unclevlad

Depleted Milwaukee is the first to lose a home game.  With Giannis out...not entirely surprising.  

EDIT:  and Dallas knocks off the Clips, making 2 straight for the road teams.  

Nature abhors a vacuum, therefore *someone* is going to pick up the pieces.  Many of the MAGA/Trumpist policies have been on the Republican agenda anyway.  If Trump goes, the tone changes, but they can still retain the entire pre-vetting for ideological purity, planning for '28.  What aspects of the principle Republican agenda disappear with Trump?  

EDIT:  note the "gains" they've made in several states, in moving to control the education system, the voting system at state levels.  They'll still have the Supreme Court.  They've largely stripped the legitimacy of several government agencies, when it was in their interest...the CDC being the obvious one.  They like the House being seen as a clown show;  there's been the argument made that the Supreme Court's loss of respect has led to state-level 'revolts' if you will, like Texas using state agents to enforce border laws...but rendering the House mostly pointless and paralyzed helps with that too.  

What we need to see is more pushback at the state levels.  Preferably, rolling back some of the recent moves like the abortion bans;  blocking the extreme moves by, say, Texas, isn't enough.  That's a holding action.  SOMEHOW breaking the wall of willful ignorance, behind which QAnon thrives.  

I think it's fair to say that Howie Schwab was the first celebrity sports stats/info type guy.  He was big on ESPN...even to the point of them trying a sports trivia show called Stump the Schwab.  He was part of the first of the big purges at ESPN back in 2013, but continued to be valuable behind the scenes in other ways (including being Fox's NCAA bracketologist for a couple years, which I hadn't known.)

He died, apparently of a heart attack, Monday.  Age 63.

And pain can absolutely keep you awake.

I'd also extend your statement, CRT, to include the (in)ability to focus on what's going on around you...disorientation.  That's what getting stunned is.  

And to a point...serious, sharp pain would do that too.  Even pass out.  Had THAT happen once.  LONG!!! time ago.  OLD fridge on the top, freezer on the bottom.  The doors had squared corners.  I was getting something from the freezer...didn't realize the fridge door was open...and stood up quickly.  Corner went *squarely* into my back.  I don't remember anything after that...even tho I believe a trip to the hospital was involved.  

But generally, yeah, they're not well-connected concepts.

On 4/22/2024 at 1:34 PM, Steve said:

I wonder if that could allow a further Limitation on Damage Negation (-1/4?) if it doesn’t affect knockback.

Part of the system bloat problem in 6E is having so many hair-splitting limitations.  I'm not sure this'd be worth -1/4 on its own...and by and large, I suspect people would take it just to take it.  My favorite limitation is Limited Range, because once you get to an 8d6 base...that's 40 points, so full range is 400 meters.  The range mod at 100m is -8;  there's targets that *can* be hit, sure...area attacks in particular...but for most single target attacks?  That's Fat Chance time, even with some PSLs to offset range.  It generally does not limit.  Is that a character flaw, so that the limit should be disallowed?  Not IMO, it's mis-structured rules.  Doesn't Reduce KB feels like it'd largely be the same.

Note that STUN Only eliminates this...and the protection against the drains, because they're not STUN damage.  That's a significant package of benefits that get removed...or, perhaps we're realizing that Negation's total package is better than we realized.  2 dice negation gives 3 CP of rDEF, 5 CP of STUN reduction...it's too easy to layer the defenses to mostly eliminate BODY, so this is not worth a limitation, IMO...and effectively 2m of KB resistance.  THEN there's however much you want to assign to the special defense aspects.  They're worth something, no question about that, but...how much?  Eliminating the KB aspect, 2 dice would still mean 8 points in the base defenses, AND the special defenses, for 8 points, and quite often, the KB resistance just isn't that big a deal.  Figure:  did we realize this?  I suspect...generally, no.  Did people buy a few meters of KB resistance?  I've done it for specific concepts, where the character's body just deforms to absorb the momentum, it doesn't go flying back...but how many of us take this routinely?

Some of this is, we're also realizing how *complicated* DN is, as it's written.  Which is not a good thing, IMO.

2 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

Oh you mean getting old... oh you meant in game terms.

 

I have always considered pain to be represented by the stun char.  So Stun Drain/Suppress/Transfer, Ego Attack, NND, etc.

Mmm...not really.  They're mostly separate, particularly in this context.  A paper cut doesn't do BODY most of the time, and you're no closer to losing consciousness, so it's nothing to do with STUN.  Or a minor burn...like you forgot that pan was just in the oven...and you tried to grab the handle without a pot holder?  Or the stupid things we did as kids?  Or spattering grease, that's no fun.  

Or what was going on in my mouth, *especially* the last couple days before I was able to get a root canal done *quickly*.  Or the even worse case...some years ago, I got some shampoo in my left eye.  We've all done that...but this was particularly nasty.  And within a few weeks?  That eye started suffering from corneal erosions.  Literally, the super-thin layer of cells over the eye...sloughed off.  Think a piece of grit or a hair, then turn it up.  And up.  And UP...when most of it sloughed off.  SHARPLY!!!!! painful, and tears?  Hey, tears are salt water!  Oh yeah.  Joy.  

None of these really felt like they were related to STUN;  they were something unto themselves.

9 hours ago, Steve said:

I like the idea of it affecting the Concentration Limitation or adding a roll to an existing ability to use it.

 

I suppose it could also act as a bonus to the Interrogation skill. I think the Cruciatus Curse from Harry Potter got used that way in the books, but I can’t remember for sure.

Pain is a stock, if not necessarily effective, element of torture, so a bonus to interrogation, or possibly intimidation-based PRE attacks, would work.

From The Athletic, through me, to Mr. P...don't say I never did anything nice for you.

 

Quote

The Lakers were rattled. As they should be after 10 straight losses to Denver, with each one seemingly more painful and deflating than the previous one. At this point, it seems as if the Nuggets are merely torturing the Lakers, inventing new ways to embarrass them in high-stakes moments. 

35 minutes ago, Old Man said:

Biden administration bans noncompete agreements for workers

 

Takes effect in six months.

If it holds up in court.  It might.  I wouldn't be surprised if, for example, non-competes are allowed...in restricted situations.  From NYT:

 

Quote

The move bars contracts known as noncompetes, which prevent workers from leaving for a competitor for a certain amount of time, in most circumstances. Noncompetes cover about 30 million U.S. workers, the trade commission said, in a variety of jobs that include TV news producers, hairdressers, corporate executives and computer engineers.

That seems like a LOT of people, and many who wouldn't seem to be privy to corporate privileged information.

1 minute ago, Lord Liaden said:

 

I disagree. There is no heir apparent to Trump. If there was, with all the detrimental developments that have swollen around him, an heir would have appeared by now. And there's no MAGA hierarchical command structure for someone else to step into when Trump is gone, like Stalin after Lenin. The alliance between corporate elites, white supremacists, and evangelical Christians that Donald Trump forged is not natural. There was no such mass movement in America for him to have seized control of. He inspired it, and its disparate elements are invested in him and him alone. There are many other greedy, ambitious, evil people, who could do much harm, but they don't resemble Trump, and they can't replicate his brand of success. Donald Trump is a unique phenomenon. Thank God.

There is no heir apparent because Trump is still on the scene.  We're talking the person who would coalesce out of the rubble of the Party if Trump's out of the picture.

15 minutes ago, Old Man said:

 

Yes, but their attempts to co-opt the MAGA message have occurred while Trump was still directing it.  If Trump is convicted, and especially if he's in solitary confinement with no access to Xitter, the faithful will desperately cast about for someone else to tell them what to think.  Not that I think Trump will ever see the inside of a jail cell, but that's what it'd take to put an end to the cult of personality.

And that changes the game.  DeSantis still loses out, I think, because he's botched the Disney issue so badly.  He's the most exposed clown.

Even if Trump's not in jail...let's postulate he loses the election, and is convicted in Georgia, where we've got the biggest smoking gun, the phone call.  That's 3 separate, significant defeats...motivation to move on politically, and with the discredit from the Georgia convictions, it's likely his cult of personality will wither.  So the bashing will begin.  Those who have been TOO sycophantic...DeSantis is the obvious one...have another big strike.  I'm thinking the election steal just won't be discussed any more...it's too Trumpian.  That's a major strike against Carlson, but...Carlson would have to try following the Trump path, and he doesn't have the charisma for that.  

Abbott has policy points that align with the MAGA base, but I don't think he was so much tied to Trump personally.  He's co-royal on his own...the Emperor of Texas.  But he's anti-woke, he's anti-abortion, he's anti-immigration...he could pick up those pieces, if he wanted to.  A humiliated, completely discredited Trump *wrecks* the Party as it is now.  The shakeout might be the '26 mid term elections (including the Congressional primaries).  That's likely to be the first time we have a chance to have a broad look at the post-Trump Party. 

I think that shuts the door on anyone from the House...and the disastrously bad clown show of the last couple years will be hard to overcome.  The Senators?  Cruz is too tied to Trump.  Hawley is worse.  I'm not gonna strain my brain trying to think of one that might work, tho.  Feels like the best option might be a Republican governor.  Abbott's the most widely recognized nationally, except perhaps DeSantis.

5 hours ago, Asperion said:

Speculation: What will those who are being supported by Trump do on the extremely high possibility that he fails the upcoming election and is found guilty in this current criminal trial?

Bail on him, as he's clearly the flawed messiah.  They'll anoint someone who doesn't come with more baggage than Paris Hilton.  Abbott, perhaps?  They'll try hard to repudiate the person while embracing the MAGA message.

I don't buy that his sharpness, or lack thereof, is a factor.  In particular, I absolutely don't believe that he realizes he's not as sharp as he was...at ANY level, even subconsciously.  His narcissism won't allow critical self-analysis. You're basically postulating that Trump is rational.  I don't.  When I say "narcissistic"...I mean the clinical interpretation.  From Wikipedia:

 

Quote

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a life-long pattern of exaggerated feelings of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and a diminished ability to empathize with other people's feelings. Narcissistic personality disorder is one of the sub-types of the broader category known as personality disorders. It is often comorbid with other mental disorders and associated with significant functional impairment and psychosocial disability.

And IIRC, it's right up there in seriousness with psychopathy and sociopathy.

I do buy that his lawyers would grill him with questions and force him to see that he won't be able to hold up, and thus get him to (reluctantly) agree.

.....................................................................

May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your mistress's bed sheets.......

5 minutes ago, Steve said:

Examples of what caused my initial question: the Agony Box from Dune and the agonizer from Star Trek’s Mirror Universe. They caused pain but didn’t seem to cause any actual damage.

ahh...hm.  Those are a bit different.  I wouldn't try to describe how it does it myself, just what it does to them.  Nerve induction should, by and large, do what's suggested.  That's how the pain box is most commonly written up. The agonizer may have had a higher setting, right?  Where it disrupted nerve signals, and might've done more...induced seizures, even stop the heart?  Disrupting nerve signals could probably do either one.

I remember reading what I think was a legit experiment, wherein people were subjected to minor levels of shock, heat, and cold...all at the same time, say on different fingers...and their reaction was OMG WHAT!!!! because the 3 separate signals, from 3 separate sources, amplified each other.  People YANKED their hand out expecting to see notable damage...but there wasn't any.

Yeah, a pretty stock trope is that using one's powers requires concentration, and what pain can do is make it hard to concentrate through the pain.  That's the motivation.

Look at the example major transforms on 6E1 304.

--impose a limitation (up to -1)

--CV penalties

--giving a Complication...unluck.

Several of these would work pretty well with Partial Transform.  A suggested, nasty complication is Requires 11- roll, that's -1.  There's lesser levels for Partial Transform.  

Here, the pain's just the SFX, the goal is to just make it HARD to do something.  And it's not cheap, as Partial Transform makes it 15 points per die.

EDIT:  oh, and note the key is concentration disruption.  Pain's not the only way to do that.  In Drew Hayes' Super Powereds series, the tech kid incorporates an itching attack into his weapon.  Massive itching might be a better way to disrupt concentration;  people are used to fighting through pain, but man, SEVERE itching?  An attack I often like is to swap the defenses on a Flash attack from Flash Def to Ego Def...a flash bang targeting the sensory centers of the brain directly.  That could be done here...instead of shutting down, overload. 

So Mr. P, never a doubt, right?

for those who didn't watch...

3 hours ago, slikmar said:

Aren't we excited, Jets traded Zack Wilson to Broncos.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

4 hours ago, Old Man said:

 

These are actually pretty nice.  My biggest suggestion would be replacing the dark navy with more of a royal blue, as in the throwbacks.

Mmm...maybe, but that's a fairly bright orange.  IMO that limits your options.  I like the navy, myself.

6 hours ago, Ternaugh said:

The Nevada case's second try was dismissed with prejudice on April 8.

 

I can't express my feelings about the Nevada Republican Party without several colorful metaphors that would be against the rules on this board.

With prejudice, no less.  That bars refiling, at least on materially similar grounds, IIRC.  They'd need to come up with something quite different, and "with prejudice" is a major warning that it'd darn well be BETTER grounds.  None of this lame, bitter, Starbucks-like grounds....

Meanwhile back in New York...from NYT:

 

Quote

We learned that if Trump testifies in his own defense, he will be chewed up on cross-examination. Justice Juan Merchan ruled that Trump can be questioned about lies he told in four of six prior judicial proceedings, including the E. Jean Carroll case and the ruling that the Trump Foundation was a fraud. Only a foolish megalomaniac would take the stand under such circumstances — so perhaps he will.

Just now, Pariah said:

The new Broncos uniform set drops tomorrow at 9:00 am MDT.

 

I've seen leaks for a couple of weeks. How close any of these are to the real thing is hard to say, at least for the next 10½ hours.

 

As long as it remains blue and orange and drops the Nike parentheses stripes, I'm pretty sure I'll like them better than what the team is wearing now. 

You hate the uniforms of the last few years by association.

4 hours ago, Clonus said:

LA lawmakers vote to remove lunch breaks for child workers | Louisiana Politics | nola.com

 

Now, too be fair this was just a committee vote and it's not become law just yet.  But it's still kinda evil. 

It's also pretty common.  Republicans want to minimize employee benefits as much as they possibly can.

One of the local supermarkets has pre-cooked, shredded chicken...kinda pricey...and dark meat turkey, which they sell for $5/pound.  It's got more fat hanging around, and it might need some hand shredding or chopping, but hey, it's still a lot easier than roasting/shredding.  I will sometimes look, after Thanksgiving, for a rolled turkey breast...you can get those dirt cheap.  I don't do a whole turkey, that's just way too much for just me.

Or another path would be to use pulled beef or pulled pork.  Pulled beef...red sauce.  Pulled pork can go red or green.  Light meat chicken or turkey, I prefer green;  dark can go either way.  Medium green works nicely.

I'm supremely lazy these days.

I just cut my tortillas into chip-sized chunks.  Everything gets tossed together into a mixing bowl...meat, chiles, sauce, cheese.  Cover and bake.

This doesn't have to be all that mild.  505 Southwestern comes in different heat levels.  Not familiar with El Pato, but it looks like it's mostly in mild...so, yeah, that won't be all that hot.  That said, Hatch Chile Company (NOT the same as 505 Southwestern) makes mild, medium, and hot red and green enchilada sauces.  That said, I prefer mild, or sometimes medium.  I like rich flavor...not scorching heat.  

Another addition, especially using chicken...bacon.  Of course.  Because bacon makes everything better.  I dice mine in advance, then render.

13 hours ago, Pariah said:

Nuggets 114, Lakers 103

 

The Nuggets have beaten the Lakers nine straight times, if memory serves.

 

Gentlemen, let's make it twelve, shall we? 

Davis and LeBron played 86 minutes, scored 59, grabbed 20 boards, dished 13 assists, and blocked 5 shots.  And the Lakers still lost.

On the upside, Russell shot 1-9 from 3.  It's reasonable to expect that to improve, but...it's also likely Davis and LeBron will slip a bit.  Particularly LeBron.  

Not sure the Nuggets will sweep, but I would lean to winning in 5.

55 minutes ago, Pariah said:

I have precisely zero faith in the Donkeys fixing their quarterback situation through the draft. As I have commented before, the best quarterback the Broncos have ever drafted is probably Jay Cutler.

 

I'll go a step further.  I'm strongly with The Athletic's article that trading up is a VERY, VERY bad strategy.  Particularly when there's still plenty of holes to patch.  When you have excess draft capital, well, maybe...but Denver doesn't.  

You're bashing Denver for their QB drafts, which have been...less than successful.  However, how many of those were Elway picks?  

Most draft watchers think there are no true first round quality QBs after the top 3 go off the board, which dovetails with what you say.  WAIT, get someone in the 3rd and see what you can make out of him.

We both know, tho, that fans won't be happy with that approach.

The good news, as far as I'm concerned, there's 3 playoff games on Thursday night.  PLENTY of distraction to avoid the incessant on-air bloviations, given that they have to fill so much time with nothing going on.