Lord Liaden

I look forward to visiting this topic again in a year.

Biden and Co. have surprised all of us with how much farther they've already gone than what anyone expected. Some have credited the influence of Bernie Sanders for that. But I don't think we should discount what they may still accomplish, particularly if the Democrats gain control of both houses of Congress. American society is not what it was four years ago, or eight years ago. Perceptions of the urgencies in the world have evolved, perceptions of American society and politics have evolved, and a new generation is entering the voting arena. I've lived through quite a few anticipated crises that never materialized, or were ameliorated when we finally found the wisdom and will to do so. I refuse to throw in the towel over a possibility, because the moment we give up is when we definitively lose.

I've made it a policy not to stress myself over things I can do nothing about. As America's great humorist Will Rogers said, "Worry is like paying interest on a debt you may never owe." We in the rest of the world can do little to influence American politics. You in America who understand what's happening, know what you can do and have to do, and hopefully are motivated to do it. All that remains is to do it, and await the result. Everything else is waste.

The solution is to not give in to despair. If Trump loses -- and I have great hope that he will -- it could get quite bad. Will it be worse than a decade of civil rights conflicts? Or a decade of great depression? Or four years of civil war? I have faith that America will eventually find its way out of whatever it faces, because it has proven itself resilient time after time. “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

One of the greatest inventions in hardware, ever. No wonder it's a timeless classic.

Well, there used to be a lot of fan conversions on the Web for 4E/5E, but most of those have disappeared. One can often find at least parts of the old sites via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, if one can unearth the original links. I'm trying to untangle some of those old links now, but it will take some time. But for now, I can start with packages for some of Babylon 5's races, from Aroooo's grand old Star HERO Fandom website: https://web.archive.org/web/20060908090629/http://www.starherofandom.com/b5/packages.php And here's a website with packages for Star Wars races: https://web.archive.org/web/20071012104303/http://www.sysabend.org/champions/campaigns/StarHeroWars/CharacterGeneration.htm I'll work on putting up more links as time permits.

To be fair, this ruling also bars states like Texas from removing Joe Biden from the ballot because he fomented an "insurrection" at the border by not securing it. Invocation of the Fourteenth Amendment has been established as an exclusive power of the Federal Congress.

Which case are you referring to?

My understanding is that this case was not about defining insurrection, it was about whether states had the right to ban candidates in a federal election from the ballot based on the Fourteenth Amendment. The SCOTUS can't make a ruling on a case they're not presented with. I do have to credit Amy Coney Barret for displaying a modicum of common sense in her opinion. I didn't think she had it in her.

But then again:

I was rather curious about the Aldeans, the humanoids on a planet hidden by very advanced technology, who had become sterile and kidnapped Enterprise D children to try to repopulate their world. Their tech had been so well made that it ran without supervision, so the Aldeans had lost knowledge of how it worked. When it started to malfunction (causing their sterility), they asked for Federation help to understand it. You'd expect something to have come from that. OTOH both TOS and TNG had a tendency to introduce ultra-powerful, ultra-advanced aliens a little too carelessly. Once they're in the setting and have interfered in Federation affairs, it's tricky to explain why they don't continue to be a factor. To use your examples, Dean, the Organians were non-interventionist until the Feds and Klingons brought their conflict to the Organians' doorstep. They'd probably stay out in future as long as they were left alone. OTOH the First Federation obviously exists within the Milky Way, and utterly dwarfs the power of any of our familiar Federation's rivals, except possibly the Borg. Keeping them in that universe begs the question of what becomes of their contact with less advanced races, particularly the aggressive ones. I have to disagree with Dean about the Talosians, though. Holographic fantasy is still physical tech. It takes up space, requires power, maintenance, a system and structure to support and control it outside the fantasy. The Talosian's illusions were purely mental, under the control of each individual. But they were also inflicted on the minds of other beings, not just an addiction, but a parasitism. Much more dangerous. Frankly, I would be willing to bet that by the era of TNG the Talosians were extinct. What became of the beings they enslaved for imaginations to feed on when the Talosians were gone, would be up for debate.

Haley needed a primary win to have any credibility as an alternative to Trump, at least if Donnie's many legal threats catch up to him before the election. DC isn't exactly a hotbed of conservatism, but the symbolism of a victory -- especially a really solid victory like this one -- bolsters her chances, and might lead to more support, including donors. For the moment Haley's greatest value is entertainment, as we watch DJT go absolutely apoplectic over being beaten by a woman of color.

Blasters in guitars is not a new concept. But I can't really see Bono packing one.

I come back to this man when all the garbage floating on the surface of American politics and society starts to wear me down.

The Republicans had their shot at power under Trump, and they screwed it up. They've been trying to recapture the momentum ever since, but repeatedly failing to do anything substantial that they promised their base. I believe they've shot their load, and the majority of Americans aren't buying what they're selling any more. Of course we'll have to wait to November to see if that's borne out.

"My nuts!"

Regimes built on hatred and fear don't last long-term. Those emotions are too exhausting to sustain. And the leaders always turn on each other eventually. They have to offer the people something else to believe in, and the GOP have nothing else.

I honestly love fog. It makes the mundane world seem mysterious and magical. Then again, I don't drive.

Definitely the latest message that "You uppity folk better remember your place." 😡

Yup, that's the guy. Much older than forty, though. I don't think the "juice" wears off -- it's defined as a "mutagen" in online sources -- but I couldn't find a definitive statement. While under its influence, though, his strength, speed, and agility are demonstrably enough to compete with Spider-Man. As you can see, Kraven does not fight exclusively bare-handed. In addition to his own "ranged entangle," he has used spears, knives, blowgun darts with drugs or poisons, gas bombs (including one that temporarily dampened Spider-Man's spider-sense), as well as advanced electrical and sonic projectors built into his costume. BTW his look was eventually updated. I believe this is what he wears in the most recent Spider-Man video game.

Just FYI, the official Champions Universe has its own analogue to Kraven, a member of the immortal superhuman Empyrean race named Thav, or as his people refer to him, "Hunter Thav." Thav's passion has been big-game hunting, around the globe, for centuries. But as the animals he hunted became rare and protected, he increasingly turned to human prey. The age of superhumans provides his greatest challenge ever, and he adopted the costumed identity of the Pursuer, a bounty hunter and assassin for hire, for the opportunity to hunt challenging "prey." He kills them if hired to, but the thrill of the hunt is what motivates him. In addition to his standard Empyrean powers, Thav has developed enhanced senses, and is probably the most skilled tracker and stalker in the world. He's adept with many modern and antique weapons, and is an experienced brawler. Hunter Thav is written up in Hidden Lands.

Ah, are you referring to Kraven the Hunter? If so, you might not be aware that he consumes a "potion" acquired from an African shaman which boosts his physical abilities to superhuman levels, and retards his aging. He's an experienced fighter using animal-like styles, carries a wide range of poisoned and drugged darts and bombs, is expert with many archaic weapons, and even incorporates high-tech electric and sonic weapons in his costume.

Boxing wallabies just aren't as impressive as boxing kangaroos. It's not only their size disparity, either. Wallies seem to lack the 'Roos' killer instinct.

What type of "revival" are you looking for?