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.

So this is the last Off-Topic Tuesday for 2020, which is a task I find myself surprisingly relieved about, because it means that we made it! Well, we made it, but we should acknowlegde that many did not, and many of those of us who did are battered and bruised, metaphorically speaking, but we ARE here and that is quite the achievement, so take a moment to celebrate that.

A year of social distancing, Zoom calls, queues for toilet roll being a thing, inspirational stories of hope and remarkable scientific progress in developing a vaccine for a new virus in under 12 months when previous efforts have taken years.

Britain saw a last minute Brexit deal being reached, about which the best that can be said is that it's better than no deal... probably. The Opposition parties hate it AND the Right who wanted Brexit more than anyone aren't keen, but it will probably pass anyway. There are already indications that chunks of the 1200+ page document which was released for review two days ago and will being voted on by the UK Parliament tomorrow are copied and pasted from documents from the 1990's (Seriously, it quotes Netscape Communicator as being a "modern e-mail software package" (Netscape Communicator was last updated in 2002).

If someone has been following whatever the hell has been going on in the US about the succession process and stimulus cheques, then I wish you joy in explaining it because I certainly can't work out where it is from moment to moment.

Fashion designer Pierre Cardin has died aged 98.

Wonder Woman 84 hit the small screen, but it should get an on topic post of it's own, so please don't post spoilers here.

Luke Skywalker FINALLY made it!

Showing how important stories are, it seems that the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters might have been part of legends and myths for a HUNDRED THOUSAND years.

We'll be having our usual End of Year Review of best comic in a couple of days, so give some thought in advance, about what your favourite comic/storyline/moment was.

Random question of the week: Brussel Sprouts... the work of the Evil One, or not? (and if not, what vegetable is?)

Comments

Random Answer of the Week.

[owlbrigade1]

Baked beans are the true evil vegetable. They stink when cold, they stink worse when heated, and the English put them over everything so you are constantly assailed by their stench in every cafe. If I was given one wish by a genie, it would be to erase baked beans from existence.

Brussels sprouts are actually quite nice, especially the modern varieties which have had the bitterness gene bred out[ https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/30/773457637/from-culinary-dud-to-stud-how-dutch-plant-breeders-built-our-brussels-sprouts-bo?t=1609249316271 ]. Anyone telling sprouts jokes is recycling lazy punchlines from pre 1990s standup comedians, and thus need to be told to get new material. I am so sick of nineties era stand up jokes, just get new material in general people.

[leahandillyana]

I find it apropriate to end the year on a positive note, so I'll mention the ENORMOUS scientifical developements of 2020:
-long distance quantum teleportation was first achieved, opening doors to developement of faster than light communication in the future
-artificial suns (fusion reactors) have been ignited in China and South Korea - a deed I learned was impossible at school in the 00s. How the time flies!
-perfectly preserved specimens of ice age animals and flora have been found, including species both extant (lions, wolves, horses, bovids, birds) and extinct (mammoths and wooly rhinos), opening doors to future cloning of the animals
-tiny flowers were successfully grown from frozen ice age seeds
On comic front I consider 2020 to be really poor. The few series I liked suffered from the pandemic era delays and were all cut short. I particularly dislike what Marvel did this year.
On the other hand, 2020 was a pretty decent year for anime. I have written an essay on my favourite recent series here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18208784/chapters/69497445
On personal front, I am working, I have two cats (Sebastian and Timothy would sent their best wishes if they knew how to), I have a pernament disability card, and I have written over 100 pieces of fanfiction this year alone. Nice.
Brussel is decent for a cabbage. I don't have a vegetable I particularly dislike, but I absolutely despise fresh duran.

[onsokumaru]

I remember being disappointed by Cutie Honey Universe, despite it being very faithfull to Nagai's spirit. IIRC it was mostly because of some artistic choices, like that ugly pocket dimension where the fights took place.
So far, the live action series remains my favorite adaptation, despite the huge liberties it took.

Took me some time to get into Violet Evergarden, but I ended up liking it. "That" episode hit me hard too. I'm planning on watching the movie next month.

Made in Abyss is an incredibly beautiful and disturbing anime. The MC kinda reminds me of Luffy, which is refreshing for a female character. Can't wait for season 2.

Attack on Titans is still the best in my book, and S4 confirms it. It's still bold and deliciously unpredictable.

[bradygirl_12]

I can't afford HBO Max and the theaters around here are all closed, so who knows when I'll see Wonder Woman 84? This is like the last straw! >:(

[zachbeacon]

I'm probably going to end my HBO Max subscription soon because of billing shenanigans* and honestly the new WW is nowhere near my top priority. That Deadwood movie isn't gonna watch itself.

*I was supposed to get it for 5/mo through April because I had a DCU description. DCU messed up my autorenewal so I woke up Christmas day to an email saying my new rate is 15/mo. So far they've ignored my emails so I think I'm done with them. I'd give them the benefit of the doubt because its the holiday season but they sent one of those "how did we do surveys" this weekend so apparently they think its resolved.

Answer to random question of the week.

[sisterofbloomerjunior]

Western peas. I like sugar snap, though.

I'm still editing a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure fanfic I wrote. (Icon very relevant.)

[crinos]

As I understand it, the relief package passed, but there was a thing where Democrats wanted the stimulus checks sent out to 2,000, and McConnell cut it down to 600, and then Trump threatened to veto it unless it was up to 2,000 (Which I think was just an empty threat to McConnell because Trump is still pissy the Republicans aren't supporting his pathetic and terrible attempts to throw out the election, but still, when Donald Trump thinks you're being cheap...)

The House passed a bill to get 2,000 dollar checks sent out, but its unlikely Mitch will let it come to a vote. If the Democrats win the run off in Georgia next week and gain control of the Senate, then we might get 2,000 dollar checks. But unless that happens its not gonna be likely.

Of course, considering Trumps base is already talking about boycotting the Georgia election because doing that will make Trump president SOMEHOW (Because they are convinced the Democrats MUST be cheating and stealing GOP votes so if no GOP voters vote it will prove than and they will overturn everything like.... sure Jan.)

So yeah. expecting 600 dollars to drop in my bank account any day now. I'm an essential worker so its basically just a Christmas bonus for me, but its a slap in the face for people facing eviction and who actually need the money, so fuck McConnell.

[thezmage]

There's also an unemployment extension and eviction moratorium attached to this bill

[mazway_75]

Also usual right-wing complaints of "Folks are just going to use it to shop on Amazon or Wal-Mart."

Which A) ignores the point of a "stimulus" bill is to foster the economy and B) that contrary to what they think, many people on welfare desperately need all the cash they can get and don't go on shopping sprees for random items.

[bradygirl_12]

It's really insulting that the GOP keeps delaying the stimulus checks, and they're only $600. People are desperate and the politicians, rich and comfortable, dicker over what desperate people need, and such a paltry amount. It's disgraceful but not surprising.

[cyberghostface]

Ended up getting covid over the holidays. As far as it goes I’m lucky in that I’m relatively young but it still sucks.

[mazway_75]

Ouch, so sorry. I guess I count myself lucky no one in my family has gotten it or folks we know either. I try to cut down, my essential job and mass on Sunday but know it's a risk nonetheless. Hope you get better soon.

[thezmage]

I usually try and get as many people as I can to go to the Maverick Theater in Fullerton every December to see their stage show of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Due to COVID, that's not possible this year but they released a VOD version of an older performance for people to watch. In addition to this being a great thing that people outside of SoCal can experience for the first time, your purchase would also help support a local theater and keep them in business: https://www.facebook.com/272421481758/posts/10157552848106759

If you have trouble with the purchase, contact them through facebook messenger and they will help you out.

Also, I haven't seen this and don't know much about it, but a friend of mine in Chicago also recommends watching this VOD of a local show called Burning Bluebeard: https://porchlightmusictheatre.org/events/burning-bluebeard/

Loved Soul. In addition to a great story it's just so much fun visibly.

I don't know if it was a Christmas special or the beginning of the second series but the Goes Wrong Show just did a Nativity episode that was really funny and appears to be distinct from their Nativity Goes Wrong stage show. I found it on youtube in the US.

I've had a few really great Brussels sprout dishes in my life, usually with bacon.
Sprouts with bacon and chipotle sauce from the Bacon Mania truck
Potatoes with bacon, brussels sprouts, parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar from Breakfast Republic.
Sprouts with a mustard sauce from (IIRC) Slater's, which it doesn't appear they're offering anymore. Knowing them, they also probably added bacon.
Personally, I tend to mix them with salt, pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar then air fry them until they're good and browned.

[llordllama]

Today in northern Leicestershire it snowed, not much by contrast with other bits of the UK and abroad, but all the same I strapped on my hiking gear and headed out for an hour or so in the 'not quite a blizzard'! Glad I did as it had mostly melted by lunch. Met a load of sheep being driven up the main road at one point (didn't think I was living anywhere quite THAT rural).

In the week in geek, the Christmas break means I'm indulging in copious amounts of Who (6 and 12 mainly this time). For unknown reasons I tend to mainly watch DW when I'm off work for a protracted period!

Brussel sprouts - utter deliciousness if you handle them right (very, very lightly cooked, chopped up with chestnuts & shallots as a stuffing base or frankly grated raw over a winter salad). Even found myself eating some for breakfast the other day. Mrs Llama though would argue they're the work of the devil, so more for me!!

[zachbeacon]

I’m not sure I can point to a “worst” vegetable but I can’t help but think about the vegies that are ruined when you cook them. Raw carrots are great. Cooked carrots are mushy garbage.
Had a nice Christmas with my parents and brother. Before you judge, I hadn’t left my apartment for a couple weeks prior.
I hope next year is better but I’m not holding my breath.

[thezmage]

There is nothing I disagree with you more than I do on carrots. I can not eat raw carrots but I do love them cooked

[scorntx]

Doing some last minute shopping, found my LCS had the new line of Transformers in (but in a different place from the others, for whatever reason).
Which was an unexpected bonus.
(No Megatron yet, but Rattrap, Cheetor and Black Arachnia, yay! Not Optimus, though, because there was only one left.)

Star Trek: Discovery finally got around to the reveal of what caused all the Bad Things in the future.
... frankly, there was never going to be any reveal that was not in some way going to be ridiculous. But, uh... that was something, alright, even for Discovery.

Tentatively excited fae Doctor Who on New Year's Day, buuuut... there's the ever-present specter the Chibnall era has of shonky pacing.
Still, at least it's on at an appropriate time of day. Or close enough.

Listening to that classical music channel on the radio on X-Mas day (for lack of anything else to do), there was an arrangement of Fairy Tale of New York on.
The weird part came after, when Sir Trevor McDonald said it always puts him in an X-Mas mood.
... yeah...

The worst vegetable is the cauliflower.

[mastermahan]

Star Trek: Discovery finally got around to the reveal of what caused all the Bad Things in the future. ... frankly, there was never going to be any reveal that was not in some way going to be ridiculous. But, uh... that was something, alright, even for Discovery.

Yeah, that explanation was... well, very Discovery. Discovery is the show that looked at Voyager's notoriously silly technobabble and decided it made too much sense.

I'm still waiting to see if this connects to the way Michael forcibly altered an entire species in the last season. I assume it does, because everything is connected to Michael Burnham, The Most Important Person in the Universe.

Upside, [TECHNICALLY SPOILERS BUT THEY'RE COMPLETELY, UTTERLY INCONSEQUENTIAL] it was cool seeing Doug Jones, and we seem to have abandoned the idiot idea that Orion women enslave men with pheromones.

EDIT: Oh, and worst vegetable is acorn squash. My mother would serve them with maple syrup.

[tripodeca113]

My parents work is finally complete, they've succeeded in turning my grandparents' house, into an ugly modern home.

A family member is looking at, and trying to repair my malfunctioning laptop. In retrospect I wish I didn't have so much.... art work on it.

I decided to treat myself and order the new version of Marvels. The library seems to have lost their copy, and it'll look nice next to all my Astro City comics. Maybe I'll get the follow up at some point.

[zachbeacon]

Had laptop issues this summer. I lost everything except for the handful of things that saved to Microsoft's cloud and some stuff - mostly music - that was still on an older, slower laptop . I really need to be better about backing stuff up.

I broke down and got the new annotated Marvels HC a while ago because my decades old trade was beat to heck...I mean, "well loved"; I've been tempted to buy the oversized HC from years ago too but never went though with it. I highly recommend Marvels: Eye of the Camera (same writer, different painter) but you can probably do without Marvels Companion (Code of Honor, Ruins, and various other painted minis and one-shots by different creative teams). I've enjoyed what I've seen of the Snapshot one-shots but haven't seen anything of the current "Marvel" series.

I really hope the Astro City announcement Busiek keeps teasing involves a new publisher because DC has been sloooooow with the trades.

[malurette]

Brussel Sprouts are delicious if cooked properly... but my sister-in-law can't have any sort of cabbage as long as she's breastfeeding as it makes, I quote "an an angry tummy for Mr Gra-Groo".
Well. I have the best brother and the best sister-in-law and the best nephew in the world so I'll make it my evil-fighting mission of eating any Brussel Sprout compromising their happniess!

(Personally I'll vote for celery as most evil vegetable ever, and you Do Not Cook endives in this house.)

[zachbeacon]

Celery is less a food than a peanut butter delivery vehicle.

[janegray]

Been feeling incredibly exhausted lately. Always sleepy.

I don't have much to say, but I really wanted to comment on the final OTT of the year to wish you guys happy holidays.

[janegray]

Oh yeah. I did something. Finally beat Fallout: New Vegas. The 2010 game. Had been in my backlog since forever.

There are many things I hated about it, and some things I utterly loved. I don't think I'll play the other Fallout games, but I'm going to read a lot of fanfiction.

[mister_terrific]

We had a bit of a scare last week--daughter reported that she was coming down with something, and then told us that a) she'd picked up her ex-roommates at the airport (which was packed), b) they'd attended a wedding in Alabama (crowd was maskless), c) they'd tested positive for COVID, and d) she gave them both big hugs when they told her they were moving to Oregon. So she promised she'd get tested both that day and on the weekend, and in the meantime she'd quarantine.

Looks like it was flu, though, not COVID, and it's an insane world where flu is the preferable condition, isn't it?

[deh_tommy]

Fuck this past year with a hacksaw. I can only hope the next year can be better, but I’m worried about the long term ramifications of this year what with the pandemic, the constant and gradual destruction of the environment for the sake of material greed and people stuck in the past, the ever increasing popularity of nationalism, China’s growing influence over the world, the increasing economic disparities between the rich and the poor, the horrible ways people are oppressed all over the world, and the folks in charge either wilfully not knowing or simply just not caring enough about anything.

On a more positive note, I hope everyone got something nice this Christmas.

[skjam]

Finished watching Onyx Equinox, review here: http://www.skjam.com/2020/12/30/webtoon-review-onyx-equinox/

[informationgeek]

Soul came out on Disney+ and it's now my favorite movie of the year. I understand a few complaints about the movie in some regards, but judging it as it wishes to present itself and be about, it really spoke to me.

It's also one of those rare few films that made me tear up. The scene at the piano towards the end of the movie brought me to tears. Beautifully composed and animated, capturing the joy of living and life... I felt it. I felt it so much that it broke me.

[shadowkat]

Somebody else may have already explained this, but I'm too lazy to read through the comments...

If someone has been following whatever the hell has been going on in the US about the succession process and stimulus cheques, then I wish you joy in explaining it because I certainly can't work out where it is from moment to moment.

Stimulus packaged was passed on Sunday night - it provides COVID Relief, but it is combined with a lot of other things. In other words, it was more than a financial stimulus package, it was also an operating budget for the federal government. And over 5000 pages. i actually found it and read through some of it. The first five hundred or so pages is about funding towards agriculture, then military spending initiatives, then foreign trade and military agreements, and so on...about 46 billion was slated towards public transportation, a certain amount towards vaccine..

It did not provide enough to the States. And what it gave them was targeted directly to specific programs. So instead of say giving the states 15 Billion, it gave them $4 billion for Mass Transit, 5 billion for hospitals, etc. It's akin to a college student asking a loan to get through the semester, and instead getting allotments for books, meals, and housing based on what their parents think is the right amount.

Then, there are little bills integrated in the package which Senators and the House couldn't get passed previously. Each Congressman and Senator has their pet project. One of those bills appears to be an "felony for illegally streaming copyrighted material for profit" internet bill that no one really understands.

Passing the bill protects about millions of jobs in infrastructure (including mine), and extends the moratorium on evictions and unemployment benefits. It also provides money for the distribution of vaccines, and to hospitals, etc for the COVID effort.

Trump threatened to veto it - but the Senate and the House passed it by enough votes to allow for an override (in other words they could override his veto or render his veto null). When Trump discovered this - he threatened a "pocket veto" - which means he does nothing, neither signs nor vetoes, and Congress is stuck, the government shuts down and we're in deep trouble. Note the Stimulus Package is ALSO the operating budget for the Federal Government, if it didn't get passed, the federal government would shut down. It provided money to keep the Federal Government running, plus some aid to various state and local government "agencies", along with COVID relief, and stimulus. Stimulus was actually the least of it.

The reason Trump threatened to pocket veto it - is: 1) the only thing he cares about is how he looks to his base, and putting his name on big checks. So he wanted $2000. Here's what people aren't telling you about the $2000 check amounts - one, it's only sent to people who have an adjusted gross income of a certain amount. (Adjusted Gross Income is determined based on the amount you have deducted from your total income for taxes.) So you could be a millionaire and get a stimulus check, but if you are unemployed and don't have an adjusted gross income - you get nothing. In addition they were going by IRS records - so a lot of dead people were getting stimulus checks. I know people who were making six to seven figure salaries that got stimulus checks. And it didn't really help that much. Most people put it in savings. Some gave to charity. The number who used it to pay rent - about 40%? Because a lot of people who needed it, never got it.
2.) He wanted to veto it to get back at the GOP. And he didn't like the Felony Streaming Act, which I don't think he understood either.

What changed his mind? The GOP Senators, McConnell and Graham played golf with him over the weekend and shamed him into signing it. Basically stated that if he didn't he'd shut down the government and put millions out of work, get them evicted, etc.

In regards to succession in US? What happens next is a slate of electors go to Congress, and Congress officially counts them. It's more pomp and circumstance than anything else.
Trump wants to challenge the count and send another set, his own to Congress, with the hope that one Congressman and one Senator will vote to revisit the votes, then the entire Senate and House votes on whether to throw out the slate. If there's a tie between the House and Senate - ie, the House votes no, the Senate votes yes, then it goes to the Supreme Court who rules.

Note - there's no way this will happen. The Senate and House are in agreement - Biden won. The election was not fraudulent. Ironically - it was actually the least fraudulent and most efficient election in US history, with the highest voter turnout in US history.
Also the popular vote went to Biden. The Republicans, people who supported Trump, have already declared Biden the winner and told Trump to stop being a nitwit.

Trump vetoed the military spending bill - which the GOP wanted. He threatened to veto the operating/stimulus - which hurt the GOP more than the Democrats. The sections he was unhappy about were put in there by the GOP. The Democrats on the other hand are having a field day - because they wanted $2000 not $600, and now they can crow about it - making the GOP look bad - and all during a pivotal Senate runoff election in Georgia, that is down to the wire.

Suffice it to say - the GOP is furious with Mr. Trump at the moment, and most likely can't wait for him to leave office.

Random question of the week: Brussel Sprouts... the work of the Evil One, or not? (and if not, what vegetable is?)

The work of the Evil One. I can't stand brussel sprouts. I've tried them roasted. No. Not to my taste at all.

I've had this debate a few times on my journal and with my brother, who loves them, and on FB. The appeal of brussel sprouts continues to be lost on me.

[werehawk]

Crispy Brussel Sprouts are a thing at all the fancy restaurants and also pubs by me (mid-Atlantic states). Even the anti-veggers love them. They are super hard to make right at home though.

[silverhammerman]

There's nothing new going on for me besides another temp job and an increasingly intimidating To Read pile, but I want to chime in to wish everyone a Happy New Year.