Link Log for September 21

Categories: Book, Cyberspace, Flower (Phenology), Frugal, News of the Weird, Politics, Writing.

Book 

Today's book review:

http://blogjob.com/priscillaking/2015/09/21/book-review-mandie-and-the-invisible-troublemaker/

Cyberspace

Have I ever mentioned how much I haaaate Skype? I'm pleased to read that the program that's crashed so many more worthwhile programs finally crashed itself, instead.

http://blogjob.com/yvanne/2015/09/21/skype-what-happened/

Flower 

Melody Rose discusses, at Dave's Garden, the late-blooming Bidens I failed to spot and currently have vining up around a privet bush under the office window at the Cat Sanctuary. Two years ago I posted a photo of ladies-thumbs, in August, growing four feet high with the support of this bush. This year the ladies-thumbs are low, modest, grassy-looking things, the way they usually are, but this sunflower-like Bidens is pushing the size limits for its species.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/identifying-wildflowers-bidens-aristosa-tickseed-sunflower

Dave's Garden also shared a post about the plant called Felicia (yes, there's a plant species by that name; the flowers can also be called blue daisies). Unfortunately the page behaved so badly that I wouldn't feel right recommending it. Please work on this, Dave.

Frugal 

Something I'd like for Christmas...obviously it wouldn't work at the Cat Sanctuary as well as it works in Arizona, but with a storage and backup system it would probably meet my energy needs. Coal-free at last.

http://blogjob.com/priscillaking/2015/09/21/can-solar-energy-save-you-money/

News of the Alarmingly Weird 

People who should not, ever, drive cars:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/09/21/spider-scares-mother-so-badly-that-she-jumps-out-of-moving-car-leaving-her-child-behind/?

Politics 

I'm not sure how good a cross-section of the U.S.A. you get on a car-free island...but....

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/09/20/rand-paul-wins-mackinac-conference-straw-poll/

Writing 

How do you beat procrastination?

http://positivewriter.com/3-tips-to-beat-procrastination/

Not by mushiness, and I'm not sure what this touchy-feely post might boil down to if held over a good fire of skepticism, but I think she's trying to tell writers that we're all right if we don't bog down hopelessly in feelings about ourselves. Which is true.

http://www.itsjustlife.me/self-compassion-2/

Some ideas about fantasy fiction:

http://limyaael.livejournal.com/383804.html