(no subject)

[gwydion]

* So it's looking like the Syrian government has been yanking men and boys out of the supposedly safe refugee routes out of Homs for "questioning." After all, why not take advantage of the "cease fire" to disappear people. Given the government's history of torturing children to death to punish their relatives for peaceful protests at the beginning of this, I am not sanguine about the safety of these civilians.

* "GOP Report Acknowledges That The U.S. Military Couldn’t Have Changed Benghazi Outcome:" http://thinkprogress.org/world/2014/02/11/3276171/gop-benghazi-military-hasc/

* "Now They're Making the Homeless Freeze to Death in Pensascola.:" http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/10/1276592/-Now-They-re-Making-the-Homeless-Freeze-to-Death-in-Pensascola?detail=email#

* Why do I link so many things about Neanderthals? Beyond my general interest in hominins, I love that the more we learn about Neanderthals the more clear it becomes that they are essentially us. I love that for all these millenia, my ancestors have very likely been unknowingly carrying some of their genes into the future. I love that some piece of them is hiding in so many of us. It's beautiful.

* "The Oswestry Hillfort Pegasus stone:" http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/01/2014/oswestry-hillfort-pegasus-stone

* "Dolphin skull among castle finds:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-25878701

* Interesting piece on how various people, particularly Victorians used King Alfred of Wessex for propagandistic purposes of which he likely often wouldn't have recognized or approved of. http://www.historytoday.com/barbara-yorke/alfred-great-most-perfect-man-history

* "Nevada Officials Won't Defend Gay Marriage Ban:" http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/nevada-officials-wont-defend-gay-marriage-ban

* High School Student comes out at an Assembly:

"High School Senior "Comes Out" in Assembly" (Watch on YouTube)

* I finished Mockingjay while on the trip. Most of the things I'd have to say have already been said (Peeta as damsel; Katniss as Prince Charming. I'd rather Katniss chose herself and go off and find who she is as an adult instead of the epilogue, or alternately the threesome option which they'd never let happen, all the stuff about the way the real world and the Hunger Games are too close, all the ways the series is feminist and some of the way it isn't, all the stuff about media and power and fame and what they do to each other, Snow vs. Coin, etc..).

The thing that really stood out for me was that somewhere along the way, probably in the course of book two, I started thinking of Haymitch Abernathy and Finnick Odair as the same person. no, I don't mean getting them confused. What I mean is that they are essentially the same person, only one lost everything and the other didn't quite, and both these are incredibly tragic. I can't tell you which is worse, because I can't tell which is worse, I really can't.

Comments

[brightlion.livejournal.com]

Another Daily Mail link. I know, it's tough. They usually steal their articles from other sources so a quick google search should turn up something similar.

I did enjoy what the Hunger Games did with gender roles.

I had a friend discuss Mockingjay with me who said she actually liked that Peeta and Katniss ended up together. She explained it very well and I can't remember what she said. I think she changed my views on the end somewhat, since I too had thought I'd rather have Katniss choose neither. I felt it was settling for Peeta. But, I suppose it was what Katniss wanted, a quiet, normal life with the one person who could really understand the trauma she'd been through. Who was safe, who she was certain needed her. I do doubt that Gale would have ever been a good match, especially after what happened with Prim.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

Gah! So sorry. I can only plead exhaustion.

I'd rather Peeta if it must be someone, as I don't see how she could be with someone long term who wasn't also a Victor. how could anyone really get it?

My issue is that being with the same person you started with at 16 isn't a realistic or reasonable thing. If she'd gone off and did something else for a decade and came back to him after, I wouldn't mind.

Gale is right out because of Prim, but the point where they do that thing in three was the point I knew she could never be with him.

[brightlion.livejournal.com]

Oh I see they're looking to repeal that law to make the homeless freeze. It's still so depressing and sad that they decided to get rid of homeless by making them freeze to death. It's inhuman.

My mother met my father when she was 16. They had almost 35 years together. It does happen. But I do agree, people change. But I think both Katniss and Peeta changed throughout the books in a way that they needed each other. I felt it was clinging together otherwise they'd both drown under the horrors of everything they'd witnessed. I don't see what they had as the typical romantic love affair with all that passion, but as two people, who've a different sort of love and respect for each other, one that they work at and which has grown. Maybe it's settling for each other, but it's what they want and they made it work.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

I'm not angry about it, just a touch disappointed.