BOSTON -- Draymond Green is many fascinating things on and off the court, all of which combine into a potent mix capable of supercharging a championship team or making it so combustible that it can wreck those ambitions from the inside.

Green is a future Hall of Famer. An all-time great defensive player. A funny, candid, thoughtful voice on hoops, and its intersection with things much more important. A provocateur. A broadcaster and podcaster who's effectively live streaming his own career and his team's pursuit of basketball immortality. A bold -- sometimes rash -- competitor. A clutch closer who can also careen into self-destruction. A guy who loves calling out others, yet will bristle at even minor criticism.

Green has been one of the key touchstones to the Warriors greatest achievements, and to their most bitter disappointments.

That may be more true today than at any other point in his career, especially with his Golden State Warriors tied heading into Wednesday's Game 3 of their NBA Finals series with the Boston Celtics.

Effective Draymond is a world-class winner, a player whose individual basketball impact and overall influence on his team are key to the Warriors greatness. Golden State has never lost a seven-game playoff series in which Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have started each game.

The need for Green to be great, and available, feels even starker now, with Thompson looking diminished and Green's own output in Games 1 and 2 directly connected to his team's respective loss and win so for far against Boston.

Take Game 2: Green's defense on Jaylen Brown helped turn off the Boston star's hot start, which was key in short circuiting a Celtics team that had been looking to put the series away early. Green's mind games can also prove critical, and they also toe that fine line between just right and too much.

But that's Green in a nutshell. He's a star so critical to his team's greatness that he must perfectly calibrate his unique competitive fire and how it expresses itself to be hero rather than heel. His approach is one that straddles all the lines -- between dirty and dogged, between awesome and downright annoying, between limiting an opposing star or limiting his own presence because he went too far. Between winning and losing.

The most glaring example of Way-Too-Far Draymond was on full display during the 2016 NBA Finals. The Warriors were favored that June to cement their epic 73-9 regular season and the mantle of the league's greatest team of all-time with a championship over LeBron James and his 57-25 Cleveland Cavaliers.

But Green crossed that line in that series, striking LeBron where (and when) he should not have. Late in Game 4, with Golden State less than three minutes from taking a 3-1 series lead, Green's actions led to him being suspended from a potential closeout game on the Warriors home floor. Instead, the incident provided enough of a momentum for the Cavs to rally all the way back, helping LeBron's legacy by providing the oxygen to simultaneously fuel the greatest comeback -- and collapse -- in NBA Finals history.

Green toed that line again Sunday, earning himself an early technical foul and then, as if he was daring the officials to give him another, flirted with ejection time after time. A play with Brown in particular, in which they both fell to the ground after Green fouled his three-point attempt, and then kept his feet on the Celtics star, pulled some collective gasps from the Chase Center crowd.

The tension was palpable as the play -- and, yet again, the very idea of Effective Draymond vs. Way-Too-Far-Draymond -- went under review.

Warriors fans had seen this show before, and it's one they would rather not relive: Their team is on a title track, with Draymond at its heart, and then that same star goes too far and costs the club dearly.

He wasn't ejected, and his nine points, five rebounds, seven assists, one steal and one block -- plus his exquisite defense -- helped the Warriors win.

But had he gone a little further on that play or several that followed or had the right official been around on the wrong day, disaster could have struck Golden State. Again.

That is one example of many. There's the Flagrant-2 that Green unleashed on Memphis' Brandon Clarke earlier in this postseason. That didn't lead to a suspension, but probably should have. Green's toes were over the line that night, yet he came out ahead.

As his stardom and thoughtfulness have rightfully given him an unprecedented platform in real time, Green's tough talk and willingness to say whatever the hell he wants has invited a new level of scrutiny and expectation -- for him, sure, but also his teammates.

It's one thing for Green to get to say to the media that Flagrant-2 was nothing. It's another to chastise Charles Barkley, in the NBA's most influential space, for not understanding the inherent blamelessness of one Draymond Green. That Memphis responded with a dangerous play that took Gary Payton II out of a chunk of the postseason is surely related.

Green's podcast and appearances on the NBA On TNT are great for those outlets, for us fans, for Draymond Green. The jury is still out on whether they benefit the Golden State Warriors.

Ask LeBron James about summoning massive expectations and angst and inviting the ire of the rest of the league. Those things were critical in the Heat failing to win an NBA title the first year of Miami's Big Three era.

Green is one of my absolute favorite players in the game, and his rebel-may-die approach on and off the court is captivating. Authenticity is rare, and rarer still when combined with actual greatness. But sometimes the rebel not caring has real consequences -- say like in 2016, or perhaps at some point in this series.

Go too far on the court, as he almost did in Game 2, and missing gametime could be enough to turn things the Celtics way. Go too far off it, and the Celtics may find that extra motivation and anger in deciding it's time to shut up the overconfident superstar, just as many wanted to with LeBron & Co. back in 2010.

Pressure is real, and too so are the forces that Green has the potential to unleash.

They say not to let your mouth write checks your body can't cash. In Draymond's case, whether it's the line he flirts with while playing or the lines he drops when he's not, he should be cautious not to write checks that his team won't be able to cash.

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2022 NBA Finals: Will Draymond Green be why the Warriors win another title, or why they'll wilt? - CBS Sports

Scientists discovered that adopting five or more healthy lifestyle practices boosted life expectancy even in those over the age of 80 and notably, people with chronic health conditions.

Osaka University researchers discovered that adjusting lifestyle behaviors can have a significant impact on lifespan, even in those with chronic health issues.

Ever since the beginning of civilization, humans have wanted to live longer. Whether it be the Fountain of Youth, Gilgameshs secret plant of immortality, or the elixir of life, the idea of immortality is incredibly prevalent in humanitys oldest and most well-known stories.

Unfortunately, immortality is only a myth. The average lifespan in the United States is nearly 79 years and it is unlikely to increase dramatically in the next few years. Still, scientists have been researching how to increase our longevity and have found promising results.

Idioms and proverbs emphasizing the significance of good health have been passed down for centuries. Many emphasize how closely health is linked to happiness and the ability to live a full and joyful life. A study published in Age and Ageing on May 11, 2022, by The Japan Collaborate Cohort (JACC) Study group at Osaka University examined the impact of adjusting lifestyle habits on life expectancy from middle age onwards. The researchers discovered that adopting five or more healthy lifestyle behaviors boosted life expectancy even in those over the age of 80, and, importantly, including those with chronic conditions.

Estimation for lifetime gain and 95% interval confidence (95% CI) according to the number of modifiable healthy lifestyles. Credit: 2022 R.Sakaniwa et al. Impact of modifiable healthy lifestyle adoption on lifetime gain from middle to older age. Age and Ageing

Lifespan is influenced by social factors such as socioeconomic level, policy factors such as subsidized healthcare access, and lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise. The current study used a baseline survey from the JACC study, a large research effort involving 49,021 people performed in 45 locations in Japan from 1988 to 1990. The goal was to learn about what variables that lead to cancer and cardiovascular disease death, therefore the questionnaire included questions on diet, exercise, alcohol use, smoking status, sleep duration, and body mass index. Each healthy activity was given a point, and the impact of changing these lifestyle habits on the expected lifetime was evaluated.

Estimation of lifetime gains at the age of 50, 65, and 80 years according to the number of modifiable healthy lifestyles among patients with none, single, double, and triple or more comorbidities. Credit: 2022 R.Sakaniwa et al. Impact of modifiable healthy lifestyle adoption on lifetime gain from middle to older age. Age and Ageing

The study continued until December 2009, by which time 8,966 individuals had died. The studys primary author, Dr. Ryoto Sakaniwa said. The results were very clear. A higher number of modified healthy behaviors was directly associated with great longevity for both men and women. The lifetime gains were highest for reducing alcohol intake, not smoking, losing weight, and increasing sleep, adding up to 6 years of life for healthy 40-year-olds.

This benefit was prominent even among older individuals (80 years or more) and those with one or more major comorbidities including cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and kidney disease, and in each life stage from middle age onwards. This is a particularly important finding given that the prevalence of chronic diseases has increased globally and is a major cause of death in older populations, says Senior author, Prof. Hiroyasu Iso. This is one of the first studies to measure the impact of improvements to health behavior among older individuals in a country with a national life expectancy achieving almost 85 years.

Comparison of estimated life expectancies age at 60 years. Credit: R.Sakaniwa

The finding that lifestyle improvements have a positive impact on health despite chronic health conditions and older age is an empowering one, especially given the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions and longer life. The findings of this study will contribute to the design of future healthcare settings, public health approaches, and policies that work in partnership with patients to promote healthy lifestyle choices.

Reference: Impact of modifiable healthy lifestyle adoption on lifetime gain from middle to older age by Ryoto Sakaniwa, Midori Noguchi, Hironori Imano, Kokoro Shirai, Akiko Tamakoshi, Hiroyasu Iso and The JACC Study Group, 11 May 2022, Age and Ageing.DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac080

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Researchers Discover How Nearly Everybody Can Increase Their Lifespan - SciTechDaily

LIVING AND DYING WITH MARCEL PROUST by Christopher Prendergast

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Marcel Prousts death, and writers on both sides of the Atlantic are producing books on every aspect of his life, just as museum curators are organizing relevant exhibitions and musicians are recording the work that influenced the writer. (Proust even wrote texts meant to be recited to piano music by his boyfriend, Reynaldo Hahn.)

Proust has become the premier novelist of the 20th century. Every aspect of his uneventful but hugely productive life has been studied. Jean-Yves Tadi has devoted his adult life to researching his biography. In Search of Lost Time has been translated into nearly every language and several times into English. Library shelves groan under the thousands of volumes about the originals for his memorable characters, the theater he loved, the few cities he visited, his bizarre sex practices and so on. Christopher Prendergasts splendid new book, Living and Dying With Marcel Proust, revisits all the various threads woven into this intricate tapestry. Sometimes reading him feels like, say, seeing all of Venice in a gondola, seated beside a patient, smiling, all-knowing art historian though at moments we just want to be quiet and listen to the water.

Most of Prousts devoted readers concentrate on characters and on the roles of time, memory, art and love in his vast masterpiece. Prendergast, a fellow of Kings College, Cambridge, and the general editor of Penguins reissue of Prousts work, has drawn on his encyclopedic knowledge to cohere Prousts wide-ranging, scattered references: everything from the crucial device of metaphor to a wonderfully playful chapter on food, especially naturally pastry. A madeleine dunked in a tisane may catalyze the entire novel, but the narrator is equally beguiled by dishes prepared by his childhood cook, Franoise, the boeuf la mode served to a vacuous diplomat, the wonderful croissants accompanying his breakfast coffee, even the look and taste of asparagus, steeped in ultramarine and pink. Asparagus leads him into a discussion of Chardins still lifes as well as to the post-asparagus stench of the chamber pot.

But what of the titular living and dying? Prendergasts organization is more fruitful than logical. His chapters, typically, are named Days, My Name Is Might-Have-Been or The Quiver of Life. These headings allow Prendergast to quarry nuggets of gold from the vast complexity of Prousts book. He reminds us again and again of the delights of daily life, of sex, food, music, painting (though not of friendship, for which the narrator has little respect), but also of the equal and final majesty of death. Prendergast feels the entire long novel is death-haunted and cites Prousts verdict: Our love of life is no more than an old affair that we do not know how to discontinue. Its strength lies in its permanence. But death, which interrupts it, will cure us of our desire for immortality.

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How to Navigate the Proust-Industrial Complex - The New York Times

Jhim in the first moment? Or is this world of space, time, and matter always present? It is known that philosophy has differed on this matter since Aristotle contradicted his teacher Plato. In his dialogue Timaeus, he wrote that there was no such thing as a period of time before the appearance of heaven, meaning that the world and time began to move at the same time. But Aristotle demanded the immortality of the world. Immanuel Kant I finally declare that the question is unsolvable. In his major epistemological work, he presented it in 1781 as a contradiction of pure reason: both the beginning of time and the limits of the universe as well as against all logical proofs can be presented but neither can be true. Kant wanted to show how easily a ship could be wrecked with pure, i.e., non-empirical thinking.

Ulf von Rauchaupt

Editor in the Science section of the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper on Sunday.

The question arises whether this is so, and to what extent empirical natural science can answer the question. In fact, this person went much further than Kant thought possible. Modern astrophysics can claim, on the best empirical grounds, that the observable universe 13.8 billion years ago was a hot, dense ball say the size of a grapefruit and then expanded to its present size. This is the Big Bang theory. Today it is universally accepted, even if there is resistance, including from the beginning Albert Einstein.

Total coffee aficionado. Travel buff. Music ninja. Bacon nerd. Beeraholic.

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Science reaches the limit of knowledge - Socialpost

Sasha talks to us about the concept of time in her poem and describes how university has helped her explore writing further

The five minute leewayBetween clocks south and north striking twelve,A disagreement of cosmic measurement A dance of timeLinearity cannot step with.

An hourly infinityWhere all stands undefined,eternal, ephemeral When reality fails to enforce,And clocks cannot endorse,And indefinity preoccupies the mindsOf the inattentive

We wonder when we stand

And as the north clock strikes,We listen to its final chime,Awaiting our next five minute eternity.

First off, I wanted to ask Sasha for a deeper insight into the background of her poem and its inspiration. She tells me that it came after a period of writers block, during which she felt she ought to have been writing about really great themes that poetry has often written about, like love, loss, immortality and family but found these themes impenetrable and difficult to access.

I found it really disheartening and I stopped writing poetry for a while; and then I went to a Poetry Society and I had the privilege of hearing the incredible Isobel Maxwells poem called My Mother Makes Marmalade, and I found it so inspiring.

It accessed all these themes through this very domestic image and beautiful motif of an orange that had been woven throughout the poem really elegantly; and it made me realise that poetry didnt have to be so overt in its exploration of bigger experiences, but that it can access things through everyday life. And so it made me look at the beauty in everyday objects and the poetry of small things, and thats when I noticed there was this five minute difference between when the bells chime on Kings Parade: thats where the idea for the poem came from.

Sasha goes on to explain that time is a concept of particular interest to her and thus runs as a motif throughout her poetry. In Five Minutes particularly, the sense of times eternality is designed to be ironic in a way, since it is at the point of twelve that you notice more immediately this eternity of time, although at the same time it is subjective and something weve dictated on our own but we also clearly arent set on measuring.

Moreover, each technique employed is designed to fragment the poem and convey a sense of irregularity. Rhyme is used only in the middle to create a sudden sense of pace, and enjambment helps mimic the flow of time. But above all as Sasha is keen to emphasise there is deliberately no consolidation to the methods, and the stanzas are broken up unequally to show this fragmentation of time that I was trying to echo through the metaphor of the clocks.

Home is further theme woven through the poem, which Sasha says comes from the difficulty upon coming to university of pinpointing exactly where home is.

I feel like uni is a time when its often really difficult to locate where home is, so I thought Id locate it in a when rather than a where and see how that settled. I feel like every time I hear that chime now, I do feel a sense of relief having noticed and explored this beauty in it, and its similar to the relief that people often associate with home. So I thought it was interesting to explore that home can be in a different realm to the physical.

Sasha finds that poetry-writing, aside from being an outlet, is also just a really fruitful way of exploring an idea, seeing as it can be so specific, and yet you have the liberty to be abstract with it at the same time.

I also like how it has no bounds, and you dont have to follow it necessarily in a straight order: you can dissect it throughout and incapsulate it in this fragmentation. But I find it a really cathartic way to organise my thoughts and almost realise what Im feeling as Im writing it.

However, beyond this more individualistic side to writing, Sasha has also found enjoyment in the communal experience of poetry societies, wherein students have the chance to share their work with others.

Ive always tried to write poetry, though Ive done it more since coming to uni because I attend a few poetry societies, and that really inspired me to get going again. A lot of students read and write their poetry there, so this literary community really spurred me to write more; and I just found it a really inspiring environment because I often considered writing to be solitary, and so this more communal aspect of it was really fun.

As for her influences, Sasha cites Emily Dickinson, a 19th century American poet who only began to rise to prominence after her death, as well as Sufjan Stevens, a current American singer-songwriter.

[Dickinsons poems] almost feel like a series of comments that work not only as individual lines, but also as part of a greater whole. I like that you can read them singularly but also within the greater aspect of both all her poetry and the poem itself. I think her writing is so incredible and so beautiful.

I know hes not a poet but Ive also been really into Sufjan Stevens recently and Ive been treating his music as poetry. Its interesting to look at different expression of poetry, and how sound and the way that we would take it in is a different experience of poetry to just reading it.

Thats all for Week 6s poetry feature, but there are still a few weeks left to submit your poems! Just email The Tabs Poetry Editor ([emailprotected]) with your submission. It would be great to hear from you!

Feature image credits: Keira Quirk

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Week 6 Poem of the Week: 'Five Minutes' by Sasha Brealey - The Tab

You know how the Baseball Hall of Fame voting went from a fun, harmless conversation we got to have that provided hundreds of hours of sports TV and radio every year into a tedious, desultory, soul-crushing referendum on PEDs and Curt Schilling's social media posts? To the point you just dread the thing you used to enjoy?

Well a similar dynamic has threatened the Patriots Hall of Fame voting over the last few years. And that is, every year when three names are put on the ballot, the issue of one name that's not on the ballot sucks all the air out of the room. And that name is Bill Parcells. The Parcells stans in Boston media are not as numerous as they once were, in that way there are fewer World War II vets in your town's Memorial Day parade every year. But like the men who saved the world from tyranny in the '40s, they are a fiercely loyal bunch. And can't simply stay focused on how great, say, Vince Wilfork's career was and how much he deserves the immortality Pats fans bestowed upon him. They want their Tuna in. Like the very justification for the existence of the Hall at Patriots Place depends on his induction. And they suggest the only thing standing between this grave injustice and their dream coming true is that meddling Kraft family. And not Parcells' .500 record in New England (32-32 regular season, 2-2 postseason) or the dozens of calls he made to the Jets offices from his hotel room in New Orleans when he was supposed to be getting his team ready for the Super Bowl. Until that wrong is righted, in their eyes no one can truly be free.

Which brings us to Romeo Crennel. Who could - and should - be the first coordinator inducted into the Patriots Hall. If you want a cause to take up, you could not have a better one.

I concede that RAC was only in charge of the Patriots defense for four seasons. Which, coincidentally, is exactly how long Parcells was here. The difference being that Crennel left after four years because he was wildly successful and turned himself into the hottest head coaching candidate in the league. And that interest was vindicated by the fact he's still drawing an NFL paycheck 17 years later and is leaving football of his own volition just a few days shy of his 75th birthday. Parcells, in contrast, left in 1997 after four years because he didn't like getting questions from Mr. Kraft, the man who wildly overspent $175 million of his own money to save the franchise a couple of years earlier.

And what did Crennel accomplish in those four seasons? He was the leader of a defensive unit that had one of the best runs in the modern history of football. The year before he came to Foxboro, the 2000 Patriots allowed the 15th most points in the league. In his first season, they improved to 6th fewest.

In the years 2003-04, when the Pats had the best back-to-back seasons in NFL history, winning two Super Bowls and going 34-4 in that stretch, Crennel's defenses gave up the fewest and second fewest points in the league, respectively. That '03 team was particularly nasty. They had three shutouts on the season and were one garbage time score by Jacksonville from putting together six straight home games without giving up a touchdown. The combined a league low 11 passing touchdowns with a league high 29 interceptions and 121 passes defensed, for an astonishing passer rating against of just 56.2. To put that in perspective, the Browns Kordell Stewart was 32nd among all QBs with a passer rating of 56.8. So the Patriots turned every quarterback they faced into the worst in football.

More to the point is what Crennel's teams did when it counted most. Not only did they go 9-0 in the postseason in his tenure, they beat league MVPs Rich Gannon, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Steve McNair and Peyton Manning (twice). The game plan to beat The Greatest Show on Turf Rams belongs in Canton. Crennel and Bill Belichick determined Mike Martz's entire scheme ran through the running back. And as the NFL Films version of the game put it, "The plan was to hit Marshall Faulk when he had the ball. And hit him when he doesn't." Mission accomplished.

But the numbers they did on Manning and the Colts in those two postseasons are where Crennel's true greatness shone through. Two weeks after Manning had a perfect passer rating in the 2003 Wild Card against Denver and a week after he posted a 22-for-30, 73.3%, 304 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 138.7 passer rating against Kansas City, the Patriots produced this gem: 23-for-47, 48.9%, 237 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs, 35.5 passer rating. A game in which Hall of Famer Ty Law caught as many of Manning's passes (3) as Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. And had more yards on his returns than Harrison on his receptions.

And as a testament to Crennel's genius, the Colts Bill (Na)Polian, who just happened to be on the Rules Committee, got the league to essentially outlaw the Patriots physical style of play. And so the next postseason, a week after the Colts put up 49 on Denver without having to punt, the Pats held them to 3 points. The game after that, these three glorious sons of bitches were taking a Gatorade shower together for the third and final time.

Of course Belichick gets most of the credit. And deserves it. But if you ask him - and someone most definitely will later on today, he'll tell you with first hand knowledge how indispensable RAC was in those early days of the Dynasty. Give this man his due and put him in the Hall in Foxboro. It's the only way to cap off his incredible career. Andthat will be justice.

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Romeo Crennel Belongs in the Patriots Hall of Fame - Barstool Sports

In the world of Dungeons and Dragons, the lich is one of the deadliest challenges for any adventuring party. When it comes to plundering lost dungeons for treasure, disturbing a lich's lair is very likely. One of the deadliest adventures from the TTRPG's earliest days, the dreaded Tomb of Horrors, is infamously about braving a gauntlet of traps and deadly encounters set by a lich.

In fact, one of the most popular liches in the game is Vecna The Whispered One. He is a lich so influential he has become (as far as anyone else is concerned) an undead god. Artifacts bearing his name have appeared in multiple D&D adventures. He has appeared as a major antagonist in the beloved Dungeon and Dragons liveplay series, Critical Role. And now, even the newest villain in the latest season of Stranger Things bears his name.

So what exactly is it about these boney spellslingers that have made them so enduring as staples of fantasy role-playing games? Why has the cache of certain names like Vecna or Acererak endured for over forty years?

Well, we here at TechRaptor decided to reach out to Wizards of the Coast about the place liches have in their vast fantasy universe and what makes them so compelling. This lead to us having a lovely correspondence with Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition's Lead Designer himself, Chris Perkins.

First, what sets a lich apart from other undead in Dungeons and Dragons? Unlike vampires, zombies, or ghosts, the creation of a lich happens when a spellcaster usually a wizard decides to undergo a transformation for immortality. They actively choose to perform a horrendous magic ritual, the steps are kept vague for Game Masters and storytellers to fill in the gruesome details for themselves, to rip out their soul, place it into a magical box called a phylactery, and preserve their mind from rot and decay, all at the cost of their body withering away to a shell. As long as the phylactery remains intact, the lich can simply reform its body while retaining all knowledge and experience it had in life.

It is because of this functional immortality combined with the lich's obsession with knowledge that makes them so terrifying. It plays into a very primal fear of most people with academic pursuits: that desire to learn more and to ensure that knowledge is retained forever. As Perkins himself stated, The quest for knowledge is something all great minds can appreciate, but the underlying irony is that some knowledge probably should remain hidden.

It is that last part, the idea of knowledge that should remain hidden, that seems to characterize Dungeons and Dragons' most notable liches. The demilich Acererak, the big bad of Tomb of Annihilation, attempts to birth a new evil god by draining the souls of the recently deceased with the aid of a device he devised. Those who seek the wisdom of Vecna must find his missing eye and hand, then replace their own limbs with these mummified relics. Even more benign liches like Exethanter, librarian of the Amber Temple within the mountains of Barovia, imparted the knowledge of communing with The Dark Powers; leading to the creation of the first vampire Strahd Von Zarovich. All of this thanks to these undead scholars' centuries of unfettered archival and study.

But there is a certain tragedy to liches as well. In order for their minds to remain sharp and active, a lich must actively consume the souls of the living. If this doesn't happen, they begin to fade, their vast knowledge withering away like their bodies. There's a good chance that even after all of that sacrifice and relentless thirst for knowledge and wisdom, a lich can be doomed to an eternity of nothing else to learn.

One of the earlier liches I remember was Larloch, who lived like a hermit in the depths of a dungeon in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. Larloch was interesting to me because, despite his immortality and great power, he couldnt figure out a way to exist in the world of the living, so he sequestered himself in a dark sepulcher until he was all but forgotten. Thats really sad, but it says something about the lichs paradox: power and longevity dont actually amount to much in the end.

But by that same token, liches are highly motivated individuals. Because of that, their goals and desires can be just as diverse as any adventuring party at any gaming table. For Game Masters out there that want to embody the power and menace of a lich, these crucial questions need to be answered. What knowledge is the lich seeking? What rivals, if any, stand in their way? Perhaps, they seek the knowledge found within the Book of Vile Darkness, allegedly penned by Vecna himself? For these characters, lichdom isn't the ultimate goal, it is just another means to an end. But other than those specific details, a lich can be just about anything, as Perkins was quick to share.

After Vecna, my favorite lich is Vlaakith the Lich Queen, the supreme undead ruler of the githyanki. I wrote an adventure about her titled The Lich Queens Beloved (Dungeonmagazine, issue 100). Vlaakith holds court in the city of Tunarath, which is built on the back of a dead god in the Astral Plane. In Vlaakith, we see a lich who is leveraging her power and immortality to hold sway over a plane-spanning kingdom. She essentially has the power and influence of a god.

Alternatively, perhaps the lich isn't evil to begin with? For all of the drubbing that the Dungeons and Dragons community gave Fourth Edition, it did include some unique ideas. One of them was a special Epic Destiny certain magic-users could attain: The Archlich. You figure out the secrets of lich immortality, but without any gruesome human sacrifice or bodily mutilation. This means that good, charitable, and even altruistic liches can exist in the D&D multiverse. Perkins himself even agreed. Its certainly possible. I think its fun to have powerful spellcasting characters pursue lichdom as an epic destiny, since it leads to interesting story possibilities.

It is with all of these traits in mind that it becomes obvious why liches are so iconic in Dungeons and Dragons. From a storytelling perspective, there is a lot of texture to come from arcane scholars that delve too deep into the mysteries of magic. As a vehicle for fantastic battles and setpieces, they are a playground for Game Masters to escalate the challenge for their players.

It's why for many players the name of Vecna, the very first lich introduced in the earliest days of Dungeons and Dragons, is associated with devlish schemes, ruthless ambition, and terrifying power. The Whispered One is as synonymous with this game as polyhedral dice, Beholders, and Gelatinous Cubes.

With that in mind, it is no surprise his name is invoked in Stranger Things. While the Netflix series created by The Duffer Brothers wears a lot of its influences on its sleeve, 1980s genre film and Stephen King to name a few, the largest one by far is Wizards of the Coast's iconic tabletop RPG. The main cast are avid players of the game, using various terms and shorthand to give an explanation to the fantastical monsters they confront. These invocations have included the terrifying Demogorgon in Season 1 as well as the possessing, personality-eroding Mind Flayer in Seasons 2 and 3. If the ultimate mind behind the terrible forces threatening the small town of Hawkins and the world were to have a name, one that feels ominous and inevitable,Vecna would fit perfectly.

In fact, the promotional material showing the show's version of Vecna bears a striking resemblance to an official redesign of the character released by Wizards of the Coast. When asked about creative collaboration with the Netflix series, Senior Creative Director of Wizards Franchise Development, Jeremy Jarvis stated the following:

The Netflix team reached out to the Wizards Franchise Development Team, which is part of Wizards of the Coast but separate from the D&D Studio that works on theDungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game. Stranger Things shared their unique angle on Vecna for their universe and Franchise was able to share our new design and then together look for opportunities to collaborate in exciting ways.

Considering that Wizards of the Coast have worked with Netflix on cross-promotion in the past, this means we might see more of The Upside Down's version of Vecna at our gaming tables in the future. It also means that new players at the table will have a better idea of what to expect when these skeletal mages appear in their sessions.

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Liches, Vecna, and Stranger Things: Our Interview With Chris Perkins - TechRaptor

On May 31, 2022, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke at the "Dr. Kissinger and China-U.S. Relations" symposium. He said that the world is faced with new challenges and that countries should join hands in building a world with a shared future and shared security, interconnectivity, development, diversity, and inclusiveness. He said that the United States and China share an obligation to take on this task, but that the damage done to U.S.-China relations by the Trump administration has not yet been repaired. He also said that U.S.-China relations cannot be allowed to deteriorate anymore, and that America must abandon its "extreme anxiety" and Cold War mentality. In addition, he warned that if the U.S. treats China as an enemy, this will become a "self-fulfilling prophecy." Wangs address was posted to the CCTV Video News Agency YouTube channel on June 2, 2022.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: "As an old Chinese saying goes, a man with a great virtue enjoys longevity. Benjamin Franklin, one of the U.S. founding fathers, observed that if one wants to win immortality for one's name, he/she needs to do two things: either write things worth reading or do things worth writing. Dr. Kissinger, you have done both.

"The world today is faced with new changes unseen in a century. The raging COVID-19 pandemic, the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict and the darkening clouds of the Cold War all call for an answer from us to this question: Where should the world go? We should join hands in building a world with a shared future and shared security, a world of interconnectivity, openness and development, a world of diversity and inclusiveness with common progress, a world that leaves no country or individual behind, a world filled with possibilities and promising future.

"Building such a world is an obligation and responsibility that China and the United States must take on. Whether they can manage their relations well is a question of the century, to which the two countries must give a good answer. President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden both agree that China and the United States should respect each other, coexist in peace and avoid confrontation.

"President Biden reiterated on multiple occasions the five important pledges of the U.S. side, including not seeking a new Cold War with China and not supporting Taiwan independence. But in reality, the China-U.S. relationship has not stepped out of the difficult situation created by the previous U.S. administration. It is even facing more and more challenges.

"The narration of China-U.S. relationship histories is being deliberately distorted, and its future is in danger of being further taken in the wrong direction. The relationship cannot be allowed to deteriorate anymore. We must make the right choice. It is imperative to build the right strategic perception and to abandon the Cold War mentality.

"The current atmosphere surrounding China-U.S. relations is quite abnormal. The U.S. side's extreme anxiety is totally unnecessary. China's overwhelming task is to focus on its own development and meet the people's aspirations for a better life. If the U.S. insists on taking China as a threat or even an enemy, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy, bringing disasters to the two countries and the entire humanity. It is imperative to consolidate the political foundation and properly manage differences."

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: U.S. Must Abandon Its Cold War Mentality; If They Treat Us Like An Enemy, This Will Become A Self-Fulfilling...

Eddie Liu suggested this season of Kung Fu should be called Daddy Issues.

It seems like everyone except the Shen family are dealing with dad problems. Mias (Vanessa Yao) father sold her out to Russell Tan (Kee Chan). Juliette (Annie Q) was straight up murdered by her dad ollowed by Kerwin (Ludi Lin), whose father took over his body as a vessel.

As for Lius character, Henrys estranged father Daniel (Terry Chen), who abandoned his family years ago, returned to make amends with his son, revealing the truth behind his absence. Daniel is part of the Wan Zei, an organization that protects the world from the supernatural, and wanted to keep Henry away from that life. But, like father, like son, Henry has become a part of that world and, together, they team up to fight Russell Tans plan for immortality. Unfortunately, Daniel is shot after saving Henrys life, leaving the episode on a cliffhanger until next weeks episode. Its a lot to process, especially for Henry who just welcomed his father back into his life and Liu agrees.

To have his dad come back into his life in such a literally hard hitting way, it definitely takes him for a loop, Liu tells The Nerds of Color. The crazy thing is, up until this point, I dont think Henry has really had that much time to process where [or] how things are with his dad. This is really intense. These intense extremes of lows to highs that youve seen from [Henry] when Danny comes back into his life and where theyre at now. I dont think Henry has had too much of a process [to think about it].

Still, Liu believes Henry is coming to understand his fathers journey and dedication to serving the greater good. Liu, himself, doesnt buy the excuse for Daniel leaving the family, but he says Henry has a lot of compassion to forgive his father.

The ironic thing is that all this time he thought all these negative things about his father being absent and dishonorable, like running away from the family, [but] Henry is so much more like his father than anyone ever could have expected, says Liu.

Of course, the storyline isnt just focused on Henrys relationship with his father, but also Henry finally standing up for himself in his relationship with Nicky (Olivia Liang). After an intense argument between the fan-favorite couple, Henry tells her that they need to work together as partners in this relationship instead of Nicky making decisions, that affect both of them, without consulting him. Although Liu doesnt agree with the timing of the confrontation (Ryan was in the hospital), he says what Henry said is valid. In order to work, Nicky and Henry have to work as a team.

Liu revealed more details on Henrys relationship with his father and Nicky, as well as figuring out his place in this supernatural world. Of course, we talk about ships, with Liu revealing shit [does] get weird in the finale.Interesting.

Check out the conversation below:

Honestly, Id like to see a series of Henry and Daniel as fighting duos. I love Terry Chen. With what happened to his dad, and if Daniel survives, do you feel like Henry would like to travel with his dad for a bit to get to know him and work together with the promise of returning to Nicky, of course?

Henry would absolutely be game to repair his relationship with his father to learn about what his father has been up to all these years and what this mission that hes been serving as a lifelong member of the Wan Zei. Theres this great moment in episode 7 when Henry is very much reluctant to team up with his dad, especially because his dads team just kidnapped him before that. But, theres a great moment when theyre stealing the painting to give back to the original owners, and he sees his father show real honor in the heat of battle and that definitely earned some respect and some honor points in Henrys book regarding Danny. So I do think that with time and seeing that his father isnt this bad person. [Danny] didnt know any better as far as how to be a better dad. I mean, Danny does kind of give a poor excuse as to why he chose to stay out his sons life but I think Henry has enough compassion and patience to see theres a possibility to explore that relationship. And yeah, I think that Nicky would be very supportive of something like that for Henry trying to make amends with his dad in the long term.

Lets break it down here. Nicky and Henry had their first fight this season with Henry feeling like its always been about Nicky and now his feelings. I know they made up at the end of the episode, but things dont usually get resolved like that in real life. How is Henry still feeling about that whole thing?

I feel like Henry has been taken for a real loop this season. He just needed to be heard. I know that were glad that they were able to resolve it in that episode. Personally, I wasnt feeling so comfortable about Henrys timing, regarding when he brought it up given that Nickys brother was fighting for his life in the hospital. But there is a lot of validity where hes coming from. This has to be a team effort. Weve seen Henry and Nicky be great partners. Sometimes all the best bands and all the best duos in the world have to address some relationship issues.

It is hard being the boyfriend of a supernatural chosen one. There is something to be said about superheroines protecting their significant others and how some men cant help but feel helpless. I know Henry is secure with himself, but I know theres some hidden masculinity issues behind it. How does Henry feel about it?

I think Henry has zero issues with his masculinity [or] any insecurity as far as his girlfriend being the chosen one and being the sheer dominant superhero force this generations warrior. He understands the lore. He understands her destiny. For any team to fire on all cylinders and succeed together, they just have to be willing to work together and just hear each other out. Other than that, Henry is just incredibly supportive and fully on board with his girl being the warrior.

Henry does have so many amazing skills hes a fighter, knowledgeable in history, a pickpocket/thief does he feel like he could do more than just be in the Shooby Gang or is he complacent because the love of his life is there?

Henry is a real team player. Hes gonna find whatever role needs to be done. There is a role for everyone in this team and it goes beyond Henry. You see Althea (Shannon Dang) brings to the table and Ryan (Jon Prasida), Evan (Gavin Stenhouse), and even Dennis (Tony Chung) as well. We love it when everybody contributes to the team like that and thats just me speaking as a fan. We, the cast, love seeing the group together because we love to work together but you see that the strength of team good guys Scooby gang really lies in its cohesion and unity.

I do want to focus more on Henry than the Shooby gang, because yeah, we all love seeing the Shooby gang come together, but we know Henry can do so much more and be a hero of his own. Will we see that he feels like he could do more than just be in San Francisco with the group versus traveling the world and using his skills on a wider range?

Henry is super focused on the mission at hand. He isnt really the kind of person to make it about himself. Hopefully, when we can take the bad guys [down], theyll have a little time to take a sabbatical, write a book, take a painting [class] or something like that. I do think that Henry does have so many skills and there is a lot of potential to explore how much he could grow both as a fighter and makeshift spy. Hes gonna explore more. Hes gonna want to explore more ways to serve the greater good and to help those in need whether thats with his team or anyone else outside of that.

Obviously, Im going to talk about ships because its me. I do want to ask this because Ive asked Olivia and Gavin this, because it still blows my mind that Nicky, Henry, and Evan have a wonderful and healthy relationship. Evan and Henry seem like best friends despite the fact that Evan was Nickys former lover and not too long ago, investigated Henrys past. So whats up with this friendship?

Sometimes things seem a little too good to be true. It takes something like a fictional TV show to put that in the minds of the audience that, hey, we can all strive to be better. We can all be like that even if we dont see it that much in real life. That doesnt mean that we cant work for it [or] that doesnt mean it cant ever exist. Were really relieved that we dont have to make Henry and Evan into these petty toxic bros fighting for Nickys attention. That storyline has been done in so many different ways and its cool to see that [these two characters[ can be above that. We definitely had our fun playing [with that] and some of those colors in season 1. But we do really love the point that theyve arrived at.

I spoke to Gavin about these relationships and asked if he believes theres a chance for Nevan to happen again. We know there is a third season and he said you never know that there could be a catalyst to create a fight between the ships. Whats your take on what could potentially happen for season 3 regarding your characters relationship with Nicky because its a CW series, the potential love triangle?

All of that is still in play. We never know. We dont even know what direction it could go in. As long as youre staying true to what these characters stand for and who they are as people at their core. If a rivalry comes back [or] if theres conflict in the ships, as long as you shoot these characters doing what feels real and honest, then were game to play that, for sure.

The episode ended on a cliffhanger and so many lives are on the line. I know you cant tell us much, but what can you tell us about the season finale?

Shit is gonna get weird. Yeah. If you dont think its weird already, it will get even weirder. I will say that I really enjoy asking friends and family what their predictions are. Its really fun not answering them and just listening and knowing that no one can predict whats coming.

Are we going to see Zhilan (Yvonne Chapman) end up being Eddies mother? [Joke reference to a fan theory]

It is a fantasy show. All it takes is one witch and one spell gone real weird and yeah. I hope that one day that if that does come true, a fan is ready to make some fanart like the Monster-In-Law poster, but instead of Jane Fonda, itll be Yvonne [Chapman] and then Nicky doing the uh-oh face.

Kung Fus season finale airs next week on Wednesday at 9pm on The CW.

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Kung Fus Eddie Liu on Henrys Daddy Issues and His Place In The Shooby Gang - The Nerds of Color

Its June, and video game fans across the globe know what that means its not E3. Again. The old, in-person gaming show has been canceled for the third year in a row, but this summer will still be filled with news and virtual events, thanks in large part to Canadas sweetheart Geoff Keighley.

It all takes place in early June, which is like right now, so lets take a look at the schedule for Summer Game Fest and break down what to expect from the studios involved.

Summer Game Fest is less a singular event and more a state of mind. It comprises a handful of virtual shows spread over 10 days, starting on June 2nd with the PlayStation State of Play stream. This one already happened, and it was short and sweet, focusing on content for PlayStation VR 2. Capcom kicked things off with a reveal of the Resident Evil 4 remake, the announcement of a VR version of Resident Evil: Village, and a release window of 2023 for Street Fighter 6. Square Enix also showed off the first gameplay trailer for Final Fantasy XVI, complete with a 2023 timeframe for launch. Oddly enough, theres still no word on when the PSVR2 will actually come out.

Capcom

After that, Activision is hosting its own little party for the reveal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II on June 8th at 1pm ET. The game is a sequel to 2019's Modern Warfare and a reboot of the series. This show literally just wrapped up, and Activision shared its plans to bring Modern Warfare II's technology to the new Warzone, which will land after October this year. No Russian, the controversial airport mission from the original Modern Warfare II, will not be included in the reboot.

Summer Game Fest officially kicks off with a big live-streamed event on June 9th at 2pm ET. Hosted by Keighley, the show is expected to be two hours long and will feature announcements from the usual suspects, including 2K, Atlus, Bloober Team, Capcom, EA, Epic Games, Warner Bros. and Square Enix. The Day of the Devs stream directly after the main show will spotlight indie games specifically, backed by iam8bit and Double Fine.

Not much has been publicly confirmed for the kickoff show, but well definitely get a fresh look at Gotham Knights, an appearance by The Rock, and lots of raw gameplay footage, according to Keighley. Even with State of Play last week, theres still room for Capcom to drop some details about DLC for Resident Evil: Village, and for Square Enix to showcase Forspoken, which comes out in October. Atlus may show off something in the Persona universe, and rumor has it Bloober Team is working on a Silent Hill game but it could also be building a new Layers of Fear.

Next on the calendar is indie publisher Devolver Digital, with a Twitch stream on June 9th at 6pm ET, the same night as the main Summer Game Fest event. Its Devolver, so this shows gonna be weird. Its gonna have a lot of f-bombs. Its gonna leave you with the feeling that Devolver is scrappy and relatable, but also way too cool for you. Its gonna try really hard to disguise the fact that yes, even Devolvers show is simply another long ad from a company entrenched in the video game industrys multibillion dollar corporate system but most of all, I bet itll be funny as hell. Devolver always puts on a good show, and they always have a rich roster of indie developers to choose from. This year should be no different, with Suda51 hosting the stream and recent hits like Deaths Door, Inscryption, Trek to Yomi and Weird West on the publishers roster.

Half Mermaid

On June 10th, theres a Netflix Geeked Week stream followed by a Tribeca Games Spotlight focusing on a curated selection of upcoming indie titles, including Immortality, Thirsty Suitors, As Dusk Falls and Oxenfree II. And then, on June 12th, its time for the most E3 event of the summer the Xbox and Bethesda showcase.

The Xbox and Bethesda stream kicks off at 1pm ET on Sunday, June 12th. There are no confirmed announcements so far, but the shows cosmic marketing scheme suggests well see something from Starfield, Bethesdas huge new sci-fi RPG. This will be bittersweet for anyone whos been following the games development just last month, Bethesda delayed Starfieldinto the first half of 2023, pushing it back from an initial release date of November 11th, 2022. Aside from a few teaser videos and dev diaries, we havent seen much of Starfield, and the Xbox show is the ideal time to break out some actual gameplay and maybe even convince fans that the delay will be worthwhile.

Its very possible well get a good look at another delayed Bethesda property Redfall, the open-world, co-op vampire shooterdeveloped by Dishonored studio Arkane. Redfall was originally supposed to come out this summer, but Bethesda pushed it into the first half of 2023 alongside Starfield. Itd be great to see some gameplay from this title, since so far the marketing has consisted of stylized, cinematic videos. And to round out the Bethesda properties, theres always a chance that Elder Scrolls 6 will make an appearance, considering we havent seen anything about it since 2018 you know, back when E3 was still a thing.

But thats enough about Bethesda Xbox owns 23 game studios and it has Game Pass, the companys subscription game-streaming service thats sure to be mentioned every other minute during the show. Other potential hits for the Xbox stream include Senuas Saga: Hellblade II, the next Forza Motorsport, and maybe even something about the new Fable that was announced in 2020. And of course theres always room for Halo: Infinite updates.

Ninja Theory

With Sony and Microsoft chugging along in the latest console generation, the focus right now is on software, and both studios have plenty to prove in this space. Sony barely participated in the summers events and the company doesnt seem interested in talking about major in-house projects like God of War: Ragnarok or Insomniacs Spider-Man 2. Meanwhile, two significant delays from Xbox this year were a big blow to the companys reputation, especially considering how important first-party exclusives are in a subscription-based ecosystem. Xbox promises to include its blockbuster games in Game Pass subscriptions on day one, at no extra charge, while that isnt the case with Sonys new subscription service, PlayStation Plus Premium. This poses a significant consumer-facing advantage for Xbox and I expect to hear a lot about first-party exclusives in Game Pass during the companys big show.

And with that, it looks like Summer Game Fest is done but theres still plenty more gaming news to come this year. Nintendo loves to host digital showcases whenever it damn well pleases and were just about due for another one; EA usually has a show of its own at some point; Sony still has plenty of PSVR2 and PS Plus Premium details to share, and Microsoft will never stop talking about Game Pass. In fact, Xbox is hosting a second showcase on June 14th. And when all else fails, there are so many indie games, you guys. Lets all have some fun.

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What to expect from this summer's big video game shows - Engadget

The latest in Fair Observers series of fictional dialogues intended to make sense of the underside of the news. This episode belongs to the world of science fiction.

FADE IN:

INT.SHINY FUTURISTIC DOME

THE SCENE takes place 420 years in the future, in the palindrome year 2442. Planet AlsetDS14s most brilliant technological and entrepreneurial mind, NOLE SKUM (50) is on a Hypermooz 5-dimensional holographic call with SEGRIM (34), his ex and mother of two of his bionic children. NOLE has invented the first operational wormhole in the galaxy, but it is still a secret. In recent weeks, he successfully teleported himself to a parallel civilization, an alternate world (earth) exactly 420 light years away. People in these two alien civilizations share the same genomic identity, but in contexts separated in time by the distance between the two planets. Though both were created simultaneously, by an effect of space-time AlsetDS14 is 420 years ahead of earth, benefitting from four supplementary centuries of technological research and development.

NOLE

Hows it going? We havent pinged for some time. I was just calling to know how our kid is doing.

SEGRIM

Which kid? We have two you know.

NOLE

Oh yeah, I forgot. You know, the older one with the weird name I can never remember, its so complicated.

SEGRIM

Fred? Hes OK, but QY!f*inity has started making some sounds that resemble words.

NOLE

What was in our Knilaruen quantum brainfeed when we came up with that bizarre name, Fred?

SEGRIM

Yeah, its weird. My original idea was Derf!93, not Fred. My new holographic soulmate thinks it could have been the lack of oxygen in your wormhole that was playing havoc with our synapses.

NOLE

I told you not to tell anyone about the wormhole.

SEGRIM

Come on! Everyone knows youre obsessed with wormholes and fixated on conquering other planets. They know youve been slaving away secretly on the wormhole.

NOLE

Yeah, but, as usual, with their goddamn short seller mentality, they think I failed, that it would come to nothing

NOLE pauses, closes his eyes, wincing as if about to shed a tear.

NOLE (CONTD)

But thats great! Let them have their way. I couldnt have asked for more. It means nobody suspects what we discovered when the wormhole became operational.

SEGRIM

You mean the twin civilization hundreds of light years away?

NOLE

Yeah, populated by alternate versions of ourselves, weird, backward people locked in the pre-technological past who call their home earth, as if it didnt even deserve a number.

SEGRIM

Yeah, I guess they shouldve at least called it earthDS3 to indicate their rank in their planetary system where there arent even 10 planets and all of them natural, like just barren rock!

NOLE

In any case, what we discovered is too important to share with anyone.

SEGRIM

You mean, the fact that we are finally in contact with another civilization?

NOLE

No, everyone expected that at some point. But nobody imagined finding a civilization that is a mirror of our own. We are literally over there as well as being here.

SEGRIM

So it isnt just your invention of the wormhole, to be sure the wormhole IP yours and yours alone!

NOLE

Everyone understands wormholes are possible and that they annihilate space-time. But no one could have imagined wed reach something thats an exact mirror of our world the only difference being its 420 years earlier in galactic time.

NOLE looks up towards the sky then turns his attention back to the hologram.

NOLE (CONTD)

I know weve split up, Segrim, and, like we agreed, youre free to do your own thing, but, hell, you promised never to reveal the secret.

SEGRIM

I didnt tell anyone. Why are you accusing me?

NOLE

Somebodys been talking and it wasnt me.

SEGRIM

Well, it wasnt me. Maybe theres a leak in your goddamn wormhole!

NOLE

You traveled in it, didnt you? And you talked to people on earth.

SEGRIM

Only once. I was curious what kind of music my alternate identity, someone named Grimes, was into.

NOLE

Didnt I tell you not to interact verbally with anyone on earth?

SEGRIM

I didnt say anything about the wormhole. I just asked a few questions.

NOLE

They must have been the wrong questions. My alternate earth identity a guy everybody talks about, called Elon Musk apparently he got wind of it

NOLE (CONTD)

Anyway,its the only rational explanation I can think of for his recent strange behavior that keeps him constantly in the news.

SEGRIM

Now I get it! Youve been using the wormhole for trivial purposes, spending hours listening to all kinds of rubbish from earths ridiculous electronic media of four centuries ago as if it mattered today. Or even mattered then.

NOLE

Hey when Im not traveling through the wormhole, I use it to pump all their digital communication. Nothing trivial about that! Yknow, figuring out a parallel world thats still centuries in the past could help us understand our own past. I call that a public service.

SEGRIM

Come on! Youve always been a hopeless narcissist. Now youre lost in space admiring the parallel version of yourself.

SEGRIM pulls at her holographic hair then suddenly claps her hands.

SEGRIM (CONTD)

Wake up, Nole! He may look and sound like you, but Elons a loser. He hasnt done anything significant. I mean, its not like hes about to create a wormhole.

NOLE

Look, his obsession with moving earths population to another planet shows that even locked into a technologically backward past hes on to something.

NOLE pauses to let a new brainwave emerge through his neural wiring.

NOLE (CONTD)

OK, he doesnt know it, but we know that hell have to wait another 300 years at least before it even starts becoming conceivable. You know, once the Indians discover how to industrially manipulate quantum entanglement. Hell, those humans stuck in their dark ages 420 years ago hadnt even invented the immortality pill.

SEGRIM

Youre right about that. So sad! Poor wretches!

NOLE

You have to admit its kind of fun watching how things are going on earth. Maybe Elons really going to accelerate things. Hes on the right track. He even created something called the Boring Company

NOLE closes his eyes a few seconds to pick up information from his neural feed.

NOLE (CONTD)

Dont you find it funny that nobody on earth wondered why he would be so obsessed by the idea of boring.

SEGRIM

Wasnt it just a joke about being known for his eccentricity and always doing ridiculous things? I mean, like, telling people hes not just a boring scientist.

NOLE

No. He has so much money people refuse to think of his behavior as ridiculous. Its a world where money makes decisions and value judgments, not people.

NOLE waits for a nod of approval from SEGRIM for this deep thought.

NOLE (CONTD)

I finally figured out what the idea of boring really signifies. Its about Elons obsession with the idea that he might be the first to bore a wormhole in the galaxy. I can say that because, in a certain sense, his brain is my brain.

SEGRIM

True enough, you guys are definitely mirror images of one another. Pathologically obsessed by impossible ideas.

NOLE

Come on, you said the wormhole was impossible and now youve been there and seen it. They also said the immortality pill was impossible.

SEGRIM

Hey, that wasnt you. That was Yar Liew Zruks invention [translated into earth language: Ray Kurzweil].

NOLE

It doesnt matter. Its because everyone people like you doubted all these supposedly impossible inventions that Yar and I had to struggle so hard to make them work.

SEGRIM

Are you really convinced they did work? Maybe its all an illusion.

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Fly on the Wall: A Visit to Elons Parallel Universe - Fair Observer