Netzilla

Look, we will not get back to 9 Planets:
You eitehr kick out Pluto.
Or you let in 4+ others.
 
You either get 8 or 13+ Planets. 9 Simply does not hold up to current observational Ability any more then the Earth-Centric Solar System did.

Clearly, some people are operating on very different narratives. I like to look at it this way: Is illegal immigration a home invasion or a parking violation?
 
Both are violations of law, but most people would say they are of greatly different severity. When people park where they shouldn't, we charge them a fine but we don't revoke their license, confiscate their car and demand massive government expenditure to make sure nobody double-parks or parks in a fire zone again. Neither do we shrug and say that since we can't stop everyone from parking in the wrong place every time, we should just give up and abandon all parking regulations.
 
To me, that describes illegal immigration. People haven't followed the rules, but it's no big deal. Levy a penalty, but give them a chance to re-park somewhere else.
 
A report on All Things Considered claimed that more than half the "illegals" actually entered the country legally but overstayed their visas. So this is nothing more than letting the parking meter run out on your car. Pay your ticket, move on.
 
But clearly, to many people illegal immigration is more home invasion. Strangers have violently entered a place that is theirs to rob them and do them harm.
 
The problem I see with this emotional response is that the country is not your home. Your home is yours. Your country is not. You, individually, do not get to say who belongs and who doesn't. Moreover, you are not, personally, robbed or harmed by the mere act of someone crossing a border without permission. Any harm is likely diffuse and indirect.
 
No matter how intense and visceral the sense of violation, feelings are not facts. Public policy should be carefully considered and made on the most objective grounds possible. Not just because some people are confused about personal boundaries.
 
(Though the point about employers of the undocumented is another issue. Here, I think the harm is quite objective and measurable -- including to the undocumented.)
 
Dean Shomshak

The problem is, not only is attempting to fire Mueller equal to obstruction, covering up the attempt to fire Mueller is conspiracy and racketeering.

Speaking of the theme song... one of my favorite City of Heroes fan videos.
 

I see this guy:
 

Believe it or not, it'll succeed or will fail
I guess we'll just have to wait and see-ee
Fan patience isn't a virtue - buzz is the key
Diverse or just PCeee?
If it gets to air we will see

I see this guy:
 

I'm talking  not about this change alone. I'm talking on how it's another log on the fire (Sorry, Log). Not one small change, but a pile on. Add this to some of the other goods like police legally committing highway robbery,  American spying on it's own citizens without warrant, of course the continuing use of double speak with naming things with fun titles like "patriot act".
 
PIle it together and it does indeed seem Orwellian to me.

I saw Blue Oyster Cult in concert (for the 3rd time) a little over a year ago.  The only original members left are Buck Dharma and Eric Bloom and the last studio album they released was back in 2001, but they still put on a damn good show.
 
I saw Stevie Nicks last year as a late birthday present to my wife and I thought the show was pretty good.  She loved it, but she's much more of a Fleetwood Mac & Stevie Nicks fan than I am.

I'd have put this in Other News but it's a largely political story. 
 
But you can't beat the headline:  Church of Satan beats Missouri in showdown over abortion rights.
 

Loki stepped back, nonplussed.  "I have only one thing to say, Mr. Loki," Dr. Saito began.  "You have already failed.  You think you have fooled all of humanity.  And perhaps you did, for a time.  But, as a famous scientist once said, 'Life finds a way.'
 
"There are eight billion humans on this planet, Mr. Loki.  And each one is different.  So there will always be a few who, like myself, noticed the flaws in your program, and were able to deduce its existence.  And there will be others.
 
"There will be those with for whom reality is already very subjective."
 
Protagonist #2: Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier)
 


"There will be those who will perceive your illusion subconsciously."
 
Protagonist #3: Neo (The Matrix)
 


"And some will break your illusion purely by accident."
 
Protagonist #4: Douglas Quaid (Total Recall)
 

 
"And that is just the humans you have to worry about," Dr Saito almost whispered.

Australia: Finding New Ways to Kill You!

I think it often relates to the political rhetoric.  it is convenient for opposition parties to make frequent reference to the inadequacies of Government as shorthand for the inadequacies they want to paint onto their political opponents.  The constant drip-feed of criticism of the wheels of Government has the unsurprising effect that people begin to believe it is true.
 
We have had the same issue with the EU.  Domestic politicians always found the EU to be a convenient scapegoat, until they wanted to convince people that the EU was something they should want to belong to.  You do not reverse the propaganda of 40 years with a few choice words during a referendum campaign...
 
Doc

The lights blink on in the Command Center, a surprisingly small facility in an indistinguishable American city.  The sign outside the building declares only Acme Labs in rather mundane neon.  A muted conversation begins, becomes intelligible as a commanding voice rises in fervor: "... What we do every night: Try to take over the world!"
 
General:  The Brain
 

Dating all the way back to ancient Egypt, certain priests and sages have foretold the coming of an Invader who would conquer the entire Earth. For centuries, these have acted as the Guardians of a power which would one day be bestowed upon a worthy individual to defend the world.
 
That day is today.
 
Wise and benevolent, Teth-Adam is the young king of Kahndaq. Gifted with the powers and attributes of the ancient Egyptian gods, he has pledged to stand against V'han, and especially against Mary Marvel, whose powers he sees as a corruption of the ancient trust.
 
Protagonist: Black Adam (known as White Adam in Backworld)

As of  ow it seems to be tied for first place!

Tammy Duckworth is not pulling her punches.
 
 
"Cadet bone spurs".

I can not blame the Democrats to use that little bit of Power they have to get the Dreamer thing sorted out.
 
They want something solved that the Republicans could hae solved anytime in the last year.

" Empress, I know you have expressed interest in this particular Earth, but I'm not sure why. There doesn't seem to be anything exceptional about it. "
 
" Not exceptional? This earth has been subjected to countless invasions of all types and has remained free. Its greatest cities leveled to the ground on a regular basis. The city of Tokyo on this Earth has suffered a devastating attack no less than 6347 times in the last 65 years. And yet...they always rebuild and persevere. Their resilience is remarkable. Any such steadfast people deserve to be in the empire. "
 
" Yes, my Empress. This...creature though. They have fought it off before. "
 
" I've had my scientists make....enhancements. They will be unable to withstand the planet killer this time. "
 
 
For my " Dragon "....I must choose the literal planet destroying dragon....KING GHIDORAH!

No, there's no doubt whatsoever that my tax dollars go to slaughter innocent civilians in foreign countries.  I try to vote accordingly.

I found this and loved it immediately.
 

This NY Times article offers historical perspective on American immigration debates. "Let's try to only let in people who will assimilate easily" sounds so much nicer than, "Let's only let in white Christians." Though that's the meaning.
 
In Trump's Immigration Remarks, Echoes of a Century-Old Racial ...
 
Dean Shomshak

I'm reminded of the time we were about to be walloped by some major hurricane and a mainland news reporter asked someone here what they were going to do about the looting.  They just laughed.

That is definitely one of their inspirations. A little Challengers of the Unknown in there as well. They're supposed to be heroes who exist between  the Golden & Silver ages of heroes
 
Here's what will be the cover art for this (whenever I get off my butt and write it)