Nerd Alert

Additional periodic reminder that some people in the South and the border states did in fact dislike slavery and/or wanted to stay in the Union and it was not a universal opinion that the war was good (until after they lost when the myth of an idealized Southern past developed).

Another periodic reminder that the enslaved and formerly enslaved in the South participated both in battles and spying for the Union, but also in tending to the dead and injured on both sides, and that should not be erased from the narrative.

Yet another periodic reminder that many women dressed as men and yes some of them might possibly have id'd themselves as trans if they lived now, and fought in the war. They also served as battlefield nurses, which was not an easy job, and those who didn't still often had the responsibility of running businesses and farms for the duration of the war. They should not be erased from the narrative either.

And oh here's another periodic reminder that Arlington cemetery exists where it does because it was on land that belonged to Robert E. Lee's wife's family, and the US government wanted a permanent reminder of the cost of that traitor's actions.

And yet another reminder that Juneteenth exists because once the war was over, many white plantation owners didn't tell the enslaved people on their property that they were now free. That absolutely should not be erased even if it makes some white people uncomfortable.

And finally, finally, the Republicans under Lincoln are not the same party as the Republicans today. Just as the Democrats of the time were not the Democrats of today. Conservatives LOVE to claim they freed the slaves though. It's a lie and most of them know it's a lie.

History is nuanced and often ugly. Denying it only leads to it repeating. Only weak people would deny it.

P.S. Southern generals are absolutely traitors and should not have US bases named after them.

So, if any trans men are being told about this, it’s not true!! Smoking will not change your voice, at least not until you’re about forty years down the line and you’ve already irreparably destroyed your lungs and throat and mouth and pretty much every other organ in your body. When you hear heavy smokers with deeper, scratchier voices it is literally because their vocal cords have been ruined. This is not a passive effect of smoking, it is a very very damaging one!

It’s simply not worth it! There will be no meaningful changes except terrible ones. Voice training will do a lot more for you than cigarettes will, I promise that the people urging you to start smoking as a voice training method do not have your best interests at heart!

(And you know what, this also goes for not eating due to the idea that starving yourself will decrease your chest size. Like with smoking, there will be no meaningful changes except terrible ones. Your body is worth so much more than that and there will always be healthier alternatives!)

(Btw, afaik smoking only has this effect on estrogen from HRT. Estrogen that AFAB bodies produce naturally is not affected, so smoking is still bad for trans men)

how measurements work in canada (ie/ badly)

#hello again martin and bosco!! sending you boys round for another go :)

Each of the lyrics comes from an old-time hickory song for fiddles, and is a lyric from that corresponding song.

"Fire on the Mountain" --> "Fire on the Mountain, run boys run"

Fire On The Mountain - Fiddle Player POV

"The House of the Rising Sun" --> "The Devil's in the house of the rising sun"

House of the Rising Sun

"Ida Red" --> "Chicken in the bread pan peckin' out dough"

Ida Red - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

"Granny Will Your Dog Bite" --> "Granny does your dog bite? 'No child, no'."

FTC #149 Granny Will Your Dog Bite

And for your furthered education, The Mountain Whipporwill.

in a time before things like radios and record players, every time you heard music was because there was somebody in the room with you playing an instrument. and many, many, many social events involved dancing, which requires music. so, if you're planning any kind of gathering in the american south or appalachia, you need to find a fiddler. and the fiddler's job is to play music that everybody knows and likes and can dance to.

the mistake The Devil makes in his bet with Johnny is that he misinterprets the contest as being about technical ability, so he has this big flashy song. he plays fast and impressively with a band of demons playing unfamiliar instruments in unfamiliar rhythms. he's definitely more skilled at playing than Johnny, and thinks he has it in the bag.

And that's a wrap!

A huge thank you to the community for their amazing submissions! This event was successful because of your support!

Below you will find all the important links for this event. They include:

The list of winners

The list of interviews and

Full rec lists for each category

Winners Section

Best Fantasy IFs

Best Sci-Fi IFs

Best Action/Adventure IFs

Best Modern/Slice-of-Life IFs

Best Historical Fiction IFs

Best Bonus IFs

Interview Section

A Tale of Crowns by @ataleofcrowns

God-Cursed by @wings-of-ink

Remember, You Will Die by @vapolis

Cantata by @fir-fireweed

Whiskey Four by @johnlouisif

Infamous by @infamous-if

When Life Gives You Lemons by @when-life-gives-you-lemons-if

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Affairs of the Heart by @doriana-gray-games

The Lonely Shore by @thelonelyshore-if

Full Rec Lists

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Action/Adventure

Modern/Slice-of-life

Historical fiction

The reason was that, if you get pantsed, and you weren't in on the joke / it wasn't planned, that's a massive breakdown in respect and discipline, and you have to make an example of that kid (generally by wrestling them, and in serious cases, taking away candy privileges). But getting pranked is still a bad look, and makes it seem cool to rebel against your authority.

However, if you get pantsed, and you are in on the joke, everyone has a good laugh, including you, and no one was actually rebelling. It both makes you look like a cool authority figure and makes the person doing it look like they're the sort of person in cahoots with counselors. Then, if there's a behavioral issue, you can have that quiet conversation later, away from an audience.

And since those underwear are so culturally specific as punchlines in a pantsing gag that the only plausible reason to be wearing them is if you're in on a slapstick act, you can retroactively Shanghai any would-be prankster into looking like they did it with your consent and planning, which not only keeps you from indignity, it makes sure that they're rewarded by laughter and attention for looking like they're cooperating with the staff, encouraging that in the future and bringing them in from the outside of the social-reward structure you're trying to set up, where it's cool too be wacky but responsible.

That preparation effort paid off maybe four times across three years, but it was completely worth it.

Marjane Satrapi, Iranian-French author of graphic novel 'Persepolis', dies aged 56 - https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/marjane-satrapi-iranian-french-author-graphic-novel-persepolis-dies-aged-56-2026-06-04/