I just returned from a Caribbean scuba diving trip -- took 600+ photos.  I'm deep into the following reference books which, although of limited interest to this group, are fascinating and the gold standards for divers: 


Reef Fish Identification -- Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas   (Humann & DeLoach)
Reef Creature Identification -- Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas   (Humann, DeLoach & Wilk)
Reef Coral Identification -- Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas  (Humann & DeLoach)
   

I've dived in Belize 3 times over the past 4 years.  It's difficult to compare but overall, their corals look mostly fine although I suspect they have been damaged.     

Bonaire also looks fairly good -- 2 trips in 3 years -- but you can see areas of dead coral and scattered dead coral heads.  Significantly, Bonaire divemasters disclosed that the island's vast areas of staghorn coral are now reduced to relatively small patches.  The ones we encountered were approx. 1/5 acre or so.  Staghorn is crucial for sheltering small and young fish so the loss has great impact.  Bonaire's scattered dead coral and bleaching wasn't anything like the horrific Great barrier Reef photos I've seen. 

Bonaire, Belize and St. Lucia are actively propagating corals for reef restoration and researching species resistant to warming oceans -- occasionally we encounter underwater "nurseries".  They are clustered stick frames with coral fragments tied to and dangling from the rods until ready for transplantation.       

The most pristine and extraordinary place we've dived is Fiji.  Absolutely mind-blowing.  Table corals 15 feet across -- they are reminiscent of Michael Whelan's cover art for Asimov's Foundation (book 1 / Hari).  I gasped out loud through my regulator when I saw them for the first time -- everywhere, and simply unbelievable.  

Zillions of tiny fish (purple & yellow Fairy Basslets, wrasses and more) swarm everywhere in Fiji.  My favorite was the Clown Triggerfish -- approx 15" long, with distinctive large black and while polka-dots on its ventral side.  Clown Triggerfish are uncommon, and only seen in the Indo-Pacific, so it was thrilling when we encountered one.    

Fiji is famous as the "soft coral capitol of the world".  Compared to the Caribbean, Fiji's stony corals and larger fish aren't as abundant -- but if their pristine soft corals are indicative of what the Caribbean used to be like, the oceans have truly suffered.         

  

I just finished Cyteen, for the second time. I've always found it to be a tough one, and have DNFed a number of times. After this read, I think it's because in the first section (with Ari 1), all the characters are unlikable and are pretty awful.  Once the story progresses to Ari 2 and the gang, things get better. Of particular interest, almost every "bad" character is redeemed or their actions are at least partially explained/rationalized.

The exploration of the limits of the Azi (whether inherent, societal, or from tape) are really interesting. Along with the Ari 1/2 main storyline, it results in an in-depth exploration of nature-or-nurture; leaning strongly in favor of nurture. Given how the Azi are created and treated, it's not a good look for the CITs. Gehanna is an exploration from a different perspective, but ends up largely in the same place.  

Other tidbits. 
Justin/Grant are like two aspects of one person. Justin is usually weak and uncertain (common to CJ’s male leads early in a story) and doesn’t progress much; he’s always trapped by bigger forces. Grant is stronger but constrained by his Azi-ness (or is he really?).
Caitlin and the other security bodyguards are a device that leads to the Assassin’s Guild characters. The Mri are an even earlier exploration.
Finally, Ari and Azi. Quite deliberate, but I’m not sure what conclusion to draw. 

Last edited by Aja Jin (2/16/2026 12:42 pm)

Agreed that Cyteen is an undisputed masterpiece.  I've always maintained that it is, along with Downbelow Station and Gehenna, one of the foundational works of the whole Alliance-Union universe.  I think all three are needed for a reasonably full understanding of the sheer scale of Her breadth and depthof vision for these worlds.

And I still remember how my very first introduction to the original incarnation of the Shejidan messageboard was to innocently jump into a discussion about Cyteen and Ari Is murderer.

 

Update on this, cut and pasted from another thread:
"You may recall that I received a book from a friend that no one here recognized: Liege-Killer by Christopher Hinz first published 1987.

Surtac went so far as to begin a read, but found something about it not to his liking. I understood that too from my start. I am happy to report that now at page 400 of 535, I was pleasantly surprised by about page 150. I haven’t finished, I’m not ready to say I recommend it, but at least it’s been a far more engaging read than I was expecting."

So I finished this. No need to dissect its shortcomings, largely in the writing, but also in the ambition. The characterizations were not strong. That said, it was a better read than many. Overall, I liked the world-building and many plot elements. I seem to take pleasure in SF where humanity has spread into the solar system, whether by terraforming or habitat construction. This was the latter. Three reasons I can think of: One, it's plausible -no technologies forbidden by physics required. And second, I believe in it. In other words, I believe it will happen if we don't destroy ourselves. And third, I have started several pieces myself from a habitat in geosynchronous orbit. Sometimes survivors look from the broad windows down at a ruined Earth.

Anyway, not bad. I see why people like it, and why my friend gave it to me. Not sure I would recommend it, unless someone was considering reading it already. Its not River of Gods, for example.