In this episode, we explore the remarkable life of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a spiritual giant who was also a key player in the politics of his time. Learn how he used his influence to advise popes, confront heretics, and preach the Second Crusade. Tune in to see how this Doctor of the Church balanced a life of deep prayer with world-changing action.
Creative Engineering E30: Terminals and Automated Glass & Charcoal
In this new episode of Creative Engineering, Swag updates the YouTube subscriber count to thank you for your support, then dives into creating the terminals you need to control your Integrated Dynamics network. After that, he begins setting up glass and charcoal lines for a new factory that will eventually automate menril shards and menril glass.
Thanks for all your support! As a thank you to our Full Members (and above), you can download a world save and the beta version of this modpack to help find bugs and test it out!
Don’t forget! You must activate your account within 7 days, or it will be deleted. Check your email (and your Junk folder!) for a message from the domain @swagnillaice.com.
Tycoon Mania E2: The New Hire
In this thrilling episode of Tycoon Mania, Swag takes on another lucrative contract to keep the money rolling in. But that’s not all! He makes a strategic decision to hire an artist to boost productivity and creativity for future projects. Watch as Swag prepares the office for the new addition and see what exciting challenges and opportunities await in this second installment. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more Tycoon Mania adventures!
An Update on How the Northern Lights Tier is Awarded
Hello everyone! I have an important update about the Northern Lights Tier, the rarest membership tier handed out once a year to as many as two members, but as few as zero can happen as well. I am making a small change to the eligibility process to make sure it is as fair and consistent as possible for everyone.
To be eligible for consideration for the Northern Lights Tier, new members must have an activated account by January 1st of the year the award is handed out. This new deadline allows me to fairly consider all eligible members, as everyone will have at least five months of activity in the Swagnilla Ice community before the award or lack of awarding it is announced on June 1st.
How It Works: Examples
To make this clear, here are a couple of examples:
- Alice registers for a free membership on November 25, 2025 and activates it two days later. Because her registration and activation occurred before the January 1, 2026 deadline, she is eligible to be a candidate for the Northern Lights Tier awarded on June 1, 2026 and going forward. This eligibility does not guarantee a spot, but merely grants her the chance.
- Bob registers for a free membership on January 15, 2026 and activates it the same day. Because his registration was after the deadline, he is not eligible to be a candidate that year. However, he will be considered for the Northern Lights Tier awarded on June 1, 2027 and going forward.
This change is the only one to the Northern Lights Tier process. It remains a free and rare reward, and I hope this change encourages everyone to get involved sooner. If you are not a member yet and want to be considered for the next award, be sure to register and activate your account before the January 1st deadline.
Bonus 1: St. Anthony of Padua
Ever wonder why St. Anthony of Padua is the patron saint of lost things? This bonus episode of “A Few Moments with God” uncovers the true story behind that popular tradition and much more! Learn about the short but powerful life of the “Evangelical Doctor,” why he was so quickly canonized, and how his life was deeply and surprisingly connected to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Feast of her Assumption. You won’t want to miss the incredible story of this beloved saint.
Episode 56: Hidden Addictions
In this week’s deeply personal episode, Swagnilla Ice explores the quiet struggle of hidden addictions, from a lack of societal support to the challenge of breaking free. Sharing his own courageous story and faith-based battle plan, he offers a powerful message of hope and community, reminding listeners that the church is a hospital for sinners, not a home for saints.
Creative Engineering E29: Importing and Exporting with Integrated Dynamics
Welcome to another episode of Creative Engineering! Having just updated the signs for my members and subscribers, I’m back to building the network with Integrated Dynamics. I’ll demonstrate how the importing and exporting features work, all while bypassing the in-game tutorials. My aim is to have all the cables attached to the machines and storage units before the next episode so the network will be ready for the Integrated Dynamics displays. Stay tuned to see if I can survive and thrive in this flat-world challenge!
Tycoon Mania E1: I Start Swag Software
Kick off the new Tycoon Mania series with me as I dive into Software Inc. In this first episode, I’ll be setting up a brand-new company and taking on my initial contract to get the business rolling. Join me as I learn the ropes and figure out what it takes to succeed!
Is This Edmonton Intersection a Hazard? The Case for CPTED
Panhandling is a significant issue in the City of Edmonton, and while the city has methods for dealing with it, they are not always effective. In this post, I’ll examine the city’s current approach, highlight a specific intersection where it’s not working, explain what Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is, and show how it could be a powerful new tool for the city to use in this area and others.
The City of Edmonton’s first method for addressing panhandling is to tackle the issues behind it, such as homelessness, addiction, and mental health concerns. To do this, the city partners with charitable organizations and has a “Spare Some Change” campaign with the police to encourage the public to donate to these organizations rather than directly to panhandlers.
The city’s other primary tool is the new Public Spaces Bylaw. This bylaw specifically bans panhandling on or around roads, medians, and similar areas, with violations resulting in fines that start at twenty-five dollars.
However, both of these tools are failing to address panhandling at an intersection I have passed by every day I walk to work at the Rossdale Water Treatment Plant doing flagging during construction there. The intersection in question is 105th Street and 100th Avenue, where 105th Street goes from a one-way road up the steep hill there to a two way street. There is also a concrete median in the one-way part of the 105th street junction that separates cars turning left from those going straight or turning right after coming up the hill, and this is where I’ve seen someone most days panhandling there – usually around 6:20 am, before the city’s 311 lines are open for the day.
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a strategy that uses urban design to reduce opportunities for crime and increase a sense of public safety. This is a perfect example of where CPTED could be an effective tool for the city. The situation is dangerous for both panhandlers and drivers, so a physical change would be a significant improvement. Making it impossible to stand on the median would permanently solve the issue and allow drivers to keep their full attention on the intersection and other traffic.
Beyond this one intersection, CPTED could also be a valuable tool in other public spaces, such as parks. By using smart environmental design, the city could discourage people from camping or sleeping overnight—an action already prohibited by another bylaw—while also improving the aesthetics and feel of the space.
CPTED has a proven record of success in other places, so why shouldn’t the City of Edmonton bring it in to make a positive change here?
Behind the Scenes: New Tech, New Challenges (A Linux Mint Post)
Hi everyone,
Swagnilla Ice here with an update on my switch to Linux Mint. I want to share my experience so far, the technical hiccups I’ve run into and solved, and what it means for the video quality of your favorite content over the next couple of weeks as I learn to use new editing software.
I made the switch to Linux Mint last Friday after getting tired of Windows 10’s updates affecting my internet connection—the last one even forced me onto Wi-Fi. The installation was smooth until I ran into a major issue with my dual monitor setup.
When I installed the recommended Nvidia driver, I lost one of my two monitors. After downgrading didn’t work, I switched to the open-source Nouveau driver, which solved the issue. While some may say this could affect gaming or other GPU-intensive tasks, I’ve noticed my gameplay is just as good as it was on Windows 10. If it means my new video editor renders videos more slowly, I’m okay with that, as having two monitors is more important to me than speed.
Speaking of rendering videos, I’ll have to learn new video editing software, and this is what will affect the quality of my videos for the next few weeks. Since Filmora is Windows-only, I’ve switched to Lightworks, an alternative recommended by Gemini after I decided Kdenlive wasn’t for me. While Lightworks is not designed for beginners, it’s still new software I have to learn. The good news is this change only affects my editing; the quality of my video recordings with OBS on Linux Mint will remain the same.
I’m happy to say my dual monitor setup, USB camera, and microphone are all working perfectly. This means the core video and sound quality of my recordings should be just fine (unless my OBS settings are off). The real learning curve is in the editing process: things like adjusting background music volume, adding text screens and transitions are all different in Lightworks, so I’ll be learning how to do all of that from scratch.
f you have any tips for me, feel free to share them in the comments below. If you’re not yet a member, you can register and then share your advice with the community. Until my next post, take care and God bless all of you!