Inroduction

All the english pronunciations are derived from Ecclesiastical latin, where "ae" is pronounced "AY"

 

I hope that you don't mean to imply that Liberals always oppose war.
If you do I'll have to slap down your foolish notion.

 

The discussion is ongoing, Roscoe. Besides, I thought you thrived on attention.

 

Now, Now... don't be a-usin' any o' that crack-a-wheat psychoanalysis on Ol' Oct'. The fact you're utterly right is neither here or there, let's get back to the deadest of the dead languages, hmmm?

 

Can I please just point out that it's always been spelled paedophile, is still spelled paedophile and should always be spelled paedophile! The only people on this planet who spell it pedophile are the Americans who's grasp of the English language is somewhat pants. :-x

 

I didn't actually mention war the war here. In my experience, the Liberal school of thought often involves telling people "what's best for them" when it actually quite the opposite. Take political correctness for example, a classic liberal cause. Having friends in the Muslim and Black community, treating them differently and "stepping on cultural eggshells" has made matters worse for them.

To say that ALL liberals are anti-war WOULD be a foolish notion, and an innacurate stereotype. I apologise if I gave you the wrong idea.

Regards,
Morden

 

Well, after managing to miss this thread entirely for quite some time apparently, I'll poke my head in.

Greetings Morden! I'm TairNean(I pronounce it TEER-nin), as my profile might imply.

I'm one of those liberal hippies..at least according to retard..:wink:

I personally don't see myself that way, but who knows. I am a cynic, and extremely mistrustful of governments in general. I'm also more of a social critic.

I'm an aspiring journalist, and I try to argue from about the middle. I agree with *some* liberal rhetoric, and some conservative rhetoric, but I can't really place myself on one side or the other. I only barely know the difference, really.(from this side of the pond, anyway) But I seem to have a habit of pissing people off. I'm a little lacking in the tact department, and if I feel passionate about something, I argue passionately about it.

Basically, I feel the liberal vs conservative thing is kinda silly. Believe in what your conscience allows, is how I look at it. I believe that society needs some kind of overhaul, not just governments.

I don't believe in conspiracies per se, but I believe that conspiracies are possible, and *could* be happening. And that's how I try to look at it, with an open mind.

And that about does it for me....

Welcome to the forum! Now go away!(j/k) :wink:

See, I'm working on it Jarinor! :grin:

 

*bouncing on Xento's head* I'm hERE! See! Not a regular yet, but here.

Welcome Morden--

Jesus this thread has split so many times I think we should call it an afghan.

So... where to start.
I'm not a republican or a democrat, I think both have good ideas and stupid ideas. If I WERE to register for a party it would probably be the libertarians who basically believe you should be able to do whatever the hell you want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone but you. So, smoke all you want, just don't drink and DRIVE type of attitude.

I don't like war because I'm a pacifist at heart and since I usually am able to work things out among my various friends, I don't understand why governments can't do the same thing on a larger scale. Maybe I should run for president. Of course, I'm female, so we'll just see about that. Also I'm not 35 yet. I understand, however, that there are times when war is a necessary evil. I'm just not sure one has occurred in my lifetime.

There are liberal groups who really piss me off... particularly the National Organization for Women. I HAPPEN to agree with some of their viewpoints, but they are primarily liberal, and I can't believe the have the gall to say they "represent" all women in America. What a complete crock of shit. Them saying that all women favor abortion is as bad as the churches saying no one should EVER be allowed to have an abortion. Their whining also pisses me off. They give women like me a bad name. I built my own house (like, with my own two hands), I like sci-fi, and I'm completely capable of opening the door. If you open it for me, however, I'll thank you politely and get the next one for you. Women (like those at NOW) who freak out over the slightest discrepancy or perceived inequality really piss me off, but then again, the men who assume because I'm female I can't possibly swing a hammer also piss me off.

I've been called a Hippie for various reasons. I certainly am a huggable lovable type, I hate shoes (and clothes, for that matter) and I spend as much time as possible at the beach in the summertime. I listen to the Grateful Dead, but I don't know every song by heart, nor do I have 300 live tapes from various shows... I think I have 3 albums (one of which is Skeletons from the Closet... greatest hits).

I associate "daemon" with my email not going through. I know next to nothing about British Politics, but since it's a country that spawned the Beatles, I support their existence. (Despite the nasty kindey stuffed livers that the Two Fat Ladies were always making, good things do come out of GB.)

I think political correctness is stupid and I'll argue the point to anyone who says differently. I don't call myself an Italian-German-British- Native American- American, I call myself an American. And I'm sorry if you think you should be called an African American but unless you've at least BEEN THERE I think that's ridiculous.

Thankfully, it seems like political correctness is waning somewhat with the rise of the generation ahead of me. I think we (as a country) overdosed, realized how stupid we looked, and are backing off a little. But there will always be exceptions.

As a former student of Journalism at one of the top 5 schools in the country, I can tell you that Journalists start off trying, above all else, to tell the truth at all costs. In classrooms we are taught that you should not affect the situation, but merely record and report it. If you give an opinion, you are de facto changing the situation. Of course, the idea that someone could be in a room without changing the situation in any way is ludicrous. But they have their hearts in the right place. I think they just get corrupted as they get older.

I also think that one of the big problems with journalism today is all the major mergers. IT's bad enough to have to please the networks without also having please AOL Time Warner or whoever your parent company is.

The best Sci-Fi Book ever... that's a tough one... there are so many really good ones... Do you go for the paranoia factor and say "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Or do you go for the hippie love-in future of "Stranger in a Strange Land?" I have to say I have a deep love for Lazarus Long, and therefore for Heinlein, but do I think it the BEST Sci-Fi book EVER? Hmmm... and what about Frank Herbert's Dune? Dune was awfully damn good. But then so was Vonnegut's Farenheit 451. Sigh. I can't choose.

If you've not read C.S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy, go do it. More fantasy than sci-fi, but still really good.

Was that discussion even in this thread? If not I apologize. You people are frying my brain with all this political talk coupled with welcomes, Fallout, and god knows what else. I'm going to go see about catching a showing of X-men2.
G'night
'seph

 

I guess Dune could be classed as Science fiction, I always kind of lump it in with fantasy...

Fantastic books, though. It's a shame Herbert died before completing the series, though (Chapterhouse ends on such a cliffhanger, the utter bastard)

 

Okay Octillicus, you can be my friend again.


I haven't read them all, only the first couple, but the first one is really good. And you really think it's mroe fantasy than Sci-Fi? I guess I always think of Fantasy as Swords and Sorcery, but then technically, I guess Sci-Fi is supposed to have some believable aspect of "sci" not some mythical "spice" which rules the world... check that... the universe.

Honestly, pick up some CS Friedman. I'm not just saying this because she's a female in a male's world... she writes good stuff too.

How many more messages before I get a REAL weapon??

 

*passes 'Seph the world's only working sword-a-rang* There you go.

I became addicted to Dune in the summer of '99, the whole series set me back a neat £80 *mutters* but it was worth it.

I've always classed Dune as "Fantasy" because it's set in a whole other universe (although it does make allusions to Earth occasionally) and it's more focussed on the workings of that universe rather than the technological breakthroughs.

I prefer the later books as they focus on the Bene Gesserit and The Guild (my two favourite factions) but the first is definitely better written than the sequels (The Doctor's betrayal is fantastically portrayed, the reader's given a real insight into his motives and internal dichotomy) Frank Herbert should've got into heaven for the first ten chapters alone, Mind you, he should go straight to a sulphur pit for dropping dead before writing the last book. Grrrrr.

 

Retard, difference of opinion. You see the media as controlled by the left, I see it ranging from cheerleading all the way to lapdog. You have called some republicans liberal, I see that, & also conservative democrats. Do you know any liberals off line? Ask them for their views on Clinton's alignment.

Besides, he was raked over the coals by the "liberal media". Almost constantly. That should say something. The "liberal media" is suposed to support liberals & atack conservatives. Hmmm..., I guess that means boy George is a liberal....

The DLC is the conservative wing of the democratic party. Clinton was the leader before '92. These are simple facts.

Persephone, you sound like just the kind of woman I fall for. Pity about the difference in our ages.

Octillicus, If it has space ships, it's sci-fi. In the early days, a story had to revolve around tech to be called sci-fi. The term "space opera" was used dismisivly for stories that would not change if the tech was extracted & replaced with horses & 6 guns. Dune is a novel of political intrigue. With space ships. And a very wierd & well thought out eco system. No dragons, no elves, no magic.

Ferret, you forgot, when talking about Maggie Thatcher the milk snatcher, that she sold off national holdings to her political backers at fire sale prices. The british people got taken for a ride on that one.

My view here; I can't think of hardly any democrats I like, but I can think of a lot of republicans I truly despise. (There have been, over my lifetime a few admrabile people in both parties.) Despite my tendency to vote third party, there is no viable third party in America, & the democrats & republicans intend to keep it that way.

 

A novel doesn't have to contain the usual Tolkein-trappings to be a fantasy. In fact, Fantasy is a sub-section of Science-Fiction: http://www.noblenet.org/wakefield/zrafdc.htm

hah, looks like I win again! *touch-up shuffles*

 

Shadygrove- how old do you think I am? And I'm flattered, I think

I got into Dune after the Sci-Fi Miniseries. I just had to get more backstory. I read it for the first time on my honeymoon (we stayed in an ocean-front beach house... plenty of sand and heat, but also plenty of water... hehe.)
I've since also read the second, and saw the most recent mini-series, which I once again liked, but not as much as the original. I think Frank ran into the issue of after you've written about the Messiah/ Kwisatz Heiderach (however the hell it's spelled), how do you top that? Well his son has to be some kind of weird creature, obviously, not just messiah, but godlike. I like it, mind you, but it seems like he had nowhere to go from the end of the first book, which was so fantastic.

 

From your link.

"Often included under the category of Science Fiction, Fantasy is really its own genre*. While Science Fiction examines worlds based on technology and invention that might be possible in the future, Fantasy relies on the supernatural and nonrational phenomena falling outside the natural laws of our present world."

I don't think he won, does anyone think he won?

You claim under 35. I just turned 59 on Earth Day. And you are married too. :deep heartfelt sigh:

*emphasis added.

 

Wow Shadygrove, you really are ancient. I didn't know people your age knew how to use a computer. You didn't take one of my classes, did you? (actually the seniors classes are for people over 60...)

Happy Belated Birthday
Did you go to a local Ben and Jerry's and get your free cone? Did you know they give out free one-scoop ice cream cones on Earth Day? They're just cool that way.

I think Octillicus sometimes just needs to have his ego stroked. Nice little forum haunter. It's okay, fantasy and sci-fi are friends. (But no, I don't think he won)

 

Got interested when a friend showed me this chip he had just bought. It was a 4004 chip. He paid $250 for it. he spread the curcit diagram out on the table. You could still read them then.

NO, & I didn't go to the bars for free beers either. I spent about 10 years thin, & all the ones scince that trying not to get fat.

No, thats nice. The biggest Earth Day treat of all was having such a great holiday set on my birthday. I was on the road once, thinking deep & heavy thoughts about the future & the meaning of it all & why I was on the road right then, & I pulled into Berkley where they had the nicest birthday party I could wish for. Cheered me right up.

 

I'm glad SOMONE understands *purrs and right foot thumps*