Ranxerox

Saw them last night at the neighborhood holiday party, they did seem unusually upbeat but nobody specifically mentioned any deals...

A darn good movie that's sequel now has a release date.

A darn good movie that's sequel now has a release date.

A darn good movie that's sequel now has a release date.

If that audience score is accurate, then Batwoman's ratings will totally tank and it won't come back after winter break.  OTH, if the low audience score is just the work of sad boys deliberating trying to tank the show because it is about a lesbian superhero, then the ratings will likely stay decent by CW standards and the show will carry on.  Time will tell. 

If Doc Democracy or I start cursing or getting upset You'll know it is the election that has caused it,.
I voted and helped take mum to vote. Had to walk the wheelchair down the hill as it would not go in the car but was able to wheel mum in and out of the polling station.

Well ... it is set in the *80s.

Well ... it is set in the *80s.

Well ... it is set in the *80s.

If the terrorist had a gun, instead of killing two people, he would have killed ten or more.  Certainly, a couple of guys with a narwhal horn and a fire extinguisher wouldn't have slowed him down much.  This incident with its low body count makes a much better argument for the advantages of gun control than an argument against it. 

(resuming)

The rest of the meeting had been talks of scheduling, what base they'd be using in Port Cascade, and talk about budget management that threatened to make more than one set of eyes glaze over.

To my minor annoyance, the focus was definitely on the new city, and not nearly enough detail (for my liking) on what things would be like here once Ariana and I were left riding herd on this crew.  Ariana nodded a lot, but sometimes we exchanged worried looks as the others were talking away. She had said this could be exciting, but now she was thinking of the downside.

The phrase "two days" came up, and I felt a clock in my head switch on. Forty Eight hours of team and then suddenly half of the New Samaritans would be out of reach- just like that. It was a bit overwhelming to think of. When I first came here, I wasn't exactly a rookie, but I was definitely the newbie.  I'd gotten a crash course in teamwork, tactics, and crime fighting that started when I got off that bus and hadn't really stopped. 

I'd been lectured to, chewed out, and supported in ways I couldn't possibly grasp. If I was honest with myself, I probably deserved the chewing out and lectures, and I was very grateful for the support. But through all of this, I did not recall learning how to teach.
Even when I got teamed up with Pogo, my advice was more in the vein of the tactical and practical. Choose your target carefully, don't taunt the mind controller unless you wanted to be singing 'I'm a little tea pot' for the next ten minutes, that sort of thing. I hadn't really said 'this is how you can use those powers more efficiently'. At least, I didn't think I had. 
And my own power-set was not complex. I breathed water, swam fast,  I was able to withstand a lot of pressure of all sorts, and I hit things really, really, hard. Honestly the water breathing was the rarest thing about my powers. Without that, I wouldn't be the fish guy, I'd be the guy guy. Okay, maybe mighty guy, but every team out there with more than four people has one of those.
 
What if someone had some super weird power I could totally not relate to? I mean, Valerosa was right there by my side, but if someone walked up and said "Hi, I'm Captain Quantum" we both would be sunk. I'm getting a degree in engineering, I don't do that advanced physics on a cosmic level stuff.
As the meeting went on about what they'd be doing in Port Cascade, I guess my concern must have shown on my face increasingly because even as I tuned out some stuff that I probably should at least have listened to despite not going myself. I only really refocused when I heard my name.
"And increasingly in the online polls we've sent out, most believe Eel should take on the new superhero name Floaty McFloatpants," Lady Obsidian said to the others who were nodding in apparent agreement.
 
"I'm sorry what?" I choked! They didn't really ask for advice on the internet did they? In my experience, that was often like putting a l sign that says 'here's at least 15 minutes entertainment you can have at a fellow human being's expense' on your forehead and hoping for likes.
There were chuckles. Not from me, of course.
 
"Now you refocus," Lady Obsidian looked at the others, "I think that's enough for now, folks. Go rest up or get your luggage ready or whatever."
 
The others nodded and got to it, but she wasn't done as she looked at me and said "You two," A nod to my density shifting girlfriend and myself, "Walk with me."
 
We moved away from the meeting area, Ariana on Lady Obsidian's left side, I took the right. 
"Ask your questions, voice your concerns, because you both kept acting like when I said 'co-captains' you had stepped into something very warm, soft, and with a distinctive scent."
I could have made a joke about Slime there, but that would be species-ist so, I let my better angels win. Besides, he's not that warm.
 
It was  Valorasa who spoke up first actually, and in a bit of a rush that made me realize she was right there with me in concerns, "Look, I've been learning how to fight, and how to do the legwork of a superhero since I was a kid-"
"Last Wednesday right?" Lady Obsidian said dryly. My, but she was in a quippy mood.
 
My favorite snuggler in spandex ignore that and went on, "But teaching isn't something I'm used to?"

"Nonsense, you've given plenty of advice to team mates, and even shown a few ropes to Pogo," Lady Obsidian reminded, "Your uncle maybe a bit older than you, but there are times I'm pretty sure you're the more mature one" she pondered "Barring a few areas anyway."
"Thanks, I-," Ariana let that process, "Wait, in what way is he more mature than-"

This was clearly not the hour for completed sentences if the boss didn't think they were germane to the subject, "Not the point. The point is that I'm sure you both have the stuff needed to teach the trainees together."
 
"Maybe she is, but barring a few tactics, I don't know if I've got the knack, let alone the patience, for teaching folks how to be a superhero, how to use powers, some of which are totally different from mine," I voiced my concern, "I mean, if I run into some 'Captain Quantum'-"
"Ooo, good name," Lady O said, "Kind of old school, new science."
 
"Glad you like," I said and resumed, "With reality alteration powers or something, I am not going to be able to relate."
 
"You mean like an older Africian- American woman with more PHDs than a can of Alphabet soup and a young white guy from from the Carolina country side can't relate?"
 
"North Carolina," I clarified.
 
"What's it matter?" Dr. Vivian asked.
 
"Oh, it matters," I said, "It matters," then a I realized, "You're baiting me. I don't know if you're taking our concerns seriously."
 
"I agree with Caleb," Ariana said, then she qualified, "About the teaching concerns, not as much about the differences between one Carolina and the other."
 
I shot my girlfriend a hurt look. Where was the support?
 
"If you two had no concerns, THAT I would take seriously," Lady Obsidian said, "But you do, so I don't."
 
"uh," I said intelligently, then rallying went "But what about patience?"
 
"You know how you build up patience?" Our mentor and team leader asked.
 
"How?" Ariana questioned.
 
"The same way you lose it," Lady Obsidian answered, "By having it tested."
 
Valerosa and I exchanged frustrated looks behind Lady Obsidian's back for a moment.
 
"Are two sulking where you think I can't see?" Lady Obsidian said.
 
"No," I said.
"Definitely not," Ariana said, then added, "We're honored by the trust you're placing in us."
 
"That's the ticket," She said, "Come on, I'll show you their files and give you my two cents on each trainee, but you're going to be fine as Co-Captains."
"You've taught college courses and superhero teams alike," I said, "Sure you have some sort of code or system or words to live by?"
"Fine," She said, "Words to live by if you want to teach supers:  Be Patient, Be Understanding but firm, and moderate your wine intake near the tub."
"I don't drink wine," I said, perhaps missing a point.
"You will," Lady Obsidian said, "Being a teacher means you're finally going to have a reason to."
"This is so very not reassuring," Ariana muttered.
Yet again, my girlfriend and I were in agreement, but at least we were about to get a look at at the trainee files.
I hoped none of them were mystics. I had a friend who was a mystic, but over all? They gave me the creeps.
 

See page 1, post 1, rule 3.  

See page 1, post 1, rule 3.  

I don't disagree with you in regards to what "Christian faith" is being used as a justification for in the present day. But what you're describing is a broad modern interpretation of some Christian tenets. All religious faith is by definition a strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. Those doctrines vary widely. The moral dimension you attribute to faith isn't inherent, and the belief in the fundamental goodness of God, people, love etc. is not and never has been universal. Certainly the Old Testament of the Bible is full of stonings of sinners, destruction of cities for their immorality, and other scenes that depict a God more concerned with obedience and punishment than compassion and mercy. The history of Christianity is replete with torture, murder, conquest and exploitation in the name of God.
 
"Unreasonable beliefs" are pretty hard to pin down when you're talking about religion. Someone being resurrected from death days later? Physically ascending into Heaven? The whole human race descended from one couple? Sounds absurd based on our personal experience, but the moment you accept the concept of an omnipotent God, then the boundaries of the possible are whatever It decides they are. Then again, the Earth being round, or it orbiting the Sun, or solid matter made of atoms, or quantum theory, also seem unreasonable based on common experience. Science justifies our belief in those latter things, but most of us haven't tested those beliefs ourselves, and don't really comprehend the depths and scope of contemporary science. We accept, on faith, that scientists know what they're talking about. Yet the ranks of scientists include some deeply spiritual people, who believe their research into the mysteries of the universe grants them insights into the mind of God. So I reiterate, faith and reason are not incompatible.

As a long time, comic book reading fan of Harley Quinn,  I totally recognize the character in the trailer.  The "J-man" is a drug that she occasionally relapses into, but in most of her comics, she is her own sociopathic gal.  Also, in the comics, she is no stranger to female empowerment storylines.  They were a big part of Gotham Sirens and certainly have been common in the Jimmy Palmiotti/Amanda Connor run.

The Other Side Is Not As Extreme As You Think

The Other Side Is Not As Extreme As You Think

The Other Side Is Not As Extreme As You Think

The Other Side Is Not As Extreme As You Think

Yes, she did say that the person that she believed was being groomed by the Republicans for a third party run was a "favorite of the Russians".  That is not the same as saying that person was being groomed by the Russians.  That is saying the person being groomed by the Republicans, also happens to be a favorite of the Russians.

Yes, she did say that the person that she believed was being groomed by the Republicans for a third party run was a "favorite of the Russians".  That is not the same as saying that person was being groomed by the Russians.  That is saying the person being groomed by the Republicans, also happens to be a favorite of the Russians.

If that audience score is accurate, then Batwoman's ratings will totally tank and it won't come back after winter break.  OTH, if the low audience score is just the work of sad boys deliberating trying to tank the show because it is about a lesbian superhero, then the ratings will likely stay decent by CW standards and the show will carry on.  Time will tell. 

Damn. During the War of 1812 Canada still belonged to England. I bet Trump will use that as a pretext to start building a wall in Michigan so we have to take Detroit.

Or a thing from a post-apocalyptic campaign: tracked heavy equipment of some sort, piloted by a mutant feline with poison fangs.
 
 
Hmm, want the light-bulb idea emoticon again.
 

If that audience score is accurate, then Batwoman's ratings will totally tank and it won't come back after winter break.  OTH, if the low audience score is just the work of sad boys deliberating trying to tank the show because it is about a lesbian superhero, then the ratings will likely stay decent by CW standards and the show will carry on.  Time will tell.