Lord Liaden

‘The US is seen as a joke’: American expats on Trump, Biden and the 2024 election

‘The US is seen as a joke’: American expats on Trump, Biden and the 2024 election

Area of Greenland compared to other countries/land masses.
 

Have you looked at Syzygy, most recently in Champions Villains Volume Three? It's a robotic AI villain with some unique gimmicks, a sort of "Mechanon Lite." It has the directive to conquer the Earth, but is less powerful and has fewer resources than Mechanon. It works as a second-tier master villain with plenty of room to grow, and seeks alliance with other Terrestrial supervillains in pursuit of its goal. And its origin includes a hook that could lead to an epic scenario.

Well, that depends on whether you want to hint to new players at the depths of Champions lore right away, or just do starting-level adventures with starting-level villains, and leave room for them to discover the wider world over time. If Mechanon is introduced as a relatively minor threat, he would be growing in power and sophistication as the players do, so they'll never see him as an epic villain. It's their history and cumulative reputations in-setting that make Mechanon, Dr. Destroyer, Takofanes, et al such intimidating presences. And it's their organizations and minions that allow you to introduce their menace without actually forcing PCs to face the master until they're strong enough.
 
Perhaps you could start with a second-tier master villain as campaign nemesis? Like the Slug, or Interface, or Kinematik? Or maybe choose a particular VIPER Nest Leader, or DEMON Morbane?

You might also borrow the "Uplift" concept from David Brin's series of novels, in which sapient aliens perform genetic engineering on animal species to make them sapient as well. The newly-augmented races become "clients" of their "patron" uplifters, until the patrons become defunct in some way and their clients achieve independence. This process has apparently gone on since time immemorial. Many races believe there must have been an original "un-uplifted" race who started the whole thing, and for some their devotion to that concept verges on religious fervor.

I can't recall a story in which Conan ever raped a woman. I do recall a few in which he had the opportunity, but didn't; and more in which he went out of his way to protect a woman.
 
Conan is a classic anti-hero. He's definitely out for himself. He'll steal from those with wealth, betray those who are treacherous, and kill in a fight without hesitation or remorse. But he always kept his word, and any agreement he made. He never hurt weak or helpless people. The king he took his throne from was a generally-hated fool who grew jealous of Conan's popularity with his troops, and tried to have him imprisoned. As a king Conan was a fair and even-handed ruler who took his responsibility to his subjects seriously.
 
As robber-barons go, Conan was better than most.

You might also borrow the "Uplift" concept from David Brin's series of novels, in which sapient aliens perform genetic engineering on animal species to make them sapient as well. The newly-augmented races become "clients" of their "patron" uplifters, until the patrons become defunct in some way and their clients achieve independence. This process has apparently gone on since time immemorial. Many races believe there must have been an original "un-uplifted" race who started the whole thing, and for some their devotion to that concept verges on religious fervor.

You might also borrow the "Uplift" concept from David Brin's series of novels, in which sapient aliens perform genetic engineering on animal species to make them sapient as well. The newly-augmented races become "clients" of their "patron" uplifters, until the patrons become defunct in some way and their clients achieve independence. This process has apparently gone on since time immemorial. Many races believe there must have been an original "un-uplifted" race who started the whole thing, and for some their devotion to that concept verges on religious fervor.

I would suggest going back to the origin of such creatures in myth and folklore, the trolls of Scandinavia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll
 
One of the early alternative root words for "troll" listed on that page might be suitable. Given your examples, IMO the Proto-German noun Trullan  sounds like a good choice.

I hope that when we can finally travel to other stars, somebody tracks down that 'bot and recovers it. It deserves to be enshrined among humanity's other good and faithful space servants.

Well, I was trying to be as diplomatic as possible.

"We don't like you, either."

You wouldn't be your endearing self if you didn't.

So many job applications, so many rejections, if I'm not ghosted first.
 
My cats are old and sick. I may lose them before the year ends.

I for one hope Donald Trump lives to 120. It's the only way I won't be bombarded with assassination cover up theories. "Heart attack? Impossible! Release the autopsy long form!"

I think my favorite boy band of all time is probably The Beatles. 

Overly obscure reference: read the first sentence in the Wikipedia article for "Trolling".

3 Republicans joined with the Democrats in the Arizona House to repeal the 1864 abortion ban.  One down, one to go.
 
This might be interesting.  State Senate and House seats are all up for election.  The primaries are end of July.  In the Senate, there are 3 Republican incumbents with challengers.  The House is trickier, as it looks like they use the same districts...but there's 2 representatives for each district.  The vote on the ban here...for or against...may become material in the primaries.

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the war room!"

I can't tell you how much it pleases me that Joe Biden, and other Democrats, have finally taken the gloves off and are going after Trump and the MAGA Republicans, calling out their BS, showing what buffoons they really are. It's long overdue. You can't stick to the high road when your opposition is wallowing in the mud. You have to sling some mud yourself. It doesn't hurt that the mud the Dems have to work with has some sharp rocks in it.

If you haven't checked out the Osmonds, trust me, you're missing out.
 
And I think that's about as far from politics as we can get. 😏