I just learned that a lot of vintage perfumes and fragrances were intentionally created to blend well with the ever-present smell of cigarettes, and in specific a lot of iconic ones that are super musky and floral and civet-heavy were intended to compliment the smell of fur coats or even "refresh" that new fur coat smell, which is one of the reasons (besides just shifting preferences and trends) that a lot of them smell really, really bad to modern noses.
I bet there's some stunning genius diva out there right now who meticulously coordinates her Victoria's Secret body mists with her vape flavors.
they are sexually mature at ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OLD.
their (live!) young gestate for. wait for it. eight to eighteen (??) YEARS. can have up to 10 at a time. good grief.
longest lifespan of any vertebrate, up to five hundred years
toxic flesh
has giant eyes but is usually blind because of a weird little crustacean that's evolved to live on and eat their eyes. this doesn't seem to bother them much.
lives in deep cold water and has the lowest swim speed and tail-beat frequency for its size across all fish species. just generally lives life in extreme slow motion
largest genome of any shark
eats everything including moose and polar bears
ma'am you are delightfully strange and I'm privileged to share a planet with you
we gotta get back to torrent distribution, i just watched someone eat eight grand in bandwidth charges because they ran a direct-download piracy site with local file hosting through cloudflare. torrents were invented literally for this exact reason
i have a file or folder on my pc that i want to share with other people. let's call it gayshit.mp3
unfortunately gayshit.mp3 is 750mb and im not paying for discord nitro so i need another way to send it
i put it into qbittorrent and it makes a torrent file. this is essentially a very small file that points to gayshit.mp3 so other computers can find it. kinda like a treasure map
i send this tiny file to my friend, who loads it into qbittorrent. their computer takes a moment to find mine over the vast expanse of cyberspace and then (as long as my pc is running and the file is still where it should be), it gets copied from my hard drive to theirs
this is the cool part: if somebody else loads that tiny file, they can download it from both of us. if i'm offline but my friend is on, the third person can still get it. this also means that if two people have separate halves of the file, they can download the other half from each other. as long as some combination of people have the pieces between them, they can all have the whole thing.
crucially this does not require a server!!! you can just upload the file to a few people and as long as they keep it, it's still accessible. as long as somebody, somewhere is still connected, it's available forever. the only way it goes away is if everybody disconnects from it.
For millions of people managing type 2 diabetes, mornings begin the same way — a needle, a dose, and a quiet mental note to do it all again
So that article turned out to be AI. No I did not know that at the time I posted it. Yes I did find out a few hours later (in this case, there is substantial evidence that the people who called AI in the comment section were correct).
No I did not deal with it immediately, because I've been dealing with severe medical issues for months.
(Get your shots. Post-viral syndromes like long COVID are brutal. Also, get your shots because some people, like me last year, CAN'T get COVID or flu vaccines because of the medical complications it would cause. Any year you CAN get vaccinated, DO get vaccinated.)
I'm leaving it up so that this full information and context is here when anyone tries to navigate to the original post.
Also because the headline itself is true and I can verify that part, at least, independently (and had while creating the original post).
Here's another, much better source:
FDA Approves Weekly Basal Insulin for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
-via JAMA Network (medical journal), April 17, 2026. doi: 10.1001/jama.2026.2111
Of course, that's paywalled, because most academic sources are these days (derogatory). So here's the source I found that best seems to have the best lay reader explanation (but which unfortunately does not have a preview image that works with tumblr's embedded link formatting)
Awiqli: FDA Approves First and Only Once-Weekly Long-Acting Basal Insulin for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
What Is Awiqli, and Why Does It Matter?
Awiqli (insulin icodec-abae) is a once-weekly long-acting basal insulin injection approved by the FDA for adults with type 2 diabetes. It helps lower blood sugar levels when used along with a healthy diet and regular exercise. It is taken as a subcutaneous (under-the-skin) shot with a prefilled FlexTouch pen on the same day every week.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body has trouble controlling blood sugar levels. If it isn't well managed, it can lead to serious complications like heart disease, kidney damage, nerve problems, and vision loss. Many people need insulin to control their diabetes, which often means giving themselves daily injections to keep their blood sugar in a healthy range.
Awiqli is the only long-acting man-made insulin (U-700) in the U.S. that is designed to last an entire week. Its active ingredient, insulin icodec-abae, loosely attaches to a blood protein called albumin, forming a reservoir that slowly and steadily releases insulin into the bloodstream. This lowers blood sugar levels in the same way as human insulin. Because of this slow, steady release, Awiqli provides a consistent dose of insulin icodec-abae and maintains a stable blood sugar-lowering effect throughout the week.
This approval matters because this medicine reduces the number of basal insulin shots from seven to one per week, offering a more convenient option that can be tailored to individual needs and routines.
-via WebMD, March 27, 2026. And that matters, because how easily you are able to take your meds determines how often you are able to take your meds, which with type II diabetes in particular (as well as plenty of other conditions) is often:
the difference between being pain-free and developing nerve damage
the difference between keeping your mobility and losing it
the difference between keeping you leg and losing it
the difference between keeping your life and losing it
So that's why this is a reason for hope.
That's why this matters. This will save people's lives.
--
(And that is why we need to do everything we can to make sure every single person in the world can access this medication when needed - fuck corporate patents, lives are more important)
More details on how that post mixup happened after the readmore if you're curious:
So, frankly and painfully, the specific AI article I originally linked did a better job of explaining the difference this will make in people's lives better than any legitimate medical source than search engines were giving me, especially if I wanted to link an article that wasn't behind a paywall. And I hate that it was better than anything else my search engine would give me!! That's a problem due in large part to Google and other tech companies intentionally ruining their search algorithms for greater ad visibility and an informational monopoly.
But, yeah, that's why I went with it over other sources despite the major red flag and general terrible practice of the article not having a specific author credited. (Which isn't always an AI thing, to be clear, sometimes it's just a shitty media outlet thing, as has been the case since long before generative AI.)
Once when I was in undergrad, someone described something as “problematic” in class and our professor was like, “That’s cool, but ‘problematic’ doesn’t really mean anything. It means that the thing you’re describing has a problem, and in and of itself that’s not bad. Art, especially, should always have problems, or else it’s not interesting and not art, either. It sounds like you’re trying to say that this is bad, but you don’t want to say ‘bad.’ Is that right?”
So from then on whenever one of us called something problematic, he would make us talk it out until we could name the “bad” thing we were hinting at. In this particular class, 7/10 it was some type of oppression, and the remainder was like, “I’m uncomfortable because this is very new/confusing/pushing boundaries that made me feel safe.”
Once we stopped calling things “problematic” and stopping at that, class got way more interesting and... we all had to say, like, “that’s racist” or “that’s misogynistic” or “ew capitalism gross” out loud, which a lot of us had never done in a classroom before. Or we had to be like, “Uhhh... I’m not sure what’s so bad?” and confront our own beliefs and that was maybe even more useful.
Anyway. Whenever I see the word problematic, I can’t help but think of this professor being like, “Good starting point, now let’s get specific.” I think when we have to commit to saying “that’s ___” it requires a lot more careful thought about the truth and impact and complexities of whatever we’re claiming. Sometimes there really is some bullshit afoot, and also sometimes it’s art, and it should be full of problems, because that’s what art is.
oh btw since its pride month heres some knitting and crochet patterns for you. these are all free. note that i have not MADE or TESTED all of these.
so there are a lot of patterns for soft prosthetic breasts for breast cancer survivors, but there's no reason you cant make yourself some boobs:
Ravelry: Knitted Knockers Double pointed needles pattern by KnittedKnockers.org
Ravelry: Knockers (Crochet) pattern by Claudia Barbo
Ravelry: Tit Bits pattern by Beryl Tsang
Ravelry: Quick & Easy Round Knocker pattern by Janet Dawson
patterns for packers:
Ravelry: Perfectly Reasonable Packer pattern by Janet Dawson - this is a pattern i have actually made. i found it really easy to make and to customize/adapt for different yarns.
Ravelry: Soft Packer pattern by Marian Fournier
Ravelry: Trans Masc Packer pattern by Marcy Fank
Ravelry: Knit Packer pattern by Finn Beaton
fun pride themed patterns:
Ravelry: Progress Pride Flag Cutie pattern by Nicola Newt
Ravelry: Transgender Symbol pattern by Sara Allen
Ravelry: LGBTQ+Equality for Shawl pattern by nycraft craftivist
Ravelry: Pride & Trans Pride Flipsy pattern by kawaiicuddlebug
Ravelry: Transitions Trans Pride Cowl pattern by Elizabeth L. Schell
Ravelry: Trans Pride flag handwarmers pattern by Cassian Lotte Lodge
Ravelry: Protect Trans Folks Tapestry pattern by Ashley Gorecki
Pride Flag Knitting Chart! — TINA TSE KNITS
Ravelry: Pride Flag Hearts pattern by Grace Grommes
Ravelry: Pride Headband pattern by Indie Child
Mini Pride Progress Flag Free Crochet Pattern – Unicorn Hideout
Free patterns: Bi Bee, Enbee, Lesbeean – With Love, Feli
things are rough but we will get through it. happy pride month💙
I actually do think we should discourage women from becoming housewives. Do not become financially dependent on a man. That's how a lot of women ended up dead over the years. A man gets violent suddenly and you have to choose between homelessness or potentially dying at his hand because you have an enormous gap in your resume and no degrees or certifications or anything that will help you pursue a career that will allow you to be financially independent. He owns your bank account. His name is probably the one on the car. Try and leave and he can report it stolen. Where will you go then?
And if you do become a housewife, take steps to protect yourself. Make sure you’re legally married, for starters; stay-at-home girlfriends have very little legal recourse to claim their partner’s assets in a breakup. Make sure your name is on the house deed/rental agreement, and have your car in your name, even if your spouse is paying for it. Have your spouse transfer money every month into an account solely in your name, so you can buy yourself things without needing permission, but also so you can save up to leave if needed.
If your spouse fights you on any of this, then don’t quit your job. The tradwife to poverty pipeline is real, and so is financial abuse.
also, many women/people experience controlling behaviour and domestic violence from their partner for the first time during pregnancy. don’t risk thinking “he’s just stressed, it’ll get better when the baby comes” because it won’t. neither you and your child will ever be safe with that man. get out as early and safely as you can
I really just have to summarize Thomas's entire life:
He was in a committed relationship with a male swan named Henry for 18-24 years before a female swan named Henrietta showed up and mated with Henry.
Thomas was initially jealous of the pair and attacked them, breaking 2 of the 5 eggs Henrietta had laid. However, once the remaining eggs hatched, Thomas warmed up to them and helped raise them.
Henry couldn't fly because of an injured wing, so Thomas taught the cygnets how to fly.
When they needed to reduce the goose population in the pond where Thomas and the swans lived, they dyed Thomas's feathers red so he wouldn't be separated from Henry.
Henry, Henrietta, and Thomas remained in their happy throuple for years and raised 68 cygnets before Henry died in 2009. After Henry's death, Henrietta found another swan and flew away, leaving Thomas alone.
Thomas finally met and mated with a female goose in 2011 and had his own babies. However, another goose named George stole them and raised them himself.
As Thomas grew elderly and blind, he was relocated to a wildlife center where he raised orphaned cygnets.
His caretaker at the center described him as "pretty high maintenance."
Thomas died in 2018 at the age of around 40. He had a funeral that included a small coffin and a procession that was led by a bagpiper. He was buried under the stone where Henry was buried, the two finally reunited in death.
Before and after his death, Thomas has been celebrated as an icon of the LGBTQ+ community for obvious reasons.
Scientists have developed a breakthrough “superfood” for honeybees by engineering yeast to produce the essential nutrients normally found in
TLDR- Modern agriculture pollen is low in nutrients, and there aren’t enough wildflowers. Science has to develop vitamins to supplement the diets of agricultural bees. So plant some wildflowers for the wild bees near you.
OK FUN FACT i also thought this picture was hilarious when i encountered it a few months ago, so i was curious how it ended up on wikipedia
it turns out the uploader is in fact the woman in the photo (she's uploaded a few other pictures of herself to other articles) and she ran an extremely web 1.0 site on the topic of bondage
this was apparently a long-standing fantasy of hers and she in fact did an entire video plus accompanying photoshoot about it, which was run in a bondage magazine in the 90s and did in fact take place on an abandoned train track. they committed to the bit hard enough that there's even a shot of the sinister villain looming over her with a big document labeled DEED and a pen
the best part is that according to this page, there were two "villains" involved (the woman's two partners, apparently), and the other one was dressed as a gorilla. sadly there are no images of the gorilla kidnapper because that sounds like. even funnier.
anyway i thought this whole thing was kinda cute, lol
the new york times has such a great series of elevated butter noodles, if you ever want a super fast easy dinner that still feels grown up and you can emulsify pasta water + butter together basically the sky is your limit
ya got
gochujang butter noodles
peanut butter noodles
chili crisp fettuccine alfredo
miso butter noodles
any one of these + a bag of salad or whatever vegetable side you find easiest/cheapest, and you've got yourself a full meal that tastes far above the effort you put in.
Briar patch of stray interests @solarpunkivy - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
