csyphrett

I saw Shetland on PBS with an antenna. Luther and Dr Blake are also on. They ran Death in Paradise too but it's off the air.  Luther is pretty gritty and deals with psychological problemed villains, and a troubled hero. Dr. Blake is an Australian medical doctor in the fifties helping the local police solve crimes. Death in Paradise are fair play mysteries but the first two head inspectors were quirky as Columbo, the third guy isn't as quirky as his predecessors, but he's just as smart.
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Watched Shetland. It's a police procedural set in Scotland. The original crime is the killing of a man in witness protection. The investigation causes a lot of other secrets and deaths to happen.
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Myron Cates is the Case. He looks a place over, plans when to go in, when to get out, traffic patterns, access to safes, or vaults, how to get around security. He never goes in, and takes his ten percent from the loot after the job is done.
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Watched Shetland. It's a police procedural set in Scotland. The original crime is the killing of a man in witness protection. The investigation causes a lot of other secrets and deaths to happen.
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And don't forget 'treating women like incubators on legs' and bigotry against the LBGT populace.  Oh, and erosion of the wall of separation between church and state.  If you're not white, rich, straight, male, and christian, voting Republican is voting against your own best interests, as far as I'm concerned.

Compared to the opposition party acceptance of Naziism, child molestation, and denying healthcare to children in order to pay for tax giveaways to the ultra rich?  Yeah, the Democratic message is absolutely better, regardless of how poorly presented it is.

The story is fine. It's a lot better than what I manage. I say bring back Dr. Frost.
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I would be all for taking guns away from people convicted of domestic violence. I would support this even--possibly even especially--if it meant that a lot of cops could no longer carry guns.

I think a lot of the effort has been focused on the local and state level for some time now, even during Obama's terms.
 
While a few national organizations seem to be behind most of these "grass roots" efforts, most of the legislation I've seen doesn't really seem aimed at preventing public mass shootings. (I'm making a distinction between a psychopath shooting up a crowd of mostly strangers for whatever reason, vs. people gunning down other people they have a more personal or professional beef with, since those seem to have differing root causes, and the latter isn't really best addressed by restricting weapons, IMO.)
 
I think the current approach at state and local levels is to rebrand  "gun control" as "gun safety," so a lot of the legislative efforts have focused on universal background checks, removing firearms from domestic abusers or other psychologically impaired people, or safe storage. The first two having been passed in WA lately, for example.
 
Restricting access to weapons may help curb the effectiveness of mass murderers. I think the most logical place to start is uniform crime reporting. This is in the context of local/state efforts. We currently have a reasonable list of disqualifying criteria for gun purchases. The other part of the equation there is limiting the number of people who slip through the cracks because of bad reporting.
 
Restricting access via banning features is fairly futile. Humans are good at engineering around restrictions that are based on strict technical definitions. That's how bump stocks became a thing. Because technically, you still are pressing the trigger one time per shot. The problem with going to a much broader definition for banning categories of weapons has two obvious problems that I see: First, is public backlash. It's a hard sell and you have to ask if the resources could be used more effectively elsewhere in the short term. Second is that any restriction has to allow for firearms suitable for self defense. While you could say that nobody "needs" (a word that shouldn't be used as a qualifier for restricting any right, IMO, but beside the point) a semi-auto rifle with a large magazine capacity for self defense, you're stuck with the simple fact that shooting non-resisting victims is easier to accomplish than self defense. The Virginia Tech shooter used a Ruger .22 LR pistol with ten round magazines, which is a firearm that wouldn't usually be thought of as something to ban, and which is considered poor for self defense usage. Whether  you agree with Heller or not, the decision does state that the 2nd is an individual right and that self defense is a part of that right.
 
Uniform reporting at the local and state level (to the FBI, who already maintains crime records) would seem to be the best first step both in terms of effectiveness in crime prevention and in terms of being an effort that could be successful. Even our current bunch in DC would be hard pressed to argue convincingly against simply making paperwork more  uniform.

re: metaphor mangling...
 
"The grey light of dawn filtered into the room, banishing the restful darkness like Westboro Baptist picketers at a private funeral."

"That carpet's not even 2 weeks old!"
"And yet you let gamers in here with food. So who's really to blame here?"
 
(OOC obviously)

My first night's efforts ended with a massive 565 words.
 
I decided to try Nanowrimo this year to try to kickstart my writing. I've spent more than a year dealing with a disintegrating marriage, a separation, and ultimately a divorce. Unsurprisingly, I've had very little left over for writing. But it has been about a year since I moved out of the apartment I shared with my ex (into my current Fortress of Solitude), and we're officially divorced now (for several months). I'm ready to try again.
 
Tonight's effort was very difficult, as I expected. I made a couple of false starts before writing what I officially claim. And I may very well scrap that and start again tomorrow. I'd like to get 50,000 words done on a novel, but if I just get back into the habit of sitting down and trying to write, I'll count that as a win.

The Adventures of Fish Guy Part DUE!
 
Let me tell you something about superhero costumes; they are a hell of a lot more dignified than what I am wearing now. The buttons around my neck threatened to choke me, the piping was garish, but the real kicker was the stupid hat I had to wear working here. Oh well, at least I was actually getting a shot at working the drive through rather than stuck on fries again.  I was, I thought, getting the hang of it.
 
"Welcome to Meaty Minstrel" I took a deep breath and said the catch phrase they were pushing "Home of the Merry Meat that's the DJ of your belly party. May I take your order?"
 
"I'm sorry?" The customer's voice came on line "Could you say that again?" the voice sounded familiar, latino to be sure, but that was hardly rare in the city of Costa Sagrado, California.
 
"May I take your order?" I repeated as directed.
 
"No, the thing before that," The driver said.
 
I sighed, took a deep breath and said a bit louder "Home of the Merry Meat that's the DJ of your belly party." Honestly, having to say a catchphrase shouldn't make you want to die a little inside.
 
Laughter broke out and other familiar voices came out "Oh god, he said it. Mabel did you have that recorded?"
 
"Of course"  came a feminine purr I knew all too well
 
"Valentino? Is that you?" I said trying not bite the mouthpiece of the restaurant's headset off, "I know it's Mabel." Valentino, aka Tornado, is a fellow member of the New Samaritans: The best damned superhero team in the city!
 
Of course, we're the only superhero team in the city, so some would say the fix on that title is in, but given we (with some help from other superteams) prevented the Eldest from using various undersea nations from rising up in an unholy crusade against the surface; I would say we earned it. They're heroes. They're my friends.
 
"It's not just Valentino, huh, the Fish Fillet any good here?" Pinprick inquired.
 
And sometimes they're jerks.
 
"Really? Really? You guys have nothing better to do than bust my chops about this job?" I groaned.
"Nothing more fun, at least," Valentino said.
"Nothing on this menu is healthy" Another female voice. That would be Arctic Fox. I once called her a 'Mean Girl for Justice' and she's that, but she also had heart ripped out not so long ago when she learned her boyfriend was a black ops government spy out to steal our technology.
Life is complicated for superheroes as a default.
'Try the salad," I suggested. No, it wasn't actually healthy, but it was at the least unhealthy thing you could order as long as it was relatively fresh, "And can we move this along?"
"Oh, the attitude from these people, I ought to lodge a complaint" Pinprick snorted.
 
I made a mental note to not hold back so much in our teams' next sparing practice. Maybe a few more bruises would have them reconsidering hassling me.
 
Okay, yes, unworthy of me but it had been a long shift.
 
Naturally, they all ordered things like the "Fishy Fool Fillet" and the "Dockhand delectables" oh, and yes, a salad.
 
When they pulled up to get the goods though, the coms all went off in our ears instead of Mabel talking through the vehicle itself.
"Big news, Sammies," Our Artificially Intelligent Ally chimed up, "The Hyadesians have landed outside the city. Lady Obsidian says it's probably best we show up in force."
 
"Man, I hate those guys," Pinprick said, "They act polite but they're so damn full of themselves just because they have an advanced culture and try all this 'oh we're so humble but we know we're smarter than you'."
Tornado agreed, "Like Canadians on steroids, man."
 
Seeing my look of confusion at details without the core of it, Arctic Fox added, "Aliens, they've never invaded Earth, but they're waiting for our planet to-" She made air quotes "'uplift ourselves to a state of civilization advanced enough to join the Community of Interstellar Advancement'. They claim they are fond of us despite our provincial leanings."
 
"Wow," I said, and realized something. I was trapped! I mean, if I wanted to keep this stupid job I was trapped, "Guys, uhm, if you need me maybe I can bail but otherwise."
 
"We got this," Valentino assured me, "We don't want all of us there anyway in case something happens in the city, heck, Ariana is-"
There was a loud honk cutting through the conversation. A new car was tired of waiting for its turn to order. Which was terrible timing because I kind of wanted to know what was up with Ariana. She may have been Valentino's niece, but she was also my girlfriend.
 
And the newest member of the team if she'd finally picked a name and costume. I'd trained with her, but she hadn't had her superhero debut.  And now, she was apparently ready and on reserve!  Ariana was a partial, that's not denture wear, that's a term in our community for someone who has enough power to slap a normal around, but isn't up to hanging with actual supervillains.  Valorous, the aforementioned heartbreaker and spy, had been a partial with tech that boosted his power all the way up to 'standard' superhero level.
 
He tried to take our tech, so we felt no guilt taking his amplifier belt and the belts of his squad for our own. Lady Obsidian was one of the most brilliant minds on the planet, and she put that genius to the art of reverse engineering and then improving. Yeah, if that was all set, then at least two of us would be in the city ready to handle trouble while the bulk of the team dealt with alien diplomacy.
 
HONK!
 
"Oh now I want to hit the emergency brake" Valentino muttered "And live here."
"But we've gotta go," Pinprick said "Before I'm spotted hanging out in this cupholder."
"Yeah yeah" Valentino said
"Go guys, we'll hold the fort," I told them.
It was only after they peeled off that I realized they'd left their meal behind. I sure hope they didn't get hangry while discussing the fate of the planet with the alien guys.
"Lambert!" A voice sneered behind me. My supervisor, Madison, was an angry little woman desperate to prove she was in charge at all times. Sad thing is, no one was denying that. Worse thing? Right now, she had the right to be.
"Sorry, problem children in the last car load," I answered, "Drove off without their order and everything."
 
"You have to learn to read pranksters," Madison said with her hand on her hip "This is a real city," She announced, "And you need to drop the country boy naivety," She declared in her usual high pitched condescending tone.
 
This was not the first time she'd all but said 'Hayseed' 'Reckneck' or worse. Madison made little effort to hide her disdain for my accent or where I had come from. She also had some very interesting notions about Coastal North Carolina which were more in keeping with the guys in the Beverly Hillbillies than anyone I really knew in the area. Not that I mean to trash the Clampets, if you read between the lines on those shows they often had more sense than folks gave them credit for.
 
But bigots are bigots, and I'd put up with a lot since we'd first met. I let it roll off my skin mostly. And, like I said, this time, from her view, I deserved it. Keep the traffic flowing is supposed to be rule one at the drive through.
 
"Yes, Madison" I fought the urge to snap a salute and before she could lay into me more I called up the next car, "Welcome to Meaty Minstrel, Home of the Merry Meat that's the DJ of your belly party. May I take your order?" I was well away I was probably back on my way to the frier.
But as the next customer chewed me out for taking too long with the car before them that just peeled off anyway, and then proceeded on their own to be unsure of what they wanted, two things occurred to me.  This was not going to be a good day.
 
And I hated this job.
 
Hate or not, rent was rent, and since I had taken Lady Obsidian up on her suggestion to keep one foot in the 'real world' and get a residence off base, I had my half of the rent for an apartment to contribute.  I spent the next hour going through the grind and work of the fast food industry. My parents raised me never to sneer at honest work; and that's the wise thing to do. But knowing what's wise and taking it to heart are two separate things.
 
And every once in awhile I'd get that look of pity from a customer which was almost as bad as the smug look of social superiority. It occurred to me that when Lady Obsidian mentioned Meaty Minstrel was hiring, it had been yet another pitch for me to get my ass back in college.
Damn it, it was working.
 
Then Mabel buzzed in my ear "Eel, we have a problem. You're going to need to suit up."
 
It is probably very wrong that I almost pumped my fist and said "Yus!" right then and there.
 
Instead, I answered, "What's the situation?"  even as I tried to decide whether to fake illness or a family emergency.
 
"You're not going to believe it," Mabel said "There's a giant-"
 
There was a hellish sound that sounded like a high-pitched foghorn going off with two beats, "BuhKAW!"
 
I looked the window and said to Mabel, "Giant Chicken, a Rooster? Yellow beak, dark plumage? About oh, fifty feet tall?"
 
"How did you know?" Mabel said, "I know it sounds really weird but, wait, how did you guess?"
 
"I think it wants to place an order," I told her as I stared at the giant rooster that appeared to be pecking up a garbage can outside of a laundry mat as the people in it screamed and fled. That was a mistake, the movement drew its attention and it eyed one obese gentleman like he was a particularly tasty grub, "Mabel, I gotta go. See who's available for back up for damage control."
 
"You got it, baby, have a finger licking good time" was the response.
 
Sometimes it's hard being the straight man on a super team, but somebody's got to do it.
 
Madison didn't bother to hide her disgust, "Hey, Gomer, get your butt back to work."
 
I walked right past her, hiked a thumb towards the window, "Giant Chicken. I quit."
 
"what you what?" she said in confusion and then looked out the window "Oh my god, there's a giant chicken out there!"
 
"Good eye" I said moving to the front, "Folks, there's a giant chicken out there. I'd stay inside if I were you."
 
Naturally three morons rushed right out to 'see'.
 
I should have known better, I really should have.
 
Once I was outside myself, I darted around a corner and found a place to change. Oh how I envy the old serials where a superhero could just slip into a full sized phone booth and pull a George Reeves.  Of course, in this day and age, few people need payphones at all, and any booths would be used as porty potties by some drunk.
 
So it's for the best. Shuck one silly fast food uniform, reveal one awesome costume, slip on the mask and it was Eel time.
You have try phrases like that in your head as a superhero. If you just blurt them aloud and it doesn't catch on, you become the butt monkey meme of the month. Not that I've escaped that. My chosen superhero name is Eel, but most folks know me as Fish Guy.
So, yes, I am certainly a meme victim.
 
The giant beak came down as the large man below the megachicken yelled out "I swear to God, I normally eat beef!"
 
I grabbed him and rolled with him to safety. The beak behind us missed, and instead made cracks in the sidewalk. The chicken's beak was fine, and it just look annoyed at having been cheated of a meal.
 
"That," I observed, "Is one tough bird."

I'm going to be filling in more of my project thread this nano.  I have to get my notes and turn them into plot points.
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I would give some respect to Ford. He was not, of course, elected, and I don't know that he had a chance in 1976. The preemptive pardon to Nixon was, I think, an attempt to get past that episode with a minimum of recrimination.
 
I feel that nowadays those in power look to maximize recrimination, drag out sordid spectacles, and play spectacle for their bases, to obscure just how little they actually do.

I think you should, Hermit. I am doing the same for my own thread.
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"Come Billy, we shall beat back this barbaric brute with bashings both belittling and baneful to body and brain!"
~ Donur Tymtumbler, Cleric of Urjyon the Thunderer. (to a giant goat)

RPGnet members are saying parts of the internet controlled by WS/Nazis are going crazy. Thing is Bannon signed his resignation on the 7th, so he knew he was out.
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Stolen from Facebook:
 
"I fully support our President's desire to go to war with North Korea. Not our military, of course. Just the President."

Do we have to wait for the next election? Can't we just relieve them all now?

Gabby Giffords D-Arizona. She had to retire from office. The NC Democratic office. 2010.
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Gabby Giffords D-Arizona. She had to retire from office. The NC Democratic office. 2010.
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Gabby Giffords D-Arizona. She had to retire from office. The NC Democratic office. 2010.
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Several books had lists of what things cost. I don't know if MHI does. If there isn't a list, just look online for prices. One of the characters wants to buy a house, find a listing and use that price for the game.
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I think I need two picks to catch up but I am not sure.
 
I am going to put in blink dogs as my fauna. They are hounds that can teleport as they chase after prey.
 
I am going to put in Mount Arnor as my geographical gift. If you can climb to the top of this mountain, you can see anywhere at any time. Sometimes you can go to that place. The problem is the trips are always one way, and the mountain moves randomly across the world.
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