Kalona ia sale barn

Hi everyone! So I bought several 5-Star albums and have traded to complete my OT8 set but now I have some dupes that I’ve pulled and I wanted some feedback/help on how to properly price the PCs/inclusions for sale, since I don’t want to overprice anything (I saw a ver. A Bang Chan card up for $25 which seems excessive to me, since it’s a regular album pull). To be exact this is what I’m looking to price (with some notes):

1. Ver. A and B PCs - $6 seems like the average price
   
2. Double Sides PCs - don’t know what to price this at, my GC said they’re usually more than the single sided ones, so maybe $8 or $9?
   
3. OOTD Mini Poster - idk what to price this
   
4. Reg album folded poster - also idk
   
5. Album w/ CD, no inclusions - maybe $10? That’s what I’ve seen the maxident ones go for. $15 with inclusions?
   
6. Target Exclusive - idk either
   
7. Barnes and Noble Exclusive - also idk but I saw the Bang Chan one going for $100 on eBay which is a big no for me
   

I’d appreciate any help and information! Let me know if anything needs clarification. Thank you in advance! :)

Timestamp
https://imgur.com/a/iaI7nJC
Looking to trade or sell this surefire x300u-b for a tlr7 a plus cash
Got this in trade and think I want a smaller footprint
Locking key looks like it was over torqued and the key is a bit gummed up. Locks tight on my 17 and 19 with no issue
Lower flair ships first
Tv-185$
Sale value 185$ shipped
Comment then pm me. Ppff

The following items are all for sale. Prices are as indicated, but I am willing to negotiate. Shipping is not included unless otherwise agreed upon. All items come from a smoke-free home. Willing to bundle if the deal is right. All offers will be considered and I will try to respond to every one of them. Payment is expected via PayPal. I am happy to accept F&F if the buyer is comfortable, but I also accept G&S if you’d prefer. Images are provided below, but please let me know if you need any additional information/images or if you find the links to be broken.
NINTENDO 3DS bundle both for $29 shipped
Final Fantasy Theatrhythm: Curtain Call - $15
Brain Age: Concentration Training - $15
NINTENDO DS bundle them all for $165 shipped
Snood 2: On Vacation - $2 (or free with any purchase)
Personal Trainer: Cooking - $2 (or free w/ any purchase)
Nintendo DS Browser - $12
Big Brain Academy - $2 (or free w/ any purchase)
Brain Age - $5
Brain Age 2 - $5
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia - $105
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - $50, water damage to cover art
PLAYSTATION
Brave Fencer Musashi - $80, no manual
PS2 bundle all for $215 shipped
Dynasty Warriors 4 GH - $10
Capcom Classics Collection Vol 1 - $10
Capcom Classics Collection Vol 2 - $10
Guitar Hero - $5 (or free w/ any purchase)
Guitar Hero 2 - $5 (or free w/ any purchase)
Ace Combat 4 GH - $5 (or free w/ any purchase)
Madden 2003, 2005 - $2 each or free with any purchase
Marvel vs Capcom 2 - $195
NINTENDO GAMECUBE
Pokemon Colosseum bonus disc - $175
NINTENDO GAMEBOY bundle all for $200 shipped
Kirby’s Pinball Land - $20
WWF Superstars - $10
Pac-Man - $10
Operation C - $35
Batman: Return of the Joker - $30
Super Mario Land - $25
Tetris - $15
Baseball - $10
Ninja Gaiden Shadow - $50
NINTENDO GAMEBOY ADVANCE bundle both for $25 shipped
Mario Pinball Land - $15
Yu Gi Oh: Eternal Duelist Soul - $12
SNES bundle both for $32 shipped
Mario Paint - $5
Zelda LttP - $30
NES (all games come with an dust sleeve) bundle all for $175 shipped
Lee Trevino’s Fighting Golf - $5
WWF Wrestlemania Challenge - $5
Roger Clemens’ MVP Baseball - $5
Flight of the Intruder - $5
Track & Field 2 - $5
RC Pro Am - $8
Castlevania - $25
Mike Tyson’s Punch Out - $40, white bullets
Tetris - $15
Tetris 2 - $10
10 Yard Fight - $5
NES Play Action Football - $5
Bases Loaded 3 - $5
Championship Bowling - $5
Classic Concentration - $10
Duck Hunt - $10
Blades of Steel - $8
Golf - $5
NES Cleaning Kit - $10
CONSOLES
SNES - $75 (A/V cord, power brick, 1 controller, manual, poster (torn)).
MISC
NES Sleeves & Manuals

• (NES) Strider - $8
• (NES) Skate or Die - $5
• (GB) TMNT Fall of the Foot Clan - $3
• NES Sleeves - $1 each

STRATEGY GUIDES
FFX-2 - $12

In June of 2021, a new company, Texas Sigma Partners LLC, moved into the little town of Winnsboro bringing opportunity for growth both physically and financially, as well as high paying jobs for the citizens of Winnsboro and it's surrounding residents. Most positions were filled fairly quickly and production started up.
TSP is a sister plant, subsid if you will, of the south Tx Sigma Agriculture that brings in well over 6+ million in revenue each year while researching , manufacturing and producing the most up to date, highest quality organic fertilizer that's available in North America. At this plant specifically, its comprised of chicken litter (poop) , natural molasses, and a binder ingredient that consists of things like bacteria, carbon, etc. All organic according to their website.
Very shortly after production started, about 27 older, long time citizens of the town started complaining of an "odor" emitting from the building, and having a hard time breathing and or enjoying their homes. Around this time, unfortunately one of the portions of the plant caught fire and caused one of the scrubbers to go out. During the fire, no one including WFD was worried due to their not being any major chemicals in the building that would explode, unlike many other plants located in Winnsboro. The group of boomers though, didn't let the opportunity slide. They managed to call and complain to TCEQ, the environmental QC of Tx, so much so that they were forced to run air , water and other tests. A few of them flooded the City Council meetings with lack luster tantrums filled with misleading or even half truthful information stating that the plant is in so many violations and a nuisance to the town, and even shutting business down. They continued to demand that the City Council shut the plant down or remove it, which is something they have no control over.
TCEQ ran every test they could think of and found that TSP was in fact in violation of a few codes and things but nothing worth an immediate shut down. Stuff like a few extra parts per million over allowed standards. Sigma immediately began the process to remedy those mistakes so that production could continue and no one would lose their jobs. Part of that of course, was getting the equipment replaced that "happened" to catch fire, ironically, the same equipment used to decrease the output of stench associated with the chicken litter. This is where it starts to get wildly interesting.
At this point, the boomers refused to let it go. They ended up hiring an "outside party" to come in and tests ALL SORTS of stuff. Run off water, air quality, you name it. And wouldn't ya know it, the results came back that TSP was in massive amounts of violations. Shortly after, the ring leader of the "sick " boomers, and a few other people, hired a Tyler law firm and proceeded to sue Sigma with the ultimate goal of a complete shut down and financial restitution for their "troubles" and "injuries". They went to court and the judge (Wood County) ordered that TSP operations be temporarily suspended until the remedies were complete and or further testing could be done with clean results.
TSP did just that. Spent well over a million on new equipment, new scrubbers, filters and even went as far as to raise the steam stacks (during processing, the mixture is heated to help combine ingredients. Not burned, just heated which emits mild steam that then leaves the stacks) so that it was high enough not to cause odor for the city. Now , in order to have the final stack test done, the plant has to be operational for 45 days. The judge granted them to do so for that. And the complaints started pouring in again.
I am going to list some facts real quick to help paint a picture.
-TSP is located in the designated industrial complex of Winnsboro in the furthest building from town.
-They are neighbors to multiple fowl smelling plants including a milk/cheese/dairy plant called Keller's Creamery (which sprays rotten/spoiled milk onto its surrounding fields), a twice weekly active Sale Barn that sees thousands of farm animals a week, a stone manufacturer , a feed mill that houses Ammonium Nitrate , the Cities Rodeo Arena and so many other things.
-Winnsboro and its surrounding counties have over 100+ dairy and chicken farms that residents of the area have described smelling for over 20+ years.
- The area is also known for its vast expansion of hay fields that are regularly sprayed with potent manure through the year (fertilizer) to promote growth.
From what I have been able to read on public forums, it seems the complaining group continued to complain about it way past the plants operational hours, and even during the time when they were completely shut down by the injunction. Recently , now that the plant is operating in prep for the test, someone was observed ranting about it on a Sunday morning. The boomers were still convinced that the plant was operating and continuously tried to convince others with zero proof. A resident posted the open/close hours and expressed that it couldn't possibly be the plant because they didn't operate on weekends, and the boomers continued to ignore the facts and attacked the resident. One of them, the above mentioned ring leader, has just recently said she is having to have "major heart surgery because of the fumes from the plant". When questioned by what I believe to be the same resident of the area , they became defensive and argumentative. Over the last few weeks, I have seen several new commenters that are for the plant and its workers show up to discuss it on the forums.
Get this though, the suit was filed on 04/25/2022 claiming Injury/Damages. That was over a year ago and if I have my time line correct, they were barely operational if at all. And no one has complained about it , other than the boomers about the smell. I have TONS of questions.

1. How can you file a suit for injury/damages when no one had been injured at the time, just "annoyed"?
2. If the plant and its fumes are truly that toxic, why hasn't any of the staff been affected or sick yet? Should they be questioned or had physical's done for their own safety? Some of the contributors to the forums have worked their for over 6+ months. They are perfectly healthy.
3. Winnsboro is made up of over 3000 active residents, so why only 27 plaintiff's if its causing quality of life to be essentially non-existent?
4. Why is this an injury/damage suit instead of TCEQ violations/environmental havoc/EPA suit?
5. Where even is the Environmental Agencies if this is a toxic plant harming people?
6. Why would the residents complain about the smell of a chicken litter plant when surrounded by countless chicken and dairy farms already? I have noticed several citizens have mentioned its not worse than those and most hardly even know the difference.
7. Is it legal to claim that the plant is causing you to have heart surgery without substantial proof of that? To add to that, wouldn't you assume that your medical records would be subpoenaed during an injury trial? What's the consequence for lying?
8. Has there been an investigation into the where-a-bouts of the complaining citizens the day of the fire? Could they have caused it on purpose?
9. Why in the world would residents try to run a business out of town that offers growth and financial gain?
10. Wouldn't you want and welcome outsiders to your town to generate revenue and what not? Do they not know that attacking whoever they don't like with lies and excuses causes the town to have a bad rep? Aside from the fact that there are more churches than stores in the whole town which proves they are set in their ways.

With all this , even as little information that is here, I believe it's safe to say that something isn't adding up here and it needs to catch widespread attention. From the info I have gathered, the plant has not purposely done anything to anyone and they have made overwhelming efforts to fix what little mistakes were made and be in total compliance. Additionally, considering the geographical and agricultural area the town sits in, its possible the "bad odor" residents keep complaining about may not in fact be from that specific plant.
​
You can find the only (very biased) article on it here : https://www.kltv.com/2022/05/12/winnsboro-fertilizer-plant-agrees-temporarily-cease-operations-over-residents-pollution-concerns/
You can find the case and list of events in the case at the Wood County Records website.
Case# 2022-187.
Unfortunately , nothing but the case parties and list is available on their website. Still actively researching for the case materials. I'm a very intrigued outsider and plan to look into this further and follow it.

Company Name	Title	City
BigOTires	Automotive Service Technician	Clear Lake
Van Diest Supply Co	Dispatcher-Sales Coordinator	Fort Dodge
BigOTires	Automotive Service Technician	Mason City
BigOTires	Car Mechanic	Mason City
Van Diest Supply Co	Dispatch Coordinator	Webster City
Van Diest Supply Co	Dispatch Administrator	Webster City
Van Diest Supply Co	Dispatcher-Sales Coordinator	Webster City
Variant	Truck Driver	Carroll
Variant	Trucker	Carroll
Hogan Transportation	CDL A Driver	Center Point
Hogan Transportation	Class A Driver	Center Point
Hogan Transportation	CDL A Driver	Conesville
Hogan Transportation	Class A Driver	Conesville
Redhawk Dental Care	Dental Hygienist	Coralville
Variant	Trucker	Fairfield
Variant	Truck Driver	Fairfield
Variant	Trucker	Fort Dodge
Variant	Truck Driver	Fort Dodge
Variant	Truck Driver	Iowa City
Hogan Transportation	Class A Driver	Irwin
Hogan Transportation	CDL A Driver	Irwin
Variant	Truck Driver	Keokuk
Variant	Trucker	Keokuk
Good Samaritan Society	Registered Nurse (RN)	Le Mars
Good Samaritan Society	RN	Le Mars

Hey guys, here are some recent job openings in ia. Feel free to comment here or send me a private message if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!

AITX (ASK @ 0.013)
Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc, a global leader in AI-driven security and productivity solutions, along with its wholly owned subsidiary Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD)
today announced that it is now accepting orders for RADDOG 2LE,

• the robot dog purpose-built for law enforcement agencies.
• Limited quantities are available as early as July 2023.

RADDOG 2LE marks a critical evolution of quadruped robotics positioned to improve the capabilities of law enforcement agencies and enable them to apply practical robotics for a variety of tasks.
With its agile quadruped (four-legged) design and cutting-edge external accessories, RADDOG 2LE empowers officers to conquer

• challenging terrain,
• reach inaccessible areas,
• and navigate through dangerous environments.

Troy McCanna, RAD's Chief Security Officer and a former FBI Agent with extensive experience as a Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force CoordinatoSupervisor, expressed his appreciation for RADDOG's capabilities. McCanna remarked,
"Throughout my tenure with the FBI, I often wished for a solution like RADDOG, which would have offered invaluable foresight into the operational environment before deploying my fellow partners into potentially dangerous situations.
I can only imagine the tremendous situational awareness benefits that RADDOG would have provided."
RADDOG 2LE offers law enforcement agencies an exceptional combination of advanced performance features and remarkable affordability.
Driven by RAD’s ‘RADPack LE’, this quadruped features RADSoC™, the on-board visual analytics and video management system included with all of RAD’s AI-powered solutions.
RADPack on RADDOG 2LE offers unique features, specifically including an interactive touch screen located at the front of the quadruped.
This interface facilitates smooth, high-definition video communication between remote law enforcement officers and individuals within the robot's vicinity.
Complemented by integrated microphones, powerful audio speakers, programmable alert lighting, and front headlights, RADDOG 2LE possesses an array of capabilities to effectively engage with, and capture the attention of those it may confront.
"RADDOG represents the epitome of our achievements and offerings at RAD," said Steve Reinharz, CEO of AITX and RAD.
“Its exceptional performance as a 'force multiplier', advanced communication capabilities, sleek design, and comparable low cost should make it very attractive to law enforcement agencies."
The Company noted that additional iterations of the RADDOG platform will be announced over the next several weeks.
RADDOG 2LE is scheduled to begin shipping in late July. Complete specifics of its capabilities, features and other details can be found at www.raddog.ai and www.radsecurity.com.
AITX, through its subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), is redefining the $25 billion (US) security and guarding services industry through its broad lineup of innovative, AI-driven Solutions-as-a-Service business model.
RAD solutions are specifically designed to provide a cost savings to businesses of between 35%-80% when compared to the industry’s existing and costly manned security guarding and monitoring model.
RAD delivers this tremendous costs savings via a suite of stationary and mobile robotic solutions that complement, and at times, directly replace the need for human personnel in environments better suited for machines.
All RAD technologies, AI-based analytics and software platforms are developed in-house.
RAD has a prospective sales pipeline of over 35 Fortune 500 companies and numerous other client opportunities.
RAD expects to continue to attract new business as it converts its existing sales opportunities into deployed clients generating a recurring revenue stream.
Each Fortune 500 client has the potential of making numerous reorders over time.
​
About Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (AITX)
AITX is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas.
Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, AITX’s RAD, RAD-M and RAD-G companies help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI, and strengthen business.
AITX technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks.
Customers augment the capabilities of existing staff and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost.
AITX solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
To learn more, visit www.aitx.ai, www.radsecurity.com, www.stevereinharz.com, www.radgroup.ai, www.raddog.ai, and www.radlightmyway.com, or follow Steve Reinharz on Twitter @SteveReinharz.
###
Steve Reinharz 949-636-7060 @SteveReinharz

AITX (ASK @ 0.013)
Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc, a global leader in AI-driven security and productivity solutions, along with its wholly owned subsidiary Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD)
today announced that it is now accepting orders for RADDOG 2LE,

• the robot dog purpose-built for law enforcement agencies.
• Limited quantities are available as early as July 2023.

RADDOG 2LE marks a critical evolution of quadruped robotics positioned to improve the capabilities of law enforcement agencies and enable them to apply practical robotics for a variety of tasks.
With its agile quadruped (four-legged) design and cutting-edge external accessories, RADDOG 2LE empowers officers to conquer

• challenging terrain,
• reach inaccessible areas,
• and navigate through dangerous environments.

Troy McCanna, RAD's Chief Security Officer and a former FBI Agent with extensive experience as a Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force CoordinatoSupervisor, expressed his appreciation for RADDOG's capabilities. McCanna remarked,
"Throughout my tenure with the FBI, I often wished for a solution like RADDOG, which would have offered invaluable foresight into the operational environment before deploying my fellow partners into potentially dangerous situations.
I can only imagine the tremendous situational awareness benefits that RADDOG would have provided."
RADDOG 2LE offers law enforcement agencies an exceptional combination of advanced performance features and remarkable affordability.
Driven by RAD’s ‘RADPack LE’, this quadruped features RADSoC™, the on-board visual analytics and video management system included with all of RAD’s AI-powered solutions.
RADPack on RADDOG 2LE offers unique features, specifically including an interactive touch screen located at the front of the quadruped.
This interface facilitates smooth, high-definition video communication between remote law enforcement officers and individuals within the robot's vicinity.
Complemented by integrated microphones, powerful audio speakers, programmable alert lighting, and front headlights, RADDOG 2LE possesses an array of capabilities to effectively engage with, and capture the attention of those it may confront.
"RADDOG represents the epitome of our achievements and offerings at RAD," said Steve Reinharz, CEO of AITX and RAD.
“Its exceptional performance as a 'force multiplier', advanced communication capabilities, sleek design, and comparable low cost should make it very attractive to law enforcement agencies."
The Company noted that additional iterations of the RADDOG platform will be announced over the next several weeks.
RADDOG 2LE is scheduled to begin shipping in late July. Complete specifics of its capabilities, features and other details can be found at www.raddog.ai and www.radsecurity.com.
AITX, through its subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), is redefining the $25 billion (US) security and guarding services industry through its broad lineup of innovative, AI-driven Solutions-as-a-Service business model.
RAD solutions are specifically designed to provide a cost savings to businesses of between 35%-80% when compared to the industry’s existing and costly manned security guarding and monitoring model.
RAD delivers this tremendous costs savings via a suite of stationary and mobile robotic solutions that complement, and at times, directly replace the need for human personnel in environments better suited for machines.
All RAD technologies, AI-based analytics and software platforms are developed in-house.
RAD has a prospective sales pipeline of over 35 Fortune 500 companies and numerous other client opportunities.
RAD expects to continue to attract new business as it converts its existing sales opportunities into deployed clients generating a recurring revenue stream.
Each Fortune 500 client has the potential of making numerous reorders over time.
​
About Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (AITX)
AITX is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas.
Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, AITX’s RAD, RAD-M and RAD-G companies help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI, and strengthen business.
AITX technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks.
Customers augment the capabilities of existing staff and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost.
AITX solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
To learn more, visit www.aitx.ai, www.radsecurity.com, www.stevereinharz.com, www.radgroup.ai, www.raddog.ai, and www.radlightmyway.com, or follow Steve Reinharz on Twitter @SteveReinharz.
###
Steve Reinharz 949-636-7060 @SteveReinharz

Timestamp
https://imgur.com/a/iaI7nJC
Looking to trade or sell this surefire x300u-b for a tlr1-hl plus cash
Got this in trade and think I like my Streamlight more
Locking key looks kike it was over torqued and the key is a bit gummed up. Locks tight on my 17 and 19 with no issue
Lower flair ships first
Tv-185$
Sale value 185$ shipped
Comment then pm me. Ppff
https://imgur.com/a/z9nnBEQ

So, I just finished watching the Apu Trilogy, absolutely loved it, and now I want to delve into this director's filmography. I know the Barnes and Noble sale is probably coming up, so I wanted to know which movie/movies I should get next. All of the ones Criterion has sound like winners, so I'm feeling really indecisive.
View Poll

Preface; I have been an avid player and consumer of Magic for about 15 years, and have been a lifelong fan of fantasy, beginning with Tolkien’s great masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. LotR is a fundamental part of how I approach life; I read the major works of middle earth at least once a year, there’s a balrog on my bookshelf and the Argonath sit on either side of my TV console. The mat on my door reads ‘speak friend and enter’, and I’m shamelessly in love with the work.
I wanted to address the recent choices made by WotC in their upcoming ‘interpretation’ of LotR in a civil, non inflammatory way and show that these choices are an overall detriment to the story they try to convey, and an overall detriment to anybody who advocates for diversity and representation.
​
To begin, let’s talk about LotR and why this work in particular stands above all others in the fantasy landscape. Tolkien’s Middle Earth has been the premier fantasy property since the Hobbit first hit bookshelves in 1937, and 85 years later it is still as culturally relevant and popular as ever. ME as an entity has spawned a string of adaptations ranging from board games to video games, massively popular movie franchises that still sell out theaters twenty years post-release, the most expensive first season of television ever filmed, and you’d be hard pressed to attend any convention or general gathering of nerds where Tolkien’s influence doesn’t loom large. ME is truly a monolith in the landscape of fantasy literature, with nearly every great author in the field citing Tolkien as an inspiration. So while 85 years have passed and our real world has become increasing globalized, multicultural, digitally connected and politically polarized, LotR maintains its spot at the mountain top.
What is it that makes ME such an enduring piece of popular culture? Contemporary works like Narnia are still relevant, but do not hold the same sway. Modern authors have arguably refined fantasy and its elements as a genre with more detailed magic (Wheel of Time), a deeper display of fantasy races (the Witcher, Dragon Age), more nuanced characters and motivations (Game of Thrones/ ASoIaF), there has certainly been fantasy in the past 85 years that does elves, dwarves, dragons, orcs, wizards, magic, sword fights or dark lords better, and even these modern works more fresh upon the consciousness can’t wrest the dominance of fantasy away from ME. Outside of fantasy and strictly as a piece of literature, ME also endures; Tolkien was undoubtedly a master of English and wrote the books from the worldview of a Brit in his time period, yet his works do well when translated into other languages and in a world that is increasingly less British.
It becomes clear then that ME stays relevant not because of the trappings of fantasy or it’s literary merit, but because there is something universal and human within the work that speaks to its audience across time, language and culture. We’re compelled to keep adapting ME into new works because there is something still living on those pages that we wish to remind ourselves of; the seductive and caustic nature of power and greed; the price of ego, arrogance, and ambition; the beauty and dignity of nature and the accompanying dullness of industry and machinery; the tragic nature of war and violence; the shared hopes of the characters for a simple life lived in peace; the idea that those same ‘simply’ motivated characters can still steer the world towards good no matter how small they appear; that loyalty and fellowship among friends are great gifts; the appreciation of beauty in a non-sexual context; that redemption is never out of reach even for the most vile of its characters; that characters separated by race and thousands of years of bad history can learn respect and appreciation for each other. Middle Earth has stayed relevant not because it is good fantasy or literature, but because amidst all the well written prose and fanciful imagery there is an abundance of human insight and broadly recognized truth about the human condition.
​
Now we come to Magic the Gathering’s upcoming Tales in ME, and their push for ‘diversity’ and a ‘modern take’ on Tolkien’s work. Any fan of Tolkien has heard the criticisms before; that the work is ‘too white’ or otherwise non inclusive, that it features geographic and/ or cultural morality in which the white west is typically good and the nonwhite East is maligned. To me, these points seem shallow and uninformed. I am not white nor English; I am Latin and North African. In Tolkien’s words i would probably be described as ‘dark’ or ‘swart’, and if i were from ME I would look more like the Haradrim or Umbar than like Gil-Galad or Aragorn. Obviously this has not hindered my enjoyment of the work, because the human insights I highlighted above are not virtues exclusive to any one group of people in the real world; we ALL desire peace, we all value the simple things like comfort, food, friendship and song. Tolkien perhaps says it best through Faramir; ‘I do not love the sword for its brightness… but for that which it defends’. ME does not survive off of its looks or aesthetics, but because it represents deeper truths. It defends virtues which all people aspire to, regardless of the aesthetic. ME survives in a world far different from its conception precisely because there is something for everyone in it, because it is inclusive in its humanity, not because it is exclusive in any way.
​
I am not against representation in ME in any way, shape or form; ME is vast and exciting and unexplored, and there is more than enough room for everyone to feel welcome and represented. But when ‘representation and diversity’ are used heavy handedly, carelessly, lazily, and motivated by profit disguised as virtue, I DO take offense, regardless of if it’s ME or some other creative space. I can absolutely sympathize with wanting representation, as none of the major players in ME look like me. But there were obvious, more elegant ways of making ME welcoming to minorities without bastardizing the work. For this, let me play devil’s advocate with a few moves WotC MIGHT have made that I think would have been more tactful;
We’ll start with the big one, ‘Blaragorn’ (a term I’m not overly fond of, but for convenience I’ll use it now). Setting aside the obvious, that Aragorn is not a black man, I would not be so irked by this change had it been handled with any sort of respect or logical consistency. What makes Aragorn noteworthy is what he represents; not a sword fighter, king or ranger, but the union of Elves and Men. He is the Elfstone, he marries the Evenstar, the most beloved of the elven women since Luthien, who he himself is distantly descended from. Aragorn is the last flower of a transracial union, the wisdom of the elves inherited into the strength and vigor of men. He is gifted with long life, keen senses, a powerful sense of kingliness and nobility, the hands of a healer, and he bears a host of relics that represent this; the ring of Barahir, the Hilt Shard of Narsil, and a right to the throne of Gondor. If we then make the decision to change Aragorns appearance to any color shade or skin tone, there are some considerations that have to accompany this. If we make Aragorn blue to represent his differences visually, it follows that the elves must be a deeper blue and the people of Gondor less so. If Aragorn is particularly tall and regal, it is because the elves are thus and his people less so. Given that WotC chose to make Aragorn black, I could respect that decision had it been followed through to all of its conclusions; if Aragorn is dark, the elves would be DARKER and the people of Gondor less so. We would expect to see Galadriel, a distant relative of Aragorn and Arwen, to be the image of Elvish-ness and therefor very darkly toned. The same would apply to Elrond, Isildur (being human, but further up the family tree and closer to the shared elven ancestor), and noble houses of Gondor would be somewhere between elvish dark and whatever tone you chose as the ‘default’ tone of men in the west of ME. We do not see these considerations played out, what we see is the tokenism of Tolkien. Aragorn is black - because we said so, no further thought needed.
Moving on to Theoden, the house of Eorl and Rohan we see much the same issue. The alliance between Rohan and Gondor is made meaningful because they are different cultures. They do not share meaningful blood ties, occupy different regions, have different cultures and values, yet the Rohirrim still come to the defense of Gondor and pay a very steep price for their solidarity. It is their differences, and how they look past them, that makes their relationship heroic. Much as Legolas and Gimli find common ground, Rohan and Gondor come through fire death and darkness and out the other side stronger because they are different, and choose to stand anyway. Their story IS diversity, in a way that transcends racist undertones. Tokenism here is a cheapening of this relationship, either because WotC believes their target audience is inherently too stupid to grasp the story’s deeper meanings, or because they believe it will curry favor and sales in a racially motivated market.
Perhaps the most galling part of these changes is the laziness and lack of creativity is betrays. Stapling your ‘inclusion’ onto well established characters thoughtlessly and clearly without reverence for the source material only makes those diverse characters lightning rods for criticism, both racist and valid alike. Shoehorning people of color into the story like this doesn’t represent me in ME; it denies me the chance to have my own part of the tale. ME has so much space in it for people of color, and none of it is used to effect here. Fans of ME would have loved to see the blue wizards finally represented on paper, in any skin tone under the sun. We could have seen more characters from Harad, Rhun, Umbar and other eastern cultures, and if you wished to avoid the race-morality ties it would not have been an issue to make original characters who are rebelling against Sauron’s power in their own homelands. Ironically we get the opposite here, where the few people from these cultures are presented as white, wiping out what could have been a golden opportunity for diversity. Personally I have no problem with original characters and expanded storylines in ME, and for all of the faults Amazon’s Rings of Power had, it’s diverse cast was not one of them. If race-shifting the established characters was truly the only way to get more inclusion into the fellowship, it could have been done in a way consistent with the internal logic and history of Me.
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What saddens me most about this whole affair is that when the union of MtG and ME was announced, i was greatly excited. What a great moment to be a fan of the greatest fantasy TCG and the greatest fantasy Epic, when they come together. Instead I’m left with a bitter taste and a sense of disappointment, watching a beautiful story that clearly resonates with many people being cheapened with identity politics masquerading as ‘love’ for the source material, all to make a few more sales.
Again, my aim with this piece was not to antagonize or inflame; my goal is to highlight what makes LotR special, and how ‘modern’ takes are bound to fail because they represent only a surface level understanding of what makes ME welcoming to everyone. I will be posting this piece across multiple LotR and MtG related subs in the hope of sparking productive discussion across these spaces, especially in light of the distressing surpressionist response some of these subs have had internally over any criticism on this topic.