Dr.Device

I wrote a short-short story this weekend that seems relevant to here. It's completely unedited or polished, and will probably stay that way, but I feel like sharing anyway.
 
Fear Itself

Well done!
 
 

I wrote a short-short story this weekend that seems relevant to here. It's completely unedited or polished, and will probably stay that way, but I feel like sharing anyway.
 
Fear Itself

I wrote a short-short story this weekend that seems relevant to here. It's completely unedited or polished, and will probably stay that way, but I feel like sharing anyway.
 
Fear Itself

I wrote a short-short story this weekend that seems relevant to here. It's completely unedited or polished, and will probably stay that way, but I feel like sharing anyway.
 
Fear Itself

Well, if you insist on bringing up specific examples within the context of "reality" within the MCU: cast a blonde white girl as the champion and symbol of an African nation? Yeah, I'd expect that to call down the fury of hell on everyone involved, and it would be well justified.
 
Asgardians aren't Norwegians. Heimdall is the guardian of the Bifrost, it's very possible he was never even on Earth for humans to see. Even if they did, there are so many departures from myth in the MCU -- Loki being Thor's brother only the biggest one -- it seems obvious that the Scandinavians embellished what they heard about the "gods" in whatever manner they preferred. Heck, Thor in all their stories is a redhead.

The bigger problem with Idris Elba as Heimdall is that the role is kind of a waste of Idris Elba.  I suppose he could pull a Brolin and play more than one MCU part...

Yeah, seemed pretty much the same to me. Plus, if I can get Ildris Elba into a movie, he's in. I'd cast him as Thor, TBH, and let the rage commence. He's a great catch for a movie.

As I said, it also matters how much you personally care about Heimdall.  He was a nothing character in the comics so no big woop to me.  MCU changed the Asgardians to multiracial characters who were apparently co-opted by Earth's Scandinavian population.  I was personally more annoyed that they didn't make an effort to give Thor his comic book personality and manner of speech - they could have even explained it by having Thor appear on Earth most recently in Shakespeare's time and that's wheren he learned English.
 
I should point out something though about Heimdall's skin color.  You only have to look at the MASSIVELY positive reaction by African-Americans to the Black Panther movie that representation absolutely matters.  Nearly all the most popular heroes were created before 1970 by white men to represent themselves.  The suggestion that the movies should create their own minority heroes can only go so far.  There are constant criticisms online against the so-called agenda of  representation.  However, it seems to me that when they are pointing and complaining "Agenda!" that there are 4 fingers pointing back at them saying, "Maybe you have your own agenda!" - whether it's a conscious one or otherwise....

Saw BP:WF last night and it didn't disappoint.  It was a little long, and I was underwhelmed by the reveal of "Atlantis".  But the changes to Namor were brilliant, making him much more relatable and culturally interesting*.  It was great to see the actresses from BP take up the baton so effortlessly.  Angela Bassett was badass as always, but Letitia Wright really knocked it out of the park.  The screenplay was solidly written--we all kind of know how BP:WF needs to turn out with respect to Namor, but there's still enough personal tension to carry the film.  I'm glad Coogler didn't go to jail for bank robbery.
 
There is one mid-credits scene which should not be missed, but that's it--no end credits scene.  Run time is 2:40 (plus trailers, including the one for Quantumania), so begin preparing your bladder now.  Also this film is multilingual--Wakandan, French, "Atlantean", and Spanish as well as American, so if you're not literate enough for subtitles, watch out.
 
 
* And not incidentally differentiating him from another underwater movie super-anti-hero.

As far as Fuentes' desire for a Christian nationalist dictatorship, the anti-Trump conservative David French recently pointed out that the world's largest avowedly Christian Nation is currently getting the pants beat off it in Ukraine. Putin made Christian Nationalism part of his dictatorship from day one. It's everything Mr Fuentes wants. It's not doing so well.
 
https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/frenchpress/the-spiritual-lessons-of-a-christian/
You have to subscribe to read the whole article, though it's free. My sister printed it out for me, so I can summarize Mr French's three "Spiritual Lessons from a Christian Nationalist Military Defeat":
 
* Power corrupts. Not exactly a new observation, but Putin's Russia offers one more example that corrupted, self-serving leadership inevitably hollows out institutions and the country as a whole.
* Christendom dilutes Christianity. French argues that Christian nationalists focus on the collective institutions of the faith, not the "radical personal renewal and redemption that is the heart of Christianity." Putin's invasion of Ukraine was supposedly, in part, to defend Christendom against the Satanic corruption of the West. And their methods for doing so...?
* Brutality isn't strength. "Bullies look strong. They strut and peacock. Russians bomb civilians. They rape women. They loot empty homes. They're ruthless. They make commercials casting themselves as fearless, fearsome warriors. And now they're fleeing by the thousands, thrown into headlong retreat by a far smaller nation, fighting with a fraction of the resources, in one of the most shocking military setbacks in modern times. Brutality is meeting courage, and courage prevails."
 
If Mr Fuentes truly wants to live in a "Christian Nation," well, nobody's stopping him from moving to Putin's Russia. They would seem to be made for each other.
 
Dean Shomshak

Nevada Question 1 officially passes with 57% of the vote: https://www.fox5vegas.com/2022/11/10/ballot-measure-adding-equal-rights-amendment-nevada-constitution-passes/

 
 

Apparently the latest Marvel is hated and reviled and needs a hug?
 
gets into the peanut gallery  and looks left, looks right, then yells
I LIKED SHE-HULK! IT WAS FUN AND WHACKY AND TRUE  TO THE CHARACTER
 
*runs like hell*

I didn't really see evidence of any mind control going on. For all we know, K.E.V.I.N. just gave Matt another case. I don't think he'd need to be mind controlled into having lunch with Jen and her family.

Honestly, I don't have a problem with "let's make fun of the guys who don't like female superheroes". Those guys are schmucks, as far as I'm concerned.
 
But that's just me.

I always thought extra BODy for a human didn't always reflect being more physically robust, it could also be a reflection of "too stubborn to die" or "strong will to live".  

I have an update.
 
First up, I asked the GM: I need an honest answer -- is the plan for the Bad Guys to "win" whenever we have our next session or does our party have any sort of chance?
 
His response
 
...so yeah.
 
So, I showed the GM's response to hubby.  Then we talked properly, him and I, about my concerns.  How I didn't liked the bait & switch when I was initially told the campaign was us supposed to be saving the day, not setting up things for what's now the "real" game.  How it frustrated me as a player and as a writer myself that I'm supposed to fulfill a predestined plot as opposed to playing a game.  How, even if I wanted to go out as a Big Damn Hero, it could all be rendered moot by a bad dice roll anyways.
 
And I told hubby how frustrated I felt with him pressuring me to keep playing anyway.  That it wouldn't be fun for me like that.  And I reminded him that we do still game together (Wednesdays with the plan for us GMing together towards the end of the year), so it's not like Fridays are the only thing.
 
...I think he finally got it.  And he'll accept my choice.  I did say that I would finish this campaign first and to see how I'm feeling if I will continue on Fridays.  And I told hubby that I'm totally fine if he chooses to keep playing even if I don't.

I really hate to say this, but... 
 
 
...from this it sounds less like a gaming issue and more like a relationship issue.  

Like, you should be able to tell your spouse "I'm not enjoying this activity," and they should say "Okay, then you shouldn't take part in it anymore.  Are you okay if I continue to take part in it?"  

I've been playing with it a lot, lately.
 
Here are a few of my favorites I've generated

A ring for my Genie warlock in D&D 5e:

 
Character portrait for the above Warlock


The Helm of the Fallen Paladin (same campaign)

 
Amused Blonde with purple Streak

 
The Goddess of Icecream

 
And so many others.

 

Gavin Newsom asks the DOJ to consider Kidnapping charges
 
 

- Reinstate the Fairness Doctrine in media.
 
- Implement ranked choice voting.
 
- Overturn Citizens United.
 
- Levy a 100% wealth tax on any wealth over $100M.  Billionaires should not exist.
 
 

Um, I'm not sure how to tell you this, but your Warlock seems to have serious cataracts in one eye and a blown out pupil in the other. Should probably get her to an eye cleric. 😁
 
On a more serious note, that's some pretty cool stuff, I'm going to go check this thing out.

I've been playing with it a lot, lately.
 
Here are a few of my favorites I've generated

A ring for my Genie warlock in D&D 5e:

 
Character portrait for the above Warlock


The Helm of the Fallen Paladin (same campaign)

 
Amused Blonde with purple Streak

 
The Goddess of Icecream

 
And so many others.

 

I'm enjoying She-Hulk. A great deal.  The actress is funny and breaks the fourth wall smoothly and then slides back into the scene again. The writing is clever with only one mistep in the first episode that bugged me and then I moved on.
 
Wong's guest appearance was hilarious in a lot of ways
 
 

As an autistic, queer trans woman, my response to this group is not suitable for this board.