Ranxerox

So, how do you feel about the term pseudo-rapist to describe cat-callers or pseudo-murderers to describe people who sell guns?  Because I know people on the left who would be totally down with those terminologies.
 
Using the pseudo- at the front or -like at the back of some really heinous word such as terrorist, rapist, murderer or pedophile is a tactic of demonization.  It is saying that this group that you dislike is almost that other horrible group.  The idea being that we should punish our newly labeled pseudo-terrorist/pseudo-murderers/pseudo-rapist almost like we punish actual terrorist, murders and rapist despite their not having terrorized murdered or raped.  When activist use this tactic they are trying to be inflammatory.  When government this tactic they are usually getting ready to do some sort of crack down.  Both groups are trying to bend or break the truth in order to achieve an end.
 
What I am saying is Greenpeace either is a terrorist organization or they are not.  If they are not, then it is inappropriate to try to paint them as being almost terrorist  because the word terrorist is much to loaded to use in that fashion.

So, how do you feel about the term pseudo-rapist to describe cat-callers or pseudo-murderers to describe people who sell guns?  Because I know people on the left who would be totally down with those terminologies.
 
Using the pseudo- at the front or -like at the back of some really heinous word such as terrorist, rapist, murderer or pedophile is a tactic of demonization.  It is saying that this group that you dislike is almost that other horrible group.  The idea being that we should punish our newly labeled pseudo-terrorist/pseudo-murderers/pseudo-rapist almost like we punish actual terrorist, murders and rapist despite their not having terrorized murdered or raped.  When activist use this tactic they are trying to be inflammatory.  When government this tactic they are usually getting ready to do some sort of crack down.  Both groups are trying to bend or break the truth in order to achieve an end.
 
What I am saying is Greenpeace either is a terrorist organization or they are not.  If they are not, then it is inappropriate to try to paint them as being almost terrorist  because the word terrorist is much to loaded to use in that fashion.

So, how do you feel about the term pseudo-rapist to describe cat-callers or pseudo-murderers to describe people who sell guns?  Because I know people on the left who would be totally down with those terminologies.
 
Using the pseudo- at the front or -like at the back of some really heinous word such as terrorist, rapist, murderer or pedophile is a tactic of demonization.  It is saying that this group that you dislike is almost that other horrible group.  The idea being that we should punish our newly labeled pseudo-terrorist/pseudo-murderers/pseudo-rapist almost like we punish actual terrorist, murders and rapist despite their not having terrorized murdered or raped.  When activist use this tactic they are trying to be inflammatory.  When government this tactic they are usually getting ready to do some sort of crack down.  Both groups are trying to bend or break the truth in order to achieve an end.
 
What I am saying is Greenpeace either is a terrorist organization or they are not.  If they are not, then it is inappropriate to try to paint them as being almost terrorist  because the word terrorist is much to loaded to use in that fashion.

So, how do you feel about the term pseudo-rapist to describe cat-callers or pseudo-murderers to describe people who sell guns?  Because I know people on the left who would be totally down with those terminologies.
 
Using the pseudo- at the front or -like at the back of some really heinous word such as terrorist, rapist, murderer or pedophile is a tactic of demonization.  It is saying that this group that you dislike is almost that other horrible group.  The idea being that we should punish our newly labeled pseudo-terrorist/pseudo-murderers/pseudo-rapist almost like we punish actual terrorist, murders and rapist despite their not having terrorized murdered or raped.  When activist use this tactic they are trying to be inflammatory.  When government this tactic they are usually getting ready to do some sort of crack down.  Both groups are trying to bend or break the truth in order to achieve an end.
 
What I am saying is Greenpeace either is a terrorist organization or they are not.  If they are not, then it is inappropriate to try to paint them as being almost terrorist  because the word terrorist is much to loaded to use in that fashion.

Well, what I've been hearing scientists discuss sounds quite exciting. For one, the topography of the far side (more appropriate than "dark side") is notably different from the near side -- no large flat "seas" -- and scientists don't know why. For another, the area the rover landed in looks like it could contain matter ejected from the Moon's core in the past, quite different from the samples collected during the manned moon landings. The bulk of the Moon also shields instruments from the radio chatter flooding off Earth these days, making radio astronomy more effective. The lander also contains plant seeds and silk-worm cocoons. We've studied how such organisms grow in zero gravity, but never in low gravity as on the Moon.

Kentucky Police Cry Over Burnt Krispy Kreme Truck; Doughnut Humor Ensues

Her marrage was a deep cover opp, that turned to true love!....OK I'll stop...for now....
 
Uncle Ben? CIA, he worked to improve the USA's interests because"Te USA is the most powerful nation on the earth, and with great power, comes.....?

The results from The Snap has an official name: The Decimation.
http://goo.gl/KrbCNV
 
Comment: decimation is one tenth, not one half. 

In honor of the man's passing...
 

A little pedantic I know, but Libertarians are considered part of the right wing under the traditional pro-capitalist definition of the term.

A little pedantic I know, but Libertarians are considered part of the right wing under the traditional pro-capitalist definition of the term.

Wasn't me. I never killed any Zodiacs. Well, there was that bit with Pisces, but that was self-defence. 

Options, dragon: Leonard Smalls, from Raising Arizona
 
 
 

I'm okay with HISTORICAL, but not contemporary. Other than that,  bald billionaire . . . Lex Luthor?

Watched the last two episodes tonight. It was well done, and much better kept to 10 episodes. The Netflix Marvel shows are turning much more into dramas with some super-stuff going on, which is always counter to the action set-ups they imply. The ending of IF Season 2 was intriguing for its implications, using Brubaker's run, which is cool, but I doubt they would ever make an actual pulp style show. That would be fun... all action, spare the character bits!
 
Not perfect, but certainly a huge step up from Season 1.

Also, while Danny remains a bit naive, he is a good deal more mature this season.  I mention that because while I got why Danny was immature in season 1, I know that it bugged the heck out of a lot of viewers.
 
Having now made it all the way season 2 (the move from 13 episodes to 10 episodes was a good one), I must say that I didn't see that ending coming.

Benign Adult:  Friendly school janitor, Frederick Charles Krueger
 

Starting late;  
 
Location: Dunwich Massachusetts 
 

 
 
Kid #1: Pugsley Addams 
 

Starting late;  
 
Location: Dunwich Massachusetts 
 

 
 
Kid #1: Pugsley Addams 
 

Senator John McCain Dead At Age 81
 
I voted for John McCain in the 2000 presidential primary though George W Bush and Al Gore went on to get their parties' nomination.  I still believe we would have been better served by John McCain as president than either of those 2 gentlemen.  In 2008, I voted for Barack Obama over John McCain, because McCain was no longer the better candidate.  Still, I remember a time at one of his campaign rallies when he mentioned his opponent and the audience started booing and yelling racist things and McCain told them to stop and that his opponent was a good man and he just disagreed with him politically.  His audience was displeased with his statement, but he has my eternal admiration for having the courage and class to make it.
 
Godspeed in this final flight, good sir.

Senator John McCain Dead At Age 81
 
I voted for John McCain in the 2000 presidential primary though George W Bush and Al Gore went on to get their parties' nomination.  I still believe we would have been better served by John McCain as president than either of those 2 gentlemen.  In 2008, I voted for Barack Obama over John McCain, because McCain was no longer the better candidate.  Still, I remember a time at one of his campaign rallies when he mentioned his opponent and the audience started booing and yelling racist things and McCain told them to stop and that his opponent was a good man and he just disagreed with him politically.  His audience was displeased with his statement, but he has my eternal admiration for having the courage and class to make it.
 
Godspeed in this final flight, good sir.

Senator John McCain Dead At Age 81
 
I voted for John McCain in the 2000 presidential primary though George W Bush and Al Gore went on to get their parties' nomination.  I still believe we would have been better served by John McCain as president than either of those 2 gentlemen.  In 2008, I voted for Barack Obama over John McCain, because McCain was no longer the better candidate.  Still, I remember a time at one of his campaign rallies when he mentioned his opponent and the audience started booing and yelling racist things and McCain told them to stop and that his opponent was a good man and he just disagreed with him politically.  His audience was displeased with his statement, but he has my eternal admiration for having the courage and class to make it.
 
Godspeed in this final flight, good sir.

Senator John McCain Dead At Age 81
 
I voted for John McCain in the 2000 presidential primary though George W Bush and Al Gore went on to get their parties' nomination.  I still believe we would have been better served by John McCain as president than either of those 2 gentlemen.  In 2008, I voted for Barack Obama over John McCain, because McCain was no longer the better candidate.  Still, I remember a time at one of his campaign rallies when he mentioned his opponent and the audience started booing and yelling racist things and McCain told them to stop and that his opponent was a good man and he just disagreed with him politically.  His audience was displeased with his statement, but he has my eternal admiration for having the courage and class to make it.
 
Godspeed in this final flight, good sir.

Senator John McCain Dead At Age 81
 
I voted for John McCain in the 2000 presidential primary though George W Bush and Al Gore went on to get their parties' nomination.  I still believe we would have been better served by John McCain as president than either of those 2 gentlemen.  In 2008, I voted for Barack Obama over John McCain, because McCain was no longer the better candidate.  Still, I remember a time at one of his campaign rallies when he mentioned his opponent and the audience started booing and yelling racist things and McCain told them to stop and that his opponent was a good man and he just disagreed with him politically.  His audience was displeased with his statement, but he has my eternal admiration for having the courage and class to make it.
 
Godspeed in this final flight, good sir.

(Stringing you guys along for way too long now. It's NOT intentional)
 
 
I don't know who said no battle plan ever survived contact with the enemy, but we had bypassed that little truth by virtue of barely having a plan at all. It wasn't like we expected the 'good' aliens to have a problem with a cure for cancer enough to attack us after all, and while we had a head's up; it wasn't much time to do more than we had. Stash the goods fight as a team, and hope we remembered our training and code words.
 
The Hyadesians were possibly better prepared than we were. They didn't just try to swarm us with overwhelming numbers, their ambassador at least had studied humans and our media- and that meant he had to have been somewhat acquainted with our powers and abilities. So, the Hyadesian soldiers were forewarned and forearmed. Honest to gosh, their only mistake might have been not turning off their translation devices.
 
"Squadron Blue, Switch weapons to dehydration for Eel and Arctic Fox," One declared, and I noticed one group shift dials at their wrist bands. Well, of course they'd want to dehydrate us. I was aquatic, and without moisture to work with Fox might be at a disadvantage. I mean, I had never been purposefully dehydrated, burned sure, but I imagined the effect would be much the same- or worse.
 
Now , no less than two dozen guys were about to blast Fox and I with it. I was pretty sure I shouldn't stand there and just take it, which , as a fellow blessed with the power of toughness, was often my standard method of operation.
 
Turns out I didn't have to.  A shadowy wall of force formed like a closing curtain at a theatre, taking every oncoming blast with casual ease. Lady Obsidian to the rescue before a rescue was even required. Not content to just defend, she made a push motion and that wall, having done its job, became a wave! The invaders were dressed in gold and white body armor that was deceptively light. That made it hard to guess how much pounding they could take, but Lady O seemed to have a good idea just how much to apply. That wave of solid energy struck Squadron Blue like a line of 18 wheelers smashing through toll gates!
 
Through our coms, our leader's voice declared "Switch to battle chatter folks. Peekaboo in progress" that meant she was pretty sure our coms were being hacked. Which made sense when you realized we were dealing with an advanced alien race. She continued on, "Martin after McGlown- Hustle and Flow. Dash of King in your X if uncertain. Duets are best."
 
Well, that was as clear as day, at least if you were paying attention to her code word updates. Frankly, I missed the Mo-Town reference when first told, which almost got me disowned but I got it now. Orders were to be ready to fill in if someone fell, stay in the general area together but keep it moving as you did and sway a bit with the feel of battle. Oh, and if you didn't know how much a pounding your foe could take, don't go all out first shot. She also recommended everyone pick a team mate to work with.
These were guidelines more than rules. But when someone with that many decades of super battle experience gives you a guideline you don't ignore it. Lady Obsidian could, by now, teach Green Berets classes in small unit tactics. But as superhero team management was pretty much where the very metaphor incarnate for herding kittens, it was best to keep it loose.
 
Arctic Fox and I had worked well together recently, which is why she surprised me when she went off to find another partner after burying a half dozen of those that Lady Obsidian had knocked over under ice. I'd be worried about them 'dehydrating' the ice but I think most were out cold. Ah, no pun intended.
As always, while you try to keep track of your team mates and your foes, and the lay of the land in any battle; most of us only have so many eyes and ears. What I mean is, I'm sure there were whole levels of amazing I was just completely unaware of going on. Hopefully the amazing was being done by us rather than to us.
What did I see as I dodged between ray blasts and closed on our attackers?
 
I caught a glimpse of slime engulfing one Hyadesian and bursting his wrist bands open from within. Disarmament was a good plan, I decided to try something similar for my own tactics.  
 
Lady Obsidian was a beast, as she'd already demonstrated. I think the aliens were baffled. Sure, they had seen Earth media on her, but I think it was still like running into a caveman and discovering the guy had a mecha. While I heard the aliens say something about 'frequency' and scrambling to adjust their weapons, she didn't exactly hold still while they tried. She changed the nature of the terrain almost causally, generating barriers here and there before causing said barriers to explode out ward or just fade at her discretion.  Heck, one bombardment went her way and her force shield took on an almost mirror like hue causing the blasts to reverse and turn back.
 
"Ever wonder if secretly we're all just her sidekicks and she only calls us equals so she doesn't take the blame if things go south?" Tornado commented. He had no trouble closing in on his chosen targets. He closed on two in fact, doing a scissor kick that allowed a foot to each face before flying up leaving the disoriented soldiers to shoot each other.
 
I did not see so much as hear Pogo, even amid the blasting zapping din I could make out "Oh my gosh I'm fighting aliens to defeat cancer and I'm doing it with the new Samaritans! Omygodohymgod!" a thump "Sorry sorry but I have to bet you all up now, I can't look bad in front of the T-E-A-M."
 
Honestly, I've been accused of bantering too much in my fights, but Pogo makes me look like a mute.
 
I didn't see Pinprick. I think he was on the 'other side' of the action.
 
On the plus side, my girlfriend came to my rescue!
 
Okay, rescue is a strong word. I tackled one Hyadesian to the ground, and then smashed his blaster bands or whatever he was calling those things on his wrists by squeezing them. Behind me, another guy shot me dead center in the back of the skull.
 
It didn't so much hurt as disorient. For a moment, the world looked like I was viewing it through a randomly convex then concave lens. Sizes of parts of bodies, my own and others, were completely blown out of perspective with odd glass like circles in my vision adding to the distortion.
 
"Count yourself lucky we value life, Terran" my shooter explained, right before Valarosa ghosted through two different guys to get to me, turned solid, and leg swept him onto his butt.
 
"Right back atcha," She said before putting his lights out with a shot to the jaw. Steel hard fists hurt bad enough, steel hard fists with martial arts training? World of ouch.
"You okay?" She asked.
 
"Yeah," I said, "it's clearing up fast enough, thanks" And I brought my hands down hard on the ground and sent a man-made tremor through the flooring! The Hyadesians didn't expect that, and it was really gratifying to knock them down and about like bowling ball pins.
 
"Strike," I said with satisfaction. That move didn't always work, but I knew the base terrain pretty well. The Hyadesians might well come to regret coming for us on our home turf.
An orb of light landed next to me and exploded. I've been blinded before, but this was bad. Furthermore, judging by the gasp near me, Valarosa had been engulfed as well.
 
"How many of us are played Keller here?" I asked over the comline. It occurred to me that If they had any strategy at all, there would be no reason for them not to try it all around.
Turns out it wasn't just Valarosa and I. While another blast sent me for a loop, I could hear the responses.
 
"As a bat" Tornado cursed.
 
"Yeah, they got me" Pinprick confessed with irritation.
 
"Only a little bit" Fox confessed, then again she might not have been down playing. Perhaps it was to prevent snowblindness, but she had a natural resistance.
 
"I see fine, but I have an idea" Lady Obsidian said "Mabel- Let's save some electricity.  Fox, Flurry hurry, honey."
 
And it got very cold very, fast, and I felt stuff splatter against and shoot past me. Now, as a southern boy, I can't say I've been in many, but we do sometimes get snow in North Carolina, and I realized what was going on. This was a snowstorm, the sort you couldn't drive through because you couldn't see through it well enough to find the road!
"Well, everyone's blind now" I said "Keep it up, even Steven. More chance we'll hurt one of them than each other."
 
Why settle for even odds at all? Doctor Salem's voice broke through, I will share my senses with you.
 
And then there was light.
 
Not sunlight, nor moonlight, and certainly not anything that came out of a bulb, but it was light. Outlines, auras, I realized, like Mayo had spoken of. It was nearly impossible to make out details, but I didn't need the details. I need the them and the us, and the ability to tell the difference.
 
"And the power to smash them with," I said reminded of an old prayer, and grabbed one of the soldiers and threw him into his friends.
"We're gonna win," I grinned.
 
At the time? I thought it was true.