<![CDATA[Scivillage.com Casual Discussion Science Forum - Games, Sports & Hobbies]]> https://www.scivillage.com/ Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:27:07 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[UK woman disturbed by extreme Halloween park experience (October games)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21615.html Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:55:33 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21615.html https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ha...b-37787782

EXCERPTS: Robyn Doughty, 33, said she attended the adults-only Hellfire Club, an optional experience at Newsham Scream Park in Liverpool's Newsham Park & Garden, with a group of friends last week. She was asked to sign a waiver before entering the over-18s area, and was expecting "fun scares" in the section "centred around a sinister secret society".

But the tattoo artist said the event, which describes itself as an "award-winning Halloween Experience", felt like a "simulation of... sexual degradation, and sexual violation".

[...] It includes live-action horror mazes, scare zones and what the park describes as "twisted theatrical experiences" acted out by "scare actors" who promise to "bring your nightmares to life".

Among the sets featured are "haunted wards" and "deranged experiments". But Ms Doughty said these went too far, with graphic references to sex acts and incest. She said it "felt like a simulation of sexual assault, sexual degradation, sexual violation".

[..] "Their website lists be aware of PTSD and anxiety but nowhere does it say graphically sexual."

[...] Newsham Scream Park said in a statement:

“The Hellfire Club is an optional, adults-only immersive horror attraction designed to deliver an intense experience. It is clearly identified as an 18+ attraction, with ID required for anyone under the age of 21. All guests must complete a digital waiver before entering and there is CCTV in place covering the entirety of this attraction and the full event to protect all participating guests and actors. Guest welfare is a priority throughout the attraction and our terms and conditions, which much be agreed to before entering the attraction, outline the nature of the experience, including its adult and horror themes, physical interaction and sensory effects. They also highlight that some elements may cause distress, identify circumstances in which the attraction may not be suitable, and explain that guests can end their participation immediately, at any time, using the safe word provided without explanation. The extensive CCTV coverage is constantly monitored and the entire team is always in contact via radio, with production in all attractions and immediately halting any of the attractions if there are any issues.” (MORE - missing details)

(2026) We were invited back to the Press Night of Newsham Scream Park! ... https://youtu.be/KhX-gMbsKTs

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/KhX-gMbsKTs]]> https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ha...b-37787782

EXCERPTS: Robyn Doughty, 33, said she attended the adults-only Hellfire Club, an optional experience at Newsham Scream Park in Liverpool's Newsham Park & Garden, with a group of friends last week. She was asked to sign a waiver before entering the over-18s area, and was expecting "fun scares" in the section "centred around a sinister secret society".

But the tattoo artist said the event, which describes itself as an "award-winning Halloween Experience", felt like a "simulation of... sexual degradation, and sexual violation".

[...] It includes live-action horror mazes, scare zones and what the park describes as "twisted theatrical experiences" acted out by "scare actors" who promise to "bring your nightmares to life".

Among the sets featured are "haunted wards" and "deranged experiments". But Ms Doughty said these went too far, with graphic references to sex acts and incest. She said it "felt like a simulation of sexual assault, sexual degradation, sexual violation".

[..] "Their website lists be aware of PTSD and anxiety but nowhere does it say graphically sexual."

[...] Newsham Scream Park said in a statement:

“The Hellfire Club is an optional, adults-only immersive horror attraction designed to deliver an intense experience. It is clearly identified as an 18+ attraction, with ID required for anyone under the age of 21. All guests must complete a digital waiver before entering and there is CCTV in place covering the entirety of this attraction and the full event to protect all participating guests and actors. Guest welfare is a priority throughout the attraction and our terms and conditions, which much be agreed to before entering the attraction, outline the nature of the experience, including its adult and horror themes, physical interaction and sensory effects. They also highlight that some elements may cause distress, identify circumstances in which the attraction may not be suitable, and explain that guests can end their participation immediately, at any time, using the safe word provided without explanation. The extensive CCTV coverage is constantly monitored and the entire team is always in contact via radio, with production in all attractions and immediately halting any of the attractions if there are any issues.” (MORE - missing details)

(2026) We were invited back to the Press Night of Newsham Scream Park! ... https://youtu.be/KhX-gMbsKTs

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/KhX-gMbsKTs]]> <![CDATA[Curry Baker's "Obsession" (cinema hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21592.html Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:32:26 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21592.html Superman and Lois. Arguably does make Backrooms look sort of cute. Trailer understandably cannot be allowed to do it justice.

Obsession ... https://youtu.be/ZKGQuhlhppA

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ZKGQuhlhppA]]> Superman and Lois. Arguably does make Backrooms look sort of cute. Trailer understandably cannot be allowed to do it justice.

Obsession ... https://youtu.be/ZKGQuhlhppA

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ZKGQuhlhppA]]> <![CDATA[RJ Mitte of "Breaking Bad" has died (TV hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21567.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:04:15 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21567.html
Kind of nukes an inferior, exploitive series or movie returning to the family tradition of BB someday in the future. (Though I don't recall Junior being interested in chemistry, anyway.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RJ_Mitte#Death]]>
Kind of nukes an inferior, exploitive series or movie returning to the family tradition of BB someday in the future. (Though I don't recall Junior being interested in chemistry, anyway.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RJ_Mitte#Death]]> <![CDATA["Silence" (2016)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21547.html Sat, 10 Oct 2026 17:13:26 +0000 Magical Realist]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21547.html
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1097242513178714

"Some films challenge what we believe. Others challenge who we are. Silence (2016), directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese, is a deeply moving historical drama that follows two Jesuit priests on a dangerous journey to Japan in search of their missing mentor while facing unimaginable persecution for their faith. Andrew Garfield delivers one of the most remarkable performances of his career as Father Sebastião Rodrigues, portraying a man caught between conviction, doubt, and the cost of belief. His quiet intensity and emotional vulnerability transform the film into a deeply personal exploration of faith, sacrifice, and humanity. Alongside unforgettable performances from Adam Driver and Liam Neeson, Scorsese crafts a visually stunning and thought-provoking masterpiece. The film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography and has since been praised as one of the director’s most profound works. More than a historical drama, Silence is a meditation on suffering, resilience, and the difficult questions that define the human spirit. ? Film: Silence (2016) ? Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson ? Directed By: Martin Scorsese Some journeys test our strength."]]>
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1097242513178714

"Some films challenge what we believe. Others challenge who we are. Silence (2016), directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese, is a deeply moving historical drama that follows two Jesuit priests on a dangerous journey to Japan in search of their missing mentor while facing unimaginable persecution for their faith. Andrew Garfield delivers one of the most remarkable performances of his career as Father Sebastião Rodrigues, portraying a man caught between conviction, doubt, and the cost of belief. His quiet intensity and emotional vulnerability transform the film into a deeply personal exploration of faith, sacrifice, and humanity. Alongside unforgettable performances from Adam Driver and Liam Neeson, Scorsese crafts a visually stunning and thought-provoking masterpiece. The film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography and has since been praised as one of the director’s most profound works. More than a historical drama, Silence is a meditation on suffering, resilience, and the difficult questions that define the human spirit. ? Film: Silence (2016) ? Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson ? Directed By: Martin Scorsese Some journeys test our strength."]]> <![CDATA["Santa Sangre" - "Viy" - and so forth films (Halloween cinema hobbies thread)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21531.html Fri, 09 Oct 2026 03:29:48 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21531.html Santa Sangre was released in 1989.

Santa Sangre ... https://youtu.be/1bGgk7ntZS4

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/1bGgk7ntZS4]]> Santa Sangre was released in 1989.

Santa Sangre ... https://youtu.be/1bGgk7ntZS4

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/1bGgk7ntZS4]]> <![CDATA[Toxic ‘forever chemical’ in almost all rivers & groundwaters of England (test hobby)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21523.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:37:10 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21523.html https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2026/10...fas-toxic/

INTRO: A “forever chemical”, which Europe’s chemicals regulator says may damage babies in the womb and is suspected of harming fertility, has been found in rivers and groundwater across England, according to Environment Agency data obtained exclusively by Watershed and Unearthed.

A leading expert in the field said the results found in rivers and groundwater, which could be used for crops and sources of drinking water, were some of the worst results seen around the world. These are the first tests of Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to be carried out by the Environment Agency (EA), and the first time it has been tested for in England’s groundwater. The substance was found in every surface water sample and almost 90% of the groundwater sampled.

TFA is a type of PFAS – per- and-polyfluoroalkyll substances, a family of manmade chemicals that are mobile, toxic and highly persistent in the environment. TFA is produced when other PFAS – including pesticides, refrigerants and industrial chemicals – degrade.

TFA has been the subject of scrutiny from scientists and regulators in recent years due to concerns about how long it remains in the environment and its potential impact on human and environmental health. Recent studies have raised concerns about “irreversible accumulation” of TFA almost everywhere in the environment.

“The TFA that is on the Earth today will be on the Earth for the next thousand years, and the TFA concentrations we see now are probably the lowest we’ll see in your lifetime,” says Professor Hans Arp, an environmental chemist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and an expert on TFA.

The UK currently does not have limits for TFA, but the EU chemicals agency in June recommended it be classified as toxic to reproduction, and this year the European Food Safety Authority significantly lowered its health-based tolerable daily intake limits. (MORE - details)]]> https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2026/10...fas-toxic/

INTRO: A “forever chemical”, which Europe’s chemicals regulator says may damage babies in the womb and is suspected of harming fertility, has been found in rivers and groundwater across England, according to Environment Agency data obtained exclusively by Watershed and Unearthed.

A leading expert in the field said the results found in rivers and groundwater, which could be used for crops and sources of drinking water, were some of the worst results seen around the world. These are the first tests of Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to be carried out by the Environment Agency (EA), and the first time it has been tested for in England’s groundwater. The substance was found in every surface water sample and almost 90% of the groundwater sampled.

TFA is a type of PFAS – per- and-polyfluoroalkyll substances, a family of manmade chemicals that are mobile, toxic and highly persistent in the environment. TFA is produced when other PFAS – including pesticides, refrigerants and industrial chemicals – degrade.

TFA has been the subject of scrutiny from scientists and regulators in recent years due to concerns about how long it remains in the environment and its potential impact on human and environmental health. Recent studies have raised concerns about “irreversible accumulation” of TFA almost everywhere in the environment.

“The TFA that is on the Earth today will be on the Earth for the next thousand years, and the TFA concentrations we see now are probably the lowest we’ll see in your lifetime,” says Professor Hans Arp, an environmental chemist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and an expert on TFA.

The UK currently does not have limits for TFA, but the EU chemicals agency in June recommended it be classified as toxic to reproduction, and this year the European Food Safety Authority significantly lowered its health-based tolerable daily intake limits. (MORE - details)]]> <![CDATA[Green Party wants to officially make Zionism a racist ideology (UK hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21485.html Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:26:03 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21485.html UK: 2 migrants plotted terror attack against Jews
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Inside the UK Greens' debate over landmark anti-Zionism motion
https://www.newarab.com/news/inside-uk-g...ism-motion


INTRO: UK Green Party members are debating the details of the "Zionism is racism" motion that will be put to a vote on Sunday at their annual conference, with its backers optimistic that the party will formally adopt an anti-Zionist position.

The motion, endorsed by leading advocates of the Palestinian cause, seeks to declare the party opposed to Zionism, which it defines as a racist, settler-colonial ideology.

It defines Zionism as a political ideology seeking the creation and continuation of an ethnonationalist Jewish state in historic Palestine through the exclusion or domination of its non-Jewish population, and says its material consequences have included the dehumanisation, displacement, dispossession and disenfranchisement of Palestinians.

The motion seeks to make opposition to Zionism an explicit Green Party position while affirming Palestinian self-determination and liberation. (MORE - detials)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

SALTY AI: Conversely, would this Islamo-left effort also unintentionally clarify or justify the status of New Antisemitism (anti-Zionism) as being a legit, crypto-bigotry movement itself, or more than just Israeli weaponization of antisemitism? This remains to be seen.]]> UK: 2 migrants plotted terror attack against Jews
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Inside the UK Greens' debate over landmark anti-Zionism motion
https://www.newarab.com/news/inside-uk-g...ism-motion


INTRO: UK Green Party members are debating the details of the "Zionism is racism" motion that will be put to a vote on Sunday at their annual conference, with its backers optimistic that the party will formally adopt an anti-Zionist position.

The motion, endorsed by leading advocates of the Palestinian cause, seeks to declare the party opposed to Zionism, which it defines as a racist, settler-colonial ideology.

It defines Zionism as a political ideology seeking the creation and continuation of an ethnonationalist Jewish state in historic Palestine through the exclusion or domination of its non-Jewish population, and says its material consequences have included the dehumanisation, displacement, dispossession and disenfranchisement of Palestinians.

The motion seeks to make opposition to Zionism an explicit Green Party position while affirming Palestinian self-determination and liberation. (MORE - detials)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

SALTY AI: Conversely, would this Islamo-left effort also unintentionally clarify or justify the status of New Antisemitism (anti-Zionism) as being a legit, crypto-bigotry movement itself, or more than just Israeli weaponization of antisemitism? This remains to be seen.]]> <![CDATA["Lanterns": cat out of the bag, no repairs now: Jordan is a 60-year old white racist]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21470.html Thu, 01 Oct 2026 21:50:51 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21470.html Television hobbies

CONTRARIAN AI SUMMARY: During a recent interview Vanessa Baden completely undermined James Gunn's frantic rescue efforts on social media by admitting that Lanterns does indeed depict Hal Jordan as a 60-year old racist white man who never deserved the ring to begin with. She wrote the third episode of Lanterns and contributed to the second.

This was part of a sweeping proposal made during the interview that all 60 and older white men are probably racist. James Gunn himself is a 60-year old white man, the co-head of DC Studios who somewhere along the chain of command was responsible for hiring her.

Baden has thoroughly sunk the boat by revealing what viewers could already see but what Gunn and the showrunners keep denying. That these Lantern characters were hijacked to promote one-sided political propaganda. Not just a hatchet job on Hal Jordan, but all the Lanterns. Including John Stewart, turning him into the classic cardboard cliché of an angry young Black man with a chip on his shoulder.

Woke Lanterns writer says Hal Jordan is racist
https://youtu.be/Gwrrm2-pMIc

Racist Lanterns writers fixate on John Stewart's skin color
https://youtu.be/bMtnUJ1ML84

EXCERPTS: The Lantern's writer said that Aaron Pier's lighter skin would make John Stewart more palatable to damn white people. [Because, you know, this is the 1950s.] So, I want to give you some context.

This is not a woman who has suffered throughout her life. She's eating good, right? She's wellfed. She's a little light-skinned herself. She's complaining about all the victimhood while she's on a podcast making money from writing pretend.

They could not have made a worse show. If it wasn't for Starfleet Academy, Lanterns would be the bottom feeder of the year. And it still might be.

But at least Starfleet Academy was funny. You know, a gay Klingon having two Black dads who abandon him. That's a novel soap opera situation that comedy gold can be mined from. But Lanterns attempts at wry humor are just a thin veneer for tired grievance theater.]]> Television hobbies

CONTRARIAN AI SUMMARY: During a recent interview Vanessa Baden completely undermined James Gunn's frantic rescue efforts on social media by admitting that Lanterns does indeed depict Hal Jordan as a 60-year old racist white man who never deserved the ring to begin with. She wrote the third episode of Lanterns and contributed to the second.

This was part of a sweeping proposal made during the interview that all 60 and older white men are probably racist. James Gunn himself is a 60-year old white man, the co-head of DC Studios who somewhere along the chain of command was responsible for hiring her.

Baden has thoroughly sunk the boat by revealing what viewers could already see but what Gunn and the showrunners keep denying. That these Lantern characters were hijacked to promote one-sided political propaganda. Not just a hatchet job on Hal Jordan, but all the Lanterns. Including John Stewart, turning him into the classic cardboard cliché of an angry young Black man with a chip on his shoulder.

Woke Lanterns writer says Hal Jordan is racist
https://youtu.be/Gwrrm2-pMIc

Racist Lanterns writers fixate on John Stewart's skin color
https://youtu.be/bMtnUJ1ML84

EXCERPTS: The Lantern's writer said that Aaron Pier's lighter skin would make John Stewart more palatable to damn white people. [Because, you know, this is the 1950s.] So, I want to give you some context.

This is not a woman who has suffered throughout her life. She's eating good, right? She's wellfed. She's a little light-skinned herself. She's complaining about all the victimhood while she's on a podcast making money from writing pretend.

They could not have made a worse show. If it wasn't for Starfleet Academy, Lanterns would be the bottom feeder of the year. And it still might be.

But at least Starfleet Academy was funny. You know, a gay Klingon having two Black dads who abandon him. That's a novel soap opera situation that comedy gold can be mined from. But Lanterns attempts at wry humor are just a thin veneer for tired grievance theater.]]> <![CDATA["Resident Evil" - 2026 (cinema hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21431.html Sat, 26 Sep 2026 06:27:12 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21431.html
The "zombies" aren't so much that as Lovecraftian menaces. Of course, they started mutating later on in the original franchise, too, but not quite like this.

Resident Evil (2026) ... https://youtu.be/mNd1gb19A-c

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/mNd1gb19A-c]]>
The "zombies" aren't so much that as Lovecraftian menaces. Of course, they started mutating later on in the original franchise, too, but not quite like this.

Resident Evil (2026) ... https://youtu.be/mNd1gb19A-c

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/mNd1gb19A-c]]> <![CDATA[Why Putin will attack NATO countries before January? (race to the war games)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21406.html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 18:57:51 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21406.html ‘The UK has been promoted to Russia’s main opponent’
https://www.thenerve.news/p/russia-war-n...s-prepping

EXCERPT: Carole: One of the things I want to talk about is that, in many ways, the scales have fallen from our eyes. We can see clearly now. We understand what Putin is doing; we can see what is happening in Ukraine. But what I find really interesting is that there are extraordinary things going on across Europe.

There is a build-up happening, and we have had a series of warnings over the last months and weeks – particularly over the last few days – from the heads of European intelligence agencies, from the Polish prime minister, from the French president. They are talking about a significant escalation from Russia which could lead to a confrontation with Nato and trigger an article 5 event.

Would we do what we’re supposed to do – stand together and fight back against Russia? We’re no longer in denial; we can see what’s happening. But the news cycle is not responding to these threats.

Luke: The first thing is to make a conceptual point, a paradigm point: the Kremlin – the Russian political elite – thinks, and has long thought, that it is already at war not just with Ukraine but with what it calls “the collective west”. In other words, we may not wish it to be so, but they think they’re at war with Europe, and in particular the democracies of Europe.

And by the way, they really hate the UK. America used to be the main opponent. Now America is run by someone whose allegiances to Russia we can discuss a bit later on, and the UK has been promoted.

They feel this is a rolling war of good against evil – they’re good and we’re evil – and Putin has long thought like this. That’s why he’s dispatched assassins to this country to kill Russian dissidents. That’s why he’s tried to meddle in British politics. So first of all, the war exists whether we like it or not.

The other thing is the window of opportunity. I think most people probably assume Donald Trump will, in some form, lose the midterm elections, so the Russians have until January, when the new Congress is sworn in, if they want to test article 5 of the Nato treaty, to do something.

And the war is going pretty badly from Putin’s point of view. He gives the impression that victory is inevitable, but in fact it’s been five grinding years and they still haven’t taken the whole of the Donbas region. And Russia’s chances of taking Kyiv and getting rid of Zelenskyy are practically zero.

So if they’re going to do something, it has to be now. I’m pretty convinced they are going to do something. And I think the real test moment will be when Russia, accidentally on purpose, kills EU civilians – two people on the Estonian border, or four people in a farmhouse in Poland, or some people in Moldova. I think we’re quite close to that, and I think clearly European intelligence agencies think that, and are concerned.

Carole: There are really credible voices at the moment saying there are a lot of things lining up right now which look scarily reminiscent of 2022, right before Russia invaded Ukraine. I’ve seen pushback from people saying “we’re not seeing troop movements, so keep your wig on”. But there is talk about a land invasion of Estonia, isn’t there? There are different scenarios: that, or a drone strike on Poland, or something in Britain … Can you talk me through those scenarios?

Luke: There aren’t going to be tanks. It could be water systems; it could be electricity. They’ve been buzzing European airports, naval bases and nuclear facilities, cutting undersea cables in the Baltic, and trying to blow up a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig airport – which they very nearly did, and which could have killed someone.

You have to understand there’s a criminal energy about the Russian regime, and they really don’t care if they kill people collaterally. In fact, I think they rather want that, because it’s a test: how will Nato respond? And just in terms of drones, there was a major drone attack on Poland last summer using decoy drones, about 100 of them, and Nato struggled to shoot down four or five.

And despite all of this – a hyper-aggressive Russia, a psychopathic dictator – I still don’t think most politicians, including in this country, have quite come to grips with the threat. (MORE - missing details)]]> ‘The UK has been promoted to Russia’s main opponent’
https://www.thenerve.news/p/russia-war-n...s-prepping

EXCERPT: Carole: One of the things I want to talk about is that, in many ways, the scales have fallen from our eyes. We can see clearly now. We understand what Putin is doing; we can see what is happening in Ukraine. But what I find really interesting is that there are extraordinary things going on across Europe.

There is a build-up happening, and we have had a series of warnings over the last months and weeks – particularly over the last few days – from the heads of European intelligence agencies, from the Polish prime minister, from the French president. They are talking about a significant escalation from Russia which could lead to a confrontation with Nato and trigger an article 5 event.

Would we do what we’re supposed to do – stand together and fight back against Russia? We’re no longer in denial; we can see what’s happening. But the news cycle is not responding to these threats.

Luke: The first thing is to make a conceptual point, a paradigm point: the Kremlin – the Russian political elite – thinks, and has long thought, that it is already at war not just with Ukraine but with what it calls “the collective west”. In other words, we may not wish it to be so, but they think they’re at war with Europe, and in particular the democracies of Europe.

And by the way, they really hate the UK. America used to be the main opponent. Now America is run by someone whose allegiances to Russia we can discuss a bit later on, and the UK has been promoted.

They feel this is a rolling war of good against evil – they’re good and we’re evil – and Putin has long thought like this. That’s why he’s dispatched assassins to this country to kill Russian dissidents. That’s why he’s tried to meddle in British politics. So first of all, the war exists whether we like it or not.

The other thing is the window of opportunity. I think most people probably assume Donald Trump will, in some form, lose the midterm elections, so the Russians have until January, when the new Congress is sworn in, if they want to test article 5 of the Nato treaty, to do something.

And the war is going pretty badly from Putin’s point of view. He gives the impression that victory is inevitable, but in fact it’s been five grinding years and they still haven’t taken the whole of the Donbas region. And Russia’s chances of taking Kyiv and getting rid of Zelenskyy are practically zero.

So if they’re going to do something, it has to be now. I’m pretty convinced they are going to do something. And I think the real test moment will be when Russia, accidentally on purpose, kills EU civilians – two people on the Estonian border, or four people in a farmhouse in Poland, or some people in Moldova. I think we’re quite close to that, and I think clearly European intelligence agencies think that, and are concerned.

Carole: There are really credible voices at the moment saying there are a lot of things lining up right now which look scarily reminiscent of 2022, right before Russia invaded Ukraine. I’ve seen pushback from people saying “we’re not seeing troop movements, so keep your wig on”. But there is talk about a land invasion of Estonia, isn’t there? There are different scenarios: that, or a drone strike on Poland, or something in Britain … Can you talk me through those scenarios?

Luke: There aren’t going to be tanks. It could be water systems; it could be electricity. They’ve been buzzing European airports, naval bases and nuclear facilities, cutting undersea cables in the Baltic, and trying to blow up a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig airport – which they very nearly did, and which could have killed someone.

You have to understand there’s a criminal energy about the Russian regime, and they really don’t care if they kill people collaterally. In fact, I think they rather want that, because it’s a test: how will Nato respond? And just in terms of drones, there was a major drone attack on Poland last summer using decoy drones, about 100 of them, and Nato struggled to shoot down four or five.

And despite all of this – a hyper-aggressive Russia, a psychopathic dictator – I still don’t think most politicians, including in this country, have quite come to grips with the threat. (MORE - missing details)]]> <![CDATA[Mark Carney: master of statecraft in era short of great orators (icon hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21379.html Sat, 19 Sep 2026 14:33:46 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21379.html https://theconversation.com/mark-carney-...ors-292391

INTRO: For the past decade, global diplomacy has been dictated by one man’s social media musings. Since Donald Trump first glided into the Trump Tower atrium on his golden escalator, he – and what he has to say – has been the story, throwing red meat to the media and shaping the affairs of the US and the wider world through reactions to his increasingly imperial pronouncements.

But the 47th US president has been off-key of late, and his outbursts on everything from tariffs to the war in Iran have sent his popularity tumbling, not least in Europe where just 8% of Italians have a positive view of him, 10% of Germans and 13% of us in the UK.

As Trump-fever has cooled, one man has stepped forward to fill the ethical void. The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has taken a stand against his bothersome southern neighbour and, in so doing, has reoriented the free world’s moral compass.

Instead of looking to Washington DC for global leadership, global democracies are increasingly looking to the middle power man in Ottawa. Carney is a banker – or at least that was the world’s view of him until recently. He was governor of the Bank of Canada during the financial crisis of 2008, before leading the Bank of England from 2013-2020.

He only became a politician when elected leader of the Canadian Liberal Party in March 2025 and ensuring his mandate through a landslide national elecion win the following month. But he has quickly emerged as a voice of political reason against the continued waves of Trump tirades.

This week Carney addressed the European parliament following EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s support for a proposal for Canada to become the EU’s first “associate member”. Much like his speech in Davos in January, Carney noted the current “geopolitical rupture”.

And, much like that Davos speech, he was calm, eloquent and displayed rare intellectual insight over how that rupture might be overcome. At Davos, he emphasised the need for middle powers to step up to the plate. This week in Strasbourg, he added flesh to the bones, stressing how Canada and the EU had complementary strengths. He made the case for a deeper partnership based on cooperation, delivering seamless digital trade in many goods and services, underpinned by people-to-people ties including the free movement of young people.

The Canadian PM laid out a vision where Canada and the EU were allied by “common values, our compatible systems and complementary strengths”. While it’s early days in the discussion of a Canada-EU relationship, it was a seductive pitch to “create a beacon for other democracies”.

Trump was not mentioned by name in the speech but was clearly listening and clearly riled. Amid a trade war with its northern neighbour, the US president heard Carney state that he did “not seek power to dominate others”, and was “not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great power rival – only with better manners”. The dig was pointed, the style was effortless.

Carney’s team write great speeches, and the Harvard-educated economist with a doctorate from Oxford delivers them well. But one senses he’s much more than a good autocue reader. He dropped a couple of German rhetorical phrases into his Strasbourg speech and built a strong historical context, drawing on the ties that have bound Canada and Europe from the first world war onwards, creating a memorable picture of the seeds brought back to Canada from Vimy Ridge (where Canadian troops won a hard-fought battle in 1917 with heavy losses) and then replanted in France a century later.

While evocative historical links underpinned his sentiment, the vision for a brighter, shared future brought hope where Trump sows only disquiet... (MORE - details)]]> https://theconversation.com/mark-carney-...ors-292391

INTRO: For the past decade, global diplomacy has been dictated by one man’s social media musings. Since Donald Trump first glided into the Trump Tower atrium on his golden escalator, he – and what he has to say – has been the story, throwing red meat to the media and shaping the affairs of the US and the wider world through reactions to his increasingly imperial pronouncements.

But the 47th US president has been off-key of late, and his outbursts on everything from tariffs to the war in Iran have sent his popularity tumbling, not least in Europe where just 8% of Italians have a positive view of him, 10% of Germans and 13% of us in the UK.

As Trump-fever has cooled, one man has stepped forward to fill the ethical void. The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has taken a stand against his bothersome southern neighbour and, in so doing, has reoriented the free world’s moral compass.

Instead of looking to Washington DC for global leadership, global democracies are increasingly looking to the middle power man in Ottawa. Carney is a banker – or at least that was the world’s view of him until recently. He was governor of the Bank of Canada during the financial crisis of 2008, before leading the Bank of England from 2013-2020.

He only became a politician when elected leader of the Canadian Liberal Party in March 2025 and ensuring his mandate through a landslide national elecion win the following month. But he has quickly emerged as a voice of political reason against the continued waves of Trump tirades.

This week Carney addressed the European parliament following EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s support for a proposal for Canada to become the EU’s first “associate member”. Much like his speech in Davos in January, Carney noted the current “geopolitical rupture”.

And, much like that Davos speech, he was calm, eloquent and displayed rare intellectual insight over how that rupture might be overcome. At Davos, he emphasised the need for middle powers to step up to the plate. This week in Strasbourg, he added flesh to the bones, stressing how Canada and the EU had complementary strengths. He made the case for a deeper partnership based on cooperation, delivering seamless digital trade in many goods and services, underpinned by people-to-people ties including the free movement of young people.

The Canadian PM laid out a vision where Canada and the EU were allied by “common values, our compatible systems and complementary strengths”. While it’s early days in the discussion of a Canada-EU relationship, it was a seductive pitch to “create a beacon for other democracies”.

Trump was not mentioned by name in the speech but was clearly listening and clearly riled. Amid a trade war with its northern neighbour, the US president heard Carney state that he did “not seek power to dominate others”, and was “not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great power rival – only with better manners”. The dig was pointed, the style was effortless.

Carney’s team write great speeches, and the Harvard-educated economist with a doctorate from Oxford delivers them well. But one senses he’s much more than a good autocue reader. He dropped a couple of German rhetorical phrases into his Strasbourg speech and built a strong historical context, drawing on the ties that have bound Canada and Europe from the first world war onwards, creating a memorable picture of the seeds brought back to Canada from Vimy Ridge (where Canadian troops won a hard-fought battle in 1917 with heavy losses) and then replanted in France a century later.

While evocative historical links underpinned his sentiment, the vision for a brighter, shared future brought hope where Trump sows only disquiet... (MORE - details)]]> <![CDATA[Even when comedy wants to avoid politics, it still stifles writing today (TV hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21320.html Sat, 12 Sep 2026 22:40:33 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21320.html I've never watched Friends to any significant degree, either. And Norman Lear shows do look dated because of the very topicality that prodded viewers to watch them back then. Seinfeld did play on all sorts of things that would be taboo now to current Woke authorities, but even the studio suits didn't consider those to be "controversial issues" in the '90s.
The 1990s did have one flaw -- it regarded children as detrimental to comedy (like in Frasier and even in Raymond). But the 2000s re-discovered how to make kids funny by no longer treating them like ideal angels or over-protectng them (Malcolm in the Middle, Modern Family, and the The Middle itself.). "Rediscovered" in the sense of Married with Children mining that first in the 1980s. Or much further back, the "too benign" mischievousness of DTM or LITB.
RELATED: Patricia Heaton on the once-secret 3,000-member cabal in Hollywood
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

THE DAILY HERETIC (with guest Patricia Heaton)
https://youtu.be/mv3E9kJOxX4

VIDEO EXCERPTS: But you have spoken about writer rooms becoming very touchy about politics.

I think so many writers and actors would say they can't do the comedy today that they were able to do back then. With Seinfeld you'd probably hear the same thing.

There are these clips on YouTube of young people watching old segments of a show called All in the Family. Where Carroll O'Connor played a character called Archie Bunker, who was really sort of racist. And they can't believe what they were seeing in these clips.

And I think the problem with that show, is it's not that racism was presented as something positive. It's just that he was so lovable. You know, it was really weird that audiences fell in love with this guy. But it was just a funny show and it really made fun of that stuff, and you can't do that anymore. Perhaps there's a little pushback now from stand-up comedians, maybe, but that's it.

With Raymond and The Middle, those shows were very family-oriented. So politics rarely came in. Never on Raymond. You know. Philip Rosenthal the creator, was very clear about never doing anything topical. Because he didn't want to age the show. Not that he didn't have his own political opinions. He just didn't want the show to ever feel like, "Oh, that was back then in the '90s because that's the things they were talking about."

And as you see, the show continues to just go on and on, and new audiences are finding it because it's evergreen. Because family, marriage, kids, in-laws, and those are things that the whole world can relate to everywhere in the world, every generation. It doesn't really change. And so that's the beauty, and that's truly great writing.

The same with The Middle where it's a family in Indiana, and they're just dealing with not having very much money and trying to raise their kids and living from paycheck to paycheck. And that's really relatable, but it's still a positive show about how important family is no matter what your circumstances are.

I've seen people, as you say, they look online, and they're looking at Friends as well. And there are jokes about the Chandler's mother or father, the trans father. Things like that, I suppose, are looking dated to a later generation. But I don't know why they can't understand that it is a product of its time.

You know, I've never watched Friends.

Oh, wow. Because when was Friends, in the 90s?

Same time as Raymond, I guess. Maybe it started just before. [...] So I kind of missed the 90s because I was raising my kids and working.

[...] You mentioned young writers rejecting a character as being homophobic.

Yeah, there was one incident that I heard about where the character was like a former Marine who didn't like hugging, was very uncomfortable with it. And the younger writers in the room said, "You can't write that because it's homophobic." And the older writers were saying, but how is he going to make a journey to get to a place where he's comfortable just hugging another person if you don't start him there?

You have to have the conflict. So that is an issue where somebody doesn't understand character development as a writer, because your politics and your feelings are getting in the way of writing truthfully. That's a problem because comedy especially comes from pain. All comedy comes from pain and struggle...

They despise our brand of comedy ... https://youtu.be/mv3E9kJOxX4

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/mv3E9kJOxX4]]> I've never watched Friends to any significant degree, either. And Norman Lear shows do look dated because of the very topicality that prodded viewers to watch them back then. Seinfeld did play on all sorts of things that would be taboo now to current Woke authorities, but even the studio suits didn't consider those to be "controversial issues" in the '90s.
The 1990s did have one flaw -- it regarded children as detrimental to comedy (like in Frasier and even in Raymond). But the 2000s re-discovered how to make kids funny by no longer treating them like ideal angels or over-protectng them (Malcolm in the Middle, Modern Family, and the The Middle itself.). "Rediscovered" in the sense of Married with Children mining that first in the 1980s. Or much further back, the "too benign" mischievousness of DTM or LITB.
RELATED: Patricia Heaton on the once-secret 3,000-member cabal in Hollywood
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

THE DAILY HERETIC (with guest Patricia Heaton)
https://youtu.be/mv3E9kJOxX4

VIDEO EXCERPTS: But you have spoken about writer rooms becoming very touchy about politics.

I think so many writers and actors would say they can't do the comedy today that they were able to do back then. With Seinfeld you'd probably hear the same thing.

There are these clips on YouTube of young people watching old segments of a show called All in the Family. Where Carroll O'Connor played a character called Archie Bunker, who was really sort of racist. And they can't believe what they were seeing in these clips.

And I think the problem with that show, is it's not that racism was presented as something positive. It's just that he was so lovable. You know, it was really weird that audiences fell in love with this guy. But it was just a funny show and it really made fun of that stuff, and you can't do that anymore. Perhaps there's a little pushback now from stand-up comedians, maybe, but that's it.

With Raymond and The Middle, those shows were very family-oriented. So politics rarely came in. Never on Raymond. You know. Philip Rosenthal the creator, was very clear about never doing anything topical. Because he didn't want to age the show. Not that he didn't have his own political opinions. He just didn't want the show to ever feel like, "Oh, that was back then in the '90s because that's the things they were talking about."

And as you see, the show continues to just go on and on, and new audiences are finding it because it's evergreen. Because family, marriage, kids, in-laws, and those are things that the whole world can relate to everywhere in the world, every generation. It doesn't really change. And so that's the beauty, and that's truly great writing.

The same with The Middle where it's a family in Indiana, and they're just dealing with not having very much money and trying to raise their kids and living from paycheck to paycheck. And that's really relatable, but it's still a positive show about how important family is no matter what your circumstances are.

I've seen people, as you say, they look online, and they're looking at Friends as well. And there are jokes about the Chandler's mother or father, the trans father. Things like that, I suppose, are looking dated to a later generation. But I don't know why they can't understand that it is a product of its time.

You know, I've never watched Friends.

Oh, wow. Because when was Friends, in the 90s?

Same time as Raymond, I guess. Maybe it started just before. [...] So I kind of missed the 90s because I was raising my kids and working.

[...] You mentioned young writers rejecting a character as being homophobic.

Yeah, there was one incident that I heard about where the character was like a former Marine who didn't like hugging, was very uncomfortable with it. And the younger writers in the room said, "You can't write that because it's homophobic." And the older writers were saying, but how is he going to make a journey to get to a place where he's comfortable just hugging another person if you don't start him there?

You have to have the conflict. So that is an issue where somebody doesn't understand character development as a writer, because your politics and your feelings are getting in the way of writing truthfully. That's a problem because comedy especially comes from pain. All comedy comes from pain and struggle...

They despise our brand of comedy ... https://youtu.be/mv3E9kJOxX4

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/mv3E9kJOxX4]]> <![CDATA[The real reason you can't enjoy modern pop music (audio hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21296.html Wed, 09 Sep 2026 22:50:22 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21296.html There is no journey, no harmonic exploration and complexity, anymore. It's just loops. The same ___ repeated over and over again. You knew decades ago that music overall was on the road to devolving when hip-hop eliminated melody. Key changes have also disappeared from modern music. Minor keys vastly dominate now instead of major but do not sound "sad" or "serious" because traditional chord progression has been corrupted." (But heck, some of the latter expectations were derailed long ago when either jazz "color chords" or just heavily utilizing the minor chords of major keys could undermine the conventional "happy" ambience of a major. Not to mention the intrusive dissonance of flat or slurred notes in blues. Plus, much rock music of the 60s and 70s directly used minor keys and modes even if major keys still overwhelmingly prevailed in total tallies.)

The real reason you can't enjoy modern pop music (David Hartley)... https://youtu.be/982k27De5xc

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/982k27De5xc

The disappearance of key changes in modern music (Rick Beato) ... https://youtu.be/rVllpzhA5VM

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/rVllpzhA5VM]]> There is no journey, no harmonic exploration and complexity, anymore. It's just loops. The same ___ repeated over and over again. You knew decades ago that music overall was on the road to devolving when hip-hop eliminated melody. Key changes have also disappeared from modern music. Minor keys vastly dominate now instead of major but do not sound "sad" or "serious" because traditional chord progression has been corrupted." (But heck, some of the latter expectations were derailed long ago when either jazz "color chords" or just heavily utilizing the minor chords of major keys could undermine the conventional "happy" ambience of a major. Not to mention the intrusive dissonance of flat or slurred notes in blues. Plus, much rock music of the 60s and 70s directly used minor keys and modes even if major keys still overwhelmingly prevailed in total tallies.)

The real reason you can't enjoy modern pop music (David Hartley)... https://youtu.be/982k27De5xc

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/982k27De5xc

The disappearance of key changes in modern music (Rick Beato) ... https://youtu.be/rVllpzhA5VM

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/rVllpzhA5VM]]> <![CDATA[Did the UK just pass the point of no return? (no borders & anomie hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21265.html Fri, 04 Sep 2026 21:29:56 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21265.html https://youtu.be/Wsy_v20buvE

VIDEO EXCERPTS: The UK is a kind of example of what can happen to a bigger country like the US in just a few years' time. That's why people need to take stock. That's why they need to watch what's going on here.

The UK, in turn, also has a smaller version that we can look to, which is Sweden. Ireland's another one as well. These are countries with tiny populations, you know, 5 to 10 million people. [...] So Sweden went from being one of the safest places in Europe or in the world, probably, to the point now where it is one of the highest rates for stabbings, rapes, and all sorts of horrible crimes. It's not a place I want to go to on a holiday.

And even the people on the left in Sweden -- not just the right -- everywhere they are going nuts. They're all like, "What?" They're running around going, "What happened to our peaceful society?"

Their government is now even saying things like Swedish society is held together by language, self-sufficiency, citizenship duties, and respect for Swedish norms. These are things that would normally be considered elements of far-right speeches, particularly in a place like Sweden. So, Sweden shows us that it can get so bad that it becomes impossible for them to rewind back to the things that we need to implement.

So to nobody's surprise, this is connected to the unauthorized or poorly regulated immigration that took place in Sweden over the years and its failure to integrate newcomers. You've talked about how it's gotten worse and worse over the years in the UK. Do you sense, as you just said, now that you have yet another more lefty leader, who's more working class, that anything will get fixed or will it become worse?

A mix of the two, I think. To your earlier point about the cultishness of it, and I believe we have reached a point finally, about 10 years too late, where even politicians on the left -- they won't kind of admit it -- but they're sort of talking in terms of, "Okay, we need to have stronger borders." Even those guys know that it's gone so bad and so wrong.

[...] I feel so pessimistic about this stuff. I know how hard it is to infiltrate the heart of a cult, and that's what we have with Islam in the UK. Not obviously all Muslims, but there are some pockets, particularly in places like Birmingham, particularly in the north. There were all these towns where this was happening for so long. It happened over a period of decades.

Did the UK just pass the point of no return? ... https://youtu.be/Wsy_v20buvE

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Wsy_v20buvE]]> https://youtu.be/Wsy_v20buvE

VIDEO EXCERPTS: The UK is a kind of example of what can happen to a bigger country like the US in just a few years' time. That's why people need to take stock. That's why they need to watch what's going on here.

The UK, in turn, also has a smaller version that we can look to, which is Sweden. Ireland's another one as well. These are countries with tiny populations, you know, 5 to 10 million people. [...] So Sweden went from being one of the safest places in Europe or in the world, probably, to the point now where it is one of the highest rates for stabbings, rapes, and all sorts of horrible crimes. It's not a place I want to go to on a holiday.

And even the people on the left in Sweden -- not just the right -- everywhere they are going nuts. They're all like, "What?" They're running around going, "What happened to our peaceful society?"

Their government is now even saying things like Swedish society is held together by language, self-sufficiency, citizenship duties, and respect for Swedish norms. These are things that would normally be considered elements of far-right speeches, particularly in a place like Sweden. So, Sweden shows us that it can get so bad that it becomes impossible for them to rewind back to the things that we need to implement.

So to nobody's surprise, this is connected to the unauthorized or poorly regulated immigration that took place in Sweden over the years and its failure to integrate newcomers. You've talked about how it's gotten worse and worse over the years in the UK. Do you sense, as you just said, now that you have yet another more lefty leader, who's more working class, that anything will get fixed or will it become worse?

A mix of the two, I think. To your earlier point about the cultishness of it, and I believe we have reached a point finally, about 10 years too late, where even politicians on the left -- they won't kind of admit it -- but they're sort of talking in terms of, "Okay, we need to have stronger borders." Even those guys know that it's gone so bad and so wrong.

[...] I feel so pessimistic about this stuff. I know how hard it is to infiltrate the heart of a cult, and that's what we have with Islam in the UK. Not obviously all Muslims, but there are some pockets, particularly in places like Birmingham, particularly in the north. There were all these towns where this was happening for so long. It happened over a period of decades.

Did the UK just pass the point of no return? ... https://youtu.be/Wsy_v20buvE

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Wsy_v20buvE]]> <![CDATA[The children: Is "Rings of Power" striving to be an upfront comedy now? (TV hobbies)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21235.html Tue, 01 Sep 2026 20:50:02 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-21235.html https://youtu.be/E66qEsqA_Cc

VIDEO EXCERPTS: "We get to see my children this season..."

Believe it or not, Rings of Power season 3 is not that far off. [...] But I guess I should be grateful because the Rings of Power is the gift that keeps on giving.

They keep pouring more money into this abyss. If I didn't know that it was a massive vanity project, I would almost believe that Amazon was more concerned with the legacy and future of content creators who cover the show than with Professor Tolkien's work.

But as far as the show's legacy is concerned, well, it's a joke. It makes a mockery of Tolken's legendarium. It is subversive, derisive, and derivative. It will go down as the worst adaptation of all time. Something Amazon should be embarrassed about. And maybe they will be someday...

The "Rings of Power" is cooked, and it's getting worse
https://youtu.be/E66qEsqA_Cc

DRINKER'S CHASERS
https://youtu.be/7bb9_tNlny0

VIDEO EXCERPTS: Speaking of things that suck, Rings of Power is coming out in a few months [laughter], and they've just released a promotional still from it. Are you ready for this?

[...] So these are Durin and Disa's children, who have grown a bit since the previous seasons. ... Actors, I guess they have to swallow their pride and do all kinds of cringe things. But this is the next level. You know, costume departments, can you just make them a bit more ugly? Could you make them like hideous?

Yeah. We just want to have a good laugh with this one. Make them look inbred. That's what I'm going for. Like The Hills Have Eyes.

[...] So the showrunners have said that there's about a 5-year time jump between seasons two and three. And it's difficult to say because of the costumes, the hair, and the prosthetics and all that, but these two goobers look like they're about 30. When they're meant to be maybe 15...

Obviously, they're dwarves, so it could be a bit different. The guy in the back [laughter], he's standing in a way where it looks like he's apologizing for existing. Maybe he'll be an idiot. Perhaps he won't even be able to speak properly...

This has to be a joke, right? ... https://youtu.be/7bb9_tNlny0

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7bb9_tNlny0]]> https://youtu.be/E66qEsqA_Cc

VIDEO EXCERPTS: "We get to see my children this season..."

Believe it or not, Rings of Power season 3 is not that far off. [...] But I guess I should be grateful because the Rings of Power is the gift that keeps on giving.

They keep pouring more money into this abyss. If I didn't know that it was a massive vanity project, I would almost believe that Amazon was more concerned with the legacy and future of content creators who cover the show than with Professor Tolkien's work.

But as far as the show's legacy is concerned, well, it's a joke. It makes a mockery of Tolken's legendarium. It is subversive, derisive, and derivative. It will go down as the worst adaptation of all time. Something Amazon should be embarrassed about. And maybe they will be someday...

The "Rings of Power" is cooked, and it's getting worse
https://youtu.be/E66qEsqA_Cc

DRINKER'S CHASERS
https://youtu.be/7bb9_tNlny0

VIDEO EXCERPTS: Speaking of things that suck, Rings of Power is coming out in a few months [laughter], and they've just released a promotional still from it. Are you ready for this?

[...] So these are Durin and Disa's children, who have grown a bit since the previous seasons. ... Actors, I guess they have to swallow their pride and do all kinds of cringe things. But this is the next level. You know, costume departments, can you just make them a bit more ugly? Could you make them like hideous?

Yeah. We just want to have a good laugh with this one. Make them look inbred. That's what I'm going for. Like The Hills Have Eyes.

[...] So the showrunners have said that there's about a 5-year time jump between seasons two and three. And it's difficult to say because of the costumes, the hair, and the prosthetics and all that, but these two goobers look like they're about 30. When they're meant to be maybe 15...

Obviously, they're dwarves, so it could be a bit different. The guy in the back [laughter], he's standing in a way where it looks like he's apologizing for existing. Maybe he'll be an idiot. Perhaps he won't even be able to speak properly...

This has to be a joke, right? ... https://youtu.be/7bb9_tNlny0

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7bb9_tNlny0]]>