miscellanea

[anotheranon]

• Queering SFF: Best of 2010 - I've not had time to read any of these, but perhaps some of you have or would like to. Agree? Disagree? Additions/subtractions? In the comments...
  
  
• WikiLeaks and the Long Haul: "...[Shirky's] personal view is that there is too much secrecy in the current system, and that a corrective towards transparency is a good idea. I don’t, however, believe in total transparency, and even more importantly, I don’t think that independent actors who are subject to no checks or balances is a good idea in the long haul." Disclaimer: I've not kept up on this story as I'd like, but I have noticed the discussion about it has become, as many are, polarized into good/bad, either/or. This is a little more nuanced.
  
  
• A Nude Awakening: The TSA and Privacy. Conveys what I've been saying elsewhen in less coherent ways, namely, that the current TSA policy is invasive and often humiliating while doing little that will actually make air traffic more secure. I was scanned on the way to Vegas and while I was irritated at the x-ray I pitied the TSA staff more - despite the handwringing over potential perving, I doubt they like the scan/pat any more than travelers do.
  
  
• What's behind the American fascination with British royalty? Seriously, what? I was a royal watcher as a kid but in my defense I was 8 when Charles and Di got married and remember most of the coverage as oohing and ahing over the dress, the church, the carriage, the fairytale. I can see the appeal in a sense of continuity between the generations, a kind of "national family" to see born, grow up, get married, etc. but Hollywood offers just as much glitz and drama, without the old-fashioned snobbiness (maybe that's it?)
  
  
• Steve Buscemi's controlled gangster: (Spoiler alert) D. and I have become overnight fans of Boardwalk Empire for it's quality writing and shades-of-grey characters. This is an examination of how skinny fish-faced Buscemi sells the Nucky Thompson lead.