(no subject)

[gwydion]

* "Catalonia referendum defies Spanish obstruction:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41426023

* "Mumbai: Railways commute, a death sentence:" http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/mumbai-railways-commute-a-death-sentence/articleshow/60888527.cms

* I still don't understand why we didn't accept the offer of joint investigation last August in favor of refusing to respond to their missives entirely. It seems to me that we'd be less "frustrated" if we'd actually helped investigate instead of refusing to communicate let alone cooperate. Just saying. "US pulls some diplomatic staff from Cuba:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/29/politics/us-cuba-sonic-attacks-pulls-out-diplomats/index.html

* "Entire island evacuated as volcanoes rumble in Bali and Vanuatu:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/28/asia/volcano-evacuations-bali-vanuatu/index.html

* "Fake black activist accounts linked to Russian government:" http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/28/media/blacktivist-russia-facebook-twitter/

* "Trump faces growing backlash over Puerto Rico response:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/29/trump-puerto-rico-response-backlash-243296

* Yet more scary police state stuff from DoJ. "Feds demand Facebook share information on anti-Trump protesters:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/feds-demand-facebook-share-information-anti-trump-protesters-n805801

* "Interior Secretary Zinke traveled on charter, military planes:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/28/ryan-zinke-charter-military-planes-interior-243280

* "Tom Price resigns as HHS secretary following uproar over private jet travel:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/hhs-secretary-price-s-fate-be-decided-tonight-trump-says-n806051

* The Republican War against Reality continues. "Treasury Removes Paper at Odds With Mnuchin’s Take on Corporate-Tax Cut’s Winners:" https://www.wsj.com/articles/treasury-removes-paper-at-odds-with-mnuchins-take-on-corporate-tax-cuts-winners-1506638463

* "Senate Republicans unveil budget blueprint to tee up tax reform:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/29/senate-budget-resolution-released-243300

* Republicans have successfully raised the price of insurance for working people by 20% thanks to dicking around with reimbursements and subsidies while doing everything in their power to create uncertainty and stop people enrolling. If you are being harmed by this you have Paul Ryan, Tom Price, and 45 to thank.

* "Brazilian judge approves 'gay conversion therapy', sparking national outrage:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/19/brazilian-judge-approves-gay-conversion-therapy

* "Africa: Racism Is Behind Outlandish Theories About Africa's Ancient Architecture:" http://allafrica.com/stories/201709180081.html

* "CSIC reconstructs how Neanderthals grew, based on an El Sidrón child:" https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-09/snrc-crh092117.php

* "Urartian necropolis reveals burial customs:" http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/urartian-necropolis-reveals-burial-customs-.aspx?pageID=238&nid=118185&NewsCatID=375

* "Ancient 3,000-year-old doll is favorite with museum goers:" http://www.arabnews.com/node/1164496/offbeat

* "Citrus: From Luxury Item to Cash Crop:" https://www.aftau.org/news-page-archaeology?=&storyid4677=2347&ncs4677=3&erid=6686858&trid=b2ee032f-6135-48b0-ab7a-7b572b813668

* "When the Nazis Tried to Exterminate Hollywood (Book Excerpt):" http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/nazis-tried-exterminate-hollywood-book-excerpt-1040980?utm_source=twitter&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

* "Ithilien Blooms in Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit:" https://www.thefandomentals.com/ithilien-herbs-stewed-rabbit-lotr-reread/

* I'm not sure what to say about a Gentleman's Guide to Virtue and Vice. It's really well researched, which I always appreciate and has a Bi protagonist, and (I think) Gay and Ace characters in the main cast. It includes a biracial character in the main three and they don't lampshade the issues around race, which I like. I could actually pick out ways the narrative referenced real life 18th Century English people of African decent, within that character's story and I very much appreciate historically accurate representation. I also really liked the period appropriate handling of disability. It's a difficult juggling act and i think the author managed it well.

I just... really, really find the protagonist annoying as anything, though he does start to grow up in the course of the novel, and whole thing starts to become more fun than difficult to sit through round about Marseilles, if one hangs on long enough. One would think queer characters traveling about 18th century Europe on the Grand Tour with spies, intrigue, and shenanigans would be fun, but the protagonist is such an asshole that I was just lying there wanting to strangle the main character for the first third. A friend of mine described this as "Exactly the wrong kind of special talent."

I really did like the other two thirds and I enjoyed Felicity immensely. The novel plays with all sorts of historical and novelistic tropes and maintains a lovely balance between period and modern sensibilities. A (different) friend has pointed out that the choice of Monty for a viewpoint might have been a big part of the problem, and I have amused myself imagining how much more fun I would have had with the significantly more interesting Percy as the point of view character. I was also imagining the Felicity snark pov version, but then one missing out key bits of Percy/Monty's mess of a relationship. I honestly think a Percy centric version would have worked best. Still, I'm not sorry I read it in the end and i'd love a Felicity Po sequel since it sounds like adventures ahead for her.

*****
* 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/

* "Congress Wants to Change the Americans with Disabilities Act and Undermine the Civil Rights of People with Disabilities:" http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/165470116342/congress-wants-to-change-the-americans-with

* How to help Flood victims in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/165235609582/woke-up-on-derse-f-f-f-fight

"How to Help Puerto Rico from the outside:" http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/165733774359/how-to-help-puerto-rico-from-the-outside

* How to help Caribbean victims of Irma: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/165240981876/hedaclara-hedaclara-hedaclara-guys-the

* "How to Help Hurricane Harvey Victims:" http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/08/27/how_to_help_hurricane_harvey_victims.html

* "Disaster Relief and Support for Libraries:" http://www.txla.org/news/2017/08/disaster-relief-and-support-for-libraries

* How to help the protesters and ordinary people in Venezuela: https://thewynne.tumblr.com/post/163738805241/softestjohn-fiftyeightminutes-softestjohn

* "Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide:" https://www.splcenter.org/20170814/ten-ways-fight-hate-community-response-guide

* A list of links to Charlottesville charities if you want to give the NAZIs a financial fuck you: https://twitter.com/SaraJBenincasa/status/896260623905861633

* How white Protesters can weaponize their whiteness: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/164390645622/alvaroarbeloa-vaspider-okay-friends-lets

* List of places to donate to help trans service members and fight the planned attack on active duty trans soldiers: https://vaspider.tumblr.com/post/163475550346/moonbian-hey-i-know-reblogging-posts-about-how

* Red Cross is taking donations for Western Wildfire Relief: http://www.redcross.org/local/oregon/ways-to-donate/wildfires

* (This is here as a reminder to me for later). "Can you recommend me some good books, essays, etc. about witches, witchcraft, witch trials in England?:" https://laughingacademy.tumblr.com/post/164664427028/dear-pauline-can-you-recommend-me-some-good

* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: 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