DiabloFans

By far my favorite LotR composition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9AOTMNoFKY

My heart has always been with writing as a career. I know that is particularly risky as most authors don't get very far, but I have a lot of ideas for novels and I feel that they are unique enough that they would make a good impression on what I have to offer. I know that saying that may seem a bit... naive on my part, but I have faith in my abilities. Everyone who has ever read what I've written has said I had a "natural talent" and that I could become a writer if I really wanted to.

I mean, at least I'm not shooting in the dark with that idea. Other people have confidence in my abilities (unless they were just trying to be nice and I suck ass at writing).

Quote from Lt. Venom

Go to college, simple as that. Local community colleges are cheap and get you the same damn education that you get at Harvard without the Million Dollar debt.

You do not have to list it as work experience. Unless it is related to the job at hand.

Yeah, the thing is that I'm trying to get a job so I can actually go to community college and pay for stuff on my car like insurance and gas. I'm only 18 and, even though I don't have many responsibilities, I need to get my shit together if I'm going to be able to shift into the college life comfortably. Even after I get my Associate's, I'm going to transfer to a 4-year Uni to get my Master's in Business and Engineering.

It just makes me feel like the dude kind of molested my trust a little bit. Yes, that is the euphemism I would like to use.

Quote from VegasRage

Quote from Azriel

Hey, guys. I'm gonna tell you the story of how I got fucked over and lied to.

So I went on...

[all that mess]

If anyone wants to throw some advice my way, it'd be much appreciated. My parents don't think it's a good idea to continue association with this place, but I just wanted some other opinions as well. I feel very cheated and, frankly, I want no part in this. If anyone sees any sort of value in this, then I'd be happy to hear your opinion.

Hecka OP advice, my man

The reason why I wanted to go to college is because I do want to start my own business. I can try the web design thing, but I'm not that talented of an artist. I've recently started writing reviews of albums and I'm trying to get more notoriety. I think, in the future, I'd want to sit down and actually write a book and see where that takes me.

I can't say that I tried, but they tried really hard to make sure I filled out every form before they even let the dude know I was there. I didn't talk to him until after I filled out every form and, even then, it was far too late to turn back.

I'm sketched out about leaving this place too because I don't know if I'll have to list it on future applications as previous work experience.

Yeah, I'm still living at home, all that good stuff. I just inherited my dad's '86 Honda Accord (don't worry, he's still alive), but I definitely don't want to ship that thing all over the tri-city area; I just wanted something that was direct and reliable.

It just felt like a bad deal. I'm not comfortable with it at all.

Quote from proletaria

Paul Ryan sinks Romney campaign.

News at 11.

Paul Ryan is, quite arguably, the worst VP pick anyone could've imagined. Have fun losing Florida, Mitt.

Hey, guys. I'm gonna tell you the story of how I got fucked over and lied to.

So I went on Craigslist looking for a job and I found this thing that looked kind of promising; warehouse position, little to no experience required, eleven bucks an hour, full time. So me, knowing that I shouldn't hold myself back from something I may fit well in, shot the dude an email detailing why I'd be a good fit along with my resume.

The dude emails me back and says that, while I wasn't a good enough fit for that particular position due to my lack of job experience (go figure), there was another "position" available at a recycling facility where I'd be sorting recycable materials in hot, dusty conditions. We arranged to have a "sit-down" to talk about it.

Turns out the dude worked for a staffing agency. I figured this out before I sat down with him, but I didn't know the conditions on which we would talk about this "position" he had "lined up" for me. I get to the place where he works and has me fill out a huge application. Up until that point, I didn't realize that I was applying for a "right to call in for work." He had me under the guise that I was applying for the position we talked about. After I finish filling out the app, we sit down and he makes absolutely no mention of the position we talked about. He just says that they're an agency that puts people to work when they call in and he said that, if I did want work on "one of my days off" (which was even more insulting cause he knows I don't have a job), I'd have to call in at five in the morning and hope that there is something I can do.

You can see why this is something I don't want to do. I know that solid positions are kind of hard to come by nowadays (especially since vastly overqualified people are taking the jobs that teens nowadays should have gotten), but I needed something that I could rely on and would get me solid hours.

If anyone wants to throw some advice my way, it'd be much appreciated. My parents don't think it's a good idea to continue association with this place, but I just wanted some other opinions as well. I feel very cheated and, frankly, I want no part in this. If anyone sees any sort of value in this, then I'd be happy to hear your opinion.

Quote from VegasRage

If 3 or 4 acts with the talent of Led Zeppelin, Floyd, Queen, AC/DC, etc. in that caliber hit the scene and got noticed, you could kiss all these poser acts goodbye over night. Look at Nirvana, they pretty much ended Loverboy's career over night. I so wish for another moment like that again, we seriously need to flush the crap out.

I suppose you've never heard of a group called The Dangerous Summer?

I just rewatched all my LotR extended editions.

Naturally, I adore these movies. The extended editions are worth watching. I'm not going to give a numerical rating, just some advice; if you loved the movies before, it would be worth picking up the extended editions if you haven't already seen them. If you don't like them, I wouldn't want you to waste your time.

Listening to the cast commentary is loads of fun though. Billy Boyd's commentary is hilarious and Andy Serkis chimes in with *perfect* Gollum / Smeagol voices from time to time. It's really great stuff.

Quote from LinkX

I mean if there is a way to fix the graphics.

I mean, it runs perfectly fine aside from the distorting of the images as seen in the pictures I posted. >.<

I don't think so, man. It seems that the shock from the impact might have just ruined the video card (and maybe some other things in your laptop). The only time I have seen anomalies like that is on my PS3 when it just overheated. There are components that shouldn't be tampered with.

You might have to go without gaming for a while until you can get a new laptop.

Quote from proletaria

I respect anyone who does what they can, which is why I disagreed wholeheartedly with Azriel on his point that boycotting their chicken was not effective or appropriate.

Well, I don't think it's inappropriate. I just want people to do more than that. It's definitely a method that people can stand by easily. I'll never eat there. Ever. Even if I did happen to go to Georgia or Alabama, I'd go to Popeye's for a chicken fix. In the meanwhile, I'll be trying to help dismantle the machine through greater strides. I actively supported Washington's same sex marriage referendum and, since a bunch of anti-LGBT pricks want to try to shoot down through a public vote, I'll be voting for same sex marriage this November and voting for Jay Inslee, a pro-LGBT Democrat running for governor.

I'm proud to live in Washington. At least the bigots are hard to find.

Edit: I do understand that it is often hard for people to do more. Since I'm 18 and I now have Democratic privileges extended to me, I'll be using the power of my vote to try and make a difference. That's another one of my contributions.

Edit 2: I'm seriously considering writing psychological thriller / horror novels. Don't know where to start though..

I offered an alternative to the boycott and not doing anything else. I didn't say that the boycott was a bad idea; I said that participating in the boycott and doing nothing else is foolish. The whole point of the "chicken sandwiches have no influence" was to show that he is hardly going to feel any remorse simply because someone doesn't buy a sandwich; he's a CEO of a company with half a thousand locations that get business daily.

I wholeheartedly believe that there is far more you can do to support LGBT than just participating in the boycott. I'm the sort of guy who believes there can always be more done. When I heard about the boycott, I felt that it couldn't possibly be enough and I was against it not because I favored Chick-Fil-A (because I most definitely don't), but because I felt that that's only what people would do. I was arguing that people should do more. Avoid homophobic politicians, write your congressmen to vote against homophobic bills, and most definitely stray away from companies that hurt the community with the money they get. There is definitely an anti-LGBT machine out there and a big part of it is in the Bible Belt.

I've always loved the idea of passing an amendment that allows for gay marriage and I think that more people should take more active strides towards making that happen. I understand that boycotting Chick-Fil-A can be effective based on principle alone; I just wanted people to do more. I just didn't want people to think that that's all they could do because there's far more that you can and should do.

At first, I felt that this whole Chick-Fil-A controversy was manufactured; the CEO was asked for an opinion and he gave it. After I realized that his company also works to provide means for restricting the progress of the LGBT community, I began to feel a little animosity towards him. I don't feel that he should be vilified for his opinion, but he should be vilified for willingly giving money to organizations that work to hurt the community. I'm kind of glad now that this has been brought to the attention of people, but I really don't like the attitudes surrounding the whole thing.

When we start chastising people merely for their opinion, we are stooping to an unforgivable level; the best thing would be to put the opinion behind us because, honestly, it's just the opinion of one man. I am not a homosexual and I obviously don't know how it feels to be told that one of the things you want most is to directly defy a god you may or may not pray to; I imagine it's the worst kind of slap in the face. Though, the man wasn't militant about his opinion and, for that, I feel obligated to step back. I feel like the media set him up for failure simply for thinking something and they took that, ran with it, and manufactured a controversy. The media likes to watch people fall and what better spectacle than to watch a CEO of a highly successful company be vilified simply for his opinion.

"How could he say that? What a terrible person."
"You know I'm never eating there again."

Not buying a chicken sandwich hardly solves anything. You can't expect to make a difference due to inaction. That strategy only works if you were ignorant to his opinions in the first place because then he would lose sales. The people who go to Chick-Fil-A on a regular basis will probably still go and, if you haven't gone before, he really isn't losing much. The boycott is an almost asinine idea because it hardly solves anything. I'm sure he knew that he would catch some flack for his opinion and the boycott will not change his mind. The boycott won't make him stop donating to the organizations which seek to hurt the LGBT community. The boycott hardly solves anything. I feel kind of sad that Americans feel that simply not buying a product will solve anything; that worked back in, you know, the 18th century when trade between two countries was a very delicate thing, but not spending $10 on a meal and expecting that to make a difference is completely foolish and shortsighted. If anything, you should donate $10 to pro-LGBT organizations to tip the balance of influence in your favor. Chicken sandwiches don't have any influence.

In my opinion, I'd just leave the guy alone and let this pass. I've no doubt that people will forget about this in about a month.

I doubt I'll ever eat at Chick-Fil-A anyway. There aren't any in the Pacific Northwest. I find that a little peculiar because Seattle and Portland are very liberal places and there are Chick-Fil-A restaurants by the tens of dozens dotting the Bible Belt (especially Georgia, holy shit). If that is the wish of the CEO, then that's fine with me. I'm not going to fund those hurtful organizations with my purchase, but I'm not going to crucify this guy simply for his opinion.

So walk with your chin up. The LGBT community has come a far way. The best thing to do would to help those who help you because doing nothing (like refusing to buy a chicken sandwich) doesn't help anybody.

/ my two cents

I get pissed off when people regard their kids as absolutely fragile.

Bitch, your kid is human like the rest of us. They can take a few scratches. Don't get all butthurt cause your kid is stupid. Your kid will learn that their fingers can't fit in certain things. That's a fundamental part of a kid growing up, realizing that they can't do everything and that some things will hurt, but they'll get over it like you got over all those scrapes you got on your knee.

Dumb cunt. Ruin the fun for the rest of the kids because of your kid's perfectly normal mistake. Treat your kid like a human being, pop the bubble, and let it live like I did. I got big scrapes when I was a kid. I ate and drank things I probably shouldn't have. I'm still alive. What does that say?

It says you're an overbearing, prudish cunt. I understand that you want to protect your kid. Protect them from kidnappers, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Don't protect them from life. Life is meant to be experienced and when you meticulously choose what your kid experiences, you have to draw a line that is very hard to draw. That's called being a terrible parent. Raising a kid should be natural. Your being irrational doesn't make you a better parent.

Sorry, I just have these very strong ideas about raising kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0NrS2L6KcE&list=FLZqjmmUDRiTOERrQM8ArB3w&index=1&feature=plpp_video

Climate change has a lot more to do with temperatures; our atmosphere and wind currents are affected by the fluctuations in temperature and, in recent years, there have been more violent storms and what the video calls "extreme weather events." Then you have to take into account how crops and forests are affected everywhere because of unnaturally arid climates. Recently, in Washington state, I have seen three thunderstorms this summer alone. We rarely get thunderstorms. Why would we get them now? If you can provide me a logical reason (because I'm sure you are exceedingly knowledgeable on the subject of climatology) why we are seeing so many thunderstorms in Washington, I will cede my concern for our climates in the future.

Climate change is much bigger than "global warming;" it will affect everyone around the world. It has the potential to cripple food supplies. It has the potential to put human health at risk. It has the potential to destroy towns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_71816&feature=iv&src_vid=b0NrS2L6KcE&v=OmW_EQzU_qI

And climate change costs money. It is economically irresponsible to ignore this. Once things get bad enough, we're going to have to collectively shell out billions of dollars just to protect our own property.

You can take that as you will.