Mark Zec
@markzecwrites.bsky.social
Aspiring writer, mostly SF/F with an emphasis on the environment ("eco-fic" or "cli-fi"), but not exclusively. Husband, dad, former IT/data analyst, cook, baker, musician.
All of my stories (so far): https://shorturl.at/qFErZ
All of my stories (so far): https://shorturl.at/qFErZ
It used to work well for staying asleep, but the older I get, I'm more prone waking up 3 or 4 times during the night. That's one of the things associated with aging, though.
November 11, 2025 at 3:18 PM
It used to work well for staying asleep, but the older I get, I'm more prone waking up 3 or 4 times during the night. That's one of the things associated with aging, though.
Here's a better write-up. The TL/DR is that chronic difficulty in falling asleep could be a sign of heart problems, not that the heart problems are caused by melatonin.
Anecdotal, but I've been taking it for 20 years, no heart issues.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Anecdotal, but I've been taking it for 20 years, no heart issues.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Taking this supplement for more than a year could be a sign of heart problems
Researchers found that adults who took melatonin for more than a year had a higher risk of heart failure, but not because of the supplement itself.
www.nbcnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Here's a better write-up. The TL/DR is that chronic difficulty in falling asleep could be a sign of heart problems, not that the heart problems are caused by melatonin.
Anecdotal, but I've been taking it for 20 years, no heart issues.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Anecdotal, but I've been taking it for 20 years, no heart issues.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
It's your space (no pun intended). We're just visitors.
November 7, 2025 at 9:09 PM
It's your space (no pun intended). We're just visitors.
And I back up the entire VM, so that should it get trashed (which hasn't happened yet), all I need to do is delete it from the host machine and restore it from backup.
November 7, 2025 at 7:13 PM
And I back up the entire VM, so that should it get trashed (which hasn't happened yet), all I need to do is delete it from the host machine and restore it from backup.
Agreed. There's always something more important to be addressed now, and climate change has always been a later problem. Until now.
As David Ho posted a few months back, hyperbolic discounting is a normal cognitive bias that influences almost everyone.
As David Ho posted a few months back, hyperbolic discounting is a normal cognitive bias that influences almost everyone.
November 7, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Agreed. There's always something more important to be addressed now, and climate change has always been a later problem. Until now.
As David Ho posted a few months back, hyperbolic discounting is a normal cognitive bias that influences almost everyone.
As David Ho posted a few months back, hyperbolic discounting is a normal cognitive bias that influences almost everyone.
It doesn't exonerate the fossil fuel companies in the least, but every government in the world has been complicit for 70+ years. This could have been stopped with appropriate legislation before it became a huge problem.
November 7, 2025 at 2:53 PM
It doesn't exonerate the fossil fuel companies in the least, but every government in the world has been complicit for 70+ years. This could have been stopped with appropriate legislation before it became a huge problem.
Because you're contradicting what people believe. Most know that the oil companies predicted climate change in the 1970s. It's something I see posted almost every day in Reddit's r/climate (and elsewhere).
Far fewer know that the predictions started much earlier, and from non-fossil fuel scientists
Far fewer know that the predictions started much earlier, and from non-fossil fuel scientists
November 7, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Because you're contradicting what people believe. Most know that the oil companies predicted climate change in the 1970s. It's something I see posted almost every day in Reddit's r/climate (and elsewhere).
Far fewer know that the predictions started much earlier, and from non-fossil fuel scientists
Far fewer know that the predictions started much earlier, and from non-fossil fuel scientists
I saw the writing on the wall when 11 was just a preview, which is when I switched to Linux Mint after trying a few different distros. Haven't regretted it.
For those rare times I still need Windows (Garmin Express, Kobo desktop app, a few others), I run 10 in a virtual machine.
For those rare times I still need Windows (Garmin Express, Kobo desktop app, a few others), I run 10 in a virtual machine.
November 7, 2025 at 2:36 PM
I saw the writing on the wall when 11 was just a preview, which is when I switched to Linux Mint after trying a few different distros. Haven't regretted it.
For those rare times I still need Windows (Garmin Express, Kobo desktop app, a few others), I run 10 in a virtual machine.
For those rare times I still need Windows (Garmin Express, Kobo desktop app, a few others), I run 10 in a virtual machine.
For those who'd prefer not to do business with Amazon, it's the same price on Kobo.
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Stealing from Wizards ebook by R. A. Consell - Rakuten Kobo
Read "Stealing from Wizards Volume 4: Arson" by R. A. Consell available from Rakuten Kobo. High school is supposed to be a place of new beginnings. It’s where new friendships are forged, old grievance...
www.kobo.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:43 PM
For those who'd prefer not to do business with Amazon, it's the same price on Kobo.
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Best of luck on this. I recently found out that what I thought was persistent sciatica (2+ years) was actually an arthritic hip that requires replacement surgery.
November 5, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Best of luck on this. I recently found out that what I thought was persistent sciatica (2+ years) was actually an arthritic hip that requires replacement surgery.
Watched it a couple nights ago, and it was excellent, as is all of the Nova content.
PBS Passport is probably the only streaming service whose value exceeds any amount you choose to pay for it.
PBS Passport is probably the only streaming service whose value exceeds any amount you choose to pay for it.
November 5, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Watched it a couple nights ago, and it was excellent, as is all of the Nova content.
PBS Passport is probably the only streaming service whose value exceeds any amount you choose to pay for it.
PBS Passport is probably the only streaming service whose value exceeds any amount you choose to pay for it.
Moxie from Virginia would say hello, if she would just wake up.
November 4, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Moxie from Virginia would say hello, if she would just wake up.
It's horrible to have to qualify it with "this time."
November 3, 2025 at 11:52 PM
It's horrible to have to qualify it with "this time."
According to the Charlottesville subreddit, it was apparently a false alarm. This time.
Update as of 4:30: Police are continuing to investigate at Shannon Library. At this time there is no evidence that an attack has occurred
www.reddit.com/r/Charlottes...
Update as of 4:30: Police are continuing to investigate at Shannon Library. At this time there is no evidence that an attack has occurred
www.reddit.com/r/Charlottes...
From the Charlottesville community on Reddit
Explore this post and more from the Charlottesville community
www.reddit.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:57 PM
According to the Charlottesville subreddit, it was apparently a false alarm. This time.
Update as of 4:30: Police are continuing to investigate at Shannon Library. At this time there is no evidence that an attack has occurred
www.reddit.com/r/Charlottes...
Update as of 4:30: Police are continuing to investigate at Shannon Library. At this time there is no evidence that an attack has occurred
www.reddit.com/r/Charlottes...
But really popular with her constituents, which is even madder. Elected with almost 75% of the vote, then reelected twice with 66% and 65%.
November 2, 2025 at 12:14 PM
But really popular with her constituents, which is even madder. Elected with almost 75% of the vote, then reelected twice with 66% and 65%.
The language that allows them to do so has been buried in the small print for a long time. You're purchasing a license to use the software, but you're not purchasing the software itself.
November 1, 2025 at 1:26 PM
The language that allows them to do so has been buried in the small print for a long time. You're purchasing a license to use the software, but you're not purchasing the software itself.
PV is great. Our monthly generation is usually halved in winter (from 2 mwh/month to 1), but we build up such a big balance during the months with more daylight, it gets us through the winter.
Haven't had a bill in almost 2 years, and we're going into the fall/winter with a balance of 4.5 mwh.
Haven't had a bill in almost 2 years, and we're going into the fall/winter with a balance of 4.5 mwh.
October 31, 2025 at 2:24 PM
PV is great. Our monthly generation is usually halved in winter (from 2 mwh/month to 1), but we build up such a big balance during the months with more daylight, it gets us through the winter.
Haven't had a bill in almost 2 years, and we're going into the fall/winter with a balance of 4.5 mwh.
Haven't had a bill in almost 2 years, and we're going into the fall/winter with a balance of 4.5 mwh.
"For as long as I'm alive."
Which, since he just turned 70 a few days ago, isn't all that long.
Which, since he just turned 70 a few days ago, isn't all that long.
October 31, 2025 at 12:01 PM
"For as long as I'm alive."
Which, since he just turned 70 a few days ago, isn't all that long.
Which, since he just turned 70 a few days ago, isn't all that long.
It's the real reason why anti-immigrant rhetoric is ratcheting up around the world. Countries want their borders to be closed well in advance of having refugees showing up.
October 27, 2025 at 11:08 AM
It's the real reason why anti-immigrant rhetoric is ratcheting up around the world. Countries want their borders to be closed well in advance of having refugees showing up.
As just one example, all of this money comes from consumers, either directly (tickets, merchandise, etc) or indirectly (buying the products advertised during games, etc).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
List of professional sports leagues by revenue - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
October 25, 2025 at 11:23 AM
As just one example, all of this money comes from consumers, either directly (tickets, merchandise, etc) or indirectly (buying the products advertised during games, etc).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
"I don't know if eating Big Macs is bad for my health, so I'm going to eat as many Big Macs as I possibly can."
October 24, 2025 at 3:50 PM
"I don't know if eating Big Macs is bad for my health, so I'm going to eat as many Big Macs as I possibly can."