I have severe anxiety and depression, and I use VR to socialize. I have some VR friends, some of whom I've known for years. Tonight, I joined them to meet their other friends, but I didn't say much at all. I just sat there for hours, overthinking. All of them are smarter and more successful than me and I feel inferior to everyone anyway.
They took me to an improv world I'd never been to before. I figured I could just watch. However, the audience had to participate by suggesting words and topics through a dialog. Only me and one other friend was in the audience, so I had to choose around 15, but I couldn't think of one. They were all waiting on me to start, but my anxiety was so intense that I was barely able to speak, let alone come up with funny words for them to use. Panicking, I thought I could just enter random words instead of funny ones, hoping it might work like Cards Against Humanity where maybe they could use the word for something creative anyway. For one prompt asking for an adjective, I entered "cocaine". By the fourth or fifth word, another prompt asked for an adjective, and I hesitated, feeling guilty about not providing valid or good answers. Eventually, they just started the game without waiting any longer, and I was thankful.
However, I could hear them talking, which was unexpected. They commented, "He doesn't even know what an adjective is," based on my topic words.
During a scene, one of them joked, "Hey, that dress is very cocaine," and they all laughed. Then, another added, "Uhh... I think I need to go back to school," followed by another asking, "You do?!" and they all laughed really hard. I just exited the app. I haven't felt this bad since 2020.

The Context:

A 43 year-old award-winning 3D artist with no construction experience makes a post to /construction bemoaning how hard it is to break into the trades. The thread has been deleted, but still can be read in full here.
His post begins:

I can't get into the trades for no reason that I can discern. 24 years work experience, successful, in an unrelated field. I speak well, no record. I'm eager, have spent time consulting in relevant fields.
It's not random, there's interviews, people make connections, sons get on the job, etc.
I'm white and male and those two qualities have made it impossible for me to get a job at 43 making $18 an hour as a helper to spend most of my time getting coffee?
What am I supposed to do? Banditry? Walk into any shop and it's "why am I going to sponsor you?" and it's not because they don't think I'll do the job well, it's "What is in it for me?"
Unions are meant to protect generational labor while putting window dressing up begging alternate ethnicity and genders or whatever else is on their list. It has nothing to do with who will be the best electrician or carpenter in 6 years.
Good luck guys, glad you have a place in society.

He is heavily criticized for this, with many pointing out that there are likely other reasons he has failed to find gainful employment in his field of choice. OOP then proceeds to get into multiple fights, mentions that he’s won several awards at Cannes, and pushes back on almost all advice given to him.
For readability’s sake, I have linked directly to Unddit for all of OOP’s (now-deleted) comments.

The Drama:

Is OOP too late?

No experience? You're 43? I wouldn't hire you either. It's a young man's game. You're a couple of decades too late.

Putting age into it is literally illegal. You're making my point for me. These public avenues are supposed to make you equal in the law, not add layers of insulation for age discrimination. Hopefully you're not an employer.

Ok we will take age out of it. You sound more aggravating than ten Mexicans of any vintage.
This field is not for you. Go back to tech or whatever.

I sound aggravating when I'm angry at your profession which in some form directly represents you? Go figure.

No, you sound aggravating because you took to Reddit to whine about Mexicans because you think you DESERVE a job that you’re wholly unqualified for. A person of any race, creed, color, or gender with any practical experience is a better hire than you are.

[Continued:]

I took to Reddit because I work in PR and I know how to get the mob opinion which is exactly what I got. I wasn't farming for likes, I knew exactly what this would do and I got exactly what I wanted out of it. I'm applying to "no skills needed" adult programs and am clearly among the top qualified for the job and I'm at the tail end of a long effort of trying to obtain such positions. The answer from shops is "what are you going to do for me" and they don't mean it in the are you going to do the job-type questions. These are "golden tickets" they use as collateral. The public avenues are exactly what I'm saying. You don't get to 90% non-white recruitment as something you parade on a website without excluding a certain segment of people. White people's avenue are through these shops and I'm excluded because people like you think like you thought in your original post. Good day, hope it wasn't too aggravating of an experience. Enjoy the slice you staked for yourself and acted self-righteous about.

You've repeatedly said your skills have nothing to do with construction & have no direct experience, yet still insist that you're "the most qualified". So yes, the 19 y.o. brown kid with 6 months is more qualified. Hell, I wouldn't hire you either. If you're leaving a job of $200k for peanuts because you're "not happy", there's no way I would believe that you will stay in a new field where the New Guy gets shat on constantly. Especially not with the attitude you clearly have.
If you're serious about getting into the trades, go to a trade school. It's a "back door" to getting in with a shop while also getting the knowledge you'll need.

I'm a 3D artist who has had construction clients, I've also had peripheral experience related to trades. Not in trades which is different. Can an engineer build a house? No? Does he know things about that house? Yes? This isn't hard and my attitude on my thread isn't me no matter how much you wish it were. You can walk away with your self-righteous opinions but I'm exactly who I say I am and I can see this bullshit clearly with my own eyes. You're not going to change any of that and you're clearly not going to learn from my experience. Fuck this shit. Yeah, I do have attitude now, look at the responses. It's clear. Age. Private places won't hire me for that reason alone and the public avenues widdle me out by race and gender on the final rounds. I've come to learn that the white kid spots in those places are things of value too. Everyone has a relative.
Buddy. You don't know the difference between a P-1 and a P-2 and you're too arrogant to listen to instructions, get educated or take criticism.
Why the fuck would anyone hire you?

Nice how you can describe me as arrogant without even knowing me.

Well when that's how you present yourself, how else am I supposed to view you?

Others object to OOP’s protestations that his being a white male was a handicap:

i stopped reading when you said being a white male is why no ones hiring you lmao

Innit 😆. I can't get work in a sector I've no experience it must be everyone else's fault

If I were a 23 year old woman who dropped out of HS with a GED I'd have gotten a sponsored union position the second I showed up. You can't tell me that's not true, you also can't look at me in real life and say I'm anything but what I'm saying. That's the reality of the situation, public avenues are excluded me very specifically for no reason having to do with actually being me.

It’s not true

It's not? You mean there's not quotas for these things that are used as actual hiring criteria in the places that feed the union shops in NYC? State and city funding isn't directly tied to their ability to hire these specific groups of people? Because, that's the literal system. You can say it's not true, but they'll tell you to your face and it's broadcast right on their website. If that's the actual system, despite you saying it's not true, that would suck. The age thing is repeated countless times on this thread. People have 2 consistent things, my age and my "attitude" for complaining for this being what it is. That's what people think, they're being honest. The race and gender thing, I dunno, I guess the state legislature? I don't even know.

Clearly you haven't been paying attention. If the guy who owns the shop is white and his kids are white and his nephews are white and his nephews screw up friend is white and they're all in the club and the union is getting quotas from the city they need to fill in order to receive funding that makes all public avenues inaccessible to white males, those positions are filled. That's how we do things these days. Check out places like "Construction Skills" where they brag about 90% non-white recruitment, etc. Well is the city 90% non-white? No? Are white people applying? Yes? You can pretend there's not a correlation here, but it's darn clear. Talk to anyone trying to get into the trades and on the men universally agree the best leg up you can gave is to be a woman. You might not want to live in this world, but it's the world we live in.
this entire post makes it clear that you just have a shitty attitude. i can count with my fingers the amount of women construction workers ive encountered in almost 8 years of being in the trades. this is very much a YOU problem, bud.

Another asserts that OOP’s mentality is to blame:

It’s the insufferable victim mentality. I’ve worked with guys like you and they never last.

See, you just don't encounter very many people who have worked 90 hours a week looking to make a career switch and rose to management in that time. We have the confidence of knowing who we are ahead of time. You can assign whatever you want to it, this is my experience. If half the guys don't have a license and the actual job requirement is "who will work the hardest, get the coffee order right, show up 30 minutes early and don't have to worry about smelling like weed" I'm #1, yet, I seem to be last. Perhaps this is someone who has specifically been on high functioning, complicated teams for his entire care
You’ve never worked 90 hours in a week in your life.

I have Cannes Lions awards, do you even know what that is? Try and tell me I never worked 90 hours, it's my defining feature as a worker. The biggest complaint about me is I care too much and that creates turmoil, over my career I've had to moderate caring about the end product and the client. Address what I'm saying, don't make shit up. Making shit up does nothing.

Let’s rephrase that. You’ve never WORKED in your life. I’ve done 90 hours a week pipelining. That’s work. And it was 15 years ago for me. I’d be fucking crippled if I tried that today. I got a back surgery as a reward for my efforts. Whatever annoying ass shit you’re up to is for soft handed tittybabies who don’t actually create anything of value. You’re one of the non-essentials.

OOP’s tone is critiqued:

You sound like an entitled know-it-all. I would assume that comes through clearly in interviews, along with a dose of racism. Nobody wants to hire the guy who's been to 40 superbowls and knows everyone and everything. They can't be taught and are a drain.

I think I sound like someone who is sick of this shit and you identify with the parties I'm railing against. But, you know, we all have different adjectives for things.

There it finally comes out. Politics!!! It only took 2 hours of this guy complaining and boom POLITICS. It’s always about the “party” you choose. What a joke

Buddy, I just wanted to paint walls or frame a wall.

But you turned it into something else. I get that you're frustrated but you're being "that guy". The chip on your shoulder is turning people off.

Yah man, don't listen to all the people telling you how insufferable you sound, it's not you it's them. That's why you'll never get into the trades..

Another gets down to it:

How much experience do you have in the trades?

How much experience am I supposed to have for no experience required helper positions specifically for adults?

It's uncommon to get hired into the trades anywhere without any real world experience

So only people with real world experience get hired. How does one get that real world experience, genius? These are helper positions, no experience required, adult programs. You're telling me I need the thing they're specifically trying to come in there and provide an opportunity for not having. This is madness.

If you invite someone whose nearly 50 with zero experience onto a worksite he's gonna hurt himself. You can learn to build by just flipping houses or build a deck. As for my trade it's unusual for someone to be hired after 35 even with trades experience.

[Continued:]

I'm a backpacker with a BMI of 19 in the best shape of my life. Age discrimination is also literally illegal. You're literally spouting the bullshit we had to go in and make laws over because middle aged men were getting disenfranchised.

Names are called:

You sound like a whiner. Just an absolute whiny little shit at 43. It emanates from you, and no one likes whiners on jobsites, so it makes sense you can't get hired as a no-experience whiner.

I'm the person who keeps his mouth shut knowing you're a dick with an authority problem who speaks up needing to prove size. I get my job done, don't say a word, laugh at your jokes, then go home. When I whine it's to my boss, about others not pulling their weight. I got bosses willing to attest to that, in spades. We all know things, sometimes we don't know the thing we think we know. I think I got this situation pegged though. Pretty stupid for you to engage, I know me and I get to base my opinion on the evidence you provided. You don't know me and are opining on a thread of me complaining saying I'm a complainer. Huh, wow, genius, you got me, I complained! I know what I offer, what my weaknesses and strengths are. I obsessively work at them on a daily basis. All of this is true, and everything I've written here is my story. Apologies if a single complain to you reads perpetual whiner. I'm glad you've found mechanisms in life to let you believe you're in control and able to exert authority in comfortable places. It emanates from you, who you are. I come on advertising no skill, I come on with a complaint, those are your accusations. I came in with them, so, bravo, figured me out and really added to the conversation.

Keep wondering why no one wants to hire you bro- Don't worry, it's literally everyone elsewho's wrong!

I'm being told it's because it's my age, race and gender, to my face. Whether that's right or wrong, up to you to decide for yourself.

The Flairs:

• “So what's your skill set? Lying and spinning bullshit?”
  
• “I have Cannes Lions awards, do you even know what that is?”
  
• “Whatever annoying ass shit you’re up to is for soft handed tittybabies”
  

(So this is just a big rambling, so your welcoming to skip it. I don’t like writing stuff down on my phone😡)
I know everyone has been talking about this for years on Miles’s name as Spider-Man. I’d love for him to be the Ultimate Spider-Man again, because he earned that mantle and legacy from Ultimate Peter Parker in 1610, but since Peter has taken it (again) in earth 6160 that can’t happen.
And since he’s been in 616 for so long, I believe he should have his own title like Peter.
So I’ve been thinking about it for a few months now and I believe that Miles’s adjective, that can be something that’s actually his own and separate from Peter, should “The Phenomenal Spider-Man” and here’s why:
It’s been 13 years since his introduction in the comics, and he’s faced any and all obstacles that have come his way. Racism, hatred, gatekeepers and others have tried to tear him down yet Miles has overcame them all and has literally risen to a success no one has ever seen in a legacy character.
He has a movies trilogy, his own game (and him being a co-Star alongside Peter in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2) and he hasn’t been canceled in the comics since his inception, and we all KNOW the Ziglar run is really popping off right now.
Like the growth Miles has had in this run is absolutely crazy good!
Him leaning on the people close to him when he knows he needs them and should talk to them, acknowledging that he needs to work on himself (his PTSD around what he went through in the Saladin run and Trial by Spider and The Spun Out arc) and actually putting it into practice by going to therapy, being more proactive in being Spider-Man than he ever has before this run.
Him growing as Spider-Man with him becoming a detective and adding the potential for more stories, and then him getting trained by The Daughters of Dragon in swordplay, hand to hand, battle tactics and becoming a more efficient and effective hero than ever before.
Like him having his sword alone (thanks to Rabble pushing him so hard), can bring newer, more deadlier villains to Brooklyn’s doorstep for him to face, and even with that, he’s been improving his Spider-Sense (which has been helping him out a lot) and now he has full cowl 100% under his belt, like it’s really cool to see how far Miles has come in only 19-20 issues so far.
Miles has been on a remarkable journey for the last 13 years and I believe the last thing he needs is his own “title” and “The Phenomenal Spider-Man” just fits Miles perfectly!
He’s been improving so much in the comics and it can only get better from here, him being the Phenomenal Spider-Man just really adds to his amazing journey and growth in the comics, games and movies.
And that is why I believe that his adjective should be “The Phenomenal Spider-Man” because he’s truly earned the right to be Phenomenal.
Thank you for coming to my (rambling nonsense) Ted-Talk!👊🏾

I decided to post more. Right up front, I want to clarify that this isn't intended as dissing the game or calling it bad, but I renamed all the rivals because, well, I'm not a big fan of their current names. If I could, I would make all the current names nicknames and give the rivals these new names as their real names. In fact, I would actually suggest doing so, with these or other names. I want the game to be the best version of itself and in my mind that means names that aren't just google translated words. Besides, Japanese names are so much fun to create, you can pack a lot of meaning into them if you spend some time researching. Anyways, once again I used japanese-names.info and jisho.org to come up with these and they probably all lean towards the kira kira end of names

Osana Najimi

Her name comes from osananajimi, the Japanese word for childhood friend. I would rename her Sana Nagatomo, written 咲 (sa) meaning to bloom or to blossom, 愛 (na) meaning joy or to love, 長 (naga) meaning long time or eternity, 友 (tomo) meaning friend. Her last name reflects her status as Senpai's childhood friend while her first name is a reference to her growing feelings towards him. Because there are already multiple voiced lines using her name, I would change her introduction from Info-chan to say "Her name is Sana Nagatomo. Everyone calls her Osana."

Amai Odayaka

Amai means sweet (as in the flavor) and odayaka means gentle. I would name her Mikan Odanaka, written 美 (mi) meaning beautiful, 甘 (kan) meaning sweet or pleasant tasting, 小 (o) meaning small, 田 (da) meaning rice field, 中 (naka) meaning inside. The last name was chosen because it's only a letter off from her current last name which is on the side of the bakery in town, so it only has to be slightly edited to fir the new name. An obviously the first name references sweet foods, which are her specialty

Kizana Sunobo

Kizana means something like smug or pompous and sunobu is the English word snob in Japanese. I would name her Yukari Sunaga, written 優 (yu) meaning outstanding or superior, 華 (ka) meaning splendid or flower, 璃 (ri) meaning jewel, 寿 (su) meaning auspiciousness, 永 meaning long time. So she's a splendid, outstanding jewel who will have success for a long time. Sounds like a smug name to me.

Oka Ruto

I know, I know, we all love Oka-chan, so do I, she's perfect. But her name is just the English word occult in Japanese (okaruto). So I'd go with Mariya Kanno, written 魔 (ma) meaning demon or evil spirit, 璃 (ri) meaning glass or crystal (like a crystal ball!), 夜 (ya) meaning night or midnight, 神 (kan) meaning deity or soul, 呪 (o) meaning curse or spell. Yeah, leaning hard into the magic and demons here

Asu Rito

Asu actually is a name! But none of the kanji had anything to do with her character. Anyways, asurito is the English word athlete. I'd name her Eimi Rinko, 泳 (ei) meaning swim, 美 (mi) meaning beautiful, 輪 (rin) meaning circle, 湖 (ko) meaning lake. The character 輪 is also used in the word for the Olympics, so that's a neat bonus for our wanna-be Olympian

Muja Kina

Her name is derived from mujaki which means innocent or simple minded, plus the modifier na to make it an adjective. I'd call her Kiyomi Sekka: 健 (ken) meaning healthy or strong, 美 (mi) meaning beautiful. 拙 (setsu) meaning clumsy or unskilled, 家 (ka) meaning home or lineage. There aren't many kanji that relate to her gimmick of being klutzy and getting into accidentally suggestive situations, 拙 was the best I could get. Also I wanted to reference her being a nurse, so 健.

Mida Rana

Genuine question: does anyone like Mida? All the other rivals I've seen people say they love them, but no one ever seems to say anything positive about Mida. Which I get lol she's my least fave rival. Anyways. Midarana means lewd. I came up with Noriko Hoshiga: 教 (nori) meaning to teach or to guide, 子 (ko) meaning girl or child, 欲 (hoshii) meaning crave or desire, 賀 (ga) meaning celebration. Shockingly there aren't many kanji related to lust or sex that are used in peoples' names, 欲 was the best I could find and I'm reasonably sure it doesn't have any sexual connotations. As for her first name, I wanted to reference that she's a teacher, and 子 is a very common suffix for names, especially from the 80's and 90's.

Osoro Shidesu

As far as I can tell, osoroshidesu means terrifying or "it's scary". I named her Ran Hazaki: 乱 (ran) meaning disorder or chaos, 破 (ha) meaning destroy or defeat, 崎 (saki) meaning steep or rugged land. Real talk, this is my favorite name I came up with, I love how it sounds. Her first name references her delinquency, while 崎 is meant to reflect how the game is getting more difficult (think a "steep" difficulty curve).

Hanako Yamada

Much like her brother, Hanako already sorta has kanji for her name. Hanako Yamada is the Japanese equivalent of Jane Doe: a placeholder name given to unidentified or unknown women. As far as I can tell, it's typically written 花 (hana) meaning flower, 子 (ko) meaning girl or child, 山 (yama) meaning mountain, 田 (ta) meaning rice paddy. Obviously she has the same last name as her brother

Megami Saikou

Megami is a word for Goddess, saikou means best. Her initials, if you haven't ever noticed, are MS as in Mary Sue, and I want to keep that. Saikou is already all over the game, so there's no changing it. Which is fine, I like the name. I would change her first name to Mikami: 美 (mi) meaning beautiful, 神 (kami) meaning deity or excellence. Basically the same as her current name. As for Saikou, I think you could write it as 斎 (sai) meaning purification, 侯 (koh) meaning lord, nobleman or target. Which is a combination I really like

From my amateur eyes, they were more locked in since the beginning of the game. Jokic looked more focused and made those high arched floaters. Murray was aggressive and made most of his jumpers and layups.
Locked in, focused, aggressive. I can only describe it with vague adjectives. Does anyone know strategy wise what did the Nuggets do differently? I understand the referees called more fouls this game but that can’t be the only reason. G2 the Nuggets looked outmatched in both offence and defence. What happened?

Just a small rant/PSA from watching content creators and youtubers making videos about this game.
Somehow everyone is calling it WITHERING. These aren’t non-native English speakers.
Wuthering is a Northern English adjective stemming from the verb Wuther : “to blow with a dull roaring sound.” So the title is emphasizing the waves are blowing really hard. Insert dirty innuendo ;)
Withering means something is dying or losing vitality. The waves are not dying, I repeat, they are not dying!
Clearly I am overreacting and it’s a non-issue. I just want people to pronounce the game right esp. since it’s not difficult to do so. :D Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk.
Edit: if the game dies at launch we shall call it “Withering” Waves. ☠️ 🌊

No matter what name is chosen, people will not be happy. Some people will always hate it, while for others, their passion will grow with the team. You'll never please 100% of people 100% of the time.
A lot of people are failing to realize is that a sports brand is not just a cool t-shirt and hat. It's an experience that ties communities and people together. It creates a common language that builds bonds.
What's in a name? Can we just slap any ole' name on there and call it a day?
Let's look at the Jazz. For years we have heard "why don't we switch the name?" It doesn't have anything to do with Utah. It's true, we aren't know for our amazing street musicians. Nothing about it screams Utah. However, after 40 years, the Jazz brand has permeated Utah culture. Native Utahns grew up going to Jazz games. We grew up experiencing the culture around their success. It had such an effect that if you grew up in the 90's/00's you probably remember everything with the 'ZZ' ending. The name created ripples across Utah.
My guess though, if we got an expansion NBA team today, there wouldn't be a single person considering the name 'Jazz.'
I think this shows two things - first, you can create a brand that has a passionate following out of any name. It's about the experience surrounding the team, which will grow over time. Talented creatives will amplify that experience, regardless of name. Second, how people's identity changes based off the team is as important as the name is.
--
Before you downvote and bring the pitchforks, hear me out. Name selection can open up different levels of opportunity. Think of each name having a DnD stat sheet of pros and cons.
The name that is chosen should allow the greatest potential of an expanded brand language. Not just one stat maxed out. Again, this isn't about t-shirts and hats, it's about the marketing opportunities, the tie-ins, the arena experience, and the ability to keep people coming back.
The first consideration is the ability to create an expanded brand language. Let's look at the Golden Knights. They tap into the zeitgeist of Las Vegas and medieval lore. They use terms like, "Knight of the realm." The fonts they use invoke medieval heraldry. In the arena, they talk about the kings court, 'knight time' etc. A lot of their branding uses motifs of gold, royalty, and gambling. Cards and coins are used as texture elements, and everything is pretty gaudy - but it works. It feels like Vegas. Plus, People. Eat. This. Shit. Up.
The Avalanche use mountains, snow, and ice as their motifs. Everything fits into the snowy, blizzard, cold theme very well. It's not as expanded as Vegas, but it still has a unique theme. Overall their branding was to fit into the Colorado professional sports sphere.
Then you have the Sharks. What do they have? Sharks. Not much more to it than that.
We need a name that taps into a part of Utah's zeitgeist. We need something that feels uniquely Utah (that is inclusive to non-relgious folk) that doesn't feel like we are trying too hard. Do we need it to be as gaudy as Vegas? No, but we also don't want to hit the same note every year like the Sharks.
--
Next, let's talk about fitting a name within the sphere of the NHL. We need to consider how to fit the brand as a piece into the NHL puzzle. Our name needs to feel like it belongs - and not just a one-off. I think that is why the name Kraken was so widely panned when first launched. It just didn't feel like it fit as an NHL name.
I categorized NHL names into 6 different origins.
Historical/culture is based off of something related to the region, while the 'other' category was decided by ownership based off preference (note that Blackhawks was owners choice but was historically related to his WWII squadron, but ultimately after the Blackhawk tribe).
You can see that the three top categories would be historical/cultural, and tied in second are animals and elemental based names.
Ultimately, I believe that it would be better for our team to be historical/culturally significant to Utah, or animal based, due to our other Rocky Mountain counterpart already filling the elemental space with the Avalanche.
I would also argue that mythical creatures, while appearing in the list at 2 exist, would still feel out of place as a whole. Plus, unless we are talking Bear Lake Monster, we don't have much of a connection to a certain choice that seem to be topping a lot of lists.
--
What would my choices be?
In no particular order, Outlaws, Mammoths (plural since each animal team is also plural) and Raptors. Each of them tie into Utah in a unique way that doesn't feel forced. The branding opportunities outside of merch feel like they would fit into Utah well.
Outlaws lean into the wild west motif quite nicely, separating us from Colorado. Utah was quite properly the wild west in the early 20th century. Plus, there is an whole expandable vernacular that can be used. Until lacrosse starts making as much money as the NHL, no one will stop to think twice about considering their feelings.
Mammoths are great because you can also use mammoth as an adjective. They feel stoic and sturdy. There are opportunities around the ice age and eons. We have found mammoths in Utah, including a near-complete one near Huntington North reservoir.
Raptors would have been great, but didn't make the short list. Similar reasons as Mammoths. I think because the Toronto Raptors, this name was dropped from consideration (the NBA makes more than the NHL, so no whatabouts with lacrosse).
My least favorites:
Yeti. I get it, you like the sound of it. Alliteration is always an ample opportunity. Technically there are several team names that fall under the mythical creature or 'it has a ring to it' categories. The main issue is what do you do with this? It's very little do with Utah, and the branding is limited to mountains - which Avs already have a claim to with their motifs.
Blizzard - basically the same complaints. It's way too close to the Avalanche. It is just doesn't differentiate from Colorado enough for me to take it seriously.
Venom - I just don't think this one fits into the NHL sphere very well. I suppose this would go under the Elemental category. I could see the motifs being about snakes and desert, but I don't see that expanded brand language as much as other options.
--
Thanks for coming to my ted talk. I enjoyed putting this together.

No matter what name is chosen, people will not be happy. Some people will always hate it, while for others, their passion will grow with the team. You'll never please 100% of people 100% of the time.
A lot of people are failing to realize is that a sports brand is not just a cool t-shirt and hat. It's an experience that ties communities and people together. It creates a common language that builds bonds.
What's in a name? Can we just slap any ole' name on there and call it a day?
Let's look at the Jazz. For years we have heard "why don't we switch the name?" It doesn't have anything to do with Utah. It's true, we aren't know for our amazing street musicians. Nothing about it screams Utah. However, after 40 years, the Jazz brand has permeated Utah culture. Native Utahns grew up going to Jazz games. We grew up experiencing the culture around their success. It had such an effect that if you grew up in the 90's/00's you probably remember everything with the 'ZZ' ending. The name created ripples across Utah.
My guess though, if we got an expansion NBA team today, there wouldn't be a single person considering the name 'Jazz.'
I think this shows two things - first, you can create a brand that has a passionate following out of any name. It's about the experience surrounding the team, which will grow over time. Talented creatives will amplify that experience, regardless of name. Second, how people's identity changes based off the team is as important as the name is.

Before you downvote and bring the pitchforks, hear me out. Name selection can open up different levels of opportunity. Think of each name having a DnD stat sheet of pros and cons.
The name that is chosen should allow the greatest potential of an expanded brand language. Not just one stat maxed out. Again, this isn't about t-shirts and hats, it's about the marketing opportunities, the tie-ins, the arena experience, and the ability to keep people coming back.
The first consideration is the ability to create an expanded brand language. Let's look at the Golden Knights. They tap into the zeitgeist of Las Vegas and medieval lore. They use terms like, "Knight of the realm." The fonts they use invoke medieval heraldry. In the arena, they talk about the kings court, 'knight time' etc. A lot of their branding uses motifs of gold, royalty, and gambling. Cards and coins are used as texture elements, and everything is pretty gaudy - but it works. It feels like Vegas. Plus, People. Eat. This. Shit. Up.
The Avalanche use mountains, snow, and ice as their motifs. Everything fits into the snowy, blizzard, cold theme very well. It's not as expanded as Vegas, but it still has a unique theme. Overall their branding was to fit into the Colorado professional sports sphere.
Then you have the Sharks. What do they have? Sharks. Not much more to it than that.
We need a name that taps into a part of Utah's zeitgeist. We need something that feels uniquely Utah (that is inclusive to non-relgious folk) that doesn't feel like we are trying too hard. Do we need it to be as gaudy as Vegas? No, but we also don't want to hit the same note every year like the Sharks.

Next, let's talk about fitting a name within the sphere of the NHL. We need to consider how to fit the brand as a piece into the NHL puzzle. Our name needs to feel like it belongs - and not just a one-off. I think that is why the name Kraken was so widely panned when first launched. It just didn't feel like it fit as an NHL name.
I categorized NHL names into 6 different origins.
Historical/culture is based off of something related to the region, while the 'other' category was decided by ownership based off preference (note that Blackhawks was owners choice but was historically related to his WWII squadron, but ultimately after the Blackhawk tribe).
You can see that the three top categories would be historical/cultural, and tied in second are animals and elemental based names.
Ultimately, I believe that it would be better for our team to be historical/culturally significant to Utah, or animal based, due to our other Rocky Mountain counterpart already filling the elemental space with the Avalanche.
I would also argue that mythical creatures, while appearing in the list at 2 exist, would still feel out of place as a whole. Plus, unless we are talking Bear Lake Monster, we don't have much of a connection to a certain choice that seem to be topping a lot of lists.

What would my choices be?
In no particular order, Outlaws, Mammoths (plural since each animal team is also plural) and Raptors. Each of them tie into Utah in a unique way that doesn't feel forced. The branding opportunities outside of merch feel like they would fit into Utah well.
Outlaws lean into the wild west motif quite nicely, separating us from Colorado. Utah was quite properly the wild west in the early 20th century. Plus, there is an whole expandable vernacular that can be used. Until lacrosse starts making as much money as the NHL, no one will stop to think twice about considering their feelings.
Mammoths are great because you can also use mammoth as an adjective. They feel stoic and sturdy. There are opportunities around the ice age and eons. We have found mammoths in Utah, including a near-complete one near Huntington North reservoir.
Raptors would have been great, but didn't make the short list. Similar reasons as Mammoths. I think because the Toronto Raptors, this name was dropped from consideration (the NBA makes more than the NHL, so no whatabouts with lacrosse).
My least favorites:
Yeti. I get it, you like the sound of it. Alliteration is always an ample opportunity. Technically there are several team names that fall under the mythical creature or 'it has a ring to it' categories. The main issue is what do you do with this? It's very little do with Utah, and the branding is limited to mountains - which Avs already have a claim to with their motifs.
Blizzard - basically the same complaints. It's way too close to the Avalanche. It is just doesn't differentiate from Colorado enough for me to take it seriously.
Venom - I just don't think this one fits into the NHL sphere very well. I suppose this would go under the Elemental category. I could see the motifs being about snakes and desert, but I don't see that expanded brand language as much as other options.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk. I enjoyed putting this together.

Wanting to see what some of you guys are thinking, because...
Honestly, the story feels so directionless and vague right now. Malgus really doesn't seem to say anything else besides some lame Shakespearen circular sentences of the destruction and the reshaping of the galaxy.
The Mandalorian storyline interests me less than watching paint dry on my wall. Honestly, if there is gonna be a choice I'll probably get rid of everyone, Ri'kan, Heta, Sa'har, and I am ready for all the hate, but yes, even Shae. Did not like her even back in Shadow of Revan, and especially hate her now.
And Darth Nul...would have been the most interesting part so far, but everything about her is so vaguely provided to us in the game, and lacks any substance whatsoever...I just son't see how she can be any more dangerous/deadly/any other negative adjective you can think of than Valkorion, who basically ate worlds for lunch and turned an entire elite droid civilization into his service.
What are your thoughts? I mean, obviously I don't expect anyone to have any tangible knowledge about how the story actually unfolds, but what are your theories?

For those that don’t know Erin Michelle Gailito is A Course in Miracles student who claims to channel Jesus. She has written the book “Essays of the Light - Channeled Guidance for your Ascension”. She also hosts a Q&A with Jesus and the public which is held each Saturday. If you wish, you can ask “Jesus” a question by attending one of these sessions from her website (details here). The first Saturday session is recorded and put on her Youtube Channel. You can see previous public Q&A sessions videos here.
She seems like a nice person, and it’s tragic she is suffering from multiple sclerosis.
Typically each month Erin’s friend (Admirable_Advice8831) posts a link to the most recent channeled session to this very forum. I would be fine to leave such discussions about these channeling there, but sadly Admirable_Advice inadmirably deleted the entire previous month’s discussion which contained a lot of interesting details about how Erin’s channelings worked, so I feel it is important to post some notes about this in a thread that won’t be deleted/censored.
All that being said…major red flags are going off when I listen to Erin’s Jesus speak. These make me question whether she is actually channeling Jesus as she claims. Erin (whether she admits it or not) follows a fairly extreme nihilistic/non-dualistic view of ACIM (similar to say Ken Wapnick). Robert Perry recently posted an excellent refutation to A Course in Nothingness/non-dualism mind virus that I recommend readers check out…separate topic though.
Often Erin’s answers are vague and repeat the theme of “everything is an illusion” or “everything is one”. Usually these answers are not helpful. They are overly simplistic…conveniently so. I too could claim to channel Jesus. It would be easy to fool students…any question provided could be met with vague/abstract answers about everything being an illusion/oneness/sameness.
Discernment is an important spiritual attribute that all spiritual students and teachers should practice…especially when it comes to channeled Jesus teachings. People WILL go to crazy extremes if they believe they are instructed to from Jesus. This can include hurting others or themselves. Therefore it it ethical and wise to be critical of any source that casually claims to be Jesus. Often these “sources” are more interested in the power and attention the Jesus label provides than the wisdom or authenticity of such messages. The real Jesus often acts in disguise and behind the scenes, as he knows his name can be twisted to hurt and control other people.
Let’s look at specific issues with her answers starting with the video posted on April 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu2ygXY4eHk
​

21:36 - Some people don’t believe Jesus is the channel for A Course in Miracles
The answer “...The Course in Miracles was built around a more Christian framework…if Helen had been Hindu…there would be a different name to the same voice…we would say that same voice, because that voice is wisdom…and wisdom has been perceived in different forms…in this case it is Christ…but it is all the same”.

Reducing the authorship of the Course to an abstract “wisdom” that would go by a different name if say a Hindu text, is very deceptive. Helen verily adamantly believed Jesus was the channeled source. She was either right or wrong. “Wisdom” is just an adjective and can’t be personified. Only persons can act out personhood. Only persons can write the Course. The question is which person?
Nihilists often make this mistake. They believe everything is one with no differences…so it is justified to refer to themselves or that voice in their head as Jesus. Yet they never apply that logic to those they disagree with…or say historical villains. Using the “oneness” logic, can’t we say Stalin or Hitler wrote the Course?
Just because the pinky finger is on the same hand as the ring finger, doesn’t mean both fingers are the same without differentiation.

48:00 - The next question comes from Violet who can’t be here today
The answer: ...generic answer about feeling peace…54:35…”does that make sense?”

Why is Jesus asking Violet if his answer makes sense when Violet wasn’t there and the moderator had to relay in her question for her. In this case the moderator covers with a “yes it does thank you”...but that is a white lie. This has happened in other cases with Erin…where Jesus “forgets” that the questionnaire is not on the live panel. The real Jesus would not make this mistake. So who is speaking?

55:33 - Multipart question
The answer “what was the first part of the question again”?

I can understand if a human could forget the first part of a long question…but Jesus? His memory should be very good…if not perfect. This is very odd. It’s also not the first time Erin has asked a question to be repeated that she forgot.
Now let’s consider the video posted recently on May 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku8PfiltbbE
​

13:16 - How do thoughts create reality in the game of illusion
The answer “it’s all made up”...”it’s just a game…should be fun”.

This is NOT an answer about what reality is or how reality is created. This is how to avoid emotional turmoil while dealing with illusions (illusions <> reality). “Jesus” answered the wrong question. A true Jesus would not create such a poor answer. Also this answer of “treating the game like fun” contradicts earlier answers of withdrawing from the game because it is an illusion.

31:40 - When a loved one passes over…does lighting cancels and holding a mass assist the soul…also to whom should we address prayers for them, you, Jesus, Mother Mary or God”
The answer “there is no need for prayers because you are one with all…the prayers are for you…not for Mother Mary, God, or anyone it is for you….say that prayer to yourself”.

This is a bad answer. For starter, the idea that prayer isn’t needed because there is oneness is insane. The Course often referred to prayer and it being important. Those that pass over do not always do so in a positive fashion…in fact Erin in an earlier segment revealed that some face very bad circumstances. Other spiritual sources indicate some souls stick around as ghosts and need help to leave Earth for Heaven…prayer can help and it is crazy that this “Jesus” casually dismisses the idea.
Then she advocates “praying to yourself”. This is an egotistic view of prayer. Prayer by its very natural is antithetical to the ego because it reaches outside of yourself/ego for help. That would be to a greater source/God. To pray to your self is to pray to your ego…not good.
Then Erin fundamentally misunderstands the question of to (not for) prayer should be targeted. It is a good question. To whom should prayer be addressed? God, Jesus, your guardian angel, an archangel, Mother Mary, etc…? Other Jesus sources have been asked this question and have provided better answers. The best answer IMO is to target God for prayer, because all other heavenly beings serve God. Other sources suggest it is ok to address prayer to Jesus as well, because of his close affiliation with God.
Summary
Something is amiss. I’ve studied many, many channeled Jesus sources and errors like this are not uncommon. The channel though needs to honest about their shortcomings and humble to know when they are making mistakes. To not do so can be disastrous spiritually for both the teacher and student.
Again, I believe Erin is a sincere person who is not intentionally deceiving people. But I believe she has opened herself up to guides and angels, and has lacked discernment in determining who is saying what. Perhaps at one one the real Jesus did talk to her. But I suspect most current messages are coming from her guides…and some may be coming from lower life forms who are not spiritually wise.
It is likely not a coincidence that she suffers from multiple sclerosis and hears these voices. MS has been linked to psychosis, involuntary muscle movements, and interrupted thinking. These are clear red flags for possession which the Urtext talks about in depth in chapter one. It is ironic. In doing what she loves (channeling “Jesus”), she may be inadvertently killing herself. Her MS swaying and bodily motions appear to be getting worse in her most recent videos. Hopefully she heals herself both physically and spiritually.

Utah Snipes\ -Bird native to Utah. Unique name.\ -Fun name, sounds cool: “The Snipes are playing tonight”, “I wanna go to the Snipes game”\ -Play on words for sharpshooters / accuracy of our offense: “Get Sniped”, “Snipes be sniping 🎯”\ -The snipe has a long beak that can easily be made into a hockey stick for the branding
Utah Snowcats / Snow Cats\ -Flows better than “Lynxes”, is shorter than “Mountain Lions”, or “Snow Leopards”. More ice/snow related than Bobcats or Wildcats.\ -References Utah’s snow\ -Could reference the Mountain Lion, the largest and only big cat in North America, native to Utah\ -Someone pointed out that it references Utah’s ski resorts, being that the fully tracked vehicle used to groom the runs is called a “Snow Cat”\ -Mascot could look like a snow leopard, doesn’t have to be mountain lion
Utah Jackalopes\ -Mythical creature unique to the west\ -Nickname-able. “You going to the Jacks game?” “My ‘lopes are playing tonight”\ -Fun feel to it
Utah Archers\ -Double meaning that could honor both Arches National Park and Native American bowhunters/arrowheads\ -“Archers” is a more team-sounding name than the “Arches” idea\ -Some fun fan/crowd opportunities to draw a bow and release the arrow (when we score, for example)
Utah Black Diamonds\ -Reference to our ski resorts, the highest difficulty runs\ -I saw some say that it would fit better for an MLB team (because baseball diamonds, I assume), but I feel it would be too close to the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s literally just the words flipped plus 1 letter difference.\ -Cool branding opportunities to include diamond designs in uniforms and merch.\ -No obvious mascot lets us get creative. Maybe a snow leopard with diamond-shaped spots?
~~
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Utah Condors\ -References the huge rare birds that soar over Utahs southern canyons
Utah Steam\ -One of the cooler names to reference Utah’s railroad history. The team’s heat and speed make the ice steam 😤🚂
Utah Sea Monkeys\ -Sea Monkeys are brine shrimp, the only species of marine life able to live in the harsh environment of the Great Salt Lake waters
Utah Bison (Ice Bison? Snow Bison?)\ -Largest living land animal in North America. What was once almost extinct now roams free in parts of Utah.
Utah Otters\ -References Utah’s River Otter. Might need some kind of short adjective with it, but Utah Ice Otters / Snow Otters doesn’t sound great
~~
Which of these could you see yourself getting behind? What tweaks would you make to these ideas?
(EDIT: I deleted my previous post of this to make edits for more clear formatting)

Utah Snipes\ -Bird native to Utah. Unique name.\ -Fun name, sounds cool: “The Snipes are playing tonight”, “I wanna go to the Snipes game”\ -Play on words for sharpshooters / accuracy of our offense: “Get Sniped”, “Snipes be sniping 🎯”\ -The snipe has a long beak that can easily be made into a hockey stick for the branding
Utah Snowcats / Snow Cats\ -Flows better than “Lynxes”, is shorter than “Mountain Lions”, or “Snow Leopards”. More ice/snow related than Bobcats or Wildcats.\ -References Utah’s snow\ -Could reference the Mountain Lion, the largest and only big cat in North America, native to Utah\ -Someone pointed out that it references Utah’s ski resorts, being that the fully tracked vehicle used to groom the runs is called a “Snow Cat”\ -Mascot could look like a snow leopard, doesn’t have to be mountain lion
Utah Jackalopes\ -Mythical creature unique to the west\ -Nickname-able. “You going to the Jacks game?” “My ‘lopes are playing tonight”\ -Fun feel to it
Utah Archers\ -Double meaning that could honor both Arches National Park and Native American bowhunters/arrowheads\ -“Archers” is a more team-sounding name than the “Arches” idea\ -Some fun fan/crowd opportunities to draw a bow and release the arrow (when we score, for example)
Utah Black Diamonds\ -Reference to our ski resorts, the highest difficulty runs\ -I saw some say that it would fit better for an MLB team (because baseball diamonds, I assume), but I feel it would be too close to the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s literally just the words flipped plus 1 letter difference.\ -Cool branding opportunities to include diamond designs in uniforms and merch.\ -No obvious mascot lets us get creative. Maybe a snow leopard with diamond-shaped spots?
~~
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Utah Condors\ -References the huge rare birds that soar over Utahs southern canyons
Utah Steam\ -One of the cooler names to reference Utah’s railroad history. The team’s heat and speed make the ice steam 😤🚂
Utah Sea Monkeys\ -Sea Monkeys are brine shrimp, the only species of marine life able to live in the harsh environment of the Great Salt Lake waters
Utah Bison (Ice Bison? Snow Bison?)\ -Largest living land animal in North America. What was once almost extinct now roams free in parts of Utah.
Utah Otters\ -References Utah’s River Otter. Might need some kind of short adjective with it, but Utah Ice Otters / Snow Otters doesn’t sound great
~~
Which of these could you see yourself getting behind? What tweaks would you make to these ideas?

Okay, what I'm asking for is a little bit complicated. In fact I'm thinking of trying to build this myself. t, Though I've never built a bot, I do know a little python. However, I don't want to start from scratch if somebody already has created something that will meet some of my requirements.
Let me explain what I need.
This bot's main two actions will be posting text posts and replying to comments made on those posts. It does not need to upvote or downvote things. It can be limited to certain subs, it does not need to be available on all of reddit.
The simplest version of this bot would be a bot that basically does a "Mad Libs" form. It would post a text post with a bunch of blanks, like:

1. noun _______
2. adjective ________
3. verb __________
4. game __________
5. number _________

This is the form. Users could leave comments, filling in the blanks, such as in this example:

1. dog
2. sweet
3. played
4. fetch
5. 3

The bot would then reply to them with the completed mad lib, utilizing their inputs, with text like:

My dog is so sweet. I played fetch with it 3 times today.

The above is just a very simple example. Of course I would want to load different forms I create into the bot.
Ideally, the bot would actually allow the user to make some choices, turning a simple mad-lib-style form into a kind of "choose your own adventure" thing. But that might be version 2. My minimum requirements are just to do what I describe above.
Does anyone have know of any kind of existing bot that does something like this? Or could at least provide some useful code examples?
​

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