Starstrike
Jan. 12th, 2026 07:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
psocopteraStarstrike, Yoon Ha Lee, 2025 ya sf, second in a trilogy that started with Moonstorm. I liked Moonstorm a lot but unfortunately this one didn't work for me. Interesting things are still going on but the writing felt scattered and muddled and I rarely had any sense of anticipation or direction. I may still check out the eventual third book - I would still like to see how things turn out for the characters, and it seems quite possible that Lee will re-find his groove or the structure of the third book will flow better or whatever the problem was - but as of this one I can't really recommend the series. :(
Three for the Memories Open Until January 24th
Jan. 12th, 2026 06:02 pmyourlibrarian1) ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
threeforthememories is off to a great start! You have until January 24th to make your own post. I made mine today about my 2025.
2) Speaking of things to rec, saw the film House of Dynamite and thought it was wonderfully done –- except for the ending. ( Read more... )
I do think that its structure was helpful, given that just 10 minutes in there is a lot starting to go on, and it helped to have it reinforced with repeated elements.
3) Another yes from me was for the series The Beast in Me. This is mostly because I thought it was particularly well done. I'm not a big fan of the murderous husband/neighbor type thriller because they're always guilty and one of my DNW is gaslighting elements. But I thought this was a particularly well developed story and one with less "shocking twist!" than unexpected surprises that relate to character development.
4) The documentary about the making of Frozen 2 was very interesting, and rather surprising, in seeing how Disney approaches making an animated film. I'd think that -- given the costs and enormous amount of labor -- they would have a script nailed down before starting. And not just a draft, but one that had been run past the internal focus groups, had a table reading done by the cast, etc. Instead they scrapped tons of work from animators, some of which took them a year, because they kept veering back and forth on elements of the story, rewriting the central songs, etc. ( Read more... )
5) The re-release of the Beatles Anthology on Disney+ promised a new episode and remastered footage. It certainly looked very good, but as I'd seen it during its 1990s release, I noticed more about the big gaps in it. ( Read more... )
threeforthememories is off to a great start! You have until January 24th to make your own post. I made mine today about my 2025.2) Speaking of things to rec, saw the film House of Dynamite and thought it was wonderfully done –- except for the ending. ( Read more... )
I do think that its structure was helpful, given that just 10 minutes in there is a lot starting to go on, and it helped to have it reinforced with repeated elements.
3) Another yes from me was for the series The Beast in Me. This is mostly because I thought it was particularly well done. I'm not a big fan of the murderous husband/neighbor type thriller because they're always guilty and one of my DNW is gaslighting elements. But I thought this was a particularly well developed story and one with less "shocking twist!" than unexpected surprises that relate to character development.
4) The documentary about the making of Frozen 2 was very interesting, and rather surprising, in seeing how Disney approaches making an animated film. I'd think that -- given the costs and enormous amount of labor -- they would have a script nailed down before starting. And not just a draft, but one that had been run past the internal focus groups, had a table reading done by the cast, etc. Instead they scrapped tons of work from animators, some of which took them a year, because they kept veering back and forth on elements of the story, rewriting the central songs, etc. ( Read more... )
5) The re-release of the Beatles Anthology on Disney+ promised a new episode and remastered footage. It certainly looked very good, but as I'd seen it during its 1990s release, I noticed more about the big gaps in it. ( Read more... )
Poll #34076 Kudos Footer-555
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Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6
Want to leave a Kudos?
hybrid quota-linear rate limiter
Jan. 13th, 2026 12:13 amfanfhttps://dotat.at/@/2026-01-12-hqlr.html
A while back I wrote about the linear rate limit algorithms leaky bucket and GCRA. Since then I have been vexed by how common it is to implement rate limiting using complicated and wasteful algorithms (for example).
But linear (and exponential) rate limiters have a disadvantage: they can be slow to throttle clients whose request rate is above the limit but not super fast. And I just realised that this disadvantage can be unacceptable in some situations, when it's imperative that no more than some quota of requests is accepted within a window of time.
In this article I'll explore a way to enforce rate limit quotas more precisely, without undue storage costs, and without encouraging clients to oscillate between bursts and pauses. However I'm not sure it's a good idea.
( Read more... )
"draw the rest of the worm"
Jan. 12th, 2026 05:36 pmstepnixi read His Majesty the Worm! game's got plenty of buzz, you don't need my rec, but I come out of the book appreciating how much it explains how to use OSR trademarks like dungeon maps and random encounter tables. "integrate your random encounters into whatever spot on the map they show up, and swap them out with new events when the party returns to the surface" is really really helpful procedural advice, albeit one that necessitates a lot of preparation. And to its credit, it breaks down exactly what you need for that preparation really well. Once you have your city and underworld maps and their respective event tables, it gives you a ton of material to work with and dominoes for your players to knock down.
However
The dungeon creation advice itself left me a lot colder. It has a process for determining the macrostructure, but each individual floor kinda reduces to "draw maps, come up with a bunch of interesting things to happen." Even the "dungeon seeds" in the back have maps, but don't have room by room breakdowns. Which is the point, they're a starting point for inspiration, but the end result is that you still need to draw the rest of the owl when preparing things yourself.
His Majesty the Worm does a better job of showing me what a megadungeon needs than any other game I've read. It's bridging the gap between where you start and what it needs that's tricky for me.
(no subject)
Jan. 12th, 2026 06:14 pmflemmingsIn January one must play Weather Roulette, with the usual disappointment when weather doesn't do what the forecast says it will, and equally when it does. Thought of getting a massage today but probs said snow so didn't book. There was no snow and sidewalks were still dry, but forecast said rain and snow all week, so I went up to Loblaws for everything I forgot to get on the weekend. And still forgot the Voltaren my doctor recommends for cysts because I'm running short. I must put everything into my phone or I will never remember what I need.
Because my downstairs stays cold unless the thermostat is bumped up to 21C/ 70F and because I am of a saving disposition when it comes to gas usage, I wear a jacket or a shawl when couch potatoing. But my indoor jacket doesn't zip anymore and the shawl keeps shifting about. So I pulled out a high end Polo hoodie my bro gave me yonks ago. I'm pretty sure it's the real deal because it has various features I've never encountered elsewhere, like velcro tabs where not needed. It's bright red and therefore goes with nothing else in my rose-pink and purple wardrobe, and of course at an early stage I got bleach on the sleeve. Consequently I don't wear it outside. But it works marvellously indoors and, as I discovered, under my winter coat when outside. Blow away, winds. I am now triple layered, and I have a hood that I'm not afraid to use. Bonus is that I can wear it with the red scarf that A. gave me years back, because I can't wear any of my neck warmers and cowls with it either. My other hoodies are ragbag ancient and only used as nightwear. I was debating getting a respectable hoodie for spring and autumn wear, but not buying cheap fashion from the dollar store is doubtless a virtue.
Because my downstairs stays cold unless the thermostat is bumped up to 21C/ 70F and because I am of a saving disposition when it comes to gas usage, I wear a jacket or a shawl when couch potatoing. But my indoor jacket doesn't zip anymore and the shawl keeps shifting about. So I pulled out a high end Polo hoodie my bro gave me yonks ago. I'm pretty sure it's the real deal because it has various features I've never encountered elsewhere, like velcro tabs where not needed. It's bright red and therefore goes with nothing else in my rose-pink and purple wardrobe, and of course at an early stage I got bleach on the sleeve. Consequently I don't wear it outside. But it works marvellously indoors and, as I discovered, under my winter coat when outside. Blow away, winds. I am now triple layered, and I have a hood that I'm not afraid to use. Bonus is that I can wear it with the red scarf that A. gave me years back, because I can't wear any of my neck warmers and cowls with it either. My other hoodies are ragbag ancient and only used as nightwear. I was debating getting a respectable hoodie for spring and autumn wear, but not buying cheap fashion from the dollar store is doubtless a virtue.
Book Review: To Die For by Joyce Maynard
Jan. 12th, 2026 03:37 pmjuushikaTitle: To Die For
Author: Joyce Maynard
Published: Open Road Media, 2012 (1992)
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 260
Total Page Count: 557,745
Text Number: 2097
Read Because: watched the movie, which Teja recommended as a "heard description, thought of you" but then had to watch himself because he was visiting at the time, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: A newlywed, ambitious reporter befriends a trio of high school kids in a plot to kill her husband. This is told entirely in first person testimonials, a conceit that stretches suspension of disbelief but remains extremely readable; I appreciate how astutely each chapter locates its respective PoV. I picked this up after watching the movie, and find I still prefer the adaptation. In the film, there's some ambiguity about when Suzanne begins to plot the murder; the novel is more straightforward. It's charmingly inept and deromanticized either way, but better, I think, for being even more an opportunity stumbled-upon. A book allows more room for character and thematic development; unsurprisingly, I love Jimmy's perspective, but the cultural commentary, a prescient examination of tabloid, true crime, and reality TV, is also aging uncomfortably, particularly re: fatphobia.
Author: Joyce Maynard
Published: Open Road Media, 2012 (1992)
Rating: 3 of 5
Page Count: 260
Total Page Count: 557,745
Text Number: 2097
Read Because: watched the movie, which Teja recommended as a "heard description, thought of you" but then had to watch himself because he was visiting at the time, ebook borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: A newlywed, ambitious reporter befriends a trio of high school kids in a plot to kill her husband. This is told entirely in first person testimonials, a conceit that stretches suspension of disbelief but remains extremely readable; I appreciate how astutely each chapter locates its respective PoV. I picked this up after watching the movie, and find I still prefer the adaptation. In the film, there's some ambiguity about when Suzanne begins to plot the murder; the novel is more straightforward. It's charmingly inept and deromanticized either way, but better, I think, for being even more an opportunity stumbled-upon. A book allows more room for character and thematic development; unsurprisingly, I love Jimmy's perspective, but the cultural commentary, a prescient examination of tabloid, true crime, and reality TV, is also aging uncomfortably, particularly re: fatphobia.
(no subject)
Jan. 12th, 2026 06:35 pmmajuThe extra legs for my bed arrived late this afternoon. I have ascertained that they are the right length (not too long) and that they should be easy enough to fit, but I won't do it until tomorrow because I don't feel like dismantling my nicely made bed this evening.
We had a tiny amount of snow last night - just enough to lightly cover the roads and yards, but little enough that it was almost all gone by the middle of the day today. Then by the afternoon the temperature was about 5C/40F and there went the rest of it.
Funny story about Aria: she is far from a fluent reader yet, but this afternoon she was reading on the school bus and didn't realise the bus was at her stop until the driver called out to her. (My daughter picked up the other two from school because they were carrying their musical instruments, and they normally walk home on Mondays if they are not burdened with instruments.)
We had a tiny amount of snow last night - just enough to lightly cover the roads and yards, but little enough that it was almost all gone by the middle of the day today. Then by the afternoon the temperature was about 5C/40F and there went the rest of it.
Funny story about Aria: she is far from a fluent reader yet, but this afternoon she was reading on the school bus and didn't realise the bus was at her stop until the driver called out to her. (My daughter picked up the other two from school because they were carrying their musical instruments, and they normally walk home on Mondays if they are not burdened with instruments.)
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universal_hub_feed
Boston Police Deputy Superintendent Marcus Eddings today sued his boss, Police Commissioner Michael Cox, charging Cox demoted him when Cox demanded he bury proof of fraud among numerous officers on paid details and he refused.
In his suit, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, Eddings charges Cox demoted him from superintendent - a job in which he says he was tasked specifically with ferreting out fraud - to block him from continuing his investigations and try to keep the department from suffering "another black eye" like the one BPD got from overtime fraud at its Hyde Park evidence warehouse.
Eddings alleges he found specific evidence of major detail wrongdoing by 43 officers involved in more than 693 instances and enough evidence against 45 other officers to warrant starting internal-affairs investigations, but that when he went to Cox and another top department official with details:
Cox told Eddings that pursuing further Paid Detail investigations would cause another "black eye" for the Department and that Cox did not want to mess up his legacy. At this time, another BPD official told Eddings that the Department could not realistically fire 15-25 officers.
Despite these statements, Eddings continued to investigate Paid Detail fraud and uncovered and reported additional violations by officers. A a result of his continued reporting of this Paid Detail misconduct, Eddings was stripped of several positions at BPD and demoted from Superintendent to Deputy Superintendent.
According to the suit, Cox demoted him on Jan. 20, 2024.
Eddings, who first joined BPD as a patrol officer in 1996, worked his way up the ranks and through several units, including the drug, gang, internal-affairs and homicide units. In 2017, he was named deputy superintendent in charge of the criminal investigation division, then in 2019 to superintendent, overseeing paid-detail and court units.
Mayor Wu appointed Cox in 2022.
Eddings's complaint lists two specific charges: That his demotion violates the state whistleblower law, which prohibits disciplinary action against employees who report wrongdoing by other employees and that Cox illegally damaged his employment relationship with Boston Police:
Cox's interference with this relationship was the product of actual malice in that a controlling factor of Cox's decision to interfere with this relationship was personal hostility or ill will towards Eddings rather than reasoned business judgement.
And that, he charges, caused him "pain and suffering, emotional distress, reputational harm, and diminished earnings due to demotion."
Cox and the city have until May 11 to answer the lawsuit.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Eyes on the Common
Jan. 12th, 2026 09:09 pmuniversal_hub_feed
Jon Hansen noticed a pair of giant googly eyes newly applied to 151 Tremont St., across from the Common, today.
They're part of Winteractive, the Downtown Boston Business Alliance's annual winter public-arts program (you may remember them from the giant clown heads; no connection to the MBTA's Googly Eyes on the Green Line program, though).
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Anne Butler's Travels
Jan. 12th, 2026 10:26 pmsteepholmOver the course of May and June 1824 Anne Butler, then aged sixteen, took a trip from London to relatives in Burntisland in Fife, by way of Cheltenham, Birmingham, Lichfield, Derby (where she hung out with the Philosophical Society), the Peak District and York, in the company of her godmother, Mrs Vaughan. In her letters she comments on all these places, as well as Edinburgh - so, if you're interested in what impression the journey might have made on a teenage girl in the Regency period, and what kinds of tourist activities were available, sit back and read on. You will get some leeches as a bonus.
(In what follows I've taken out passages that don't relate directly the journey, and I've added a few annotations where I hope it will be helpful.)
30 April 1824 [London]
My dear Weeden,
I have a few minutes to spare this morning and therefore take the opportunity of writing to you. I am to set of tomorrow about 4 o’clock with Tom & William, but the latter is only going as far as the coach with me, & Tom is going all the way to Cheltenham. I think that instead of Tom taking care of me, I shall have to take care of him.(1) He is not accustomed to travelling, and to add to his trouble he will have to sleep at the inn, & look after himself all Sunday I believe, for as Mrs Vaughan is only upon a visit herself, I do not think she will be able to ask him to go home with us. He is to return on Monday. …
I remain
Your affectionate sister
Anne V. Butler
(1) At this point Anne is 16 years old, and younger brother Tom (her protector) only 14.
--------------------
13 May 1824
My dear Tom
Many thanks for your nice letter which we received yesterday. I am glad to hear that you arrived safely in London. I dare say you were not sorry to reach home after so long and dull a day. … I am sorry to say that Mrs Vaughan is rather fatigued by the journey, but I hope after a few days rest she will be quite recovered. We slept at Birmingham on Monday night and set off for Derby at 7 the next morning and therefore had no opportunity of seeing the place, but what I did see gave me no favourable opinion of it. We passed through Litchfield and while they changed horses we had time to see the outside of the beautiful Cathedral. I wish we had had time to go inside to see the monuments.
We arrived here [Derby] at about 12 o'clock on Tuesday, and Mr & Mrs Finlay came at night. We all went yesterday to see the Porcelain Manufactory which is extremely interesting. We saw the whole process from the making [?] of the clay to the beautiful china that we see in the shops. There was a boy only 14 years old who painted landscapes beautifully. You can have no idea of the number of hands a cup must go through before it is finished. We did not leave Cheltenham till ?? o’clock, and therefore had time to see the public rooms, & Dr White would write our names in the book of arrivals, so that perhaps you have seen them in the newspaper. We also went with Dr & Mrs White to the pump room and walks which were crowded with people. The Bishop of Bangor and the Duke of Buccleuch were there. I tasted the water at ????. I did not much like it but it only tastes a little salt.
There are several pretty old churches at Derby, and the church of All Saints is something like our new church at Chelsea. Mr Holworthy(1) has a very pretty place here called Green Hill, it is just before you enter the town, the house is very large and he has a beautiful garden. …
I believe we going in a day or two to see the Marble works and the silk and lace??? Manufactories, so that I shall not close this letter till I have seen something more. We are going today to see the Infirmary, which I believe is the finest in England. Kean & some of the London actors were in Derby last week, but the people here give very little encouragement to the theatre. I observe that the inhabitants of this place pronounce it as if it were spelt Darby, and not Derby: they have a very peculiar manner of speaking, and I remark that they generally put the letter G at the end of their words, thus they say thing-ge, king-ge, &c.
Dr Forester(2) is a very odd man, do you remember the way Gordon used to talk sometimes for fun? Well he speaks much in the same manner, he puts me sometimes in mind of Willets, he makes the same kind of faces, and stoops as he does when he sits with his legs crossed. I can assure you he is a man of some consequence here. He made the plan of the infirmary, and ??? giving a donation of 50£. He attends as Physician to the Infirmary for nothing. He belongs to the order of Knights-Templars, and there are only six of the order in England. I think that Gordon would be delighted to see him, he understands every kind of machinery and gives up much of his time to the study of it. …
I am writing this in my room with one of my fingers quite dead with the cold so that I can hardly hold my pen. I really think I shall have chilblains again if this weather continues. We had a dinner party on Wednesday and we are to have another today (Friday). We have had an invitation for tomorrow but I do not know whether we shall go yet. We are a good large party of ourselves. Mrs & Mrs Holworthy and Miss Wright (Mrs H’s sister),(3) Mr & Mrs Finlay, Mrs Vaughan & myself. Dr Forester’s grounds touch those of Mr Holworthy. Mr H has several pets as a Dog, a Duck, some pigeons & some partridges, and an old poney aged 40 years, all these live on the lawn before the house. I think of all these the greatest pet is the Duck, it follows him about wherever he goes, and will even come in at the dining and drawing room windows if they are open as they reach to the ground. His dog is a pointer and is called Don. Mr H has an open chaise and a close carriage, and Mr Finlay has his, so that some day we are to go in a large party for a drive.
I believe we are going to Buxton from this, & then to York and afterwards upon a visit to some friends of Mrs Vaughan. So tell Mrs Read with my best love, that I do not know what I shall do for white frocks, as I have only one and that is almost dirty, & I shall not be able to get it washed in a day here as I could at home. …
Believe me to be your ever affectionate sister Anne V. Butler
(1) James Holworthy (1781–1841), artist and close friend of Turner.
(2) Dr Richard Forester (1771-1843). President of the Derby Philosophical Society from 1815.
(3) Anne Holworthy (nee Wright) was the niece of Joseph Wright of Derby.
--------------------
30 June 1824 [Burntisland, Fife]
My dear Weeden
Many thanks for your nice long letter, which I fear you will think I ought to have answered sooner. This was my intention, but several things have occurred to prevent me. I think I am always unlucky, I do not know whether I mentioned in my last letter a fall I had, when in Edinburgh. As I was stepping out of a coach at Mrs Charteris’s door, the step was not firm and it slipped from under my foot, so that I fell down, & hurt my arm upon the corner of the pavement, it was stiff for some days but is now well; I think that if it had not been noticed in time it would have been very bad; but I had some egg skin put on it immediately.
About 10 days ago, as I wished to be friends with Mrs Boog’s dog, I went to see it fed by the servant, who said that it was very quiet, & would not bite, so ventured to pat it; at first it was very good natured, but after a little while, it found out that I was a stranger, snarled & snapped at me, happily it did not bite me though it hit me a very hard blow upon the face with its mouth, & tore my frock very much; I felt the effects of the blow for some days, & the pain was so great at first that I thought he had bit me. The servant beat him from me, or I do not think I should have got off so well as I did.
My finger that was so bad is nearly well, but I shall not be able to use it for some time. Last Saturday I found that the third finger of the same hand was beginning to swell & looked very red. I felt pain in it, the night before, but as I had been working, I thought that I might have run my needle into it, but as it got worse, on Saturday, Mrs Vaughan sent for the doctor, Mr Philp [?], to see it, & he said I must have two leeches on it directly, before it got worse. Jane Boog gave up 4 hours of her time which is now very precious to put them on my finger, & after all, we could only make one of them stick on, but it had the desired effect, for the next day the pain was almost gone, & on Monday it was quite well. I hope I shall meet with no more accidents, or I shall grow quite idle, not being able to work or do any thing that requires my hand.
You will have seen in the letter I wrote to Papa from Edinburgh, that Jane Boog is going to be married, in less than a fortnight, so you may suppose we are very busy just now. William Boog is coming next Wednesday. I believe he is to be the best man, you will not perhaps know what this means; it answers to the best maid or Bride’s maid who attends the Lady, so the best man should attend the gentleman.
Mr Sadler went up in a baloon [sic] at Edinburgh on Monday; this is a very uncommon sight in Scotland, I believe it is the first that has been seen here large enough to carry any body in it; and therefore attracted great attention. The gardener who was at Mrs Charteris’s that day, was heard talking about it very much, he said he thought it was very presumptuous in Sadler to try to get to Heaven that way (for he thought that this was what Sadler was trying to do) but that he was in his master’s territory; and he only hoped he would return safe. When asked who he meant by Mr Sadler’s master, he said, “the Devil.” Perhaps you have seen an account of the ascent in the newspapers. It crossed the firth, & at one time appeared quite near, we could distinguish two people in it and that it looked as if it were made of a plaid; but this was not without the assistance of a good telescope. …
In answer to your question as to where the Derbyshire spar comes from, I must tell you it is principally taken from the Peak Hole, which cavern is under Peveril Castle. This is a most extraordinary place, but perhaps you have seen pictures of it, nothing however but the reality can give you a true idea of its wonders. I am sorry that we did not go into the interior of this astonishing place, but it would have been very disagreeable to pass so far under ground, in a narrow passage walking almost double, till we came to the boat, which is only large enough to hold one at a time, & the person who is thus conveyed is obliged to lie down (as the passage is not high enough to allow him to sit up) and he must be pushed along by a man who walks behind the boat in the water, after proceeding some way in this manner we should have entered a very spacious cavern. If the party had all been young, we might have done this, but the fatigue would have been too great for Mr & Mrs Finlay, Mrs Vaughan, & Mrs Holworthy. I think that when the bustle of Jane’s wedding is over, I must again read “Peveril of the Peak.” I only heard parts of it, but did not read it through when we had it at home, & therefore do not remember much of it.
I cannot describe to you the beauty of York Minster, it is really grand beyond description, but I have a York guide, that Mrs Vaughan bought for me, & when I return home you shall read it. You will see from the last letter, (or I believe it was the one before it) that I wrote to Papa, the danger we were in at Wakefield, by the falling of three of the horses, & therefore I shall not say more upon the subject. …
This is a very pretty place & when I am able I hope to take some views which I think you will be pleased with. I intend to collect some shells for Isabella when we go down to the sands, which are about 5 minutes walk off. But we have only been once that way, and then we had not time to stop to pick them up; I hear that there are some very pretty shells to be found, and I hope they will amuse little Isabella. I shall expect to see a very great improvement in her at my return, I hope she is learning to work as well as read now. Fanny will be able to teach her now that she is at home. I believe when we return it will be by sea. This will be a change, but I like travelling by land better. However the steam boats are very large.
When we were at Edinburgh we went to see the Castle, we went up the Calton Hill & Salisbury Crags, but have not yet been up Arthur’s Seat, which I believe a very great Tickler (as Mr Finlay would say) but I hope before we leave Scotland, that I shall be able to say, I have been up it. This Hill has a very grand appearance from all sides, as it is in the form of a lion couching. The eye, nose & mouth are very distinctly seen, the form of the head is altogether very good & and the front paws are very perfect. Princes Street is like our Bond Street, a fashionable lounge where all the Dandies in Edinburgh go to walk. But Bond Street must not be compared to it in length or beauty. It is said that the King was particularly struck with it. George Street is also very beautiful, having at one end Melville’s Monument & at the other St George’s Church. I suppose you know that all the houses in Edinburgh are built of stone but this street loses much of its beauty from having from having St Andrew’s Church (which is situated in the middle of it) project, & the Physicians’ Hall, which is directly opposite, recede. Thus the people say that the modesty of the Physicians & the forwardness of the Clergy have spoilt the finest street in Europe.
There is a very high hill near here called the Bin[n], but we have not yet been up it, but we have been over several of the smaller ones. I can assure you we did not pass your birthday without thinking of you, but all drank your health. Stirling Christie’s was on the same day, but he is a year younger than you and Elizabeth Dawes’ birthday is on the 22 we thought of her also. There has been a very dreadful fire in Edinburgh last week, such a one has not been known here for 34 years. Pray remember me to Papa, Mrs Read, Tom, Fanny and George. I hope little Isabella will remember me when I return. … Mrs Boog & Mrs Vaughan & all friends here desire to be kindly remembered to Papa, they have all asked very particularly after you. I hope you will think this a long letter, I have been nearly all day writing it. I remain your very affectionate sister.
Anne V. Butler
(In what follows I've taken out passages that don't relate directly the journey, and I've added a few annotations where I hope it will be helpful.)
30 April 1824 [London]
My dear Weeden,
I have a few minutes to spare this morning and therefore take the opportunity of writing to you. I am to set of tomorrow about 4 o’clock with Tom & William, but the latter is only going as far as the coach with me, & Tom is going all the way to Cheltenham. I think that instead of Tom taking care of me, I shall have to take care of him.(1) He is not accustomed to travelling, and to add to his trouble he will have to sleep at the inn, & look after himself all Sunday I believe, for as Mrs Vaughan is only upon a visit herself, I do not think she will be able to ask him to go home with us. He is to return on Monday. …
I remain
Your affectionate sister
Anne V. Butler
(1) At this point Anne is 16 years old, and younger brother Tom (her protector) only 14.
13 May 1824
My dear Tom
Many thanks for your nice letter which we received yesterday. I am glad to hear that you arrived safely in London. I dare say you were not sorry to reach home after so long and dull a day. … I am sorry to say that Mrs Vaughan is rather fatigued by the journey, but I hope after a few days rest she will be quite recovered. We slept at Birmingham on Monday night and set off for Derby at 7 the next morning and therefore had no opportunity of seeing the place, but what I did see gave me no favourable opinion of it. We passed through Litchfield and while they changed horses we had time to see the outside of the beautiful Cathedral. I wish we had had time to go inside to see the monuments.
We arrived here [Derby] at about 12 o'clock on Tuesday, and Mr & Mrs Finlay came at night. We all went yesterday to see the Porcelain Manufactory which is extremely interesting. We saw the whole process from the making [?] of the clay to the beautiful china that we see in the shops. There was a boy only 14 years old who painted landscapes beautifully. You can have no idea of the number of hands a cup must go through before it is finished. We did not leave Cheltenham till ?? o’clock, and therefore had time to see the public rooms, & Dr White would write our names in the book of arrivals, so that perhaps you have seen them in the newspaper. We also went with Dr & Mrs White to the pump room and walks which were crowded with people. The Bishop of Bangor and the Duke of Buccleuch were there. I tasted the water at ????. I did not much like it but it only tastes a little salt.
There are several pretty old churches at Derby, and the church of All Saints is something like our new church at Chelsea. Mr Holworthy(1) has a very pretty place here called Green Hill, it is just before you enter the town, the house is very large and he has a beautiful garden. …
I believe we going in a day or two to see the Marble works and the silk and lace??? Manufactories, so that I shall not close this letter till I have seen something more. We are going today to see the Infirmary, which I believe is the finest in England. Kean & some of the London actors were in Derby last week, but the people here give very little encouragement to the theatre. I observe that the inhabitants of this place pronounce it as if it were spelt Darby, and not Derby: they have a very peculiar manner of speaking, and I remark that they generally put the letter G at the end of their words, thus they say thing-ge, king-ge, &c.
Dr Forester(2) is a very odd man, do you remember the way Gordon used to talk sometimes for fun? Well he speaks much in the same manner, he puts me sometimes in mind of Willets, he makes the same kind of faces, and stoops as he does when he sits with his legs crossed. I can assure you he is a man of some consequence here. He made the plan of the infirmary, and ??? giving a donation of 50£. He attends as Physician to the Infirmary for nothing. He belongs to the order of Knights-Templars, and there are only six of the order in England. I think that Gordon would be delighted to see him, he understands every kind of machinery and gives up much of his time to the study of it. …
I am writing this in my room with one of my fingers quite dead with the cold so that I can hardly hold my pen. I really think I shall have chilblains again if this weather continues. We had a dinner party on Wednesday and we are to have another today (Friday). We have had an invitation for tomorrow but I do not know whether we shall go yet. We are a good large party of ourselves. Mrs & Mrs Holworthy and Miss Wright (Mrs H’s sister),(3) Mr & Mrs Finlay, Mrs Vaughan & myself. Dr Forester’s grounds touch those of Mr Holworthy. Mr H has several pets as a Dog, a Duck, some pigeons & some partridges, and an old poney aged 40 years, all these live on the lawn before the house. I think of all these the greatest pet is the Duck, it follows him about wherever he goes, and will even come in at the dining and drawing room windows if they are open as they reach to the ground. His dog is a pointer and is called Don. Mr H has an open chaise and a close carriage, and Mr Finlay has his, so that some day we are to go in a large party for a drive.
I believe we are going to Buxton from this, & then to York and afterwards upon a visit to some friends of Mrs Vaughan. So tell Mrs Read with my best love, that I do not know what I shall do for white frocks, as I have only one and that is almost dirty, & I shall not be able to get it washed in a day here as I could at home. …
Believe me to be your ever affectionate sister Anne V. Butler
(1) James Holworthy (1781–1841), artist and close friend of Turner.
(2) Dr Richard Forester (1771-1843). President of the Derby Philosophical Society from 1815.
(3) Anne Holworthy (nee Wright) was the niece of Joseph Wright of Derby.
30 June 1824 [Burntisland, Fife]
My dear Weeden
Many thanks for your nice long letter, which I fear you will think I ought to have answered sooner. This was my intention, but several things have occurred to prevent me. I think I am always unlucky, I do not know whether I mentioned in my last letter a fall I had, when in Edinburgh. As I was stepping out of a coach at Mrs Charteris’s door, the step was not firm and it slipped from under my foot, so that I fell down, & hurt my arm upon the corner of the pavement, it was stiff for some days but is now well; I think that if it had not been noticed in time it would have been very bad; but I had some egg skin put on it immediately.
About 10 days ago, as I wished to be friends with Mrs Boog’s dog, I went to see it fed by the servant, who said that it was very quiet, & would not bite, so ventured to pat it; at first it was very good natured, but after a little while, it found out that I was a stranger, snarled & snapped at me, happily it did not bite me though it hit me a very hard blow upon the face with its mouth, & tore my frock very much; I felt the effects of the blow for some days, & the pain was so great at first that I thought he had bit me. The servant beat him from me, or I do not think I should have got off so well as I did.
My finger that was so bad is nearly well, but I shall not be able to use it for some time. Last Saturday I found that the third finger of the same hand was beginning to swell & looked very red. I felt pain in it, the night before, but as I had been working, I thought that I might have run my needle into it, but as it got worse, on Saturday, Mrs Vaughan sent for the doctor, Mr Philp [?], to see it, & he said I must have two leeches on it directly, before it got worse. Jane Boog gave up 4 hours of her time which is now very precious to put them on my finger, & after all, we could only make one of them stick on, but it had the desired effect, for the next day the pain was almost gone, & on Monday it was quite well. I hope I shall meet with no more accidents, or I shall grow quite idle, not being able to work or do any thing that requires my hand.
You will have seen in the letter I wrote to Papa from Edinburgh, that Jane Boog is going to be married, in less than a fortnight, so you may suppose we are very busy just now. William Boog is coming next Wednesday. I believe he is to be the best man, you will not perhaps know what this means; it answers to the best maid or Bride’s maid who attends the Lady, so the best man should attend the gentleman.
Mr Sadler went up in a baloon [sic] at Edinburgh on Monday; this is a very uncommon sight in Scotland, I believe it is the first that has been seen here large enough to carry any body in it; and therefore attracted great attention. The gardener who was at Mrs Charteris’s that day, was heard talking about it very much, he said he thought it was very presumptuous in Sadler to try to get to Heaven that way (for he thought that this was what Sadler was trying to do) but that he was in his master’s territory; and he only hoped he would return safe. When asked who he meant by Mr Sadler’s master, he said, “the Devil.” Perhaps you have seen an account of the ascent in the newspapers. It crossed the firth, & at one time appeared quite near, we could distinguish two people in it and that it looked as if it were made of a plaid; but this was not without the assistance of a good telescope. …
In answer to your question as to where the Derbyshire spar comes from, I must tell you it is principally taken from the Peak Hole, which cavern is under Peveril Castle. This is a most extraordinary place, but perhaps you have seen pictures of it, nothing however but the reality can give you a true idea of its wonders. I am sorry that we did not go into the interior of this astonishing place, but it would have been very disagreeable to pass so far under ground, in a narrow passage walking almost double, till we came to the boat, which is only large enough to hold one at a time, & the person who is thus conveyed is obliged to lie down (as the passage is not high enough to allow him to sit up) and he must be pushed along by a man who walks behind the boat in the water, after proceeding some way in this manner we should have entered a very spacious cavern. If the party had all been young, we might have done this, but the fatigue would have been too great for Mr & Mrs Finlay, Mrs Vaughan, & Mrs Holworthy. I think that when the bustle of Jane’s wedding is over, I must again read “Peveril of the Peak.” I only heard parts of it, but did not read it through when we had it at home, & therefore do not remember much of it.
I cannot describe to you the beauty of York Minster, it is really grand beyond description, but I have a York guide, that Mrs Vaughan bought for me, & when I return home you shall read it. You will see from the last letter, (or I believe it was the one before it) that I wrote to Papa, the danger we were in at Wakefield, by the falling of three of the horses, & therefore I shall not say more upon the subject. …
This is a very pretty place & when I am able I hope to take some views which I think you will be pleased with. I intend to collect some shells for Isabella when we go down to the sands, which are about 5 minutes walk off. But we have only been once that way, and then we had not time to stop to pick them up; I hear that there are some very pretty shells to be found, and I hope they will amuse little Isabella. I shall expect to see a very great improvement in her at my return, I hope she is learning to work as well as read now. Fanny will be able to teach her now that she is at home. I believe when we return it will be by sea. This will be a change, but I like travelling by land better. However the steam boats are very large.
When we were at Edinburgh we went to see the Castle, we went up the Calton Hill & Salisbury Crags, but have not yet been up Arthur’s Seat, which I believe a very great Tickler (as Mr Finlay would say) but I hope before we leave Scotland, that I shall be able to say, I have been up it. This Hill has a very grand appearance from all sides, as it is in the form of a lion couching. The eye, nose & mouth are very distinctly seen, the form of the head is altogether very good & and the front paws are very perfect. Princes Street is like our Bond Street, a fashionable lounge where all the Dandies in Edinburgh go to walk. But Bond Street must not be compared to it in length or beauty. It is said that the King was particularly struck with it. George Street is also very beautiful, having at one end Melville’s Monument & at the other St George’s Church. I suppose you know that all the houses in Edinburgh are built of stone but this street loses much of its beauty from having from having St Andrew’s Church (which is situated in the middle of it) project, & the Physicians’ Hall, which is directly opposite, recede. Thus the people say that the modesty of the Physicians & the forwardness of the Clergy have spoilt the finest street in Europe.
There is a very high hill near here called the Bin[n], but we have not yet been up it, but we have been over several of the smaller ones. I can assure you we did not pass your birthday without thinking of you, but all drank your health. Stirling Christie’s was on the same day, but he is a year younger than you and Elizabeth Dawes’ birthday is on the 22 we thought of her also. There has been a very dreadful fire in Edinburgh last week, such a one has not been known here for 34 years. Pray remember me to Papa, Mrs Read, Tom, Fanny and George. I hope little Isabella will remember me when I return. … Mrs Boog & Mrs Vaughan & all friends here desire to be kindly remembered to Papa, they have all asked very particularly after you. I hope you will think this a long letter, I have been nearly all day writing it. I remain your very affectionate sister.
Anne V. Butler
Monday Music Meme
Jan. 12th, 2026 11:09 pmextrapenguinThis week's entry is from 2015, rather than my self-imposed 2020 onwards; OTOH, it's the only actual answer to this prompt.
a song that makes you cry
Stratovarius - Shine in the Dark
These guys are not (yet?) on Bandcamp; OTOH, the runner-up (I Wish, by Battle Beast) is up there.
a song you discovered this month
a song that makes you smile
a song that makes you cry
a song that you know all the lyrics of
a song that proves that you have good taste
a song title that is in all lowercase
a song title that is in all uppercase
an underrated song
a song that has three words
a song from your childhood
a song that reminds you of summertime
a song that you feel nostalgic to
the first song that plays on shuffle
a song that someone showed you
a song from a movie soundtrack
a song from a television soundtrack
a song about being 17
a song that reminds you of somebody
a song to drive to
a song with a number in the title
a song that you listen to at 3am in the morning
a song with a long title
a song with a color in the title
a song that gets stuck in your head
a song in a different language
a song that helps you fall asleep at night
a song that describes how you feel right now
a song that you used to hate but love today
a song that you downloaded
a song that you want to share
a song that makes you cry
Stratovarius - Shine in the Dark
These guys are not (yet?) on Bandcamp; OTOH, the runner-up (I Wish, by Battle Beast) is up there.
prompts under the cut
a song you discovered this month
a song that makes you smile
a song that makes you cry
a song that you know all the lyrics of
a song that proves that you have good taste
a song title that is in all lowercase
a song title that is in all uppercase
an underrated song
a song that has three words
a song from your childhood
a song that reminds you of summertime
a song that you feel nostalgic to
the first song that plays on shuffle
a song that someone showed you
a song from a movie soundtrack
a song from a television soundtrack
a song about being 17
a song that reminds you of somebody
a song to drive to
a song with a number in the title
a song that you listen to at 3am in the morning
a song with a long title
a song with a color in the title
a song that gets stuck in your head
a song in a different language
a song that helps you fall asleep at night
a song that describes how you feel right now
a song that you used to hate but love today
a song that you downloaded
a song that you want to share
Supported Nonprofits for FTH 2026
Jan. 12th, 2026 05:22 pmfthmods posting in fandomtrumpshateThe links below go directly to the organizations’ websites. Over the next week, we will be posting detailed profiles of each organization over on Tumblr.
If you are a FTH creator and you want to ask your bidders to support an organization that’s not on the list, please read our policy on outside organizations here.
If you are a FTH creator and you want to ask your bidders to support an organization that’s not on the list, please read our policy on outside organizations here.
A4TE was formed when The National Center for Trans Equality merged with the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (a longtime FTH supported org!) Their mission is to fight for the legal and political rights of transgender people in America.
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Sued by Elon Musk (who lost!) CCDH protects human rights and civil liberties online by holding social media companies responsible for business practices that spread hate and disinformation.
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Disability Law United (formerly The Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center) is a nonprofit legal organization that fights for liberation and equity through the lens of intersectional disability justice.
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The Environmental Integrity Project investigates environmental problems and fights for average people facing David-vs-Goliath odds against well-connected energy companies and other polluters.
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The Freedom to Read Foundation was established to promote and defend the Constitutional right of individuals to express their ideas without governmental interference, and to read and listen to the ideas of others; to foster libraries as institutions wherein every individual’s First Amendment freedoms are fulfilled; and to support the right of libraries to include in their collections and make available any work which they may legally acquire.
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GSK, run by Gazans, has spent the past year and a half providing hot, nourishing meals to people in Gaza, feeding 3,000 people a day across ten kitchen sites.
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GPAHE believes that to protect and advance human rights, particularly those of marginalized and underrepresented communities, build inclusive democracies, and solve global challenges, we must expose and counter the far-right actors and movements that undermine those values.
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An environmental org and civic action org rolled into one, GA helps local people organize effectively in order to get clean energy projects built in their communities.
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A national-state partnership focused on lifting up the voices of Black women leaders at the national and regional levels in our fight to secure Reproductive Justice for all women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals, NBWRJA delivers proactive advocacy and policy solutions to address issues at the intersections of race, gender, class, sexual orientation and gender identity.
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NIJC provides legal services for immigrants seeing legal relief of various kinds, as well as engaging in advocacy work for immigrants’ rights.
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A Jewish-led mobilization against the persecution, detention, and deportation of immigrants in the United States, NAA takes on campaigns against detention centers and ICE training programs, and organizes mutual aid and deportation defense.
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OS is a non-partisan organization dedicated to tracking money in American politics.
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VoteBeat *
VB embeds journalists in nonprofit newsrooms around the US to cover important local elections. It aims both to educate voters about municipal and state level issues and to revitalize reporting at a local level.
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Umbrella: Anti-Poverty Direct Aid groups
For the past six years, FTH has supported one “umbrella” cause: we invite participants to donate to their own local grassroots organization, while also suggesting a handful of exemplary organizations working in communities where the need is especially acute. This year, our umbrella category is organizations providing direct aid to community members, including food, housing assistance, and other basic needs. When looking for an org to support, we encourage you to think about specific populations in your community who may be especially at risk.
- Echo Food Bank ** - Food bank situated among several Native nations in New Mexico. They also offer an affordable preschool program.
- Madison Countians Allied Against Poverty (MadCAAP) * - Provides food, education, clothing and other services in Madison County, Mississippi
- Peninsula Poverty Response * - Providing communities around Ocean Park WA with food assistance, clothing, laundry services, transportation assistance, and showers, offering immediate relief and a pathway to stability with dignity and compassion.
- Sisters PGH * - A Black Trans-led organization, Sisters PGH offers both basic resources and counseling to trans people in the Pittsburgh area, including safe, stable housing for Brown and Black trans folks.
- Women’s Daytime Drop-In Center * - Oakland, CA based org providing resources, meals, and a place to go for unhoused women and children.
- …or a similar organization working in your community!
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Organizations marked with an asterisk (*) allow for international donations directly through their websites; two asterisks (**) indicate limited international donations. The orgs without asterisks may take international donations through a paypal or venmo account. If you are a non-US-based bidder/donor and you are having trouble finding an organization to which you can donate, please email us directly at fandomtrumpshate @ gmail . com.
Books 2025
Jan. 12th, 2026 04:13 pmsemperfionaI started keeping track in 2025 of all the books I read (not including fanfic, of which I am sure I read tens of millions of words) because I have been reading so few professionally published works. I was going to say 'pro-fic' but some of it has been non-fiction as well. So here's the exciting list of 51 books I read in 2025. An average of *almost* a book a week, although there are some interesting three month gaps where I didn't read anything that wasn't on AO3.
- Breaking Silence, Linda Castillo, 1/1/25
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Malinda Lo, 4/6/25
- Cleat Cute, Meryl Wilsner, 4/6/25
- Long Live Evil, Sarah Rees Brennan, 4/6/25
- The Pairing, Casey McQuiston, 4/20/25
- Camp Damascus, Chuck Tingle, 4/21/25ish
- The City Beautiful, Aden Polydoros, ?/?/25 probably April 21 ish
- Ash, Malinda Lo, ?/?/25 probably April 21ish
- Yellowface, RF Kuang, 7/8/25
- The Duke Who Didn’t, Courtney Milan, 7/15/25
- Hither, Page, Cat Sebastian, 7/16/25
- Prophet, Helen MacDonald and Sin Blache, 7/23/25, reread
- The Magpie Lord, KJ Charles, 7/24/25
- A Case of Possession, KJ Charles, 7/24/25
- The Governess Affair, Courtney Milan, 7/25/25
- The Duchess War, Courtney Milan, 7/25/25
- The Heiress Effect, Courtney Milan, 7/25/25
- To Be Taught, If Fortunate, Becky Chambers, 7/26/25
- In Other Lands, Sarah Rees Brennan, 7/26/25
- Flight of Magpies, KJ Charles, 7/28/25
- The Power of Babel, John McWhorter, 7/29/25
- Scum Villain’s Self Saving System Book 1, MXTX, 8/2/25
- Scum Villain’s Self Saving System Book 2, MXTX, 8/7/25
- Scum Villain’s Self Saving System Book 3, MXTX, 8/7/25
- Scum Villain’s Self Saving System Book 4, MXTX, 8/8/25
- Bury Your Gays, Chuck Tingle, 8/9/25
- Jackdaw, KJ Charles, 9/6/25
- Rag and Bone, KJ Charles, 9/6/25
- The Marquis Who Mustn’t, Courtney Milan, 9/7/25
- The Earl Who Isn’t, Courtney Milan, 9/14/25
- Made for You, Jamie Lambing (unpublished), 9/22/25
- The Eagle and The Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV, Helen Castor, 10/1/25
- The House with a Clock in its Walls, John Bellairs, 10/2/25
- The Face in the Frost, John Bellairs, 10/11/25
- All the Birds in the Sky, Charlie Jane Anders, 10/11/25
- A Mystery of Mysteries: the Life and Death of Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Dawidziak, 10/15/25
- Lucky Day, Chuck Tingle, 10/20/25
- Band Sinister, KJ Charles, 10/23/25
- Opus, Gareth Gore, 11/6/25
- The 13 Clocks, James Thurber, 11/13/25
- The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K LeGuin, 11/19/25, reread
- Translation State, Ann Leckie, 11/26/25
- Straight, Chuck Tingle, 11/26/25, audio
- This Princess Kills Monsters, Ry Herman, 11/26/25
- Thornhedge, T. Kingfisher, 11/28/25
- Nettle & Bone, T. Kingfisher, 12/7/25
- Lessons in Magic and Disaster, Charlie Jane Anders, 12/11/25
- Guardian: Zhen Hun Vol 1, priest, 12/14/25
- Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay, 12/19/25, reread
- The Golden Thread, Kassia St. Clair, 12/28/25
- What Moves the Dead, T. Kingfisher, 12/28/25
Fandom Trumps Hate 2026
Jan. 12th, 2026 05:18 pmfthmods posting in fandomtrumpshateBelow you'll find the calendar for the tenth (!) FTH auction. (What is FTH?)
Our list of supported organizations for 2026 is here. Over the next week, we'll be posting more in-depth profiles of each of these organizations on Tumblr to help creators and bidders can make thoughtful, informed decisions. You can also look at the Auction FAQ (which has lots of useful information for people thinking about signing up as creators, as well as dedicated sections on bidding and on nonprofit orgs.) If you’re raring to go, you can also look at our bidding policies. You'll also find the dates for our 2026 Crafts Bazaar, if you're interested in creating or receiving physical fanworks.
FTH 2026 Calendar
Monday, Jan 26th: creator signups open for both the auction and the craft bazaar
Sunday, Feb 8th: creator signups close for the main auction; craft bazaar signups remain open!
Friday, Feb 27th: browsing period begins, craft bazaar opens
Tuesday, March 3rd, 8am ET: auction bidding opens; craft bazaar signups close
Saturday, March 7th, 8pm ET: auction bidding closes
Wednesday, Mar 18th: auction donations due; craft stalls close
Thursday, Dec 31st: fanworks due
We're excited to be back for another round, and we hope you are too! After all, the world needs us more than ever: our donations, our community care, and our joyful and inspiring fanworks. We need one another right now, and FTH is a great way to make that happen.
Another interesting post from Quora, this one on thinking styles and Maduro
Jan. 12th, 2026 03:00 pmthewaynehttps://qr.ae/pCZEPA
Question: How many Democrats are pro-Maduro?
Reply: Zero.
Back in my uni days, I took a class in cognitive science that was one of my favorite courses. One of the many, many things we talked about in class was the difference between abstract thinkers and concrete thinkers.
This difference appears to be architectural, a consequence of how your brain is wired, not a matter of choice or education.
Concrete thinkers see the world in strict black and white terms. They have difficulty drawing indirect connections between things, struggle to see multiple perspectives, and tend to hold an all or nothing, with-us-or-against-us mentality.
Abstract thinkers understand complex associations, can understand multiple perspectives at the same time, and can see second and third order relationships between things.
And crucially, abstract thinkers can understand concrete thought patterns, but generally speaking, concrete thinkers seem physically incapable of understanding abstract thought patterns.
So here’s the thing:
Abstract thinkers are capable of grasping multiple ideas at once. Like, “Maduro is an illegitimate totalitarian ruler with an authoritarian bent who presided over an illegitimate government” and also “a unilateral move to depose Maduro is illegal under international treaties and morally wrong.”
Concrete thinkers be all like “you’re either good or your bad, and if you’re bad you deserve anything bad that happens to you, anyone who says Maduro shouldn’t have been kidnapped must live and support Maduro.”
Abstract thinkers be like “no, you can believe a person is bad and also believe that breaking the law to kidnap that person is bad too, both of those things can be true at the same time.”
Very interesting, I wish we had classes available here on such a topic. I'm not sure how much I agree with it being a structural thing vs an education thing, I'd want to see some information on that, I'd be open to discussion.
I can certainly see where some conservative people whom I know/knew had problems with abstract thinking. I think I would hazard to say that concrete thinkers might be more easily persuaded by ideologues since they would be more likely to present their arguments and ideas in more concrete 'for or against' terms with straw man arguments that appear harder to refute.
Personally I've never had problems to easily see and argue multiple sides of an argument. When I first started working here at the university, around 20 years ago in the computer lab, we had one guy who had a degree in philosophy, and we had a security guard who was an ex-cop and a former preacher, and another who just liked discussing things in a lively fashion. And we had these informal round tables where we'd argue the issues of the day, going around and round, picking up and discarding different viewpoints. It was tremendous fun. But it only lasted about a year before I left and the group broke apart.
I know I definitely prefer to associate more with abstract thinkers, they're much more fun to talk and argue (more in a discuss way, not combative ) things with.
Question: How many Democrats are pro-Maduro?
Reply: Zero.
Back in my uni days, I took a class in cognitive science that was one of my favorite courses. One of the many, many things we talked about in class was the difference between abstract thinkers and concrete thinkers.
This difference appears to be architectural, a consequence of how your brain is wired, not a matter of choice or education.
Concrete thinkers see the world in strict black and white terms. They have difficulty drawing indirect connections between things, struggle to see multiple perspectives, and tend to hold an all or nothing, with-us-or-against-us mentality.
Abstract thinkers understand complex associations, can understand multiple perspectives at the same time, and can see second and third order relationships between things.
And crucially, abstract thinkers can understand concrete thought patterns, but generally speaking, concrete thinkers seem physically incapable of understanding abstract thought patterns.
So here’s the thing:
Abstract thinkers are capable of grasping multiple ideas at once. Like, “Maduro is an illegitimate totalitarian ruler with an authoritarian bent who presided over an illegitimate government” and also “a unilateral move to depose Maduro is illegal under international treaties and morally wrong.”
Concrete thinkers be all like “you’re either good or your bad, and if you’re bad you deserve anything bad that happens to you, anyone who says Maduro shouldn’t have been kidnapped must live and support Maduro.”
Abstract thinkers be like “no, you can believe a person is bad and also believe that breaking the law to kidnap that person is bad too, both of those things can be true at the same time.”
Very interesting, I wish we had classes available here on such a topic. I'm not sure how much I agree with it being a structural thing vs an education thing, I'd want to see some information on that, I'd be open to discussion.
I can certainly see where some conservative people whom I know/knew had problems with abstract thinking. I think I would hazard to say that concrete thinkers might be more easily persuaded by ideologues since they would be more likely to present their arguments and ideas in more concrete 'for or against' terms with straw man arguments that appear harder to refute.
Personally I've never had problems to easily see and argue multiple sides of an argument. When I first started working here at the university, around 20 years ago in the computer lab, we had one guy who had a degree in philosophy, and we had a security guard who was an ex-cop and a former preacher, and another who just liked discussing things in a lively fashion. And we had these informal round tables where we'd argue the issues of the day, going around and round, picking up and discarding different viewpoints. It was tremendous fun. But it only lasted about a year before I left and the group broke apart.
I know I definitely prefer to associate more with abstract thinkers, they're much more fun to talk and argue (more in a discuss way, not combative ) things with.
Write Every day 2026: January, Day 12
Jan. 12th, 2026 10:53 pmtrobadoraIn yesterday's poll, third person limited was the most popular POV for writing by far - 89% of respondents like it, whereas only 32% like to write in first person and/or third person omniscient. For reading, there's much less of a gap - 79% like to read third person limited, 68% third person omniscient, and 53% first person. In both polls, second person is by far the least popular with only 16%.
Interestingly, most people have the same POV preferences for fanfic and original fic when reading (63%) or writing (53%)!
And 89% of respondents would like a story from a tickybox's POV. :D
For me, I'm not fond of second person in reading - I've come across no more than a handful of stories I actually liked, and I can't put my finger on what made those ones work for me when others didn't. So I've never tried to write it myself.
With first person, I like it much more in original fiction than in fanfic - unless it's epistolary fic or something like that, or the canon is already in first person. IMO it's already difficult to write first person well in general, to get a character's voice that consistently right in such a close way that it really feels like the character's voice telling the story. But in fanfic, to me first person makes it much more obvious when the author's view of the character's interiority differs from mine, so it often doesn't work for me for that reason.
I've written a bunch of first person stories, almost all for Sherlock Holmes and adjacent fandoms (out of 10 works, seven are in first person) - though not BBC Sherlock; as a TV canon, that's firmly in third person territory for me. *g* And I've tried omniscient POV once (The Finality Problem, Study in Emerald), which was a lot of fun. But the vast majority of what I read and write is limited third person. I really should experiment with POV more!
Today's writing
Progress on afandomtrees treat!
WED Question of the Day
Tally
( Days 1-10 )
Day 11:badly_knitted, brithistorian, china_shop, cornerofmadness, daegaer, goddess47, sanguinity, shadaras, sylvanwitch, trobadora
Day 12:trobadora
Let me know if I missed anyone! And remember you can drop in or out at any time. :)
Interestingly, most people have the same POV preferences for fanfic and original fic when reading (63%) or writing (53%)!
And 89% of respondents would like a story from a tickybox's POV. :D
For me, I'm not fond of second person in reading - I've come across no more than a handful of stories I actually liked, and I can't put my finger on what made those ones work for me when others didn't. So I've never tried to write it myself.
With first person, I like it much more in original fiction than in fanfic - unless it's epistolary fic or something like that, or the canon is already in first person. IMO it's already difficult to write first person well in general, to get a character's voice that consistently right in such a close way that it really feels like the character's voice telling the story. But in fanfic, to me first person makes it much more obvious when the author's view of the character's interiority differs from mine, so it often doesn't work for me for that reason.
I've written a bunch of first person stories, almost all for Sherlock Holmes and adjacent fandoms (out of 10 works, seven are in first person) - though not BBC Sherlock; as a TV canon, that's firmly in third person territory for me. *g* And I've tried omniscient POV once (The Finality Problem, Study in Emerald), which was a lot of fun. But the vast majority of what I read and write is limited third person. I really should experiment with POV more!
Today's writing
Progress on a
fandomtrees treat!WED Question of the Day
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 26
Are you a linear writer?
View Answers
yes, I start at the beginning and write until the end of the story
9 (34.6%)
yes, unless the story itself isn't linear
6 (23.1%)
no, I write bits and pieces all over the place and then stitch them together
8 (30.8%)
something else (see comments)
3 (11.5%)
tickyboxes are ...
View Answers
neatly lined up one after the other
7 (31.8%)
out of order
5 (22.7%)
beyond such human concerns
17 (77.3%)
Tally
( Days 1-10 )
Day 11:
badly_knitted, brithistorian, china_shop, cornerofmadness, daegaer, goddess47, sanguinity, shadaras, sylvanwitch, trobadoraDay 12:
trobadoraLet me know if I missed anyone! And remember you can drop in or out at any time. :)