Hermit

Wow. That's how you react to a simple question?
 
Playing the enfant terrible is an excellent way to ensure no discussion happens.
 
As for men having privilege. Some men do. Some, not so much. We aren't one size fits all.
 
And, perhaps we aren't so much disregarding commentary as we are picking our battles.
 
We know how these "discussions" generally go.
 
If we don't fully agree with the view presented we automatically get labeled with unflattering terms.
 
Even if we mostly agree, but dissent on nuance or tone or tenor that generally holds true.
 
We are, as you so aptly demonstrate with your parting line, ordered to bow to your views.
 
That's not a discussion -- its a dictat. At that point, why bother?

I've got nothing but respect for people who are willing to risk EXPLOSIONS or getting shot so they can vote.

Twirl your mustache and tell her there's nothing she can do to stop others from caring 'mwhahahahaha!'

Hey, don't sell your part short. Moral support means something and she's a sensitive enough soul to appreciate it

Arrow has been even better this season, in my view. With the exception of the character of Laurel who really got annoying (and even SHE might be on the mend) all the characters have been engaging. A few are underused, but that's hardly a problem. Some villains didn't translate as well as others, but that's par for the course on these things. It's got soap opera elements and a lot of eye candy for the ladies but if you can deal with that, it's also got some kick ass action , decent actors and some good shout outs now and then for the geeks. For example, they have already mentioned KORD industries more than once, and IIRC, they're going to eventually introduce Ted. Whether he'll actually be the Blue Beetle, I don't know.
 
As for the Flash stuff, I saw the episodes where they had Barry on a visit. I thought the actor managed to portray him as quite likable and a bit nerdy...which suited Barry fine to my thinking.
What they've shown us of the suit looks great!
 
And I loved the 90s Flash
Damn, I had a huge crush on Amanda Pays which may have biased me.

I hatez/lurves the interwebz too.
 
Sometimes it brings out the worst in me.

You know you're disgusted with the world when the thought of nuclear war suddenly doesn't seem so bad after all.

"They took away his gun and his badge.  But they couldn't take away his love of the law.  Too bad he's a blithering idiot.  Adam Sandler is... Dumb Justice."

"You say you had to duck out in the middle of Dr. Kiloblast's attack on the offices of the Daily World?  To return an overdue movie rental?  (pause)  Okay, seems reasonable."
 
"You're a freelance photojournalist who somehow always gets pics of Arachno-boy.  Including pictures that look like they were taken upside-down from up in the rafters.  (pause)  Wow, what incredible luck and photographic skill you must have!"
 
In each case, Daydream Believer simply stood off to the side and smiled at a job well done.
 
Debbie Verlander has been a mentalist since she was a teenager.  She can't read minds, or create mental illusions, or make people follow her commands.  She can, however, make people believe that what they're told (no matter how unlikely) is the God's-honest truth, and can also make people ignore the seemingly obvious.  Of course, as a teenager this came in very handy, and helped Debbie avoid a lot of groundings and other trouble from the 'rents.  However, it didn't help her at all when she was nearly killed by falling debris during a super-battle at the local mall.  Only the quick actions of Quarterflash saved her from getting squashed flat.  Unfortunately, his mask was ripped loose and he was knocked unconscious by falling debris.
 
As the villain escaped, people gathered around, snapping cell phone pictures and video of the fallen hero.  Debbie thought quickly.  He had saved her life, and now it was her chance to save his.  "Wow, it's a good thing the real Quarterflash was around!" she said.  "This kid in a homemade Quarterflash costume tried to save me, but the real Quarterflash saved both of us!"  She pointed toward the other end of the mall.  "I think he went that way!"  As everybody looked away, she helped a stunned Quarterflash get to this feet and spirited him away before anybody could begin asking questions.
 
Ever since that day, Debbie knew that her powers, though not impressive, could help others continue performing heroic activities without fear of reprisals.  She took the name Daydream Believer, letting people speculate that she can create mental illusions of some sort.

And I love Roy's line in the last panel. It's practially the motto of the internet

The Men's Human Rights Movements have drawn some very wounded, very bitter, and even some hateful individuals. Of course, Feminist movements have done the same for decades (Feel free to Youtube some of "Girl Writes What?"'s videos...even if you don't agree with her she makes you think). That doesn't excuse deliberate sabatogue of the reporting system. If they worry the reporting system could be abused, then there were better ways. It kind of reminds me of the recent Men's Human Rights Posters torn down in Vancouver by feminists. We need calm discourse, not destruction and censorship.
 
Both sides need to disassociate themselves from their extremists as best they can, but just like I can't keep the Westboro scumballs from calling themselves "christian" you're not going to be able to stop some truly damaged or even outright mean people from declaring themselves Feminsts or Men's Rights Activists. Indeed, both groups often seem to cover for their members. I still remember excuses being made for the Vagina monologue's "good rape" comments by some who delcared themselves feminists.
 
It's hard, but we need to judge the issues, not just the people championing them.
 
EDIT: And , as always, we have to avoid 'Broad Brush' syndrome

The Men's Human Rights Movements have drawn some very wounded, very bitter, and even some hateful individuals. Of course, Feminist movements have done the same for decades (Feel free to Youtube some of "Girl Writes What?"'s videos...even if you don't agree with her she makes you think). That doesn't excuse deliberate sabatogue of the reporting system. If they worry the reporting system could be abused, then there were better ways. It kind of reminds me of the recent Men's Human Rights Posters torn down in Vancouver by feminists. We need calm discourse, not destruction and censorship.
 
Both sides need to disassociate themselves from their extremists as best they can, but just like I can't keep the Westboro scumballs from calling themselves "christian" you're not going to be able to stop some truly damaged or even outright mean people from declaring themselves Feminsts or Men's Rights Activists. Indeed, both groups often seem to cover for their members. I still remember excuses being made for the Vagina monologue's "good rape" comments by some who delcared themselves feminists.
 
It's hard, but we need to judge the issues, not just the people championing them.
 
EDIT: And , as always, we have to avoid 'Broad Brush' syndrome

A day may come when a certain client thinks ahead, when he does not request yet more changes to what he already changed. But it is not this day. A day when he actually uses the test server before telling us to take it live and then freaking out because things aren't like he wanted them! But it is not this day!

Ninja Train- strikes from shadows!

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0933.html
 
I love Julio's parting line

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0933.html
 
I love Julio's parting line

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0933.html
 
I love Julio's parting line

*Picks his nose and flings debris at the screen* Yeah, people on the web are disgusting

I love seeing all your smiling faces again.  Missed you guys.  

Joe Terminus holds the power of the Roman God Terminus who some saw as not even a full god, but merely an aspect of Jupiter. That wasn't truly the case back in the day, but Joe will be the first to say that the little guy gets incorporated by the big guys all the time. With his mystic power over boundary markers being of seemingly limited use, Joe carries around a stop sign that he swings as a club that stops anyone it hits in his tracks, and with it (Or other signs) he can create powerful barriers of force (Some are invisible except for very vague dash marks), or force folks to comply as the sign dictates (The time he averted a missile with a 'right turn only' sign is still the stuff of legends!).

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!
 
The Ballad of the Red Nosed Ranger
Riding out of the west, a flower on his vest came a man with a face of white.
A rodeo clown carrying justice on down, wrongs he would set right!
Best on a horse (He named it Slappy, o' course), good in any scrap or fight!
 
Yippie Ki yay! Yippie Ki Ha! RNR was the rootienist tootinest clown you ever saw!
 
He could track a criminal for a thousand miles, particularly if it was funny
He did it for justice and for kicks, it was never about the money.
He knew Clown fu, learned by walking the rails with Chinese clowns from the Ancient East
but his real gift was getting out of the way, learned by dodging many a beast!
 
Yippie Ki Yay! Yippie Ki Ha! The rootienist tootinest clown you ever saw
 
He took on a VIPER Nest in Arizona
Fought Gargantua by the Rio Grande
but he heard word Black Harlequin was killing folks in Deadwood
that's where he made his stand!
 
Yippie Ki Yay! Yippie Ki Ha! Rootinist Tootenist Clown you ever saw
 
The two faced off in main street.
The Red Nosed Ranger he said "Draw"
The Harliquin unleashed deadly chattering teeth
and each opened up its maw!
 
But the Ranger moved right through, dodging everyone one
Closed in on the Harlequin black with a high kick attack
and said "Boy, let's have some fun!"
 
Yippie Ki Yay! Yippie Ki Ya! Tootinest Clown you ever saw
 
The Harlequin sneered, said "Now see here, there's more toys at my beck and call."
BH detached a bell from his fool's cap, and lobbed in our hero's face.
and gas burst out, all about, and the Red Nose Ranger started to fall.
 
"I guess you know your place." The city slicking evil clown laughed.
"Now for my next trick, you'll think it's ace. I'm gonna cut you in half!"
But as he reached for his saw with diamond tips, he turned and found the ranger gone.
 
Yippie Ki Yay! Yippie Ki Ha! Rootinest Clown you ever saw.
 
"Where'd he go, " The Harlequin cried. "I thought I had him beat."
Then a voice rang out from the roof top, "That's what I wanted you to think. As a clown you stink...
you don't deserve to wear those feet."
 
"But the hat you can keep, as a gift to you from me."
The Harlequin reached up and found his cap a sparkling for all to see.
Each part of the hat had was weighed down flat. Glued to a stick of TNT!
 
Well, he tried to yank the hat off, but crazier glue did not exist through all the west.
A mighty boom, a great kaboom, and that killer learned which clown was best
 
Yippie Ki Yay, Yippie Ki Ha! *Sound of horse whiny and woopie cushion, tempo slows*
Rootinest Tootinest Clown you ever saw!

Yub-Sholoth, That Which is Swallowed, and Consumes!
 
The old man's hands shook as he lit his pipe. The PRIMUS agents were waiting patiently for him to go on, he knew that, but the subject they were asking about was no light thing.
"Perhaps you gentlemen should tell me what you know, what you THINK you know, about Yub-Sholoth before I provide the rest?" He suggested as he inhaled the vanilla flavored smoke. It was soothing, and sometimes he fancied it almost got the taste out. But no, nothing really ever got the taste out.
 
"Well, at first we thought it was a standard Brick," One agent provided, "Superstrong, Bullet proof. A powerhouse. Nothing we hadn't handled before."
"Ugly as sin too," the other agent shuddered, "Those big moon like eyes and the blood vessels that are..."
 
"Raised to the surface of the skin, like blood red ridges bursting to the top of an otherwise peaceful terrain?" The old man interrupted with a voice normally reserved for shameful admissions, "Oh yes, Yub-Sholoth is strong. He ...IT can break steel, shatter concrete. Naturally you'd think it was just a ...what is that term again?"
 
"Brick" the first agent reminded.
 
"Yes, Brick," The old man nodded, "But you learned better?"
 
"We thought we killed it once, it took a hell of a lot of firepower to do it, and when we were done, it burst like..."
 
"Black Vomit mixed with bubbling crude oil," The old man cut in again, and he could see by their faces they were startled and disgusted by his accurate description, "And in that... reflective dark muck, instead of seeing one's own image, one sees faces, faces in torment, or madness."
 
"How did you know it did that? The cameras never record..." The second agent almost stood up.
 
The old man held up a hand, "You did come to me to learn, did you not? I am the nearest thing you have to an 'expert'. No, the cameras never record it because THAT is not seen with the eye. It's seen with the soul, and the soul itself recoils. THAT, my friends was the true if incomplete form of Yub-Sholoth. It is still not easy to kill, but I suggest you do it quickly if you can and with everything you can before it claims another. You see, Yub-Sholoth is also known as 'that which is swallowed and consumes'..."
 
"You mean 'and is consumed'," The first agent tried to be pedantic.
 
The old man slammed his free hand down on the coffee table with more power than he realized he still had, "I mean exactly what I say! That MUCK... pours into your mouth, it fills your belly, and then spreads to your blood. The blood vessels rip to the surface of your now patchwork muscles, your eyes enlarge and you are lost. Friends will not recognize you, for you are now nothing more than Yub-Sholoth's skin puppet It is swallowed, but IT does the consuming! Your old body now has great might, but you are helpless and weak. Your soul rides along , a tormented passenger on lumbering behemoth that kills and smashes all about you. Its first targets are most often the things and people you love most! This is not some mindless beast, it is... evil is too soft a word."
 
 
"Jesus Christ," The second PRIMUS agent muttered.
 
"Whether HE can help or not, I don't know," the old man said without sarcasm or disrespect, "What you thought was Yub-Sholoth slain was merely the finally dead husk of the body of his last victim. That is why you keep hearing reports of his return."
 
"At least their suffering is over," The first agent said to the second, trying to reassure him, but he sounded unsure. He was right to be unsure.
 
"Hardly," The old man's fingers shook again, nearly dropping his pipe, "Those reflections you see in the muck? That's not your imagination. That's not even Yub-Sholoth's memory. Those are souls. Every person he has ever taken, their body may be gone, but the souls? Those are his now. He keeps them. He consumes and holds them. The lucky ones? Those are the ones driven mad. It is the sane ones we must pity the most."
 
"How do we KILL the #$#$ing thing?" The first agent replied. "How did you get out? I mean, how did you get it out of you?"
 
"I'll answer the second part first: Mister Guru, an old time mystic knew an incantation. He was a powerful occultist of the 'pulp' variety as your records might show. No, Gentlemen, I do not know it, the words weren't like ordinary words. They left once spoken, not even memory could hold them," the old man apologized, "Alas, Mister Guru died some time ago."
 
The old man raised his pipe in silent homage to the lost mystic, "As for how to kill it. You must kill it while it has no body. You must use fire and salt, not one, but both. The purer the salt, the better, or so I have surmised. I wish you luck. Maybe then those souls, the ones whose bodies died in use, will finally be free."
 
Both agents nodded, "Thank you for this. Is there any way PRIMUS can repay you for this valuable intell?"
 
The old man looked them in the eyes, "You mean that?"
 
"Absolutely," The second replied, "PRIMUS is willing to pay if money is what you need. It's not a lot, but you deserve it and more if we can finally take this thing down."
 
"Use me as bait," The old man asked, no, almost begged.
 
"Sir, that's very noble but..." The first agent shook his head.
 
"It's not NOBLE..." the old man put the pipe down, "You see, I want it! It ... it ate me, it took all I was! And now it's all I can think about, all I dream about. To lose myself in it! Part of me is still in there! I want to go back, I WANT to be ENTIRELY consumed! Don't you see, this time, I'll go mad, I'm sure of it! I'll be whole! Please," The old man dropped to his knees, "Let me offer myself to Yub-Sholoth again! Let it finish what it started before that meddling mystic yanked me back into this doomed world, knowing what I know, feeling what I FEEL! PLEASE!"
 
Both agents grew very pale, and slowly backed away.
 
The old man called out again, "It has a master you know! Yub-Sholoth has a master! We'll all serve that master one day, you, I .... the world! Even if it is only like a carrot serves a hungry man, we'll serve it! Take me back to Yub-Sholoth! Let me be consumed again!"
 
The agents gave him another long look of pity mixed with dread, and they closed the door behind them, leaving the once consumed man in the dark, alone with only his unnatural desires for company.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings
 
Would Tom Cruise be a Xenuphobe?