Prediction Page, (bring your quatloos, gps, and internets, you'll need them.)

[Peelee]

Chasm Fiend? Abyss Fiend?

Gulf Fiend. They like to hang out along the coastal south US states.

[KorvinStarmast]

9 quatloos, 13 internets, and 666 gps in favor of the identity of The Vessel being the balor that Vaarsuvius stoned and Elan turned into Therkla's headstone. Hilarity ensues when Elan has to explain what the scar on the balor's chest means while attempting to keep it and The Artifact from turning them into Stone-Ground Adventurer Pulp, (made with Soylent Green.)

We don't accept stoned fiends, and we don't take American Varsuvian Express.

Yeah. He's a really, really big Pit Fiend.

He got busted for taking FGH: Fiendish Growth Hormone.

[brian 333]

We don't accept stoned fiends, and we don't take American Varsuvian Express.
He got busted for taking FGH: Fiendish Growth Hormone.

Must have played for the Crimson Tide. He's sporting the right colors.

As a digression, is the South Coast of the US the only place to have two collegiate mascots representing algae?

[Ruck]

Gulf Fiend. They like to hang out along the coastal south US states.

I was gonna say I'm not familiar with that sort of thing, but...

Must have played for the Crimson Tide. He's sporting the right colors.

...I guess I should defer to you on this.

As a digression, is the South Coast of the US the only place to have two collegiate mascots representing algae?

I guess so? Well, it depends on how you interpret those nicknames, first of all, but I can't really think of any others in a similar vein. At least not at major (or even mid-major) programs.

[Peelee]

Must have played for the Crimson Tide. He's sporting the right colors.

As a digression, is the South Coast of the US the only place to have two collegiate mascots representing algae?

Crimson Tide is a nickname. Mascot is am elephant.

Also, man, this is one of the places i can go to avoid Alabama football talk.

[brian 333]

Crimson Tide is a nickname. Mascot is am elephant.

Also, man, this is one of the places i can go to avoid Alabama football talk.

I generally avoid Alabama football talk, primarily because in Louisiana there are only two sportsball teams: black and gold or purple and gold.

[Ruck]

I generally avoid Alabama football talk, primarily because in Louisiana there are only two sportsball teams: black and gold or purple and gold.

That's right!

No, not really. I personally enjoyed the hell out of Tulane's Cotton Bowl win. But I have often said that the only thing that really unites all of Louisiana, across political party, religion, regional culture, etc., is the Saints.

[Peelee]

I generally avoid Alabama football talk, primarily because in Louisiana there are only two sportsball teams: black and gold or purple and gold.

Tell that to all the trucks with Louisiana plates and giant stylized A logos i see when i go visit my in-laws down there.

[brian 333]

Tell that to all the trucks with Louisiana plates and giant stylized A logos i see when i go visit my in-laws down there.

Those bastards!

If you come to Louisiana for the food and the good times, you can't keep rooting for the team you left behind with their bland biscuits and grits!

All in or stay out!

Them and Cowboys fans... grumble grumble...

[Peelee]

Those bastards!

If you come to Louisiana for the food and the good times, you can't keep rooting for the team you left behind with their bland biscuits and grits!

All in or stay out!

Them and Cowboys fans... grumble grumble...

If the Louisiana plates didn't clue you in, then i can openly say that i know at least one of those people (who are not common, but not exactly rare either) were born in Louisiana and spent their lives there.

[brian 333]

If the Louisiana plates didn't clue you in, then i can openly say that i know at least one of those people (who are not common, but not exactly rare either) were born in Louisiana and spent their lives there.

Traitors!

I mean, really, any state which has mullet eggs as a signature cuisine deserves a hand-egg team named after an algae.

[Metastachydium]

named after an algae.

[PEDANTRY]An alga or algae without the article. That's a plural.[/PEDANTRY]

[Peelee]

[PEDANTRY]An alga or algae without the article. That's a plural.[/PEDANTRY]

My data suggests that "algae" can be used for singular and plural both.

[Metastachydium]

My data suggests that "algae" can be used for singular and plural both.

My data suggests

data suggests

Narrator Voice: And so, war was declared.

[Peelee]

Narrator Voice: And so, war was declared.

If you want, but i warn you: i have allied with the octopuses.

[Metastachydium]

If you want, but i warn you: i have allied with the octopuses.

Very well! My faithful platypodes and I will have the last laugh, then, because there's NO SUCH THING as *octopuses. [Manic laughter.]

[Manic laughter continues.]

[Peelee]

Very well! My faithful platypodes and I will have the last laugh, then, because there's NO SUCH THING as *octopuses. [Manic laughter.]

[Manic laughter continues.]

Narrator: Sadly, the plantie was then killed by octopuses.

[Metastachydium]

Narrator: Sadly, the plantie was then killed by octopuses.

[Dramatic musical cue.] …or were they??

(Also, note to self: whatever *octopuses are, unlike the predatoty octopodes, they attack plants. Good to know.)

[Peelee]

[Dramatic musical cue.] …or were they??

(Also, note to self: whatever *octopuses are, unlike the predatoty octopodes, they attack plants. Good to know.)

Octopuses is the plural of octopus. Because I'm speaking English.

Now, if you want to get pedantic, OED states that both octopuses and octopi are accepted pluralizations of octopus, and octopodes is nowhere to be found. Octopi is likely derived from Latin pluralization since octopus is latinization of the Greek októpus, but as i speak neither Latin nor Greek (but can read Latin, yay four years of that in high scool!), i use English. Octopuses.

Quod erat demonstrandum.

[Ruck]

I did feel like you purposely used "octopuses" instead of "octopi" to fan the flames of the alga/algae discussion.

[Peelee]

I did feel like you purposely used "octopuses" instead of "octopi" to fan the flames of the alga/algae discussion.

Nonono. I used octopuses and singular data because they're technically correct. THE BEST KIND of correct!

Also because I don't speak greek or latin, as previously stated.

[Emberlily]

compromise solution: it's "an algus" and "several octopae"

[Jasdoif]

....and octopodes is nowhere to be found.

That's the stealth bonuses.

[Metastachydium]

compromise solution: it's "an algus" and "several octopae"

…
[INCOHERENT SCREAMING.]

Octopuses is the plural of octopus. Because I'm speaking English.

Now, if you want to get pedantic, OED states that both octopuses and octopi are accepted pluralizations of octopus, and octopodes is nowhere to be found.

Interesting pick, this OED of yours. Since I don't have a physical copy or a subscription, I cannot comment on the veracity of the claim. Merriam-Webster, at any rate does list octopodes.

Octopi is likely derived from Latin pluralization

Actually it isn't. It derives from a modern and entirely baseless misconception of how it would be pluralized in Latin.

[Peelee]

Actually it isn't. It derives from a modern and entirely baseless misconception of how it would be pluralized in Latin.

Neat! But I'm still not speaking Latin.

Real talk, though, the attempted forced Latinization of English in the 19th century was ridiculous and made the language, which was already in a pretty sorry state of affairs, even more of a cluster**** to deal with. Which i don't mind for myself, i have a fairly commanding grasp of the language, but it sucks for ESL people or for those who had to go to public school and learn all sorts of nonsense and think they can't split infinitives or end sentences with prepositions.

[brian 333]

Neat! But I'm still not speaking Latin.

Real talk, though, the attempted forced Latinization of English in the 19th century was ridiculous and made the language, which was already in a pretty sorry state of affairs, even more of a cluster**** to deal with. Which i don't mind for myself, i have a fairly commanding grasp of the language, but it sucks for ESL people or for those who had to go to public school and learn all sorts of nonsense and think they can't split infinitives or end sentences with prepositions.

I was going to stay out of this one because it has nothing to do with hand-egg or sportsball but you ended your post with multiple prepositions, which is a bad spot for a preposition to be in.

[ZhonLord]

You know what? I'mma make a different kind of prediction.

I bet the entire internet, that there will be someone who comments on the discussion thread of the climax page that it "wasn't satisfying" for them, or some equivalent, right in the middle of everyone else going "holy crap that was amazing"!

[brian 333]

You know what? I'mma make a different kind of prediction.

I bet the entire internet, that there will be someone who comments on the discussion thread of the climax page that it "wasn't satisfying" for them, or some equivalent, right in the middle of everyone else going "holy crap that was amazing"!

Okay, but that was too easy. Will it be that guy brian333? Can we bet on who without offending or rules violating?

[ZhonLord]

Okay, but that was too easy.

People tend to bet more, the more confident they are about winning. So an easy win is a big bet.

[KorvinStarmast]

Octopuses is the plural of octopus. Because I'm speaking English.

Indeed.

Neat! But I'm still not speaking Latin.

Real talk, though, the attempted forced Latinization of English in the 19th century was ridiculous and made the language, which was already in a pretty sorry state of affairs, even more of a cluster**** to deal with. Which i don't mind for myself, i have a fairly commanding grasp of the language, but it sucks for ESL people or for those who had to go to public school and learn all sorts of nonsense and think they can't split infinitives or end sentences with prepositions.

A preposition is the kind of word that one must never end a sentence with.
I remember an 8th grade teacher intoning something like
"The ending of a sentence with a preposition is bad writing, up with which I shall not put."

I predict that the quinton will call in Xykon's marker on 'even/odd' in a non-comedic way, but the accompanying modrons will flash signs that are funny during that same panel.