2026 Hugo, Lodestar & Astounding Awards Finalists - Locus Online Finalists for the Hugo Awards, the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book, and the Astounding Award for Best New Writer have been announced by LAcon V, the 84th World Science Fiction Convention. There were 1,488 valid nominating ballots received and counted from members of the 2025 and 2026 World Science Fiction Conventions for the 2026 Hugo Awards. Voting on the final ballot will open during May 2026. Members of …Read More

Congratulations to all of the Hugo Awards finalists!!

I've... read more Hugo nominees than I expected.

HEAD QUARTERS MORRIS TOWN 12TH MARCH 1777 Sir You are hereby required immediately to send me an exact return of your regiment, and to send all your recruits, who have had the small pox to join the Army. Those, who have not, are to be sent to Philadelphia, and put under the direction of the commanding officer there, who will have them inoculated. You are to leave a sufficient number of proper officers to carry on the recruiting service, who are to bring up their men as soon as they are ready. No pleas, of delay, on account of the dispersion of the officers can be admitted, as every commanding officer ought to know where his inferior officers are, and they what recruits they have, and where they are to be found. You are to remain at Philadelphia, to procure arms clothing &c., and send on, your Major to Camp, to receive your detachments. Your Lieut. Colonel is also to come on, as soon as circumstances will permit. I am Sir Your most humble servant Go: Washington George Washington wrote this letter to Lt. Colonel David Grier on March 12, 1777. In it, Washington instructs Grier to send new soldiers to Philadelphia so they could be inoculated for smallpox. Washington wanted to make sure that his troops were not affected by disease, and he believed that inoculation would help with that. So, just before this letter was written, Washington created a mandated system of inoculating his soldiers.

George Washington wrote this letter to Lt. Col. David Grier on March 12, 1777. In it, Washington instructs Grier to send new soldiers to Philadelphia so they could be inoculated for smallpox... just before this letter was written, Washington created a mandated system of inoculating his soldiers."

Woohoo!

Eurovision watch out for the Oceans entry!

I was about to say -- doesn't vaccination/inoculation go all the way back to Rev War days?

Donate to Support Julia L. during recovery from a spinal injury, organized by Julia Linthicum Update as of 3/25/2026 Thank you for following my recovery j… Julia Linthicum needs your support for Support Julia L. during recovery from a spinal injury

Available for small, paid tasks—fast turnaround. I can help with transcription, research (including genealogy), data entry, typing, or proofreading. Flexible rates. If you’ve got something tedious you’ve been putting off, message me.

gofund.me/8713f74ae

Whistleblower at the Kennedy Center sounding alarm about art collection. Makes me sick to my stomach.

I was about to say -- doesn't vaccination/inoculation go all the way back to Rev War days?

I saw on threads someone saying this might the last time the dress goes on display. I don't know how accurate that was.

Challenging the Pope: The Avignon Papacy

So today on Gone Medieval I have that rare thing - a medievalist emergency - wherein I had to explain the Avignon Papacy because a lot of people know the phrase *cough* the Trump administration *cough* but they don't actually know what it means. Don't let it be you.
open.spotify.com/episode/7bsa...

Stunning. I've read the wedding dress is starting to fall apart?

If you are an indie author, and you can decide to charge whatever price you want, and you decide to charge me $70.....I'm not buying your book.

Is that fair since Big 5 are assholes that charge stupid prices? And your books are just as good so if they're getting it, you should get it?

Nope.

Oh no John!

Donate to Support Julia L. during recovery from a spinal injury, organized by Julia Linthicum Update as of 3/25/2026 Thank you for following my recovery j… Julia Linthicum needs your support for Support Julia L. during recovery from a spinal injury

Available for small, paid tasks—fast turnaround. I can help with transcription, research (including genealogy), data entry, typing, or proofreading. Flexible rates. If you’ve got something tedious you’ve been putting off, message me.

gofund.me/8713f74ae

Streeter: Empty community fridges on Baltimore’s West Side need your help. Now. COLUMN | The Bmore Community Fridge Network has refrigerators across the region, but empty units in food deserts on the West Side need your help.

Baltimore's community fridge network could use some love, especially the ones on the West Side. Please consider filling them up. www.thebanner.com/opinion/colu...

Wow, that means my first RWA literacy signing was the next year at NYC?! How has it been 15 years reading romance?

Revolutionary Pushback: Past and Present YouTube video by Dr. Joanne Freeman

Yesterday I discussed why and how the Battle of Lexington (April 19, 1775) was a community event.

Much like the attacks on We the People now.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=36HA...

Tmobile has been paid! That still leaves Xfinity as the one past due and I need to find the full amount ($600) before the end of the month. Not counting the rent issues. *crosses fingers for job applixcations*

Tmobile has been paid! That still leaves Xfinity as the one past due and I need to find the full amount ($600) before the end of the month. Not counting the rent issues. *crosses fingers for job applixcations*

Glad you're okay!

Why young Americans are buying $200 notebooks from a store in Paris Notebooks made by Paris-based Louise Carmen have become a status symbol for a swath of young Americans, amid journaling's post-pandemic popularity.

An article on Louise Carmen (and never mentioning Travellers Company notebooks): www.cnbc.com/2026/04/09/l...

#MutualAid

Quyet does a lot to help support people sharing mutual aid. Would mean a to help reach the monthly goal!

Renaissance art at the Walters museum

I actually went upstairs to look at the Asian art but I didn't grab any pictures. The conservation window was open and showed some ivory pieces being cleaned.

An example of a woman's belt and smaller book, showing the portability allowed by their size.

Examples of the artwork in the Books of the Hours.

The Oval Hours was on loaned by a private collection.

And then I went upstairs to visit my friends in Medieval/Renaissance and see the new manuscripts exhibit "Medieval Mindscapes", showcasing the art in the Book of Hours. Some very large and some tiny books.

Jewelry of Afrofuture by Douriean Fletcher

Jewelry of Afrofuture by Douriean Fletcher

At the end was showed Fletcher's most recent work -- Jewelry of the Afrofuture.

The purple headdress of Queen Ramonda.

Shows the gold detailwork of the purple dress

Full picture of the Queen in purple. Just dominated the room.

White dress worn by Okoye at T'Challa's funeral.

More costumes from Black Panther movies, including Ramonda's iconic purple dress and head dress.

The necklace worn by Nakia in Black Panther

Costumes from the Black Panther movie, including Queen Ramonda and the Dora Milaje

More of Queen Ramonda's costumes from Black Panther

The museum included other pieces from their collection so you could see the influences. These are pieces by Alexander Calder and Art Smith.

This starts the Wakanda section of the exhibit. Interspersed with Fletcher's work were other examples from the Walters collection.

A saxophonist played at the entrance to the Walters exhibit.

Examples of Douriean Fletcher's early jewelry work at the Walters

Fletcher moved to New Orleans, LA to continue her business. This shows her work bench.

Oh, Octavia, still inspiring people. In the influences section, they mentioned her going to the library.

The exhibit was split into sections, based on Fletcher's life/experiences/influences with section on her TV and movie work at the end. She also worked on the Roots remake.

Picked up the medications. Apparently, Medicaid patients don't rate delivery options. (Or 90 day refills.)