Has anyone else noticed @amazon customer service chatbot is retarded and can’t manage to process returns correctly now? Whoever designed and deployed it should be in the next round of layoffs. Terrible customer service now.

The lovely Odontoglossum nobile—a cascade of crisp white, lightly blushed stars with buttery throats. An Andean cloud-forest aristocrat, it’s native to Colombia (Boyacá, Santander, Norte de Santander), where it grows cool and misty at roughly 2,000–2,400 m on mossy trees and rocks. First collected for M. Linden in 1847 by Funck & Schlim, it became a Victorian favorite and a modern cool-grower’s classic.

Cochlioda mixtura is a tiny cloud-forest orchid with serious drama. It comes from the Bolivian Andes, where it grows as an epiphyte in cool, misty montane forest between about 1,800 and 2,600 meters. The type collection was made along the old Cochabamba–Villa Tunari road, which tells you the vibe: humid air, filtered light, constant drift of cloud. Care is classic cool–intermediate: nights in the high 40s–50s °F, days up into the 70s °F; bright but filtered light (roughly 2,000–3,000 fc); high humidity with air always moving. Let the medium stay lightly moist but not wet — a fine bark mix with a little sphagnum works well to hold that gentle, even moisture.

Thank you @Tesla for reminding me I bought FSD five years ago with the daily reminder to engage FSD. However with HW3 still on v12.6.4 please do us all a favor and stop. It’s like a bad student driver with every experience a white knuckle drive.

Roses are not necessarily the best flowers for Valentines, their beauty fades so quickly. Buy your love an orchid, they last far longer and everyone here in America, they are grown here by American farmers.

I help my octogenarian mother with her daily life. One of the many things is with her health. Her Medicare Advantage plan of 20 years changed PBMs this year. As some of you might guess, all of her medications require new prior authorizations. The cost of the copays has gone up, some of the medications have far lower plan limits than they had previously. Fortunately, @costplusdrugs is an excellent resource for moving many of the Rx and avoiding the majority of the complications. I can't imagine how many elderly people manage this without an advocate. Thankfully, I am here to help, and this is just an inconvenience. However, for many, this could represent harm and a significant financial burden. The level of frustration and resentment this barrier to healthcare presents I believe was reflected recently in the national consciousness in the case of Brian Thompson and Luigi Mangione. There are two overlapping story arcs here: one is human, and the other is mythic. The human story will unfold in a court of law. Luigi has been accused of murdering Brian, which we condemn as a society, and the question of his guilt remains to be decided. On a mythic level, Luigi and Brian represent more than just themselves. They appear as avatars in a recurring morality play. In this narrative, the health insurance industry has taken on a godlike role in our lives, wielding the power of life, death, and financial ruin, demanding constant sacrifices and supplication. Brian symbolized this power. Luigi became the avatar who defied it, breaking social norms in an act of rebellion. This story resonates with our collective unconscious as the classic trope of “slaying the tyrant deity,” which typically follows these stages: * Establishment of Absolute Power – The oppressive figure controls life, death, and resources. * Subjugation & Sacrifice – The oppressed must continually petition or sacrifice to appease the overlord. * Catalyst for Rebellion – The oppressed can no longer bear the tyranny. * Transgression of Norms – The rebel breaks laws or taboos in a forbidden act of liberation. * Overthrow or Renewal – The tyrant’s downfall or a major shift in power leads to societal transformation. I think when we start to understand the unnatural power that this industry has taken over our lives, the sacrifices it demands, and the constant petition for access to care, we can see that it is, in fact, immoral.

Severe winds from this evening's bomb cyclone ripped through western Washington, causing a mass outage event throughout most of our service area, with the biggest impact in King County. #WAwx (1/7)

An observation after reading the comments on X and Threads about the Tesla “We Robot” event. People on X, are in general, optimistic about the future. People on Threads, in general, have a seething hatred about this future. The difference is remarkable and striking.

Meet your summer uniform - the Fabletics swim collection is here, so you can be ready for warm days ahead.

Neocogniauxia hexaptera - the sequel: a fiery red gem from Hispaniola. Thrives on lichen-covered branches in cool temps. Best when mounted & watered 3-5 times a week. #orchid #orchidspecies

Dracuvallia Dracula’s Bane - a unique mix of Dracula vampira and Masdevallia triangularis. This can’t produce seeds due to different chromosomes but steals the show with its stunning blooms. Cultivation tip: Emulate cloud forest conditions. #orchid #draculaorchid #masdevallia

Neogardneria murrayana: a Brazil-native epiphyte, known for its fragrant 2" flowers in late spring to summer. Celebrated hybrids include Zygoneria Sweet Jade and Adelaide Meadows, famous for their beautiful green blooms. #orchid #orchidspecies #zygopetalum

Meet Neocogniauxia hexaptera, a rare orchid from the Dominican Republic and Haiti's cloud forests. Found on lichen-covered shrubs, it thrives in high humidity, moderate light, and cool temperature it’s rewarding to cultivate if you can find it. #orchidspecies #neocogniauxia

Meet the Phragmipedium kovachii: a striking orchid from Peru's mountains with large, vibrant purple flowers. Discovered in 2001, it's a challenging but rewarding plant for serious growers, thriving in cool, humid conditions with good air movement. #phragmipedium #orchid

The incredible blue Himalayan poppies (Meconopsis ‘Slieve Donard’) are starting to flower @TheBotanics - Don’t miss them! Here are some tips on how to grow them in your garden! 🌱 @meconopsisgroup #horticulture #Edinburgh

Odontioda Oedipus (St. Joe X Joe’s Drum). This first bloom seedling is an example of the wonderful flowers being produced by this hybrid from Bob Hamilton. #orchid #orchidhybrid #odontoglossum

#Phragmipedium Samuel Crothers ‘Les Peupliers’ AM RHS (kovachii x fischeri) Received an Award of Merit at the recent @orchidcommittee meeting. Remade, raised & exhibited by @EYOrchid Registered by Ecuagenera in 2012. #Photo by Chris Purver of @EYOrchid #botany #orchids #orchid

It’s Masdevallia time and Masd roseola has decided it’s time to bloom. This is an easy cool to intermediate grower that blooms in the fall and winter. It can really impress with all of its flowers. #masdevallia #orchid #orchidspecies

Dracuvallia Blue Boy ‘Cow Hollow’, probably one of the most well know Dracuvallias. It does well here in Seattle with our cool (generally) summers and mild winters. If you can find a piece I recommend trying one. #orchid #masdevallia #draculaorchid #orchidhybrid

Paph rothschildianum, grown by a member and displayed at our September meeting. Photography by Sean Hoyt - whose work can be seen here: seanhoyt.com/