I Can't Believe It's Not An Index CCXXXIII - Jasdoif's Random Banter #233

[Jasdoif]

Welcome, fellow sapients and/or automatons, to yet another edition of Random Banter. No, we don't trade quips about the Mersenne Twister (that I know of); we banter about random topics, on the scale that doesn't call for full-fledged dedicated threads (that we know of).

Amotis' Random Banter #1 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13484)
Dhavaer's Random Banter #2 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13401)
PhoeKun's Random Banter #3 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13319)
Rei Jin's Random Banter #4 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13205)
Toxic Avenger's Random Banter #5 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13146)
Jibar's Random Banter #6 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13026)
Ego Slayer's Surrogate Random Banter #7 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12939)
Sneak's Random Barroom Brawl #8 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12918)
Sophistemon's Solemnly Random Banter #9 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12855)
Vaynor's Very Random Banter #10 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12834)
Bookman's Blathering Random Banter #11 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12809)
Gralamin's Glorious Random Banter #12 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12785)
Rilik's Resplendently Random Raillery #13 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12766)
Gezina's Growling Grazing Random Banter #14 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12747)
The Zerglings Utterly And Geeky Random Banter #15 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12740)
jaqueses Truthfully Randomly Fireside Banter # 16 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12735)
Jack Squat’s Jubilantly Quixotic Random Banter #17 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12693)
Cardel's Banter of Cookie Jubilation #18 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12668)
Archonic's Chaotically Random Banter of Rods #19 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12657)
The Rod's Inanimate Temple of RANDOM banter #20 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12638)
Lucky’s Loquaciously Loud-Mouthed Random Banter#21 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12630)
Deckmaster's Divinely Delightful Random Banter #22 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12614)
Saithis' Soliloquy of Random Banter #23 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12598)
Loveable Lianae's Ludicrous Lampooning Lottery #24 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12578)
NEO|Phyte's Neolithic Nest of Weasel Banter #25 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12544)
Target's Random Banter of "non-violence" #26 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12533)
Tarnag40k's Random banter of "grammar errors" #27 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12515)
Kyrian's Random Banter of ADHDness #28 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12507)
El Jaspero's Random Drunken Ramblings #29 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12503)
Boss Smiley's Eloquently Eggy Banter #30 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12494)
Lykan's Looney Explosionarama & Random Banter #31 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12482)
Iames's Iambic Yarn of Yammering #32 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12468)
Dispozition's Deviously Distressed Banter #33 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12458)
CP's Copiously Combusting Banter of Carnage #34 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12445)
Alarra's Altar of Random Banter #35 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12432)
Eloquent Rune's Electrifying Rambling Banter #36 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12423)
E_P's Very Own Quite Popular Random Banter #37 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12419)
Hydrogelic's Foolish Mortal Random Banter #38 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12413)
Ink's Smudgy Splotchy Random Banter #39 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12405)
Azrael's Big Black Book of Banter #40 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12397)
The Logic Vampire's Rational Random Banter #41 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12387)
Shiny's Shimmering Space-hitchin Random Banter #42 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12376)
ZombieRockStar's Random Banter #43 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12360)
Nostrabel's Realm of Cookies and Random Banter #44 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12342)
Charity's Cheery Chatter Circle #45 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12328)
Samiam's Spontaneous Scintillating Soliloquy #46 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12310)
LLama's Masked Mysterious Random Banter #47 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26599)
Ravishing Rydia's Recumbentibus ^_^ Random Banter #48 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27622)
Penguinizers Perilous Random Banter #49 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28083)
Death's delightfully morbid surrogate random banter #50 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28444)
Wayril's wonderfully weird surrogate random banter #51 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28990)
Rawhide's Deck of Random Banter (52 Cards) (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29697)
Korith's Sorrogate Random Banter of Zombie Killing #53 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30353)
Surrogate thread of random Bor-dom #54 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31109)
Rex Idiotarum's Painfully Pogoing Thread #55 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31512)
The Wrath of KHAAAAAANtalas’s William Shatner Flavored Random Banter # 56 (Surrogate) (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32080)
EmeraldRose's Random Banter of Lashing Wit #57 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32494)
Captain van der Decken's Surrogate Ship of Random Loot (Banter) #58 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32847)
SDF's Neverending I-Don't-Have-an-OotS-Avatar-Yet Story Banter #59 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33465)
Mauril's Surrogate Dwelf Banter of Fantasy Race Confusion 60th Edition (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34165)
Rockphed's Dice Rolling Toga Party of 61 Drunken CIA Analysts (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34568)
var Lord_Magtok = Random(Banter*62) + Surrogate (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34801)
Jibar's Retro Random Banter #63 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35014)
Malina's Random Spanish Banter #64 of morphical annoyance (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35256)
Mr. E's Random Banter #65 of Cane Toting and Hat Tipping (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35418)
Ego Slayer's Hellishly Random Banter #66.6 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35596)
Purple Gelatinous Cube o' Doom's bowl of bantery j-e-ll-o randomness #67 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35859)
Zephra's Random Banter of Ghostly Wailings, and Howling Fun#68 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36317)
Cobra Ikari's Random Banter #69 of Rampant Hugging, Guttermindedness, and ;-) Kinky. (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36977)
Scorpina's Random Banter #70 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37480)
Raistlin1040's Super Special Awesome Random Banter #71(Now with 20% more tacos) (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37824)
Uberblah's Random Banter #72 Of Caffeine And Sleep Deprivation Induced Randomness (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38225)
Lucky’s Random Banter #73 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38987)
Castaras's Random Banter #74 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37836)
D'anna Biers RB #75 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39495)
Zeb The Troll's RB#76 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39801)
Eldpollard's RB #77 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40128)
Gezina's and Calamity's Random banter #78 of double entendre and doom (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40410)
Random Banter #79 In Loving Memory of Hexa_Regina (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40909)
Zeratul's random banter #80 of throwing puppies off bridges (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41778)
Vespe's Random Banter #81 of singing dolphins and mostly harmless planets. (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43254)
CSK's Giant in the Playground Forums Addicted Anonymous, Random Banter #82 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44919)
Iames's Ramblingly Erratic Belldandy-Charged Random Banter #83 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47592)
Serpentine's Scintillating Sensually and Sinuously Seductive Stochastic Satire #84 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49048)
Radikalskippy's Random Banter #85 of lost ideas and where to find them... (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50658)
Moon Called's Random Banter #86 of Sexy Anime Boys and Fangirl Squeals (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51825)
Lilly's Lovely Random Banter #87 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52783)
FdL's Fuzzbox-Fueled Random Banter #88 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54612)
SweetRein's Sugary Restrained Random Banter #89 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59668)
Midnight's Mutant Motorcycle Madness Random Banter #90 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62430)
Em's Extremely Extraordinarily Epic Random Banter #91 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65645)
Dragonrider's Random Banter in Conjunction with the Weighted Cube #92 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67629)
Bushranger's Bodaciously Buffed Random Banter-y Rooster #93 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69425)
Haruki's Historically Hilarious Honey-covered Random Banter #94 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71161)
North's Maple Syrup Flavored Non-Alliterative Random Banter #95 Eh? (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73464)
Wadledo's Weirdly Warbling Watercress Watching Washing Machine Only Random Banter #96 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75946)
SMEE's Random Banter #97 of gender bending and closet bursting (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78694)
Raiser's Rambunctiously Rambling Random Banter #98 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81626)
Dr. Bath's Random Banter, dripping with daring deeds of dastardly deipnosophists #99 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84068)
VOTE, the Democracy Demon's Devilishly Devious and Decidedly Diabolical Desultory Derision (Random Banter) #100 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84914)
Jack Squat's Justlessly Juxtaposed Random Banter #101 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87577)
Dallas-Dakota's Dundering Dandelion's Devilish Damsel's Distress Random Banter #102 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4790602#post4790602)
Destro Yersul's Dangerously Distracting and Doubtlessly Disturbing Random Banter #103 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4903962#post4903962)
Aziraphales Actually Alliterative and Awesomely Affluent Random Banter #104 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92718)
Cristo's Consistently Confusing and Constantly Casual Random Banter #105 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94491)
Dish's Delightfully Deranged and Deliciously Deliquent Random Banter # 106 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95905)
Slayer's Seemingly Sweet and Socially Silly Random Banter # 107 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97703)
Zero's ambrosial and aberrantly adventitious, abstemiously erudite Random Banter #108 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99100)
Coplantor's Completely Creative Cautious and Contemplative Random Banter #109 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100414)
Rutskarn's Roly-Poly Rebellious and Rejected Random Banter #110 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101156)
TwoBitWriter's Tubular Tracts of Thought-Talking Random Banter #111 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5600540#post5600540)
Phase's Phully Phormed, Phalangeal, and Phantasmagorical Random Banter #112 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101988)
Wolfbane's Wonderfully Wacky and Wildly Wandom Random Banter #113 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102865)
The Kiwi's Kinkily Knotted and Kookily Kickass Random Banter #114 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103674)
Jude's Judgmental Jugular Jab and Jibber Jabbery Random Banter #115 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104480)
The Throne of Thufir's Thoroughly Theoretical and Therapeutic Random Banter #116 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105584)
Random Banter #117 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106698)
Dragonprime's Dynamically Dangerous Dextrous and Destructive Random Banter #118 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107882)
Farmer Felix's Fantastic FRandom FBanter #119 (may contain traces of fnuts) (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109007)
Groundhog's Random Banter of Weather Prediction and Anti-Gopherness (part one) (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110963&page=50)
Groundhog's Random Banter of Weather Prediction and Anti-Gopherness (part two) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113197)
Mrmud's Mixed-Up and Minimally Mechanized Random Banter #121 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114623)
Dogmantra's Dastardly, Despotic and Dangerous Random Banter #122 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116660)
Alteran's Amazingly Anachronistic, Altruistic, and Antagonistic Random Banter #123 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118380)
Admiral Euphoria's Random Banter Thread of Delusional Grandeur #124 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6614894)
Fred's Flying Fishy, Fighting, Fiery, Fantastic Face Off Random Banter #125 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121385)
Cyrano’s Non-Alliterative Inaugurational Random Banter #126 To Usher In The Future (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122977)
Thanatos's Tharmturges Present: Tropical, Tipsy, and Typically Random Banter #127
(https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123816)loopy's Legendary and Long-Awaited Lollipop Fuelled Random Banter #128 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124786)
Shadow's Shady Shop of Sharks, Shingles, Shammies, Shiny and Random Banter #129 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125667)
KataraAltinaII's Premature Not So Short & To-The-Point Random Banter #130 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126557)
Supagoof's Supa-Sensational Silly Symphonies Set Sizzingly On Fire Random Banter #131 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128570)
Pyrian's Pyrotechnic Pyre of Pyrrhic Pyros with Pyrotic Pythics Random Banter #132! (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130459)
Perenelle's Pleasantly Playful and Passionately Peculiar Random Banter #133 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131814)
Rpgsr4me's Ravenous, Roaring, Raging Rampage of Random Banter #134 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7373844#post7373844)
Il'deav Ilah'naie's Indiscreet Intimacies on Indigo Iceboats Random Banter #135 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134438)
Recaiden's Resplendent and Rotating Realistic Random Banter #136 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136879)
Jibar's Random Banter #137: Return of the Cat-muffin (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138879)
Edge's Effluence of Extravagant and Effulgent Random Banter #138 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7876065)
Zeb The Troll's Zecond Go At Ze Random Banter #139 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8061505&postcount=1)
Curly's Rambunctious and Erudite Random Banter #140 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148462)
Deth Muncher's Destructive and Meandering Random Banter #141 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150904)
A Thread in Which Banter Most Random is Expulsed Into Existence, By Ravens_cry #142 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8722755)
Several Silly Sealions Stuffed Seaweed Southward Swiftly (Or, Random Banter #143) (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159998)
The thread that changed name one last time, with style. (Random Banter #144) (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161407)
Banjo’s Bodacious & Boosted Bumper Bulletproof Box of Banter Most Random #145 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162819)
Masa's Massively Masterful Message Medium - Random Banter #146 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164224)
KuReshtin's Vociferously Ruminating Harbinger of Random Banter - #147 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166664)
Archonic's Archaic Acronymical Antidisestablishmentarianism Random Banter - #148 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169890)
Skeppio's Splendidly Strange & Superbly Scintillating Random Banter - #149 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173056)
Teddy's Turbulent and Topicless Random Banter #150 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175338)
Fifty-Eyed Fred's Ferociously Fanatical and Fabulously Fascinating Random Banter #151 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178205)
Rae's Really Rascally and Ridiculously Rowdy Random Banter #152 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181296)
Haruki's Hot n' Holy Random Banter #153 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10176275#post10176275)
MoonCat's Magnificently Mythopoeic Random Banter #154 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187576)
Eadin's Exchange of Extraterrestrial Excuses AKA Random Banter #155 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190034)
Happy HalfTangible's Horrific Hail of Random Banter #156 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10629167#post10629167)
AtlanteanTroll's Atrocious and Terrific Arcade of Terror - RB #157 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196302)
LaLa’s Laughably Silly Random Banter Thread – RB #158 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198767)
Zaydos's Zany Zooetic Random Banter - RB #159 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200208)
Blue's Blessed and Blissful Random Banter - RB #160 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201653)
Absolmorph's Azoic Arete of Adventitious and Aimless Random Banter - RB 161 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202546)
Gwyn's Gloriously Green Garrumphing Garter of Garrulous Gabble! Random Banter #162 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203954)
Eruantion's Euphoric, Elephant-filled Elevated Epoch of Eurhythmic Random Banter #163 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205487)
ATW's Awesome Androgynous Avaricious Azure Ardent Adamant Alluvial Random Banter #164 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207269)
Cynical Avocado's Absolutely Admirable Accumulation of Random Bantering #165 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209860)
August's Pink Plushy and Phantasmagorically Random Banter Thread #166 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212011)
Heliomance's Everchanging Thread Title Random Banter #167 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213053)
Tragic_Comedian's Tremendously Tropical Random Banter #168 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215180)
Qwertystop's Quickly Quilted, Quip-filled Random Banter #169 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217326)
Thufir's Thupremely Thatithfying Thecond Random Banter With a Lithp #170 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219654)
Feytalist's Fantastically Freakish First Random Banter #171 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222713)
Dragonprime's Dashing Delight-fu Dazzling Dualistic Random Banter #172
Castaras' Random Banter #173: Bringing back your nostalgic Great Old Ones (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229164)
Pokemon-freak89's Random Banter number eleventy-twelve... uhh... I mean... number 174 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231235)
Dark Elf Bard's Random Banter #175:Playin' Underdark Jazz since the Drow went dark. (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=235950)
Mutant Sheep's Post Septaquintaquinquecentennial ApRiL fOoLs Random Banter: #176 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=238117)
Elemental's Excitingly Excellent Random Banter: No.CLXXVII (177) (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13163770)
Amiel's Appeasingly Appropriate Arbitrary Amusement (Random Banter): No.CLXXVIII #178 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245179)
"Your Angel of Banter Awaits." ThePhantasm Presents Random Banter #179 (https://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13535351)
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A Wild Lurker Appears! Hyoi's Random Banter #232

The rules for Random Banter are as follows. (Yes, there are rules for Random Banter; that's why it's Random Banter instead of Pitiable Manifestation of Entropic Monologues.)

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[LaZodiac]

The only good to come from my debilitation is that once, I threw a water bottle and after bouncing it landed perfectly straight up as if it was placed there. I cheered, and this sadly never happened again... yet.

[Peelee]

Well that snuck up on me.

[Tvtyrant]

The only good to come from my debilitation is that once, I threw a water bottle and after bouncing it landed perfectly straight up as if it was placed there. I cheered, and this sadly never happened again... yet.

Reminds me of Dave's perfect potatoe throw in Taskmaster. You get a perfect shot just once.

[Rater202]

Q7uoting myself from the last thread

Being a mastermind sure is easy when good is dumb and evil has read the script, sure.

It's not so much that good is dumb so much that good has no reason to suspect that Evil is sitting at the breakfast table plotting against them.

The Jedi became alienated because they believed that their work was done: The very early days of the Republic, it was ruled by the Jedi but eventually, they stepped back to become advisors and peacekeepers.

Then centuries ago they thought the Sith were all wiped out.

It becomes very easy to just... sit back and let the Republic take care of itself, only coming out when the Chancellor wants your wisdom or here's an incident that's escalated to the point that violence is imminent, and just focus on self-improvement and training the next generation of monks.

When everything's perfect, you need to find ways to be productive. Without regular mental stimulation, you start to deteriorate. Complacency is one of the sources of anomie, and generations of anomie lead to the breakdown of culture and society.

In the case of the jedi, this breakdown manifested in them being too comfortable in their ivory tower, becoming more insular and dogmatic and then they get taken by complete surprise and are willing to engage in moral compromise to solve a problem they never saw coming.

[Lord Raziere]

....They can detect that Anakin is Force Sensitive by just being in the same room with him, but they can't do the same for Palpatine? Seems inconsistent.

[Peelee]

....They can detect that Anakin is Force Sensitive by just being in the same room with him, but they can't do the same for Palpatine? Seems inconsistent.

They didn't seem to have any idea when they were in Watto's shop, or on the walk home. They only began to think that once Anakin talked about pod racing.

[Tvtyrant]

....They can detect that Anakin is Force Sensitive by just being in the same room with him, but they can't do the same for Palpatine? Seems inconsistent.

Almost like one is a barely trained young adult and the other is in their prime after a decades long apprenticeship.

[Rater202]

....They can detect that Anakin is Force Sensitive by just being in the same room with him, but they can't do the same for Palpatine? Seems inconsistent.

Being force sensitive is not the same as being able to use the force.

IIIRC in the original(Legends) canon Han was force sensitive but unable to use it.

So even if they register Palpatine as Force Sensitive, that's just "oh well, we must have missed a kid"

Assuming, of course, that Palpatine isn't able to hide his presence in the force. It's called "The Darkside" because it's users are adept at hiding in the shadows.

To use a deliberately simplified example: The Lightside is a balanced tool kit, a tool for every occasion. The dark side is a stealth bomber. Very subtle and hard to find up until they blow something straight to hell.

It should also be noted that Anakin was absurdly powerful with the force, even as a child, and was actively using it in subtle ways as easily and with as little thought as breathing. He'd be impossible to miss, once you actually started looking.

[Lord Raziere]

Almost like one is a barely trained young adult and the other is in their prime after a decades long apprenticeship.

From the entire Jedi Order? On the same planet? While using the force to manipulate everything else? while training like, two to three apprentices, thus breaking the Rule of Two?

I dunno seems edging into "he succeeds because the plot says he should."

[Peelee]

IIIRC in the original(Legends) canon Han was force sensitive but unable to use it.
Nope. Not in anything that I remember. Han was never Force Sensitive.

The dark side is a stealth bomber. Very subtle and hard to find up until they blow something straight to hell.
Nope. Dark sides are by and large just as visible. The Emperor was a special case (effectively because the plot wanted him to be)


It should also be noted that Anakin was absurdly powerful with the force, even as a child, and was actively using it in subtle ways as easily and with as little thought as breathing. He'd be impossible to miss, once you actually started looking.
Nope. He accomplished minor feats like being able to pod race with faster reflexes, but was not absurdly powerful - at the height of his power, he still lost to Kenobi and was fairly evenly matched.

And, again, the Jedi couldn't tell he was Force Sensitive until he told them about his pod racing.

[Anonymouswizard]

I thought it was 'the dark side' because the creator is from a culture that aligns darkness to danger and evil?

On the other hand, even if force sensitivity is a think you can sense that's different to being able to sense how strong somebody is with the Force, and it's possible that the Jedi knew that Palpatine was force sensitive. So what, a decent minority of senators probably are on some level and they have no reason to suspect he's trained in its use.

As to Han, I wouldn't be surprised if new canon makes him a Force Sensitive or even a weak, unconscious Force User. Even if he has Skywalker potential he's not the kind of person who'd want to become a Jedi, and it would explain his uncannily good abilities at intuition, marksmanship, and piloting. I suspect the same will be revealed of Flynn if it hasn't already, that you don't have to be a Jedi to use the Force you can just be really good at something because you're able to hear it's guidance.

[Tvtyrant]

From the entire Jedi Order? On the same planet? While using the force to manipulate everything else? while training like, two to three apprentices, thus breaking the Rule of Two?

I dunno seems edging into "he succeeds because the plot says he should."

That's what the Force is though? It is literal plot magic, it changes what and how it works between each movie over a long series.

I don't disagree that Palps is given too much power in the prequels, but it has the side problem of them having made the Jedi an all powerful order of galactic super-paladins and they have to lose somehow. It is the Inverse Ninja Law writ large; the more Jedi there are the stronger Palpatine has to be to be able to beat all of them.

[Lord Raziere]

Nope. He accomplished minor feats like being able to pod race with faster reflexes, but was not absurdly powerful - at the height of his power, he still lost to Kenobi and was fairly evenly matched.


Yeah, To quote Jolee Bindo:

"Sometimes swirling Force is just swirling Force. It gets all us old Jedis excited at our age so we go 'Oooo, destiny!'"―Jolee Bindo

Jolee: I was just about to abandon Andor to whatever the Force intended for him when his ship was overtaken by a Dimean warship. Now, you've probably never heard of the Dimeans, but at the time they were a nasty lot led by a nastier overlord named Kraat. Tall fellow. Big teeth. Kraat has us hauled onto the bridge of his ship for questioning, and that's when I knew that Andor's destiny was at hand.
Revan: Andor killed Kraat, I take it?
Jolee: Of course he did! Haven't you been listening? It was not in the way you'd probably expect, though.
Jolee: Well, Andor decides that his destiny makes him invulnerable and starts making all sorts of demands. Free me now, I'm not answering questions, blah blah blah. Don't you know who I am? Kraat decides he's had enough and begins crushing Andor's neck. I told the boy he should have kept his mouth shut. I think he agreed, too… or those could have just been gurgling noises. Well… well, anyway. Finally, Kraat has enough of Andor and tosses him aside into this giant energy intake shaft. Andor gets sucked in and starts bouncing around, heh, screaming… heh. Maybe Andor hit something sensitive on the way down or just didn't agree with the reactor core, next thing I know all the ship's alarms are ringing.
Revan: You're kidding…
Jolee: Everyone panics and I run, barely making it to the ship in time before the explosion. Kraat dies horribly, and the Dimeans never quite recovered. Changed the political course of the entire sector for centuries to come. I'd call that quite a destiny, wouldn't you?
Revan: But how can you even be sure Andor was responsible?
Jolee: What?! Are you kidding?! What are the odds of that happening, anyway? A billion to one? You should do so well as to be sucked into the engine of some evil Sith Lord, you know. Andor was a hero… sort of.


Great destinies in the Force don't really mean your competent or powerful. Just that your destined to cause something great to happen somehow.

[Rater202]

Nope. Dark sides are by and large just as visible. The Emperor was a special case (effectively because the plot wanted him to be)

"It's called the dark side of the Force because it's secretive. That's all. The Sith kept their knowledge and identities hidden—in the dark, see? They thought it made it easier to impose order."Granted, Doctor Aphra is Disney canon, but still.

but was not absurdly powerful - at the height of his power, he still lost to Kenobi and was fairly evenly matched.The midischolirina's scene begs to differ.

A lot of people don't understand midicchlrian, so for the sake of people reading along: Midichlroians are life-giving microbes that resid within the cells of all organic living beings, similar to real life mitochondria and chloroplasts.

They do not "create" the force, but are able to communicate with the will of the force, and use the fore, and are concentrations of them in your body are what make some people more sensitive tot the force than others.

Everyone is born with a certain number of them per cell on average, but if you're sensitive enough to use the force and use the force regularly, they will replicate within your body allowing you to slowly gain more over time, and thus become more sensitive to, and these able, to use the force.

So, when Qui-Gon decides to sit Anakin down and take a midichorlian count to put an exact number on the boy's potential and it comes back saying is count is higher than Yoda's—Yoda who started out strong in the force and has spent the better part of nine centuries using training in various ways of using the force, that is note worthy.

Keep in mind, in the entire original trilogy the single quantifiable feat was Yoda, who at this point was in his last days of life, casual lifting Luke's fighter out of the swamp.

Yoda was the 'powerful one,' so saying that Anakin's power is greater than Yoda's is a big deal.


And, again, the Jedi couldn't tell he was Force Sensitive until he told them about his pod racing.Hence "when they started looking."

[Peelee]

Granted, Doctor Aphra is Disney canon, but still.
Dr. Aphra is not exactly an expert on the Force, much less specific aspects of it. She can have her opinion. Which is counteracted by stories of the actual Jedi and Sith in both Legends and Canon.

The midischolirina's scene begs to differ.
He was a remarkably underpowered Jedi if midichlorians equate to power.

[LaZodiac]

All this talk about magical lightning powers that change due to how of a rude boy you are reminds me of "inFamous", where the only reason why Cole can't use his super evil killy lightning is because he just feels kinda bad about doing it, if you're on the good guy route.

[Rater202]

He was a remarkably underpowered Jedi if midichlorians equate to power.

Because he wasn't trained. His force use was subtle and unconscious.

And then progressively more parts of his body were replaced with artificial ones that lacked midichlorians, which at least some legends canon sources, including IIRC the novelization of Revenge of the Sith, state weakened his connection to the force.

I imagine that if he'd only lost the one hand, hen he'd be doing stuff like the "tricking someone into having an extended fight with someone who isn't there from lightyears away" thing by the time he was fully trained.

[Anonymouswizard]

I've always assumed that Anakin had a mixture of hubris and impatience which made him rely on his talent more than actually training, and thus never actually reached the level he could have.

Even if Anakin has more raw power than Yoda (and he seems to have more than Obi-Wan at least) his raw stats are a nice boost but he's still going to need training. He could be the most powerful Jedi ever, but because he assumes he's already the greatest he only ever rose to be one of the top few. He's not the master of anything in particular, and his speciality seems to be the more direct aspects of the Force.

Anakin is also really, really unsuited to the Jedi as they are in the PT. He's just not cut out to be a monk. This probably affects his willingness to train.

[Rater202]

I've always assumed that Anakin had a mixture of hubris and impatience which made him rely on his talent more than actually training, and thus never actually reached the level he could have.

Even if Anakin has more raw power than Yoda (and he seems to have more than Obi-Wan at least) his raw stats are a nice boost but he's still going to need training. He could be the most powerful Jedi ever, but because he assumes he's already the greatest he only ever rose to be one of the top few. He's not the master of anything in particular, and his speciality seems to be the more direct aspects of the Force.
Yeah, that too.

Anakin is also really, really unsuited to the Jedi as they are in the PT. He's just not cut out to be a monk. This probably affects his willingness to train.

Yeah, the council was not wrong to deny Anakin training. Anakin needed to learn how to use his abilities if only for his own safety, but he was most certainly not suited to be a Jedi and the Jedi did not know how to handle a child in his situation.

Things may have been better if Qui-Gon had lived. Qui-Gon was willing to bend the rules and provide basic human contact to people who need it, which the Jedi of the prequel era... They weren't opposed to it, but weren't comfortable with it, either.

My understanding is that Qui-Gon had been hoping t train Anakin himself and to tailor Anakin's training to Anakin's needs... But then he died, Obi-Wan got promoted to Knight and was immediately made responsible for Anakin, and being barely a man himself just defaulted to standard practices that just did not work for Anakin.

and The Clone Wars adds a bunch of other examples of the Council... The clones wars, especially towards the end, has a lot of stuff that's basically just retroactively explaining the way Anakin acted in Revenge. Partcularly the way poor ahsoka was treated by the council at the end.

[DavidSh]

What I worry about is how much damage Amazon will do to the Tolkien canon in their coming "Lord of the Rings"-related series. It's supposedly set in the Second Age, but the little information that's leaking out sounds like they are going to have to make up a great deal to fit their story pattern. I suppose there isn't so much to go on in the Appendices and the Akallabeth in terms of detailed story material, if you want character continuity beyond a few elves. And Sauron.

[Peelee]

Because he wasn't trained. His force use was subtle and unconscious.

What? No, I mean in episodes 2 and 3. Super underpowered. Even with the cybernetics (that he got because he was so underpowered to start with, for his midichlorians count).

Either that or midichlorians do not equate to power. One of those two.

[Beeftank]

To be fair he was really young. 9 in phantom menace would mean 22-23 by Revenge of the Sith. Despite starting his training late, by 22 he could go toe-to-toe with just about anybody in the order. I’d say that’s pretty impressive.

[Peelee]

To be fair he was really young. 9 in phantom menace would mean 22-23 by Revenge of the Sith. Despite starting his training late, by 22 he could go toe-to-toe with just about anybody in the order. I’d say that’s pretty impressive.

Could he, though? We see him. Fight exactly two Force users: Dooku, who he lost his hand to, and Kenobi, who he lost all his other limbs to.

[DataNinja]

Oh, hey, new thread!

Oh, hey, new thread that's going to be another 10 pages of Star Wars. :smalltongue:

[Beeftank]

Could he, though? We see him. Fight exactly two Force users: Dooku, who he lost his hand to, and Kenobi, who he lost all his other limbs to.

He beat Dooku the second time, and he lost to Kenobi (a Jedi Master) after a long drawn out fight. I would call that going toe-to-toe.

[Peelee]

He beat Dooku the second time, and he lost to Kenobi (a Jedi Master) after a long drawn out fight. I would call that going toe-to-toe.

I wouldn't call a sample size of two "just about anyone in the order". And the fight was only long and drawn out because Lucas had to pad out the movie and figured glowsticks waving around counted as drama.
https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/555/388/625.gif

ETA: Though perhaps I'm not being fair there. I will admit there were also gripping shots of hands facing each other. Faster and more intensely, of course.

[Beeftank]

I am getting the distinct impression you are not overly fond of the prequels.

Which is fair. I mean, I liked them, but objectively speaking those movies had some issues.

[Peelee]

I am getting the distinct impression you are not overly fond of the prequels.

Which is fair. I mean, I liked them, but objectively speaking those movies had some issues.

I have them on several different formats and have seen them more times than I can count. I'm simply unafraid of leveling just criticisms against their weaknesses (same as I am with most of the Legends/Star Wars EU in general/George Lucas in particular). The Prequels are above average as far as the old EU went, but that doesn't mean they don't have flaws.:smallwink:

[Keltest]

As far as Anakin goes, i think its fair to say that he's incredibly skilled and talented, but also amazingly arrogant and more than a little stupid. Becoming Vader shakes him of the former, and Palpatine's direction compensates for the latter until he wises up and starts using his brain and not just his force muscles. So he could have beaten Kenobi, in terms of sheer skill, but he wasnt in the right mindset he would need to be to actually correctly apply it to overcome Kenobi.

[Jasdoif]

Oh, hey, new thread!Hm....Does getting onto the second page without commentary on my paraphrasing of the Random Banter rules, mean my paraphrases passed muster?

[tyckspoon]

Hm....Does getting onto the second page without commentary on my paraphrasing of the Random Banter rules, mean my paraphrases passed muster?

It may mean nobody read them, considering most of us have been following these threads for at least dozens of iterations now. I did see some of them and had a sensible chuckle! So it wasn't a complete waste of time :smalltongue:

[Peelee]

Hm....Does getting onto the second page without commentary on my paraphrasing of the Random Banter rules, mean my paraphrases passed muster?

I liked it. As well as the title. I love ridiculous margarine brand names, like "What! Not Butter" or "Could It Be Butter?"

[DataNinja]

Hm....Does getting onto the second page without commentary on my paraphrasing of the Random Banter rules, mean my paraphrases passed muster?

I figured it was crass to point out any dislike, but if you're inquiring... I personally prefer the blunt, concise, and not overly indulgent baseline rules that we had. Especially because any personal flourishes get really old when they stay that way for threads on end because people just copy and paste. :smalltongue:

[Jasdoif]

It may mean nobody read them, considering most of us have been following these threads for at least dozens of iterations now. I did see some of them and had a sensible chuckle! So it wasn't a complete waste of time :smalltongue:Hurray!


I personally prefer the blunt, concise, and not overly indulgent baseline rules that we had. Especially because any personal flourishes get really old when they stay that way for threads on end because people just copy and paste. :smalltongue:Oh is that why you changed/reverted the rule text a couple threads ago...which is the only reason I thought there was prerogative to change the rule text in the first place. That's kinda funny...then again I am easily amused...which is probably apparent from the rule text I chose.

Oh well! The most personalized indulgent I can get in the Index of the Giant's Comments threads is deciding that a pineapple alongside a banana will signify an updated entry (versus a standalonana signifying a new entry)....And not counting those I haven't started a thread in fourteen years (which is why I can't believe it's not an index); so as long as I'm not so far in "indulgent" that I'm in "garish" or "lurid" territory....

[DataNinja]

Oh is that why you changed/reverted the rule text a couple threads ago...which is the only reason I thought there was prerogative to change the rule text in the first place. That's kinda funny...then again I am easily amused...which is probably apparent from the rule text I chose.

Guilty as charged. It was a petty little annoyance to me, so I abused my power as the first one to the new thread to revert it back after several iterations. :smalltongue:

[Anonymouswizard]

If I can wrangle the necessary income I'm thinking of getting back into 40k with an Imperial Guard army. Eat laser Daemon scum! I just sadly can't afford the models and paints right now.

Maybe I'll get some 15mm minis instead, they're generally much cheaper.

[Bartmanhomer]

Sometimes I don't miss drinking energy drinks and I haven't drink a single can of energy drink for a few years now.

[Lacco]

Maybe I'll get some 15mm minis instead, they're generally much cheaper.

I always wanted to try that out, I generally like the idea of commanding an army and while I assume I'd be a terrible commander, I'd try it out.

Unfortunately, at the point in my life when I had time for such hobby, I lacked resources. Now I lack time.

[Anonymouswizard]

I always wanted to try that out, I generally like the idea of commanding an army and while I assume I'd be a terrible commander, I'd try it out.

Unfortunately, at the point in my life when I had time for such hobby, I lacked resources. Now I lack time.

I love it, although I'm honestly looking more for RPG minis than to play the wargames at this stage. It was fun in my teens, but I really am more into RPGs these days.

Which means that before anything fantasy I should get some Victorians for a Space 1889 (or possibly Victoriana) game I've got planned. Then a few elves or the like that I can make into Canal and Hill Martians.

[Bartmanhomer]

I wonder if Chef Boyadee and Ms. Butterworth a couple? :confused: :smile:

[Rater202]

I wonder if Chef Boyadee and Ms. Butterworth a couple? :confused: :smile:

Probably not. Chef Boyardee was a real guy while Mrs. Buttersworth is a fictional mascot.

[Bartmanhomer]

Probably not. Chef Boyardee was a real guy while Mrs. Buttersworth is a fictional mascot.

Oh ok. I didn't know that Chef Boyardee was real.

[Rater202]

I'm always paranoid about renting, leasing, or financing anything long-term.

You hear enough stories about people hiding vehicles, insisting that a bank/rental place is lying about late or missing payments, or people acting irrationally about their stuff being repossessed that an unscrupulous bank or rental company probably could lie about you defaulting on your loan or contract(about sending your warnings) and the repo man is going to believe the bank and do their job unless you have hard proof on your person at you did in fact make payments(or even own it outright) and even then...

Unless it's a very small bank/rental company I can't see that kind of thing being easy to fight. Odds are, if you can't stop the guy from driving off with your stuff(most methods of which would be illegal even if you're in the right. Unless you have proof or he takes your word for it...) then you're probably just screwed because crazy/criminal people trying to keep things they haven't paid for have poisoned the well.

In fact, I'm almost certain that that's already happened to more than one person(or there have been mistakes that never got caught.) My family's been screwed over by crooked banks more than once and there was an incident where someone took out a fraudulent credit card in my name and nobody involved ever bothered to contact us or double-check that it was actually me until there was a cop knocking on our door with an order for my appearance in court.

(The situation was resolved, did not have to go to court, but the situation was resolved so easily that I can only conclude that there was either malice or incompetence on the part of the credit card company that led to it getting to that point in the first place.)

It's probably not a rational fear, but I've been burned or seen others get burned often enough that I can't help but be jittery about flames.

[factotum]

(The situation was resolved, did not have to go to court, but the situation was resolved so easily that I can only conclude that there was either malice or incompetence on the part of the credit card company that led to it getting to that point in the first place.)


Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence, is my advice. The bit about banks trying to fake a repo man on something you got via a loan from them, though...you have to ask yourself why they'd bother? If you default on the loan then they have plenty of legal methods of getting their money back. If you *don't* default then they would much rather the steady income stream they're getting from your loan repayments. Repossessing a car or whatever is really a last resort for a bank, because they have to then sell the thing in order to recoup their losses and that's an awkward process that could easily end up costing them more in processing and fees than the likely profit from the transaction.

Oh, and let's not mention the absolute stink that would be raised if some consumer affairs TV programme or magazine caught wind that a bank was pulling tricks like that...

[Rater202]

Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence, is my advice.

I did say it was one or the other.

As for why a Bank would do that? There was a high-profile case of Bank of America trying to foreclose on a home in Naples, Florida back in 2010...

A home that had been paid for in full in cash the year before when the Nyerges, the couple who lived in the home, first bought it.

So something like this has already been tried...

Though admittedly, that ended poorly for the bank: The couple took the Bank of America to court, proved the house was there's outright, and the Bank was ordered to pay their legal fees... And then when the Bank refused, they almost got foreclosed on themself.

[Peelee]

I did say it was one or the other.

As for why a Bank would do that? There was a high-profile case of Bank of America trying to foreclose on a home in Naples, Florida back in 2010...

A home that had been paid for in full in cash the year before when the Nyerges, the couple who lived in the home, first bought it.

So something like this has already been tried...

And it is very well known in part because of how unusual the circumstances were.

[Jasdoif]

There was a high-profile case of Bank of America trying to foreclose on a home in Naples, Florida back in 2010...

A home that had been paid for in full in cash the year before when the Nyerges, the couple who lived in the home, first bought it.So...there was no long-term financing involved?

[Bartmanhomer]

I've seen a lot of crazy and messed up stuff on Facebook but this Facebook post takes the cake. :yuk:

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1162321577546211&id=100013051397996&set=a.129375327507513&source=57&ref=m_notif&notif_t=feed_comment

[DataNinja]

So, Zodi just messaged me, and she wants me to let people know that she's in the emergency room right now. She'll be okay, she says, but... yeah.

So I guess, just... send emotional support. But if she's not around the next little while, that's why.

[Bartmanhomer]

So, Zodi just messaged me, and she wants me to let people know that she's in the emergency room right now. She'll be okay, she says, but... yeah.

So I guess, just... send emotional support. But if she's not around the next little while, that's why.

Oh no. What happened? :frown:

[DataNinja]

Oh no. What happened? :frown:
I don't know. Presumably it's something to do with how awful she's been feeling this last however long. But even if I knew, that's not something to share publicly.

[Bartmanhomer]

I don't know. Presumably it's something to do with how awful she's been feeling this last however long. But even if I knew, that's not something to share publicly.

I understand. I hope she feels better. :frown:

[Anonymouswizard]

So, Zodi just messaged me, and she wants me to let people know that she's in the emergency room right now. She'll be okay, she says, but... yeah.

So I guess, just... send emotional support. But if she's not around the next little while, that's why.

Ouch, hoping she gets better soon. Tell her to take a pricy internet hug (if you're confidante with it).

@Rater, I suspect that your perception is slightly coloured by your life sounding like my attempts at paraphrasing (non-The Archers) soap opera. While I don't doubt that everything you've said has happened at some point, the need for trust in business leads me to assume that it's a rarity (although if you're large enough you can get that trust via PR). Yes it's possible that a business might take you missing a repayment in order repossess something, but even putting aside the cost of recouping their money how many businesses want to ruin the risk of being taken to court and losing some of their good standing (and as the aggressor they likely will lose at least some even if they win). Although if you don't pay eventually they'll be morally justified as well as legally.

But sometimes legitimate mistakes happen, and sometimes you have to prove that you're right in court. But it's not that common. You can argue that in an ideal world the company would have to go to court before they could try, but we're not in one of those so it works however it does.

While I'm not a businessman I do know that one of the basic rules for running a smaller business is that the best outcome is where everybody feels like they got what they needed out of the transaction. Because it's the best way to generate repeat business.

[Peelee]

The crawfish pie at the New Orleans Audubon Zoo is incredibly tasty, and fatter than I expected.

[Rater202]

Experiment: Homemade macaroni and cheese.

Noodles: 1/2 box of elbow macaroni cooked or instructions.

Sauce: 1 simple white sauce made with 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of sweet butter and 1/2 dry measure cup of all-purpose flour to form a roux met with 2 cups of 2% milk.

...Honestly, I just eyeballed it, but a four-cup bag of sharp cheddar has between 1/4 and 1/3 of its contents left after I was satisfied with the amount of cheese in the sauce.

Once cheese was thoroughly melted and integrated, I added a few shakes each of black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and a single shake of garlic powder and stirred it into the sauce.

1 tablespoon of dijon mustard and the sauce were then poured over the boiled and drained noodles and sired to combine.

Results: Not bad, but a little bland. May need to use more cheese or a stronger variety of cheese in the future. Beats what it's in the box though.

[Jasdoif]

Experiment: Homemade macaroni and cheese.

Noodles: 1/2 box of elbow macaroni cooked or instructions.

Sauce: 1 simple white sauce made with 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of sweet butter and 1/2 dry measure cup of all-purpose flour to form a roux met with 2 cups of 2% milk.

...Honestly, I just eyeballed it, but a four-cup bag of sharp cheddar has between 1/4 and 1/3 of its contents left after I was satisfied with the amount of cheese in the sauce.

Once cheese was thoroughly melted and integrated, I added a few shakes each of black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and a single shake of garlic powder and stirred it into the sauce.

1 tablespoon of dijon mustard and the sauce were then poured over the boiled and drained noodles and sired to combine.

Results: Not bad, but a little bland. May need to use more cheese or a stronger variety of cheese in the future. Beats what it's in the box though.Interesting, I had to improvise dinner Sunday and made an experimental cheese white sauce myself....I browned diced onions in the melted butter before the rest of the roux, and used coconut milk for the roux; then after the sauce was formed I added two cups of romano cheese, a couple teaspoons of mustard power, and a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Turned out pretty good overall (I coated the ramen noodles half the seasoning packets after cooking, I brined the chicken pieces, and the asparagus was steamed with some celery salt; so I didn't want to risk overdoing it with additional seasoning in the sauce).

[Bartmanhomer]

Woohoo, I'm starting my four-day weekend already hand I'll come back to work on Wednesday. :biggrin:

[Peelee]

Experiment: Homemade macaroni and cheese.

Noodles: 1/2 box of elbow macaroni cooked or instructions.

Sauce: 1 simple white sauce made with 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of sweet butter and 1/2 dry measure cup of all-purpose flour to form a roux met with 2 cups of 2% milk.

...Honestly, I just eyeballed it, but a four-cup bag of sharp cheddar has between 1/4 and 1/3 of its contents left after I was satisfied with the amount of cheese in the sauce.

Once cheese was thoroughly melted and integrated, I added a few shakes each of black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and a single shake of garlic powder and stirred it into the sauce.

1 tablespoon of dijon mustard and the sauce were then poured over the boiled and drained noodles and sired to combine.

Results: Not bad, but a little bland. May need to use more cheese or a stronger variety of cheese in the future. Beats what it's in the box though.

If possible, I wholly recommend cavatappi instead of elbow macaroni for homemade Mac n cheese. It always feels like a more premium version while retaining the same sauce properties elbow macaroni has.

[Rater202]

Would you rather be implanted with Gallkidneys, a Table-of-contents, or a Medium Intestine?

Would the medium intestine mean I'd have to go to the bathroom more often or less often?

More efficient absorption of nutrients and consequently lowered production of solid waste is on my list of "fixes with issues I have with the design of the human body" so...

Other issues include the fact that we need to spend 8 hours out of every 24 effectively almost dead in order to fully recharge and properly heal/memorize things, the fact that we need potentially harmful amounts of light to see, the fact that we need potentially cancer-inducing levels of UV exposure to properly produce the few vitamins we can make for ourselves, and a permanent cure for my overly sensitive sinuses would be nice.

And my general belief that extended lifespans coupled with remaining in the prime of your youth for proportionally longer portions of the life span would be an all around net benefit.

...and a crocodilian immune system would be cool. Tests have shown that crocodilian immune cells can destroy herpes strains and HIV.

Edit: And the post I was responding to is deleted.

[Anonymouswizard]

I'm disappointed at the least of I think I'll get a reference for all my computer programs implanted, some kind of appindex.

[Bartmanhomer]

My favorite weather is snow. I wish it was snowing everyday. :smile:

[Tvtyrant]

My favorite weather is snow. I wish it was snowing everyday. :smile:

But we would all die.

[Rater202]

But we would all die.

I mean, if it showed every day then humans might have evolved for colder climates.

More average body hair, or denser body fat around temperature sensitive organs, stockier, more condensed builds, possibly denser muscle tissue

[Tvtyrant]

I mean, if it showed every day then humans might have evolved for colder climates.

More average body hair, or denser body fat around temperature sensitive organs, stockier, more condensed builds, possibly denser muscle tissue

None of which would matter, as the plants would die out from the lack of sunshine and warmth. It can snow a lot, but everyday is an apocalypse.

[Rater202]

None of which would matter, as the plants would die out from the lack of sunshine and warmth. It can snow a lot, but everyday is an apocalypse.

Presumably, the plants would have evolved to deal with colder climes and less sunlight.

[Tvtyrant]

Presumably, the plants would have evolved to deal with colder climes and less sunlight.

Which is why Antarctica is covered in trees innit?

Seriously, evolution and life don't work that way. Life doesn't have some wellspring of untapped potential, it has already marketed all of the corners of possible niches. Humans evolved during an ice age, we are already has hearty and cold resistant as it makes sense for us to be. Plants would cover the ice caps if they could just make due with less. The really adaptable life is at the primitive level, and while bacteria will still be here when the sun goes out the rest of us are actually quite fragile and limited. Notice how empty the oceans are.

[Lord Raziere]

Presumably, the plants would have evolved to deal with colder climes and less sunlight.

They'd have to do it by being more efficient at absorbing light, so....they'd probably be colored black if it was possible at all, just like if they grew around a red sun. as for colder climes, the plants that grow in those....lichen, cushion plants, cotton grass... lots of pine trees for sure....things like that if they succeed? you'd probably get a black-colored tundra landscape assuming they don't all die while being covered in white snow. so. not the most pretty environment.....

[Peelee]

Which is why Antarctica is covered in trees innit?

Well, there is the Taiga, but I do agree with you overall. Even the largest forest in the world doesn't get snowed on 365.

[Bartmanhomer]

But we would all die.

Explain yourself, please.

[Keltest]

Explain yourself, please.

So, you remember a few years back when the east coast had a massive snowstorm that resulted in a lot of major cities having snow piled up to the tops of their doors, and society as we knew it has to stop until the snow got bored and left?

Imagine that, but the snow never leaves, ever, and it just keeps getting worse. Forever.

[Bartmanhomer]

So, you remember a few years back when the east coast had a massive snowstorm that resulted in a lot of major cities having snow piled up to the tops of their doors, and society as we knew it has to stop until the snow got bored and left?

Imagine that, but the snow never leaves, ever, and it just keeps getting worse. Forever.

Yes, I remember that....Oh. :frown:

[2D8HP]

I now own two '70's British motorcycle, the '73 Norton Commando, and now a '78 Triumph Bonneville - I'm not sure what my peculiar anglophilic nostalgia says about me, but I have it strong.

Speaking of which, I understand Lizzie Windsor is single now, so next time you in the U.K. see her in the pub tell her to look me up, I think I could be a great comfort to her in her time of the loss of that bald guy.

[DataNinja]

I bring an update: Zodi's still doing rough, but she's better. She said to say she's in the hospital ward instead of emergency, with diabetic ketoacidosis.

[Tvtyrant]

I bring an update: Zodi's still doing rough, but she's better. She said to say she's in the hospital ward instead of emergency, with diabetic ketoacidosis.

:C I'm so sorry to hear that. Let her know I am rooting for her.

[Jasdoif]

I bring an update: Zodi's still doing rough, but she's better. She said to say she's in the hospital ward instead of emergency, with diabetic ketoacidosis.Eesh, it is what I was in the ICU for that time...tell her to hang in there!

[DataNinja]

:C I'm so sorry to hear that. Let her know I am rooting for her.


Eesh, it is what I was in the ICU for that time...tell her to hang in there!

I will pass along the well-wishes. <3

[2D8HP]

I bring an update: Zodi's still doing rough, but she's better. She said to say she's in the hospital ward instead of emergency, with diabetic ketoacidosis.


Oh jeez, glad it's not worse, sad it's as bad as that, all condolences to her.

[Tarmor]

I bring an update: Zodi's still doing rough, but she's better. She said to say she's in the hospital ward instead of emergency, with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Terrible news to hear, except for the part that she's out of emergency. (Yay!!) Best wishes for a fast recovery and that she's home again soon.

[Anonymouswizard]

I now own two '70's British motorcycle, the '73 Norton Commando, and now a '78 Triumph Bonneville - I'm not sure what my peculiar anglophilic nostalgia says about me, but I have it strong.

Well I don't know where it came from our what it means, but I approve of enjoyment of British engineering.


Speaking of which, I understand Lizzie Windsor is single now, so next time you in the U.K. see her in the pub tell her to look me up, I think I could be a great comfort to her in her time of the loss of that bald guy.

An outrage! An outrage!

You don't put full stops sheet the letters. Just UK, like how the USA does it but with more history behind it.

Oh, and you'll have to wait a bit. British law dictates that the monarch must return from public life for a suitable morning prof, and we're worried that she might be aiming for surgery Victoria record. But that it'll be hard with her immortality.


I bring an update: Zodi's still doing rough, but she's better. She said to say she's in the hospital ward instead of emergency, with diabetic ketoacidosis.

*runs to the National Elf to get information*

Ouch, that sounds horrible. Hope she gets better soon.

[DavidSh]

"surgery Victoria record"? Are you running with some twisted autocorrect system, or is this a dialect difference?

[Anonymouswizard]

"surgery Victoria record"? Are you running with some twisted autocorrect system, or is this a dialect difference?

This is me forgetting to turn off SwiftKey, as Music Nurse knows well. Surgery should be another.

No I don't know how that works either.

I have, however, taught my SwiftKey to swear. Such a shame it makes it so hard to talk about waterfowl.

[factotum]

Oh jeez, glad it's not worse, sad it's as bad as that, all condolences to her.

Yeah, ditto, diabetes is not fun at the best of times.

[Bartmanhomer]

I really can't be in an open poly relationship. It's just not for me. No offense to other people who's into an open poly relationship. But that's just my preference.

[Beeftank]

This may be the massive homer in me talking but I think the Celtics are 2-2 in this series if Jaylen Brown is healthy.

[Peelee]

Got a 12-lb weighted vest and a running app. Currently doing the 5k program. Getting much better at breath control, and I just tonight got the full number of pushups after the run, with the vest on. It dang near killed me, but I got 'em.

With any luck, by the time I actually take the test (and assuming I pass), I won't completely collapse after the last one.

[DataNinja]

Got a 12-lb weighted vest and a running app. Currently doing the 5k program. Getting much better at breath control, and I just tonight got the full number of pushups after the run, with the vest on. It dang near killed me, but I got 'em.

With any luck, by the time I actually take the test (and assuming I pass), I won't completely collapse after the last one.

Oh, nice! Glad to hear it. Well, not the almost killed part, but... :smalltongue:

[Anonymouswizard]

I really can't be in an open poly relationship. It's just not for me. No offense to other people who's into an open poly relationship. But that's just my preference.

What about a closed poly relationship?

(Goes back to placing holiday with amazing polycule.)

[Bartmanhomer]

What about a closed poly relationship?

(Goes back to placing a holiday with an amazing polycule.)

Umm, I'm not really into a closed poly relationship either. Again no offense to people who's into a closed poly relationship, it just not for me.

[Mystic Muse]

Umm, I'm not really into a closed poly relationship either. Again no offense to people who's into a closed poly relationship, it just not for me.

Why did you feel the need to bring up your stance on poly relationships when it comes to yourself at all?

[Lacco]

Why did you feel the need to bring up your stance on poly relationships when it comes to yourself at all?

I assumed it was just to prevent themselves from stumbling into one on random occassion.

You know "I went out one evening, helped an old lady cross a road, one thing lead to another and now I'm a poly relationship". The thing that happens in some - usually rather bad - romantic comedies.

It could have been an autocorrect mistake and "pony" relationship.

[Bartmanhomer]

Why did you feel the need to bring up your stance on poly relationships when it comes to yourself at all?

I just want to start a conversation that all.

[Mystic Muse]

I just want to start a conversation that all.

About what? Your post says they aren't for you. That's the entire content of your post. There's not really anything else to discuss there.

What exactly were/are you trying to start a conversation about?

[Bartmanhomer]

About what? Your post says they aren't for you. That's the entire content of your post. There's not anything else to discuss there.

What exactly were/are you trying to start a conversation about?

Well, I was going to say what's everybody going to do on Memorial Day today. I'm still got a four-day weekend off.

[DataNinja]

Well, I was going to say what's everybody going to do on Memorial Day today. I'm still got a four-day weekend off.

I fail to see what Memorial Day and not wanting to get into any particular relationships have in common. :smalltongue:

[Anonymouswizard]

I assumed it was just to prevent themselves from stumbling into one on random occassion.

You know "I went out one evening, helped an old lady cross a road, one thing lead to another and now I'm a poly relationship". The thing that happens in some - usually rather bad - romantic comedies.

Now this I find kind of insulting. Yes, I get that you're describing a bad movie trope, but the idea you could just some into a relationship really annoys me. Relationships take work, poly ones take even more, there must at some point be a concise decision to be be in one.


It could have been an autocorrect mistake and "pony" relationship.

Now while I don't find this insulting, I think we should be respectful to those who would. And I can think of at least two different places to take 'pony relationship', so it would still have least to a lack of clarity.


Well, I was going to say what's everybody going to do on Memorial Day today. I'm still got a four-day weekend off.

Be in a superiorpolyamorous relationship :smalltongue: I'm going to agree with DataNinja's musings here, what does this have to do with you not wanting a poly relationship?

Like, did somebody you like and have a date with reveal that they're poly and you need to just vent for a bit? I can understand they, even if I can't get behind it. Or is the Tripple P (Polyamorous Pride Parade) in town? Or has Tinder just thrown a stream of Polyamorous Potential Partners at you? I'm intrigued now.

[Lacco]

Now this I find kind of insulting. Yes, I get that you're describing a bad movie trope, but the idea you could just some into a relationship really annoys me. Relationships take work, poly ones take even more, there must at some point be a concise decision to be be in one.

Yeah, I agree - it was a bad joke.

Still, getting into relationship without knowing it? Been there, done that - and have a blocked number of my personal stalker to prove it. Still, that was 15 years ago and easy to avoid had I known she was looking for a soulmate without any filter (she only saw my photo and decided we were a pair). It was a situation from a sitcom... in RL.

Now being in a healthy relationship? Having a good working relationship? That takes a lot of work/effort/sacrifice - regardless of how many people are involved (and usually: the more people, the more work). So we are in an agreement regarding this - and I actually admire the effort you put into your relationship.


Now while I don't find this insulting, I think we should be respectful to those who would. And I can think of at least two different places to take 'pony relationship', so it would still have least to a lack of clarity.

I have no personal stance on pony relationships.

Still, I feel like sometimes people just state things here. And do not expect a feedback, or expect ANY feedback.

It's about the communication.

[Anonymouswizard]

Yeah, I agree - it was a bad joke.

Still, getting into relationship without knowing it? Been there, done that - and have a blocked number of my personal stalker to prove it. Still, that was 15 years ago and easy to avoid had I known she was looking for a soulmate without any filter (she only saw my photo and decided we were a pair). It was a situation from a sitcom... in RL.

I'm not denying that it happened, but it's it a relationship in the sender BMH and I were using the term? While stalking can be easy to brush up against the sides of I'd argue that stalking doesn't count as a relationship. I'm glad it's over now and that is in the use.


Now being in a healthy relationship? Having a good working relationship? That takes a lot of work/effort/sacrifice - regardless of how many people are involved (and usually: the more people, the more work). So we are in an agreement regarding this - and I actually admire the effort you put into your relationship.

Yeah, I still remember the days when I was naive about how much work any kind of relationship took. I exhausted days from juggling conversations, but it's worth it.

Honestly, these days my main problem with relationships is that I kind of can't be openly poly at work, mainly due to resident opinions and the company discrimination policy not actually covering it.

[QUITE]I have no personal stance on pony relationships.

Still, I feel like sometimes people just state things here. And do not expect a feedback, or expect ANY feedback.

It's about the communication.[/QUOTE]

Honestly? I was mainly confused by the specificity of the original post. If it had just said 'I only want to engage in monogamous relationships' I wouldn't have replied. But there's a difference between open relationships and a closed triad/quad/quint(/ect), and I was wondering if BMH wanted to discuss such things.

[Rater202]

You ever read something that's part of a long-drawn-out series/franchise and realize that the entire thing is kind of a plothole?

Underworld is a comic from 2006 about Jack "Jackie" Dio, an old-school 'godfather/goodfella' type gangster who hates 'superpowered freaks' ever since his father was killed in a confrontation with them, who gets out of prison after 10 years, tries to get back in the game, only to find that a member of his old gang who set him up(and is later established to be his little brother) is now a superpowered brute and his attempts to establish himself end up with him being manipulated into gaining superpowers himself and forced into becoming a proper supervillain(named Underworld) in order to pay off his inadvertently collected dept.

The first step of his getting manipulated into acquiring powers has him bust up a shipment of SSS.2 being smuggled by Vince's, his brother's, employer and accidentally rupturing a canister, being exposed to the contents.

Underworld takes place in the Marvel universe. SSS.2 is a mass-produced drug that is described as a "gaseous version of the Super Soldier Serum that made Captain America" and Jackie's 'accidental' exposure grants him peak human strength, peak human senses, peak or near peak human intelligence, peak human reflexes and agility, peak human toughness, peak human stamina, peak human health, and peak human healing. It doesn't make you eternally youthful like the perfect serum, and it's ambiguous if test subjects have perfect memory or just very good member, but otherwise, it's everything someone is looking forward to in a super soldier

SSS.2 is presented as a mass-produced drug that is sold for a killing on the black market not because it's rare but because lots of people would pay an arm and a leg for a dose of a one-shot drug that makes you a genius super-athlete with perfect health.

Which raises the question? Where does it come from and why hasn't the Government get in on this? The gas has side effects, but "a couple of hours of dizziness and you pass out for a little bit in the middle of it so the gas can do its work" is a small price to pay for perfection.

In the Marvel universe, the government spends billions every year trying and failing to make more Captain Americas, and then it turns out there's a relatively cheap mass-produced drug that does it.

You'd think there'd be a hell of a lot more supersoldiers than there are.

(and, as far as I can tell, Jackie is the only person ever to actually use this drug, despite it being presented as common)

[Lord Raziere]

I mean most of Marvel comics that I know of takes in in either New York or wherever the heck the Avengers/X-Men travel to. We don't see most of the criminals committing crimes.

But its probably a plot hole yeah, a pretty massive one, however if I were to imagine a explanation anyways: since its a superhero universe and the SSS.2 sounds like the marvel universe version of Flying Brick (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FlyingBrick) that even if they DID get the powers of Captain America, its not actually all that special and there is tons of people more powerful than Cap and especially people with his powers but none of his training, experience, team mates to back him up, resources of the Avengers and so on to improve his chances of survival, and thus even if they are "peak human" it doesn't mean that much because "peak human" in a superhero world is like being armed with a knife or a holdout pistol, sure its better than nothing but its nowhere near enough to face guys carrying around AK-47's, missile launchers and grenades. Cap's just a guy who can use that holdout pistol really really well. But technically has more than that, his shield kind of upgrades him in a very important way: an indestructible shield tends to improve your chances of survival

thus people who get that gas probably have a high turnover rate due to not being properly trained on HOW to use their new power to its full potential and thus get overconfident real quickly when they easily arm wrestle their criminal friend or something. Then they think "hey Captain America can fight with the Hulk right? therefore I can to!" and try to commit a crime thinking they can get away with it....then Thor or Hulk actually comes along and takes them out easily like any other mook, because that package doesn't mean much without skill.

[Form]

I have no personal stance on pony relationships.


I, uh... I *shifty eyes* Did... did it suddenly get hot in here? *tugs collar*

[Bartmanhomer]

I fail to see what Memorial Day and not wanting to get into any particular relationships have in common. :smalltongue:


Be in a superiorpolyamorous relationship :smalltongue: I'm going to agree with DataNinja's musings here, what does this have to do with you not wanting a poly relationship?

Like, did somebody you like and has a date with revealing that they're poly and you need to just vent for a bit? I can understand them, even if I can't get behind them. Or is the Tripple P (Polyamorous Pride Parade) in town? Or has Tinder just thrown a stream of Polyamorous Potential Partners at you? I'm intrigued now.
Mystic Muse told me that so I decided to change the subject. No, it was nothing like that. It was all started in a Youtube stream that someone asks if you into a poly relationship and the Youtuber said no. So I question and decided that I'm not into the poly relationship as well.

[Rater202]

nowhere near enough to face guys carrying around AK-47's, missile launchers and grenades.

Keep in mind that peak human is enough to dodge gunfire in this universe.

[Bartmanhomer]

It's cold in New York City today. I'm wearing long John and this is the end of May.

[Lord Raziere]

Keep in mind that peak human is enough to dodge gunfire in this universe.

And? :smallamused:

this is a superhero universe Rater. gunfire is already useless unless your a nineties Anti-Hero with way too much dakka to be reasonable, probably because nineties anti-heroes have unknown superpower to somehow allow them to be. nothing has actually changed.

[Rater202]

And? :smallamused:

this is a superhero universe Rater. gunfire is already useless unless your a nineties Anti-Hero with way too much dakka to be reasonable, probably because nineties anti-heroes have unknown superpower to somehow allow them to be. nothing has actually changed.

If you can dodge a bullet to the head at point-blank range while unconscious and suffering from vertigo after the gun has been shot and only fully wake up after successfully dodging* then you can probably dodge AK fire, rocket launchers, and grenades.

*Jackie Dio goes to a back alley doctor after getting doses with the SSS.2 because he's dizzy and feels awful and doesn't know what it is. In the back alley doctor's office, he passes out before he can say anything. The doctor decides to test if he's been exposed to SSS.2 by laying Jackie out on an exam table and then shooting at his head with a handgun at point-blank range.

[Lord Raziere]

If you can dodge a bullet to the head at point-blank range while unconscious and suffering from vertigo after the gun has been shot and only fully wake up after successfully dodging* then you can probably dodge AK fire, rocket launchers, and grenades.

*Jackie Dio goes to a back alley doctor after getting doses with the SSS.2 because he's dizzy and feels awful and doesn't know what it is. In the back alley doctor's office, he passes out before he can say anything. The doctor decides to test if he's been exposed to SSS.2 by laying Jackie out on an exam table and then shooting at his head with a handgun at point-blank range.

Now your just mixing the metaphors Rater, and taking said metaphor too literally. The point is that a peak human is nothing special in a superhero universe no matter how much you play up their abilities. most other superpowers are in some way better, and being a little strong is nothing notable: (https://www.fromsuperheroes.com/post/texts-from-superheroes-know-your-worth)

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/48a889_b3443769f1444a5386796bb5eedda887~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_360,h_721,al_c,q_90/48a889_b3443769f1444a5386796bb5eedda887~mv2.webp

[Keltest]

If you can dodge a bullet to the head at point-blank range while unconscious and suffering from vertigo after the gun has been shot and only fully wake up after successfully dodging* then you can probably dodge AK fire, rocket launchers, and grenades.

*Jackie Dio goes to a back alley doctor after getting doses with the SSS.2 because he's dizzy and feels awful and doesn't know what it is. In the back alley doctor's office, he passes out before he can say anything. The doctor decides to test if he's been exposed to SSS.2 by laying Jackie out on an exam table and then shooting at his head with a handgun at point-blank range.

I think the doctor should test himself for brain damage first. If youre unconscious, youre not "dodging" anything. You might coincidentally spasm in such a way that you dont get hit, but thats just a lucky twitch.

[Bartmanhomer]

Hey, I have an interesting question to ask: Can a person who's invincible or immortal can lead to arrogance? :confused:

[Fyraltari]

Hey, I have an interesting question to ask: Can a person who's invincible or immortal can lead to arrogance? :confused:
Err, yes. Arrogance isn't tied to any particular kind of superiority. You can be arrogant about being a great ping-pong player or about being very rich or about being immortal or about anything really. You can even be arrogant about how humble you think you are.

[Lacco]

Yeah, I still remember the days when I was naive about how much work any kind of relationship took. I exhausted days from juggling conversations, but it's worth it.

Yeah, the switch of view from "no relationship" to "relationship!" comes as a surprise first time. "You got to your target! Congratulations, here's a completely different game!". It's like a boardgame that starts like a "Sorry!", turns to "Pokemon" combined with "Cluedo", then switches randomly between "Eldritch Horror", "Talisman" and "Dorn" and you still feel like you've explored only 1/4 of the content. Also, you get only 1 try to go through these... and there are quick-time events and RNG.


Honestly, these days my main problem with relationships is that I kind of can't be openly poly at work, mainly due to resident opinions and the company discrimination policy not actually covering it.

And this is something that I can not understand/that irritates me.

While I prefer 1-on-1 relationships (because they work for myself) and I am the kind of person that has an opinion and likes to share it, I will also not judge the person based on their relationship choices. Especially at work. It makes little sense in most workplaces.


I, uh... I *shifty eyes* Did... did it suddenly get hot in here? *tugs collar*

Well, Bartmanhomer said it's extra cold in NY... so not really?

...
...
...
...okay, I'll admit: I'm bad at reading pony expressions/body language. Explanation. Pleeeeaaaasseeeee? *Walrus Eyes* (imagine the look that Puss in Boots gives, but on a walrus with a handsome mustache)

[Rater202]

I think the doctor should test himself for brain damage first. If youre unconscious, youre not "dodging" anything. You might coincidentally spasm in such a way that you don't get hit, but thats just a lucky twitch.

Technically, the noise of the gunshot woke him up and he dodges on reflex while groggy.Also the Doctor wasn't really a Doctor, but the guy who was manipulating Jackie into becoming a Supervillain in the first place.

This man, the "Consultant" is basically a guy who gives advice, military-grade Supertech, and power granting/enhancing drugs to supervillains in exchange for a nominal fee.

Vince Dio, Jackie's little brother who got into a fight with Jackie, got his ass kicked and was told to leave town over it, but who instead sold Jackie out to th police ten years before the start of the series went to the Consultant and got treatments that turned him from a scrawny weakling to n eight-foot tall wall of meat with superhuman strength and toughness and then refused to pay.

So the Consultant fund Jackie, figuring he'd have a grudge, and the entire five-issue miniseries consists of the consultant using a variety of disguised to enhance Jackie and put him in confrontation with his brother and his brother's employers in order to 'deal with him.'

Then he has the nerve to send Jackie a bill for the cost of the different 'consultations' and enhancements he was given.

In addition to the Super Soldier treatment, he was also over the course of the series provided with a drug that makes you immune to dizziness and vertigo(but has a side effect f temporarily impaired vision) to clear up the side effects of the SSS.2 more quickly, a pair of indestructible sunglass that automatically adjust to give you perfect vision and come with a variety of augmented vision options including thermal imaging, infrared and ultraviolet, weakness scan, and target lock-on, a pair of high-tech guns that shoot adamantium bullets that will change direction and trajectory in mid-air to hit whatever he's locked on to with the glasses, injected with a serum that gives him a powerful healing factor*, and a long coat that has a 'titanium-steal alloy' woven into the fibers that protest his limbs and torso from conventional blades and bullets as long as you're wearing it.

Ultimately, exactly what Jackie needed to survive Vince's attempts to kill him and kill Vince in return.

After killing Vince, Jackie is forced to become the supervillain 'Underworld' in order to pay for the very expensive treatments and tech lest the consultant send another manufactured supervillain with a costume tailored set of powers and gadgets to kill him.

He appeared as one of the Kingpin's enforcers working as a double agent to kill Hammerhead and then disappeared off of the face of the Earth so either he failed to pay off his debt and was killed off-screen or after killing Hammerhead Fisk shipped him off somewhere where the Consultant couldn't get him.

*By powerful healing factor, I mean, 'heal terminal injuries and the effects of the failed surgery to save his life, regrow perfectly healthy teeth after most of his adult teeth were knocked out or broken, replace all scar tissue in his body with healthy tissue, regrow the eye that got shot out in a fight with the police a decade earlier, and seemingly purge the toxins in his body all within minutes of getting the shot so quickly and painlessly that he doesn't notice.

He's laying in a bed in the hospital at Rikers after being shot to hell and left for dead by the Punisher, the consultant in his 'back alley doctor' disguise shows up claiming his check bounced and gives him the serum because 'dead men can't pay their debts' and makes him get up and head into the attached bathroom. He throws up in the sink, looks back up, and notices that his facial scars are gone and his eye is back.

Granted, I'm not asking why there are no other criminals using sss.2 but why, if it's so common, the Government hasn't stepped in to use it.

They never wanted to make a single elite soldier. They wanted to have an entire military—Army, Navy, Air Force, and everyone else, enlisted, commission, and reserve.

We've got a mass-producible drug that does everything the serum does except for the eternal youth, which was not an intended effect of the Serum but instead an unexpected but not unwelcome side effect.

You'd think that would have come up, since the Government in-universe has spent 82 years, hundreds of lives, and countless billions of dollars trying and failing to make more serum or an equivalent of the serum. You'd think the Government would have seized shipments, and in a world where 'training to resist having your mind read or controlled by hostile telepaths' is part of Basic, SSS.2 exposure would be part of being in the military.

[Peelee]

Technically, the noise of the gunshot woke him up and he dodges on reflex while groggy.

Im impressed that he also has the ability to time travel, apparently. Most bullets come out of the barrel faster than the speed of sound.

[Rater202]

Im impressed that he also has the ability to time travel, apparently. Most bullets come out of the barrel faster than the speed of sound.

Marvel's idea of peak human drastically overplays peak human reaction time and reflexive movement.

Compensation, I suppose, for their underestimation of peak human strength: Several of Cap's greatest feats of strength have been met or exceeded by real-life people.

[Peelee]

Btw, Rater, Ive been meaning to ask. Have you seen/read Invincible, and if so, what are your thoughts? I caught season 1 and fell in love with it.

[Rater202]

Btw, Rater, Ive been meaning to ask. Have you seen/read Invincible, and if so, what are your thoughts? I caught season 1 and fell in love with it.

Eh, did not catch my eye.

Might check i out eventually but right now my free time is split between working on my writing, watching an MELE long-play, and watching Fist of The Northstar more or less blind.

[Peelee]

Eh, did not catch my eye.

Might check i out eventually but right now my free time is split between working on my writing, watching an MELE long-play, and watching Fist of The Northstar more or less blind.

Understandable. If you ever do dive into it, I'll defo be interested in your thoughts on it.

[Rater202]

"Flash Thompson was a bully. Then he was a soldier. Then a superhero. And then he was dead. Now he's a dragon..."This brief summary of Thompson's 60ish year character arc, i probably the single greatest summary of how weird and insane American Superhero comics can get.

[Peelee]

This brief summary of Thompson's 60ish year character arc, i probably the single greatest summary of how weird and insane American Superhero comics can get.

Seconded. I would read the hell out of that.

[Rater202]

Seconded. I would read the hell out of that.
Note: He was technically still dead when he was a dragon.

He comes back to proper life by his dragon self fusing with and therefore reanimating his own corpse.

Judging from how it happened with Carnage, he's now basically a reanimated skeleton wrapped up in an eldritch space dragon shapeshifted to look like human flesh.

[Bartmanhomer]

So anyway if time travel exists (which I know it is.) Would you travel back or forward in time. I know I would go forward to see the futuristic future in the year 1,000,000. :smile:

[Peelee]

So anyway if time travel exists (which I know it is.)

What? I don't understand what you're trying to say here because the grammar makes no sense.

[Rater202]

I'd go back in time and steal anything that I could get my hands on from the Library of Alexandria just before it was burned down.

Then I'd stash it somewhere where it wouldn't be likely to be found but would still last till the modern-day and then "discover it"

[Bartmanhomer]

What? I don't understand what you're trying to say here because the grammar makes no sense.

What I'm trying to say is time travel exists. (Which I know it does exist) Do you want to travel forward or backward in time?

[Rater202]

Double checking, apparently the Library of Alexandria's destruction was a longer more drawn-out stat of decline than the dramatic cataclysm that school lied to me about, but my point stands.

If I could travel through time, I'd steal some stuff from the library and stash it somewhere where it woulnd't be found until the modern-day but would be likely to hold up in that time and then 'discover' it.

Preserve ancient history, get a shot at academic immortality, yada yada.

[Bartmanhomer]

Double checking, apparently the Library of Alexandria's destruction was a longer more drawn-out stat of decline than the dramatic cataclysm that school lied to me about, but my point stands.

If I could travel through time, I'd steal some stuff from the library and stash it somewhere where it woulnd't be found until the modern-day but would be likely to hold up in that time and then 'discover' it.

Preserve ancient history, get a shot at academic immortality, yada yada.Wow. That's awesome. :smile:

[Lacco]

What I'm trying to say is time travel exists. (Which I know it does exist) Do you want to travel forward or backward in time?

Take a friend or two, travel back in time, learn some dead languages, have a dinner with Socrates, Seneca, Plato (not necessarily together, but...), see the colossus of Rhodes when still standing, take fencing lessons from Angelo, Thibault and Meyer, observe the battle of Marathon, Thermopylae, Bannockburn...

I'd definitely get some books from the trip.

[Mystic Muse]

Mystic Muse told me that so I decided to change the subject. No, it was nothing like that. It was all started in a Youtube stream that someone asks if you into a poly relationship and the Youtuber said no. So I question and decided that I'm not into the poly relationship as well.

Because you said you wanted to start a conversation, and that post does not do that.

If you had asked us whether any of us would be into a poly relationship, that would start a conversation.

Definitive statements about yourself, with nothing else in the post, are not generally conversation starters.


What I'm trying to say is time travel exists. (Which I know it does exist) Do you want to travel forward or backward in time?

Okay. How do you know time travel exists? I'm curious.

Also, neither. Even if you could deal with all the paradoxes that time travel tends to cause, having multiple of me around is a bad idea.

I also wouldn't want to go to a specific year, so much as a specific time. If I could go to a future where transitioning was easier, and fixing several ailments was doable, that's the time period I'd prefer to live in.

[Bartmanhomer]

Because you said you wanted to start a conversation, and that post does not do that.

If you had asked us whether any of us would be into a poly relationship, that would start a conversation.

Definitive statements about yourself, with nothing else in the post, are not generally conversation starters.



Okay. How do you know time travel exists? I'm curious.

Also, neither. Even if you could deal with all the paradoxes that time travel tends to cause, having multiple of me around is a bad idea.

I also wouldn't want to go to a specific year, so much as a specific time. If I could go to a future where transitioning was easier, and fixing several ailments was doable, that's the period I'd prefer to live in.

Ok, you got me there on the poly relationship.

Well, there have been theories that time travel exists by the theory of relativity, So time travel may exist.

[Peelee]

Double checking, apparently the Library of Alexandria's destruction was a longer more drawn-out stat of decline than the dramatic cataclysm that school lied to me about, but my point stands.

If I could travel through time, I'd steal some stuff from the library and stash it somewhere where it woulnd't be found until the modern-day but would be likely to hold up in that time and then 'discover' it.

Preserve ancient history, get a shot at academic immortality, yada yada.
On the last bit, yes to both but not nearly as much as you may think; no knowledge was lost in the Library of Alexandria. In the time of books being valuable and uncommon, if something was worth writing down, it was worth writing down multiple times. Alexandria housed an impressive collection, but there was not much that was unique to it.

Rhat all being said, you'd still come out with a hefty amount of fame, recognition, and accomplishment.

Well, there have been theories that time travel exists by the theory of relativity, So time travel may exist.
Have there been? Reputable theories, not just "well if this is the case then maybe that"? Especially such "theories" made by people who are not theoretical physicists?

[Bartmanhomer]

On the last bit, yes to both but not nearly as much as you may think; no knowledge was lost in the Library of Alexandria. In the time of books being valuable and uncommon, if something was worth writing down, it was worth writing down multiple times. Alexandria housed an impressive collection, but there was not much that was unique to it.

Rhat all being said, you'd still come out with a hefty amount of fame, recognition, and accomplishment.

Have there been? Reputable theories, not just "well if this is the case then maybe that"? Especially such "theories" made by people who are not theoretical physicists?
Well, I believe that time travel exists. I also believe that space aliens exists as well. I'm a man of science and I believe anything is possible.

[Anonymouswizard]

Yeah, the switch of view from "no relationship" to "relationship!" comes as a surprise first time. "You got to your target! Congratulations, here's a completely different game!". It's like a boardgame that starts like a "Sorry!", turns to "Pokemon" combined with "Cluedo", then switches randomly between "Eldritch Horror", "Talisman" and "Dorn" and you still feel like you've explored only 1/4 of the content. Also, you get only 1 try to go through these... and there are quick-time events and RNG.

It didn't help that the first time there was a lot of inning and erring. We started 'officially' dating about six months sheet we'd both admitted we liked each other.

It's worse when you've grown confidante playing Diplomacy and the game sign turns into 4D Backgammon.


And this is something that I can not understand/that irritates me.

While I prefer 1-on-1 relationships (because they work for myself) and I am the kind of person that has an opinion and likes to share it, I will also not judge the person based on their relationship choices. Especially at work. It makes little sense in most workplaces.

Oh sure, it's mainly a case of many of the residents being old and having established views, and at some point the entry required to make sure only prior who won't judge you know is easier than the effort to change people's minds. It's not like I have to tell people 'I'm dating three beautiful ladies'.

It's just something that I want to tell people.


So anyway if time travel exists (which I know it is.) Would you travel back or forward in time. I know I would go forward to see the futuristic future in the year 1,000,000. :smile:

I'm assuming we're not talking about the only experimentally confirmed time travel, which goes in one direction at different rates.

If so, how many jumps am I allowed? What equipment does my TARDIS have? Can I bring along an astronomer to navigate?

I will not that, desire occasionally using it in story plans, I'm a pessimist who believes backwards Tone travel is impossible (as it's FTL travel, except maybe via wormholes).

I use backwards time travel as a cosmic horror element. It's existence pretty much throws causality out the window, even if limited to flipping single bits in silicon chips.

[Mystic Muse]

Well, there have been theories that time travel exists by the theory of relativity, So time travel may exist.

Yes, but you said you know it exists. That means with 100% certainty. Not that it may exist.

[Bartmanhomer]

I'm assuming we're not talking about the only experimentally confirmed time travel, which goes in one direction at different rates.

If so, how many jumps am I allowed? What equipment does my TARDIS have? Can I bring along an astronomer to navigate?
Yes. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Anything you want.

[Peelee]

Well, I believe that time travel exists.
Thats fair. A question though - where are all the time travellers?

I'm a man of science.
Are you, though?

[Bartmanhomer]

Yes, but you said you know it exists. That means with 100% certainty. Not that it may exist.

What's the difference?:smile:

[Lacco]

It didn't help that the first time there was a lot of inning and erring. We started 'officially' dating about six months sheet we'd both admitted we liked each other.

It's worse when you've grown confidante playing Diplomacy and the game sign turns into 4D Backgammon.

If your relationship is a 4D backgammon, it's still fine. Had one that was something akin to Dark Souls played in Don't Rest Your Head world :smallbiggrin: Did not last.

Had a friend whose relationship was like Duke Nukem Forever. He waited for 14 years for her to notice him and then... underwhelming.


Oh sure, it's mainly a case of many of the residents being old and having established views, and at some point the entry required to make sure only prior who won't judge you know is easier than the effort to change people's minds. It's not like I have to tell people 'I'm dating three beautiful ladies'.

It's just something that I want to tell people.

That reminds me of certain terrible joke that is...actually very true :smallbiggrin: Will share over PM if you are interested (it's relatively mild, but it's like the old National Lampoon movies - it might have not aged well).

[Anonymouswizard]

Yes. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Anything you want.

First stop, sometime before stars have had a chance to form. Get a good picture of the radiation background, science will appreciate it.

Secondly I'm going to be touching down in the 20th century many times. I'm going to be getting a high quality recording of every missing BBC episode ever and donate them to the BBC archive. Sure, I could make a lot of money from it, but archival is important.

Thirdly I'm going to 2024 and being back two pieces of information: how's the plague doing, and the rest results of every match for the next world cup.

Fourthly, if my bets don't pay off I'm going back to the month before I donated all those tapes to the BBC and flogging them to the highest bidder. M but an outdoor, I made copies.

Fifthly, I dunno, ask the ESA if they want to pop over to some other star systems in my shiny time machineteleportation device.

[Bartmanhomer]

Thats fair. A question though - where are all the time travellers?

Are you, though?

Ok maybe not the man of science but I love science. :biggrin:

[DataNinja]

An update from Zodi:
"You can update the forum: free of IVs, doing really well minus big right hand swelling, learning how to insulin. Will be out in a few days, potentially. And thanks for the well wishes!"

[Rater202]

On the last bit, yes to both but not nearly as much as you may think; no knowledge was lost in the Library of Alexandria. In the time of books being valuable and uncommon, if something was worth writing down, it was worth writing down multiple times. Alexandria housed an impressive collection, but there was not much that was unique to it.

Rhat all being said, you'd still come out with a hefty amount of fame, recognition, and accomplishment.

I mean, even if what I grab is just a cookbook, just finding an ancient text is noteworthy and if there's some way to prove it was physically in Alexandria(I legitimately don't know either way) then the historical connection alone would...

Look, I just want to be an answer in at least one edition of Trivial Pursuits. If I wanted everlasting fame and glory I'd try to hide away a complete collection of the Epic cycle: Several entries are missing and several others exist only in fragments and summaries. As far as I know, only Homer's Illiad and Odyssey survive completely intact.

A complete set of the epics would be the 'discovery' of the century.

[Bartmanhomer]

An update from Zodi:
"You can update the forum: free of IVs, doing really well minus big right hand swelling, learning how to insulin. Will be out in a few days, potentially. And thanks for the well wishes!"

Hooray. Zodi is feeling better now. I'm so happy. I missed her so much. DataNinja, tell Zodi that I and everybody in the forum say hi. :smile:

[Mystic Muse]

What's the difference?:smile:

The difference between 100% and, if we're being charitable, 10%.

[Bartmanhomer]

The difference between 100% and, if we're being charitable, 10%.

Ok if you say so. :smile:

[Anonymouswizard]

An update from Zodi:
"You can update the forum: free of IVs, doing really well minus big right hand swelling, learning how to insulin. Will be out in a few days, potentially. And thanks for the well wishes!"

*Sends proxy hugs*

Glad she's doing better, but yeah. I wish her a happy return to more enjoyable parts of her life.


My simple attention against Tone travel is that if it was possible time machines would have been released to stores yesterday.

[Rater202]

Hugs for Zodi
simple attention against Tone travel is that if it was possible time machines would have been released to stores yesterday.

So are you trying to make a joke here? I honestly can't tell if you're joking or serious.

[Bartmanhomer]

Hugs for Zodi

So are you trying to make a joke here? I honestly can't tell if you're joking or serious.

Anonymouswizard is joking. Even I get the joke. :smile:

[Mystic Muse]

Ok if you say so. :smile:

I genuinely don't know how to make it any easier to understand.

Know implies certainty. Certainty implies 100%, that you can't possibly be wrong, and that you can prove you're not wrong.

May means lack of certainty. It's everything but 100%. You can possibly be wrong, and you can't prove you're not wrong.

This is what those words mean. They are not interchangeable. Using them interchangeably is going to lead to people being constantly confused at best, and at worst may make people make unflattering assumptions about your intelligence.

[Bartmanhomer]

I genuinely don't know how to make it any easier to understand.

Know implies certainty. Certainty implies 100%, that you can't possibly be wrong, and that you can prove you're not wrong.

May means lack of certainty. It's everything but 100%. You can possibly be wrong, and you can't prove you're not wrong.

This is what those words mean. They are not interchangeable. Using them interchangeably is going to lead to people being constantly confused at best, and at worst may make people make unflattering assumptions about your intelligence.

And I understand what you're saying about it. :biggrin:

[Fyraltari]

So anyway if time travel exists (which I know it is.) Would you travel back or forward in time. I know I would go forward to see the futuristic future in the year 1,000,000. :smile:
Ah yes, the futuristic future where people put commas in the years' numbers.

I'd go back in time and steal anything that I could get my hands on from the Library of Alexandria just before it was burned down.

Then I'd stash it somewhere where it wouldn't be likely to be found but would still last till the modern-day and then "discover it"
Sounds like a good way to get executed as a thief.

Take a friend or two, travel back in time, learn some dead languages, have a dinner with Socrates, Seneca, Plato (not necessarily together, but...), see the colossus of Rhodes when still standing, take fencing lessons from Angelo, Thibault and Meyer, observe the battle of Marathon, Thermopylae, Bannockburn...

I'd definitely get some books from the trip.
How do you plan on convincing these people to indulge you?

Myself, I would go in the future to see what our societies and species turn into. When is world peace achieved? When do we start settling other planets? Other star system and what is life like there?

And also when do we finally meet an extraterrestrial intelligence and what are they like?

[Lacco]

How do you plan on convincing these people to indulge you?

Good question.

For the philosophers... I'm counting on the power of free food and the catalyst for any advanced philosophy - wine.

Meyer and Angelo ran fencing schools. Enrolling would be mainly a matter of presenting correct credentials and finding enough money. Both could be fixed with a time machine... Thibault would be trickier, but mainly due to his whereabouts.

[Rater202]

Re: Extraterrestrials.

If they exist, they're either going to be very similar to life on Earth... Or radically and utterly different, mayhaps to the point that we'd have trouble recognizing them as intelligent...

Or recognizing us them as alive.

Something like The Klyntar is more likely than something like The Shi'ar.

[Anonymouswizard]

Aliens probably exist. They probably look like no Alien in any giving written on Earth.

Giger's/Scott's Xenomorph is a good benchmark for weird. I can develop an ecosystem where they actually might make some vague kind of sense, but it's nothing like Earth's.

On that note, I kind of actually prefer the lifecycle envisioned for the creatures in Alien where it went egg->facehugger->chestburster->adult->egg, without any kind of Queen stage. Partially because the drones seen to have had a downgrade in intelligence after the hive got a core, although I suppose the idea that the Queen is just a specialist egg producer stage they'll only move into if a hive is large enough kind of works as a bridge between the two versions.

[Fyraltari]

Something like The Klyntar is more likely than something like The Shi'ar.

I am sure there are meanings attached to these words.

[Rater202]

Aliens probably exist. They probably look like no Alien in any giving written on Earth.

Giger's/Scott's Xenomorph is a good benchmark for weird. I can develop an ecosystem where they actually might make some vague kind of sense, but it's nothing like Earth's.

On that note, I kind of actually prefer the lifecycle envisioned for the creatures in Alien where it went egg->facehugger->chestburster->adult->egg, without any kind of Queen stage. Partially because the drones seen to have had a downgrade in intelligence after the hive got a core, although I suppose the idea that the Queen is just a specialist egg producer stage they'll only move into if a hive is large enough kind of works as a bridge between the two versions.

I'm honestly not sure what kind of environment the "gene reflex" where you absorb a host organism's DNA(with it making up 10-15 of the offspring's genome) in order to adapt to ti's natural environment could naturally evolve in.

It'd either require rapidly changing climates or Xenomorphs to have long since entered an environment not their own and this being the only method of adaption that random mutation could give them.

The fact that they don't seem to retain these traits past one generation also seems.. they'd have to evolve to specifically cast off all of those traits when forming reproductive cels that gestate into eggs.

Otherwise yeah, I could see them being the dominant predator of an ecosystem.

Not sure why Weyland-Yutani is so obsessed with using them as bio-weapons, though. In practical matters they die to a strong enough shotgun, they can't be trained, they hunt for either food or hosts indiscriminately... Their only conceivable military use would be to leave eggs in a civilian center where you don't want it but don't want anyone else to have it either and even then you'd have to monitor the area and torch the please with nuclear or thermobaric weapons if they get loose so you might as well just cut out the middle man.

Their real value would be in analyzing their genetic and biochemical properties, and you don't need to capture them alive to do that. f you can crack the gene reflex than you'll advance the science of genetic engineering by decades or centuries.

[Lacco]

I am sure there are meanings attached to these words.

Sounds like cleaning product and an exotic food.

Would you like some Shi'ar? Oh, no! Give me your t-shirt, I'll wash it with Klyntar and the stain will go away.

[Anonymouswizard]

The genre reflex is weird, but it doesn't come up until Aliencubed (and even then I don't believe it's an explicit thing). Looking at just the basic package they're strong (and as an extension fast), their exoskeleton works as armour and potentially camouflage*, the acid blood is an incredibly good defence mechanism of your opponent's use claws, and they clearly adopt their host's stance. Sure their main method of attack is weird, but I'm sure we can work something out.

I mean, they are fairly stupid weapons, that's why I prefer them being a naturally evolved thing. I suppose what I'd do if I wanted to use them as one is to stick as many eggs into drop pods as I can and try to speak then between a planet's cities.

* Their native environment likely looks weird to humans if going with 'naturally evolved' instead of bioweapons

[Rater202]

I am sure there are meanings attached to these words.The following pictures are all sourced from the Marvel Database wiki.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/e/e1/Shi%27ar_%28Race%29_from_X-Men_Messiah_Complex_-_Mutant_Files_Vol_1_1_001.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/679?cb=20170214084140
These are Shi'ar. They look human and are capable of reproducing with human partners.... Despite the fact that they evolved on a different planet in a different galaxy and their evolutionary ancestors resemble in terms of physiology earth's avians rather than earth's primates.

The only way to tell that they're not human is to look closely at their heads and realize that they have feathers instead of hair.

(they also are sometimes depicted as laying eggs, but on other occasions are shown carrying a fetus to term and giving live birth so..)

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/6/64/Klyntar_%28Location%29_from_Guardians_of_the_Galax y_Vol_3_23_001.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20161009082522Everything in this picture, except for the ship in the back, is a Klyntar.

Becuase Klyntar are completely amorphous and they adapt to their environments. and it's honestly questionable if they can be called alive int the strictest biological sense, because while they benefit from eating they have n need to do so under normal circumstances. While they have a genetic code, their biomass doesn't have many properties in common with other forms of biologically living beings. They do not possess any discrete organs but possess anything from rudimentary awareness of their environment to complete sapience and a sophisticated intellect via a combination of emergent consciousness frm the interaction of the many simpler thinking particles they're composed of and learning from the environment.

Under proper conditions, they can live on their own or in symbiosis with other organisms and this symbiosis can be mutualistic or parasitic based entirely on the Klyntar's own whims. That nature of the symbiosis and, in such cases, the degree of parasitism varies based on individual.

Klyntar do not have a home planet. They were born in the void of space, and they manufactured their planet via millions of them joining together to form one.https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/f/f7/Klyntar_%28Location%29_from_Silver_Surfer_Black_1_ 2_001.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20190717181215

Granted, the Klyntar have a supernatural origin, but I don't think that undermines my point:

They're alien, in every sense of the world. They are not like anything on Earth, and that's the point.

Life on Earth is an utterly complex series of random coincidences. If complex life exists on other planets, it's either very similar to life on earth, or... Well, the aliens would be alien.

And we're more likely to run into shoggoths than into sexy green chicks.

[Fyraltari]

Thing is we have a grand total of 1 singular data point for the apparitions and development of life. We simply have no ability to make any prediction on what alien life would be like.

[halfeye]

Thing is we have a grand total of 1 singular data point for the apparitions and development of life. We simply have no ability to make any prediction on what alien life would be like.

Just life? as you say no idea.

Interstellar travelling life? They can live for a long time in interstellar space, that probably means adapted to low gravity and low light. If they ever come they will want to live out in the Oort, and they will hate the idea of deep gravity wells like stars, planets or big moons.

[2D8HP]

So anyway if time travel exists (which I know it is.) Would you travel back or forward in time. I know I would go forward to see the futuristic future in the year 1,000,000. :smile:


Backwards in time, to gather certain goods that used to be easier to get, or to tell past self to:
Buy and stockpile those Navy surplus long officer's coats, they looked great and finding them later will be really hard or expensive (this last month I bought a replica that while it hard a better liner was more than 10x the price that I paid in the '80's and early '90's).

Don't give your Derby jackets to girls you fancy, they'll stop making them and they'll become much more expensive.

Buy more Converse sneakers while they're still made in the U.S.A.

Don't give your leather motorcycle jackets to girls you fancy, leather becomes much more expensive in the future.

Buy Doc Martin's boots while they're still made in the U.K.

Buy more Red Wing boots while more are still made in the U.S.A.

Stockpile clothes in general, in the future what's typically in all but very high end stores is much flimsier, convince the woman who will become your wife to do the same, besides the general flimsiness she'll hate how shallow pockets in women's pants become in the 21st century.

Buy the metal Andis hair clipper early on, the plastic ones by them and others are shoddy.

Buy custom fitted shirts for wearing with a tie.

Don't buy leather "dress" shoes that aren't made by Alden or Church's

Two button suit jackets look better, and go with Brooks Brothers or even higher end for that.

For work, get the knee pad inserts right away, and don't bother with non-Carhartt overalls and pants.

All new clothes will become shoddier, lighter, and/or more expensive in the future, only the lighter (if all cotton) will be welcome, and only when it's hot.

The future will be hotter, San Francisco starts to have more San Jose-like weather, much to your annoyance.

They'll be no changes in fashion that you'll follow, your tastes in 1991 will be the same as your tastes in 2021, in many ways it will seem that pop culture changes hardly at all compared to the many changes of your first 23 years. At almost 53 you'll dress, and listen to mostly the music as you did at 23.

You'll suffer "I didn't buy it remorse" far more than buyer's remorse.

[Sermil]

I'd go back and tell myself:

When you see that Doonesbury cartoon where the punchline is no one wants to be the next Apple (https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/1996/03/10)? BUY ALL THE STOCK YOU CAN.

[enderlord99]

Did anyone else have movie nights in elementary school where the class got to vote on the movie, but you weren't told what the options would be ahead of time, and you were only allowed to vote once without knowing if there would be a better option later (and couldn't change your vote) and the teacher thought this system was fair somehow?

When I asked to be told the options before voting, the teacher replied "that wouldn't be fair to everyone else, would it?" and I was (IIRC) sent to detention for pointing out that she could tell them too.

[Peelee]

Ah yes, the futuristic future where people put commas in the years' numbers.

Today I learned the US is futuristic compared to France. :smalltongue:

[enderlord99]

Today I learned the US is futuristic compared to France. :smalltongue:

Today I learned that I should have been writing the year as "2,021" this whole time.

[Jasdoif]

An update from Zodi:
"You can update the forum: free of IVs, doing really well minus big right hand swelling, learning how to insulin. Will be out in a few days, potentially. And thanks for the well wishes!"Ooh, learning how to insulin can be interesting. Admittedly, I was only twelve years old the first time, so I'm pretty sure my parents were better informed than I was; at least until I switched from dietary exchanges to carb counting like ten years later.


Thing is we have a grand total of 1 singular data point for the apparitions and development of life. We simply have no ability to make any prediction on what alien life would be like.The big question, I think, is how we're defining "life". If the definition is bound by the concept of cells (https://askabiologist.asu.edu/questions/are-viruses-alive) as we know them, then anything that isn't similar to Earth life won't be called "alien life" regardless; in which case it's practically tautological that alien life is going to be similar to Earth life...but that would kind of defeat the purpose. Perhaps some sort of multi-factor scheme (http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff2600/fc02547.htm) is in order....

[Peelee]

An update from Zodi:
"You can update the forum: free of IVs, doing really well minus big right hand swelling, learning how to insulin. Will be out in a few days, potentially. And thanks for the well wishes!"

HUZZAH! I like a healthy and happy Zodi.I mean, technically, I like a healthy and happy everyone, but those people can get called out when they're in the hospital.

Also, I'm a bit exhausted now, so (selectively edited) copy/paste from what I told my friends, because I can't remember what I've said or not on here:

News update.

1.) I have downloaded a running app. Currently going through the 5k program. On week 2 of 6. It recommends running 3x/day, ideally Mon/Wed/Fri. I run every day. There's no room in the agency for cowards.

B.) I have also gotten a 12 lb weighted vest and have been using this during my runs.

As of today, I've noticed my mind and lungs are in top shape. I can get back to normal breathing incredibly quickly after the run sessions (currently 1 min runs x8, broken up by 2 min walks to recover.). Today my thighs felt like lead. First time since I've started that the biggest thing holding me back was legs, and not chest or head. But I still got in all the runs. Plus 20 push-ups after the runs. With the vest on.

Couldn't even get down to do the push-ups for a good half minute due to the thigh muscles not wanting to work. But I eventually got it. The push-up requirement ain't gonna knock me out.

[Fyraltari]

Today I learned the US is futuristic compared to France. :smalltongue:
Funny thing is, we don't even use commas the way you do in numbers. We put a comma where you put a point and we put a space where you put a comma. So an American writes 23, 536.34 where a French writes 23 536, 34.

Today I learned that I should have been writing the year as "2,021" this whole time.
Indeed. (https://superdickery.com/super-villains-from-the-year-2000/)

[Rater202]

Did anyone else have movie nights in elementary school where the class got to vote on the movie, but you weren't told what the options would be ahead of time, and you were only allowed to vote once without knowing if there would be a better option later (and couldn't change your vote) and the teacher thought this system was fair somehow?

When I asked to be told the options before voting, the teacher replied "that wouldn't be fair to everyone else, would it?" and I was (IIRC) sent to detention for pointing out that she could tell them too.

You weren't punished for pointing it out a more fair system.

You were punished for being smarter and/or wiser than the teacher.

Teaching does not pay anywhere near what it's worth. If you become a teacher, especially in elementary school, it's either because 1: You want to help children or 2: You want to have power over people who can't fight back because the system assumes by default that you're in the right.

And it's such a stressful job that a lot of people who start as the first just end up jaded and not going a crap, so the ones who become the second get away with it.

Whenever a student gets punished for something that isn't actually against the rules and almost any time a student gets punished for 'back talk' or 'disrespecting the teacher,' it's because the teacher is on a power trip and/or embarrassed that the student knows more than they do.

Respect can mean two things: Treating someone as an authority and treating someone as a human being.

Some people use the phrase "I won't respect you unless you respect me" but they mean "unless you treat me as an authority in all situations, I won't treat you like a person."

A disprorptionatly high percentage of those people become teachers because people under the age of 18 are already treated as if they weren't complete people in a lot of circumstances, including, in the united states, the law, and therefore it's easier to get away with disrespecting a child and/or ignoring their rights.

[Anonymouswizard]

Anybody else feel that Rater is unusually pessimistic? In my experience Primary School was much, much more lenient than secondary school, and I think every time we had to vote on a money we got to know beforehand (when I was in younger years the obit videos you got to watch were Look and Read, and sheet I changed schools movies were organised a will in advance to get parental permission). In secondary school punishments and enforcement was much tougher (actual detention! Although my school favoured lunch break detention over after school), but at the same time you got treated more as an equal. Punishment actually disappeared by Sixth Form because everybody actually wanted to be there, except for those having to resit GCSE Maths or English.

I don't think my experience was unusual? Yes I can see teachers using unfair voting systems like the one described to rig votes, but it's something I never personally experienced (and as CGPG Grey noted, removing the 'vote once' restriction makes it fair and helps avoid choices anybody would be unhappy with). Maybe it's a difference made by an ocean, maybe one of us just had an unusual experience. But I've never had a vindictive teacher, although I have had a couple of stern ones.

[Rater202]

Anybody else feel that Rater is unusually pessimistic?

Imagine being bigger and smarter than just about everyone around you.

Now imagine that every year of your life, there's always someone who knows exactly how to make you feel small and stupid and gets off on it.

When it wasn't the teachers doing it, the teachers let it happen.

It wasn't until well into college that a teacher treated me like an equal.

I had good teachers, but I've never not had bad teachers.

You'd be pessimistic too.

Here's my academic career: Had to leave the fancy private school I was in for preschool(my family actually had disposable income before Dad got the cancer) because they preemptively decided that I needed to be in kindergarten twice before I'd even gotten to Kindergarten and my parents thought that was bull****. Public Kindergarten for reasons I don't know eventually started making me go home early so I very rarely got playtime with the other students and on one occasion before it started, I was told that I wan'sn't allowed to use colored pencils anymore because I choose to spend my playtime one day taking the time to properly color in a picture instead of just scribbling in an outline.

First grade, the art teacher was acting unfairly, I started protesting, so they expelled me instead of asking me why I was protesting her unfair behavior.

At my new school, I was put in a behavior program("the problem students") that I did not feed because the new school got a biased report of me fro the old school. Despite the special ed classes being in the same rooms at the same times with the same teachers, teachers did not know how to deal with an autistic student and I'd often get punished for things like "not wanting to sing int the Christmas show even though I was never asked if I wanted to be in the Christmas show and it says in my file that I'm afraid of crowds, heights, loud noises, and the dark" or "not doing work in class when the work didn't have any instructions."

I think I mentioned the time in first or second grade where I was punished because I was upset that another student broke the lego sculpture that I'd been working hard on which resulted in me essentially not getting any Friday playtime for the rest of the year because I wasn't allowed to use legos or any other kind of building block and it was either play wit legos or play board games and everyone else would rather play with legos than play a board game.

Or how just after I was transferred they started putting me in therapy but didn't ****ing tell me it was therapy so all I knew is that they were taking me out of class during reading time and locking me alone in a room with a strange woman and then assumed that I was racist because the woman happened to be black and I reacted with anger at being locked in a room with a strange woman with no one telling me what was going on.

Repeat that until the third grade, when I was mostly put in normal classes but still had occasional incidents of being treated unfairly.

Fifth grade, bank screwed us out of the house, had to move to another city, new school... Two teachers: English and Scinece was thought by an abusive, power tripping, gaslighting control freak, and math and social studies was thought by a teacher who alternated between being okay with fair rules, not giin a damn, and on one occasion just sitting there and joking about pulling teeth when I'm standing in front of her bleeding from the mouth and panicking too much to ask permission to go to the nurse.

Middle school, bullied relentlessly while teachers watched and did nothing. Also in the sixth and seventh grade I was sexually harassed by two different crazy girls. Teachers did nothing. On one occasion I was punched in the chest in front of witnesses and the staff did nothing, but the one time I laid hands on someone else in order to defend myself I was forced to apologize to the other person nor else the principal was going to have me arrested and press charges.

First, two years of high school were much the same as middle school, complete with being bullied and sexually in the middle of class... This time by guys. Also, someone spread a rumor that I was going to bring a gun to school and shoot the place up and, naturally, as a nerdy bullied loner with no friends I was just a trenchcoat short of the totally inaccurate media pushed stereotype of a school shooter... That was fun.

Continuously got my schedule screwed with all four years, and my IEP was ignored on a couple of occasions which I know to be a violation of both state and federal law.

The second two years were better because I'd made a couple of friends, had developed a reputation for being the word kid nobody wants to screw with, and my mother started working for the school city and the school city is basically the Mafia. Still occasionally got hit on in the middle of class.

I was screwed over in my first couple of years of college by the financial aid department, who refused to process my scholarship that was supposed to give me a four-year full-ride until I'd taken out loans(literally, said they wouldn't process it unless I take out loans) while also insisting that I needed to take more classes than recommended to maintain my qualification for it forcing me to reschedule y classes at the last minute and the combination of an excessive workload and erratic schedule right out the gate made me fail everything...

and then, and then, the program my mother enrolled me in, a program tha t helps people with disabilities get jobs and educations, a program that said they'd help me until I'd graduated with the degree I wanted and had been gainfully employed for thirty consecutive days... Cut us off, because I failed everything. Said I had to get off of Academic probation on my own and then I'd get help again, so we end up having to pay for my transportation out of pocket(the company doing transportation thought this was bullcrap, however, and pulled strings to give us a discount, to which I will always be grateful) and then I get off of probation two semesters later they say that since I'd been paying my own way and ended up fine I didn't need their help after all.

...Sons of bitches, I sighed a fricking contract with these people and they kept changing the rules on me.

Retaking introductory English, the instructor is not giving very clear instructions, I ask for more help, she says there's nothing she can do, so I do what th school's disability office told me to do: If you are struggling with classes, tell them, professor, your disability and ask for help. I do so, teacher says the disability office said nothing and that I was on my own(apparently the rues were changed between semesters and boy thought it prudent to inform me.)

I am naturally upset, but I walk it off.

Next class, there's a woman sitting in class: Afterward, she ambushes me. Turns out the professor felt threatened by my presence and this woman's opinion of my body language in class indicated that I was anger and that if I did not go with her right then and there to discuss proper behavior she would report me to the dean of students and have me kicked out.

My ride picked me up right after that class so I couldn't stay, I told mother and she sent an email on my behalf explaining the situation, got that crap shut down, but we had to schedule a meeting with the professor of the class and she just never responded to my emails, my mother emails, baby emails whatsoever. claimed she wasn't allowed to, so it took like two months to get the meeting scheduled and clear up the misunderstanding, and finally get clear instructions on the assignments, but I was forced to sign a paper admitting to wrongdoing and didn't know that I was allowed to note that I was signing it under duress at the time o for the rest of my academic career I had to walk on tiptoes around certain teachers because if anyone felt threatened by my presence that early incident would have screwed me.

I managed to pass English that semester and few semesters later I started to get professors who weren't just people who were exactly the same as my teachers from highschool, but I am absolutely certain that you can understand my pessimism regarding the education system.

[Anonymouswizard]

TLDR; Rater and I had very different school experiences.

My first school didn't know how to deal with me creatively, but my second and third did (partially due to having autistic units, partially because my secondary school had enough experience to suggest I get diagnosed). I actually got taken or of special situation classes because I'm a special snowflake who barely benefited. I'm sure many teachers would have just labelled me as a problem, mine didn't and thanks to them I got to study literature at A-level.

Maybe Rater's experience is closer to the normal, maybe mine is. I suspect is actually somewhere in the middle.

I do know that exclusions are rare here, I don't know how common they are in the US. I do know that I only ever got punished unfairly by a teacher one, but when you've forgotten at least one item of your PE kit every day of a term then counting each sock as one item* is the logical next step.

*You got detention if you had two items missing.

[Peelee]

Funny thing is, we don't even use commas the way you do in numbers. We put a comma where you put a point and we put a space where you put a comma. So an American writes 23, 536.34 where a French writes 23 536, 34.

Why yes, fellow EU citizen, that was the joke. :smallwink:

[Fyraltari]

Why yes, fellow EU citizen, that was the joke. :smallwink:

But, we write the years the same way... With no spaces...

[Peelee]

But, we write the years the same way... With no spaces...

https://fandomania.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/vlcsnap-000082.png

[Rater202]

https://fandomania.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/vlcsnap-000082.png

But I don't want to be enslaved by giraffes! I want to be a dragon and be big and strong and smart enough that nothing can ever hurt me physically or emotionally ever again and anyone who tries is both incredibly stupid and just going to humiliate themselves!

[Peelee]

I want to be a dragon and be big and strong and smart enough that nothing can ever hurt me physically or emotionally ever again

https://i.gifer.com/8ziV.gif

[Rater202]

https://i.gifer.com/8ziV.gif

"Nothing can kill a Jedi"
"I wish that were so"
*Jedi believe that no one can truly die because they become one with the Force*
*This specific Jedi is also training to become truly immortal.*

[Peelee]

"Nothing can kill a Jedi"
"I wish that were so"
*Jedi believe that no one can truly die because they become one with the Force*
*This specific Jedi is also training to become truly immortal.*

If you want me to defend Lucas' extended writing, you're going to be disappointed. But suffice it to say that even if you became a dragon invulnerable to physical pain, people could still absolutely emotionally hurt you.

[Fyraltari]

"Nothing can kill a Jedi"
"I wish that were so"
*Jedi believe that no one can truly die because they become one with the Force*
*This specific Jedi is also training to become truly immortal.*
Sounds like he really wish that were so.

[Anonymouswizard]

"Nothing can kill a Jedi"
"I wish that were so"
*Jedi believe that no one can truly die because they become one with the Force*
*This specific Jedi is also training to become truly immortal.*

As I remember Qui-Gon has a different outlook on the Force to most Jedi, and so might see no difference between becoming one with the Force and death. Considering that becoming a Force Ghost was a lost art among the Jedi at that point I think that one training in the art is more likely to have such a view anyway.

Also it's kind of unclear on how Force Ghosts work, and how much effort it takes to become one. Qui-Gon never completed his training, but Anakin apparently becomes one without any training.


Although I'll note that OT Vader was, strangely, a better Jedi than PT Anakin ever was, keeping his emotions in check and seemingly relying on actual skill. Sure, he gets angry and punishes failure with death, but he's clearly cooled down and it takes more to get him angry. I don't know if it carries over to the EU, but it's what I see in the films and it helps make the end of EpVI feel better. Anakin's return to the light want the result of a few hours, days, or even months, instead likely hazing started before ANH (note how calm Vader is when he duels Obi-Wan, and compare that to any of Anakin's fights).

[Lord Raziere]

I must be really lucky in the school department, because I didn't get anything of what Rater experienced. the problems I had to deal with were familial. but then I heard once that my town is like, one of the top ten communities in the US.

[Rater202]

If you want me to defend Lucas' extended writing, you're going to be disappointed.No, it's just an amusing irony.
But suffice it to say that even if you became a dragon invulnerable to physical pain, people could still absolutely emotionally hurt you.If they're stupid enough to try.

That's what it comes down to, people saw me as a convenient and satisfying target, hurting me for their own amusement or because it made them feel better about their own problems(from what I can tell mostly the first)

I can't be bullied, pushed around, or harmed emotionally if I'm not a target. the people who derive amusement or self-esteem from deliberately harming undeserving and unwilling targets are cowards.

If I were to, somehow, legitimately become some kind of general-purpose "smarter, stronger, tougher, faster, harder" superhuman being, to the point that normal humans could not help to compete with me, and it was clear to people that I was not someone to be messed with, then either I don't get attacked, physically or emotionally in the first place, or anyone who tries is obviously so stupid that they can be easily ignored.

(And no, ignoring it is not an option right now. Emotions aren't rational and honestly, it's a lot harder to ignore some jackass when that jackass can double down or kick your ass if you don't react the way they want yu to with no consequences but it'll just get worse for you if you try to do anything about it.)

There's also the matter of self-esteem and stress to consider. Low self-esteem and being under regular stress make one more emotionally vulnerable. "I wen to the effort of doing half a dozen impossible things in order to become a living force of nature" is the kind of thing that will massively boost your self-esteem, and if I managed to become eternally youthful(and therefore, having infinite time to do what I want) and cured all of the problems with my body that give me anxiety about my health or cause me pain on a regular basis, that's going to drastically reduce the amount of stress I'm under on a regular basis.

Let's ignore being a dragon for a moment: Let's say I get something like Captain America's super-soldier serum. Now the physical parts are cool. Fixing everything wrong with my body, becoming effortless as fast, strong, tough, healthy s it's possible to become while also being eternally youthful, impervious to natural illness and immune to being fat, and not needing exercise to maintain the figure of a suited depiction of a Greek god... All good stuff. But the best part is the effects on the mind:

As intelligent as a human can possibly be, in every conceivable means of measuring intellect. Problem-solving, lateral thinking, memorization of facts both simple and complex, capacity to learn, understand and apply information, ability to develop and retain skills. Cap is physically capable of learning anything with ease, and doesn't require required practice to maintain his skills: If he wanted to, he could master differential calculus, never use it, and then pull it out of his ass and do it perfectly the one time he does need to use it.

I could memorize all of known history or become a legitimate expert in multiple scientific fields with relative ease in the times it takes most people to master a subset of a single discipline, dabble in the arts and humanities, become a true Renaissance man the likes of which would surpass Da Vinci himself.

Going back to the eternal youth narrative... does what someone says matter if you know for a fact that you'll still be young and healthy when they're on their death bed from old age, cancer, or something else that you'll never have to worry about? It won't prevent the harm, maybe, but it'll lessen the impact.

And after a few generations, when it sets in that normal humans are like mayflies compared to you, then with each passing generation, anyone foolish enough to pick a fight with you will become less and less significant over time, while I would literally have all the time in the world to get my crap together and deal with the damage.

[Peelee]

If they're stupid enough to try.
Yes? There's no shortage of stories in fiction where one gets physical revenge over emotional damage and yes still feels empty and unfulfilled. You could squash them, sure. But you'd still have been hurt.

[Rater202]

Yes? There's no shortage of stories in fiction where one gets physical revenge over emotional damage and yes still feels empty and unfulfilled. You could squash them, sure. But you'd still have been hurt.

It's not about physical revenge.

It's about the satisfaction of knowing that I've made myself better than them in a way that can't be disputed. "If this is a fight you want, then you are going to lose." Knowing I can is more important than being able to do it, and making them realize I can would be gravy.

If if they're stupid enough to try and hurt me... Well, that just means they're too stupid for what they say to matter to anyone, let alone me, savvy?

The last time we had a conversation like this, the idea of "the best revenge is living well" came up.

It'll be a hell of a lot easier to live well if I was in a position where I could easily support myself without having to take crap from anyone. The bare minimum that I'd want, the captain America package, would let me do that. If I fund a way to no longer need food or drink except for pleasure, then that's a lot of money saved and therefore an easier method of supporting myself and doing what I want to do with my life.

there's a lot of stories about the kid who was bullied in high school showing up to the reunion in an expensive tailored suit, working 20 hour a week in a job tha he loves and pays him enough salary that he never wants for anything and can buy expensive luxuries with an attractive trophy wife on his arms while his bullies are now fat, trapped in dead-end minimum wage jobs are either single or stuck in loveless marriage that neither party has the stones to get out of and the successful former-victim metaphorically drinks the tears of envy and impotent age from the people who tried to tear him down.

But somehow my desire to be in that situation, but instead of pointless trivialities and I show up with actual, tangible power instead of just money, things, and a woman who is treated like a thing by the narrative is bad?

I know this is never going to happen, but the fantasy gives me comfort in times when I need it. There are reasons why I can't put in the effort to better myself in real life(relating to health, lack of funding, bad decisions when I was younger and stupider, and other things I'd rather not get into) so fantasizing about ways I could get things that would remove the physical and limiting factors on how much I can improve myself, physically and intellectually, is bad?

I mean, if I'm honest the only reason I didn't drop out of school was that I wanted to spite the abusive fifth-grade teacher. Bitch said I'd never make it too high school. Doing things partly or wholly out of spite has turned out well for me so far.

[Fyraltari]

https://s1.qwant.com/thumbr/0x0/a/8/2bae7b5bb0be563949777224be342accf05def708aa850cde6 6677fb67b4e7/FailingContentGalapagosmockingbird-max-1mb.gif?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthumbs.gfycat.com%2FFailin gContentGalapagosmockingbird-max-1mb.gif&q=0&b=1&p=0&a=1

[Peelee]

It's not about physical revenge.

It's about the satisfaction of knowing that I've made myself better than them in a way that can't be disputed.

Until they dispute it. Sure, you can ground them up, cruhs them beneath your feet, cook them with your fire breath. But you can never force them to believe something, even if to you it is inarguable. You would only set yourself up for more wishes for being more powerful in pursuit of a goal that you could never attain.

[Lord Raziere]

Until they dispute it. Sure, you can ground them up, cruhs them beneath your feet, cook them with your fire breath. But you can never force them to believe something, even if to you it is inarguable. You would only set yourself up for more wishes for being more powerful in pursuit of a goal that you could never attain.

Yeah, philosophically speaking, such enhancement is a materialist viewpoint, which doesn't matter to an idealist viewpoint which holds that materialistic concerns by itself doesn't always make one better or happier. after all, rich people aren't better than us and they have tons of material things and live well. such self enhancement can just be considered to be a different form of wealth in some respects.

[Rater202]

Until they dispute it. Sure, you can ground them up, cruhs them beneath your feet, cook them with your fire breath. But you can never force them to believe something, even if to you it is inarguable. You would only set yourself up for more wishes for being more powerful in pursuit of a goal that you could never attain.

Making them acknowledge it is a bonus, not a necessity.

But, looking at it logically, there is a point where either they would have to admit that I am better than them.. Or their refusal would prove to every rational person witnessing it that this person is utterly delusional and possibly narcissistic to think that they're better than me, or self-destructive since they are trying to provoke me.

there comes a point where everyone who would want to hurt people like would have to either admit to my superority or prove themselves beyond a shadow of a doubt to be below consideration.

Either way, that's a win for me.
Yeah, philosophically speaking, such enhancement is a materialist viewpoint, which doesn't matter to an idealist viewpoint which holds that materialistic concerns by itself doesn't always make one better or happier. after all, rich people aren't better than us and they have tons of material things and live well. such self enhancement can just be considered to be a different form of wealth in some respects.Ther'a sidferance between money and being able to benchpress a truck.

Kowing that you personally are physically capable of something is a confidence booster.

Being cured off all of the conditions that make it difficult for me to exercise or even do basic physical cores without becoming exhausted would let me actually get excerisize(even if I don't need it anymore) and do those tasks.

Having something that boosts my capacity to learn and cultivate skills would actively allow me to better myself.

It's not about materialism. It's about acquaring the tools needed to make myself better than the man I am now, and by extension better than the people who got off on making me feel inferior.

[Peelee]

Making them acknowledge it is a bonus, not a necessity.

But, looking at it logically, there is a point where either they would have to admit that I am better than them.. Or their refusal would prove to every rational person witnessing it that this person is utterly delusional and possibly narcissistic to think that they're better than me, or self-destructive since they are trying to provoke me.

there comes a point where everyone who would want to hurt people like would have to either admit to my superority or prove themselves beyond a shadow of a doubt to be below consideration.

Either way, that's a win for me.

It's a win that would likely never come because your putting you entire self worth in the hands of other people. That is a massive gamble and is completely needless. You talked about stories where the high school loser comes back with all sorts of material trappings to the burned-out formerly popular kids. I have to date seen one sole good depiction of that, which was Futurama's. In which Leela returns to Cookievale Orphanarium as a successful, talented, attractive person amidst the significantly worse-off people who tormented her. Who then continue to torment her despite the obvious trappings of her successes and their failures.

Thats my favorite because it's the only one that's not pure wish fulfillment. That's the only one that explains why it's more important to put your value in your own hands rather than in other peoples'. Put yourself in the driver's seat, take control over your own destiny. If you always let others dictate your worth, then it shouldn't be surprising if they never put it above their own, especially if they are as petty as you say. It simply won't work like you think it would.

And if you still believe it would work like you think, how much progress have you made towards being better than them?

[Lord Raziere]

There's differance between money and being able to benchpress a truck.

Knowing that you personally are physically capable of something is a confidence booster.

Being cured off all of the conditions that make it difficult for me to exercise or even do basic physical cores without becoming exhausted would let me actually get excerisize(even if I don't need it anymore) and do those tasks.

Having something that boosts my capacity to learn and cultivate skills would actively allow me to better myself.

It's not about materialism. It's about acquaring the tools needed to make myself better than the man I am now, and by extension better than the people who got off on making me feel inferior.

Logic, that I'm sure the very people that did this to you would agree with and only acknowledge as true so they can get the enhancement themselves and proceed to the same thing when they get it from you and abuse people under them again, as you reinforce their worldview that strength and "being superior" is something that matters at all.

[Rater202]

It's a win that would likely never come because your putting you entire self worth in the hands of other people.Again, they're acknowledging it is a bonus.

My self-worth in this scenario would be tied up in going to the effort to gain abilities and improve myself, particularly ones that would fix the problems that make it hard for me to gain abilities and improve myself in real life.
And if you still believe it would work like you think, how much progress have you made towards being better than them?

So my senior year in high school was about four hundred people.

Only 80ish people walked at graduation.

Off the top of my head, I can only think of one of the people who made my life hell that graduated high school on time.

I currently have two degrees, one in history and one in sociology, and I'm currently weighing my options in regards to continuing my education versus looking for employment in an academic setting.

[Peelee]

Again, they're acknowledging it is a bonus.
If that is unneeded, then going to them at all is unneeded. All you would need is your own knowledge. And yet every time you bring this up, it's always, to a T, mandated as confronting them being a necessary step. Which means that as much as you claim that their acknowledgement is unnecessary, you always present it as a necessity.

My self-worth in this scenario would be tied up in going to the effort to gain abilities and improve myself, particularly ones that would fix the problems that make it hard for me to gain abilities and improve myself in real life.
Of the ones you can improve in real life, how much progress have you made? How much would you like to make? Would you like to do some of them with me (remotely, of course) so you have someone else in it with you?

[Form]

But, looking at it logically, there is a point where either they would have to admit that I am better than them.. Or their refusal would prove to every rational person witnessing it that this person is utterly delusional and possibly narcissistic to think that they're better than me, or self-destructive since they are trying to provoke me.


That's not a healthy way of thinking. It's not a good foundation for interacting with other people, or with the world at large, or for dealing with past pain. Going that route you'd just end up competing endlessly and viciously with everyone else. That's just a good way to make oneself miserable. Back in highschool I was smarter than most kids and developing a minor superiority complex because of it was somewhat useful at the time as a coping mechanism and to preserve some of my self esteem, maybe, but it didn't really make the bullying hurt less. Maybe it helped me survive back then, but later in life that attitude didn't help me in any way.

I don't begrudge anyone their power fantasy, I have those myself as well, just as long as we don't get lost in them. All the power in the world, tantalizing as that may be, doesn't take the pain away and "proving" that you're "better" (by whatever metric) than someone just doesn't really help you.

[Rater202]

If that is unneeded, then going to them at all is unneeded. Wouldnt so much be going to them than if we ran into each other.

I still live in the same small town and a lot of people I went to high school with still living in the same tri-country area. As one of life's curl ironies, it's mostly the ones that were nice to me that went away.


Of the ones you can improve in real life, how much progress have you made? How much would you like to make? Would you like to do some of them with me (remotely, of course) so you have someone else in it with you?

In terms of education, I'm doing fine. Kind of passed off that I can't go on the academic track I wanted to go on due to (it seems) suddenly becoming bad at math as soon as I graduated high school, but I'm educated on subjects that I honestly never would have known about now and discovered some things I'm passionate now. As mentioned id in my edit, I'm currently weighing my options between continuing to the masters versus looking for a career in a school, library, or museum.

In terms of diet and exercise... I do what I can, but once the fat is on you the only way to get rid of it permanently is to remove it surgically. I do what I can in order to get enough exercise but I tire unusually easily and bad knees, ankles, and leg circulation mean that twenty minutes of light cardio make it hard to walk for three days and I am not in a position to be able to afford food that's good for you, tastes good, and actually keep you feeling full until your next meal if you eat a reasonable portion of it.

Currently trying to get more oats into my diet, see if that helps manage the hunger.

This is very much a "do what I can until I am able to do more" situation and I don't think it's really something you can help me with. I'd probably just slow you down.

Edit: Also, while it didn't help with my weight problem, taking the stairs everywhere my first few years of college has given me some rocking calves that do not seem to be going anywhere despite the relative lack of excercise in compassion since then, so I count that as a small victory.

[Tvtyrant]

I can't speak for Rater, but I know I personally developed an overinflated ego as a result of being bullied. It's a natural defense mechanism to pare low self-esteem with an internal self-portrait that is all out of whack with the possible. I drove myself to get 4.0s all through college and graduate school to prove how smart I was to myself, and was constantly cycling manic self doubt with burnout as I reached beyond reasonable abilities. I gained a lot of weight during that time, and my egotistical belief that I should be beautiful got in the way of me making practical health choices (because I'm not.)

Then when I decided to make that my goal I got into weight lifting and doing hours of cardio a day with frequent injuries to show from overdoing it. My ego insists I should be the best looking because I care the most, and I burnout on trying to achieve the impossible (for me.)

What do I have? I'm a B+ or A- in intelligence, I can achieve a moderate level of overall fitness, and I'm okay at my job. I had a massive knock the last few weeks from finding out my insurance wouldn't cover cutting the loose skin off that I have left from losing so much weight (and severe weather changes bringing me down.) But I'm trying to not overreact about not getting to look how I feel I should and accepting myself as what I am, which is fairly average looking.

One thing I know for sure though is that it is my own ego that makes me unhappy, and my failure to meet my own ridiculous demands to service it. The bullies in school wouldn't care if I became king of the world, they mostly are extremely friendly when I run into them because they see us as equals that ground through school together and I see them as Other. Their only lasting effect was making me think I have to prove myself, but the only person who cares is me.

[Rater202]

Look, I at the end of the day, my fantasies amount to "live forever" and "be the best me possible."

It's natural to fantasize about things that would make me live forever, make it easier to be my best me, and make my best me greater than it could possibly be in real life.

[Bartmanhomer]

So anyway today I was going to the train station on my way home minding my own business until there was a man in the car ask me to get him some money in exchange for his golden ring. I told him "I don't have any money sorry." even though that I have money but I'm not going to give money to people that I don't know. :annoyed:

[Keltest]

So anyway today I was going to the train station on my way home minding my own business until there was a man in the car ask me to get him some money in exchange for his golden ring. I told him "I don't have any money sorry." even though that I have money but I'm not going to give money to people that I don't know. :annoyed:

Good call. I wouldn't be surprised if the ring was just plastic in paint or something. If you need to sell jewelry for cash, there are much better ways to do it than trying to pawn it on random strangers.

[Bartmanhomer]

Good call. I wouldn't be surprised if the ring was just plastic in paint or something. If you need to sell jewelry for cash, there are much better ways to do it than trying to pawn it on random strangers.

Exactly. I just hate it when people beg me for money even when they exchange for an item. It's infuriating. :mad:

[Keltest]

Exactly. I just hate it when people beg me for money even when they exchange for an item. It's infuriating. :mad:

At face value, they aren't begging for anything here. They're trying to sell you something, the same as at a store or market. The danger here is that it's most likely a scam, and the item they're selling is probably fake or otherwise not worth what you would be paying. That is what you need to watch out for. If his ring was genuine, he wasn't doing anything wrong just by trying to sell it.

[Bartmanhomer]

At face value, they aren't begging for anything here. They're trying to sell you something, the same as at a store or market. The danger here is that it's most likely a scam, and the item they're selling is probably fake or otherwise not worth what you would be paying. That is what you need to watch out for. If his ring was genuine, he wasn't doing anything wrong just by trying to sell it.

It's doesn't matter if the ring is real or not, I don't have any interest in getting the ring whatsoever and I'm not giving my money in exchange for it, so that's that. :annoyed:

[Fyraltari]

Exactly. I just hate it when people beg me for money even when they exchange for an item. It's infuriating. :mad:

What do you have against beggars?

[Bartmanhomer]

What do you have against beggars?

It just that beggars ask me for money they just want me to empty my wallets. It's very common for people in New York City and everywhere around the world beggars to do that sort of thing. If they want money then go get a job just like everybody else then. :mad:

[Peelee]

It just that beggars ask me for money they just want me to empty my wallets. It's very common for people in New York City and everywhere around the world beggars to do that sort of thing. If they want money then go get a job just like everybody else then. :mad:

Have you considered that some of them can't get jobs?

[Fyraltari]

It just that beggars ask me for money they just want me to empty my wallets. It's very common for people in New York City and everywhere around the world beggars to do that sort of thing. If they want money then go get a job just like everybody else then. :mad:

Yes, beggars beg, that's the general idea.

You do realize that employment isn't exactly booming, right? Like, there isn't actually jobs for everybody. Not to mention a lot of people that company simply won't hire for lack of education, because of medical conditions (including mental ones), lack of fluency in the local tongue, criminal records or a slew of other factors?

I mean, do you really think people would sit down in the streets or train stations begging for money if they had literally any other option to get a meal for them or their family?

[Anonymouswizard]

What do you have against beggars?

Society would be much better off without beggars. Can you imagine being in a position where you had to bother passers buy for money? The elimination of beggars is a benefit for both the beggar and beggee. I am presuming, if course, that the beggar obtains another, legal source of income.

Buskers on the other hand are a vital part of the urban environment and should stay, alongside other street artists.


Finally getting a weekend away with my partners on the 12th. While it's no cruise or will in Denmark it'll be nice to spend time with everybody, take a walk through the British rainstorm countryside, and maybe have a few rounds of Cards Against Humanity.

[Bartmanhomer]

Have you considered that some of them can't get jobs?

With a train of thought, yes I do consider that. I know that poverty and homelessness are still an issue today and people are trying to survive as best as possible. But there are some shelters and programs can help them get home and jobs.

[Fyraltari]

Society would be much better off without beggars. Can you imagine being in a position where you had to bother passers buy for money? The elimination of beggars is a benefit for both the beggar and beggee. I am presuming, if course, that the beggar obtains another, legal source of income.


That's not a problem with beggars, that's a problem with poverty.

[Anonymouswizard]

That's not a problem with beggars, that's a problem with poverty.

Oh, agreed. I know how I'd personally solve said issue, but I can't go into it here.

But yes, I have issues with poverty and it's symptoms. I don't think moaning about beggars is the right way to go about it, because you've pointed out the legitimate reasons why they can't change their position. But going further would cross lines.


My copy of the Alien RPG arrived today. I was immediately disappointed by the fact that not only do Xenomorphs weirdly have skills but no attributes, but they don't even give you their Close Combat skill! (Not that you can't work it out, a standard Xenomorph Drone gets a skill of 9 with a +1 if it doesn't use it's inner jaw.)

[Rater202]

So, changing subjects.

You live your life, for good or for bad, and die at the end of it... Then you get reborn.

Or rather, you just sort of... Come into existence, at the appropriate age, during the time and place of a fictional story of your choice, and you get involved in the narrative, so to speak, with it changing due to your involvement.

You have whatever is appropriate for your involvement in the narrative.

If you get to choose where you go, where do you go?

[Peelee]

With a train of thought, yes I do consider that. I know that poverty and homelessness are still an issue today and people are trying to survive as best as possible. But there are some shelters and programs can help them get home and jobs.

Those shelters and programs fill up quick. There is a large demand and low supply. Not to mention the people who couldn't get jobs even if there were magically enough programs available.

You have a very rose-colored view with very simplistic solutions to a very complex problem.

[Anonymouswizard]

Those shelters and programs fill up quick. There is a large demand and low supply. Not to mention the people who couldn't get jobs even if there were magically enough programs available.

You have a very rose-colored view with very simplistic solutions to a very complex problem.

I have a very simple solution. It just costs roughly one crapload of monies.

Oh sure, it doesn't magically make them employable, but my solution would at least give them the free time to gain knowledge, skills, or qualifications as suited them.

[Bartmanhomer]

Those shelters and programs fill up quick. There is a large demand and low supply. Not to mention the people who couldn't get jobs even if there were magically enough programs available.

You have a very rose-colored view with very simplistic solutions to a very complex problem.

I'm low on answers so yeah. I'm sure you have a better solution than mine.

[Peelee]

I have a very simple solution. It just costs roughly one crapload of monies.

Oh sure, it doesn't magically make them employable, but my solution would at least give them the free time to gain knowledge, skills, or qualifications as suited them.

I like solution. It would also allow care for those who could not really gain knowledge, skills, or qualifications.

[Lord Raziere]

So, changing subjects.

You live your life, for good or for bad, and die at the end of it... Then you get reborn.

Or rather, you just sort of... Come into existence, at the appropriate age, during the time and place of a fictional story of your choice, and you get involved in the narrative, so to speak, with it changing due to your involvement.

You have whatever is appropriate for your involvement in the narrative.

If you get to choose where you go, where do you go?

.....I wake up in El Goonish Shive. Whenever is fine. Just as long as its in El Goonish Shive.

[Mystic Muse]

.....I wake up in El Goonish Shive. Whenever is fine. Just as long as its in El Goonish Shive.

I concur. Seems like one of the better universes to wake up in.

[Jasdoif]

I have a very simple solution. It just costs roughly one crapload of monies.

Oh sure, it doesn't magically make them employable, but my solution would at least give them the free time to gain knowledge, skills, or qualifications as suited them.Well if we're into quasi-solutions that call for a crapload of monies....Mine would be heavy research/development/infrastructure for food production, particularly crop yield and long-term viability/storage; until the point where tracking older-but-still-edible food costs more than can be recovered selling it, is high enough that it could cover everyone unable (or unwilling) to buy fresher food. Attacking the poverty level itself, in other words; Once charity is more profitable than sales, and there's enough charity to go around, we're that much closer to food being as accessible as air.

A series of pipe dreams, I admit; but beating down the base level will outlast a one-time injection over of the top of it.

[Keltest]

So, changing subjects.

You live your life, for good or for bad, and die at the end of it... Then you get reborn.

Or rather, you just sort of... Come into existence, at the appropriate age, during the time and place of a fictional story of your choice, and you get involved in the narrative, so to speak, with it changing due to your involvement.

You have whatever is appropriate for your involvement in the narrative.

If you get to choose where you go, where do you go?

Do we remember our old lives at all?

[Rater202]

Do we remember our old lives at all?

Yes, but things will change to account for your presence and things like chaos theory and multiverse theory can be a bitch.

[Keltest]

Yes, but things will change to account for your presence and things like chaos theory and multiverse theory can be a bitch.

Cool. I reincarnate as myself, at about age 17, after having memorized the winning powerball numbers.

[Beeftank]

I guess I’d do Harry Potter, get sorted into Hufflepuff and tell Professor Lupin and Dumbledore everything day one of Harry’s third year. Everything sorts itself out and I spend the rest of the time getting Os in muggle studies and annoying the other Hogwarts students with my obsession with American Muggle sports.

[Rater202]

Cool. I reincarnate as myself, at about age 17, after having memorized the winning powerball numbers.
I did specify fictional story, so unless you're claiming t be a work of fiction that's not really an option.

[halfeye]

Those shelters and programs fill up quick. There is a large demand and low supply. Not to mention the people who couldn't get jobs even if there were magically enough programs available.

You have a very rose-colored view with very simplistic solutions to a very complex problem.

In the UK welfare is actually a thing.

Housing is still an issue, but survival generally isn't.

[Anonymouswizard]

Well if we're into quasi-solutions that call for a crapload of monies....Mine would be heavy research/development/infrastructure for food production, particularly crop yield and long-term viability/storage; until the point where tracking older-but-still-edible food costs more than can be recovered selling it, is high enough that it could cover everyone unable (or unwilling) to buy fresher food. Attacking the poverty level itself, in other words; Once charity is more profitable than sales, and there's enough charity to go around, we're that much closer to food being as accessible as air.

A series of pipe dreams, I admit; but beating down the base level will outlast a one-time injection over of the top of it.

Eh, given we already produce enough food to feed the world the issue is with period who can't what's already there. Therefore e need to increase the resources of those in poverty until everybody has enough to rest and a dog over their head.

However the way I'd do this would be controversial, and I'd want to ruin it but an economist before implementing it.


In the UK welfare is actually a thing.

Housing is still an issue, but survival generally isn't.

Also this. Sadly it has to be used when companies won't pay their employees a decent wage (which is even worse in London, where rent is so much higher). It's not nice, but It works for what it's intended (keep people alive and looking for better jobs

[Rater202]

Eh, given we already produce enough food to feed the world the issue is with period who can't what's already there. Therefore e need to increase the resources of those in poverty until everybody has enough to rest and a dog over their head.

Yeah.

I'm not gonna link it because it has a lot of board forbidden language, but I recommend the Dorkly video "If Thanos had an assistant" because it manages to quickly and concisely explain why the "overpopulation theory" and "scarcity" theories of starvation and poverty just... Just doesn't make sense.

[Anonymouswizard]

Yeah.

I'm not gonna link it because it has a lot of board forbidden language, but I recommend the Dorkly video "If Thanos had an assistant" because it manages to quickly and concisely explain why the "overpopulation theory" and "scarcity" theories of starvation and poverty just... Just doesn't make sense.

I'm sure I'm aware of most of it already, I've been very careful to not actually describe what I'd do and the problems with it for similar reasons.

I hate to say it, but trying to seduce death was the more logical motivation. Not that I've seen Infinityb War or read the comic, but it feels to me like reducing the population by half isn't going to stop the problem, and any issues it does done will be back within a fairly insignificant couple of centuries.

[Tarmor]

Eh, given we already produce enough food to feed the world the issue is with period who can't what's already there. Therefore e need to increase the resources of those in poverty until everybody has enough to rest and a dog over their head.

Can't see that working for most people... unless I can trade the dog for a cat?

[Anonymouswizard]

Can't see that working for most people... unless I can trade the dog for a cat?

There is a typo, dog is of course supposed to be bagel. Or roof I suppose.

There may be other types as well, I hadn't had breakfast.

[Keltest]

I did specify fictional story, so unless you're claiming t be a work of fiction that's not really an option.

Unfortunately, a version of my life where i have lots and lots of money seems to be destined to remain fictional. :smallfrown:

[Rater202]

I'm sure I'm aware of most of it already, I've been very careful to not actually describe what I'd do and the problems with it for similar reasons.That was a general recommendation, not to you specifically.

The video doesn't really go into the politics of it. I'm not linking it because "Kevin the Supervillain assistant" cusses up a storm in the video and his swears of choice are centered by the forum.


I hate to say it, but trying to seduce death was the more logical motivation. Not that I've seen Infinity War or read the comic, but it feels to me like reducing the population by half isn't going to stop the problem, and any issues it does done will be back within a fairly insignificant couple of centuries.

Both takes of Thanos are equally insane, but MCU Thanos is also kind of stupid.

Like, in the comics, Thanos had a valid reason to think his plan would work: After getting a glimpse of Death and falling in love with her, she approached him and said "there are too many beings alive in the universe. Gather the infinity stones and use them to kill half of all life to balance the scales and we can be together."

Granted, later depciions of Death as a neutral or even benevolent force and Thanos as her creepy stalker suggest that she never actually thought he'd be able to pull it off and was just trying to get rid of him, but the point stands.

[Keltest]

I mean, my read was that Thanos not actually fixing anything was the whole point. He's a madman sulking about how nobody listened to him, not a genuine altruist.

[Fyraltari]

I mean, my read was that Thanos not actually fixing anything was the whole point. He's a madman sulking about how nobody listened to him, not a genuine altruist.

Thing is, in neither film does someone point out how stupid a plan it is, leaving many with the impression that acxording to the movies Thanos' plan would work.

[Keltest]

Thing is, in neither film does someone point out how stupid a plan it is, leaving many with the impression that acxording to the movies Thanos' plan would work.

I mean, his own kids call him a madman and at no point does anybody even entertain the idea that maybe Thanos has a point. Its one of those things where it doesnt really need to be called out as horrible, because it is visibly so.

[Anonymouswizard]

And yet people miss the point...

[Fyraltari]

I mean, his own kids call him a madman and at no point does anybody even entertain the idea that maybe Thanos has a point. Its one of those things where it doesnt really need to be called out as horrible, because it is visibly so.
The thing is because it's never adressed people assume that the heroes think Thanos is a madman and oppose his plan solely out of moral outrage (as in "killing 1/2 of the universe is monstruous even if it works") rather than moral outrage AND because it's a stupid plan that would never work anyway.

[Keltest]

The thing is because it's never adressed people assume that the heroes think Thanos is a madman and oppose his plan solely out of moral outrage (as in "killing 1/2 of the universe is monstruous even if it works") rather than moral outrage AND because it's a stupid plan that would never work anyway.

Whether it would work or not isnt really the focus of the movie, and its certainly not an important topic in the context of them trying to stop him from doing it.

[Tvtyrant]

The thing is because it's never adressed people assume that the heroes think Thanos is a madman and oppose his plan solely out of moral outrage (as in "killing 1/2 of the universe is monstruous even if it works") rather than moral outrage AND because it's a stupid plan that would never work anyway.

Probably that is because it is unimportant? Thanos never convinces anyone to switch sides or even tries to, it is irrelevant whether the giant evil alien is right in committing universal mass murder from a practical standpoint.

It is kind of like if a movie had a corporation that released a virus that they had already made a vaccine for, and the main character went "Actually a precipitous decline in population would lead to hyperinflation so your stock value will fall even with record sales." That is not actually the point.

[Anonymouswizard]

'This plan wouldn't work, he's attacking the symptoms and not the cause.'

Insert that line into a event where his plans are discussed, boom, done.

Sadly because his goals aren't as selfish as, for example, Father's (FMA) many people don't think about them being the most surface level, where maybe it seems like he might have a point? I mean, Father's atrocities pale in comparison (except for maybe one act), but because it's clear he's not doing this out of one silver of altruism it doesn't seem like he has a point at all.

[Keltest]

'This plan wouldn't work, he's attacking the symptoms and not the cause.'

Insert that line into a event where his plans are discussed, boom, done.

Sadly because his goals aren't as selfish as, for example, Father's (FMA) many people don't think about them being the most surface level, where maybe it seems like he might have a point? I mean, Father's atrocities pale in comparison (except for maybe one act), but because it's clear he's not doing this out of one silver of altruism it doesn't seem like he has a point at all.

Its already such a big story that they split it into two movies. And you want them to add a scene where they just sit around complaining about Thanos without advancing the plot or the action?

[Anonymouswizard]

Its already such a big story that they split it into two movies. And you want them to add a scene where they just sit around complaining about Thanos without advancing the plot or the action?

Not seen the films, but I'm certain they could find a scene that could have such a line agreed. It would add what, 20 seconds?

[Fyraltari]

It's not important to the plot but it's important to the character of Thanos. The main character of Infinity War. It shifts his framing from "extremist" to "killer trying to assuage own guilt by doubling down."

[Peelee]

Its already such a big story that they split it into two movies. And you want them to add a scene where they just sit around complaining about Thanos without advancing the plot or the action?

Wait, those movies had a plot?

[Tvtyrant]

It's not important to the plot but it's important to the character of Thanos. The main character of Infinity War. It shifts his framing from "extremist" to "killer trying to assuage own guilt by doubling down."

I think that implies a difference that isn't there. Anyone morally certain enough to convince themselves killing half of existence is okay is incapable of changing their mind.

If you are trying to convince the audience Thanos is wrong... Having every character in an entire franchise including his daughters (twice each) turn on him and try to stop him is literally the most wholesale rejection you can get

[Jasdoif]

Well if we're into quasi-solutions that call for a crapload of monies....Mine would be heavy research/development/infrastructure for food production, particularly crop yield and long-term viability/storage; until the point where tracking older-but-still-edible food costs more than can be recovered selling it, is high enough that it could cover everyone unable (or unwilling) to buy fresher food. Attacking the poverty level itself, in other words; Once charity is more profitable than sales, and there's enough charity to go around, we're that much closer to food being as accessible as air.

A series of pipe dreams, I admit; but beating down the base level will outlast a one-time injection over of the top of it.

Eh, given we already produce enough food to feed the world the issue is with period who can't what's already there. Therefore e need to increase the resources of those in poverty until everybody has enough to rest and a dog over their head.Precisely my point...the core problem isn't not making enough, but not being able to get all of it to everyone who needs it. It's a matter of accessibility. And one way of improving accessibility is making it less viable to restrict accessibility...by, say, expanding the amount and longevity enough that the overhead on large-scale control of access on the entire supply is a losing proposition; better for the big companies to get the money on the freshest stuff people will want to pay for, and to get the goodwill donating the rest to localized charities so they don't have the diseconomies of scale from dealing with the volume themselves.

And easier access to food means less resources needing to be expended on food, resources that could then be put towards other necessities of survival.

[Anonymouswizard]

This is like the third time restarting this writing project. At least I can use it as an excuse to go back to the basic idea.

[Rater202]

I've been listening to a lot of Alestorm recently, and the thought occurred to me...

How weird it is that Pirate Metal is a thing. A quick google search says that there are at least 10 bands that do this for the last decade and a half, so this is a proper genre.

Like, I appreciate its existence, but I'd be interested if someone did a historical/cultural survey to try and figure out how that got started.

[Peelee]

I've been listening to a lot of Alestorm recently, and the thought occurred to me...

How weird it is that Pirate Metal is a thing. A quick google search says that there are at least 10 bands that do this for the last decade and a half, so this is a proper genre.

Like, I appreciate its existence, but I'd be interested if someone did a historical/cultural survey to try and figure out how that got started.

For the lolz.

[Bartmanhomer]

I always buy my strawberries and blueberries at the food stand outside the streets because I want to eat healthily and also they're a legitimate business that sells real food also sometimes at the newsstand which I buy soda and candy on rare occasions. These are the two expectations that I will buy something off the street.

[Lacco]

I generally don't buy food from street stands, but there are two exceptions: when the fair comes to town (my hometown had a large one once per year) and coffee from one local company (they keep the stand spotless and use really good blends).

I do not count "official" market stalls into this - I tend to buy fruits and vegetables from them all the time.

How about you people? Do you prefer street stands? Dislike them?

What was the best food you got there? And the greatest nightmare?