Various Reviews!
Sep. 27th, 2011 05:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chrysillaI have a Diaspora account now. There doesn't seem to be any limit to invites I can send, so if you want one just ask :-)
Thoughts so far ...
+Can use pseudonyms, tho FB never had a problem with me using them, probably due to my skin-based privilege (that Owl guy still can't get an account, wtf?)
+Didn't require much personal info. Or any at all, really.
+I can post an update there, and with my other accounts linked up it can automatically update Tumblr, Twitter, and FB at the same time.
?I'm not sure if crossposting works the other way.
-NO PHOTO ALBUMS WTF???
-There's no way to link a photo from Flickr or another service like Tumblr has. You have to upload it from your computer, which means I have to download it to my computer, annoying.
-They have a separate-but-connected photo service, but it would be a lot more convenient if they hooked up with Flickr, where a large number of my photos already roost.
-They can import my FB contacts, why not my FB photos?
-I'm usually kinda wary of connecting all of my accounts together. I'm taking it on faith that this won't get creepy, Diaspora.
-Not a lot of people are on it yet.
While Diaspora has its own hub, I'm looking forward to some of the groups/communities I'm involved in making up their own hubs too. Provided it fixes the photo problem. Tho I suppose not offering its own photo albums is a way to save on expensive server space. But still, hook me up wit Flickr kthnx.
It reminds me of the message board program that one can put and develop on their own server (like the Jedi & NYC Larp boards) except its a social network instead of a message board. Tho I'm not a programmer, so my understanding may be off. But lol, LarpBook! JediBook! ImprovBook! DragonBook! I don't really like message boards to begin with.
I'm also on Dreamwidth now, obviously, which is the Diaspora of LJ. And I like it so far. Almost the same interface, same tags, and easy crossposting options b/c not so many people are on it. Not that many people read LJ anymore, *shrugs*.
The only new media I'm consuming these days is True Blood, whicharcane_the_sage is showing me.
Whenever Bill did something vamp-ridiculous in front of Sookie to impress his friends or freak someone out, her initial response was always "OMG I AM NOT DATING YOU ANYMORE AAARGH!" I figured she'd be back eventually, but Buffy was rarely smart enough to even have that initial response, so it was oddly refreshing.
Also, Sookie/Bill is so adorably awkward. "I haven't dated a normal girl in a century." "I've never dated anyone I couldn't scan." D'awww!
Where can I sign up for the Magick Church of Lafayette? C'mon, GIANT SPARKLY F'ING ALTAR in his tiny living room. It is fun picking up on things that are obvious to people with my training/research, but maybe not everybody would notice right away. A friend 'spoiled' me about a Bacchanai that shows up later in the series, but from her description I'm pretty sure I would have gotten it myself.
Also, I just <3 Lafayette. I want one in my neighborhood!
Poor puppeh (I'm pretty sure I was spoiled on that one too), why are the girls sho mean to you???
Vampire clubs in Louisiana look like goth clubs from the 90s? YAY!
I like Erik (only seen him in one ep so far), he's just the right amount of pretentious.
I also keep watching The Borgias over and over again, and I think I've figured out some of the reasons why.
Tudors season 1 (the only one I've really watched all the way thru, I've watched bits and pieces of the other seasons) moves sooooooo slow. And nothing really happens. By the end of S1, Catherine is still in the castle, Harry hasn't married Anne, no battles, no suspense, argh. Oh, Wolsley dies. That's it.
Also, with all of Henry's war mongering, I don't think *we* actually get to see any battles until the last season of the show. Wars happen entirely off screen in s1. And that makes a king look really f'ing whiny. OMG THE KING IS THROWING A TEMPER TANTRUM... and then nothing happens.
Borgias S1, BATTLES! PLOT ARCS! THINGS HAPPEN! PEOPLE DIE! Just as much gratuitous "scenery chewing" but with PLOT. Will they stop the French? Will Pope Al get kicked out? OMG!
Character wise, The Borgias somehow gets me rooting for what are technically the bad guys. Tudors... not so much.
Borgias: The Borgias are bastards, but have strong family ties and (usually) don't betray each other easily. So when there is betrayal, it looks like a big deal plot-wise. Everybody else in Italy is fair game.
Tudors: Nobody in England actually likes each other, everybody is willing to stab anyone else in the back to kissass the king. Nothing is really surprising after a while. Not to mention King "I'm going to screw over every woman I've ever met, ESPECIALLY the ones in my family." Ironic given that (according to the show, I don't know the real history) his claim to the throne comes thru his mother.
Henry comes off as a whiny, spoiled idiot of a princling who never gets his comeuppance for being a total jerk. I know its in the history, but that doesn't make for satisfying storytelling. And all of the smart people in the story are his underlings, who are either trying to manipulate him or screw each other over to get their own way. And then he has a tantrum and beheads 'em. Whatever.
Pope Alexander is a jerk, but one who actually makes his own decisions without being constantly manipulated by his underlings. I like my leads to have teh smart. And most of the Borgia family is smart, so I am satisfied. Except for Juan, who is very Henry-like in this case, and plot makes him the family idiot in a plot-satisfying way. Nobody ever smacks Henry in the face for beating up his Mom's ex husband, I'm just sayin...
I'm not a historian, but I'm sure both series screw up the historical record. S1 of either series was probably 2-4 years long in the real history.
However, The Borgias mangle history in an entertaining way. The Tudors only serves to remind us what high school taught us: history is f'ing boring no matter how much you edit. And full of whiny jerks who never get their comeuppance.
In related news, I've found this season of Doctor Who to be very unsatisfying. For reasons many of my LJ friends have expounded on already. Can someone else take the show over from Moffat pls? Or at least stop him from writing plot and dialog for the female characters? *cringe*
Finally started watching Star Trek TNG in earnest via Netflix, but it's kinda boring. I prefer the plot arcs of B5, which are actual plot arcs. Srsly? The Klingon Civil War lasts two friking episodes? Once in a while a Cardassian does something just to be a jerk. OMG HUGE FEDERATION CONSPIRACY ... settled in one episode. With neck-parasites that B5 made better use of. Shame on you, Star Trek! Utopian societies are DULL. But that makes it good tv for when I'm actually doing something else, like cooking or sewing.
Aside from that, I'm kinda spinning my wheels media-wise. Nothing new or stimulating, which made my summer break kinda boring, and will probably do the same for autumn break.
<3 Chrysilla
Thoughts so far ...
+Can use pseudonyms, tho FB never had a problem with me using them, probably due to my skin-based privilege (that Owl guy still can't get an account, wtf?)
+Didn't require much personal info. Or any at all, really.
+I can post an update there, and with my other accounts linked up it can automatically update Tumblr, Twitter, and FB at the same time.
?I'm not sure if crossposting works the other way.
-NO PHOTO ALBUMS WTF???
-There's no way to link a photo from Flickr or another service like Tumblr has. You have to upload it from your computer, which means I have to download it to my computer, annoying.
-They have a separate-but-connected photo service, but it would be a lot more convenient if they hooked up with Flickr, where a large number of my photos already roost.
-They can import my FB contacts, why not my FB photos?
-I'm usually kinda wary of connecting all of my accounts together. I'm taking it on faith that this won't get creepy, Diaspora.
-Not a lot of people are on it yet.
While Diaspora has its own hub, I'm looking forward to some of the groups/communities I'm involved in making up their own hubs too. Provided it fixes the photo problem. Tho I suppose not offering its own photo albums is a way to save on expensive server space. But still, hook me up wit Flickr kthnx.
It reminds me of the message board program that one can put and develop on their own server (like the Jedi & NYC Larp boards) except its a social network instead of a message board. Tho I'm not a programmer, so my understanding may be off. But lol, LarpBook! JediBook! ImprovBook! DragonBook! I don't really like message boards to begin with.
I'm also on Dreamwidth now, obviously, which is the Diaspora of LJ. And I like it so far. Almost the same interface, same tags, and easy crossposting options b/c not so many people are on it. Not that many people read LJ anymore, *shrugs*.
The only new media I'm consuming these days is True Blood, which
arcane_the_sage is showing me. Whenever Bill did something vamp-ridiculous in front of Sookie to impress his friends or freak someone out, her initial response was always "OMG I AM NOT DATING YOU ANYMORE AAARGH!" I figured she'd be back eventually, but Buffy was rarely smart enough to even have that initial response, so it was oddly refreshing.
Also, Sookie/Bill is so adorably awkward. "I haven't dated a normal girl in a century." "I've never dated anyone I couldn't scan." D'awww!
Where can I sign up for the Magick Church of Lafayette? C'mon, GIANT SPARKLY F'ING ALTAR in his tiny living room. It is fun picking up on things that are obvious to people with my training/research, but maybe not everybody would notice right away. A friend 'spoiled' me about a Bacchanai that shows up later in the series, but from her description I'm pretty sure I would have gotten it myself.
Also, I just <3 Lafayette. I want one in my neighborhood!
Poor puppeh (I'm pretty sure I was spoiled on that one too), why are the girls sho mean to you???
Vampire clubs in Louisiana look like goth clubs from the 90s? YAY!
I like Erik (only seen him in one ep so far), he's just the right amount of pretentious.
I also keep watching The Borgias over and over again, and I think I've figured out some of the reasons why.
Tudors season 1 (the only one I've really watched all the way thru, I've watched bits and pieces of the other seasons) moves sooooooo slow. And nothing really happens. By the end of S1, Catherine is still in the castle, Harry hasn't married Anne, no battles, no suspense, argh. Oh, Wolsley dies. That's it.
Also, with all of Henry's war mongering, I don't think *we* actually get to see any battles until the last season of the show. Wars happen entirely off screen in s1. And that makes a king look really f'ing whiny. OMG THE KING IS THROWING A TEMPER TANTRUM... and then nothing happens.
Borgias S1, BATTLES! PLOT ARCS! THINGS HAPPEN! PEOPLE DIE! Just as much gratuitous "scenery chewing" but with PLOT. Will they stop the French? Will Pope Al get kicked out? OMG!
Character wise, The Borgias somehow gets me rooting for what are technically the bad guys. Tudors... not so much.
Borgias: The Borgias are bastards, but have strong family ties and (usually) don't betray each other easily. So when there is betrayal, it looks like a big deal plot-wise. Everybody else in Italy is fair game.
Tudors: Nobody in England actually likes each other, everybody is willing to stab anyone else in the back to kissass the king. Nothing is really surprising after a while. Not to mention King "I'm going to screw over every woman I've ever met, ESPECIALLY the ones in my family." Ironic given that (according to the show, I don't know the real history) his claim to the throne comes thru his mother.
Henry comes off as a whiny, spoiled idiot of a princling who never gets his comeuppance for being a total jerk. I know its in the history, but that doesn't make for satisfying storytelling. And all of the smart people in the story are his underlings, who are either trying to manipulate him or screw each other over to get their own way. And then he has a tantrum and beheads 'em. Whatever.
Pope Alexander is a jerk, but one who actually makes his own decisions without being constantly manipulated by his underlings. I like my leads to have teh smart. And most of the Borgia family is smart, so I am satisfied. Except for Juan, who is very Henry-like in this case, and plot makes him the family idiot in a plot-satisfying way. Nobody ever smacks Henry in the face for beating up his Mom's ex husband, I'm just sayin...
I'm not a historian, but I'm sure both series screw up the historical record. S1 of either series was probably 2-4 years long in the real history.
However, The Borgias mangle history in an entertaining way. The Tudors only serves to remind us what high school taught us: history is f'ing boring no matter how much you edit. And full of whiny jerks who never get their comeuppance.
In related news, I've found this season of Doctor Who to be very unsatisfying. For reasons many of my LJ friends have expounded on already. Can someone else take the show over from Moffat pls? Or at least stop him from writing plot and dialog for the female characters? *cringe*
Finally started watching Star Trek TNG in earnest via Netflix, but it's kinda boring. I prefer the plot arcs of B5, which are actual plot arcs. Srsly? The Klingon Civil War lasts two friking episodes? Once in a while a Cardassian does something just to be a jerk. OMG HUGE FEDERATION CONSPIRACY ... settled in one episode. With neck-parasites that B5 made better use of. Shame on you, Star Trek! Utopian societies are DULL. But that makes it good tv for when I'm actually doing something else, like cooking or sewing.
Aside from that, I'm kinda spinning my wheels media-wise. Nothing new or stimulating, which made my summer break kinda boring, and will probably do the same for autumn break.
<3 Chrysilla
