This All Come Back Now, ed. Mykaela Saunders (2022) [part 1]
Apr. 20th, 2026 10:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pauraqueThis is the first part of my book club notes on This All Come Back Now, an anthology of speculative fiction by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors. I was glad to see that the introduction included the editor's thoughts about each piece (something that has been lacking in some of the anthologies we've read). The editor says that Aboriginal authors of SF have have historically had more success publishing their work as literary fiction than in SF outlets, suggesting a disconnect between white and Indigenous understandings of what "speculative" looks like. They point out, for example, that a time travel story may look very different through a cultural lens that doesn't see time as entirely linear in the first place.
The editor also says that they solicited several stories for the collection from writers who had never written SF before. Perhaps it is unfair that my reaction was to brace myself; I'll strive to be open minded. (It was also pointed out in the discussion that the Indigenous population of Australia is pretty small, so the pool of potential authors may not have been as deep as the editor might have wished.)
Some group members were not thrilled to learn that the book includes some excerpts from novels. We've run into this before and it tends to frustrate our purpose as a discussion group because we end up having the same conversation over and over, which is just "this didn't feel complete... because it isn't complete." The first three pieces we read are actual short stories, though!
"Muyum, a Transgression" by Evelyn Araluen (2017)
( A ghost travels the ruins of the world, finding that what seemed dead can come back. )
"Clatter Tongue" by K.A. Ren Wyld (2020)
[Note: The book lists this story under the author's former name Karen Wyld.]
( A grieving girl literally vomits the detritus of colonization when she is threatened. )
"Closing Time" by Samuel Wagan Watson (2020)
( In the early days of covid, a man wanders aimlessly. )
The editor also says that they solicited several stories for the collection from writers who had never written SF before. Perhaps it is unfair that my reaction was to brace myself; I'll strive to be open minded. (It was also pointed out in the discussion that the Indigenous population of Australia is pretty small, so the pool of potential authors may not have been as deep as the editor might have wished.)
Some group members were not thrilled to learn that the book includes some excerpts from novels. We've run into this before and it tends to frustrate our purpose as a discussion group because we end up having the same conversation over and over, which is just "this didn't feel complete... because it isn't complete." The first three pieces we read are actual short stories, though!
"Muyum, a Transgression" by Evelyn Araluen (2017)
( A ghost travels the ruins of the world, finding that what seemed dead can come back. )
"Clatter Tongue" by K.A. Ren Wyld (2020)
[Note: The book lists this story under the author's former name Karen Wyld.]
( A grieving girl literally vomits the detritus of colonization when she is threatened. )
"Closing Time" by Samuel Wagan Watson (2020)
( In the early days of covid, a man wanders aimlessly. )
Tags:
- book club,
- books,
- books: author: evelyn araluen,
- books: author: k.a. ren wyld,
- books: author: samuel wagan watson,
- books: editor: mykaela saunders,
- books: genre: speculative fiction,
- books: theme: death,
- books: theme: ghosts,
- books: theme: pandemic,
- books: type: short stories,
- books: year: 2017,
- books: year: 2020,
- books: year: 2022
4 DNFs and a non-DNF!
Apr. 20th, 2026 08:52 pmlannamichaels- A Rome of One's Own: The Forgotten Women of the Roman Empire by Emma Southon (2023): Did not finish, through no active fault of the book's own. The author does her absolute best to present a whole lot of misogyny with humor and clarity, but it does not hide the fact that this is all a lot of misogyny being presented. I skipped around, read a few chapters, and just couldn't stomach it. But what I read of it was good!
- The Lady With the Gun Asks the Questions: The Ultimate Miss Phryne Fisher Story Collection by Kerry Greenwood (2022): Did not finish. These are short stories, some very short. It poses an interesting question to the reader of what, precisely, makes a mystery/detective book. Should we see the process of the mystery being solved? Should we be able to solve the mystery? Do we need interiority in the solving process? This book has none of that! The stories are stories, very short, as we watch Phryne Fisher encounter a crime/confusing event (I hesitate to even call them mysteries) and then relay the solution, with a minimal amount of detectiving. Some stories have more than others. Some are just essentially lists of events. The short stories are not bad, in of themselves. And not all of them are murder mysteries! They are, however, not at all what I want in my quest for "can I please have a mystery book that isn't a murder mystery".
- The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong (2025): I have gotten this out from the library twice and had to return it before getting more than a chapter or two into it. I may have to accept the fact that I don't find it very interesting or gripping. But maybe... maybe the third time out from the library... I'll actually read it.
- The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson (2023): DNF. Speaking of acceptance of my literary tastes, I likely must also accept the fact that I don't find Brandon Sanderson books entertaining to read. I read some of it. I flipped to the end, and the ending part did not clearly follow at all from the beginning, so I am certain many many things happened in the meanwhile to get from point A to point B. However, I don't really care. I guess I was hoping for something more like the Tough Guide To Fantasyland or Discworld or something, you know... funny, based on the title. It's a shame because this is, iirc, the third Sanderson I was "meh, this is boring" on, and if I could like his stuff, there would be so many books for me to read.
- Strange Houses by Uketsu, translated by Jim Rion (2025): I finished a book! I liked it! This is a "murder mystery" book told via The Author getting interested in a floor plan, talking to someone who is convinced it means the house was being used to murder people, then a bunch of interviews/discussions with people about floor plans of multiple houses and if the floor plans mean that the house must have been used to murder people. This started off as a really convoluted, very "why would they go to all that effort of hiding a child's existence" and then swerved into fantastic "wait so what actually happened" territory, including how much do you trust various sources and various documentary evidence, and ends with a great highlight on "yeah we don't actually know how much of what was presented here is true and what was fabricated and if so by whom and when". There's this hanging plot hole that the epilogue sort of jumps on top of as well, to wit: ( Read more... )
This book is pretty short, which is contributed to by when it refers back to a floor plan, it shows that part of the floor plan, which makes it really easy to follow along but also, frankly, pads the page count. Quick, zippy read, more of a puzzle-that-never-gets-solved book than a murder mystery.
Boston, MA 2026 Week 2 part 1.0: Boston Marathon 2026, Maruichi Adventures
Apr. 20th, 2026 09:26 pmtaz_39 **Disclaimer** The views and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and do not reflect the views or opinions of my employer. DO NOT RESHARE ANY PART OF THIS POST WITHOUT PERMISSION. Thank you.
This post covers Monday only because both Monday and Tuesday will be long posts with lots of pics.
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Up fairly early. A normal breakfast and livestreaming the Boston Marathon! I had thought it started at 7 or 7:30 but it's actually 9am, which meant I got to watch the kickoff as it happened on TV. For those who don't know (I didn't), the marathon starts in a suburb of Boston called Hopkinton and ENDS in Boston. It is a 26.2 mile route (42.195 km) and the average time to run it is about 4 hours. Top athletes can do it in around 2 hours, but the course is open for about 8 hours so that people of varying abilities can still receive an official time and certificate/medal. A lot of celebrities like to participate, and many of those run for charities. This year Chelsea Clinton ran, as well as an astronaut and a local news personality.
Anyway, after breakfast I texted with Jameson who was nervous about his epidural for his neck/arm pain. I don't blame him. The shot wasn't until 4pm so I set an alarm and made sure my phone would be on all day. Then off I went to the subway with my little tote bag and KN95, ready to face the marathon throngs!
Yeah, so...there was no getting on any train from the westbound Green Line station. Every train showed up completely packed, slowed for a moment for like two people to get on or off, then moved on again. The problem was that the runners were coming in from the west, so that's where everyone was trying to get. After waiting probably about 10 minutes and four trains, I decided that things were not likely to improve and got a Lyft instead. It didn't cost any more than it would have in Orlando so it was fine. The marathon route happened to be near where I was going, so I got to see the crowds a bit from the back of the car.
First I wanted to go thrifting, there were several good thrift stores in this area. I had fun looking but ultimately there was nothing that jumped out at me plus prices were vintage store-high, iykyk. I am more of a Goodwill-level thrifter :p
There was also a record store so I popped in to see what Queen they had in case Jameson wanted some. I did end up getting him a record to add to his collection. By then it was almost noon and I was hungry! This Maruichi is fancy, it has a tea shop and cafe across from the actual grocery. I decided to go there first and see what they had available for lunch. (REMINDER you can click on ALL pictures to open them in a new tab and enlarge them.)
In the sushi case, some beautiful rolls, nigiri, and chirashi. I have had the chirashi before and it is amazing.
At the actual cafe counter they had Japanese-style curry, karaage, katsudon, udon, ramen, and much more! But those are all pretty big meals and I kind of wanted something lighter. I saw a woman making fresh onigiri right there behind the counter. Must-have! I got the braised pork belly and egg onigiri, and the mustard leaf onigiri.
In the background are three cool snacks that I found to try: spring water from ACTUAL Mt. Fuji, a peach nectar, and mini-croissants.
Both onigiri were wonderful. I don't typically care for pork belly but it was cubed very small so it only added rich flavor, and the egg was soft and perfect. The mustard greens were pickled, very flavorful and just a little spicy. And the rice was so chewy and delicious! Onigiri are SO GOOD, and it is so rare to find them freshly made. Yum!
I also want to mention that there was a small room off to the side offering floor seating, and several families were using it. I don't know if this was a tea room or if it was meant for families with kids, or what, but I saw that people were taking their shoes off to enter the room and that there were mostly parents with young kids in there.
Next it was across the street for the actual grocery store. As usual there was an endless list of things that I wanted and only a short list of things that I could realistically get!
Some desserts, including little chestnut mont blanc cakes, roll cakes, mochi donuts, ice cream bars, tayaki, etc.
The most expensive A5 Japanese wagyu that I could find. That's $35 for 1/2lb!!
Some fatty tuna, also very expensive!! Both the beef and tuna are NOT things you find normally even in most Asian grocery stores.
Ryu (violin) had asked for some senbei. I went all out and got her this ridiculous gift assortment! LOL
They had a housewares section with umbrellas, dishes, bottles, face and hair products, utensils, etc. I saw soooo many things that I wanted but just couldn't justify buying. These beautiful tea towels for example. So many wonderful patterns! But I have no realistic use for one out on the road.
A friend had told me to look for this foaming hand soap which dispenses in the shape of a paw print. I found it! Did not buy it though.
I looked at the sake and beer and such, but they didn't have ChuHi (and I'm probably never finding it in the US except at EPCOT once in a while, I'll have to accept it.) Around then I was starting to get overstimulated and I could hear the roar of the marathon crowd and realized that the main body of runners must be nearing the final miles (I was at mile 24 and it was close to 1pm so that tracks.) I didn't even attempt the subway again, just called a Lyft but he got trapped on the other side of the marathon route and asked me to walk to him so I got out there to give it a try.
Stepping outside, people were running to the sidelines, fire trucks were parked there honking and with firemen waving, people twirling noisemakers and blowing vuvuzelas and waving signs, everyone screaming some iteration of "Yeah!" or "Woooo!" or "GO GO GO!!!" Helicopters and drones were circling overhead, adding to the cacophony. It was an amazing, fun, and inspiring thing to see!
Well look at that: I got to watch the Boston Marathon after all! :)
The Lyft got me most of the way back to the hotel but near the Commons it started getting crazy with crowds of pedestrians again, so I jumped out a few blocks early. Runners were walking slowly and stiff-legged through the streets wearing silver thermal foil blankets, clutching bananas or bottles of water, and many of them wearing medals. When I got back to the hotel it was more chaos; hotel staff had put up a huge balloon archway and were in the entryway cheering and waving noisemakers for the exhausted participants. Bottles of water and bowls of fruit were off to the side for the runners. In the lobby there was a DJ playing music full blast, the bar was packed, there was a photo op and activity station and a caricature artist...good lord, just all kinds of stuff, like a miniature indoor festival. I don't like crowds, true, but seeing people happy makes me happy! I smiled and congratulated every runner that I saw on the way to the elevator.
Finally made it to my room. Phew! Now to show you my Japanese grocery haul! In the window because lighting in hotels = abysmal :p
As usual I will rate and review everything here. The banana Hi-Chew and grape candy are for Jameson, and the mini croissants are for both of us. The rest is for meeeeeeee!
I rested and rehydrated for an hour or so, then braved the lobby again to get to the grocery for literally two things. I'd wanted to walk to Whole Paycheck and get some top-rated local pizza on the way, but was too drained. And I didn't even run AT ALL today haha! And it was still early! Jameson messaged to tell me his shot had gone well and his friend Jody had driven him home. They stopped for Taco Bell on the way so he must be feeling all right. I'm sorry he's having to go through this, but glad he's doing it if he can have a chance at going back to being pain-free.
And that was pretty much it you guys, I called it a night at 5pm. Why not? Having adventures is a treat, and so is curling up in a quiet hotel room with some snacks and a good book :)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday: The plan is to visit New England Aquarium and have lunch somewhere. Expect lots of pictures of fishes. One evening show.
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Up fairly early. A normal breakfast and livestreaming the Boston Marathon! I had thought it started at 7 or 7:30 but it's actually 9am, which meant I got to watch the kickoff as it happened on TV. For those who don't know (I didn't), the marathon starts in a suburb of Boston called Hopkinton and ENDS in Boston. It is a 26.2 mile route (42.195 km) and the average time to run it is about 4 hours. Top athletes can do it in around 2 hours, but the course is open for about 8 hours so that people of varying abilities can still receive an official time and certificate/medal. A lot of celebrities like to participate, and many of those run for charities. This year Chelsea Clinton ran, as well as an astronaut and a local news personality.
Anyway, after breakfast I texted with Jameson who was nervous about his epidural for his neck/arm pain. I don't blame him. The shot wasn't until 4pm so I set an alarm and made sure my phone would be on all day. Then off I went to the subway with my little tote bag and KN95, ready to face the marathon throngs!
Yeah, so...there was no getting on any train from the westbound Green Line station. Every train showed up completely packed, slowed for a moment for like two people to get on or off, then moved on again. The problem was that the runners were coming in from the west, so that's where everyone was trying to get. After waiting probably about 10 minutes and four trains, I decided that things were not likely to improve and got a Lyft instead. It didn't cost any more than it would have in Orlando so it was fine. The marathon route happened to be near where I was going, so I got to see the crowds a bit from the back of the car.
First I wanted to go thrifting, there were several good thrift stores in this area. I had fun looking but ultimately there was nothing that jumped out at me plus prices were vintage store-high, iykyk. I am more of a Goodwill-level thrifter :p
There was also a record store so I popped in to see what Queen they had in case Jameson wanted some. I did end up getting him a record to add to his collection. By then it was almost noon and I was hungry! This Maruichi is fancy, it has a tea shop and cafe across from the actual grocery. I decided to go there first and see what they had available for lunch. (REMINDER you can click on ALL pictures to open them in a new tab and enlarge them.)
In the sushi case, some beautiful rolls, nigiri, and chirashi. I have had the chirashi before and it is amazing.
At the actual cafe counter they had Japanese-style curry, karaage, katsudon, udon, ramen, and much more! But those are all pretty big meals and I kind of wanted something lighter. I saw a woman making fresh onigiri right there behind the counter. Must-have! I got the braised pork belly and egg onigiri, and the mustard leaf onigiri.
In the background are three cool snacks that I found to try: spring water from ACTUAL Mt. Fuji, a peach nectar, and mini-croissants.
Both onigiri were wonderful. I don't typically care for pork belly but it was cubed very small so it only added rich flavor, and the egg was soft and perfect. The mustard greens were pickled, very flavorful and just a little spicy. And the rice was so chewy and delicious! Onigiri are SO GOOD, and it is so rare to find them freshly made. Yum!
I also want to mention that there was a small room off to the side offering floor seating, and several families were using it. I don't know if this was a tea room or if it was meant for families with kids, or what, but I saw that people were taking their shoes off to enter the room and that there were mostly parents with young kids in there.
Next it was across the street for the actual grocery store. As usual there was an endless list of things that I wanted and only a short list of things that I could realistically get!
Some desserts, including little chestnut mont blanc cakes, roll cakes, mochi donuts, ice cream bars, tayaki, etc.
The most expensive A5 Japanese wagyu that I could find. That's $35 for 1/2lb!!
Some fatty tuna, also very expensive!! Both the beef and tuna are NOT things you find normally even in most Asian grocery stores.
Ryu (violin) had asked for some senbei. I went all out and got her this ridiculous gift assortment! LOL
They had a housewares section with umbrellas, dishes, bottles, face and hair products, utensils, etc. I saw soooo many things that I wanted but just couldn't justify buying. These beautiful tea towels for example. So many wonderful patterns! But I have no realistic use for one out on the road.
A friend had told me to look for this foaming hand soap which dispenses in the shape of a paw print. I found it! Did not buy it though.
I looked at the sake and beer and such, but they didn't have ChuHi (and I'm probably never finding it in the US except at EPCOT once in a while, I'll have to accept it.) Around then I was starting to get overstimulated and I could hear the roar of the marathon crowd and realized that the main body of runners must be nearing the final miles (I was at mile 24 and it was close to 1pm so that tracks.) I didn't even attempt the subway again, just called a Lyft but he got trapped on the other side of the marathon route and asked me to walk to him so I got out there to give it a try.
Stepping outside, people were running to the sidelines, fire trucks were parked there honking and with firemen waving, people twirling noisemakers and blowing vuvuzelas and waving signs, everyone screaming some iteration of "Yeah!" or "Woooo!" or "GO GO GO!!!" Helicopters and drones were circling overhead, adding to the cacophony. It was an amazing, fun, and inspiring thing to see!
Well look at that: I got to watch the Boston Marathon after all! :)
The Lyft got me most of the way back to the hotel but near the Commons it started getting crazy with crowds of pedestrians again, so I jumped out a few blocks early. Runners were walking slowly and stiff-legged through the streets wearing silver thermal foil blankets, clutching bananas or bottles of water, and many of them wearing medals. When I got back to the hotel it was more chaos; hotel staff had put up a huge balloon archway and were in the entryway cheering and waving noisemakers for the exhausted participants. Bottles of water and bowls of fruit were off to the side for the runners. In the lobby there was a DJ playing music full blast, the bar was packed, there was a photo op and activity station and a caricature artist...good lord, just all kinds of stuff, like a miniature indoor festival. I don't like crowds, true, but seeing people happy makes me happy! I smiled and congratulated every runner that I saw on the way to the elevator.
Finally made it to my room. Phew! Now to show you my Japanese grocery haul! In the window because lighting in hotels = abysmal :p
As usual I will rate and review everything here. The banana Hi-Chew and grape candy are for Jameson, and the mini croissants are for both of us. The rest is for meeeeeeee!
I rested and rehydrated for an hour or so, then braved the lobby again to get to the grocery for literally two things. I'd wanted to walk to Whole Paycheck and get some top-rated local pizza on the way, but was too drained. And I didn't even run AT ALL today haha! And it was still early! Jameson messaged to tell me his shot had gone well and his friend Jody had driven him home. They stopped for Taco Bell on the way so he must be feeling all right. I'm sorry he's having to go through this, but glad he's doing it if he can have a chance at going back to being pain-free.
And that was pretty much it you guys, I called it a night at 5pm. Why not? Having adventures is a treat, and so is curling up in a quiet hotel room with some snacks and a good book :)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday: The plan is to visit New England Aquarium and have lunch somewhere. Expect lots of pictures of fishes. One evening show.
Write Every Day: Day 20
Apr. 20th, 2026 06:15 pmsanguinityIntro/FAQ
Days 1-15
My check-in: Received the first round of beta notes on a story (not the longfic), and accepted a number of minor edits. Beta and I will get together and talk about possible bigger revisions later tonight.
Day 20:china_shop, sanguinity, ysilme
Day 19:badly_knitted, carenejeans, china_shop, cornerofmadness, dswdiane, goddess47, sanguinity, sylvanwitch, the_siobhan, trobadora, ysilme
Day 18:badly_knitted, carenejeans, china_shop, dswdiane, goddess47, sanguinity, sylvanwitch, the_siobhan, trobadora, ysilme
( More days )
When you check in, please use the most recent post and say what day(s) you’re checking in for. Remember you can drop in or out at any time, and let me know if I missed anyone!
Days 1-15
My check-in: Received the first round of beta notes on a story (not the longfic), and accepted a number of minor edits. Beta and I will get together and talk about possible bigger revisions later tonight.
Day 20:
china_shop, sanguinity, ysilmeDay 19:
badly_knitted, carenejeans, china_shop, cornerofmadness, dswdiane, goddess47, sanguinity, sylvanwitch, the_siobhan, trobadora, ysilmeDay 18:
badly_knitted, carenejeans, china_shop, dswdiane, goddess47, sanguinity, sylvanwitch, the_siobhan, trobadora, ysilme( More days )
When you check in, please use the most recent post and say what day(s) you’re checking in for. Remember you can drop in or out at any time, and let me know if I missed anyone!
Just floaters!
Apr. 20th, 2026 05:56 pmkoshka_the_catLast night I started seeing black dots. I didn't think too much of it. It was just in front of the lamp and, strangely, the toaster. There's a light just above it.
Today at work, black things on all the lights. Um. The red squiggly things arrived. Um.
I called the eye doctor. They said they'd call back. They didn't, so I went in. They said they called at 12:27 to tell me come in as soon as possible. I said I didn't get the call, but was able to get a 3:15 appointment. She was so nice. I thanked her loads.
I was afraid something had happened to my retina. The symptoms weren't exact, but when you just went through a retina scare and have always been told, you're so nearsighted that you might have retina issues, your mind goes there.
But my retina is fine. It's probably just floaters. I can have my second surgery tomorrow! I'm so ready!
Any typos are the fault of dilation...
Today at work, black things on all the lights. Um. The red squiggly things arrived. Um.
I called the eye doctor. They said they'd call back. They didn't, so I went in. They said they called at 12:27 to tell me come in as soon as possible. I said I didn't get the call, but was able to get a 3:15 appointment. She was so nice. I thanked her loads.
I was afraid something had happened to my retina. The symptoms weren't exact, but when you just went through a retina scare and have always been told, you're so nearsighted that you might have retina issues, your mind goes there.
But my retina is fine. It's probably just floaters. I can have my second surgery tomorrow! I'm so ready!
Any typos are the fault of dilation...
Daily Check-In
Apr. 20th, 2026 06:06 pmstarwatcher posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fandom_checkinThis is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Monday, April 20, to midnight on Tuesday, April 21. (8pm Eastern Time).
Poll #34505 Daily Check-in
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 10
How are you doing?
I am OK.
6 (60.0%)
I am not OK, but don't need help right now.
4 (40.0%)
I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)
How many other humans live with you?
I am living single.
4 (40.0%)
One other person.
3 (30.0%)
More than one other person.
3 (30.0%)
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
Продолжайте ездить колоннами. Это удобно
Apr. 21st, 2026 02:42 amselengaВпервые в мире бойцы 412-й бригады Nemesis сбили "Шахед" дроном-перехватчиком с надводной платформы, ВИДЕО
Операторы 412-й бригады Nemesis Сил беспилотных систем ВСУ впервые осуществили успешный перехват ударного беспилотника типа Shahed-136 с помощью дрона-перехватчика, запущенного с беспилотной надводной платформы
https://censor.net/ru/v3611251
*
Воины 21-й ОМБр уничтожили колонну техники оккупантов на Сумщине. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611483
Дрон-перехватчик STING 1020-го полка сбил российский БПЛА "Гербера" прямым попаданием в винт. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611293
Украинские дроны поразили РЛС ЗРК С-350 "Витязь" и комплекс "ТОР-М2КМ", ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/n3611401
ВСУ уничтожили ТОС-1А "Солнцепек" на ВОТ Запорожской области, ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611186
Бойцы 225-го полка уничтожили ангар врага с техникой около Гуляйполя. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611480
Дронари батальона FATUM поразили танк, РЭБ и склады с имуществом и БК оккупантов. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611487
*
Украинские истребители МиГ-29 нанесли удары по укрытию российских операторов дронов на юге страны. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611512
Дронари 422-го полка совместно с ГУР нанесли удар по российским операторам БПЛА дроном "Зозуля". ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611518
ВСУ уничтожают операторов российских дронов под Купянском
https://censor.net/ru/n3611410
*
Бойцы 71-й бригады ДШВ ликвидировали 35 оккупантов во время попытки прорыва через газопровод и на квадроциклах. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/n3611357
*
Поражено вражеское предприятие-производитель дронов "Атлант Аэро" в Таганроге и склады с боеприпасами на оккупированной территории
https://censor.net/ru/n3611248
Поражены Новокуйбышевский и Сызранский НПЗ, нефтеналивной терминал "Лукойла" и нефтеперекачивающая станция "Тихорецк"
https://censor.net/ru/n3611173
Поражены НПЗ в Туапсе, нефтебаза в Крыму и 2 вражеских корабля
https://censor.net/ru/n3611414
Танкеры покидают порт Туапсе и направляются в Новороссийск из-за угрозы новых атак дронов
https://censor.net/ru/n3611494
Двойной удар ВСУ по НПЗ в российском Туапсе: начался масштабный пожар СПУТНИКОВОЕ ФОТО
https://censor.net/ru/p3611482
Операторы 412-й бригады Nemesis Сил беспилотных систем ВСУ впервые осуществили успешный перехват ударного беспилотника типа Shahed-136 с помощью дрона-перехватчика, запущенного с беспилотной надводной платформы
https://censor.net/ru/v3611251
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Воины 21-й ОМБр уничтожили колонну техники оккупантов на Сумщине. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611483
Дрон-перехватчик STING 1020-го полка сбил российский БПЛА "Гербера" прямым попаданием в винт. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611293
Украинские дроны поразили РЛС ЗРК С-350 "Витязь" и комплекс "ТОР-М2КМ", ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/n3611401
ВСУ уничтожили ТОС-1А "Солнцепек" на ВОТ Запорожской области, ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611186
Бойцы 225-го полка уничтожили ангар врага с техникой около Гуляйполя. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611480
Дронари батальона FATUM поразили танк, РЭБ и склады с имуществом и БК оккупантов. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611487
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Украинские истребители МиГ-29 нанесли удары по укрытию российских операторов дронов на юге страны. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611512
Дронари 422-го полка совместно с ГУР нанесли удар по российским операторам БПЛА дроном "Зозуля". ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v3611518
ВСУ уничтожают операторов российских дронов под Купянском
https://censor.net/ru/n3611410
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Бойцы 71-й бригады ДШВ ликвидировали 35 оккупантов во время попытки прорыва через газопровод и на квадроциклах. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/n3611357
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Поражено вражеское предприятие-производитель дронов "Атлант Аэро" в Таганроге и склады с боеприпасами на оккупированной территории
https://censor.net/ru/n3611248
Поражены Новокуйбышевский и Сызранский НПЗ, нефтеналивной терминал "Лукойла" и нефтеперекачивающая станция "Тихорецк"
https://censor.net/ru/n3611173
Поражены НПЗ в Туапсе, нефтебаза в Крыму и 2 вражеских корабля
https://censor.net/ru/n3611414
Танкеры покидают порт Туапсе и направляются в Новороссийск из-за угрозы новых атак дронов
https://censor.net/ru/n3611494
Двойной удар ВСУ по НПЗ в российском Туапсе: начался масштабный пожар СПУТНИКОВОЕ ФОТО
https://censor.net/ru/p3611482
Убийства и пытки стали обыденностью в российской армии
Apr. 21st, 2026 02:41 amselengaУбийства и пытки стали обыденностью в российской армии - перехват ГУР. АУДИО
Военная разведка Украины перехватила разговоры российских захватчиков, свидетельствующие о том, что убийства и пытки стали повседневной реальностью в 5-й бригаде Вооруженных сил РФ.
ГУР перехватило сразу два разговора россиян из 5-й отдельной гвардейской мотострелковой бригады — одного из подразделений ВС РФ, сформированного еще в 2014 году на временно оккупированных территориях Украины.
Оба перехвата раскрывают реалии службы в так называемой "штрафной" бригаде через историю одного военнослужащего — Дзатте Мамитова. В разговоре с матерью его знакомый жалуется, в каких нечеловеческих условиях служат в "пятерке": как раненых на костылях гонят на штурм, батальоны обновляются дважды в месяц из-за колоссальных потерь, а пропагандист Владимир Соловьев помогает скрывать преступления благодаря личным связям с командирами. Другой захватчик на примере Мамитова описывает, как российская военная полиция пытает собственных солдат и присваивает выплаты за ранения
https://censor.net/ru/v3611451
Военная разведка Украины перехватила разговоры российских захватчиков, свидетельствующие о том, что убийства и пытки стали повседневной реальностью в 5-й бригаде Вооруженных сил РФ.
ГУР перехватило сразу два разговора россиян из 5-й отдельной гвардейской мотострелковой бригады — одного из подразделений ВС РФ, сформированного еще в 2014 году на временно оккупированных территориях Украины.
Оба перехвата раскрывают реалии службы в так называемой "штрафной" бригаде через историю одного военнослужащего — Дзатте Мамитова. В разговоре с матерью его знакомый жалуется, в каких нечеловеческих условиях служат в "пятерке": как раненых на костылях гонят на штурм, батальоны обновляются дважды в месяц из-за колоссальных потерь, а пропагандист Владимир Соловьев помогает скрывать преступления благодаря личным связям с командирами. Другой захватчик на примере Мамитова описывает, как российская военная полиция пытает собственных солдат и присваивает выплаты за ранения
https://censor.net/ru/v3611451
Space Exploration
Apr. 20th, 2026 06:22 pmysabetwordsmithTopographic map reveals vast ocean on Mars three billion years ago
Across the northern lowlands, the terrain holds an unusually broad belt of flat ground far below Mars’ reference level.
Tracing that belt across the planet, Abdallah S. Zaki at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), linked it to the kind of coastal margin oceans leave behind on Earth.
Rather than preserving one sharp edge, that ancient coast seems to have survived as a wide zone built and reshaped over long stretches of time.
Across the northern lowlands, the terrain holds an unusually broad belt of flat ground far below Mars’ reference level.
Tracing that belt across the planet, Abdallah S. Zaki at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), linked it to the kind of coastal margin oceans leave behind on Earth.
Rather than preserving one sharp edge, that ancient coast seems to have survived as a wide zone built and reshaped over long stretches of time.
boost: Hand-drawn Digital Artwork
Apr. 20th, 2026 05:50 pmjesse_the_kMy favorite Apple-oriented publication celebrates 36 years and 1800 issues this month. Their well-moderated forum talk.tidbits.com provides excellent tech support for thorny issues. This week I learned about a super-cool article for us old graphic geeks:
How a poster that morphed Hokusai’s Great Wave into The Wave of the Future, showing its original woodblock changing into bitmaps then raytracing was actually created by hand, because in 1981 it would have been too expensive to do it digitally.
Dad stuff
Apr. 20th, 2026 05:58 pmflamingswordOkay, so (my and other folk’s) ideas for getting Dad to process his grief in productive ways( are as follows: )
If you have an arguably toxically masculine, undiagnosed autistic man in your life whose behavior you can predict, throw me a comment if you have good ideas for directing grief into healthy outlets.
If you have an arguably toxically masculine, undiagnosed autistic man in your life whose behavior you can predict, throw me a comment if you have good ideas for directing grief into healthy outlets.
Coming October 2026 - MY FUCKING MAGNUM OPUS
Apr. 20th, 2026 06:15 pmpennswoodsIf you follow any of my other social media, you will have seen this, but my book has a publication date of October 2026. I am going to promote the shit out of it when it's here. I'm also REALLY happy that my cover includes one of the photos I took during my Sherlock days and is an actual example of my fan practice.
This book is not only full of research and teaching ideas, but it also includes some of my own stuff, including a few #setlock photos (in Chapter 4) and my own fanfic (Chapter 1 begins with a Harry Potter Drabble I wrote in response to the Virginia Tech Shooting - yes, I start my book by talking about a school shooting). Chapter 3 is more uplifting and explores research on fan practices for learning different languages, with a particular emphasis on research on Kpop and Kdrama fans and their Korean language learning. There is also a lot of love in this book for Sweden and my former students and colleagues at Malmö University, where I developed the Fanfiction Project over 6 years (2013-21018) - Chapter 5 investigates students' language awareness by analyzing nearly 400 reflection papers written by the students who wrote fanfiction for me during that time.
And also, Chapter 7, is going to be open access. That's the chapter that contains teaching materials and advice for teachers who want to bring fanfiction into their classrooms. I know that internationally teachers do not have USD $50 to spend on a book like this, but I believe so much in the use of fanfiction as a tool to support language and literacy learning that I wanted to make sure as many people as possible could get their hands on it. It costs about $1900 to make a chapter fully open access and I am fortunate enough to have gotten access to a small fund to spend for this. Thank you to the (soon to be) UMBC School of Education and its TESOL Program for making this possible.
This book is not only full of research and teaching ideas, but it also includes some of my own stuff, including a few #setlock photos (in Chapter 4) and my own fanfic (Chapter 1 begins with a Harry Potter Drabble I wrote in response to the Virginia Tech Shooting - yes, I start my book by talking about a school shooting). Chapter 3 is more uplifting and explores research on fan practices for learning different languages, with a particular emphasis on research on Kpop and Kdrama fans and their Korean language learning. There is also a lot of love in this book for Sweden and my former students and colleagues at Malmö University, where I developed the Fanfiction Project over 6 years (2013-21018) - Chapter 5 investigates students' language awareness by analyzing nearly 400 reflection papers written by the students who wrote fanfiction for me during that time.
And also, Chapter 7, is going to be open access. That's the chapter that contains teaching materials and advice for teachers who want to bring fanfiction into their classrooms. I know that internationally teachers do not have USD $50 to spend on a book like this, but I believe so much in the use of fanfiction as a tool to support language and literacy learning that I wanted to make sure as many people as possible could get their hands on it. It costs about $1900 to make a chapter fully open access and I am fortunate enough to have gotten access to a small fund to spend for this. Thank you to the (soon to be) UMBC School of Education and its TESOL Program for making this possible.
Celebrity Death Watch - February through mid-April
Apr. 20th, 2026 04:51 pmfauxkloreCatching up on some other things, it’s been a while since I’ve done the ever popular celebrity death watch. (Early February to be exact)
Celebrity Death Watch - February 2026: Sir Nicholas White was a tropical disease researcher, specializing in malaria treatments. Daryl Hoole wrote books about homemaking. Myra MacPherson was a journalist, primarily for The Washington Post. Chuck Negron was a founding member of Three Dog Night. Dame Carole Jordan was an astrophysicist. Lamont McLemore was a founding member of The 5th Dimension, Mickey Lolich was a pitcher, primarily for the Detroit Tigers. Sonny Jorgensen was a Hall of Fame football player. Ed Crane co-founded the Cato Institute (a libertarian think tank). Andrew Ranken played drums for The Pogues. Bud Cort was an actor, best known for playing Harold in Harold and Maude. Ed Graczyk was a playwright whose most successful play was Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. James Van Der Beek starred in Dawson’s Creek. Karen Glaser was an underwater photographer. Eric Dane was an actor, best known for appearing in Grey’s Anatomy. Dan Simmons was a fantasy, science fiction, and horror writer. Iris Cantor was a philanthropist. Coleman Barks was a poet and responsible for popularizing the works of Rumi. Sondra Lee originated the roles of Tiger Lily (in Peter Pan) and Minnie Fay (in Hello, Dolly!) on Broadway. Lauren Chapin was a child actress, best known for playing Kitten in Father Knows Best. Bobby J. Brown was an actor, best known for The Wire. Colman McCarthy was a peace activist.
Robert Duvall was an actor, He won a best actor Oscar for his performance in Tender Mercies and had won several other acting awards. He’s been referred to as “the American Olivier.”
Jesse Jackson was an ordained Baptist minister, a civil rights activist and a politician. He appeared to have repented for some antisemitic comments he made during his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984. I was once delayed at the Oakland airport while he and his entourage were there, but I don’t remember whether he was coming or going.
Isaiah Zagar was a mosaic artist, who created the Philadelphia Magic Gardens. This is my favorite thing in Philadelphia. I was introduced to it by artistic friends and I’ve gone back to see it multiple times since.
Bill Mazeroski was a second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who is best known for driving in a 9th inning home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series to defeat the Source of All Evil in the Universe.
Neil Sedaka was a singer and songwriter. Among the songs he is best known for are “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Love Will Keep Us Together.” I find those two an interesting juxtaposition.
Ali Khamenei was the ayatollah, supreme leader, and president of Iran. The world (and Iran, in particular) may well be a better place without him, but it’s not like he’s been replaced with anyone better.
Celebrity Death Watch - March 2026: Gary Walker was the drummer and a vocalist with The Standells, whose song “Dirty Water” is a Red Sox tradition. Lyle Conway designed the Audrey II puppet used in the film version of the musical Little Shop of Horrors. Russell W. Meyer, Jr. was the CEO of Grumman in the late 1960’s to mid-1970’s and of Cessna after that. Sir Anthony Leggett won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on superfluidity. Alexander Butterfield revealed Richard Nixon’s White House taping system during the Watergate investigation. Tommy DeCarlo was the lead singer for Boston. Paul Ehrlich wrote about the consequences of population growth. Christopher Sims won a Nobel Prize in economics. William C. Dietz wrote military science fiction. Dolores Keane sang with De Dannan. Terry Cox was the drummer for Pentangle. Mike Melvill was a test pilot for SpaceShip One, becoming the first commercial astronaut. Chuck Norris was a martial artist and actor. Nicholas Brendon played Xander in the TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Robert Mueller was the director of the FBI from 2001-2013. Calvin Tomkins was an art critic who wrote for The New Yorker. Chip Taylor wrote songs, including “Angel of the Morning” and “Wild Thing.” Dash Crofts sang with Jim Seals and wrote songs, including “Summer Breeze.”
Lou Holtz was a football coach for Notre Dame (and other schools). He earned me 19 ghoul pool points.
Country Joe McDonald headed up a musical group with the Fish. He’s best known for the “I-Feel-Like-Im-Fixing-to-Die” Rag,” which he wrote and performed at Woodstock.
Len Deighton wrote spy novels, including The IPCRESS File. He also wrote cookbooks.
George H. Goble won an Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry for preparing a barbecue using a smoldering cigarette, charcoal, and liquid oxygen.
Tracy Kidder wrote a number of important non-fiction books, including The Soul of a New Machine and Mountains Beyond Mountains. His writing was vivid and absorbing and well worth reading.
Celebrity Death Watch - April 2026: Jim Whittaker was the first American to climb Mount Everest. Barbara Gordon wrote the book I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can, about her pill addiction. Nick Pope investigated UFOs. Davey Lopes played second base primarily for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ray Monette sang and played guitar for Rare Earth. Africa Bambaataa was a hip hop pioneer. Moya Brennan sang with Clannad. Kevin Klose was the president of NPR from 1998-2008. Don Schlitz wrote country music songs and was best known for “The Gambler.” Roger Adams invented Heelys. Garret Anderson played left field for the Los Angeles Angels.
Sid Krofft was a puppeteer who, along with his brother, Marty, created such television shows as H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost.
Justin Fairfax was the lieutenant governor of Virginia under Ralph Northam. During his term in office, he had faced multiple allegations of sexual assault. He murdered his wife, Cerina, and killed himself.
Desmond Morris was a zoologist. He was best known for his book The Naked Ape, which has been widely criticized for sexist assumptions.
Belated Celebrity Death Watch: I only learned recently that Lyle Feisel died in November 2025. He was known for writing a column in The Bent, the magazine published by the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi, about the people various scientific units are named after.
Celebrity Death Watch - February 2026: Sir Nicholas White was a tropical disease researcher, specializing in malaria treatments. Daryl Hoole wrote books about homemaking. Myra MacPherson was a journalist, primarily for The Washington Post. Chuck Negron was a founding member of Three Dog Night. Dame Carole Jordan was an astrophysicist. Lamont McLemore was a founding member of The 5th Dimension, Mickey Lolich was a pitcher, primarily for the Detroit Tigers. Sonny Jorgensen was a Hall of Fame football player. Ed Crane co-founded the Cato Institute (a libertarian think tank). Andrew Ranken played drums for The Pogues. Bud Cort was an actor, best known for playing Harold in Harold and Maude. Ed Graczyk was a playwright whose most successful play was Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. James Van Der Beek starred in Dawson’s Creek. Karen Glaser was an underwater photographer. Eric Dane was an actor, best known for appearing in Grey’s Anatomy. Dan Simmons was a fantasy, science fiction, and horror writer. Iris Cantor was a philanthropist. Coleman Barks was a poet and responsible for popularizing the works of Rumi. Sondra Lee originated the roles of Tiger Lily (in Peter Pan) and Minnie Fay (in Hello, Dolly!) on Broadway. Lauren Chapin was a child actress, best known for playing Kitten in Father Knows Best. Bobby J. Brown was an actor, best known for The Wire. Colman McCarthy was a peace activist.
Robert Duvall was an actor, He won a best actor Oscar for his performance in Tender Mercies and had won several other acting awards. He’s been referred to as “the American Olivier.”
Jesse Jackson was an ordained Baptist minister, a civil rights activist and a politician. He appeared to have repented for some antisemitic comments he made during his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984. I was once delayed at the Oakland airport while he and his entourage were there, but I don’t remember whether he was coming or going.
Isaiah Zagar was a mosaic artist, who created the Philadelphia Magic Gardens. This is my favorite thing in Philadelphia. I was introduced to it by artistic friends and I’ve gone back to see it multiple times since.
Bill Mazeroski was a second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who is best known for driving in a 9th inning home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series to defeat the Source of All Evil in the Universe.
Neil Sedaka was a singer and songwriter. Among the songs he is best known for are “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Love Will Keep Us Together.” I find those two an interesting juxtaposition.
Ali Khamenei was the ayatollah, supreme leader, and president of Iran. The world (and Iran, in particular) may well be a better place without him, but it’s not like he’s been replaced with anyone better.
Celebrity Death Watch - March 2026: Gary Walker was the drummer and a vocalist with The Standells, whose song “Dirty Water” is a Red Sox tradition. Lyle Conway designed the Audrey II puppet used in the film version of the musical Little Shop of Horrors. Russell W. Meyer, Jr. was the CEO of Grumman in the late 1960’s to mid-1970’s and of Cessna after that. Sir Anthony Leggett won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on superfluidity. Alexander Butterfield revealed Richard Nixon’s White House taping system during the Watergate investigation. Tommy DeCarlo was the lead singer for Boston. Paul Ehrlich wrote about the consequences of population growth. Christopher Sims won a Nobel Prize in economics. William C. Dietz wrote military science fiction. Dolores Keane sang with De Dannan. Terry Cox was the drummer for Pentangle. Mike Melvill was a test pilot for SpaceShip One, becoming the first commercial astronaut. Chuck Norris was a martial artist and actor. Nicholas Brendon played Xander in the TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Robert Mueller was the director of the FBI from 2001-2013. Calvin Tomkins was an art critic who wrote for The New Yorker. Chip Taylor wrote songs, including “Angel of the Morning” and “Wild Thing.” Dash Crofts sang with Jim Seals and wrote songs, including “Summer Breeze.”
Lou Holtz was a football coach for Notre Dame (and other schools). He earned me 19 ghoul pool points.
Country Joe McDonald headed up a musical group with the Fish. He’s best known for the “I-Feel-Like-Im-Fixing-to-Die” Rag,” which he wrote and performed at Woodstock.
Len Deighton wrote spy novels, including The IPCRESS File. He also wrote cookbooks.
George H. Goble won an Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry for preparing a barbecue using a smoldering cigarette, charcoal, and liquid oxygen.
Tracy Kidder wrote a number of important non-fiction books, including The Soul of a New Machine and Mountains Beyond Mountains. His writing was vivid and absorbing and well worth reading.
Celebrity Death Watch - April 2026: Jim Whittaker was the first American to climb Mount Everest. Barbara Gordon wrote the book I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can, about her pill addiction. Nick Pope investigated UFOs. Davey Lopes played second base primarily for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ray Monette sang and played guitar for Rare Earth. Africa Bambaataa was a hip hop pioneer. Moya Brennan sang with Clannad. Kevin Klose was the president of NPR from 1998-2008. Don Schlitz wrote country music songs and was best known for “The Gambler.” Roger Adams invented Heelys. Garret Anderson played left field for the Los Angeles Angels.
Sid Krofft was a puppeteer who, along with his brother, Marty, created such television shows as H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost.
Justin Fairfax was the lieutenant governor of Virginia under Ralph Northam. During his term in office, he had faced multiple allegations of sexual assault. He murdered his wife, Cerina, and killed himself.
Desmond Morris was a zoologist. He was best known for his book The Naked Ape, which has been widely criticized for sexist assumptions.
Belated Celebrity Death Watch: I only learned recently that Lyle Feisel died in November 2025. He was known for writing a column in The Bent, the magazine published by the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi, about the people various scientific units are named after.
basically i'm either reading or i'm playing games and right now i am in The Reading Zone
Apr. 20th, 2026 09:55 pmwychwoodI've been sort of meaning to make a gaming post for a while, but also: I have not been playing games really at all, unless you count 2025 (obsessively and continuously). However, Terra Nil just turned up 60% off (for another four days! there's time!) and I bought it on Saturday and have already played over seven hours of it - I'm playing on the easy mode, and find it intensely soothing. I have restored four or five ecosystems, taken photographs of numerous wild animals, sworn at the annoying recycling system as I build numerous extra buildings in order to remove all the buildings from the map, and generally enjoyed myself thoroughly.
Other things I have played, mostly extremely briefly, since my last real gaming post in (*gulp*) July: ( actually quite a long list, but average playtime of about half-an-hour )
Feel free to ask if you're interested in any of them! Most of them do look like things I could enjoy if I were in a game-playing space, but very clearly I have not been.
Other things I have played, mostly extremely briefly, since my last real gaming post in (*gulp*) July: ( actually quite a long list, but average playtime of about half-an-hour )
Feel free to ask if you're interested in any of them! Most of them do look like things I could enjoy if I were in a game-playing space, but very clearly I have not been.
Monday Word: Althing
Apr. 20th, 2026 03:47 pmstonepicnicking_okapi posting in 1word1dayalthing [ahl-thing, awl-]
noun
the parliament of Iceland, consisting of an upper and a lower house.
examples
1....the hatreds and behind-backs
of the althing, lies and women,
exhaustions nominated peace,
memory incubating the spilled blood,,, "North" by Seamus Heaney
2.From the moment self-government lost touch with "self" -- departing the agora of Athens, the 'althing' of Reykyavik and the town meeting of New England -- it adapted itself to nations and peoples. "It Depends on What You Mean by Democracy" Simon Jenkins, Huffington Post, 2008
origin
from Icelandic Alþingi, from Old Norse alþingi, from allr (“all”) + þing (“Thing”).
noun
the parliament of Iceland, consisting of an upper and a lower house.
examples
1....the hatreds and behind-backs
of the althing, lies and women,
exhaustions nominated peace,
memory incubating the spilled blood,,, "North" by Seamus Heaney
2.From the moment self-government lost touch with "self" -- departing the agora of Athens, the 'althing' of Reykyavik and the town meeting of New England -- it adapted itself to nations and peoples. "It Depends on What You Mean by Democracy" Simon Jenkins, Huffington Post, 2008
origin
from Icelandic Alþingi, from Old Norse alþingi, from allr (“all”) + þing (“Thing”).