Notices by Ada Palmer (adapalmer@wandering.shop), page 3

Yay, the first of my regular column essays for Strange Horizons is out! I worked super hard on this one, a history of the symbiosis & mutual influence between western genre fiction & Japanese anime/manga. Designed for non-anime-fans interested in learning how the fandoms nourished each other. W/ bonus WWII history & sparkly musicals! http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/a-mitfreude-of-anime-and-mangas-relationship-with-anglophone-science-fiction-or-this-essay-will-not-try-to-get-you-into-anime-and-manga/

#SomethingBeatufiul Section of the grand Roman mosaic at the Vatican, with detail of a bemused-looking sea monster looking at an equally bemused-looking merman

#SomethingBeautiful Decorated vaulted ceiling of the Borgia Apartments in the Vatican palace, showing the Borgia coat of arms and the bulls that were the family's symbol

#SomethingBeautiful Funerary moment to an unknown Roman matron, in the Vatican Museum in Rome

#SomethingBeautiful sunset in Epidaurus in Greece, with a Venetian fort visible on a small island in the bay

#SomethingBeautiful Portrait bust of an unknown Roman boy, classical. Vatican Museum

Hello, Mastodon friends! I'm finally getting set up to do my #SomethingBeautiful regularly here! Photos of gorgeous things (mostly historical artifacts from Europe plus some food) coming to a large elephant-like mammal near you! To start, enjoy this ancient Roman Apollo at the Vatican.

Criteria we could use to judge & compare countries instead of GDP & military strength:

- % of population living in poverty
- child mortality
- average women’s educational level
- life expectancy
- standard of living for poorest 10% of population
- median leisure budget remaining after core expenses (rent, food, health, education)
- minimum wage v cost of living
- happiness index
- % population failed by social safety net
- preventable deaths
- environmental impact per population

Any #histodons around who have Vatican Library appointments soon and would be willing to take photos of a single item for a deserving grad student who can’t get an appointment but really needs to see this one manuscript to finish the dissertation this year? #histodon #medievodons #Rennaidons #earlymodons