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Dec. 3rd, 2016 07:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwydion* Am I the only one who thinks Donald Trump is an awful lot like Emperor Peter III of Russia only with a boner for Putin instead of Fredrick the Great of Prussia? Only with Louis XV of France’s *shudder* sexual appetite for raping young girls.
* "The Associated Press defined 'alt-right' and the white supremacists are not going to like it:" http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/11/28/1604870/-The-Associated-Press-defined-alt-right-and-the-white-supremacists-are-not-going-to-like-it
* "What Gamergate should have taught us about the 'alt-right':" https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/01/gamergate-alt-right-hate-trump
* "The Harmful, Humiliating Abortion Rule Texas Is About To Enforce:" http://www.refinery29.com/2016/11/131341/texas-abortion-law-fetus-funerals-controversy?utm_source=tumblr.com&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=end&utm_campaign=h3
* "Would You Hide Me?:" http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/153951112250/budgie-would-you-hide-me-shudder-but-a#notes
* "England's Immigrants 1330 - 1550:" https://www.englandsimmigrants.com/page/individual-studies
* Friday was a saga. Right at bedtime, Squirrel came out to ask me to drive him for his eye thing. As it turns out, his glasses had deteriorated to the held together with sticky tape and he felt uncomfortable driving on the Interstate with glasses precariously held together with clear tape, so I took a short nap and drove him. Apparently my shirt was inside out the whole time without us noticing. He drops me off so he can do a local errand. I get undressed and settle in to do a little phone bureaucracy in my bed before sleep, seeing as I was still up. Between item one and two, my phone rings. The pharmacy needs me to come get meds right now. I tell them I'll be down in half an hour. so I dress and see if soc had come yet and take the car after Squirrel returns. Pharmacy run was sort of half successful. I decide to go see how bad the line is at the emergency dentist as it's like a block away. Miracle of miracles, there is no line. seriously there's usually people lined up in the cold for two hours before they open, but today I walk in a couple of hours late and they scoot me in to be poked before I finish the paperwork. They agreed with me that something really had gone terribly wrong with the tooth, took x-rays, and found me an open appointment after lunch, which again, is a miracle. Emergency dentistry usually involves a miserable all day camp out in a lobby and if you are lucky getting squeezed in after 5, and if you are not, being sent home disappointed come evening starving and exhausted. So I went off and did library and groceries, came back and got drilled. We got it before it deteriorated to root canal time. Normally, I'd have gone to the dentist months ago, but I haven't co pay money, especially not for likely three appointments, and for some reason they aren't answering their phone. are they closed? Moved? Changed their number? I wish emergency dentist could be my dentist, but they only do children and developmentally disabled adults as regular patients. They did say that they may expand soon, as the new digs are letting them serve way more people. Indeed, they have a whole warren of rooms back there and a whole lot of new hygienists, dentists, etc.. I hope this is the case, as they are connected to my doctor, which means only one set of paperwork and they sliding scale the copays. So i got home, unpacked, got into bed. I was two pages in on my book when the phone rang. It looks like I am helping people move Sunday, as I am a responsible adult who drives. (I can't carry, but I have a vehicle, insurance, and a valid license, which means I can drive people over to uhaul and drive the van for them and/or haul in my car.)
The result is I can not promise any one I will be anywhere else at a particular time this weekend because massive sleep and schedule disruption. My apologies, especially to Game of Bones folks.
* "When magic starts to return to the modern world, barely anyone notices.:" http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/153951354930/varkarrus-winterwombat-when-magic-starts-to
* The White Queen turned out to be shockingly good. I have not read the books it's made from, but I know the history, so that's where I'm coming from mostly. They did make some decisions I might not have: left out things I'd have left in and vica versa, made some different interpretations, disambiguated some stuff in the historical record gaps I tend to think went the other way, occationally did some things based on rumor I might not have, but all of these dections made sense either from an historical interpretation sense or a dramatic/narrative sense. It is light years ahead of the Tudors or the Borgias (the later being my beloved cheesey hot mess of historical telescoping, elision, and pure invention that I still adore even though I know better. The former having too many problems for me to enjoy properly, by that's a whole other rant). Seriously, this is well crafted and, most importantly, they really tried hard to get the characters right. They went with an historical Richard III instead of the Tudor propaganda version, which I heartily approve of and their handling of him was very, very careful. I enjoyed their Warwick, Clarence, and Buckingham. I had fun with the costume choices, which were really beautiful designed with an eye to character and context.
I loved particularly that the project centered on three central woman and that they and all the secondary female character had intelligence, will, motive, and agency. Each of the female characters was clearly delineated and had her own personality unlike some historical dramas I've seen recently. (I am glaring at you so HARD Versailles.) I think their Elizabeth Woodville worked well in the earlier episodes, but the actress did not bring enough nuance to the post Edward IV years, which was a shame. They might have been better served to hand off the role at some point to an older, more experienced actress. They did a fine job with the Neville sisters, I thought.
The real jewel in this production though? The entire Margaret Beaufort story line. The actress playing her did a brilliant job with a complicated woman, and the various characters she plays off of, particularly Stanley, really displayed the personality of the woman. I strongly suspect this is rather what the RL person was like, in all her stubbornness and contradiction and massive will. Even if none of the rest was as good as it turned out to be, this was worth it.
They made excellent use of a strong cast and managed to fit a big chunk of incredibly complicated history into an enjoyable and watchable television show. I am impressed. STARZ has been doing such good work lately.
*****
* Suicide Crisis numbers: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/153016816845/non-us-crisis-line-list
* Victim of a Hate Crime? Report to the police first, but also report here to help the SPLC track incidents: https://www.splcenter.org/reporthate
* Trans Relief Project: http://transrelief.com/
* "Donate to the SPLC:" https://donate.splcenter.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=463
* General Charities list to help groups being targeted in Trump's America: http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/153111297079/charities-that-may-need-some-love-in-the-upcoming
* Where to donate to help Immigrants: http://colinfirth.tumblr.com/post/152963467726/carecen-la-center-for-community-change
* Ways to protest: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/174f0WBSVNSdcQ5_S6rWPGB3pNCsruyyM_ZRQ6QUhGmo/htmlview?usp=sharing&sle=true#
* More ways to protest "So here’s the deal:" http://the-cimmerians.tumblr.com/post/153516131819/so-heres-the-deal
* "10 ways we can help Standing Rock Indian Reservation.:" http://browngurlwfro.tumblr.com/post/153755459138/dooder-tooder-this-is-a-photo-my-friend-posted
* "List of Standing Rock Resources:" https://laughingacademy.tumblr.com/post/152671392633/list-of-standing-rock-resources
* "How to help Flint, Michigan:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/how-help-flint-michigan
* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com
* Organizations helping with the refugee crisis: http://captainofalltheships.tumblr.com/post/128790538169/an-updated-list-of-organizations-to-donate-to-help
* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We desperately need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.com
* "The Associated Press defined 'alt-right' and the white supremacists are not going to like it:" http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/11/28/1604870/-The-Associated-Press-defined-alt-right-and-the-white-supremacists-are-not-going-to-like-it
* "What Gamergate should have taught us about the 'alt-right':" https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/01/gamergate-alt-right-hate-trump
* "The Harmful, Humiliating Abortion Rule Texas Is About To Enforce:" http://www.refinery29.com/2016/11/131341/texas-abortion-law-fetus-funerals-controversy?utm_source=tumblr.com&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=end&utm_campaign=h3
* "Would You Hide Me?:" http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/153951112250/budgie-would-you-hide-me-shudder-but-a#notes
* "England's Immigrants 1330 - 1550:" https://www.englandsimmigrants.com/page/individual-studies
* Friday was a saga. Right at bedtime, Squirrel came out to ask me to drive him for his eye thing. As it turns out, his glasses had deteriorated to the held together with sticky tape and he felt uncomfortable driving on the Interstate with glasses precariously held together with clear tape, so I took a short nap and drove him. Apparently my shirt was inside out the whole time without us noticing. He drops me off so he can do a local errand. I get undressed and settle in to do a little phone bureaucracy in my bed before sleep, seeing as I was still up. Between item one and two, my phone rings. The pharmacy needs me to come get meds right now. I tell them I'll be down in half an hour. so I dress and see if soc had come yet and take the car after Squirrel returns. Pharmacy run was sort of half successful. I decide to go see how bad the line is at the emergency dentist as it's like a block away. Miracle of miracles, there is no line. seriously there's usually people lined up in the cold for two hours before they open, but today I walk in a couple of hours late and they scoot me in to be poked before I finish the paperwork. They agreed with me that something really had gone terribly wrong with the tooth, took x-rays, and found me an open appointment after lunch, which again, is a miracle. Emergency dentistry usually involves a miserable all day camp out in a lobby and if you are lucky getting squeezed in after 5, and if you are not, being sent home disappointed come evening starving and exhausted. So I went off and did library and groceries, came back and got drilled. We got it before it deteriorated to root canal time. Normally, I'd have gone to the dentist months ago, but I haven't co pay money, especially not for likely three appointments, and for some reason they aren't answering their phone. are they closed? Moved? Changed their number? I wish emergency dentist could be my dentist, but they only do children and developmentally disabled adults as regular patients. They did say that they may expand soon, as the new digs are letting them serve way more people. Indeed, they have a whole warren of rooms back there and a whole lot of new hygienists, dentists, etc.. I hope this is the case, as they are connected to my doctor, which means only one set of paperwork and they sliding scale the copays. So i got home, unpacked, got into bed. I was two pages in on my book when the phone rang. It looks like I am helping people move Sunday, as I am a responsible adult who drives. (I can't carry, but I have a vehicle, insurance, and a valid license, which means I can drive people over to uhaul and drive the van for them and/or haul in my car.)
The result is I can not promise any one I will be anywhere else at a particular time this weekend because massive sleep and schedule disruption. My apologies, especially to Game of Bones folks.
* "When magic starts to return to the modern world, barely anyone notices.:" http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/153951354930/varkarrus-winterwombat-when-magic-starts-to
* The White Queen turned out to be shockingly good. I have not read the books it's made from, but I know the history, so that's where I'm coming from mostly. They did make some decisions I might not have: left out things I'd have left in and vica versa, made some different interpretations, disambiguated some stuff in the historical record gaps I tend to think went the other way, occationally did some things based on rumor I might not have, but all of these dections made sense either from an historical interpretation sense or a dramatic/narrative sense. It is light years ahead of the Tudors or the Borgias (the later being my beloved cheesey hot mess of historical telescoping, elision, and pure invention that I still adore even though I know better. The former having too many problems for me to enjoy properly, by that's a whole other rant). Seriously, this is well crafted and, most importantly, they really tried hard to get the characters right. They went with an historical Richard III instead of the Tudor propaganda version, which I heartily approve of and their handling of him was very, very careful. I enjoyed their Warwick, Clarence, and Buckingham. I had fun with the costume choices, which were really beautiful designed with an eye to character and context.
I loved particularly that the project centered on three central woman and that they and all the secondary female character had intelligence, will, motive, and agency. Each of the female characters was clearly delineated and had her own personality unlike some historical dramas I've seen recently. (I am glaring at you so HARD Versailles.) I think their Elizabeth Woodville worked well in the earlier episodes, but the actress did not bring enough nuance to the post Edward IV years, which was a shame. They might have been better served to hand off the role at some point to an older, more experienced actress. They did a fine job with the Neville sisters, I thought.
The real jewel in this production though? The entire Margaret Beaufort story line. The actress playing her did a brilliant job with a complicated woman, and the various characters she plays off of, particularly Stanley, really displayed the personality of the woman. I strongly suspect this is rather what the RL person was like, in all her stubbornness and contradiction and massive will. Even if none of the rest was as good as it turned out to be, this was worth it.
They made excellent use of a strong cast and managed to fit a big chunk of incredibly complicated history into an enjoyable and watchable television show. I am impressed. STARZ has been doing such good work lately.
*****
* Suicide Crisis numbers: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/153016816845/non-us-crisis-line-list
* Victim of a Hate Crime? Report to the police first, but also report here to help the SPLC track incidents: https://www.splcenter.org/reporthate
* Trans Relief Project: http://transrelief.com/
* "Donate to the SPLC:" https://donate.splcenter.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=463
* General Charities list to help groups being targeted in Trump's America: http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/153111297079/charities-that-may-need-some-love-in-the-upcoming
* Where to donate to help Immigrants: http://colinfirth.tumblr.com/post/152963467726/carecen-la-center-for-community-change
* Ways to protest: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/174f0WBSVNSdcQ5_S6rWPGB3pNCsruyyM_ZRQ6QUhGmo/htmlview?usp=sharing&sle=true#
* More ways to protest "So here’s the deal:" http://the-cimmerians.tumblr.com/post/153516131819/so-heres-the-deal
* "10 ways we can help Standing Rock Indian Reservation.:" http://browngurlwfro.tumblr.com/post/153755459138/dooder-tooder-this-is-a-photo-my-friend-posted
* "List of Standing Rock Resources:" https://laughingacademy.tumblr.com/post/152671392633/list-of-standing-rock-resources
* "How to help Flint, Michigan:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/how-help-flint-michigan
* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com
* Organizations helping with the refugee crisis: http://captainofalltheships.tumblr.com/post/128790538169/an-updated-list-of-organizations-to-donate-to-help
* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We desperately need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.com