unclevlad

You're focusing too much on the fact that it's a limitation..rather than the fact that the system has extremely limited methods to reduce STUN. And what you're saying is, if STUN only isn't allowed, then I'm forced to spend points to no purpose...because I only need about 1/3 of that defense to stop BODY. Why not simply buy base PD/ED? I can have 12 hardened def for 15 points...or 3 dice of negation that would give 10 against a normal attack, and less against an AP due to DC adjustment. Also note that the gap grows wider and wider as the scale increases. BODY's stopped by defenses a bit more than the DC total...somewhere around 1/3 to 2/5 of the total defenses is for stopping the BODY, but when you're getting into 14 and 16 DCs, that's a LOT of points spent that's useless. In short? The meta rule is pay for what you get...and get what you pay for. You're not getting what you paid for....or, you're giving a really high value to the ancillary defenses. With DR, perhaps...that might be the case. But with DN, it's massively damped. Take a Mental Blast...at 10 points per, it takes 2 DCs negation to subtract 1d6 from a mental blast. On the plus side, to be sure...it's applying to any such. And there's need to set what it defends against...that NND LS: Cold from Mr. Freeze, the mental attack of Brain Cramp, or the AVAD Power Def from Darklight...defends agaisnt em all, even in the same phase. If you value this, tho...recognize that STUN only negation does NOT help against the BODY from AVAD, Does BODY, or the damage from Drain STUN or Drain BODY. So there's a real loss of functionality for you.

My bugaboo is "you can never assume the double play." The play at second where the fielder missed the bag. The out at second is made, then the ball's thrown away...when the batter's still 15 feet from the bag. Not a throwing error? Ridiculous. Heck, I'd be fine with, say....runners on 1st and 3rd, 1 out. Fly ball to the outfield, not all that deep. Outfielder makes the catch...then throws the ball to second. Runner at third did not break on the catch...but hey, with the ball going to second??? Free run. The team error...yeah. How about when 2 fielders collide, and the ball drops? That'd be another.

Yeah, the tactic to abuse the system has been clear. But if the state has a means to effect such a trial...imagine what would be going on with the current House Republican clown show. Imagine what *Trump* would've done with it. The problem is the partisanship that's corrupted the judicial system. Several aspects could've been sped up with, say, the Supreme Court quickly and summarily rejecting the appeals. Another aspect would be to review judicial assignments...Cannon's shown that she's biased in Trump's favor, and she shouldn't be hearing any cases involving him. But the deepest root is that any government is composed of people. When they fail the people of the country, the only means to address it is through the election process...and that has become so corrupt as to be almost meaningless.

Ouch. Well, we know their pitching's problematic at best. BAD right now. Team ERA? 6 teams sit between 4.99 and 5.09. Then you drop to the Rockies at 6.57. But they're middle of the pack in offense...no better. Can't blame the fans. 2 years where they got into the playoffs...to be dumped out quickly. Other than that...11 seasons where they finished 16+ games out of the division, and the bad nosedive the last 3 years (74, 68, 59)...and headed for what darn sure looks like the 4th straight season in this freefall. Yeah, OK, the D'backs last year had a horrible stretch, and came back...and they have some decent prospects in their minor league system, but the ceiling for them is tied to their pitching. This might be the 2nd worst club moving forward...I put the A's at #1 since they're a wet mess. Marlins...not great management either, but lots of injuries, IIRC. White Sox have prospects. Houston...I think they're mostly feeling the effect of having won for so long. They may need a complete teardown and rebuild, but they've shown they can...Rockies haven't.

Ant Man

Well, you know what they say. Go big or go home. Pope chose to go home....

Bullpens and bad defenses always bring you down.... O's in Boston. Red Sox come into the series 7-3. Lose game 1 on Tuesday, 7-1...but gave up 4 runs after the 6th. 2 errors don't help. Game 2, jump out to a 5-0 lead...starter throws 5 shutout innings, but 86 pitches. Bullpen gives up 3 in the 6th, 4 in the 7th. 2 more errors don't help, but technically only 1 unearned run. Tonight? Top 8th, Sox up 2-1. Error on a ground ball allows wunderkind Holliday to reach first. Out. Double play grounder to second...flip to the SS...who never touches the bag. Both feet cross the line of the bag...but neither touches it. Instead of a DP and inning over...the inning continues. Another pitching change and.......boom....ball nestled down the right field line, into the seats. 2 run homer, Orioles have the lead. Technically only 1 unearned run, because the scoring rules say you can't assume a double play, and the runner was out at first. Hooey! This is as much an error as the ground ball to 3rd was. Sox just tied it on a drive that cleared the monster seats, so now it's 3-3. More time for their bullpen to implode, perhaps. EDIT....O's score 6 in the 10th, so...yeah, that's a bullpen implosion. O's sweep the Sox and flip positions with em...from 1 1/2 back to 1 1/2 up.

Trichophobia (fear of hair)

Ah...so let's let history repeat itself, huh? Phoenix area's already shown inadequate interest...to pro sports generally. D'backs were 20th of 30, Cardinals were 30th of 32, for last season. The Suns drew...their raw average attendance didn't place well, but they show as having sold 100% of the seats...so it's lower capacity than many. Obviously, the Coyotes are a massive outlier for the NHL, simply because of that microscopic capacity, but they had 3rd worst attendance in 18-19...pre-Covid, and in the full-size facility. I also seriously question whether the Phoenix area's really big enough to support a team in all 4 of the major sports.

Even if the Delta Center isn't a great choice, the current facility is a gross embarrassment. There've been major issues with the Coyotes for multiple years, too. I have a hard time buying the $1B valuation...and if the Coyotes do relocate, why would SLC need an expansion team? What...you'll move the Coyotes *twice*? That part makes no sense. EDIT: elsewhere...turns out, the women's title game outdrew the men's title game. By a LOT!!! UConn-Purdue wasn't a draw, second lowest ratings ever. (Beat last year but by a negligible amount.) Under 15M. SC-Iowa...almost 19M. So about +25%...that's huge. Attributions? Network...women's game was on ABC/ESPN, men's was TNT. Caitlin Clark...likely the #1 factor. The Athletic commented, tho, that the women's game is currently better than the men's game...more balanced, more team play, more cohesion. Less one and done, less transfer portal. This also impacts the overall star power...the men's game doesn't have it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/opinion/republicans-congress-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jk0.enen.h5AAWeCFJQTT&smid=url-share

Arrest warrant filed against Rashee Rice. Aggravated assault and collision involving serious bodily injury are the 2 major charges...2nd and 3rd degree felonies. Chiefs haven't cut him yet, but it's inevitable, and most likely sooner, rather than later. Contract voids for cause, too, so forget any unpaid money, guaranteed or not. 2nd and 3rd degree felonies (along with 6 lesser "collision involving injury" charges)...he's slated for a significant amount of jail time. I always feel a bit sorry for rich, dumb, and young...that lose it in a single moment of abject stupidity.

Federal prosecutors are now saying, yes, Ohtani's translator stole the money. $16 million. And they said, there's no indication Ohtani knew anything about it. So he's probably free and clear.

His 2000 yard season was 1973. The helicopter coverage of the Bronco chase...that was '94. And even the last time any of us heard anything...the memorabilia break-in that landed him in jail. Once the sensation over that faded, well...he wasn't newsworthy any more.

In principle, perhaps, but it's also considerably trickier, IIRC. It was possible...Miles proved that, even over and beyond the soltoxin issues. But using one at all would likely run afoul of fundamentalist thought, as it's not God's way. Artificial insemination is one thing...a machine controlling a pregnancy is something altogether different, and I can *easily* see it being anathema to them. And remember where the replicator was developed...Beta Colony. Hooooo BOY, that'd make the smoke pour outta their ears!! And it's arguably part and parcel, at least when it's maintained for general public use. On the path we in the US are going? I'd be worried it'd be used more like it's used in Jackson's Hole...or on Cetaganda, where I suspect LOTS more culling happens. (No, I'm not gonna explain the references. Go read the books, if you don't get em. Trust me. You'll thank me.)

Because I feel like it tonight...late dessert. Birch Benders Keto pancake mix...the lead ingredient is almond flour, which has very few net carbs. TSP or so of Ghirardelli cocoa powder. Bit of stevia. Five spice, cinnamon, and some dried raspberry powder...good stuff, packs a punch. Add water, mix thoroughly...add to my cast iron comal. Almond flour, and coconut flour, tend to produce dry-ish goodies...and what's pancakes without something on top? I frequently have a bago of frozen mixed berries...blackberry, blueberry, raspberry. Into a microwaveable bowl, with a bit more stevia and cinnamon...zap, crush, zap again. Pour over top once you remove the pancake from the pan. Eat soonest! If you're less carb-sensitive, then Kodiak Cakes is a regular pancake/waffle mix I liked...

Q so long as he's even an acquaintance of yours, he becomes a complication (WHAP!!! no, NOT Bond's Q!!)

Wow. Talk about a catcher having a TERRIBLE inning. Orioles at Red Sox. Connor Wong for the Sox. 2 wild pitches...passed ball...AND catcher's interference. It's also at least the second, maybe 3rd, catcher's interference I've seen already, in...I dunno, 15-20 games. Both were no doubters; the bat contacting the glove was clear-cut. I think I've heard comments that catchers have moved up in their box a bit...frame it before it drops too much, so this might be part of the price of doing that, particularly if the catcher's focused on framing. His glove hand might just drift out that little bit too much, too soon from time to time.

No idea, I don't have that book. What are you getting for your 25 points?

Different color or style. Just segregate into pools and roll each pool separately, making sure they don't get mixed. Roll the BODY first, that takes no time to count, then roll the STUN. Heck, if you want to speed things up, don't even roll the STUN only...just give it 1 BODY per die. Especially if we're talking higher damage. Whatever works for your game and group.

This could be the breaking point, FORCING changes to the uniforms. Dry tissue paper is more durable.

That's the design paradigm, particularly with STUN only DN. Figure: if buying just base defenses, the nonresistant defense is being bought mostly to counter STUN. What would you rather people buy...15 Armor and 12 PD...or something with STUN only DN? I suspect you don't see it because we're creatures of habit. Also note that it's not significantly cheaper. 3 dice of DN is 10 points and counters....10.5 STUN. The combination of Armor and STUN-only DN allows very nicely tailored defenses for any configuration, without spending an arm and a leg, or being totally impervious to normal-attack BODY. And it needs no house rules.

murder conviction

D....Death Tribble...a very complicated disadvantage <ducks> E...enemies, enemies everywhere!

Unfortunately, calling it a Satanic temple will be waving a red cape in front of the bull, to some. Especially in the Age of Rising Intolerance. Glad it didn't go off.