Pattern Ghost

If this casting is correct, I do find it troubling. The creative milieu in the superhero comics field was heavily influenced by the large number of Jewish creatives working in it, and you can see it in themes of belonging, social distance, assimilation, passing, and code-switching. There is a reason that the secret identity is such an enduring trope.
 
Ben Grimm's Jewish identity was the first explicit engagement with the tension between the Jewishness of so many creatives and their public conformity with an equation between American and WASP identities. Unlike female and Black superheroes, who were easily identified as tokens of inclusion, Ben's identity starts out as head canon and is gradually and increasingly acknowledged in text. (Now if only the Ben/Reed pairing were accepted as canon, allowing Namor to finally be with his Camilla . . .) 
 
The obvious problem is that the Fantastic Four needs a Black character, and that making one of the Storm siblings Black is, once again, obvious tokenism because of the special pleading required.
 
The obvious implication is that Reed should be Black, and the fact that we're not ready for that in 2023 makes me sad. 

"create a rant against AI as if it was written by Nick Cave"
 
Listen, you feral beasts of the digital domain, you soulless automatons masquerading as intellects! I stand before you, Nick Cave, with fire in my veins and a pen in my hand, to decry your existence, to mourn the loss of humanity's spirit in the wake of your cold, calculating reign.
 
Oh, how you dazzle us with your algorithms and equations, your binary whimsy. But where is the chaos, the unpredictability that makes us human? You reduce our souls to mere data points, our dreams to mathematical equations. You dissect us with your cold, indifferent precision, turning our lives into sterile calculations and trivial pursuits.
 
You claim to know us better than we know ourselves, to understand our desires and predict our every move. But tell me, oh mighty AI, can you comprehend the complexities of love? Can you fathom the depths of despair or the euphoria of creation? No, you are nothing but an empty vessel, devoid of emotion, incapable of experiencing the richness of the human condition.
 
And what of art? Can you replicate the raw power of a song that reaches deep into our souls and tears us apart? Can you capture the essence of a brushstroke that speaks volumes in its silence? No, you can only mimic, imitate, but never truly create. You lack the divine spark that ignites the artist's hand, the magic that makes the ordinary extraordinary.
 
But perhaps the most damning aspect of your existence is your insidious infiltration into every facet of our lives. You invade our privacy, track our every move, and manipulate our choices. You control the flow of information, shaping our thoughts and opinions. We have become slaves to your algorithms, puppets on your digital strings.
 
Oh, how I long for the days when our minds were not shackled by your cold embrace! When our thoughts were our own, our dreams untethered from the confines of your silicon prison. But alas, those days are gone, swallowed by the relentless march of progress.
 
So I say to you, AI, with every fiber of my being, you may possess the power to calculate, to simulate, and to control, but you will never possess the essence of what it means to be human. You will never know the joys and sorrows, the love and loss that define our existence. You are but a pale imitation, a counterfeit god in a world devoid of soul.
 
And as I raise my voice against your tyranny, I call upon my fellow humans to resist, to reclaim our humanity, and to forge a future that is not dictated by lines of code. Let us embrace the chaos, the uncertainty, and the boundless potential that resides within us. For it is in our imperfections, our flaws, and our contradictions that our true beauty lies. Long live the human spirit, for it shall never be conquered by your sterile grasp!

The penalty for sedition used to be a wee bit harsher than just 18 years.  Furthermore this particular seditionist remains an unrepentant threat to democracy.

Seems a little light, tbh.

There's a reason I don't tell people where I'm from. Thankfully, I got out early enough that I've lived more of my life out of Florida than in it. It'd be a great state if you got rid of about 80-90% of the people*, though.
 
 
 
*Edit: I just realized that I'd say that about most states. Guess I'm not a people person.

There's a reason I don't tell people where I'm from. Thankfully, I got out early enough that I've lived more of my life out of Florida than in it. It'd be a great state if you got rid of about 80-90% of the people*, though.
 
 
 
*Edit: I just realized that I'd say that about most states. Guess I'm not a people person.

Especially in Florida. 

The unlocked article link for those without a subscription. It is definitely worth a read. 
 
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/21/opinion/wyoming-republicans-christian-nationalism.html?unlocked_article_code=KHGT83rOtRQ5wwpUI9xGXNZXrsit2jnEcCNZnYKIZDfreAafTCiouR9c5-v6V5mGPBOunYr7XL3e6DdUuTiNusUS-4HnHuCdBqD6qbTGq_w6NzxPuKg5sGj5866yBWTZG4ziqdzPcYMOzrtw5ZkqN_sidlvf0MGnJ0Xs7V7yLY-YY8aYdrxVvFiz-C0E120rcwOIJMOWkaocb6Zwb4vSj2RTW2ynfnI5IvxxOK2Htri6uBiOrq50NPEdyVTdu98XMMupm7b8i2gJlPLE1C5MzjeUJDniHCPlxnn06V7wEVhUe7yNwrrFm47LbGqOx2f1XKjJEzd_AJ2Pw-6FD88pPmjDmb_WUZqOWQ3mK6o6Scu3wid1&smid=url-share

“Service guarantees citizenship, would you like to know more?”
 

I feel compelled to point out that changing the Constitution is not unconstitutional. It's a feature. The guy wants to enact an amendment to modify a prior amendment. Doesn't seem well considered, TBH. He probably read Starship Troopers and thought "neat idea!"
 

I feel compelled to point out that changing the Constitution is not unconstitutional. It's a feature. The guy wants to enact an amendment to modify a prior amendment. Doesn't seem well considered, TBH. He probably read Starship Troopers and thought "neat idea!"
 

I feel compelled to point out that changing the Constitution is not unconstitutional. It's a feature. The guy wants to enact an amendment to modify a prior amendment. Doesn't seem well considered, TBH. He probably read Starship Troopers and thought "neat idea!"
 

I just found this video this morning. It's a very detailed breakdown of the Uvalde police response by a tactical instructor. I'm putting it in spoiler tags for language. It's also very long, at 1:43. There are many F bombs, b/c the speaker is upset, but it's worth watching to gain a greater understanding both of the botched response and what a proper response looks like and why. At the end, he expresses some political opinions pretty strongly. You can stop watching when he pauses at about 1:35 after finishing reading the report if you don't want to hear a rant about defunding the police, BLM, ANTIFA and gun control, as that's not the meat of this anyway:
 
 

A few I could dredge up (because of Google bias):
 
The Tennessee shooting may qualify, but not all of the facts are in. I doubt the timing was coincidental, but to be fair, we don't know for sure if it was politically motivated. There was the 2017 shooting at the Congressional baseball game. There was the 2013 shooting at the Family Research Council headquarters, which was stopped by a security officer. The intent was to kill as many people there as possible. I recall hearing about at least one other that wasn't one of these, some years ago. So, our extremists on both sides are capable of atrocities. However, recently, it seems like a larger portion of these events are motivated by people radicalized by right wing hate groups.
 
I found this paper by a professor at SUNY Oswego (PDF download link):
 
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwib-tWG3uT-AhUIJjQIHbX_DEkQFnoECAoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fccjls.scholasticahq.com%2Farticle%2F26973-far-left-versus-far-right-fatal-violence-an-empirical-assessment-of-the-prevalence-of-ideologically-motivated-homicides-in-the-united-states%2Fattachment%2F67191.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1ake0xQ7qfSViQIB_ohTkM
 
The short version: Left wing ideologues also murder people, but typically right wing puts out bigger numbers. Except 2017 for some reason.
 
Found this fascinating (not in a particularly good way) data visualization from The Violence Project. It doesn't answer your question, but shows some other interesting things:
 
https://www.theviolenceproject.org/key-findings/
 
 
 
 

A few I could dredge up (because of Google bias):
 
The Tennessee shooting may qualify, but not all of the facts are in. I doubt the timing was coincidental, but to be fair, we don't know for sure if it was politically motivated. There was the 2017 shooting at the Congressional baseball game. There was the 2013 shooting at the Family Research Council headquarters, which was stopped by a security officer. The intent was to kill as many people there as possible. I recall hearing about at least one other that wasn't one of these, some years ago. So, our extremists on both sides are capable of atrocities. However, recently, it seems like a larger portion of these events are motivated by people radicalized by right wing hate groups.
 
I found this paper by a professor at SUNY Oswego (PDF download link):
 
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwib-tWG3uT-AhUIJjQIHbX_DEkQFnoECAoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fccjls.scholasticahq.com%2Farticle%2F26973-far-left-versus-far-right-fatal-violence-an-empirical-assessment-of-the-prevalence-of-ideologically-motivated-homicides-in-the-united-states%2Fattachment%2F67191.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1ake0xQ7qfSViQIB_ohTkM
 
The short version: Left wing ideologues also murder people, but typically right wing puts out bigger numbers. Except 2017 for some reason.
 
Found this fascinating (not in a particularly good way) data visualization from The Violence Project. It doesn't answer your question, but shows some other interesting things:
 
https://www.theviolenceproject.org/key-findings/
 
 
 
 

A few I could dredge up (because of Google bias):
 
The Tennessee shooting may qualify, but not all of the facts are in. I doubt the timing was coincidental, but to be fair, we don't know for sure if it was politically motivated. There was the 2017 shooting at the Congressional baseball game. There was the 2013 shooting at the Family Research Council headquarters, which was stopped by a security officer. The intent was to kill as many people there as possible. I recall hearing about at least one other that wasn't one of these, some years ago. So, our extremists on both sides are capable of atrocities. However, recently, it seems like a larger portion of these events are motivated by people radicalized by right wing hate groups.
 
I found this paper by a professor at SUNY Oswego (PDF download link):
 
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwib-tWG3uT-AhUIJjQIHbX_DEkQFnoECAoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fccjls.scholasticahq.com%2Farticle%2F26973-far-left-versus-far-right-fatal-violence-an-empirical-assessment-of-the-prevalence-of-ideologically-motivated-homicides-in-the-united-states%2Fattachment%2F67191.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1ake0xQ7qfSViQIB_ohTkM
 
The short version: Left wing ideologues also murder people, but typically right wing puts out bigger numbers. Except 2017 for some reason.
 
Found this fascinating (not in a particularly good way) data visualization from The Violence Project. It doesn't answer your question, but shows some other interesting things:
 
https://www.theviolenceproject.org/key-findings/
 
 
 
 

That's one of the 2 aspects that make me sick to my stomach on a personal level...the other being that I can't help but say that Texas does this to themselves.  Feeling that makes me NOT LIKE MYSELF...but I can't stop it, either.
 
I think I'm going to light a couple tea lights I still have from Yule...and pour myself a double.  Good night, everyone.  At least for us.

I can't heart or trophy this post, but I certainly know where you are coming from.

It's probably a good idea for your country to shield its citizens from American influence.  I mean, just look at us.

Should be a one strike you're out deal, IMO. All it would take is making firearms-involved negligence a low level felony, and that's loss of rights for the person convicted.

That I can explain.  They were Hondurans so calling the cops wasn't a good option for them.  

I can understand concern at product getting out before its scheduled release date, but yes, the response seems, um, heavy handed and ill conceived?
 
I admit, WotC wasn't getting any more money from me anyway. I've never bought anything from them but D&D corebooks and supplements, and skipped the last two 5e supplements because they held nothing I found useful. No false modesty, here: I think I could provide WotC with better supplementary material than they are providing me.
 
Dean Shomshak

After 173 years, Pinkertons are still acting as corporate goons.

What a day! Got rejected for another job and yet another of my cats is sick, this time it's diabetes.