Priorities: we have them. Also fanfic recs.

[selenak]

You know what I find typical about the general responses to the recent wikileaks? That the media - well, ours, anyway - focuses on bruised egos, despite the fact the various descriptions from the diplomatic mailbag are hardly surprising. (If anything, disappointingly mild. You can't find anything worse to say on Berlusconi than that he's a show-off party goer? The guy who keeps making a mockery out of the justice system since he got to power the first time? Get your priorities straight, diplomats.) Whereas I had to read thoroughly before stumbling over a little aside in the Guardian to the effect the American goverment pressured the German one not to press charges against the CIA agents who kidnapped and tortured a German citizen who happened to have the same name as a terrorist. Because that's clearly not nearly as important than the diplomats reporting Merkel as averse to risk-taking and Westerwelle as "exuberant" yet not good at foreign politics. Only a German curse will do: Himmelherrgottnochmal!

On to more joyful, i.e. fannish things. Have some recs:

The West Wing:

Pages Left Unturned: lovely Andrea Wyatt portrait. I don't really 'ship in West Wing, but Andy/Toby comes close, and is, imo, one of the most successful attempts at showing a "can't live with each other, can't live without each other" relationship without demonizing one of the partners or showing him/her as delusional.

Merlin:

What Matters More: a great tag to 3.12 which will be AU'd next Saturday but until then showcases Gwen and Uther beautifully and has terrific tense character interaction.

Comments

[monanotlisa]

Whereas I had to read thoroughly before stumbling over a little aside in the Guardian to the effect the American goverment pressured the German one not to press charges against the CIA agents who kidnapped and tortured a German citizen who happened to have the same name as a terrorist. Because that's clearly not nearly as important than the diplomats reporting Merkel as averse to risk-taking and Westerwelle as "exuberant" yet not good at foreign politics.

Oh, indeed. Thanks for making this point.

[selenak]

I just read today's Süddeutsche and again, there's nothing on that! O tempora, o mores.

[watervole]

Thanks for the fic recs - I particularly liked the Merlin one.

[selenak]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, it really is a smashing story!