WOW.

ARTICLE

 All I can say about this is ‘wow’. Just take a look at the comments at the bottom of the article. Those shocked me even more than the video.

I like this guy.

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He’s got some good points. I think it’s silly that people are calling him the anti-Christ. He has every right to explore the Christian faith. At least he’s got the guts to admit some of it is not as real as people may think.

Shaken Baby iPhone Application

Though it may not be for everyone’s sense of humor, I don’t think the iPhone application for the Shaken Baby should be taken off. I think maybe a label saying that it could be offensive, etc. would be better. I think this quote makes a good point on the issue.

“The Apple App store is like a bookstore. It needs to be open to all the most repulsive ideas or we will have a regime of censorship. The next thing you know some corporate executive will decide that it is not politic to allow an app that furthers an idea you care deeply about.” – Saul Hansell, Technology Reporter, The New York Times

Monkey see, monkey buy

“Brainwashing?! Oh my god somebody help; we’re all being brainwashed!!! Puh-lease . . . Diet Coke is the new Pepsi One.”

So, in pretty much everything we see, there is product placement. We don’t realize it, but it’s there. One of the best examples of this (and funniest) is in the movie Josie and the Pussycats. It’s absolutely PACKED with product placement, but it almost seems like a parody of what things are really like. I mean, there’s not a scene in that movie without some sort of product placement. But television shows are a bit more discreet about their messages. No one actually watches TV and thinks “Omigosh! So-and-so uses Crest toothpaste?! I gotta go buy some!” That would be scary. And creepy. Anyway, shows do get paid to have characters drink certain things, or wear certain clothes. I was watching some ridiculous(ly bad) show on MTV the other night and counted at least 7 products that had been placed into the show, and believe me I wasn’t watching it for very long.

Sort of corresponds with yesterday’s discussion

I thought this was pretty neat.

 

Atheist: I’m an atheist.

Closeted Atheist: Oh, well, I think you’re going a bit too far. I mean, you can’t conclusively prove that gods don’t exist.

Atheist: So, you are a theist?

Closeted Atheist: Of course not! I’m agnostic; I don’t claim that gods don’t exist because that’s a non-falsifiable claim. It’s not possible to prove a negative.

Atheist: I agree and take the same position. So, why do you call yourself agnostic but not an atheist?

Closeted Atheist: Agnostic refers to a lack of certitude with regard to some question. It means, “without knowledge.”

Atheist: So, your agnosticism addresses the question of knowledge: you don’t know whether gods exist. Is that correct?

Closeted Atheist: Yes. What’s your point?

Atheist: Well, I don’t know whether gods exist either.

Closeted Atheist: There. That settles it. You really should be calling yourself an agnostic instead of an atheist.

Atheist: Oh, but I do call myself an agnostic.

Closeted Atheist: Didn’t you say you were an atheist?

Atheist: I didn’t realize the two distinctions were mutually exclusive.

Closeted Atheist: What do you mean?

Atheist: Well, we already established that our agnosticism addresses the question of knowledge. But what about belief? Does agnosticism really say anything about what one believes?

Closeted Atheist: Of course it does! An agnostic person does not believe one way or the other!

Atheist: I thought you said an agnostic person does not know one way or the other.

Closeted Atheist: It’s the same thing!

Atheist: Really? Interesting! Does a theist know that gods exist?

Closeted Atheist: I suppose not…

Atheist: So a theist is really just agnostic–someone who doesn’t know one way or the other!

Closeted Atheist: But a theist believes that gods exist!

Atheist: And yet the theist does not know that gods exist. So what distinguishes you from the theist? Do you share the belief of the theist as well as his/her ignorance?

Closeted Atheist: Of course not! I’m not a theist, I’m an…

Atheist: Atheist–without belief in gods–“not a theist.” Am I right?

Closeted Atheist: Oh, I suppose you are. I never thought of it that way. I’m an a-theist…huh, sounds terrible.

Atheist: That’s okay, you’ll get over the taboo.

Incidentally,

Stephen Colbert is finally the president <3

Really, Perez?

So, Perez Hilton (ugh) thought it would be a good idea to ask Miss California a question about her stance in the same-sex marriage issue. He pretty much verbally attacked her for giving her honest answer. She opposes same-sex marriage, but why freak out on someone for having an opinion? Isn’t that what we want in this world? Honest people. Though I am all for same-sex marriage and, quite frankly, think the government should STAY OUT OF IT, I don’t appreciate the fact that someone is getting scorned for being real. I will admit–It would have been much wiser for her to have remained neutral on the issue, but would she not have caused just as much controversy (probably more) for stating that she supports same-sex marriages? So, Perez–quit being a stupid drama-queen. Don’t ask questions when you aren’t prepared for answers. Miss California–you’re from California. I mean, really? I respect the fact that you’ve opinions just like the rest of  us (Okay, maybe not JUST like the rest of us . . .), but when–on a small scale–you’re representing an entire state, it would be smart if you didn’t touch on really sore subjects such as those.

Head of the GOP

Well, I’m supposed to write a blog on who I think should be the head of the Republican party. However, I know very little about the GOP. I don’t know a whole lot about their foreign policy (except that Bush’s sucked) and I don’t know what they feel should be done about the economy. I know that, for the most part, conservative Republicans are Anti-choice and are generally not in favor of same sex marriages. But, other than this my knowledge is limited. For this reason, I’ve decided who I think should be the new head of the GOP. Stephen Colbert. He is, afterall, my favorite “Republican”.

Immigration

So, immigration has become a pretty big issue with our economy in the state that it’s in right now. Personally, I say the more the merrier. But some would disagree. The main problem (in my opinion) is immigrants coming to America illegally rather than waiting for a visa from their home country. This allows them to live in America without being citizens, which means they don’t have to pay taxes. I think it is unfair for U.S. citizens to have to pay for this illegal immigration. However, the U.S. (being the ‘melting pot’) could benefit from legal immigration in several ways. People may feel that they are being ‘robbed’ of their jobs . . . and to be fair, it is very difficult to find a job in these economic hardtimes. But the blame should not be on the people who make our entire nation. We’re all immigrants, so don’t discriminate. Hah

Sudanese soldiers commanded to destroy the lives of Darfuris

Hey, guys. So, I know my posts are usually making fun of things or they are not very serious, but this one isn’t.

Genocide has been taking place in darfur for the past several years and it continues to take every day that we do nothing about it.

genocide:

/ˈdʒɛnəˌsaɪd/ Show Spelled Pronunciation –noun
the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group.

Soldiers have been receiving commands to rape young girls in order to instill fear in other Darfuris. there are up to 20 children being born in refugee camps every day because of this. These children are simply being abandoned because refugee mothers are unable and unwilling to take care of their illegitimate offspring. If soldiers do not oblige to these demands, they are either killed on the spot, or they are tortured.An interview with a Sudanese soldier revealed that the soldiers truly have no choice but to rape and beat these Darfuri girls, sometimes as young as twelve years of age. There are always some bad people in the world, so surely there are soldiers that have no problem with doing this, but regardless of any of that, these actions must be stopped immediately.

Opinion question for you all:

So, is it a question of the moral responsibilities of the soldiers, or should the responsibility of doing something in Darfur be on the United Nations?