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Texas senator and least popular American Ted Cruz was roundly roasted by the Internet after he derided Sesame Street’s Big Bird for receiving the coronavirus vaccine. Protecting children from deadly diseases and educating them about science is bad if you’re Ted Cruz! From the resulting hubbub, however, emerged the brilliant, hilarious, and incisive Big Bird for Senate parody account, which is gathering steam for progressive causes and ensuring a roast for Cruz on a near-daily basis.

Now Saturday Night Live has stepped into the ring. In a six-minute cold open, Aidy Bryant plays Ted Cruz as he introduces “Cruz Street,” a right-wing version of Sesame Street to be seen on “Newsmax Kids” (following White Power Rangers, natch). The sketch is funny and biting, but at the same time, it acts as a timely indictment of the absurdity and horrors of Republican and far-right politics and commentary.

“When Big Bird told children get vaccinated against a deadly disease, I said, ‘Enough,’ and I created my own Sesame Street called Cruz Street,” Bryant as “Cruz” says. “It’s a gated community. Kids are safe from the woke government.”

The sketch features Cecily Strong as an AR-15-clutching Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who calls one of the kids a “pussy” for not wanting to hold the gun and proclaims, “Today’s episode is brought to you by Q, not the letter, the man. He will tell us when JFK Jr., who is alive, will reveal himself and help President Trump proclaim his rightful throne.”

When “Big Bird” encounters Cruz, it plays out like this:

Then Big Bird arrived, telling Cruz, “Oh man. I don’t feel too good.”

“So this is what happened to you a week after you got the vaccine?” Cruz asked.

“It sure is,” Big Bird told him. “My feathers fell out. My nuts got huge. And my joints don’t work. It’s real bad man.”

Cruz then advises that a bath in Borax could cure Big Bird’s ills.

Also visiting Cruz on his Street is “our medical expert, Joe Rogan,” played by Pete Davidson looking like a cross between Nosferatu and Uncle Fester. “I used to host Fear Factor, and now doctors fear me,” snarls “Rogan” as he snacks from a giant bag of drugs that includes Zinc, ayahuasca, and “horse medicine.”

“Cruz” goes over the letters of the day, CRT, which he says he believes stands for “caucasian rights trampled.” He then introduces “two of our Proud Boys, Bert and Ernie.” Luckily for us but less so for Cruz, it turns out that this Bert and Ernie are proud in terms of their burgeoning relationship, and are now engaged.

While the sketch is clever and takes many a well-needed potshot at Cruz and the inanity of right-wing discourse, it’s terrifying to think that what they’re preaching on Cruz Street is what many kids are actually hearing from their parents at home.

All the more reason to have and support the real Big Bird and his friends, who have been telling us the truth and helping kids reach better understanding of the world since 1969, before Ted Cruz was even born. (Or at least the birth date he gives in an attempt to deflect from the fact that he could be the Zodiac Killer.)

(via Deadline, image: screengrab)

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If you’re shopping for holiday presents, may I recommend a gift that will please STEM folks, dinosaur enthusiasts, Jurassic Park partisans, action figure aficionados, and, well, just about anyone who likes cool things?

The indie studio Creative Beast has a fun, stunning, and varied collection of dinosaur action figures for every person on your list. Best of all, they’re created with scrupulous attention to detail by using the most accurate and up-to-date scientific information about our favorite giants of the past. That’s right, you can now have a feathered velociraptor of your very own.

I actually gasped when I first laid eyes on this guy (that’s Linheraptor exquisitus to you):

This agile desert hunter relied on its sharp sickle claw and amazing speed to capture prey. Named after the district where its fossils were discovered and known from just one nearly-complete skeleton, Linheraptor exquisitus features eye-popping reds, yellows, blues, and blacks — just like tropical birds. (Linheraptor exquisitus on Creative Beast, $49.99)

Creative Beast’s “Beasts of the Mesozoic” line was started by toy designer and sculptor David Silva, who has worked for companies like McFarlane and Hasbro. Silva’s first run of these majestic creatures began with a popular Kickstarter campaign in 2016 that made the news as fans flocked to the idea of scientifically accurate dinosaur figures.

And when they say detailed, they mean detailed. Creative Beast sent me a couple of dinos to examine up close. Not only are they gorgeous, but they’re the most articulated action figures I’ve ever encountered. I’m currently hanging out with Velociraptor mongoliensis.

Perhaps the most recognizable name in the dromaeosaur family, Velociraptor mongoliensis was not the man-sized villain of the movies but a “Swift Robber” from the deserts of Mongolia. Featuring beautifully sculpted feathers, stunning color, and of course that terrible toe claw, this figure makes a wonderful centerpiece in any dino-centric collection! (Velociraptor mongoliensis on Creative Beast, $49.99)

Like all the raptors in the raptor line, it features 26 points of articulation. I can move individual toes, swap out its claws, reshape the cleverly wired tail, open and close its mouth (which is full of remarkably tiny, perfect teeth and a movable tongue), and that’s just to start. It’s astonishing how many different ways there are to manipulate this figure, and I fear it may have ruined me for superhero toys forever. The painting and sculpting are remarkable and vivid for a plastic collectible; you can see every single individual feather, and those claws are pointy.

Beyond the expansive raptor line (which features a three-pack of adorable nestling baby raptors), there’s also a new Ceratopsian series. These are the robust dinosaurs with horns, beaks, and frills that not only stand up to the rigors of playtime, they make for striking statement pieces on display. Meet, for example, my pal Styracosaurus albertensis:

A tribute to one of the most recognizable ceratopsians, Creative Beast Studio’s Styracosaurus albertensis action figure measures a robust 12″ long. An imposing figure on a bookshelf or Mesozoic floodplain, Styracosaurus sports both nose and frill horns, as well as a unique frill colorization reminiscent of a Rorschach test crossed with a Jackson Pollock painting. (Styracosaurus albertensis on Creative Beast, $69.99)

Or catch everyone’s eye with the inimitable Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai:

Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai is unique even among its amazingly-diverse ceratopsian cousins. This 15” long action figure highlights the dinosaur’s large flat bosses over its nose and eyes, instead of the pointed nose horns many ceratopsians don. Its one-of-a-kind frill ornamentation put this four-legged giant in a category all its own.  (Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai on Creative Beast, $89.99)

Also hanging out with me at home is the vibrant Chasmosaurus belli, who seems, dare I say it for a dinosaur who weighed up to two tons when it roamed the earth, rather cuddly. Chasmosaurus belli also looks great posed amongst your household plants.

This 10.25” figure showcases Chasmosaurus belli’s extended frill coupled with a high-contrast paint design of neon green, dark brown, light brown, and white. Discovered in Canada’s Dinosaur Provincial Park, this distinctive ceratopsian was just as likely to attract mates with its discrete frill as it was to repel potential predators.  (Chasmosaurus belli on Creative Beast, $49.99)

Many of the dinosaurs also come with stands, collectible trading cards, and backdrop designs against which to pose them. Here are a few more of my faves:

This handsome fella, Zuniceratops christopheri, is available in both a standard and an edition that GLOWS IN THE DARK. I love him.

Who needs a night light when you have a three-horned glow-in-the-dark dinosaur to protect you from the Boogie Man! Measuring 8.5” from tip to tail, Zuniceratops lights up green in the dark after exposure to light. This dinosaur turns heads both night and day! (Zuniceratops christopheri on Creative Beast, $29.99 for Standard and Glow-in-the-Dark Editions)

Remember that baby raptor set? WHAT IF THEY WERE HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE BABY RAPTORS?!!?!

Before they grew into ferocious adults, raptors were cute little babies — albeit with pointed teeth and razor-sharp claws. At 3” long x 2” tall, these three snow-white nestlings scale perfectly with the deluxe adult figures. With eight points of articulation and interchangeable parts, they are cute and highly customizable! (Nestlings 3-Pack at Creative Beast, $29.99)

Do you adore nothing more than dinosaurs showing off their feathers? Do I have a raptor for you. Say hello to Zhenyuanlong suni: 

Known as “Zhenyuan’s Dragon,” Zhenyuanlong suni stands out from other dromaeosaurs due to its long arms and elongated tail feathers. Looking at Zhenyuanlong, it’s not hard to see that birds evolved from dinosaurs! However, its short arms could not power flight, so no one knows how these ostentatious feathers were used. (Zhenyuanlong suni at Creative Beast, $39.99 for Standard or Fan’s Choice Editions)

You can check out the full “Beasts of the Mesozoic” line at Creative Beast, or go straight to the Raptors or Cerotopsian series. There are many other dinosaurs to be found, as well as model kits if you want to build your own. I wish I could travel back in time and gift these to myself when Jurassic Park came out in 1993. Since I can’t, I’m going to continue saying “roarr” a bunch as I play with my exquisite dinosaurs and feel like a kid again.

(images: Creative Beast Studio)

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Hi everyone! Today I want to discuss which picks I got correct and which ones I got wrong. For instance, I predicted that the Patriots would beat the Panthers 32-26, but the final score was 24-6 Patriots over the Panthers. I predicted that the Ravens would beat the Vikings 27-23, but the final score was 34-31 Ravens over the Vikings in overtime. The Ravens came back from being down 17-3 in the first half. They won the game in overtime by going for a game-winning field goal. I predicted that the Chargers would beat the Eagles 24-16, but the final score was 27-24 Chargers over the Eagles in a close game. The Chargers went down the field to kick a game-winning field goal. I predicted that the Chiefs would beat the Packers 36-31, but the final score was 13-7 Chiefs over the Packers in a low scoring game. The Chiefs offense did not really play all that well, but they did enough to win the game. The defense of the Chiefs played outstanding football until they gave up a touchdown. I think that if the Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was playing that game against the Chiefs, then that would have changed the game and I would have given the Packers a victory over the Chiefs and the Packers would have won that game. I predicted that the Cardinals would beat the 49ers 27-20, but the final score was 31-17 Cardinals over the 49ers. The Cardinals without Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, and Chase Edmonds still found a way to get the win over the 49ers. The running back James Conner had a terrific day scoring 2 touchdowns, 2 touchdown runs, and 1 touchdown pass in the start of the second half. Colt McCoy ran a different type of offense because Kyler Murray was out for the game. Eno Benjamin scored his first rushing touchdown as a Cardinal by trucking a defender to the ground. He was represented as an angry run-on NFL Network the other day. The Cardinal defense forced 3 turnovers and gave up 2 touchdowns. 2 forced fumbles and one interception.

I predicted that the Titans would beat the Rams 31-27, but the final score was 28-16 Titans over the Rams. The Rams offense was just out of sync, the Titans offense without Derrick Henry came out balling and their defense came out on fire even though they started wearing down a bit, but it was enough performance over the Rams. I predicted that the Steelers would beat the Bears 34-24, but the final score was 29-27 Steelers over the Bears. The Bears were coming back from being down 20-6. It looked like the Bears were going to shock the Steelers with a game-winning field goal, but it was short. A little bit closer would have won the game for the Bears and the Steelers escaped with the win.

I predicted that the Raiders would beat the Giants 34-20, but the final score was 23-16 Giants over the Raiders. I predicted that the Saints would beat the Falcons 36-17, but the final score was 27-25 Falcons over the Saints. The Falcons blew a big lead once again, but they still got the win. See, this is why I picked the Saints to win this game because the Falcons intend to blow games later on in the 4^th quarter. I predicted that the Bills would beat the Jaguars 38-21, but the final score was 9-6 Jags over the Bills in a really low scoring game. The Jags won without scoring a touchdown. That was an embarrassing loss for the Bills because that was a winnable game. The Bills should have beaten the Jags. Maybe it was that the Jags defense came to play or is it that the Bills shot themselves in the foot or both? I think that it might have been both of them, but if I had to choose one, then I would say that the Bills shot themselves in the foot. I predicted that the Bengals would beat the Browns 31-28, but the final score was 41-16 Browns over the Bengals in a blowout. I predicted that the Cowboys would beat the Broncos 44-31, but the final score was 30-16 Broncos over the Cowboys. The Cowboys were getting blown out 30-0 because the offense was not playing well at all. Some wide receivers have dropped some balls that they have got to catch. The other thing that was embarrassing for the Cowboys is that when their defense forced the Broncos to punt the ball away and they blocked it, but when it was blocked, the Broncos offensive lineman picked up the ball and got a couple yards, but not the first down. However, the referees somehow gave the Broncos the first down because you can pick it up legally and advance it.

So, I have gotten 7 out of 12 picks correct! Now, let’s get started with week 10 NFL picks, shall we?! The first game I will predict is the Saints @Titans game. I think this should be a really good game. The Titans are coming off with the win and the Saints are coming off with a little surprising loss to the Falcons. I do think the Titans can come away with the win over the Saints in a close game 34-27 because I think the Titans are red hot right now and they are one of the best teams in the AFC. The next game I will predict is the Bills @Jets game. I think this is a game that the Bills should win and I think they will over the Jets 31-15. I am going to be embarrassed for the Bills again if they somehow lose this game also and do not kick field goals Buffalo. The next game I will predict is the Lions @Steelers game. I do expect the Steelers to steamroll past the Lions 45-13. The next game I will predict is the Jaguars @Colts game, the divisional rivalries. I do think the Colts will come out on top of the Jags 27-16. The next game I will predict is the Buccaneers @Washington Football Team. I think the Bucs will come away with the win pretty easily 37-23 over the Football Team. The next game I will predict is the Browns @Patriots game. I think this is going to be a great game. Both of these teams are coming off with their wins last week. I think I might give the slight edge to the Browns over the Patriots 30-27 because I think the Browns will do just enough to beat the Pats by running the football with Nick Chubb and possibly Kareem Hunt. The Patriots are playing a lot better than we all thought, but it will probably just not enough because of the concerns of stopping the run of the Browns. The next game I will predict is the Falcons @Cowboys game. The Falcons are coming off with the win and the Cowboys are coming off with a terrible loss to the Broncos. I think this should be a bounce back game for the Cowboys. I think the Cowboys will beat the Falcons 38-27. The Falcons may have an early lead as they did last week, but later on in the 4^th quarter will start to blow a lead again. The Cowboys are pretty good at making comebacks late in the 4^th quarter whenever they are down. Yikes for the Falcons! The next game I will predict is the Panthers @Cardinals game. The Panthers are coming off with a loss last week to the Patriots and struggling after an 3-0 start and the Cardinals are coming off with a bounce back win over the 49ers. The Panthers recently signed Cam Newton to replace a starting quarterback Sam Darnold, but he is unlikely to play. The backup quarterback PJ Walker will be starting for the Panthers. I think this guy can run it too, something that the Cardinals need to watch out for. The Cardinals have activated a wide receiver A.J. Green off the Covid list. The Cardinals may have their hands full on stopping the running back Christian McCaffrey who is back healthy. He had 153 yards against the Cardinals last time they were here in Arizona. The Panthers have won 5 out of their last 6 games in total against the Cardinals and that’s a problem for the Cardinals. The Cardinals just need to make the Panthers one-dimensional, stop the running back, pressure the quarterback, get off to a good start, read the Panthers defense correctly because they are pretty good with the passing game, run the ball, don’t give up too many chunk plays, and don’t get too many penalties. The Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is questionable for tomorrow and so is DeAndre Hopkins a wide receiver. If Kyler can’t play tomorrow, then I believe it will be next week against Seattle. Chase Edmonds is expected to be out for a couple of weeks. I do think the Cardinals will finally put an end to the losing streak to the Panthers with a win over the Panthers in a close game 31-20. Remember, the Cardinals have to be on their best tomorrow and not mess around.

The next game I will predict is the Vikings @Chargers game. The Vikings are coming off with the loss last week to the Ravens and the Chargers are coming off with the win last week over the Eagles. I do think the Chargers will beat the Vikings 27-17. The next game I will predict is the Seahawks @Packers game. I think this is going to be a really good game because both Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers will be coming back to play as quarterbacks. The Seahawks are coming off a bye and the Packers are coming off with a loss last week to the Chiefs. The Seahawks have struggled over the last couple of years in Green Bay. And because of that, I do think the Packers will come away with a close win over the Seahawks 31-27. The next game I will predict is the Eagles @Broncos game. The Broncos are coming off with a historic win over the Cowboys and the Eagles are coming off with the loss last week against the Chargers. I do think the Broncos will come away with the win over the Eagles 24-13. The next game I will predict is the Chiefs @Raiders game, the divisional rivalries on Sunday Night Football. I think that this will be a really close game. I think the Raiders will come out on top of the Chiefs in a close game 28-24 because the Chiefs last week did not look all that good against the Packers and I think the Raiders will do a slight bit better than the Chiefs. The last game I will predict is the Rams @49ers game, the divisional rivalries on Monday Night Football. I think that this should be a really good game. The Rams have made some upgrades on offense and defense. They have traded for a defensive player Von Miller and signed a wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Pretty big signings. I do think the Rams will come out on top of the 49ers in a close game 35-27 because I think the Rams defense will give the 49ers offense some problems especially with Von Miller and Aaron Donald getting to the quarterback. Yep, that’s a pretty scary defensive pass rush. The 49ers offensive linemen have to be ready for those players because they will try and come after Jimmy Garopollo. But it probably won’t be enough for them.

So, what do you guys think about all the week 10 match-ups?! I would love to hear lots of comments, thoughts, opinions, questions, or concerns down below!

Stay tuned for NFL updates.

The post Week 9 Team Pick Updates and Week 10 Picks! appeared first on The Nerd Element.

Creator: Sas Milledge / Boom! Studios

Quick recap of last issue: Orla and Jo find themselves in a bit of an argument, that ended with Orla stuck in a trap of her grandmother’s making, but thankfully Jo wasn’t about to let her friend take on the final obstacle alone. Mamo #5 picks up immediately from the last pages of Mamo #4, and does what Mamo does best: approach the complicated issue of familial inheritance and duty juxtaposed against friends learning how to support each other as they navigate these things.

It’s not a simple thing that Sas Milledge has decided to tackle, but somehow they managed to do so in a way that is endearingly sweet and visually stunning. The final confrontation with the titular Mamo sells all of the thematic messaging of the series, and the recurrent callbacks to the now fully blossomed relationship between Orla and Jo really solidifies the strength of the series. As Jo emphatically starts to repeat the series’s refrain of “power shared is power doubled.” it really sells how much the two protagonists have learned from each other, and the resolution of the series shows just how far they have grown individually and as a paired set.

The back half of Mamo #5 provides a perfect coda to the magical, action fueled first half, and the final sequence left me with a silly smile and maybe a couple of years. Mamo is just good and wholesome. After reading the totality of the series, after witnessing the journey of Jo and Orla navigating the supernatural and magic of Haresden, that’s all there really is to say.

Milledge’s five issue one was an excellent read from start to finish with incredible visuals and a salient story. This is going to be a fantastic graphic novel when it’s fully collected for younger readers, but even older readers will appreciate the kindness and messaging of the series. It’s sweet and endearing, and I think Milledge really gave the book the best possible conclusion they could.

9.4 “Anchors” out of 10

Enjoying Mamo? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.

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The post Mamo #5 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.