Comments on: Facts and Fictions, Part II http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:29:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: merciless http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40907 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:29:12 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40907 Ian, I disagree. I like video games. But moderation in everything; they're addicting, and can become a substitute for actually living. I think that's one of the themes that Maha's talking about above. Ian, I disagree.

I like video games. But moderation in everything; they’re addicting, and can become a substitute for actually living. I think that’s one of the themes that Maha’s talking about above.

]]> by: Ian http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40896 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 20:35:28 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40896 "As long as they have no actual power to enact or to enforce laws, they can play Halo all day." I just wanna point out that there is nothing, in principle, actually wrong with playing Halo all day, even for an enlightened non-warhawk type liberal. Just saying. -me “As long as they have no actual power to enact or to enforce laws, they can play Halo all day.”

I just wanna point out that there is nothing, in principle, actually wrong with playing Halo all day, even for an enlightened non-warhawk type liberal.

Just saying.

-me

]]> by: merciless http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40885 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:10:18 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40885 Maha, honestly, how can you not think LOT was a WWII allegory? I mean, just because Tolkein specifically <i>said</i><i> it wasn't an allegory, and that he "cordially disliked allegory," and that if he'd </i><i>wanted</i> to write one, it would have been about WWI, which was much more personal to him. Geez. Guy was obviously a liberal anyway. All that tree stuff. :) As for the chickenhawks, I think they've gone so far down the rabbit hole that there's no getting out for them. The mainstream journalists are hedging their bets frantically, trying to get out in front of the parade. The wingnuts have to dance with them that brung 'um, so they're going to be delirious with joy at being the victims again. As long as they have no actual power to enact or to enforce laws, they can play Halo all day. Maha, honestly, how can you not think LOT was a WWII allegory? I mean, just because Tolkein specifically said it wasn’t an allegory, and that he “cordially disliked allegory,” and that if he’d wanted to write one, it would have been about WWI, which was much more personal to him.

Geez. Guy was obviously a liberal anyway. All that tree stuff. :)

As for the chickenhawks, I think they’ve gone so far down the rabbit hole that there’s no getting out for them. The mainstream journalists are hedging their bets frantically, trying to get out in front of the parade. The wingnuts have to dance with them that brung ‘um, so they’re going to be delirious with joy at being the victims again.

As long as they have no actual power to enact or to enforce laws, they can play Halo all day.

]]> by: maha http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40857 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 14:00:21 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40857 <i>Republicans want to feel persecuted, threatened, reduced to mere survival - survival without the benefit of the kind of mortal courage that allows a person to keep moral dignity even when being killed.</i> That's true, but I also think their knee-jerk loyalty to leaders has to do with wanting a "hero" figure who will keep them safe. Republicans want to feel persecuted, threatened, reduced to mere survival - survival without the benefit of the kind of mortal courage that allows a person to keep moral dignity even when being killed.

That’s true, but I also think their knee-jerk loyalty to leaders has to do with wanting a “hero” figure who will keep them safe.

]]> by: maha http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40855 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 13:59:12 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40855 Ian: Remember, to righties you are not a geek. You are a <i>technologically advanced evil killer robot</i>. Be proud. Ian: Remember, to righties you are not a geek. You are a technologically advanced evil killer robot. Be proud.

]]> by: Mike http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40764 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 03:18:25 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40764 The superhero thing with kids is exactly the opposite of the Republicans and Galactica. Republicans want to feel persecuted, threatened, reduced to mere survival - survival without the benefit of the kind of mortal courage that allows a person to keep moral dignity even when being killed. They are right on one thing - we do have the technical ability to end the threat of Middle-Eastern terrorism at a stroke and are too "good" to do it. But the "goodness" that prevents our retargeting a healthy fraction of the nukes we used to have pointed at the USSR (remember when our boogeyman really did have the ability to end the world?) and make a big glass lake where the entire region used to be is not so much saintliness as not being utterly insane. Such a move, even without nuclear winter and assuming the wind is just right, would damage us more than any group of terrorists ever could. The superhero thing with kids is exactly the opposite of the Republicans and Galactica. Republicans want to feel persecuted, threatened, reduced to mere survival - survival without the benefit of the kind of mortal courage that allows a person to keep moral dignity even when being killed.

They are right on one thing - we do have the technical ability to end the threat of Middle-Eastern terrorism at a stroke and are too “good” to do it. But the “goodness” that prevents our retargeting a healthy fraction of the nukes we used to have pointed at the USSR (remember when our boogeyman really did have the ability to end the world?) and make a big glass lake where the entire region used to be is not so much saintliness as not being utterly insane. Such a move, even without nuclear winter and assuming the wind is just right, would damage us more than any group of terrorists ever could.

]]> by: erinyes http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40736 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:39:42 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40736 http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/HJ19Ad01.html This is what should worry us. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/HJ19Ad01.html
This is what should worry us.

]]> by: r4d20 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40714 Sun, 29 Oct 2006 22:35:40 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40714 Chickenhawk? I know war first hand. I'm waste deep in the shit all day, every day. I just got done playing "Counter Strike" for 2 hours, and I'm going back for more later. Yeah, I know what its like to take headshots, but only the losers cut and run. Real me stick it out and take their lumps. I did, now look at me - I've probably pwned more noobs in an hour than you have in your entire life. Chickenhawk? As if. Chickenhawk?

I know war first hand. I’m waste deep in the shit all day, every day. I just got done playing “Counter Strike” for 2 hours, and I’m going back for more later. Yeah, I know what its like to take headshots, but only the losers cut and run. Real me stick it out and take their lumps. I did, now look at me - I’ve probably pwned more noobs in an hour than you have in your entire life.

Chickenhawk? As if.

]]> by: Uncle Mike http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40705 Sun, 29 Oct 2006 20:24:08 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40705 I would be all for Lileks' way of doing things with the following addendum: everytime a "terrorist" spills information about an "impending attack" and it's NOT true, then everybody who agreed and voted for the torture reports to the chamber. It's only fair. I would be all for Lileks’ way of doing things with the following addendum: everytime a “terrorist” spills information about an “impending attack” and it’s NOT true, then everybody who agreed and voted for the torture reports to the chamber.

It’s only fair.

]]> by: Ian http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40677 Sun, 29 Oct 2006 17:16:44 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/10/29/facts-and-fictions-part-ii/#comment-40677 Gotta say, I do very much see season three as,not an allegory, but rather a critique of American policy in Iraq. That is what science fiction is FOR after all ... it's not about rocket ships and ray guns, it's about exploring current or universal topics by twisting things enough to be able to both (a) connect it to present day concerns and (b) see the topic in a new light. Galactica is succeeding very well at doing that, I think. I was very surprised to hear that people thought it was an allegory for cylons=muslims humans=americans ... it is my impression that up until season three, they were just doing science fiction ... exploring verious universal human themes through the lens of the Galactica story ... and that somebody made a conscious decision to get more pointed and more specific in the critique, by taking a show which is ALL ABOUT a bunch of humans on a SHIP, and deliberately stranding them on a PLANET, so they could do the whole 'occupation' storyline. I doubt they EVER intended viewers to identify cylons as muslims. Note: I am a geek. Just in case you couldn't tell :) -me Gotta say, I do very much see season three as,not an allegory, but rather a critique of American policy in Iraq. That is what science fiction is FOR after all … it’s not about rocket ships and ray guns, it’s about exploring current or universal topics by twisting things enough to be able to both (a) connect it to present day concerns and (b) see the topic in a new light. Galactica is succeeding very well at doing that, I think.

I was very surprised to hear that people thought it was an allegory for cylons=muslims humans=americans … it is my impression that up until season three, they were just doing science fiction … exploring verious universal human themes through the lens of the Galactica story … and that somebody made a conscious decision to get more pointed and more specific in the critique, by taking a show which is ALL ABOUT a bunch of humans on a SHIP, and deliberately stranding them on a PLANET, so they could do the whole ‘occupation’ storyline.

I doubt they EVER intended viewers to identify cylons as muslims.

Note: I am a geek. Just in case you couldn’t tell :)

-me

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