WickedThought

So, over in ‘s journal, a person named Caias Ward () accused me of a number of things. The accusations have since been deleted, but I’ve still got them in the form of e-mail notifications. Essentially, he accused me of the following:

1) He accused me of threatening him with physical violence.
2) He said, “the first time I ever talked to Wick, asking a question about page count and layout for Orkworld, he pretty much told me ‘fuck off’.”
3) He accused me of displacing valid arguments with “personal attacks, straw men and bully tactics.”

When I asked him to show me where I told him to fuck off, he gave a vague recollection of an event that happened six years ago. Holding a grudge for six years. Nice. And, I don’t even remember him at all. Of course, if someone wanted to go through the old forums and look for it, I’d be happy to see it so we can all see what actually happened.

When I asked him to give me examples and evidence of his other claims, his reply was:

“I think at this point, I’ll break from arguing with you in order to preserve my sanity. You obviously have less interest in dealing with topics at hand unless carefully guided than in seeing attacks and enemies in everything.”

I continued pressing him about the threats of physical violence. He refused to acknowledge where or when this occurred. Seeing as I’ve never met Caias, it could not have been in-person. Therefore, I decided, it must have happened in ‘s journal. So, I combed through the last two years of ‘s journal looking for such a threat. I found nothing.

And, instead of just making the accusation without evidence, here are links to all the places Caias and I clashed on ‘s journal. I may have missed some entries, but I don’t think so.

http://savageplanet.livejournal.com/98384.html
Here’s a pretty harmless disagreement. No threats of violence or ad hominem attacks.

http://savageplanet.livejournal.com/177960.html
Here, we agreed.

http://savageplanet.livejournal.com/178565.html
Here, we disagreed. I looked for a threat of violence, but did not find one.

http://savageplanet.livejournal.com/180475.html
Here, Caias made a snippy comment about me staying on topic. No substance, just a snippy comment.

http://savageplanet.livejournal.com/168215.html
Here, he made a snark about me calling Bush a Nazi.

http://savageplanet.livejournal.com/156063.html
Here, we both lamented on the lack of education for our children in this country.

http://savageplanet.livejournal.com/107312.html
Here, he makes another snippy comment at my expense.

http://savageplanet.livejournal.com/111139.html
Here, he starts off the conversation saying, “I just imagine your head exploding and reforming every time something outside your worldview intrudes. It’s quite amusing, in a Plymptonesque fashion.”

Yeah, I use ad hominem attacks and bully tactics. My response to this with a reasonable reply followed by a “shut up now.” And, frankly, after his condescending comment, he deserved it.

As for establishing Mr. Ward’s credibility, I saw in his LJ bio that he claims to have written seven books. When I questioned him on this, he got defensive and refused to provide evidence for his claim. In fact, he used the old, “Even if I did give you evidence, you wouldn’t believe it,” bullshit. Which, by the way, is such a valid and respectful argumentative technique that have decided I should use it all the time. All the friggin’ time.

Caias Ward gave me a couple of titles to work with. I looked for them. I found one of them. In a move that must have surprised him, I believed he wrote the book when I saw the evidence. Su-priiize, su-priize, su-priize.

If Mr. Ward has indeed written seven books, I’ll believe his proof when I see it.

This is the lesson here, folks. Accusing me of threatening you with violence is not wise. It results in me pressing you to prove what you say.

(from the IMDB; emphasis mine)

The Da Vinci Code has come under another barrage of criticism after one of the favorites in last year’s bid to become Pope, Cardinal Francis Arinze, slammed the book and film adaptation in a TV documentary. Arinze called for Christians worldwide to “do something practical” to destroy the so-called blasphemous tract, written by Dan Brown. He slammed the controversial work as a violation of basic human rights, contending Christians should have their “religious beliefs respected.” Speaking on documentary The Da Vinci Code – A Masterful Deception, Arinze fumes, “Christians must not just sit back and say it is enough for us to forgive and to forget. Sometimes it is our duty to do something practical. Any film produced on the basis of that book is already in error from the word go, no matter how interesting it might appear.” Last month, another Vatican cardinal, Angelo Amato, demanded the Tom Hanks-starring film be boycotted.

Hey Biship Dude, here’s the news: having your religious beliefs respected by other private citizens is not a basic human right.

You know, in the midst of all this noise about a book being made into a movie about Jesus surviving the corss, getting married to Mary Magdeline and having kids… it sounds so familiar…

Oh, wait…

That a woman conceived me, I thank her; that she
brought me up, I likewise give her most humble
thanks: but that I will have a recheat (1) winded in my
forehead, or hang my bugle in an invisible baldrick (2),
all women shall pardon me. Because I will not do
them the wrong to mistrust any, I will do myself the
right to trust none; and the fine is, for the which
I may go the finer, I will live a bachelor.

Friendship is constant in all other things
Save in the office and affairs of love:
Therefore, all hearts in love use their own tongues;
Let every eye negotiate for itself
And trust no agent; for beauty is a witch
Against whose charms faith melteth into blood.

___

(1) a hunting call sounded on a horn to assemble the hounds
(2) an often ornamented belt worn over one shoulder to support a sword or bugle

… now I understand.

The book is amazing. When I heard Gilliam was directing it, I said, “He’s the only one who could.” Which inspires me to write something else…

I can’t read standard fantasy anymore. I’ve tried Wheel of Time, I’ve tried Game of Thrones… but I just can’t do it. This book, and others, are responsible.

I’m gonna put together a list of “fantasy” books I’ve been reading that have shown me that the best “fantasy” books are not in the fantasy section of the bookstore.

Later.

Lord Raglan put together a 22-point scale of common occurances in the hero myth.

Take your favorite hero and see how he sums up. I’ve scored one of my favorite heroes–Jesus–and bolded the ones that apply.

1. The hero’s mother is a royal virgin
2. His father is a king and
3. often a near relative of the mother, but
4. the circumstances of his conception are unusual, and
5. he is also reputed to be the son of a god
6. at birth an attempt is made, usually by his father or maternal grandfather, to kill him, but
7. He is spirited away, and
8. Reared by foster-parents in a far country
9. We are told nothing of his childhood, but
10. On reaching manhood he returns or goes to his future kingdom.
11. After a victory over the king and or giant, dragon, or wild beast
12. He marries a princess, often the daughter of his predecessor and
13. becomes king
14. For a time he reigns uneventfully and
15. Prescribes laws but
16. later loses favor with the gods and or his people and
17. Is driven from from the throne and the city after which
18. He meets with a mysterious death
19. often at the top of a hill.
20. his children, if any, do not succeed him.
21. his body is not buried, but nevertheless
22. he has one or more holy sepulchres.

Sky One, which recently dropped the axe on its flagship football drama Dream Team under new director of programmes Richard Woolfe, has ordered ITV Productions (fka Granada) to make a six-part series for transmission in Spring 2007.

According to a German newspaper interview, when asked about his best moment in office, our President said:

“I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound (3.402 kilos) perch in my lake.”

I could say something cute and clever about how much of a moron this guy really is… but sometimes, people just speak for themselves.

(thanks to )

My love is as a fever longing still
For that which longer nurseth the disease,
Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill,
Th’uncertain sickly appetite to please.
My reason, the physician to my love,
Angry that his prescriptions are not kept,
Hath left me, and I desperate now approve
Desire is death, which physic did except.
Past cure I am, now reason is past care,
And frantic mad with evermore unrest;
My thoughts and my discourse as madmen’s are,
At random from the truth vainly expressed:   
    For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,
   Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.

I’m thinking about contributing to Free Thought Media.

Can any of my audio expert/DJ friends advise me on a good mixing board?