World Enough and Time

Did you do the classic American things? Barbecued hot dogs? Fireworks?

From:

raissad.livejournal.com

I watched national and local fireworks on TV.

From:

Excellent!

From:

Thank you!

From:

You're welcome - I love national holidays, so I hope you had a great one.

From:

I saw a movie and got some cleaning done. I don't know about how holiday that was, but it does bring satisfaction!

From:

Cleaning can be very satisfying. It's amazing. It helps that when I clean these days, I usually play John Barrowman songs at full volume, and sometimes sing along.

Love your icon!

From:

I like Meatloaf for cleaning, I don't know why. Well, at least this week I'll have plenty to list for the Sunday 7!

*Had* to have this icon ready for the Potter launch.

From:

*Had* to have this icon ready for the Potter launch.

Of course you did!

I love it when fandoms overlap.

From:

I love it when they overlap.

I love it more when the fandom I'm more interested in is the saner one...

From:

I love it more when the fandom I'm more interested in is the saner one...

I'm trying to work that out in terms of which fandom you think is more sane. I don't know much about Harry Potter fandom but I've heard horrific rumours. Now, I think Doctor Who fandom is (relatively) sane, but I'm part of it, and so possibly unqualified to judge.

From:

I think Who fandom is tempestuous, but relatively sane. Especially when compared to the people who are willing to defend their ship to the death in Harry Potter fandom, nevermind the boring bits about Harry and that guy whose name starts with a V or something.

From:

Just goes to show - it's all in the perspective!

Which isn't to say there aren't Harry Potter characters I like better than others. I'm not sure about the relationships - I don't think there are any I feel committed to, though some appeal and some don't.

From:

There are characters I like in Potter fandom - I'll certainly be upset if any of the central three or the twins die. There are ships I'd like to see too, but I'm hardly going to do more than blink if they sink.

What I see in fringes of that fandom, though, is just... beyond batshit. Beyond batchip, even. Although I have to confess that the protest over Harry dating Ginny for, what, three pages gave me almost as much entertainment as the book itself.

From:

There are characters I like in Potter fandom - I'll certainly be upset if any of the central three or the twins die.

By 'the central three' I take it you mean Hermione, Harry and Ron? I don't think it's likely that any of them will die. I love the twins.

What are the ships you would like to see?

What I see in fringes of that fandom, though, is just... beyond batshit.

I've heard rumours of that. I think it's the sign of an incredibly large fandom. The only fandom Iparticipated in, in which I recall serious craziness, is Lord of the Rings fandom - another big one.

Although I have to confess that the protest over Harry dating Ginny for, what, three pages gave me almost as much entertainment as the book itself.

Yes - I was amused, because I like Harry/Ginny.

From:

By 'the central three' I take it you mean Hermione, Harry and Ron?

Yes. I don't *expect* any of them to die... but I know that JK has been feeling a bit like she's riding a tiger, and the best way to get off would be to snuff Harry.

At this point, I think the only way Percy can redeem himself is to die.

I like Harry/Hermione, but I like Harry/Ginny almost equally. Ditto Ron/Luna and Ron/Hermione. Frankly, as long as Draco gets no love, I'm fine. I don't like Draco.

From:

I don't *expect* any of them to die... but I know that JK has been feeling a bit like she's riding a tiger, and the best way to get off would be to snuff Harry.

There was a headline in the paper today saying that Rowling was hinting that futher Harry Potter books might be possible, in a 'never say never' sort of way. It's probably nonsense but it would imply that Harry won't die. I don't think Harry will die, myself, it would be too depressing for too many people. I personally think Hermione will survive, she's too smart to be killed. As for Ron - well, he's the character I don't like, so I don't really care whether he survives, but I think he'll make it, too.

I agree about Percy. He's too far gone. I think of him as the sacrificial Weasley.

I like Harry/Ginny a little more than Harry/Hermione but it's pretty close. I don't remember Luna. I do like Draco (I feel sorry for him) but I don't think it's likely he will win any hearts!

From:

filkferengi

Speaking of ships in Harry Potter fandom,

filkertom wrote a song about Hermione's birthday being on Talk Like A Pirate Day [for which he also wrote the song]. The Hermione song is called "Hey, It's Can(non)" & is on Tom's free page, here: http://www.tomsmithonline.com/freestuff.htm

P. S. Traveling Wilburys & Creedence Clearwater Revival are likewise excellent for house-cleaning.

P. S. S. I didn't know you two knew each other.

From:

It's brilliant!

From:

I never wish that to anyone. It would be dancing on the graves of people I love. Also, why wouldn't any sane person on the North American continent want to be like Canada?!!!

Plus, I'd like us to get independence from them. They have bases in this country over which our own Ministry of Defence has no control. Our government thinks nothing of spending millions on weapons systems which they can't use unless the US gives them the keycode.
See Campaign for Accountability of American Bases (http://www.caab.org.uk/).

From:

I figure I can wish my American friends a happy day without political implications. Put another way: if I let political implications colour my comments, I'd end up ranting like a fiend all the time, because no nation on earth is without sin and every day the news is full of horrific events - you don't need to go to history for that. It's their day, and I trust them to celebrate it for the sake of the good things about their country, rather than the bad.

From:

Well, if people will build their celebrations around wars…

It's all the National Foundation Myth bullshit.

At least it led to Canada being separate, partly through one of the 18C's biggest movements of refugees.

From:

Yeah, just one annoying war after another.

I'm very happy to be citizen of a country that wasn't founded on war... Though the native population might not agree with that.

From:

But it is. Anglophone Canada is a result of the Seven Years' War, boosted by the American War of Independence. But it doesn't centre its identity on that and make it into some kind of jamboree.

From:

Anglophone Canada is a result of the Seven Years' War

That isn't Canada at all. At that time, 'Canada' was Quebec and the rest was British North America. It depends what you see as defining the country. As far as being a nation goes, Canada became Canada by purely political/dipolomatic means in 1867. Wars fought a century earlier didn't define it or shape it, though they certainly had a role in both; and though Canada would never have existed if the Americans had won the War of 1812, we don't define ourselves by that, either. Though we gained some population via the United Empire Loyalists, that's really only significant in Ontario - irrelevant except to historians, since such a majority of our population is from other peoples and places. (China, for example.)

From:

That isn't Canada at all. At that time, 'Canada' was Quebec and the rest was British North America. It depends what you see as defining the country.

I'd define it as British North America-plus-Quebec.

since such a majority of our population is from other peoples and places. (China, for example.)

That's also true of the US, which also didn't really take its modern shape until second half of the 19C, after wars with Mexico and the First Nations.

From:

There's also the fact that my old university refused to publish an article of mine in its alumnus magazine, about former students who had served their country in the American War, because it might be considered "too sensitive" re: the wealthy US alumni on whom it relies for donations. The university is quite happy to celebrate links with a prominent Rebel (despite the fact he was a crooked lawyer, under investigation at the time of his death), but not an eminent philosopher who served as secretary to the Peace Commission, an army officer from a local family who later made General, or an army chaplain who was also a well-respected Gaelic scholar.

Mind, being a banned writer is quite amusing… I can send you the article, if you like. It wasn't inflammatory in any way.

From:

Sure, I'd like to read it! It's history.

I hate the way the politics of today influences the study of the past. And it happens all the time.

From:

It's about money. When I'd raised the issue previously with an American postgrad student who was behind the Wilson commemorations a few years previously, his response had been that, because the university is so dependent on non-EU overseas student fees, they can dictate which bits of our history we celebrate.

From:

See why I don't like capitalism? See? It reshapes reality in its own (shallow) image.

From:

We're expected to behave like a client-state and be grateful for the dollars.

From:

Not good.

From:

It worries me as a precedent. Now that universities here are looking increasingly to China for non-EU students to rip off, will they discourage people from speaking out/writing about human rights abuses there?

From:

I am hoping that the world in general will soon revert to a belief in freedom of speech. Even if university studies are governed by fashion, which is bad enough, we don't want them governed by politics - any sort of politics.

From:

mmegaera.livejournal.com

Thank you!

From:

atheneunknown.livejournal.com

Thanks, from someone who only sheepishly calls themselves American.

I do appreciate the thought, and the energy of the day. But so much negativity comes from whats going on right now.

*sigh*

I'm moving to wales so I can fangirl the torchwood team...

No, actually i'm moving a whole half a mile, but i can pretend.

From:

Thanks, from someone who only sheepishly calls themselves American.

Oh dear. You really don't need to be embarrassed - national (or international) politics and history aren't your fault!

Moving to Wales is a nice idea. I hear they have great mountains. I know they have nice castles. And underneath the paving in Millennium Square it's very interesting indeed.

From:

atheneunknown.livejournal.com

I realize that, but there are so many people in my area who are so stubbornly patriotic, then when I call myself American, I feel like I'm going to there level.

Which usually wouldn't bother me, god knows those people pay my paychecks, but still, doesn't mean I have to LIKE them.

As for that paving stone, if I ever go there during filming season, I would love to stay there. Too Bad that Who Towers is an apartment complex, and not a hotel. Or I'd totally pay the ridiculous prices, just on the off chance of John Barrowman stepping on the elevator with me.

From:

when I call myself American, I feel like I'm going to there level.

Just remember that you aren't them, and you don't need to apologize for them. You're an example of the good kind of American - that's all you need to do and to be, and you'll be redeeming the image of Americans for everyone else.

those people pay my paychecks, but still, doesn't mean I have to LIKE them.

LOL - yes, exactly!

Too Bad that Who Towers is an apartment complex, and not a hotel

Maybe you could rent a flat there for a month?

just on the off chance of John Barrowman stepping on the elevator with me.

Nice thought. Very nice thought.

There is a retired former politician I admire who lives in my apartment building. Flora MacDonald, her name is. I occasionally find myself on the elevator with her but I'm too shy to tell her how much I admire her support of World Federalism and other good causes.

From:

wanderinunicorn.livejournal.com

Happy Independence Day America! Great country; country of Hope, country of Future! God (or whatever) bless you!

PS: Now you maybe understand how difficult is it, to be kind and honest at the same time.

From: