Serenes Forest's Teehee Thread

[Armagon]

2 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

You know this is going to be challenged. Given the SCOTUS makeup as it is now, it'll probably be overturned.

Although actually, the primaries are in March. Can the SCOTUS take the case? Sure. Can they do it in time? Mmmmmmmm. It's my understanding that SCOTUS cases can't be decided overnight and it actually takes several months to even get a hearing.

[Acacia Sgt]

Just now, Armagon said:

Although actually, the primaries are in March. Can the SCOTUS take the case? Sure. Can they do it in time? Mmmmmmmm. It's my understanding that SCOTUS cases can't be decided overnight and it actually takes several months to even get a hearing.

The deadline is actually January 4. And I believe it's for the Election Ballot, not the Primaries.

[Armagon]

Just now, Acacia Sgt said:

The deadline is actually January 4. And I believe it's for the Election Ballot, not the Primaries.

Ah. And of course, just because your name isn't on the ballot doesn't mean you can't actually be voted for, since write-ins are a thing (not that they work). But Trump being banned from the ballot in one state alone might make the more traditional Republicans nominate someone else. 

Will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Between this and those federal cases that are on Trump's ass, any Republican who isn't a MAGA diehard might be convinced to not vote for him.

[Acacia Sgt]

4 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Ah. And of course, just because your name isn't on the ballot doesn't mean you can't actually be voted for, since write-ins are a thing (not that they work). But Trump being banned from the ballot in one state alone might make the more traditional Republicans nominate someone else. 

Will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Between this and those federal cases that are on Trump's ass, any Republican who isn't a MAGA diehard might be convinced to not vote for him.

It'd also have consequences down-ballot. Since a lot of the MAGA diehards only vote because of Trump. No Trump, the candidates on the lower races would be affected too. Of course, that means they will definitely try to take the case to keep him there.

Will be interesting? Yeah. Tired of interesting times? You bet.

I mean, a lot of the non-diehards are in there for pragmatism. Since better Red no matter who than any Blue. They didn't gave up on Trump after January 6, after all. Also since Trump has taken over the majority of their voter base. If Trump leaves the Republican party, then it's finished.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Acacia Sgt

[Armagon]

5 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

If Trump leaves the Republican party, then it's finished.

Yeah, the Republican party is being hard carried by Trump right now. Their only hope for a Republican victory is Trump. If they nominate someone else, then Trump just makes his own party because of course he would. Split vote.

If he does get sent to prison though.....he can still win but because there's literally zero precedent for this, i can't say what would happen.

Of course, there's another scenario: both Trump and Biden are pretty old. Trump is also noticeably living an unhealthy lifestyle. I would not be surprised if one or both kick the bucket before the elections. I would imagine Democrats at least have a contingency if Biden dies. Republicans put too many of their chips on Trump so idk.

[Acacia Sgt]

Just now, Armagon said:

Yeah, the Republican party is being hard carried by Trump right now. Their only hope for a Republican victory is Trump. If they nominate someone else, then Trump just makes his own party because of course he would. Split vote.

If he does get sent to prison though.....he can still win but because there's literally zero precedent for this, i can't say what would happen.

Of course, there's another scenario: both Trump and Biden are pretty old. Trump is also noticeably living an unhealthy lifestyle. I would not be surprised if one or both kick the bucket before the elections. I would imagine Democrats at least have a contingency if Biden dies. Republicans put too many of their chips on Trump so idk.

Self-pardon, most likely. I'm pretty sure Trump has mentioned he would do it. And you can bet they will allow him to do it.

Not for Biden, yes for Trump. If Henry Kissinger living to 100 has taught me anything... don't count on evil to die young on their own.

[GuardianSing]

3 hours ago, Armagon said:

Ay yo?

 

Already I'm seeing some Trump supporters call for Civil War.

Sorry lads, unlike the first one this is actually about states rights.

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Yeah, the Republican party is being hard carried by Trump right now. Their only hope for a Republican victory is Trump. If they nominate someone else, then Trump just makes his own party because of course he would. Split vote.

Worrying ambitions aside, it would be supremely funny if the decades long two-party system of the US was ended by guy creating his own Trump party.

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Of course, there's another scenario: both Trump and Biden are pretty old. Trump is also noticeably living an unhealthy lifestyle. I would not be surprised if one or both kick the bucket before the elections. I would imagine Democrats at least have a contingency if Biden dies. Republicans put too many of their chips on Trump so idk.

I predict an instant balkanization of the GOP if Trump dies.

It's honestly hilarious, I've gone to various conservative corners and saw folks lamenting about how they donated all their money to Trump and got nothing he promised from it.

[Interdimensional Observer]

2 hours ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Something something So far from God something something So close to the United States...

"The United States sneezes, and the world catches a covid cold. -But Mexico is the only one with Uncle Sam's mucus on it (okay, maybe Canada too)."

1 hour ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Tired of interesting times? You bet.

Interesting. As in "my interest is turning towards 🙏📿". Because some headlines do that to you.😐 They can't all be the Senate hearing room story.

[Acacia Sgt]

7 minutes ago, GuardianSing said:

Worrying ambitions aside, it would be supremely funny if the decades long two-party system of the US was ended by guy creating his own Trump party.

Honestly, I think in this case it could have a chance. Unlike Roosvelt's Bull Moose Party.

Then again, it's more likely that Trump's party simply replaces the GOP, thus preserving the two-party system. The GOP needs to have enough stuff left for them, and that's unlikely to happen if Trump leaves. Short of the Democrats also schism and one side merges with the GOP remnants.

8 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

"The United States sneezes, and the world catches a covid cold. -But Mexico is the only one with Uncle Sam's mucus on it (okay, maybe Canada too)."

At least Canada gets the more favorable analogy of being the US's hat.

[GuardianSing]

Double Colorado voting W

21 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Interesting. As in "my interest is turning towards 🙏📿". Because some headlines do that to you.😐 They can't all be the Senate hearing room story.

Living in a democracy is so stressful. I wish we lived in a dictatorship so the government could just do everything for us /s

15 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Honestly, I think in this case it could have a chance. Unlike Roosvelt's Bull Moose Party.

Then again, it's more likely that Trump's party simply replaces the GOP, thus preserving the two-party system. The GOP needs to have enough stuff left for them, and that's unlikely to happen if Trump leaves. Short of the Democrats also schism and one side merges with the GOP remnants.

It'll be hard to say. Lots of Republican politicians would be glad to see him gone just so they can get a leg up in the race but if they'd survive a GOP schism I don't know.

[Acacia Sgt]

2 minutes ago, GuardianSing said:

Living in a democracy is so stressful. I wish we lived in a dictatorship so the government could just do everything for us /s

Average Paradox Player in a nutshell.

2 minutes ago, GuardianSing said:

It'll be hard to say. Lots of Republican politicians would be glad to see him gone just so they can get a leg up in the race but if they'd survive a GOP schism I don't know.

It comes down again to the voter base. They understand if he leaves, the voters do so too.

[Interdimensional Observer]

1 minute ago, GuardianSing said:

Living in a democracy is so stressful. I wish we lived in a dictatorship so the government could just do everything for us /s

Imperiled democracy. A healthier one would be 😌.

And mind I'm totally a defeatist/doomer.

[Acacia Sgt]

Democracy is still kinda an experiment. It's sadly failing on many fronts...

Edited December 20, 2023 by Acacia Sgt

[Interdimensional Observer]

Poland has seemingly made the first step towards a recovery? -But then, I'm reminded of the Titanic. When the ship broke in two, the half that remained atop the water straightened out and remained afloat. -For all of one nonliteral second. Then the water displacement caused by the sinking of the other half resulted in the floating half to be quickly dragged into the watery abyss. Feels kinda like where the US may be right now.🛳️🌊😬

[Acacia Sgt]

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Poland has seemingly made the first step towards a recovery? -But then, I'm reminded of the Titanic. When the ship broke in two, the half that remained atop the water straightened out and remained afloat. -For all of one nonliteral second. Then the water displacement caused by the sinking of the other half resulted in the floating half to be quickly dragged into the watery abyss. Feels kinda like where the US may be right now.🛳️🌊😬

Hopefully the analogy doesn't go all the way. Since the half that sank second also imploded on itself due to the air inside. The first half was already mostly water-filled before plunging completely, so it reached the seafloor mostly intact.

You better hope you don't have to choose which way to sink, but if you have to, aim for the first half.

[Interdimensional Observer]

1 minute ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Hopefully the analogy doesn't go all the way. Since the half that sank second also imploded on itself due to the air inside. The first half was already mostly water-filled before plunging completely, so it reached the seafloor mostly intact.

Now that was a detail I didn't know.😮 Unlike the "fact" there was a waving polar bear atop the iceberg (the head baker who made that claim might've been drunk).

Thankfully analogies are pretty much always imperfect to some extent.

9 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

You better hope you don't have to choose which way to sink, but if you have to, aim for the first half.

To perish first and yet be preserved for posterity better. Well, given how little additional time above water the second half would had, you're probably right.

Either way, chatting of the tragic events a century past beats the present moment to me.😀

[Acacia Sgt]

11 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Now that was a detail I didn't know.😮 Unlike the "fact" there was a waving polar bear atop the iceberg (the head baker who made that claim might've been drunk).

Thankfully analogies are pretty much always imperfect to some extent.

Yeah. Basically, the front half, the one that sunk first, since that's where the water was coming in, the pressure inside gradually equalized with that of the ocean. So when it sunk, it simply sunk. The back half, still being full of air and not being sealed, it means the air remained inside when it sank but also had ways to be forced off. Then due to the difference in pressure, it collapsed. So the decks ended up pancaking on each other and turned into a pile of scrap when it hit the seafloor.

If I recall, the head baker was indeed drunk. Supposedly this helped him survive. Not because it heated his body up while in the cold water as some think, but rather because it actually helped him avoid panicking, so he could quickly swim to the capsized Collapsible B lifeboat and climb aboard.

The head baker also has the dubious honor of being the absolutely last person alive to leave the Titanic. Since when the back half was turning vertical, he was at the very back and climbed atop the rail. Also contrary to popular belief, the back-half wasn't sucked down immediately. It was a slow-ish descent. At least according to him, it was like riding down an elevator and his head didn't even got wet.

11 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

To perish first and yet be preserved for posterity better. Well, given how little additional time above water the second half would had, you're probably right.

Either way, chatting of the tragic events a century past beats the present moment to me.😀

I guess it at least provides a distraction, yep.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Acacia Sgt

[GuardianSing]

8 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Imperiled democracy. A healthier one would be 😌.

And mind I'm totally a defeatist/doomer.

To be fair, even in a quote on quote "healthy" democracy I'd like to think we'd still be actively talking about and participating in elections, federal and local. Emailing our representatives about bills and laws and taking the responsibility given to us by being in a universal suffrage democracy.

I would just like it to not be between the "I hate rights" and "I tolerate rights" parties.

12 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Democracy is still kinda an experiment. It's sadly failing on many fronts...

Biggest issue in the US I feel, aside from the electoral college, is just a tyranny of the majority. A democracy only works in making effective positive change if the majority of voters are actively participating in politics. But as it stands many people here live comfortably enough that they're willing to tone out politics entirely, even if there is still work to be done.

13 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Poland has seemingly made the first step towards a recovery? -But then, I'm reminded of the Titanic. When the ship broke in two, the half that remained atop the water straightened out and remained afloat. -For all of one nonliteral second. Then the water displacement caused by the sinking of the other half resulted in the floating half to be quickly dragged into the watery abyss. Feels kinda like where the US may be right now.🛳️🌊😬

It's a common theory among the whole left and right idea of politics that a pull from one end usually results in a hard pull from the other. It's why Berlin, arguably the most progressive city in Europe at the time, fell to the most inhumane regime in history, as Hitler easily gained the populist popularity from rural folks who were outraged at the liberal attitude of the city. Or why today the middle east is home to both Isis, one of the most regressive of religious terrorist organizations of our era, and Rojava, one of the most progressive democratic countries...just ever. 

Indeed it's where we get the term reactionary. Right-winged groups pushing for something more authoritarian as a reaction to progress.

And speaking of reactionaries and conservatives, here's what the reactionaries and conservatives of the Confederacy had to say about it during the Civil War, a war started as a reaction to a slavery abolitionist being elected president.

"It would have been well for us, if the seemingly pompous inanities of the Declaration of Independence, of the Virginia Bill of Rights and the Act of Religious Toleration had remained dead letters. Their charla­tanic, half-learned, pedantic authors, which rendered them most potent engines of destruction, [Believed that] all men are created equal. This is an infidel doctrine."
"We now come to the Southern Revolution of 1861, which we maintain was reactionary and conservative—a rolling back of the excesses of the Reformation—of Reformation run mad—a solemn protest against the doctrines of natural liberty, human equality and the social contract, as taught by Locke and the American sages of 1776, and an equally solemn protest against the doctrines of Adam Smith, Franklin, Say, Tom Paine, and the rest of the infidel political economists who maintain that the world is too much governed." -George Fitzhugh, 1863.

I think about these comically evil writings often whenever I see people say how proud they are to be conservative, think about how, in their flag waving and strong man supporting, how close they are to giving away their agency willingly.

...But anyways enough about that depressing stuff. Lets talk about the Henry Ford versus Karl Marx ERB video.

 

[Acacia Sgt]

16 minutes ago, GuardianSing said:

Biggest issue in the US I feel, aside from the electoral college, is just a tyranny of the majority. A democracy only works in making effective positive change if the majority of voters are actively participating in politics. But as it stands many people here live comfortably enough that they're willing to tone out politics entirely, even if there is still work to be done.

Considering things, isn't it actually tyranny of the minority? Since there is some disparity on how representation is actually distributed. Currently Republicans basically have less people to represent but carry equal or even more power than the Democrats. Just for starters, it was the minority who won in the 2016 elections. Since, yes, the Electoral College gives them that edge.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Acacia Sgt

[Codename Shrimp]

8 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Ys 11/5 Remake is GO!

Lessgo

2035 in the west

8 hours ago, Armagon said:

>Big industry leak

>Sony considering rasing game prices to $80-$100 in 2027

Sony.....bro.......what might you be doing?

 

....

Fuck Sony

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

This Genshin shit is serious bruh. This isn't even the first time I've heard of Genshin fans going full Chernobyl at the mere sight of a straight ship

I wish it was limited to Genshin Fandom (remember the Taion wip). This shit of attacking and harassing artists over art some found "offensive" iis quite the norm nowadays. Alot of times it includes doxxing, many times they try to destroy an artists social life/job, sometimes even to the point of death.

Yes, people lost their jobd and died over drawings and stories, and those "moral" types celebrate it.

 

Also more often than not these people who harass artists turn out to be criminals themselves

Or Minors. Minors who should be nowhere near fandoms while thinking they are delivering justice.

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

The Western game industry is facing the same problem as Hollywood. Massively inflated budgets and not enough of a return.

Meanwhile jp games are selling like hotcakes

7 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

I have scrolled past plenty of Genshin yaoi. -No surprise, BIG game. Even when the majority of its characters (or at the very least prominent ones) are female, it seems the merry men will find guys to fawn over and ship together.

And nothing is wrong with that - it's a fandom classic

Just tag appropriately.

No one should get attacked over any ship, ever. At the same time, no forcing headcanon/ship down people throats - like those idiots who attacked the artist

6 hours ago, Armagon said:

Ay yo?

 

Jo?

Still

Democrats picking Biden is super idiotic

He will not win

 

[Saint Rubenio]

10 hours ago, BrightBow said:

At the current price it's practically like stealing anyway.

I mean, fair, but no Steam sales is still a pretty awful look. Even the likes of EA do Steam sales lol

10 hours ago, Armagon said:

You joke but this is what Activision did with the latest Call of Duty. You literally needed Modern Warfare 2 (the remake) to even access Modern Warfare 3, at least at the beginning (it seems they went back on it but you can find the news articles).

That is what $70 DLC actually looks like.

This kind of shit cannot be condoned, lest Sony's prevision  swiftly become true.

9 hours ago, Armagon said:

Ay yo?

 

Oh dear. That's going to be interesting to witness.

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

Honestly, i'm glad 2024 is gonna be light on games for me. I think i'm gonna take that time to revisit games i need a refresher on. In particular, like half of Fire Emblem. Guardian's journey through the series makes me want to revisit some of these myself. Especially DS Emblem, i'm half convinced the reason i feel so indifferent towards them is because i played them on donkey doodoo dogshit-ass DeSume and not on the actually good MelonDS.

If you do, use Wrys and let us know how it goes.

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

I can only hope to keep on becoming a better man. Maybe make a couple new real life friends, if the planets align. Get a job. Maybe make another thing, hack, game, whatever. A little game might not be out of the question now that I could potentially make my own art assets if I'm conservative about them. I suppose we'll see.

6 hours ago, Armagon said:

there's another scenario: both Trump and Biden are pretty old. Trump is also noticeably living an unhealthy lifestyle. I would not be surprised if one or both kick the bucket before the elections. I would imagine Democrats at least have a contingency if Biden dies. Republicans put too many of their chips on Trump so idk.

I wouldn't count on this. They are both powerful and rich men. They have the best healthcare imaginable. Kissinger didn't live to 100 on pure evil, as funny as the memes are.

[Saint Rubenio]

Say, speaking of horrible pricing practices.

Payday 3's first DLC batch released a few days ago. It contains one heist, three weapons and a few cosmetics nobody cares about. This is the same content most DLC packs back in Payday 2 had. At its most money-grubby, Payday 2 sold you a pack containing this same amount of content for a little under 10 bucks (not 9.99, I call that 10). This was already not great.

Payday 3's first DLC batch costs 18 bucks, saving a whopping 2 bucks compared to buying it separately for 20. The level alone costs 10 bucks.

Holy. Fucking. Shit. This game deserves to fail.

[Codename Shrimp]

MarkyJoe is so back

14 minutes ago, Saint Rubenio said:

-snip-

Gaming really got too big for it's own good

[Lightcosmo]

5 hours ago, Shrimpy -Limited Edition- said:

No one should get attacked over any ship, ever. At the same time, no forcing headcanon/ship down people throats - like those idiots who attacked the artist

Why do people feel the need to blame the artists? 

[Saint Rubenio]

25 minutes ago, Shrimpy -Limited Edition- said:

MarkyJoe is so back

So this is what he was doing all this time. Looks interesting, I dig the visuals.

25 minutes ago, Shrimpy -Limited Edition- said:

Gaming really got too big for it's own good

Nah, this company has always been horrible. People have a really bad memory and got all surprised by PD3's shenanigans, but this is nothing new from Starbreeze/Overkill. For instance, back in 2015 they released a 20$ DLC pack that only gave four masks for PD2. It was described as a means to support the developers (as opposed to paying for all the other paid stuff in the game), and they promised there'd be a super duper amazing secret reward added later on for buyers of this pack.

Fast forward a few months later, Crimefest 2015. They added microtransactions to the game, despite the company's most notorious spokesman going on record at the Steam forums saying they'd NEVER add them. The super duper amazing secret reward for Completely Overkill Pack buyers turned out to be a single exclusive lootbox.

Like, I've stuck with PD2 because I find it a ton of fun to play, but trusting in this company not being greedy fucks is just idiotic lol

Edited December 20, 2023 by Saint Rubenio