novi

So, I find myself as a special education bus driver this year.  I'm clearly not a teacher, but do I get any partial credit for having to drive student around?  I do have to deal with the district bureaucracy telling me to ignore common sense and follow the rules.  Especially when they're ones where who lost the paperwork causing the issue.

While this is true, it is also not complete.  Inflation also answers 2 other problems with a relatively simple explanation.  Being a hat trick is its strength.  The other two problems being the flatness problem and the monopole problem.
 
The flatness problem is that the universe is flat.  Glib, but bear with me.  General Relativity is an accurate description of the universe on large scales, as far as we can tell.  If you make a few simplifying assumptions and play with the math, you get the Friedmann equations; they are much simpler than full GR, and provide a usable approximation of our universe at large scales.  The variable of the equations relevant here is k, the curvature of space.  In a very simplified sense, it describes whether parallel lines converge, diverge, or neither.  As luck would have it, there are features in the Cosmic Microwave Background that we can predict the size of; measuring how large they appear will tell us how much the observable universe is curved.  Surprisingly, they are exactly the size we expected, which means a flat universe, to within 1%.
 
The problem comes from the fact that absolute value of k must increase with time, and should have increased by a factor of roughly 10^60 during the age of the universe.  Either the universe is perfectly flat, or k was improbably small at the beginning of time.  Inflation is an attractive third option here because it would have caused any initial value k to shrink to almost 0, and a locally flat universe.  As to why this is preferably to just letting k be 0, it's that k can only be zero if there is a Cosmological Constant and it takes on one exact value.  Not impossible, but none of our theories suggest a reason why that would that would be the case.  At the moment, inflation is felt to be a more reasonable explanation than the others.
 
As for the monopole problem, it specifically refers to magnetic monopoles, but also covers other cosmological oddities that may have been produced in the early universe.  A magnetic monopole is an isolated north or south magnetic pole; every known source of magnetism in the universe is a dipole, having both poles.  Many of the post-Standard Model theories predict that a bunch of magnetic monopoles should have formed in the very early universe.  Enough that we should have seen one by now, or even enough to mess with the formation of elements in the early universe.  Inflation would solve the issue by reducing the density of monopoles down to ~1 per observable universe.  And thus make it unlikely we'd ever see one.
 
Now, monopoles are completely speculative.  It would not be surprising that we haven't found one if they don't exist.  Unfortunately, we are currently unable to prove that they can't exist.  And in quantum mechanics, everything not forbidden is compulsory.  So either they must exist, or new physics will disprove them.
 
 
I would say that some of the problem is that we've answered most of the hows in cosmology, and are left with the whys.  And neither General Relativity or the Standard Model provide any compelling explanations for why the universe is as it is, nor any obvious direction as to where to look next.  Well, there is one obvious direction, which is sadly inaccessible - the singularity of a black hole.  Every other time a scientific theory has contained singularities, a better theory has come along that got rid of them.  So we do know exactly where GR should break.  But GR also says that all of those singularities are unobservable to the rest of the universe, hidden by event horizons.  It's kinda frustrating, actually, that we can't poke the one glaring fault in GR to see how it reacts.
 
Anyway, the whys of the universe.  The Standard Model predicts how particles interact with each other to a ridiculous level of precision.  The issue is that it has 25 independent variables that can not be predicted from theory, but must be measured by experiment.  And GR has one itself.  Some scientists take offense at having so many independent variables, finding it inelegant; more are just concerned with why those variables take the values they do.  Because changing any of them even a little bit would result in vastly different universes, almost all of them incompatible with matter as we know it, much less life.  And every theory to try and explain why has so far been hopelessly speculative.  Again, it's frustrating.

At least part of the problem is the intersection between the insatiable demand for more content by the 'news' and scientists seeking notice of any kind, whether for ego or to increase their chances of funding.  It also really doesn't help that most scientist speak a different language at work, and that every field has its own different language.
 
As for theoretical physicist bouncing untested hypotheses off each other, it's a net positive overall.  All science is built on the work of other scientists; no scientific theory emerges ex nihilo.  Even Einstein had to work off existing science.  And sometimes insights into science come from unexpected sources.  Max Planck accidentally invented quantum mechanics while trying to make better light bulbs, for instance.  So scientists should consider anything and everything.  The problem is when individual scientists try to misrepresent the significance or truth of their theories.  Some of that is just old fashioned human fallibility and the investment fallacy, some is caused faulty communications, or big egos, but there are some who essentially lie, saying things aren't really true just for attention.
 
Though I will admit that string theory, quantum multiverses, and eternal inflation are worrying in their inability to be satisfactorily proven or disproved.  And that it's unknown whether they can be developed into solid theories, or forever remain speculative.

Oddly enough, this is the only cupcake Wisconsin will get this year.  In addition to only playing 3 non-conference games this year, they've been working on improving the strength of their schedule.  So their other two ncg's this year are Notre Dame and Army.
 
Admittedly, the game against Illinois is also a freebie, but it's not a cupcake.  They're a real Big 10 team!
 
Though, to be fair, these cupcake games do have a purpose beyond free wins.  Each one represents a sizable payday for the athletics department of the smaller schools.  For example, Eastern Michigan is getting $1.4 million for this game, against a budget of about $16 million for their entire athletics department of 17 sports.  I understand that their are similar, if smaller numbers, involved when Division II schools play FCS teams.
 
Which is just another example of the awful governance of the NCAA.  We shouldn't need such ridiculous workarounds to support the smaller schools.

Once had a player play Fromage, master of cheese magic.  Based on a very silly GURPS article.
 
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=510

I have no idea where it's from either.  But it is old.  The similar image posted below was downloaded in 2005 or earlier.  And it wasn't from the original source, either.  Sadly, it's not much bigger than the other pic.  Then again, at that point, most people were still on dial-up internet, and I'm pretty sure that most people only had 1024x768 screens at the time.  Wow, I feel old now.

Honestly, a Plastic Man movie has been 'in development' for over 20 years - The Wachowski sisters wrote a script in the 1990s.  Until they actually talking casting or shooting, the movie doesn't really exist.
 
The hiring does suggest that Warner has decided that female-led or fun superhero movies are a better bet than Snyder-style flicks.  Or that somebody wants to give the lady mentioned a paycheck.  As said, there are some interesting things that could be done, and some really dumb things.  If it ever actually gets made, I'll give it a chance.

https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/1985/01/27

https://phys.org/news/2020-10-supergiant-star-betelgeuse-smaller-closer.html
 
And now for an orange gas-bag that's not threatening us with an apocalypse, scientists have narrowed down the exact size and distance to Betelgeuse.  Namely, only 500 or so light-years away, which is still plenty far to be safe from its supernova.  And only about a billion kilometers in diameter, not a billion miles.  Also, since it's one of the few stars big enough to see as an actual disk, as opposed to a point, they can make measurements (astroseismology and star spots) to figure out what's going on inside the star.  And those measurements push back the date of the supernova - they suggest that the core is still in a helium-burning stage.  That's at least thousands of years from a supernova, and could be closer to a million.  OTOH, other measurements suggest it has been a red supergiant for a while, which is why they keep saying a supernova in about 100,000 years, as it splits the difference.
 
So no boom today, or tomorrow.

https://phys.org/news/2020-10-supergiant-star-betelgeuse-smaller-closer.html
 
And now for an orange gas-bag that's not threatening us with an apocalypse, scientists have narrowed down the exact size and distance to Betelgeuse.  Namely, only 500 or so light-years away, which is still plenty far to be safe from its supernova.  And only about a billion kilometers in diameter, not a billion miles.  Also, since it's one of the few stars big enough to see as an actual disk, as opposed to a point, they can make measurements (astroseismology and star spots) to figure out what's going on inside the star.  And those measurements push back the date of the supernova - they suggest that the core is still in a helium-burning stage.  That's at least thousands of years from a supernova, and could be closer to a million.  OTOH, other measurements suggest it has been a red supergiant for a while, which is why they keep saying a supernova in about 100,000 years, as it splits the difference.
 
So no boom today, or tomorrow.

https://phys.org/news/2020-10-supergiant-star-betelgeuse-smaller-closer.html
 
And now for an orange gas-bag that's not threatening us with an apocalypse, scientists have narrowed down the exact size and distance to Betelgeuse.  Namely, only 500 or so light-years away, which is still plenty far to be safe from its supernova.  And only about a billion kilometers in diameter, not a billion miles.  Also, since it's one of the few stars big enough to see as an actual disk, as opposed to a point, they can make measurements (astroseismology and star spots) to figure out what's going on inside the star.  And those measurements push back the date of the supernova - they suggest that the core is still in a helium-burning stage.  That's at least thousands of years from a supernova, and could be closer to a million.  OTOH, other measurements suggest it has been a red supergiant for a while, which is why they keep saying a supernova in about 100,000 years, as it splits the difference.
 
So no boom today, or tomorrow.

Regarding that gender-flipped Justice League, you should be able to find some more pictures from that if you google "gender bent justice league."
 
For instance:
 

Regarding that gender-flipped Justice League, you should be able to find some more pictures from that if you google "gender bent justice league."
 
For instance:
 

Regarding that gender-flipped Justice League, you should be able to find some more pictures from that if you google "gender bent justice league."
 
For instance:
 

Those are all good choices, but I do have a few other recommendations. But first, some notes. Gravitar is noted as having become more deliberate in her program of conquest as she's become more mature, so you'd certainly be justified in having her build up more of a support network, and utilize her wealth and scientific expertise to a greater degree. (In my own games I had Gravitar encounter the Futurists, from Champions Villains Vol 2, and essentially co-opt their agenda and service.)
 
Duchess Industries does have a symbiotic relationship with VIPER, but it's still its own distinct entity, providing the Duchess with vast resources for more corporate-aligned conspiracy. DI runs its own projects, has its own security force, and its officers serve and are loyal to the Duchess first, not VIPER.
 
The Engineer can control machines, and create robot servants out of available parts. That gives her the capacity to turn many existing facilities into bases from which to launch her schemes, whenever she needs them. (Again for my own games, because she longs for companionship from someone else understanding the blending of human and machine, I had her pair up with the cyborg master villain Interface from CV Vol. 1. He gave her the direct physical combat power she lacked, while she provided the tech support he needed. Of course Interface was just using her, and when the Engineer found out it did not go well for him.)
 
Now, as to additional suggestions:
 
Brangomar, the Shadow Queen (CV Vol. 1). She rules her own kingdom in the dimension of Faerie, and she typically operates through minions, particularly hired supernatural supervillains on Champions Earth who match her medieval motif. It isn't hard to justify a vendetta between her and any hero, she's that epically vindictive.
 
Hecate (The Hercules Force). The Greek goddess of magic is one of the greatest enemies of the NPC hero, Johnny Hercules, and has already launched some major schemes on Earth to gain more power, and allied with the likes of the Archlich Takofanes and the Aztec god Tezcatlipoca. Hecate can summon demons and undead, and wants to steal the Hercules Force from Johnny Hercules to power her army of "hepatizon hoplite" golems.
 
Demoiselle Nocturne (DEMON: Servants Of Darkness). Yes, she's a member of the Inner Circle of DEMON, but all of them pursue their own individual agendas and schemes. In Nocturne's case that includes turning the waking world into a reflection of her own nightmare realm. She also has her personal Night Terror servants. I once adapted a plot from Scott Bennie's 4E VIPER source book for her being behind development of a device that made people's nightmares take on tangible form.
 
Chantal (Shades Of Black). The former lover of the Black Paladin, the witch Chantal was officially thwarted in her attempt to incarnate her damned soul in a new body. But you could easily rule otherwise, or bring her back through some other agency; and the Witch Reborn is fully statted in SOB. Chantal is accustomed to employing her considerable charms and magical enchantments to bend men to serve her. If she needs muscle she's adept at summoning demons, and she's on good terms with the princes of Hell.

I managed to find a working version of the DC-Animated-style heromachine recently.  Download is still goofy, but the live version works fine for me in Firefox and Edge.
 
https://voltron42.github.io/apps/hero-o-matic/

Now that you bring up San Francisco, Champions Universe pp. 15 and 76 mention a solo crime fighter code-named Brainwave, active during the 1980s in that city but since retired. No other details of powers, history or personality are given, which can work to your advantage in developing him as you like; although with a name like that, I get a strong potential Professor X vibe from him.
 
Although never a team member himself, Brainwave may see a need for a new generation of heroes in the Bay Area. The Bay Guardians are heavily focused on mystical threats, while the Freedom Patrol has almost certainly disbanded by now. And unlike the former Patrol members, Brainwave would have no vested interest in perpetuating their name and legacy.

Pursuing my earlier suggestion of Brainwave, if this was to be a character in my game for the purposes Novi specified, I would adapt some premises from DC's Doom Patrol, and make him a bit of a blend of Niles Caulder/The Chief, and Steve Dayton/Mento. In my concept, Brainwave was a brilliant young scientist with latent psychic potential, which he amplified to super-level with a helmet he invented. Brainwave joined the heroes in the Battle of Detroit in 1992 against Dr. Destroyer's forces, and although he survived was crippled in the fight. He retired to concentrate on building his own successful electronic engineering company.
 
That would give you a veteran hero with financial resources and scientific expertise as support for your PC team, who could monitor and guide them mentally, but can't join them in the field.

I'd go with Dr. Silverback. Who could be a better mentor than a super-genius gorilla inventor who speaks with a British accent and is the toast of the talk show circuit?

Generally speaking I agree with you, he's an incredibly useful and fun NPC. And officially, he's rich from patents. The only potential complication, if novi is using the default CU, is that Silverback is already associated with the Champions, and novi sounds like his group wants more independence.

Unless I'm overlooking something, Dalton's public image is less compromised.

If you have access to the old VOICE of Doom supplement, Black Phantom would make an awesome mentor. 

Dr. A. Zerstoiten (though they should only know him as Dr Z for a while)
 
What?  He's a hero.  Just ask him.
 

I’ve used Seeker as the Martial Artist mentor. I’ve used Defender as the overall retired crime fighter, bag o’ money mentor. No reason why Defender can’t be a legacy hero. James Harmon is the mentor and a young buck takes the reins.

Hmm... I would suggest the martial-arts crime fighter Nightwind, last written up in the Millennium City source book. Steve Chase is one of the world's premier martial artists, having trained at the legendary Yengtao Temple; but his official background history says he watched David Carradine's Kung Fu television series when he was a kid, so realistically he has to be in his fifties by now. He fled the destruction of Yengtao in 1996, with his mentor from the temple, Zhu Hsaio; and they opened a kwoon (martial arts school) in Millennium City in 1998. Nightwind was a reserve member of the Champions, but mostly adventured alone. Zhu Hsaio may have died by this time, prompting Chase to seek such a role for himself, and maybe find companionship. The kwoon that he owns and runs can make an informal team headquarters. His nemesis, Jade Phoenix, could have taken a parallel course as he himself has grown older, recruiting a criminal gang.