OddHat

Re: Order of the Stick

I'm sure Malak is seriously Evil and will play a larger role, but I don't quite see

Will be fun to see where Rich is headed.

Re: Un-Green Atlantis

How about a new Atlantean engine that emits signals that cripple GPS and ship & aircraft navigation? The Atlanteans don't know or care that their engines are causing surface vehicles to get lost or crash, and when told tell the surfacers to get stuffed.

Re: Un-Green Atlantis

I like the idea of Atlantean corporations dumping Alchemical waste products on "worthless" surface land, like the campaign city.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently?

Is it available on DVD?

MST3K, Samson vs the Vampire Women, is the dubbed version of the same movie. Plus Joel & the bots.

Re: Suggestions: Giant Elvis Fight

On another note' date=' do the aliens' spaceships resemble giant pink or purple Cadillacs?[/quote']

 

I was thinking about this, too.

 

The Space Elvi, in their fleet of Pink Cadillac fighters, the giant mother ships in the shape of Graceland, computers in the shape of Jukeboxes, their home world an endless maze of casinos.

Re: Suggestions: Giant Elvis Fight

Indeed. That will be one of the soundtrack songs for the event.

 

"Because Elvis is a perfect being!"

So, from a Chariots of the Gods point of view, the Aliens that taught pyramid building to the ancient Egyptians and Mayans, and who cross bred with humans, were Elvi. The Pyramids were not landing pads for ships; they were concert venus and cassino hotels. Vegas in America was an Alien city stronghold.

Re: Suggestions: Giant Elvis Fight

As an alternative to a faked-his-death scenario: in the Champions Universe belief generates gods rather than the reverse' date=' and there have been thousands of Elvis worshippers holding candlelight vigils at Graceland every year for decades. Maybe someday those gates swing open and The King comes striding out like Gozer the Gozerian at the end of [i']Ghostbusters[/i]?

Love that idea, and once used it in an Unknown Armies inspired game.

Re: Suggestions: Giant Elvis Fight

Entangle damage shield defined as "Struck pompadour, caught in hair oil."

Re: Suggestions: Giant Elvis Fight

One of the Elvi has Mind Control, One Command Only: "Just stand there and watch me", only vs targets of the appropriate sexual orientation, Gestures (Gyrating Hips).

Re: Suggestions: Giant Elvis Fight

"Don't bleed on my blue suede shoes."

"You're all shook up."

"Hunk a hunk a burning sandwhich" and then throws a gigantic peanut butter, bacon and banana sandwich at the target. It's on hot garlic bread.

"It's time for my pink Cadillac" - A gigantic pink Cadillac drives in from nowhere. Elvis gets in, and the Cadillac drives off into the clouds.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

The Swedish parliament in session.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Wait, you mean the Swedish have politics beyond patiently sitting around, getting drunk, and telling anyone who will listen that they're not in Norway?

Re: Foods for those that just don't care anymore

In very broad terms' date=' are high amounts of fats and sugars both equally bad?[/quote']

 

Not exactly. Obesity is mostly a matter of insulin response, and insulin resistance. Calorie per calorie, sugar is more of a problem, as it (generally) produces more of an insulin spike, and thus is more of a factor in obesity. That said, too many calories from any source can contribute to obesity. But if you have to cut one thing, cut processed sugar first. Don't worry about natural sugar in whole fruits & vegetables unless you're already lean and trying to get super lean, though processed fruit juices and dried fruits can be a problem for anyone.

 

"Eat real foods, not too much, mostly plants." Simplistic, but mostly correct.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

The short of it is: There was a raccoon in my garage last night.

 

The longer story: There's this neighborhood cat who likes to jump up on our porch and look through our window. It drives our cats friggin' nuts, because they want to defend their turf, but they can't get to it outside. So they end up fighting each other. Anyway, whenever I see that cat in our yard, I chase it off.

 

So last night, I go outside to the garage to put something in my car. I've left the garage door open, because it was such a pleasant day. I see this container of birdseed I keep in the garage scattered all over the floor, and I hear a noise on my workbench. "That damned cat came into the garage and knocked over my birdseed," I say to myself. So I shout at it, "Get out of my garage!"

 

It jumped from my workbench to the hood of my car, and I see that it's not the cat. It's a big-ole-ass raccoon, and it hisses at me.

 

OK, for those of you who don't live in agrarian climes, Disney lied to you. Raccoons are not cuddly, precious little animals. They are not cute. They are not lap-dogs with bandit masks. They are wild animals. They are big, and they are mean, and they are aggressive, and a lot of them carry diseases that you do not want to catch.

 

So there I am, five feet away from this hissing monster. My options are severely limited. So... I yell at it again. "Get the F*** out of my garage!" I scream at the top of my lungs. To add gravitas to my statement, I stomp my boots hard against the floor, kicking up a lot of racket. "GET OUT!!!"

 

Apparently, I'm scarier than a 'coon, because it jumped off the hood of the car and ran under it. So I kicked the side of the car, again and again, still yelling. I heard it scurry away, out of the garage. Cautiously, I picked up a broom handle and followed, peering out. I see it lurking just outside of the garage, so I shouted again and it took off running.

 

So, the lesson here is: No more leaving the garage door open, even if it's nice outside. Apparently, raccoons like birdseed, and they will come inside to get it.

[Racoon]So I was in one of those garages yesterday, eating some of that awesome stuff you sometimes find in boxes on trees, when this huge rabbit starts stomping around the place. I jump up on one of those metal things (the kind that sometimes move fast) and try to scare him off. Make myself big, you know? When he starts roaring and spitting and his eyes start to glow! So I hide under the metal thing, hoping he'll get the hint and go away, and he starts trying to move it to get at me! I was scared out of my mind! Those big rabbits may look all cute and fluffy, but you don't want to get bit by one! I run outside of the garage, figure I'll wait for the rabbit to leave, but he comes out chasing me and I have to run! All that great food, lost. I hate rabbits.[/Racoon]

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Sound advise for uncomplicated sprains. ^^

Yes. ;-)

Re: Musings on Random Musings

So what was the abbot's opinion?

If it's swollen, try some compression and (once you get home) ice.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

Well, the actual abbot of Shaolin temple has given me his opinion of Chinese medicine based on his lifetime of study and experience, and you've given me yours based on what the guy at the health food store told you.

Re: Genetically engineered leaders?

I think we're deviating a bit from the original question.

 

There is no discussion on whether or not the engineering worked: it did. The question is what, if any, downsides (pitfalls) are there after the leaders are in power. And, it needn't be a utopia.

People who want to be in power themselves. After all, just because the leader is "perfect" doesn't mean you don't want to boss people around. Many ways to get this done. One is becoming a middle man and then trying to control all access to the "perfect" leader and pass your decisions off as his. "The leader has heard your petition, and has decreed that you give 25% of your holdings to the state as security. I will be administering them myself. Sign here." Or you can just go the violent revolution route and be done with it.

The leader may be perfect, but he won't look that way to people on the bottom, or people on the top when he crosses them. "Clearly the leader has gone mad! Look at all the contracts he has given to GlobalChemCo instead of my companies! We must be rid of him." "The Leader doesn't give a damn about people like you and me, Charlie. Grab a gun and we'll get what we can!"

No matter how good the decision may have objectively been, there's always going to be someone who will spin it as the Worst Decision Ever, and more people who'll believe that.

Re: Genetically engineered leaders?

Who do you trust enough to design your future ruling class?

Bingo.

The only people in a position to pass power to the "perfect" leaders are the people in power at the time. They'll have no reason to do so short of violent revolution, unless they had a hand in the design themselves, in which case you get perfect leaders designed to push the interests of their designers.

You can get some good SF stories out of AIs and Perfect Men overthrowing weak, corrupt democracies and replacing them with Enlightened governments, and everyone likes an absolute dictatorship if they imagine themselves as the dictator. I used to love those stories (I still root for the Eternal Emperor in the Sten books).

In the real world, well, no, not so much.

Re: Your PCs might be overpowered if...

Dick Cheney shoots them in the face, and apologizes.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

Plane and hotel reservations made for Ghengis Con, but I still need to submit an event. Can't decide what to run. I'm having trouble deciding on something new with Asian Superheroes. I'm thinking maybe something with Lucha.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

I don't see that it is even a double standard. Or if it is then putting restrictions the freedoms of criminals (incarceration' date=' loss of the right to own firearms, etc) is a double standard as well.[/quote']

 

Sure, it looks like one to a criminal.

 

Which is to say that to my mind if eating animals raised as food while caring for animals raised as companions is a double standard, then the term is so watered down as to no longer have any meaning.

 

Actually, I pretty much agree. I think it is a double standard, but I have no problem with it. Yes, we treat members of Group A one way and Group B another; and in some cases we should, because otherwise society as a machine stops working.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Cats are raised as companions. Pigs are (for the most part) raised as a food source. I don't see any inconsistency in treating them differently.

 

Heck, I don't see treating pigs who are raised as a food source differently than pigs who are raised as a companion as being inconsistent.

I'd say it's one of the many double standards that we live with (and in some cases have to live with). We favor loved ones over enemies, pets over food animals, members of our own self identified groups over outsiders. Sometimes we expand the circle of the "we", sometimes we contract it. Sometimes we pretend not to make the distinction at all, because it causes cognative dissonance to admit that yes, the welfare of our own loved ones really is more important to us that the welfare of random strangers, who in turn may count more or less according to the group affiliations we share. When aware of these biases, sometimes we try to be "fair".

We have to organize, and someone will end up on the bottom; we have to eat, and something is going to be eaten. Our layers of rationalization and deal making build from there.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Well I'm either in shock or denial but I'm not terribly concerned. Unless I have to do insulin, then I'll be somewhat freaked. But if it's pills, diet and exercise...I can handle that...I think

 

so, off the top of your head, any foods I should consider replacing?

Just the normal stuff you'd expect. At first try to get as much white flour and white sugar out of your diet as you can, along with highly processed foods. Go easy on whole grains (overated), rice and pasta, with an eye towards only eating them on days when you've exercised. Think yams, sweet potatoes and potatoes when you want a starch, and again not too much (as keeping insulin under control is your goal). More smaller meals rather than a few larger meals, again for that steady blood sugar level. Minimize commercial fruit juices, as contrary to industry claims most of the nutrition was thrown away, but home made fresh fruit juices with pulp (i.e. fruit in the blender with water and ice) are fine.

If you're really serious about treating this with diet, Rob Wolf's new Paleo Solution book might be worth reading. At the least a paleo diet will keep your insulin under control and increase insulin sensitivity. If you were thinking of weight lifting or running, now might be a good time to start; both help somewhat with insulin sensitivity at least in muscle tissue.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

it's all good.

 

as to diet, I can but I really hate it.

So I'm going cold turkey for a bit and then we'll see if I can stomach it.

But I'm sure kicking soda to the curb won't have any nasty effects on me

Sorry to hear this, Chad.

Part of the reason I do the no white sugar / no white flour thing is that my mom and two of my sisters have diabetes. I gave up sugar and went on an insulin controlling diet (as much as it can be) now rather than wait until I actually get it myself.