Harry Potter, (even more) hatred in America, Putin, and FFXI

[thistlechaser]

Four topics, four tiny paragraphs! Eh, not counting this one!

Is this picture an official Harry Potter one? Or is it fan made? It's really nicely done (and hot and amusing) either way!

I'm so amazingly very happy that I don't live in a neighborhood where a sign like this one would be posted. God, how insulting.

It's very odd, but I'm finding Vladimir Putin more and more attractive. I really don't understand why, either. He's not exactly a good looking guy, plus he's 50-something years old, but he has an aura or something (though I hate to use that word...). Maybe it's his eyes? And is this the body of a 50 year old? Maybe it is his eyes, there's such a sense of power around him...

In FFXI, Catsoup hit alchemy 94.5. Unfortunately from here to 100 it's going to be slower, since I'll be held back by lack of materials (I can't exactly farm wyvern wings...). 92-94.5 was just as easy as the last couple days.

Comments

[tacrozar.livejournal.com]

the obama picture disgusts me. people who believe that shit are the same ones who "douse holy water" on teachers and believe in forcing people to learn intelligent design while forbidding evolution.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

believe in forcing people to learn intelligent design while forbidding evolution.

But but but! There's proof of intelligent design! It's in the Bible, duh! And of course it's just as valid as evolution -- it's not Creationism, right~?

*snerks*

[tacrozar.livejournal.com]

god don't get me started with the bible. its amazing how people can twist the bible such to support their views. i remember in grade school i was shocked to learn that the god fearing christians justified slavery of blacks. i guess they sort of "conveniently" forgot that Moses led the enslaved jeweish people out of egypt.

what scares me too are the leaders like graham who have tens of thousands of non-free thinking followers.

whats even more worrisome I think is this thing called "christian conservative." It feels like politics has forsaken that little known doctrine of "separation of church and state"

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

I'm arguably some form of Christian, and I'm conservative. Don't mistake 'fucking batshit crazy' for conservative. I believe in the separation of church and state as a practice to be maintained. Given the whole 'free will' thing in religion, I'd prefer government didn't make any law involving my spiritual views, either helping or harming. I also see the Theory of Evolution as a convenient and effective explanation for a wide range of natural phenomena, in the same way Atomic Theory is damn handy (and the basis for all of modern chemistry). Maybe its true, maybe not. If it works, use it until you find something that works better. And anyone with a fucking conscience (be it humanist, existentialist, theist, atheist, whatever) can tell that certain things are good and right and helpful, and other things are bad and wrong and harmful (I'm also a believer in Kantian morality, can you tell?).

Some people are going to believe slavery is fine. I know such people (though the ones I know are of the opinion that keeping women as slaves is good and proper). I disagree strongly with them. They're also liberal as all hell. I know some that honestly think Obama is the second coming of Christ, literally. I have to work next to them every day.

There are just as many crazy liberals as crazy conservatives. There are also completely sane, rational, and calm people on either side. Unfortunately, those are never the ones who get press. Also unfortunately, we (and by we, I mean the sane people on both sides) are vastly outnumbered by the crazies who are incapable of abstract thought.

[tacrozar.livejournal.com]

Sadly... its the crazy ones that make it on the news. I should say... I respect religion, so long as its not being forced upon people.

"Do unto others as you would do unto them"
- Matthew 7:12

Sadly... I know more christians who tend to force people to listen/convert non-believers than those that don't. Why is that? They see me more as a target to be "saved" while the others see me more as a person.

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

I tend to think of it as religion-as-a-sales-pitch. Some tend to think the more conversions they get, the better their chance of eventual reward (heaven, 40 virgins, reincarnation, whatever). So they come at you like a used-car salesman. "You sir, feeling a bit down? Why I got just the thing - sleek, fast, chicks love it! Your penis will grow 2 to 3 inches if you believe in my god! Yessir, I follow this one at home. Best thing ever happened to me. And following is practically free, compared to those other gods..."

Blech.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

There are just as many crazy liberals as crazy conservatives. There are also completely sane, rational, and calm people on either side. Unfortunately, those are never the ones who get press.

I guess 'sane man considers, makes a decision' isn't quite as newsworthy as 'religious wacko tries to burn down neighbor's house because he's a witch'. :/

[quistie.livejournal.com]

Well, there's a museum about the so-called Intelligent Design, so it must be true. >.>

Gah, I hate this country so much sometimes.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

*laughs* I've seen pictures of that! It's damned scary. People feeding dinosaurs and stuff...

[citizenbleys.livejournal.com]

Putin is also the most likely person to have ordered the dioxin poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko :(

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm just talking about him physically though. I doubt there are very many leaders of his stature who would count as good people...

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

That "wizards in black" picture is terrific! Very well done, whoever created it.

As for the Obama poster, yeah, you and me, both. I've seen fresh-scrubbed Mormon boys rallying on a busy street corner on behalf of the sanctity of marriage, and I've seen maybe 15 McCain/Palin signs on lawns so far, but that's been the extent of my having to confront "the opposing viewpoint". I feel very sheltered in this particular corner of the world.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I feel very sheltered in this particular corner of the world.

Same. And while that's not necessarily a good thing, I'm still happy for it. I can live my day-to-day life without being challenged by people who think the polar opposite of me.

[socksofjello.livejournal.com]

Putin is an evil man, but at the same time he's one of the most intense people I've ever seen. It's definitely something about his eyes.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

After I made the post, I wondered if maybe that was exactly what I was seeing (the 'evilness'). I'm always more attracted to the villain than the hero...

[socksofjello.livejournal.com]

I suppose evil is pretty stylin'.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Heh! That's a good picture, but I like this one (http://punditkitchen.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/political-pictures-vladimir-putin-hunts-bear-dig-palin.jpg) better (just ignore the macro text on it). <3 smirky men!