us at No Kings on March 28. Unions like the AAUP and the UUP and AFSCME and the Texas AFL-CIO will see you at No Kings on March 28. The Interfaith Alliance will meet you at No Kings on March 28.
No Kings partners include everyone from GLAAD to SEIU to Voto Latino to Veterans for Peace to CREW to the Sierra Club. "This movement is for everyone, and we mean that:" on March 28, No Kings is offering two virtual events for anyone who'd like to join in but can't be there in person; in addition, No Kings is working to make as many in-person events as possible ADA compliant. No Kings, and organizations like Indivisible, offer trainings, toolkits, and all kinds of resources to help everyone take the energy of the day and continue to act for real and lasting change. "Throughout 2025, in the face of unprecedented attacks, millions of us joined together in our communities and held the largest single day of morally grounded, nonviolent direct actions by any movement in US history. Each time we show up, we disrupt President Trump's attempts to rule through repression and remind the country, and the world, that people power is our path to a truly free America." The resistance that's coming together to defeat authoritarianism is global - March 28 is also the date for the Together Alliance March to stop the far right: Billy Bragg calls for big turnout at London march against far right, The Guardian, Robyn Vinter:
No Kings partners include everyone from GLAAD to SEIU to Voto Latino to Veterans for Peace to CREW to the Sierra Club. "This movement is for everyone, and we mean that:" on March 28, No Kings is offering two virtual events for anyone who'd like to join in but can't be there in person; in addition, No Kings is working to make as many in-person events as possible ADA compliant. No Kings, and organizations like Indivisible, offer trainings, toolkits, and all kinds of resources to help everyone take the energy of the day and continue to act for real and lasting change. "Throughout 2025, in the face of unprecedented attacks, millions of us joined together in our communities and held the largest single day of morally grounded, nonviolent direct actions by any movement in US history. Each time we show up, we disrupt President Trump's attempts to rule through repression and remind the country, and the world, that people power is our path to a truly free America." The resistance that's coming together to defeat authoritarianism is global - March 28 is also the date for the Together Alliance March to stop the far right: Billy Bragg calls for big turnout at London march against far right, The Guardian, Robyn Vinter:
Bragg said that [the far right's message] could be countered when people came together ... "You see a lot of people out on the streets marching for the kind of politics that you want," he said. "And you feel, for a moment, you feel seen. You feel that your concerns are legitimate. And that's a really important thing. It's the start of something."
30-minute old jianbing - still pretty good or deeply disappointing?
Mar. 27th, 2026 03:49 pmask_metafilter_feedThere's a jianbing place I've thought about trying, but I'm only doing takeout these days and it'd be about half an hour between buying and eating. I know the whole deal with jianbing is that it's supposed to be eaten RIGHT AWAY. Would a half-hour-old jianbing be good (just not as good as eating it immediately), or disappointing enough to avoid altogether?
If I do this, and get a jianbing to eat when I get home, should I try reheating it at all?
Would YOU get a jianbing to eat later at home? Or have you in fact done this?
Thanks!
If I do this, and get a jianbing to eat when I get home, should I try reheating it at all?
Would YOU get a jianbing to eat later at home? Or have you in fact done this?
Thanks!
open thread – March 27, 2026
Mar. 27th, 2026 03:00 pmaskamanager_feedIt’s the Friday open thread!
The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on any work-related questions that you want to talk about (that includes school). If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to take your questions to other readers.
* If you submitted a question to me recently, please do not repost it here, as it may be in my queue to answer.
The post open thread – March 27, 2026 appeared first on Ask a Manager.
Government Defrauds Legal Immigrants and US Sponsors Who Paid $1 Billion
Mar. 27th, 2026 03:44 pmmetafilter_feedDuring testimony before the US Senate, I called it the largest fraud in the history of the US immigration system. In fact, it is likely the first $1 billion fraud—a theft of processing fees for services never rendered. Even Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana told me at the hearing that he was shocked it was happening. It is happening, and it is shocking.
Via Common Dreams: An immigration researcher at the Cato Institute found that the Trump administration is "raking in billions of dollars in immigration fees and not providing the adjudications that applicants are entitled to." A report published last week by the Cato Institute, written by director of immigration studies David J. Bier, found that the State Department and Department of Homeland Security were receiving millions of applications from immigrants whom Trump has made ineligible for legal status and pocketing the fees without ever processing the requests. "The US government collected over $1 billion in immigration fees then refused to process the applications," said Austin Kocher, a fellow at Immigration Lab and a professor at Newhouse and Syracuse University in a social media post breaking down the report on Monday. "No denials. No refunds. Just silence." *** Before this gets buried under the news about the ground invasion of Iran, which could happen as soon as this weekend, I thought I'd share this story about the government defrauding visa seekers en masse. BTW, No Kings 3 is this Saturday, March 28th.
Via Common Dreams: An immigration researcher at the Cato Institute found that the Trump administration is "raking in billions of dollars in immigration fees and not providing the adjudications that applicants are entitled to." A report published last week by the Cato Institute, written by director of immigration studies David J. Bier, found that the State Department and Department of Homeland Security were receiving millions of applications from immigrants whom Trump has made ineligible for legal status and pocketing the fees without ever processing the requests. "The US government collected over $1 billion in immigration fees then refused to process the applications," said Austin Kocher, a fellow at Immigration Lab and a professor at Newhouse and Syracuse University in a social media post breaking down the report on Monday. "No denials. No refunds. Just silence." *** Before this gets buried under the news about the ground invasion of Iran, which could happen as soon as this weekend, I thought I'd share this story about the government defrauding visa seekers en masse. BTW, No Kings 3 is this Saturday, March 28th.
Affordance perspectives on front phone camera for group selfies
Mar. 27th, 2026 02:03 pmask_metafilter_feedI am trying to research this idea and not sure how to look for studies/perspectives. How does one resolve contrastive self-perspectives in a group selfie where the default is the image is flipped to match a mirror look? Are there studies or papers on this? Experimental, theoretical etc... Where could I find something connected to this? I am familiar with pubmed, google scholar, yada yada, and open to a variety of treatments (artistic, scientific/psychological, HCI), but I am not sure what to search for.
Naively speaking, when I take a selfie with a phone front camera the image is usually flipped to mimic a mirror perspective (or the way we are used to seeing ourselves) which kinda makes sense to me. Or perhaps this is not the default. On my Pixel phone there is an option that says "save selfies as seen on screen" (which I guess is a mirror) is checked. In a group selfie, when the whole image is flipped, I get to see myself as I see in a mirror, while the others look odd because they are also flipped, in contrast to how I see them in real life. In turn, they experience the same thing about themselves and others. Then, are there perspectives explored seriously on how we might see ourselves in a group setting, say using the back camera with no flipping vs. front camera, or say the act of "selfie"ing itself informing the group setting experience and so on? Are there parallels to other forms of interaction/communication eg: talking or writing. Thanks!
Apologies for the confusing title if it doesn't capture what I am trying to convey.
Naively speaking, when I take a selfie with a phone front camera the image is usually flipped to mimic a mirror perspective (or the way we are used to seeing ourselves) which kinda makes sense to me. Or perhaps this is not the default. On my Pixel phone there is an option that says "save selfies as seen on screen" (which I guess is a mirror) is checked. In a group selfie, when the whole image is flipped, I get to see myself as I see in a mirror, while the others look odd because they are also flipped, in contrast to how I see them in real life. In turn, they experience the same thing about themselves and others. Then, are there perspectives explored seriously on how we might see ourselves in a group setting, say using the back camera with no flipping vs. front camera, or say the act of "selfie"ing itself informing the group setting experience and so on? Are there parallels to other forms of interaction/communication eg: talking or writing. Thanks!
Apologies for the confusing title if it doesn't capture what I am trying to convey.