2023, The Positives

2023 was a rough year for many, but it wasn't all bad. There were some great things going down this year. I thought I'd point out some thanks to the Good News Network:

- Scientists 3D-printing stem cells to make new brain tissue.
Scientists have been working on a way to incorporate 3D-printed stem cells (basically "blank cells" that eventually become more centralized cells, like intestinal, heart, nerve, etc) that can eventually be used to grow new brain tissue. This could be a potential new way to treat brain injuries. 70 million Americans live with a traumatic brain injury, so yeah. And treating injured brains aside, I think this could also be a potential cure for Alzheimer's. 

- Plastic jugs can now be made into soap.
Guoliang Liu, a researcher at Virginia Tech, has discovered how to take plastic jugs and make them into soap. How? Polyethylene. Polyethylene is one of the most common plastics around. It also is similar in chemical structure to the main fatty acid used in soap. Thing is, the chemical chains of polyethylene are long, and the fatty acid's chemical chains are short. Liu found a way to break those longer chains into the shorter ones, inspired by watching firewood burn. The process uses a special oven that "burns" plastic and leaves behind a wax residue which can be used to make soap. Imagine in the future that the soap you use being made from discarded plastic milk jugs. 

- James Webb Telescope detects water vapor hanging out in space. 
Using said telescope, scientists have discovered water vapor floating around in space around the star known as PDS70. But it's not just the fact that there's water vapor out there, but the distance from the star. It was found in the star's "Goldilocks Zone", the range of orbits around a star in which a planet can support liquid water. Earth is in our own star's Goldilocks Zone. This is an important step in understanding in how our planet even managed to get water on it. 

- Oldest known cave paintings found in France.
Markings have been found in the walls of the La Roche-Cotard cave in the Centre Val de Loire. These paintings could provide new understanding of the culture of Neanderthal man.

- Hong Kong restaurants help restore oyster reefs. 
Oyster reefs around Hong Kong have been in a bad state for decades. However, there is a solution. Since 2020, the Hong Kong chapter of The Nature Conservancy have been collecting used oyster shells from various hotels, restaurants, and markets. They then use those shells to help restore the reefs. These oysters help filter pollution from the waters and provide homes for various marine life. The Conservancy has recycled 80 tons of oyster shells this way.

- Elderly woman gets to pet a penguin.
Christine Cross is a 76-year-old woman who loves penguins. She collects penguin merchandise, toys, and has even donated to zoos to care for them. On Christmas day, her daughter Lindsay got her a very special gift: A trip to SeaWorld in California, and a chance to pet a penguin. I think she likely owns this LEGO set: 60384 Penguin Slushy Van. I got this set for Christmas.

 

- Schools in the United States are using more electric buses.
From 2022 to June 2023, the number of electric school buses operating in the US have doubled to almost 1300. These buses have helped not only provide travel, but they're not putting out any emissions helps make the air cleaner and help reduce diseases like asthma. 

- The saiga is no longer critically endangered. 
The saiga antelope is an antelope that is native to Russia and Kazakhstan. After decades of conservation work, the species' numbers have greatly bounced back, from almost 50,000 known antelope in 2005 to nearly two million. That is an insane recovery. 

So, yeah. 2023 had some good things going for it, and these were just a few examples of the cool things. Hopefully next year will see even more great things happening. Happy New Year, everyone! See you next time!

Text Play: Pokemon Xenoverse #24

Hello, and welcome back to the Eldiw region! This is entry number 24 in my Text Play of Pokémon Xenoverse!

Now, as is tradition, I wish to warn you that I will be spoiling this game.

As such, I highly recommend that you play this game through yourself before reading these Text Plays. You can download the game here. And now with that out of the way, let's do this!

Last time, we made our way through the Wild Bull Saloon, only to end up fighting a possessed Chrysler and Salem. We ended up in front of a fence maze...which is pretty darn annoying.

Yeah, I've grown a bit of a dislike for mazes in video games. But there's no use crying about it. Let's just get through this thing. The entranceway has three paths: Forward, left, and right. Logically, we should try the leftward path first. That path is a dead end, but we do find something interesting there.

More diary pages! Let's see what they say.

Everyday, the little one came to the saloon where it had an assured meal. Finally, I had found a new friend. But then...One night, a gang of outlaws alongside three Houndoom broke into the inn, raiding all my and my customers' money. Westar has never been the city of Trainers, so I didn't know who to ask for help, especially to protect at all costs that Pokémon. Among the people, a newborn infant broke down in tears and one of the Houndom, sick of that whining, attacked her. I didn't want to witness such a brutal scene, so I shut my eyes...

Once I opened them again, I saw the Dark Pokémon groaning on the floor...It was my friend! That kind-hearted Pokemon stood up for the saloon and that baby! The three outlaws ordered their Houndoom a combined attack right away, but the small shadow threw them away in a blink of an eye. The thugs cut and ran and so I tried to reassure the customers, telling them what really happened...It was such a relief telling someone about that Pokémon strongly attached to the saloon! But the outcome was not like what I was expecting at all...the clientele, just by the idea that a ghost has been there all that time, just got terrified and fled... 

I tried explaining that the creature was inoffensive, but I couldn't talk them out. Even my friend, saddened about the whole story, hid into its own shadow...Since then, the saloon income crashed and no one came by anymore...This memory of mine now is nothing more than a nightmare that haunts my sleep! No more songs, no more dances nor drinks...everything is so sad and quiet here! Not even it came back...now it's only me and my worst enemy--the loneliness...

Huh. I'm guessing this was the incident Minta was talking about earlier. The incident that caused the Wild Bull Saloon to go out of business. The Pokémon in this place saves a kid's life, and this happens as a result. That's gratitude for you. No good deed goes unpunished, indeed.

Although, I do have some questions about this saloon's interior. Well, there's really nothing else here, so let's head back to the entrance. Going all the way to the right-going path only leads to another dead end. 

Yup. Just another dead end. Nothing special. So let's head back to the entrance. Again.

Since the right and left paths don't lead anywhere, we might as well take the middle path. That's the only path left, after all. However, that path takes us to a crossroads next.

So, up or down? Well, we can try the downward path first. Doing so leads us to this branching path.

I hate mazes. I hate them so much. Going downward here just leads to a dead end, so we have to go upwards. Going that way and then to the left (the right is another dead end) leads us to this fork.

No, not that fork!

There we go! Going to the right leads us to this dead end with an Item Box in it. 

It contains an X Special Attack. Going on the downward path takes us to the left and to another fork in the road.

The left path is a dead end, but the right path leads us to Willy. 

Oh dear, looks like he's been hit as well. Hangead's got him running around that there mechanical Tauros like he's on fire or something. Based on the pattern, we've got to fight him as well.

However, once we talk to the possessed Will, Hangead doesn't seem to be interested in battling us again.

Instead, as the screenshot shows, he wants to play a game.

Funny enough, I watched that Doctor Who special "The Giggle" while working on this entry. Huh. The cosmos is weird. Anyway, Hangead wants to play hide and seek with us. With that, Will vanishes in a puff of blue smoke. Great. This means we have to backtrack our way through this blasted maze to find him. Lovely. Just lovely. 😒

Backtracking through the route we went to get through this stupid maze, we find Will. 

Will just says "peek-a-boo" and vanishes again. Great. I start wandering around the maze like a madman, trying to figure out where Will is hiding now. I think I may have gone a little insane. Just a little.

Eventually, I made my way back to the entrance of the stupid maze room. I went on the right-side path, and on the dead end, I found him. 

And he vanished again. Stupid maze. We can find him again in the room with the mechanical Tauros.

When we talk to him, he reveals that he has always been afraid, ever since he was a boy. As a bizarre form of therapy, his father would take him to rundown places like this. Will drew strength from his dad's presence, allowing him to find his courage. This mechanical Tauros has special significance to Will, as his dad would let him ride it to help him forget his fears of Ghost-type Pokémon. He thinks about those days a lot, and he realizes why he wanted to father in his father's footsteps. However, he now realizes that he's alone. His dad is gone, and he's still a coward. Hangead realizes he had a very easy time possessing Will, because his cowardice made him especially vulnerable. Hangead wants to leave this place and be among humans, and one he deals with us. He can do that. Yeah, buddy. like the other three members of GEIST are going to let that happen. But to face them, he'll have to go through us.

1st Pokemon: Kidoon (Lv. 33) - Defeated by Harrowk.
2nd Pokemon: Kidoon (Lv. 34) - Defeated by Harrowk.
3rd Pokemon: Bulbasaur (Lv. 35) - Defeated by Trishout.

Despite the defeat, Hangead is still determined to leave this place in Will's body. But then Will fights back from within. Will may see himself as a coward, but he knows one thing: he isn't alone in this world. His dad may be gone, but he still has his GEIST teammates, who he considers family. He includes us in that, too. Aww.

He finds the strength to fight Hangead's possession off. You know, Will. You might have more courage than you realize. Once he's beaten, we can use the stairs behind the area with the mechanical Tauros. Yeah, it was originally blocked off by a candle, but now we can use the stairs. Using said stairs leads us here.

Yeah, I wonder what this room was for. It can't be an attic. attics don't have platforms like in the upper left corner of the screenshot. And it can't be a performance hall. There's no chairs. Looking around, I realized that this isn't the attic, this is a roof. We're on top of the Saloon. The corners have things to find there. The upper right corner of the roof has an Item Box.

It contains a Spooky Plate. You give this to a Pokémon, it boots the power of any Ghost-type moves they know. On the upper left corner is more torn pages. 

If we read them, we learn more about the fate of the Saloon, as well as Chempo himself...

August. Not even a single customer in months...I was on the rooftop, when I heard a roar coming from that main hall. I immediately ran there...I shouldn't have! Those gangsters came back with reinforcements...But this time, there was a known face--the mayor! Gunther, a corrupt politician of Eldiw's underworld--the man behind the tourist crisis of Westar City...why was he there? 

He made it clear immediately--he had come to take his revenge for what happened a few months earlier and catch the Pokémon of the saloon! He was done talking, and one of the outlaws' Scarphasmo attacked me, while the other Pokémon started destroying what remained of my inn...Slash hit me hard, but my physical pain was nothing compared to my inner wound...Everything I built, every happy memory, everything went up in smoke...I was about to pass out when... 

All of the Pokémon were thrown away by a powerful attack...It could only be it, my friend! Gunther ordered his minions to attack the little Pokémon that, despite its small size, was really powerful. It came back to protect me as it did that child, months ago! The mayor, out of henchmen, ran away and the little Pokémon fell on the floor exhausted. I owed so much to that Pokémon, so I took care of it for days, until it got its health back. Meanwhile, the whole city, hypnotized by the mayor's claptrap, started hunting the Pokémon that committed the "crime" of hurting that liar of Gunther. I had no choice...the lil' one and I had to leave Westar City! 

Waking up from its coma, it came closer to me and a thick black tear crossed its face...I don't know if it was sadness or happiness to see in me the good ol' days...all I know is that I witnessed the creation of an unforgettable memory of our bond! After that, the Pokémon vanished before my eyes...My friend didn't want me to leave everything I created...and so it was! I'm old now and death will soon come visit me, so... 

Please! I ask those of you who will read these words to respect my only remaining wish...Keep the bottle of the black tear safe--I've kept it hidden in the basement...It represents the soul of a Pokémon that did everything to protect me and my beloved city! Goodbye. - Chempo.

 Wow. 

In the center of the roof is a shrine. And Minta is clearly there. When we approach her, her Hangead-possessed-Blastoise Buster appears before us in a flash of blue smoke. 

I get the feeling he'll be a tough customer. Hangead has both Blastoise and Minta herself under his power. He wants vengeance for presumably our beating him in the past. He can possess both Minta and Blastoise at the same time, because the two have a very deep bond. I can imagine Minta raised it from a very young Squirtle. He thinks of Minta as a jackpot body. She has brains like Chrysler, the capability of Salem, and the spirit of Will. 

1st Pokémon: Blastoise (Buster) (Lv. 40) - Defeated by Harrowk.

Well, I guess not. Although to be fair, Harrowk is part-Electric (Electric beats Water), and I think he's ten levels stronger. Hangead is so infuriated by the loss, he tries to possess us. Thankfully, the rest of the GEIST team is there to back us up. 

As you can tell, the Pokémon is not very impressed. After all, he possessed them before. They say they'll face Hangead together. The screen shakes, and flashes colors. Somehow, Hangead's power ends up dissipating from this. A freed Minta thanks us for the help, and Salem flirts with her a bit. Salem! Dude! She just was possessed!

With Minta freed, we see Hangead's true form.

Yeah, looks like a deranged Muppet. Salem wants to fight the thing. Which I can get. If I were him, I'd want a bit of vengeance for being possessed. I can't imagine it was a pleasant thing. Minta, though, has an idea. 

She gives us a shot at catching this Pokémon, as it has been weakened...presumably thanks to the battles we had with it when it possessed the GEIST team. Minta asks us to meet her at the Firehouse one we beat or catch it. I managed to capture it.

When we beat the mad puppeteer Pokémon, there is a shiny spot left behind in front of a tombstone.

The shiny spot is a Dread Pendant. As for the gravestone, my guess is that its Chempo's. It would make sense. The man clearly dedicated his life to the saloon, it's only appropriate that he'd be buried near it. I'm assuming that he's not actually buried here, but this gravestone is meant to be symbolic. I can imagine he was actually buried somewhere else. Or maybe he was cremated. Who knows?

With that all done, we may as well head back to the GEIST firehouse. After all, Minta did tell us to meet her and the crew there.

We go into the lab, where the GEIST gang are waiting for us. Minta has announced that Chrysler has managed to build a little something that will send those Team Dimension goofs packing. I wish I met this guy at Newtron. Chrysler explains that the device used his Pikachu's Nuzzle attack. It worked, but his Pikachu had to run for it. 

The device created an "electrical bond" between Pikachu and the grunt robots. Chrysler used this to create something that will let him control the grunts. 

Wouldn't it be simpler to just...hack them? I mean, they're robots, right? Robots are guided by programming. I doubt that they have any really advanced AI, so...yeah.

So, what is the device Chrysler built? It's basically a glorified EMP generator. With the press of a button, he'll unleash EMPs that will bring one of the robots to him. And it works.

Hopefully, Team Dimension won't get too much wind of this. Minta suggests that Chrysler could modify the device to make it so that GEIST can outright control the robots. Chrysler says it would be his pleasure. Besides, I think that would be easy for him.

Minta wants to name the grunt Chrysler captured. She notices that on its neck is a code: R3VO. It inspires a brand spankin' new name for the grunt: Revolver. As Chrysler gets to work, Minta suggests we introduce ourselves to Sheriff Caspar, Westar's Gym Leader. He's helped the team out in the past, and Minta believes that we'd be a very tough opponent for him. 

With Hangead taken care of and the Team Dimension goons hacked, we can now go to El Purgatorio, the high-security prison that also is Caspar's gym.

I do believe that I have said something about this in the last entry, but I feel the need to say it again. I wonder how this works. Why would the Eldiw Pokémon League allow this? Do the prisoners train there as some form of work-release? 

Don't get me wrong, I never had any problem with Gym Leaders having side occupations. If anything, it's a great opportunity to help give them some characterization beyond "generic boss you have to fight to move forward". But to me, having one also be a sheriff/warden does raise questions.

And I think that is where we'll stop for this month...and for 2023. Don't you worry, folks. There may be a new year, but this journey will continue! Next time, we're going to start 2024 with getting ready to go through El Purgatorio to face Caspar. Wish me luck! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!  

Pokémon Obtained:
(Wild Bull Saloon)
- Golbat (Encountered, didn't catch)
- Haunter (Encountered, didn't catch) 
- Puppillon (Encountered, didn't catch)
- Scaracno (Encountered, didn't catch)
- Nunvil (Encountered, didn't catch)
- Hangead (105th Pokemon! Woo!)

Daredevil #253 (April 1988)

Since Christmas was this week, I thought I would take a look at a Christmas-themed comic. I didn't have too many of those in my collection, unfortunately. But then I remembered something. One of my Daredevil trades had a Christmas issue, so why not look at that this week? For my final review of 2023, let's look at Daredevil #253!

The cover is a John Romita Jr. and Al Williamson piece. It depicts the Kingpin angrily gripping the mask of Daredevil. An amusing thing about this comic's cover is the masthead logo being used to wish Daredevil a Merry Christmas. It's kind of true, this Christmas is a good one for him.

"Merry Christmas, Kingpin!"
Writer: Ann Nocenti
Penciler: John Romita Jr. 
Inker: Al Williamson
Colorist: Max Scheele
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editors: Ralph Macchio, Marc Siry
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco 

The story begins In Hell's Kitchen. Christmas may be a time associated with snow and cold, but this part of New York City? It's hot. It's always hot. And two men intend to make things hotter in the Kitchen. Not in the good way.

"IMMA LICK THE WORLD, SPIT! LITERALLY!"

Meet the Wildboys, two men who love trouble. The bearded one is Spit, and the one who can't keep his Gene Simmons-like tongue out of his mouth is named Jet. These two men's idea of spreading the Christmas spirit is to cause some damage and mayhem. 

They see an opportunity to do exactly that when they see a man dressed as Santa collecting money for homeless children. The two decide, "Hey, that money should go to our charity: The Give the Wildboys Money Fund". As such, they rob the Santa at knife point. A man tries to intervene, but since he's not a superhero, he gets an elbow to the mouth for his trouble. The two men then drive away cackling. This whole thing was witnessed by a young boy nicknamed Eightball. 

Eightball is a member of a group of young skateboard fanatics from Hell's Kitchen known as the Fatboys. We've met two of them in the past: Butch and Darla, back in my look at Daredevil #265 (April 1989). I do find it funny that they call themselves "The Fatboys" as one of them is a girl, and none of them are fat. Is it a skateboarding reference? I have no idea.

Anyway, Eightball thinks that the Wildboys are pretty cool. They do whatever they want, and they seem to always get away with it. Said Wildboys' rampage is also witnessed by the man the comic is named after.

"Time to go Grinch on these guys." 

It's Christmas Eve, and if there's something that Daredevil doesn't like, it's people like the Wildboys causing trouble on this day. So, he's going to help Santa make sure they get their lumps. And by lumps, I do not mean lumps of coal. 

But first, he needs to make sure people hit by the rampage are alright. He, well, "sees" that the man who tried to stop the Wildboys from robbing the Santa is in shock. Eightball reports to the Man Without Fear about the Wildboys, about how they were, well, wild and fearless. They wanted to "trash the family unit", whatever that means. Daredevil asks Eightball if he thinks they were cool. Eightball just stammers and runs off. It's here that he runs into two of the other Fatboys: Ralf and Darla. Again, we met Darla in Daredevil #265. 

Showing how he admires the Wildboys a bit, Eightball decides to play bully towards Darla. He knocks the helmet off Darla's head and kicks her off his skateboard. Darla's was stolen, but she'll get a new one for Christmas. Eightball laughs that off. After all, Darla's dad is a drunk and her mother is a junkie. They likely are in so much of a stupor they don't even know where they are, much less what day it is. Ralf says he's going to steal a Christmas for his family. 

Back with Daredevil, the cops are checking on the man in shock and presumably an ambulance is on the way. A cop asks Daredevil is he can help deal with the Wildboys. The NYPD is a bit stretched thin, as many on the force are spending time with family this Christmas Eve. Daredevil sees Eightball and Ralf skate by, and he shoots a look at the boy with the 8-Ball on his helmet. This creeps Eightball out, as it seems as if the Devil of Hell's Kitchen can read his mind.

Matt Murdock's thought bubble points out that he is watching Eightball, but the boy is unaware of this. Eightball decides that if Daredevil thinks he's bad, then he might as well be. 

Later, Matt is bringing a Christmas tree somewhere. He finds himself thinking about family. The cop assumed he didn't have one, and maybe he wasn't wrong. After all, Matt's father is dead, and his mother is off being a nun. Thing is, family isn't necessarily built by blood. Family can be the people you build bonds with. Daredevil has, in a way, a found family among the outcasts of the city: the rebels, the homeless, etc. As Matt Murdock heads to his destination, he switched back to civilian clothes. 

"Except Bill ate all the Fritos. Friggin' Bill..."

At this time, Matt was running a free legal clinic, as well as a hotline to help people with drug problems. The workers there all chipped in for a nice Christmas feast. Matt tells them how the Kingpin destroyed his life, but he still had his heart and spirit. This feast shows that heart and spirit are still here, and he actually pities Wilson Fisk. Why? Well, even though he's one of the richest and most powerful men in the city, he is missing something no amount of money or power will give him. 

Speaking of the Kingpin, what is he up to?

"Feel the burn!"

The man may be large, but he is not a weakling by any means. He is being briefed by one of his attorneys on how Murdock's legal work is messing up his own plans. Fisk wants to put up a new building. But not just any new building. He wants to build the tallest building in all of Manhattan Island. As such, he needs to buy a lot of property to make this new building. Murdock has rallied the community, and as a result, the lot owner is under very heavy pressure to not sell to Fisk. 

As the man continues to work out, a fly buzzes in. When Fisk is told about a lawsuit against a company called Kelco that is making headway (thanks to Murdock working with grassroots environmentalists), Fisk insists he has to win that case. The point of it was to show Murdock there is no justice, and the lawyer should apply some pressure of his own on the lot owner tomorrow.

He grows annoyed with Murdock's work, as well as the fly buzzing around. He tries to smash the fly with a barbell, but all he gets is a broken mirror and a beaten-up trainer. 

The attorney points out that you can't kill a fly with a barbell. Fisk realizes he'll need to be subtle. The attorney reminds Fisk that it's Christmas tomorrow, and he'd like the day off. Spend the day with his family, after all. Fisk channels his inner Scrooge and tells him no. He finally catches the fly in his hand. He plans to crush Murdock, and Christmas is no obstacle. He demands a board meeting tomorrow morning, Christmas or no Christmas. 

Meanwhile, the Wildboys continue their idea of "fun".

Talk about your Christmas sales.

The Wildboys have taken up "collecting" electronics, and Daredevil has tracked them down. He jumps on their car and disarms the two. He easily sends them to dreamland and leaves them as a gift to the cops. 

He spots Eightball going through the Wildboys' loot. Daredevil advises him to give the loot back, telling him if you give to others, some of that goodness will come back to you. Eightball thinks he's nuts, but he does leave the loot behind. Daredevil goes to return to the pilfered stuff, but the owners of the looted stores approach him. They tell him that he can keep the stolen items. It's Christmas, after all. And the Man Without Fear knows exactly what to do with this stuff.

Let's check in on the Fatboys, shall we? Darla is looking longingly at the skateboards in a store window. Eightball shows up and the two talk a bit. She intends to steal one of the skateboards in the shop, but Eightball tells her that you get what you give into the world, basically. It's a nice way of showing that Daredevil's words sank in. The two have a tender moment, which is interrupted by Eightball kicking his skateboard at her and running away. She tells him he forgot his board, but Eightball insists he didn't. After all, it's not his.

The next day, Christmas is here. Up in Fisk's tower, the Kingpin is alone and stewing over Murdock. The attorney comes in and reports that the rest of the board are at home with their families. Also, the owner of the lot that Fisk wants has decided not to sell. He even convinced some other lot owners not to sell their properties to Fisk. The Kingpin is enraged by this. But it's that time of year.

Over at the free legal clinic, Matt returns with the items the store owners let him keep, having wrapped them up and is giving them away as Christmas presents. 

The Kingpin is driven by in his limo, and watches Matt at the clinic. He thinks that Matt is miserable being among what the crime boss considers the dregs of society. He then realizes that to truly finish Murdock off, he needs to stab him in the heart. In the metaphorical sense, of course. The story ends with a bum asking Fisk for some change. 

I enjoyed this comic, a Christmas in Hell's Kitchen. The Wildboys weren't much as characters, but they weren't really meant to be new additions to the Man Without Fear's rogues gallery, just generic punks for Matt to beat up. I can't help but think that Nocenti also was feeling a bit Dickensian by having Fisk be a Scrooge here. I also liked the scene with Eightball giving his skateboard to Darla, showing that he may have thought Daredevil was nuts, but he's not a bad kid at heart. Even in Hell's Kitchen, there's kindness and goodwill. Murdock and Fisk are compared very well here. Murdock may not have the wealth or power of the Kingpin, but he's surrounded by people he cares about, whereas Fisk has wealth and influence, but he has no one. Perhaps the Man Without Fear truly has the wealth after all. The little subplot with Eightball was cute, and his giving the skateboard to Darla was adorable. JRJR's art has the grit to it that fits Daredevil.

All in all, this was a wonderful little tale for the holidays. If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2016 trade paperback Daredevil Epic Collection Vol. 13: A Touch of Typhoid. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time! Have a belated Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!