unclevlad

Yeah, but we can go further. Not only no points, but no rules at all, or just very general ones. It's a variation on sci fi's maxim...don't even TRY to describe in detail how X works...warp drive, jump drive, transporter, FTL comms. Hand wave? Sure. Dahners had a character figure out how to pull off quantum entanglement...what happens to A, immediately happens to B. Boom...instantaneous, FTL communications between a transceiver pair, over literally ANY range. No more detail. No point in having more detail, it ALWAYS just leads to biting yourself in the foot. Note that I'll say largely the same thing about the necromantic spells. They're points, schmoints...points don't matter. What DOES matter? --what does it take to produce a ....................? Skeletons and zombies are trivial, more powerful (and particularly semi-sentient to fully sentient undead) are something entirely different. --special cases...if you're using anything like "someone killed by a vampire will rise as a vampire at the next sunset" then how can this be prevented? Note that it may NOT be a power. --how LONG does raising zombies take...cuz the PCs might want to interfere. Where can the PCs be dynamic, in other words.

This is also a case where all you're really talking about, is a plot device...so it's not worth spending ANY points, or defining it in game terms. This is a very common D&D situation. The details vary greatly, but in general, properly consecrated and buried on consecrated ground, made it impossible to animate the corpse...often, only so long as the ground remained consecrated. Now, who can consecrate the body? That can vary. Sometimes a devout layman is all you need. Others, you need a full priest. It'd be unusual, IIRC, to need something higher than 3rd level...because that's actually supposed to be Getting Up There, particularly for rural areas. But it's manageable to do that, cuz there might be a priest who serves an area of a day's ride. Consider: are the PCs really going to be impacted by this at all? Or is it just world background? If the latter, the heck with points. It doesn't need definition...or, at most, you say consecrating a body can be done by any appropriate priest with an X (or larger) active point MP or VPP for priestly spells. Or something like that. You absolutely do NOT need to define everything in game terms, when there is no game impact.

Big breakaway day, I noticed. The top 4 in the overall finished basically together...a full 13 minutes back. Didn't matter; no one in the breakaway was anywhere close for the GC. Not surprising at all that a large breakaway was let go, cuz this is tomorrow: The King of the Mountains is up for grabs. Those Cat 2 climbs offer 5-3-2-1 points; the Cat 1's offer 10-8-6-4-2-1. Ciccone leads with 88, Gall's big win saw him shoot up to 82. Vingegaard has 81. Drops down to Powless at 58, which is a lot of ground to try to make up. I doubt Vingegaard will push to grab points on the first 4 climbs, but he could make a move on the first Cat 1 or, quite likely, the second one. BUT, the yellow's sitting there waiting for him now, so he may just let a small breakaway take the points...and only drop the hammer to ice Pogacar. The green jersey is, I think, decided. Pretty sure there aren't enough points left for anyone to catch Philipsen, and I believe I saw that you don't have to finish the entire race, to win the points competition. Pogacar has the white jersey pretty much sewn up; he's got 4 minutes on Rodriguez Cano. Jumbo-Visma has the team competition in the bag...over 27 minutes ahead there. So tomorrow's pretty much KoM, and get ready to cruise into Paris.

Yeah, I posted that too, but calling it "expected" is atrocious clickbait. It makes very good sense, but the ONLY "source" for this is a writer, and he only said "would not be surprised." How the bloody heck does that become "expected"? They're trying to create news, when there's nothing there. Right...that's a web site to toss to the side forever..........

Yeah, Danny was a very, very bad boy. There's a story here: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10083427-commanders-rumors-pretty-good-chance-team-will-change-name-after-dan-snyder-sale During Snyder's tenure, the Commanders had more serious investigations...federal, NFL, attorney general...than playoff berths. They had more of each type of investigation than All-Pros. Don Van Natta opines that the new owners, who should be in place fairly soon now, might well want to change the name again, just to wash away as much of the Snyder slime as they can. I don't know if that's possible for this season; it seems reasonable to say the league needs some notice, and the season starts in, what, 6 or 7 weeks. That might be a bit short for the league PR machine.

Granted...but I'm questioning, and I'll grant I'm not sure, if the fact that it IS a pardon, which has almost complete leeway, invalidates the notion of bribery...at least on Trump's side. If it was practically anything but a pardon, then, yes, it's bribery. Something to note: is a pardon an objective decision in the first place? Take a weird, TV drama case...the president's kid gets into a fight at college, goes away, then comes back to shoot up the scene and kill 4 people. Everything is in place for the death penalty, and there's NO reason for clemency. The president pardons his kid. Game over. This is completely within the scope of his powers. If something like this is an acceptable use, then what isn't? If Trump gets re-elected, he may well pardon anyone left in jail for Jan. 6th convictions, even those for sedition. How is that an objective decision? Secondary, from the article I posted: the courts may well not want to become involved in a bribery case that is about a pardon, because of that degree of freedom. Trump is going to claim executive privilege, and that will also be a tough shield to crack. There is a part of the Brookings article worth noting, highlights mine: In other words, they failed to anticipate how badly warped the political system might become. (Which, BTW, also is a massive argument against the literal interpretation of the Constitution so heavily used by the conservative Justices.) So if this is the case, again...is any court going to consider prosecuting a bribe related to a *pardon*? MUCH LESS, of course, THIS Supreme Court. There is no doubt in my mind that even should a lower court convict, it would never be upheld by the Supreme Court as it would stand now.

Offering the inducement is separate from charging Trump with accepting a bribe...because it was a pardon/commutation. Found this page: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/presidential-pardons-settled-law-unsettled-issues-and-a-downside-for-trump/ It doesn't discuss the issue of whether bribery can be committed, but it does lay out that the limitations are pretty much on what can be pardoned...and those limits are narrow. The story also points out that the courts are not at all likely to want to take up the question.

Mmm...ok, yes, it's offering a bribe. But as you say, that's not Trump's problem.

Would it matter? I don't think there are any limits whatsoever on Presidential pardons. Sure, ethically, but we already know Trump's ethics don't extend past his ego. Unless it wasn't reported in ANY way, then there might be tax evasion charges, but with a complex tax return like Trump's, there are probably ways to attribute any such payment as something that had been reported.

Wish I'd seen it, but I've already griped about THAT score. One of my all-time favorite sports moments was a perfect shot. 2 or 3 man breakaway. They come over a hump in the road, they're continuing on desperately...because then you see the ravening MASS cresting that little hill, seeking to consume everything in front of them, like an unstoppable tide. In most cases, the peloton does catch them...but not always. And when they don't, by my lights, it's always really cool. This had to be close, because there was no gap between that foursome and the peloton, in the times awarded.

Bizarre...but utterly lacking in taste and appropriateness, IMO. That's several steps beyond acceptable. Good ol' baseball. For 5 1/2 innings, a pitcher's duel in Atlanta. Zac Gallen is perfect through 5 for the D'backs, Spenser Strider only gives up 2 hits and no runs. Gallen gives up a solo HR in the bottom of the 6th...still, pretty solid. Then the 7th. On a HOT, MUGGY Atlanta day. Strider gives up 4 runs without getting an out. Gallen gives 2 back. D'backs get one in the 8th...and the Braves respond with 4. 11 runs in 2 innings...shades of Tuesday night...after 1 run through the first 6.

Doesn't sound bad, but I'd definitely add: --season the ground beef while browning...salt, and I'd lean to sprinking about a teaspoon of chipotle powder. --I'd also large-dice a medium onion and saute that to translucent first, then brown the beef with the onion Alternate recipe...pound and a half of ground beef, 12 ounce pack of bacon. Dice and brown the bacon first. Drain *and save* the bacon fat, and set the bacon pieces aside for a bit. Use some of the bacon fat to cook the onion, and a bit more when you brown the ground beef. Also note: in this approach, I *highly* recommend a better grade of ground beef. That off-white cheapo stuff? 70% lean means 30% FAT...and you'll throw ALL of that away, even with Mr. P's starting point recipe. (Just for grins...I'm looking at Wal Mart's ground beef, as I figure they'll have multiple grades. They have 73% for $4.40/lb...just about 38 cents per ounce of meat. 85% for $5.16...almost exactly the same price per lean ounce. 90% comes out a bit higher, at about 43 cents per lean ounce.) For something like this, note that the difference between 73% and 90% in the actual beef yield. 73% * 2 pounds...just under 1.5 points. Instead of 1.8 pounds with the 90%.

They go further than that. Texas has an example. Remember the cold snap of a few years ago? The utilities were caught off-guard. Nowhere near enough power and gas...so they jacked up rates to MASSIVE levels. https://www.npr.org/2021/07/14/1015895930/lawsuits-filed-in-texas-allege-price-gouging-during-recent-blackouts One paragraph from the story:

President of Stanford University announces resignation after reviews of his papers show a pattern of serious issues. From NYT:

Felix Gall wins stage 17, for his first Grand Tour stage win. Also got the polka dot for most combative; he was in front for most of the race. 3rd and 4th on the first 2 climbs...1st over the last one, which was HC. Also vaulted him to 3rd in KoM. Vingegaard makes a move on the last climb that blows Pogacar out of the water. Really, seriously crushes him today. As in 5 minutes or so, just before Gall crossed the line, and the live tracking stops showing the full field. EDIT: Pogacar just finished the stage in 23rd. Lost 5:45 today alone, so he's 7:35 back...closer to losing 2nd than taking 1st, by quite a bit. Adam Yates picked up almost 4 minutes on him. I'm not gonna pay for Peacock, so I don't get the pics, just the live tracking. But with about 4 km to the last summit, Vingegaard and Pogacar were side by side...then Vingegaard dropped the hammer, and it looks like Pogacar *cracked*. The next 2 days could be given to breakaways, or could go to the sprinters. Vingegaard won't lose any time on these. Stage 20 is vicious: especially as the last really competitive stage. But it's basically a race for KoM at this point.

MUST READ. At least the opening paragraphs. Seriously. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/17/us/politics/trump-plans-2025.html?unlocked_article_code=d36MVZ-xVcLLyCqXrQ1b-y1h98yQc0gZqNtMJjDFCKkpmkvoaYrbC0bwYa1CptT2vTr8jMYtM0Eo3Z8L5_SSQ7mSQ9iFppssT23Y2zRncsDMdRB_gRmbddsC_KVwU6SbdnO-XAV_AotdiWqHi7eCOvpg-iu9r2aWIU4H_PlzejtrxYyt0-FrnIh-8zUORF31nf1exEZKrbswVYSeHcd8fUnDSNeipFWXtaoSe13b_Ei2gD4HrwHz5tH7eeKKIgfy7DVMiRtCd1CKQtNkiETsrXxuDtPyrFYCYvXRl8CzUllUEA3CZ-90oExDTj6q-Y3u4j-kd2Qy0rHxS7lCLdM-&smid=url-share

https://sports.yahoo.com/why-nfl-running-backs-devalued-190757210.html HOW badly are they devalued now, you ask? Here's a clean layout of the numbers: https://thefootballusa.com/average-nfl-salary Only punters make less...and not much less.

I agree it's high, but the tactical value means it can be very effective when used at the right time. It's definitely something where I'd want to start high, and maybe cut it down...but I wouldn't do that without considering how well it was being used.

I'm not too worried about something like that, as it's very remote, and in a bike race, may be kind of hard to pull off. Mind, I'm not gonna say impossible.... Well, bummer. The data-driven sports predictions of FiveThirtyEight.com have been shut down. They were picked up by Disney, and initially put under the ESPN umbrella...but transferred to ABC News later. Now? Disney's cuts have completely shut down ALL their sports forecasting. The site will be kept up through the 2024 elections; that's their bread and butter. After that, tho? No one is sure.

There has to be a point where the cost of special production for limited use exceeds the value of sales of the alternative jerseys. And no doubt every team will test where that is.

Further notes... I'd missed (or forgotten) that MLB had taken over producing Padres games at the end of May. According to MLB.com, since then, nearly 3x the number of fans can watch the games, and the number of viewers is up substantially. I've felt for some time that the blackout policies were terrible for the team. Sure, I can buy blackouts in the immediate market, but they've claimed a ridiculous swath of "home turf." I look at the Yankees. From what I could see, they've been big partners with MLB Network, letting them carry the YES broadcasts. The Braves were America's Team, Baseball Edition when TBS had its maximum reach...ok, some of that was TBS had very, very little competition. WGN, yes, but the Cubs played a TON of day games back then. It's a lot harder to draw a really big audience during the day. EDIT: Steve Berthiaume talked about the switch just now, not surprisingly. According to him, the games went from being available in about 900,000 households...to 5.5 million. Yeah...I think the days of the RSN, outside perhaps the massive markets, are running out. Quickly.

You're assuming they haven't been here. I mean, Ferengi influence explains Reaganomics perfectly.........

Nah. Brownie just woke up from a Rip van Winkle...looked around, and decided the nap was a far, far better idea.... And I tell ya, Mr. P, Northwestern should be relegated to Division III. I mean, I'd say "why so much MAC hate"....but I stuck the Browns there, so that kinda kills THAT argument................

Interesting, and a potential sign of things to come. Diamond Sports Group and the Arizona Diamondbacks reached an agreement to terminate their contract, which allowed D'backs games to be shown on Bally Sports Arizona. MLB has already taken up production, and there's a new channel on Xfinity for it. The sign of things to come...Diamond filed for bankruptcy, and a major component was the rights deal they inherited...they paid the D'backs over $60M a year. The regional sports nets have been taking a beating for a couple years; there've been stories about most of them dropping out, going back at least to the start of this year. But, the issue of rights money could extend, as sports broadcasting rights fees are SKY high in most places. I think that's why ESPN pulled back to Sunday Night Baseball, and widely scattered other games (opening week, maybe Jackie Robinson day, stuff like that). And I'm thinking...not just baseball. Diamond Sports failed to reach an agreement with the Suns...but that may speak more to the core problem of a regional sports net, and other small, sports-related networks. Versus became NBC Sports Network, but had its plug pulled a couple years ago...and now, most stuff not on NBC itself, is only streamed. The massive gravy train on which the 3 major sports leagues have ridden SO lucratively for so long, may be becoming a victim of its own success. Cord cutting is an issue; when you put NFL Sunday Ticket, say, out there as a standalone cost, people sometimes say No. It has to be concerning to the league powers/owners.

Or something like that. Rain shower, making a treacherous descent. Mechanical issue at the wrong time/place, altho the peloton might wait for that, depending.... But mostly...yeah, an idiot. The crowds on the climbs that pack the roadsides are barely controlled, and I'm always amazed there aren't MORE incidents. It really creeps me out when they do the long up-the-road shots over the shoulders of a rider going through those crowds, when you just don't know when some git's gonna not get out of the way in time.