Warmside

[QUOTE] Although that is true to a certain extent, it is also not true in the sense that people do move beyond that in spite of their environment. Otherwise, change would never happen. You're missing what Flagg was saying here. That statement you quoted is true, you can put something in front of someone and they will still choose to stick with what they know and hate instead of 'growing up' where others will become more tolerant. The illusion that showing people differently will be all that it takes, is just that, an illusion. For some it will, but for some, that hatred will never be dropped. It's sad but true. But on the other side, there are plenty of people who once they learn more, will at least tolerate it instead of hating.[/QUOTE][COLOR="SlateGray"] I never said it would happen over night, but gradually the culture of condescension against homosexuality will erode as people become more educated on the subject. The result is that people will grow up in a friendly, open environment that will breed more friendly, open people. Is it the rule? Of course not, there will [I]always[/I] be people who just can't get their mind past basic prejudices... but there's a difference to be made. [/COLOR] [QUOTE] Look, I don't really understand why some Christians adopt this "homosexuality is ok" standard. It's pretty clear in the bible that homosexuality is a sin. You can bring in "the Bible has been translated thousands of times" and whatever else, but homosexuality is a sin to Christians. Your argument is completely useless. It's like saying greedy people are ok because God made them. [/QUOTE][COLOR="SlateGray"] This infuriates me. Have you ever [I]read[/I] Leviticus, the part of the bible where homosexuality is called a sin? It reads like a page out of Mein Kampf. Some highlights include a passage saying cripples may not approach alters because they 'profane it' and warning people to avoid wizards. Not to mention all the time it condones slavery. It's an absurd text. If you take the anti-homosexual passages literally, why do you ignore the rest? Do you think cripples and lepers are sinners and think owning people is A-OK? No? Than why do you think homosexuality is a sin? Hypocrite.[/COLOR] [QUOTE]Religion isn't something that should change with the times. It does, but then it violates the roots of the faith.[/QUOTE][COLOR="SlateGray"] "Your old road is Rapidly agin'. Please get out of the new one If you can't lend your hand For the times they are a-changin'." Words of a true prophet. If you can't change, you die. Just ask the woolly mammoth and sabre-tooth tiger.[/COLOR]

[quote name='Flagg'][B][SIZE="1"]Some people simplely grow up and learn to accept things and others stay kids for the rest of their lives.[/SIZE][/B][/QUOTE][COLOR="SlateGray"] No, they don't. People are products of their environments - if their environment is hostile and ignorant towards homosexuals, than the people will reflect this opinion. You can't simply say "So it goes." and let the cycle of ignorance propagate when there are steps that can be taken to educate people and eradicate it![/COLOR]

[quote name='Tyler Koregaten']I can't disagree more. Homosexuality is wrong. I myself am a Christian and all Christians SHOULD know and understand that homosexuality is wrong. For it to be taught in schools is grotesque, for it will expose kids to things they shouldn't get into. This is probably another atempt to further promote non-Christian behavior and/or exclude Christianity and its morals from schools. Not to mention the fact that the ACLU says prayer should NOT be allowed in schools, yet the University of Michigan, a public university just put Muslim footwashes in the bathrooms. Back on topic, although I do NOT by any means believe in or support homosexuality, I will not hate, but will love them as brothers and sisters (as they are) and pray that the Good Lord might help them see the error of their ways. -- this is not meant as an insult, so no outrage please.[/QUOTE] [COLOR="SlateGray"] I lolled. What you just said is the literal equivalent of "Everything you think is wrong! Everything you are is a sin! Every breath you take is fouled, the very earth you walk on shrivels and dies, so wrong you are your ideas and beliefs! Not that I mean that as an insult..." What a load of pseudo-moralistic righteous ********. As for the topic... education is never a bad thing. We live in a pathetically ignorant society, and the majority of people hate homosexuals without knowing [I]why[/I]. "Why do you hate homosexuals?" is a question often responded too as "Because they're faggots!" People will [I]always[/I] fear (and thus hate) the unknown; that will never change. But we can change what is known and what is not, and the younger we start the better. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"]Been breakin' out the air guitar lately... [b]La Grange[/b] by [B]ZZTop[/B] Just a flat-out great tune to nod your head and air guitar too. Just lemme know, if ya wanna go... to that shack outside La Grange... y'know what I'm talking 'bout [I]da-dun dun-dun-dun-dun da-dada-dun[/I] [b]2112 Overture[/b] by [B]Rush[/B] Sweet progressive hard rock song... Heehee, we have assumed control, yes we have! [b]Fresh Air[/b] by the [B]Quicksilver Messenger Service[/B] Ooooooooooooooo... oooooooo-ah-ooooooo... have another hit! of sweet California sunshine! The forgotten San Fransisco psych band, I just love this song! Really cool intro riffs, too. [b]Malcolm[/b] by the [B]Arrogant Worms[/B] Billy solve his problems with by calling up his mom Heather solves her problems with drugs and alcohol Daniel solves his problems with a doctor and the law But Malcolm's got his own way, it's better than them all 'Cause Malcolm solves his problems with a chain-saw Malcolm solves his problems with a chain-saw Malcolm solves his problems with a chain-saw And he never has the same problem twice THAT IS ALL.[/COLOR]

[QUOTE]I reread Philip Pullman's trilogy His [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=788318[/url] OtakuBoards - Reply to TopicDark Materials and Garth Nix's Sabriel books this summer and found that I loved them just as much the second time around. I always thought the magic in Sabriel was especially interesting, and the three books are fairly dark for their age range, so I definitely suggest those. [/QUOTE] [COLOR="SlateGray"] Cool, two of my favourite series. The rest of the Sabriel series was a bit of a let-down, but HDM is good the whole way through. Definite recommended reading.[/COLOR] [QUOTE] Narnia is, of course, a must[/QUOTE] [COLOR="SlateGray"] Odd you should say that, considering Pullman wrote HDM as a direct rebuttal to Narnia and everything it stood for... frankly I think Narnia is crap. Cliched and unoriginal; black is black, white is white, talking animals... makes me want to hurl. What would I suggest? Well, I mainly read dystopian cyberpunk/space operas but maybe you'll find something to like in my suggestions: [b]Illium[/b] by Dan Simmons - A fascinating story, it's told in three narratives in three distinct and entertaining style... it rarely fails to entertain. An awesome take on the Trojan War, aswell as reality itself, it'll make you think. Some fantastic characters, aswell. [b]Starship Troopers[/b] by Robert A. Heinlein - The seminal work of modern sci-fi, it did for military fiction what Isaac Asimov did for robots. And yet the first thing people think when they hear the title is that stupid movie... Even if it doesn't sound like your thing, look for it. It's not about war as much as it is about characters - and if you don't like it, you can always put it down. [b]Slaughterhouse-Five[/b] by Kurt Vonnegut - A love-it-or-hate-it book by an author much the same, you'll either be confused by the narrative or love it to death. The story is complex in its simplicity and hilariously absurd, while at the same time profound on so many levels. A few others that I'd recommend but am too lazy to describe: [b]Dune[/b] by Frank Herbert [b]Keys to the Kingdom (Series)[/b] by Garth Nix [b]The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy[/b] by the incomparable Douglas Adams [b]Overtime/Grail Blazers[/b] by Tom Holt [b]Discworld (Series)[/b] by Terry Pratchett [b]Cat's Cradle[/b] by Kurt Vonnegut [b]Jitterbug Perfume[/b] by Tom Robbins [b]Watchmen[/b] by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (Yes, it's a comic, but it's still LITERATURE dammit! [/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"]This joke has been told a million times in a million ways, but I still like it anyway. A nine-year old boy, Keith Richards, Hillary Clinton, George Bush Jr., and the Pope are on a plane. Everything is fine, until one of the plane's engines suddenly catches fire - the pilots grab two parachutes and bail. Frantically, the other passengers discover that there are only 3other parachutes on the plane! Grabbing one, Keith Richards shouts, [B]"The world still needs the power of rock n' roll!" [/B] and bails. Hillary Clinton says, [B]"If I die now, the Republicans might win again!"[/B], grabs a parachute and bails. [B]"I'm Superman!"[/B] says George Bush Jr., grabbing a parachute and, arms a-flappin', jumping out the side of the plane. [B]"Come over to the Dark Side, my Son... er, I mean, I have led a long and fulfilling life, my son, you take the parachute."[/b] Says the Pope. [B]"Don't worry, mister! We can both parachute to safety - that last idiot grabbed my schoolbag!"[/B] *zing*[/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"][B][SIZE="2"][I]Eight Gallons of Semen Found in Stomach of Rod Stewart; 'lol,' says world.[/I] [I]Ghost of Giant Pterodactyl Spotted Near Grand Canyon; Old Man Jenkins Suspected.[/I] [I]Eight Thousand Crushed to Death by Overweight Gamers Swarming to Toys R' Us to Get Advance Copy of 'BioShock'; 'No big deal, it was mostly women and children and nerds,' says Irrational Games Spokesperson[/I][/SIZE][/B] Well, there it is...[/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"]I'm proud that I'm bigger than you. I'm proud that I'm proud that I'm bigger than you; that is to say, I'm proud that my life isn't governed by social stigmas and the opinions of others. I am what I is, and I'm happy that way. I'm proud that I have a genuinely decent personality. I'm not a dick, and I have a sense of humour on top of it. Maybe too much of a sense of humour, some would say, but I rather like laughing at everything. I'm proud that I'm humble. If I say anything that comes off as egotistical, it's said with tongue firmly in cheek. I'm proud that I understand things. Some people memorize, I comprehend. As a result, I'm bad at math and historical dates, but I know a hell of a lot about the rest of stuff, even if I have trouble putting it on paper. I'm proud of my taste in movies, music, and books. I'm proud in my choice of friends, too. Mostly, I'm just proud that I'm me and not somebody else.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"]Lately, my music has been limited too a few classic rock albums and some strange gypsy punk polka stuff. Mostly, I've been listening too [b]We're only in it for the Money[/b] by [b]Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention[/b], skipping a few tracks here or there. My favourite song, by far, is [b]Absolutely Free[/b]. I've also spent a lot of time on [B]Warren Zevon's[/b] last album, [b]The Wind[/b]. I consider it the most amazing and beautiful piece of music ever put into print. His rendition of [B]Knockin' On Heaven's Door[/B] blows Dylan's right out of the water. Plus any album that has Billy Bob Thornton providing backup vocals is cool in my books. [b]In Between Evolution[/b] by the [B]Tragically Hip[/B] is another one that's been on repeat... I didn't like it much when it was first released, but it's grown on me. [B]You're Everywhere, Makeshift We Are, If New Orleans is Bead[/b] and [b] Are We Family?[/B] are simply fantastic tracks. I still can't stand [B]Vaccination Scar[/B], though. The [B]Gogol Bordello[/B] is another band I've started listening too. I don't own any of their albums, but they're just unique. Crazy bunch of drugged-out Ukrainians screaming and singing and playing the squeeze-box... really funky stuff. [b]Start Wearing Purple [/b]and [B]Nomadic Chronicle [/B] are just awesome songs. Assorted Others: Stan Rogers (Witch of the Westmorland, White Squall, The Nancy), Sly and the Family Stone (Everyday People, Sing a Simple Song), the Temptations (Papa was a Rollin' Stone), Neil Young (Cortez the Killer, this Note's For You, Alabama, Through My Sails)[/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"]Topic title says it best. In your books, which guitar players reign supreme? 5 - [b]Tom Scholz[/b] of Boston: Ok, so Boston was around for two albums and ten cents in change, but Tom Scholz was an amazing guitarist. He got the most of the electric guitar with his sound engineering brilliance, but it was his skill that made Boston's few albums amongst the sweetest ever. Signature Songs: "More Than a Feeling" and "Foreplay + Long Time" 4 - [b]Bela Fleck[/b] of the Flecktones: Ok, I'm gonna bend the rules here. Bela Fleck plays the banjo, but that's near enough to a guitar for my purposes. This guy's improvisational skills are out of this world. He and his band (Which also includes one-man brass section Jeff Coffin and bass god Vic Wooten, but that's another thread) are pretty ho-hum on studio albums, but live they blow you away, with Fleck leading the charge. Don't expect him to play the Beverly Hillbillies theme, either, there's nothing yokely about the banjo in his hands. Signature Songs: Just see one of his shows. 3 - [b]Stevie Ray Vaughan[/b]: Blues guitar never sounded so good. His playing had a metallic, old-school twinge in it, and he could alternate speedy and complex solos with back-and-forth slow riffs with equal skill. Signature Songs: "Texas Flood" and "Little Wing" 2 - [b]Eric Clapton[/b] of Cream, amongst others: Slowhands was just amazing. His work with Cream produced some of the best guitar music ever heard, and his solo stuff wasn't bad, either. Even if the ever-underrated J.J Cale wrote his best stuff for him, Clapton made them what they became; simply amazing. Signature Songs: "Layla" and "Cocaine" 1 - [b]Frank Zappa[/b]: FZ may well be the best all-round musician to ever live; when it comes to his genius, the guitar was no exception. He could do it fast, he could do it slow, it didn't matter - he was amazing at either. His riffs were solid, but he shone when it came to solos, where he simply cannot be matched. Signature Songs: "Watermelon in Easter Hay" and "Zoot Allures" and "Broken Hearts are For ********" and "Dancin' Fool" and his cover of the Allman Brother's "Whippin' Post" Honourable Mentions: Steve Howe (Yes), Duane Allman (Allman Brothers Band), Alex Lifeson (Rush), George Thorogood, J.J. Cale, and Peter Frampton (Humble Pie, solo) Ok, I know there's tons of music nerds on this site who like nothing more than to have pissing contests about the superiority of their favourite musicians, so... have it. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"]People still talk about this? Homosexuality has become a total non-issue for me. What the hell do I care? Some people like ham-on-rye, others like bacon and mayo on white, who the hell am I too judge? It's all just a preference. Should I consider someone different from me because they like hot dogs over tacos? Who cares if its a choice or a compulsion? Does it make a difference? People [i]are[/i] who they [i]is[/i], whether they want to be or not. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"]My life's as exciting as ham-and-cheese between two pieces of white bread. Simple, nothing fancy, but a rock-solid in general. I just got hi-speed internet two days ago. I've literally been waiting for my entire life to get a decent internet connection, and... let's just say I've been using to its fullest potential. I've recently happened upon a new sort of sliced turkey, too. Mexican Dried Turkey, or something like that... it tastes quite a bit better than regular turkey and has a far better texture. It's given me a lot of new combo opportunities; it goes great with ham, salami, and bacon, although really very little doesn't. 'Tis expensive, though, so I'll have to ration it :( [/COLOR]

[COLOR="SlateGray"]I make sandwiches. Everyone has something that centres them, well, for me it's the art of sandwich making. I put meat and cheese between buns, than I eat it (oh, the innuendo...). That's my bag. A sandwich is the perfect human food; totally customizable and never the same twice, able to adapt to any situation, even if it lacks the natural guns of the bigger, badder foods. There are smart sandwiches and muscle-bound sandwiches, aggressive and agreeable; there's a sandwich for every person who ever lived. That's my hobby, aswell as my philosophy. I do other stuff, too... I write (although I'm maddeningly inconsistent) and I read. I watch TV, which has done little to kill my imagination as of yet. I listen to music - I've not the talent or the mind to make it. I read Wikipedia articles. I'm a sci-fi nerd, and I do sci-fi nerd things. But mostly, I make sandwiches. [/COLOR]