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May. 28th, 2017 11:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwydion* "Donald Trump’s disastrous foreign policy trip:"
* I honestly can't see a reputable reason to deliberately use Russian equipment for secret talks and then lying about it when there were legal normal channels they could have used. The only reason one would do that is criminal. We really are talking espionage and treason here.
* "Kushner may have sought Russian back channel for loans:"
* "Gianforte and the thug politics of the GOP:"
* "Leaked Documents Reveal Counterterrorism Tactics Used at Standing Rock to “Defeat Pipeline Insurgencies”:" https://theintercept.com/2017/05/27/leaked-documents-reveal-security-firms-counterterrorism-tactics-at-standing-rock-to-defeat-pipeline-insurgencies/
* "What you need to know about the Richard Collins murder investigation:" http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-richard-collins-murder-investigation/443038279
* "Richard W. Collins III Death, Hate Crimes Seen Differently.:" https://thyblackman.com/2017/05/25/richard-w-collins-iii-death-hate-crimes-seen-differently/
* "Islamophobia Being Deployed Again In Another Pearland Political Race:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2017/05/islamophobia-being-deployed-again-in.html
* On Alexander Hamilton and Abolitionism: http://allerasphinx.tumblr.com/post/134827050557/notquiteluke-as-someone-who-never-learned-the
* "A Tremendous Journey - The President Show:"
* "Screaming at the TV - The Crooked Media Strikes Again:"
* "Sunday Sweets: A Memorial Day Salute:" http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2017/5/28/sunday-sweets-a-memorial-day-salute.html
* Class: Charlie, Quill, and the Doctor
I am really not liking the Prince, even though I understand him, and his character design is excellent. Quill is terrifying. I think the Doctor fucked up. Let me explain
I think Quill really did also kill a lot of people back on their homeworld, and her casual killing of an innocent boy on Earth shows she hasn't learned anything since. I don't think this justifies the Doctor's behavior in leaving her on earth or dumping a dangerous alien there to do community service in hopes of her developing a moral compass, but the Doctor can be incredibly careless about certain things. (Vide the Ood. He never questioned the whole they like being slaves they were bred to serve thing. He just accepted the Ood as a natural willing servitor species when first encountering them. Much later it turned out they are being lobotomized to turn them docile. It took a human companion to point out how fucked up everything was). He can be monstrous because his rush and his big picture focus means he misses all sorts of less obvious, less pressing tragedies. I think part of it is she is a bit like he was when he was Nine. Last of a species, carrying guilt for a terrible war crime. I suspect he assumes that she'd come right and save lives until she found some measure of peace, forgetting he Chose and she is Enslaved. Not the same thing at all. Instead of her choosing to save lives to make up for the ones she took, saving species to try to make up for the species destroyed, she instead hates and despises yet another enslaver. The Doctor has set her up to rebel against him and all he stands for.
And Charlie is so encapsulated in his own privilege he kept blowing off his friends every time they pointed out his behavior toward Quill wasn't right. He refuses to reevaluate the whole slavery thing because doing that casts a bad light not only on his own behavior, but shakes the Foundations of his ntire culture. It calls into question whether or not maybe they deserved their destruction instead of being innocent victims and it changes the meaning and ethics of his box of souls mega weapon. Eventually, I expect Charlie will be able to think more clearly about his childhood and culture, but the grief is fresh and it's a huge loss. It is easier to think of the dead as Saints than to question everything he ever knew.
* I've also been reading D'Artagnan: the Ultimate Musketeer by Geoffrey Hall and Joan Sanders. This book was clearly written for people of all ages who really love Dumas and wanted to know more about the real person behind the myth. It's very well researched, but a tad plodding, and with all the sex cut out. They really worked hard on the thankless task of untangling these incredibly complex Gascon and Béarnese bloodlines and figuring out where various people got confused for other people and which bits of which sources have proper corroboration, which may have been from eyewitnesses not cited, and which were ass pulling. I do admire the work, but it's a bit dull to read. I do wish I had a copy for my self, and I do recommend it, but I feel like what is needed is a revisit by someone this century with a broader focus that would give more context.
* So I've just finished Cyrano: The Life and Legend of Cyrano de Bergerac by Ishbel Addyman. The author clearly knows her period and places the life and works of Cyrano de Bergerac within the larger context of early modern thought and writing. She also does a first rate job of debuncking later accretions to his legend and unearthing what actually can be know of the real person, and supporting areas where some speculation is required with good evidence. The author is very clear about the difference between things that are known, things that are false or contradictory, and things that are likely. I very much appreciated the deep understanding of the background and period and the decision not to straight wash.
I do have one major quibble, which is that the book really needed an outline. It is very unfocused and tends to wander discursively, which on occasion can be really frustrating. We will just be getting to the point about something I am interested in and then it wanders away for half a chapter to something that would have better belonged with the chapter previous, then meanders back to something adjacent to the point without quite getting in waving distance, then veers off again. All of these bits are interesting, but I feel like if it were properly organized it would be a much more enjoyable and useful read. I do get that facts are sparse and there needs to be a lot of debunking of things people said centuries later that got treated as fact and context is important, but organize that please. Doing it this way makes me wonder if I am looking at padding or someone who can't focus her thoughts.
I do recommend the book. This Cyrano biography was clearly written for adults with a solid grounding in early modern intellectual history and an interest in queer history and early modern French history. (IE: Me) Just understand that it's going to be a bit of a mess as far as connection between chapter heading and contents.
* Another Feminist Swan Lake Fairy Tale: http://caffeinewitchcraft.tumblr.com/post/158831991364/your-swan-story-just-made-me-think-what-if-a-tiny
*****
* Full list of Resistance and charity links has been migrated to my profile as it was getting out of hand.
* This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/
* Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/
Want to fight Climate Change? "Ready to Mobilize? Start Here!:" http://www.theclimatemobilization.org/start_here
* Distressed by the anti-gay genocide in Chechnya and the anti-gay laws in Russia? Donate here: https://lgbtnet.org/en
* The Rainbow Road and other ways to help Gay Refugees: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/160470723507/the-rainbow-railroad-is-helping-gay-men-escape
* This is a Real Life friend of mine. They do very much need the money and a number of people and beasts depend on him and his husband. They have been incredibly helpful and supportive of me. If you can kick in, it is a kindness.: https://www.youcaring.com/tod-788345
* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: paypal.me/Gwydion or Paypal Lethran@gmail.com
* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.com
* I honestly can't see a reputable reason to deliberately use Russian equipment for secret talks and then lying about it when there were legal normal channels they could have used. The only reason one would do that is criminal. We really are talking espionage and treason here.
* "Kushner may have sought Russian back channel for loans:"
* "Gianforte and the thug politics of the GOP:"
* "Leaked Documents Reveal Counterterrorism Tactics Used at Standing Rock to “Defeat Pipeline Insurgencies”:" https://theintercept.com/2017/05/27/leaked-documents-reveal-security-firms-counterterrorism-tactics-at-standing-rock-to-defeat-pipeline-insurgencies/
* "What you need to know about the Richard Collins murder investigation:" http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-richard-collins-murder-investigation/443038279
* "Richard W. Collins III Death, Hate Crimes Seen Differently.:" https://thyblackman.com/2017/05/25/richard-w-collins-iii-death-hate-crimes-seen-differently/
* "Islamophobia Being Deployed Again In Another Pearland Political Race:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2017/05/islamophobia-being-deployed-again-in.html
* On Alexander Hamilton and Abolitionism: http://allerasphinx.tumblr.com/post/134827050557/notquiteluke-as-someone-who-never-learned-the
* "A Tremendous Journey - The President Show:"
* "Screaming at the TV - The Crooked Media Strikes Again:"
* "Sunday Sweets: A Memorial Day Salute:" http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2017/5/28/sunday-sweets-a-memorial-day-salute.html
* Class: Charlie, Quill, and the Doctor
I am really not liking the Prince, even though I understand him, and his character design is excellent. Quill is terrifying. I think the Doctor fucked up. Let me explain
I think Quill really did also kill a lot of people back on their homeworld, and her casual killing of an innocent boy on Earth shows she hasn't learned anything since. I don't think this justifies the Doctor's behavior in leaving her on earth or dumping a dangerous alien there to do community service in hopes of her developing a moral compass, but the Doctor can be incredibly careless about certain things. (Vide the Ood. He never questioned the whole they like being slaves they were bred to serve thing. He just accepted the Ood as a natural willing servitor species when first encountering them. Much later it turned out they are being lobotomized to turn them docile. It took a human companion to point out how fucked up everything was). He can be monstrous because his rush and his big picture focus means he misses all sorts of less obvious, less pressing tragedies. I think part of it is she is a bit like he was when he was Nine. Last of a species, carrying guilt for a terrible war crime. I suspect he assumes that she'd come right and save lives until she found some measure of peace, forgetting he Chose and she is Enslaved. Not the same thing at all. Instead of her choosing to save lives to make up for the ones she took, saving species to try to make up for the species destroyed, she instead hates and despises yet another enslaver. The Doctor has set her up to rebel against him and all he stands for.
And Charlie is so encapsulated in his own privilege he kept blowing off his friends every time they pointed out his behavior toward Quill wasn't right. He refuses to reevaluate the whole slavery thing because doing that casts a bad light not only on his own behavior, but shakes the Foundations of his ntire culture. It calls into question whether or not maybe they deserved their destruction instead of being innocent victims and it changes the meaning and ethics of his box of souls mega weapon. Eventually, I expect Charlie will be able to think more clearly about his childhood and culture, but the grief is fresh and it's a huge loss. It is easier to think of the dead as Saints than to question everything he ever knew.
* I've also been reading D'Artagnan: the Ultimate Musketeer by Geoffrey Hall and Joan Sanders. This book was clearly written for people of all ages who really love Dumas and wanted to know more about the real person behind the myth. It's very well researched, but a tad plodding, and with all the sex cut out. They really worked hard on the thankless task of untangling these incredibly complex Gascon and Béarnese bloodlines and figuring out where various people got confused for other people and which bits of which sources have proper corroboration, which may have been from eyewitnesses not cited, and which were ass pulling. I do admire the work, but it's a bit dull to read. I do wish I had a copy for my self, and I do recommend it, but I feel like what is needed is a revisit by someone this century with a broader focus that would give more context.
* So I've just finished Cyrano: The Life and Legend of Cyrano de Bergerac by Ishbel Addyman. The author clearly knows her period and places the life and works of Cyrano de Bergerac within the larger context of early modern thought and writing. She also does a first rate job of debuncking later accretions to his legend and unearthing what actually can be know of the real person, and supporting areas where some speculation is required with good evidence. The author is very clear about the difference between things that are known, things that are false or contradictory, and things that are likely. I very much appreciated the deep understanding of the background and period and the decision not to straight wash.
I do have one major quibble, which is that the book really needed an outline. It is very unfocused and tends to wander discursively, which on occasion can be really frustrating. We will just be getting to the point about something I am interested in and then it wanders away for half a chapter to something that would have better belonged with the chapter previous, then meanders back to something adjacent to the point without quite getting in waving distance, then veers off again. All of these bits are interesting, but I feel like if it were properly organized it would be a much more enjoyable and useful read. I do get that facts are sparse and there needs to be a lot of debunking of things people said centuries later that got treated as fact and context is important, but organize that please. Doing it this way makes me wonder if I am looking at padding or someone who can't focus her thoughts.
I do recommend the book. This Cyrano biography was clearly written for adults with a solid grounding in early modern intellectual history and an interest in queer history and early modern French history. (IE: Me) Just understand that it's going to be a bit of a mess as far as connection between chapter heading and contents.
* Another Feminist Swan Lake Fairy Tale: http://caffeinewitchcraft.tumblr.com/post/158831991364/your-swan-story-just-made-me-think-what-if-a-tiny
*****
* Full list of Resistance and charity links has been migrated to my profile as it was getting out of hand.
* This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/
* Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/
Want to fight Climate Change? "Ready to Mobilize? Start Here!:" http://www.theclimatemobilization.org/start_here
* Distressed by the anti-gay genocide in Chechnya and the anti-gay laws in Russia? Donate here: https://lgbtnet.org/en
* The Rainbow Road and other ways to help Gay Refugees: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/160470723507/the-rainbow-railroad-is-helping-gay-men-escape
* This is a Real Life friend of mine. They do very much need the money and a number of people and beasts depend on him and his husband. They have been incredibly helpful and supportive of me. If you can kick in, it is a kindness.: https://www.youcaring.com/tod-788345
* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: paypal.me/Gwydion or Paypal Lethran@gmail.com
* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.com