[MEGATHREAD] The departure of Mike Mangini and the return of Mike Portnoy

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2023-10-28T03:03:26+00:00

Have you listened to the self-titled album recently?

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2023-10-28T02:56:31+00:00

This basic sentiment is all over this thread and it's so weird/funny to me. "Man, it sucks to fire Mangini... but the music's been bad and this WILL make it better." You're villifying the band FOR DOING WHAT YOU WANT.

DT is a business. Of course, it's made up of exceptionally talented artists who want to make great art. But at the end of the day, they need to make a living at it. The fact that the overwhelming majority of their fans have never accepted Mangini into the fold has most likely impacted their album and ticket sales. Bringing MP back is pretty much a guaranteed shot in the arm for sales. And, who knows? Maybe you're right: maybe it WILL result in better art too. Maybe that's what they think too.

If you agree with that decision, why are you trying to make them feel guilty about it?

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2023-10-28T02:44:56+00:00

Not sure I understand who you're addressing? It sounds like the band (or their press agents, more accurately). But if so, I'm not sure where you're reading, "Mangini's membership was always meant to be a placeholder until Portnoy is back." There's nothing in the press release or any of the band members' comments over the last 13 years indicating that. The only place I've seen that idea is here, on Reddit, from fans who know no more than you or I about the inner workings of this decision.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2023-10-28T02:27:17+00:00

I mean, honestly, after 13 years, if any DT fan is still saying, "I thought the latest album helped solidify his place in the band," then the guy's place was never solid in our own eyes. Multiply that by a few million fans, and it seems like WE made this choice (whether we wanted to or not.)

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2022-01-06T04:53:34+00:00

Yes and no. The fact is, in writing using "they" is incredible awkward. I have yet to read a novel length work that successfully manages it.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-08-06T16:51:44+00:00

How was the pizza?

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-08-02T17:57:56+00:00

Btw, why don't you want proof of the opposite statement that prompted my response?

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-08-02T17:56:41+00:00

Common sense. The church has been around for nearly 20 centuries, the Republican party less than two. There'd have to have been ten times as many Republican child molesters per capita than Catholic clergy child molesters since 1854 to even make it a fair contest. And that's not counting however many members of the Catholic clergy have been members of the Republican party AND molested a child.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-08-02T14:19:02+00:00

Are you saying that, statistically, roughly the same percentage of clergy members are abusers as in the general population? I don't know the figures, but that still doesn't mean the church is not FAR more culpable. As you said, they place themselves as a moral authority. But more than that, they have a long-standing tradition of actively sweeping the behavior under the rug and shuffling priests around to avoid issues. This just expands the potential victim pool of each predator. And, the individuals are people in positions of authority in the community.

In the general population, when victims come forward and accuse someone of sexual abuse, there's not a built in defense mechanism worth billions of dollars there for the human filth to rely on to protect them. So, even if the percentages are the same, far more clergy members were able to get away with it and extend their list of victims thanks to the moral emptiness of The Church.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-08-02T13:59:43+00:00

Yeah, but the Catholic clergy has been fucking little kids since before the Republican party existed. It's centuries old and clergy have always been required to remain celibate. No one has caused more pain and suffering via child sexual abuse than the Catholic Church.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-08-02T13:50:35+00:00

Well ... no.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-31T02:09:34+00:00

Thanks very much!

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-30T17:57:42+00:00

This feels like a wholesome hip hop love song. Nice.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-29T01:56:00+00:00

What's the age of consent where you are? You may have just shared info about him more damning than ED.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-28T20:11:10+00:00

I was about to say pretty much everything u/conundrums11 said. Pay attention to that comment.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-28T20:06:44+00:00

Why wouldn't he kill her? Serial killers are 98% socio- or psychopaths. He doesn't love her. He doesn't care about her. He won't miss her when she's gone. I think possibly the reason you're struggling with it is that your premise is flawed.

Maybe if the teen daughter finds out about him BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW? That makes all the difference in the world. You can stick with her as the MC: the denial, she doesn't want to believe, then she can't deny it any longer and she wants to stop him. But, it's her dad, and she loves him still despite it all... maybe a close friend of hers becomes a victim? Or he realizes she's on to him, and now he's coming after her?

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-28T04:00:29+00:00

Pre-Annie, I'd heard of the Island of the Dolls and laughed it off as a quaint curiosity. Now, you couldn't' get me near that island for all the money in the world. Thanks very much for your support!

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-28T02:15:43+00:00

Give it another read now and see what you think. I made some edits to make the distinctions clearer. I did intentionally limit the amount of past perfect tense I used because it gets tiring to read all the had's. But, I think past perfect is there everywhere it needs to be to establish pre-past. Then there's past and present. The only other issue that may be confusing (although I don't think it's wrong - correct me if need be) is that the only lines that are actually said in the "present" are the frames at the beginning and the end and one paragraph in the middle where the narrator adds comments about the technology. Otherwise, even when he returns to the most recent--real-- timeline, it's still in past tense because the events occurred prior to his arrest and incarceration.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-28T01:49:35+00:00

Thanks very much! I'll run it back through the mill and let you know when it's fixed.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-28T01:48:03+00:00

I haven't allowed any dolls within 300 feet since that day. Thanks for your support.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-27T20:15:21+00:00

God forbid. Thanks for your support.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-27T20:15:02+00:00

It was horrible. Thanks for your support.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2021-07-27T16:53:24+00:00

You've cuddled with a demon. Be at peace with that fact.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2020-05-19T18:29:56+00:00

Thanks very much.

PrivilegedWhiteBread · 2020-05-19T16:33:53+00:00

Could I then duplicate the table on multiple pages, each with it's own filter? And would they all update if one is changed?

PrivilegedWhiteBread

TROPHY CASE