Anghraine

This is a tiny thing, but I've just seen RS Benedict et al's desperate attempt to drag Ursula Vernon for being insufficiently self-flagellating about benefiting from the Hugos bullshit.

As far as I can follow:

• The RSB/Rite Gud crowd seem to be under the impression that Ursula Vernon bathes in gold coins derived from her illegitimate Hugo.
• There was a comparison to Pontius Pilate that I don't fully comprehend. I don't think Vernon (or possibly anyone) does either, but it did allow for a lot of pictures of David Bowie in the threads.
• Vernon is currently in regular chemotherapy for cancer.
• There was a speculation that Vernon was actually in cahoots with Dave McCarty to get the Best Novel Hugo (...) or maybe it's just her irresistible sexual allure.
• Fanfic is a faint specter over all of this because of the File770 BNFs' tantrums over the AO3 win a few years ago + RSB being the same RS Benedict who periodically has vapors about fanfic in general.
• This is also the same RSB who (almost as desperately) tried to make "squeecore" happen awhile back.
• Because of unrelated WSFS incompetence, Vernon hasn't received the physical award yet and hasn't made a decision about what to do with it.

Most of this whole thing sucks, but ... lmao.

I'm appalled about the Hugo Award situation, and sorry for people who were arbitrarily declared ineligible and for the winners who now have to doubt the entire process that got them their awards.

But also, it's a little bit funny that literally the same people who were throwing absolute tantrums over AO3 users joking about winning a fraction of a Hugo and breathing down the OTW's neck about it are now wringing their hands about how nobody has any ability to do anything, now or ever, about a Hugo Award when the vote calculations are pretty blatantly fraudulent.

Like, it's critically important that the Hugo Award trademark be protected from random AO3 users. But also there's no intention or possibility of protecting it, actually. Um???

In a tiny time capsule, an anon asked:

Hearing about the Hugo Awards wank has made me want to put "Hugo award winner" in my tumblr bio

I replied:

The temptation is strong. I, for one, am delighted with my fraction of a Hugo award!

I am unironically happy for AO3.