Mod Post: Off Topic Tuesday

[icon_uk]

In the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like. Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.

Well, the news in 2020 started off more or less as follows

1st - Pretty images of firework displaysa round the world
2nd - A reminder that Australia is still basically on fire
3rd - Assassination of military leader in Iran may lead to reewed military action.

Happy *&%ing New Year!

That last is of particular importance of course. No one would deny that Qasem Soleimani was a massively dangerous man who was instrumental in numerous atrocities, but his position as miltary leader in a hardline totalitarian regime which is at political odds with America has to be factored in. Previous Presidents have been in a position to order him killed, but did not, because of the resulting fallout potentially being even more dangerous.

Given Trumps's many tweets about how he forsaw Obama using military strikes on Iran to help ensure winning an election (Which Obama never actually did), it is hard to not view this action as a work of breathtaking cynicism. And his later claim that his social media accounts now count as notification to Congress about his actions is causing some concern to say the least, so no change there.

The Golden Globe winners were announced, with host Ricky Gervais pissing a lot of people off as per usual. His pleading that celebs shouldn't make political statements in their speeches was ignored of course, and whilst he might have had a point in some cases, the irony that a minor celeb was making just as much of a political statement by asking other celebs to not make political statements at all, was notable. (And to be honest, if I had to choose between Gervais' usual waffle, or Rose McGowan encouraging women to vote, it's not even a contest.)

Oh and Bong Joon Ho, Director of the GG for Best Foreign Language Film "Parasite", gave a speech where encouraged people to accept that subtitles are a thing and use them. “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films".

The trial of Harvey Weinstein has started.

Major technology show CES 2020 us taking place in Las Vegas at the moment, with it's usual assortment of "That seems like a good idea!" to "Who thought that was EVER a good idea?" tech.

And to end on a definite up-note. Series 12 of Doctor Who launched with an impressive New Years Day Special (as part 1 of a 2 parter which finished, perhaps even more impressively, on Sunday).

It immediately set itself up as being a much higher stakes, much less "safe", series (a common comment on Season 11 was that it was beautifully made, but it did tend to play it safe in terms of storytelling risks, which isn't to sell episodes like "Rosa" short).

We got to see the Doctor dealing with an alien invasion, strange humans (Lenny Henry in very creepy form), spycraft no many levels, and an unexpected old threat, as well as a couple of entirely new issues which will doubtless be underpinning this series. Oh, and giving Jodie Whittaker a chance to show more of her acting range, as well as raise sighs amongst a significant %age of the WlW community with her formalwear choices.

Just in case people haven't seen the episodes yet (it being the holiday period), I won't post any spoilers (Though I really, REALLY want to), but they may crop up in the comments below, so be careful.

Comments

[tripodeca113]

Doctor Who was fine. SPOILERS FOLLOW

I wasn’t really engaged, and I have little to say. The companions got pretty much equal screen time, but I didn’t really find them interesting. They had it set across the globe, but it didn’t really feel worth it. Also, yet again the Doctor and the Master aren’t homoerotic. What’s the point I ask you?
Also the car chase was unmemorable.

The Clone Wars season seven got a release date.
I got to a very well done part in Life Is Strange.
I’ve been playing more of the PS4 Spiderman game. It’s good. I also got Judgment.
I started playing Hotel Dusk 215. I’ve also order the Metroid Prime Trilogy.

I found an interesting series Martian Comics, that I’d like to share here, but that may be difficult.

[icon_uk]

I agree the car chase was a tad, if you'll pardon the term, pedestrian, especially after the car incident at the start of the episode which seemed a lot more dynamic.

I'm always torn on Master/Doctor eroticism of any sort, as the Master's deathcount is so damn high. It can be played camp enough to get away with it, but rarely. I thought the "Say my name" bit could have been incredibly problematic because of obvious gender and power dynamnics, but I think it managed to subvert the trope completely, with the Doctor's manner making it 100% clear this was nothing other than a means of saving lives.

Oooh, when's the release date for Clone Wars?

[dewinged]

Gervais is trash. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, but he's still trash.

I remember when Seth Macfarlane hosted the Emmys, and everyone was all 'OMG so crude and inappropriate' but when it's Gervais doing the same they break out the kneepads and mouthwash.

I've been watching My Hero Academia, speaking of double-standard myopic fandom bullshit. (though I'm a bit behind because Simuldub has apparently become 'oh, next week' instead.)

Let me give an example:

Mineta: *does/says something wildly inappropriate about women*
Fandom: Oh, he's the absolute worst! No quarter! Remove him!
Me: Yeah I get that; the character's behavior is wrong, and should be addressed and there should be consequences.

Bakugou: *first scene is him telling a small child to kill himself*
Me: Oh, this is going to be-
Fandom: OMG my angery explody boi son! Let me hug you!
Me: *gets really nauseous*

That shit has got to stop.

[trooper924]

Mind you, it's worth noting that the manga's author himself admitted that he went too far with Bakugou's behavior and deliberately scaled him back going forward. Bakugou never acts that way again for the rest of series.

[zachbeacon]

It isn't just the fandom. The characters are like that. Mineta tries to peep on the girls and they're all "wtf, dude?" but Bakugou behaves live a rapid animal in the spots festival and everyone is so impressed by how strong he is.



Always found Gervais insufferable but they keep giving him a platform.

Seth Macfarlane at the Emmys was exactly what I'd expect from him (a huge, elaborate musical production about breasts) and I don't know why anyone was surprised. Still, he get points for being one of the few calling out Weinstein and Spacey BEFORE the rest of Hollywood broke their silence.

In short, I don't really get how someone can hire a comedian for an awards show or White House Correspondents' Association or whatever and not be familiar with their work. I don't blame Michelle Wolf for offending people in 2018, I blame the event organizer for hiring an insult comic and putting her in a room full of easy targets.

[leahandillyana]

Magia Record, a spin off Madoka anime, started airing. I admire the creators' honesty: they correctly assumed that everybody watching it would be familiar with Madoka, so there's no explanation of the setting and the characters leap straight into battle, showcasing beautiful, unique animation.
In RWBY, all secrets were relealed and lies came to surface, so finally we can move the plot forward.
Witcher started airing. It's well made and pretty faithful to original, though some elements that didn't age that well were modernized. It's good, overall. The most complex storytelling way I've seen on Netflix yet.
I know nothing more about what is happening in Poland and I like it that way.
BTW, what about doujinshi scanlations? Has any consensus been made?

[deh_tommy]

Poor L3-37. She was so loyal and tried so hard; she deserved better.

BBC’s Dracula aired over the course of the new year. That was fine, I think. If you’re not a fan of Hammer horror, that probably won’t be for you.

[icon_uk]

It was definitely a Marmite story, people either love it or hate it. It also managed to piss off the Bram Stoke Dracula purists for obvious reasons, and those who like their sexy vampires, by making a point of Dracula being all about the "killing", not the "smouldering sexily".

[zachbeacon]

If anyone needs me I'll be watching internet videos about unlikely animal friends because I just can't deal with all this other bullshit now.

[icon_uk]

Tha's entirely fair, and apologies for not helping with the mood.

[an_idol_mind]

I would have enjoyed the season opener of Doctor Who a lot more if the big awesome reveal hadn't been spoiled by the Doctor Who YouTube page the very next day after it aired, before I had a chance to watch the episode.

I blame Peter Capaldi, because thanks to him I didn't forget to click below to subscribe to the official Doctor Who YouTube channel.

[icon_uk]

Ouch, that IS unfortunate.

I'm lucky inasmuch as I hadn't even heard the rumour which circulated a while back apparently, and was busy trying to work out where I'd seen him before (As it turns out it was from his turn as Waris Hussein in "An Adventure in Space and Time") though I then saw him in about four different things in the space of a week; Dracula for one.

[t209]

So another discussion on upcoming 2020 election, or rather my concerns. (Trigger Warning: Rants and Talks over online articles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhTuRJisH1U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bJjVNnmXGI
Tim Pool isn't considered reliable news despite what he claims, considering his pull of "centrist" and "anti-establishment" people, who can also just as be ill-informed, part of me wanted to have a counterpoint to his "news commentaries" about "Trump will win because his base is getting larger due to white college students and African Americans" and "I agree with Occasio's points but I think she is hypocrite for not running as Third Party and wanted to put far-left nonsense into Democrats despite wanting changes in politics myself", which has enough seemingly-legitimate tone that might attract cynical people and influence people to not vote.
*sigh* Part of me wonder why people thinks that people like Tim and Sargon are considered as an alternative to "mainstream media, Fox News included".

[scorntx]

I thought the first part of Who was a little slow... but that reveal. Gosh, that reveal.
I think the second part was a definite step up from the first.
The "bomb on a plane" thing was a little silly (y'know, as opposed to the killer sat-nav and the James Bond parody), but given this is The Master we're talking about, pretty in keeping with the character. So it's okay.
(Actually, for Mister "Gets Dizzy Trying to Walk in a Straight Line", it's pretty underhanded.)

Also, major spoilers for the episode, I guess, buuuut...
...
After all that 'effort' the Moff went to to bring Them back, that was kind of amusing.
Frankly, good riddance.
(Oh, they'll probably be fine. One or two will have survived by hiding in a fridge, and they'll be right back to business as usual.)

Though the whole stuff about Them having a Deep, Dark Secret is kind of eye-rolling.
They're nothing but Deep, Dark Secrets.

And we're two-fifths through the series already.
*pout*
Still, interested to see where this year goes.


There's been some building going on lately, and the locals foxes are not loving it.
Probably because it's their turf being dug up.
Lot of late night yipping and howling going on.
(Typical, innit. You spend years waiting for nature to show up in your garden, and it all comes along at once.)

[icon_uk]

The reveal was pretty amazing. though I'm not sure I'm 100% sold on this Master yet, He did "menacing" brilliantly, but when he was trying to "amusingly evil" or "loopily unhinged" it felt rathe forced.

I'd certainly never have guessed that these two episodes were shot several months apart, as they were in different filming blocks.

And we're only 1/5 of the way through the series, not 2/5's so that's not so bad?

I have to say if someone had to do what was done to Gallifrey, the Master is one of the few I can think of for whom my reaction is "Yup, I can see that being a thing they would do AND manage it too"

SPOILERS

[deh_tommy]

I kind of have the opposite opinion, really: after how much I enjoyed Part 1, Part 2 felt like a bit of a let down.

In Part 1, the Kasaavin were really scary, the companions actually helped and behaved like actual people would, the threat felt genuine, there was a real sense of intrigue, and the end twist was great.

Part 2, on the other hand, had a lot more Chibnalisms that I don’t particularly care for: the Doctor was slow on the uptake (hmm, I wonder who this Ada lady with an interest in technology in the 19th century could possibly be?) and disturbingly morally relativistic (sure, the Master’s a monster, but weaponising his own skin colour against him and was really uncomfortable, then there’s wiping Ada’s memory while she fearfully begs the Doctor not to), the Kasaavin and the companions’ subplot ultimately amounted to nothing, there was that really on the nose speech by the not-Google man (seriously, why was no one panicking about him threatening the world with complete annihilation?), they killed off Gallifrey AGAIN before they even did anything with that, and that left me with a few questions I doubt we’ll get answers to (so, like, what’s going to happen to the Earth now that every spy agency in the world is effectively defunct? Are the Fam suddenly not the most wanted people in the world? Did the Master just not take the opportunity while stranded 77 years in the past to destroy humanity? Where’s his TARDIS, now?).

Meh, at least I liked that more the the Season 11 opener and last year’s special.

[t209]

Also another gripe,
- My frustration with my dad's indifference over Iranian General's assassination due to "Nah, it's gonna be the same" type cynicism (though it might be due to growing up and well-informed during Cold War, even regional conflicts like Yemeni Civil War and Iran-Iraq War).
- Not discounting jingoists, my grinding gears also being "World War 3" tweets (I agree that conflicts may be inevitable, but this sort of overblowing cry-wolf tend to do more damage and good).
- Finally, people using Team America's quotes or similar assumption of how "both sides are bad" without regards to their own bias and unwilling to accept criticism (Good when you are stuck with naivete "Interpretative dance for World Peace" pacifist and jingoistic "Go America/Logical West" moron. Bad when you lack the knowledge about Geopolitics and informative sources yourself, as pointed out by Wisecrack video--including Matt and Trey's own political bias and their anti-academia--on that movie.)

[kamino_neko]

- Not discounting jingoists, my grinding gears also being "World War 3" tweets (I agree that conflicts may be inevitable, but this sort of overblowing cry-wolf tend to do more damage and good).

Yeah, this. I suspect most of it is Trump supporters, actually...some for this reason, others merely mocking people who don't think starting a conflict was a good idea...since the first time I saw someone talking about WWIII is someone mocking the idea.

[long_silence]

My gripe with Doctor Who was how she handles Ada Lovelace at the end. It really took me out of it to see her pulling a Ten on her.

We've seen the Doctor interact with historical figures, without erasing their memories, changing the course of human history. That's how Torchwood came about in the first place. So having another woman beg to keep the memories she's made, the life changing experience, while the Doctor takes it all away for her own good just seems cruel

[icon_uk]

Ah, whilst sharing the concern about consent, I liked the princple behind the mindwipe.

I've always LOATHED those moments where we discover that some notable part of human creativity is actually inspired by the Doctor, like in The Shakespeare Code where William S cribs memorable lines from Ten, or Six inspiring HG Wells, or worse yet Four mentioning dropping apples on Isaac Newtons head... well, the list goes on.

It alwaus feels like a cheap joke, sort of forgiveable with an author, but definitely not with a scientist (And something I am immensely glad they studiously avoided with the Winter Armistice in Twice Upon a Time)

Especially when dealing with a historical women, who have usually had a short enough shrift as it is, it feels insulting. Ada Lovelace was a luminary genius all on her own, she didn't need the Doctor to inspire her in any way to be that, and the Doctor ensured that everything Ada achieved would be 100% Ada.

The Doctor is the Doctor not one of the Legends of Tomorrow after all! :)

So it's maybe less of the fact that she did it, as why haven't more Doctor's done it before?

If I was rebooting the series, I'd probably include a line about how because the Doctor is usually outside their allotted point in time, most people don't remember either Doctor or Companions because Time quietly reshuffles disruptive memories, but it's a bit late to introduce that as a concept.

[janegray]

I'm disappointed by the lack of fancontent for Disenchantment, as the lack of audience engagement can spell doom for a series' renewal. S1 was lacking, but S2 is much better, and it would be a pity for a show that is just now finding its footing and getting stronger to be canceled.

S3 of The Dragon Prince had a few issues, but overall I greatly enjoyed it!

I haven't felt any enthusiasm about a show in a year and a half, since S6 of VLD fucked me up. I enjoyed some shows (Castlevania especially comes to mind), but it was always with a voice in the back of my head whispering "don't get too attached, you remember what happened the LAST time you did! Appreciate what you are watching now, but do so with no expectations and be ready to jump ship at any time." But for the first time in so long, while watching S3 of TDP, I started getting some of that old enthusiasm back :D

[scorntx]

There's already two more seasons / series / "parts" of Disenchantment scheduled, so there's that at least.
(Unless Netflix arbitrarily decides to cancel them or jerk them around.
... as it so frequently does.)

Would be nice if it got to whatever damn point it's trying to get to, rather than just bumming around.

[skjam]

So very tired.

But I did get a Bullfinch's Mythology as a late Christmas gift!

And over at my blog, magical girls with a noir twist : http://www.skjam.com/2020/01/01/book-review-magnifiquenoir-book-one-i-am-magical/

[shadowkat]

Haven't seen Doctor Who yet -- got distracted by The Witcher over the weekend -- which is VERY good and I'm in love with. (Although not enough to become a gamer, but I may read the books -- it's based on the books.) Did try to watch the Doctor Who cartoon, but it lost me. (Anime has ruined me forever in regards to cartoons. Well that and Pixar, but mainly just anime.)

Yes, The DoofusTM (aka Trump) is proving himself to be a idiotic hypocrite and that sooner or later you end up on the opposite side of every argument you've had (it's really ironic and funny in a way, if you think about it. We even have the Democrats now clamoring for him to release the emails -- which in the 2016 election, he was clamoring for Hillary to release. She did, there was nothing. He hasn't, because there is something). I keep hoping the Universe will strike him down with a lightening bolt -- but alas, I know that's not going to happen. I'm attempting to ignore him at the moment, which is hard, considering he keeps doing stupid and frightening things.
My boss this week made me chuckle when he told me not to get overly excited and lob bombs at a vendor like Trump was doing with Iran. (yes, it is best to adopt a very black sense of humor in this day and age.)

Rose McGowan telling people to vote is sort of humorous, considering she had a controversial tweet a few weeks back stating that she had no intention on voting or for a Democrat, because while she loathed Trump, she loathed the Clintons and the Democrats too. (I thought, Rose, you can always go Green Party or Independent. Although if we get Trump again -- she really can't complain.)

Ricky Gervais told people not make political speeches? LOL! That had to be a sacrastic joke -- he's nothing but political and in your face.

Bong Joon Ho is right about subtitles. I forgot they existed when I was watching a really cool Korean Dramedy on Netflix (Boys Over Flowers). Also after a while, I kind of became one with the subtitles. I've also been reading them with most netflix programs -- because for some reason it's hard to hear the dialogue on a lot of these series.

The firefighters did celebrate today -- when Australia finally got drenched in rain.

[t209]

Well, it was a matter of context for Rose McGowan.
Either she is regretting her decision, assuming they won't remember her tweet, or trying to be "relevant with the crowds". This makes me people who posted "both candidates are the same" to be just as dumb as "sheeple" and just as be chameleons like establishment politicians.
Also South Park, though I am not that extreme enough to be "cancel culture" but the creators's tendency to go "extreme neutral" on topics where one side is actually correct and their anti-intellectualism. Ironically, Trump supporters using their message despite not the type to agree with them at all.
Why my political rant seems to blame South Park again? Even I get called out by fans for merely pointing out their warts on a message board before.

[t209]

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-middle-east-51029181
Well, off to a good month (snark). "So Far, So Good" depending on his oblivious nature, "well, they finally got my big retaliation plan ready" response, or finally getting a rare (hopefully, not brief) realization that he needs to de-escalate before changing his mind yet again.
You know part of me thinks that I won't need to go back to 2016 to bring back bad news from the future, just need to point out obvious red flags and point out how "both candidates are the same" is just as dumb as their claims that "voting for either candidate means you are moron" no matter how much they hated Two-Party system for being too "centrist or not progressive enough" (I find it rather ironic now that few of these proponents want moderates back out of annoyance for Illhan and Occasio, especially in Cracked's commenters' circle), or how much Obama is "too hawkish" (many know that Trump is bullshit, but anti-establishment folks have the same thoughts as him about Obama after his foreign adventures in Syria and Libya, drone strikes, NSA controversy, and passing NDAA that can imprison an American citizen without trial or lawyer if they see fit).
Of course, only they decided to quiet that opinion after 2016 while probably regretting it in 2020. At least I found a few who keep adamantly stubborn that it's still "two candidates" despite the futility of their statement,
Part of me wonders why Sargon, Tim Pool, and "anti SJW" people seems to think that only the "Left, Progressives and PC" are the antagonists while ommiting the Trump, even during this debacle?
Before anyone says "what about the next candidates", assuming if there is America remaining or Trump declares himself as a dictator by the election, try to remember that many candidates--especially Biden--have connections to Military Industrial Complex that might not sit well with voters who may associate any sort of militarism and military action as "trump-like" (Biden being Obama's VP will get flak for it, just ask Occasio's comments). And if other candidates loses, especially Bernie, they might try to protest by telling people to not vote without regard to getting Trump to win due to "spoiled votes, low voter turnout that give Trump's base more leeway, or something". Or the fact that many of the Americans tend to dislike PC Culture and tend to associate Democrats with those notions without regard to how petty and misused it is. Even worse when they get upset when the progressive members try to form an opinion despite sharing their beliefs that political systems in US must be reformed. Or what if the progressive voters are too stubborn to see that "both candidates are establishment and I won't vote" is a terrible idea based on contexts of an actual angry idiot as a President and other being level-headed by comparison. In conclusion, there are reasons why "low trump approval rating =/= will vote for a Democrat candidate".
I am miserable and cynical after putting every possibility of "wrong decisions" for the future of the elections based on 2016 (fallout from Sanders losing the Primary) and even 2000 (remember Nader?) while also being skeptical about "rosy" and "jaded" forecasts.
(Here are the national average polls, collected by Project 538. Seems miserable.)
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-d/national/

[t209]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51029418
Avoiding "adderall, hyuck hyuck, Trump" from twitter because I tend to dissect than go for cheap joke and the fact that speech is self-aggrandisement and unwilling to share his hurt ego.
A relief for now, but expecting the worse due to his constantly changing his mind.
People may say Low approval, but seeing that anti-war people may still has grudges against Democrats during Obama's "Syria and Libya intervention" and Drone Strikes--which ironically became one of the reasons for Clinton's defeat, or rather not many people coming up to vote for a "hawk" while ignoring Trump--(Note that Biden is one of the candidates) or steadfastly stubborn to preserve their "integrity" without realizing that other candidates at least have more control than POTUS45, not to mention Trump's voter base can include trolls who just plain hate Liberals and anti-political correctness being in anti-establishment vogue *cough* 4chan, I am still skeptical that he may be voted out of office.

[nightauditguy]

The new season of The Bachelor is on and supposedly it's the most dramatic season yet. They say that every season so who knows

[joetuss]

Lmao...I'll be watching with my wife.

[goodbyebird]

I avoided the news for the entire Christmas holiday and it felt great. And then I picked it back up again on - that's right, you guessed it - Jan 3rd. Ugh.

Not a Who person, but several people in my circle have made bigass posts about it, so it must have done something right. Binged The Witcher and The Mandalorian, super into both. Mando is such a blessing after the disappointment of The Last Skywalker.

Now getting started on my reading resolutions for the year, currently My Sister, The Serial Killer and Mockingbird vol2.