Game of Thrones House Sigils for Video Games

Neatorama | Jill Harness




Geeking out with Game of Thrones sigils is always fun, even if you aren't concerned with the Lannisters and Westeros. That's why these video game house sigils are so great.

Link Via Geeks Are Sexy

Phoenix Mayor Attempts to Live on Food Stamps

Think Progress | By Travis Waldron 

Phoenix Mayor Attempts To Live On A Food Stamp Budget: ‘I’m Tired, And It’s Hard To Focus’

When local activist groups challenged Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton to live on a food stamp budget for a week to mark Hunger Awareness Month, he took them up on the offer and found out just how hard it was. Stanton kept a diary on the challenge, which allotted him roughly $29 a week, the same amount 1.1 million Arizonans receive from the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) each week.

By day four, Stanton noted that he was “tired” and “it’s hard to focus” after leaving the house for work without time to scramble eggs or eat a decent breakfast:

OK- ran out the door today with no time to scramble eggs or even make a sandwich. So I’m surviving on an apple and handful of peanuts, and the coffee I took to the office until dinner. I’m tired, and it’s hard to focus. I can’t go buy a sandwich because that would be cheating- even the dollar menu at Taco Bell is cheating. You can’t use SNAP benefits at any restaurants, fast food or otherwise. I’m facing a long, hungry day and an even longer night getting dinner on the table, which requires making EVERYTHING from scratch on this budget. It’s only for a week, so I’ve got a decent attitude. If I were doing this with no end in sight, I probably wouldn’t be so pleasant.

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A Computer Built in 1784

Neatorama | John Farrier

In the 1780s, Johann Helfrich Müller, a German engineer, was tasked with checking tables of data on the volumes of trees. To make the work go faster, he designed this machine:


Müller's calculating machine is very similar to the machine of Hahn and was based on the Stepped Drum of Leibniz, but it is larger (285 mm diameter, 95 mm height, weight 15.4 kg). It was in the form of a round box with a handle placed centrally and the number wheels concentrically arranged around the handle. It could calculate with 14 figures and its number and gear wheels could be altered to enable it to operate with non-decimal number systems.

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Face Time Circa 1968

Paleo-Future

In this most gloriously futuristic year of 2011 we somehow find ourselves awash in videophones. In a way, they snuck up on us. And they most certainly didn't show up in the ways that people had been predicting them for decades. The videophone was to change the way we looked at home schooling, job interviews, medical diagnostics, and even dating.

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Homemade D&D modules from the 1980s

Boing Boing | By Cory Doctorow

Plagmada -- the Play Generated Map and Document Archive -- is kickstarting a book of homebrew D&D modules made by game-geeks in their misspent youth. The lead title is the remarkable The Habitition of the Stone Giant Lord, created by 13-year-old Gaius Stern in 1981. The book will contain other homebrew adventures, and is seeking your contributions, which you can email to collections@plagmada.org, for inclusion in the book, which will be called "The Habitition of the Stone Giant Lord and Other Adventures from Our Collective Youth."

The Habitition of the Stone Giant Lord & Other Adventures (Thanks, Tim!)

Chic-Fil-Hate

Snarky Underclass | By Charles Cranston 

Mayors, college students and corporations have blasted Chick-fil-A over the comments that Dan Cathy, the restaurant chain's president, made last week, saying that his company supports "the biblical definition of the family unit" and that he prays "God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is about." [1]

The president of a fast food restaurant chain made headlines by making comments that were viewed as anti-homosexual. The progressive movement and the LGBT groups were outraged, while the anti-gay fundamentalist, hate groups, and conservative news outlets felt that the comments were appropriate and were an expression of the right to freedom of speech.

One of the biggest dividing lines in our country right now is between those that oppose homosexuality and those that accept and support homosexuals in their lifestyle. There are Progressive Christians and people that have committed their support the LGBT community. They may or may not agree with their lifestyle but they stand with the LGBT community because they believe it is not up to them to judge or that people should be free to live how they choose, some say it is a matter of how LGBT people were genetically made up. Groups in opposition of LGBT, often think of homosexuality as a perversion, or in opposition to their religious beliefs. The argument over the rights and privileges of LGBT people goes to the heart of how our nation is divided. One side believes that they must oppose and condemn people they view as sinners, and another side that believes that we should embrace and accept others and draw them into an inclusive community.

I have strong opinions, but I accept those who I disagree with me. I often state my opinions very loudly and yell in the proverbial backyard that is social media. I generally do not pick fights with people that disagree with me, but I believe that if you are pushed, you should be honest and stand up for what you believe in. Recently, I got pushed.

In a conversation over dinner with a conservative Christian, I was told that they wanted me to know that they had gave patronage to Chic-Fil-A to support them because they thought homosexuals were perverted and would be condemned to hell. At first, I did not push back. I said, that I had heard that was a very profitable day for Chic-fil-A. She pushed back a couple of times, telling me that it proves that the majority of the nation thinks that homosexuality is a sinful. Finally, I responded that I did not interpret the bible the same way. She responded that it wasn’t a matter of how I interpreted it was God’s Law and that I would be condemned to hell if I supported the homosexual agenda.

I told her that I could say that she is interpreting the Bible incorrectly and that she will be condemned to Hell.  Because I have a different interpretation of the Bible, it would be against my beliefs to tell another person that they are condemned to Hell. While I don’t believe I have the right or the place to tell her that she will be condemned to hell, I believe that her understanding of the bible is incorrect, and in direct opposition to what the Bible teaches us.

There in is the rub. The conservative Christian interprets the bible one way, and it is God’s Law. The progressive Christian interprets the bible another way, and they’re accused of perverting the Bible and going to hell.

Arguing religion can be often futile. The only way you can argue the Bible on a level playing field is if you have the same interpretation of the Bible. We live in an age where the bible is interpreted in several different ways and even people of the same denomination often disagree. The Bible was written thousands of years ago, it has several different authors, and it has been altered in various ways through generations for political and religious reasons. Some books of the Bible were accepted as part of the official canon [2] while others are rejected by different denominations and sects. The Bible has been used to justify hate and cruelty and it has been used as a tool of love and inclusion. I believe that the Bible and the teachings of Christ are a message of love and inclusion, not of law, and hate. I don’t believe that homosexuality was not a major issue in the bible. In our country the people who grandstand the most about religion, and claim “conservative Christian values” are often whom I consider to be heretics and apostates. Of course it begs the question, who am I to judge?

Matthew 7:1-2

1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Here the Bible explicitly commands Christians not to judge, yet judging seems to be the primary mission of the conservative Christian movement. If homosexuality is a sin, and judging others is a sin, does this mean that one sin is worse than another sin, or does it suggest that all are sinners, and it is only by the grace of God that one is saved? The Bible has been used to justify many things historically, such as slavery, and now is used to justify homophobia. It could be said that standing behind scripture to justify hate is the greatest heresy of all. All too often, it seems to be the justification behind hate groups is a belief in their adherence to the Holy Scripture.

The Bible contains many things that can are considered appalling by today’s standards. Most of the objectionable things can be found in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament we can find examples of incest, rape, slavery, murder, and all by the command of god.

An especially harsh example of the Old Testament of Gods judgment is demonstrated by the following scripture:

Numbers 31:17-18

17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

In this example God commands the Jews to kill every man woman and child and take the virgins as the spoils of their riches. Taking virgins as the spoils of their riches is condoning rape by the word of God.  Is this an example of an all loving god?

Examples of Old Testament Law

• God condones slavery, and instructs the Jews how to treat their slaves.
• The Old Testament instructs that a child that curses their parents should be put to death.
• God commands Jephthah to sacrifice his own daughter

The basis for believing that Homosexuality is a sin comes from the scripture:

Leviticus 20:13

‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.’

Of course, it is forgotten or not mentioned that Leviticus is from the ancient Mosaic Law and prohibits other practices that many modern Christians freely ignore or do not include as what they consider sin.

Leviticus Also Prohibits:

• Eating a fellowship offering more than three days old. (Leviticus 19:5-8)
• Consulting a psychic or spiritualist. (Leviticus 19:31)
• Planting more than one kind of seed in a field. (Leviticus 19:19)
• Wearing clothing woven of more than one kind of cloth. (Leviticus 19:19)
• Cutting the hair on the sides of your head or clipping of the edges of your beard. (Leviticus 19:27)
• Tattoos. (Leviticus 19:28)
• Eating fat. (Leviticus 3:17)
• The consumption of pork. (Leviticus 11:7-8)

Other Practices prohibited by the Old Testament:

• For women, speaking in church. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)
• Consuming blood, blood in meat is not exempt. (Genesis 9:4)
• Cooking a goat in its mother's milk. (Exodus 23:19)
• Eating aquatic creatures lacking fins or scales. (Deuteronomy 14:9-10)
• Consuming the meat of strangled animals. (Acts 15:28-29)
• Performing any work on the Sabbath. (Exodus 20:10)
• Touching the dead carcass of a pig. (Deuteronomy 14:8)
• If you are a slave, disobedience. (Ephesians 6:5)

God hates crabs? 

Eating aquatic creatures lacking fins or scales. (Deuteronomy 14:9-10)

Strange, lots of people eat crabs maybe more people eat crabs than there are LGBT people, yet, Westboro Baptist has yet to protest a crab shack.

Why put so much weight into one interpretation of the scripture while ignoring other direct commandments from God? People are not commanded to hate by the scriptures, rather they choose hate by the interpretation of the bible and the denomination of the bible they accept.

Cathy, the restaurant chain's president, made last week, saying that his company supports "the biblical definition of the family unit"

“I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.” – Dan Cathy

What definition of Marriage is the President of Chic-Fil-A Dan Cathy referring to?

Here’s a summary of different Biblical forms of Marriage:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreasonablefaith/2009/04/the-varieties-of-biblical-marriage/

1. Polygamous Marriage

Probably the most common form of marriage in the bible, it is where a man has more than one wife.

2. Levirate Marriage

When a woman was widowed without a son, it became the responsibility of the brother-in-law or a close male relative to take her in and impregnate her. If the resulting child was a son, he would be considered the heir of her late husband. See Ruth, and the story of Onan (Gen. 38:6-10).

3. A man, a woman and her property — a female slave.

The famous “handmaiden” sketch, as preformed by Abraham (Gen. 16:1-6) and Jacob (Gen. 30:4-5).

4. A man, one or more wives, and some concubines.

The definition of a concubine varies from culture to culture, but they tended to be live-in mistresses. Concubines were tied to their “husband,” but had a lower status than a wife. Their children were not usually heirs, so they were safe outlets for sex without risking the line of succession. To see how badly a concubine could be treated, see the famous story of the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19:1-30).

5. A male soldier and a female prisoner of war.

Women could be taken as booty from a successful campaign and forced to become wives or concubines. Deuteronomy 21:11-14 describes the process.

6. A male rapist and his victim.

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 describes how an unmarried woman who had been raped must marry her attacker.

7. A male and female slave.

A female slave could be married to a male slave without consent, presumably to produce more slaves.

and of course ….

8. Monogamous, heterosexual marriage.

What you might think of as the standard form of marriage provided you think of arranged marriages as the standard. Also remember that inter-faith or cross-ethnic marriages were forbidden for large chunks of biblical history.

 For a snarky video on the subject go to:
http://youtu.be/OFkeKKszXTw

It seems that the definition if marriage has radically changed throughout the generations. Yet, we hear from conservative Christians that marriage is between one man and one woman. Yes, indeed Dan Cathy you should pray as you have said, “God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.” It might just be Dan Cathy that needs to be prayed for. Who is Dan Cathy to define marriage, where does he get this authority?

So much hate, so much activism, against one sin over another. Why?

Christian is the new black?

79.5% of the population of the United States identify as being Christian of one faith or another. To hear some people talk, you might think that Christians were an oppressed minority.[3]

When I asserted that Dan Cathy was practicing hate speech, my conservative opponent, said that nothing said by Dan Cathy the President of Chic-Fil-A was hate speech, he simply said that he supports that marriage is between a man and a woman.

“Dan Cathy, the restaurant chain's president, made last week, saying that his company supports "the biblical definition of the family unit" and that he prays "God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is about." 

My conservative friend told me that, in fact, Dan Cathy was a victim of people trying to deny him and the Christian community their right to free speech.

It was hard for me to swallow my water after hearing that! The idea that a person fomenting hate on a national platform, and whom had his words put on the pages of nearly every publication in country, and is the president of a business that saw the highest single day of profit after his hate speech, was somehow having his free speech denied.

As Quoted From Wikipedia:

In the United States freedom of expression is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. There are several common law exceptions including obscenity, defamation, incitement, incitement to riot or imminent lawless action, fighting words, fraud, and speech integral to criminal conduct. There are federal criminal law statutory prohibitions covering all the common law exceptions other than defamation, of which there are civil law statutory prohibitions, as well as making false statements in "matters within the jurisdiction" of the federal government, speech related to information decreed to be related to national security such as military and classified information, false advertising, perjury privileged communications, trade secrets, copyright, and patents. Most states and localities have many identical restrictions, as well as harassment, and time, place and manner restrictions.

The First Amendment protects you from government action suppressing your right to free speech. It does not protect you from private individuals' negative reaction to your speech.

The Chic-Fil-A crowd have had problems understanding the right to free speech. 

“Similarly, the First Amendment does not protect you from criticism. Sarah Palin infamously took us all back a few steps by ignorantly criticizing the media for its negative commenting on her views. She said, "I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media." This statement is utterly wrong. The First Amendment does not protect you from scrutiny or criticism by the media or others.” [4]

“On April 19^th, on that stage, I exercised my freedom of speech, and I was punished for doing so. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN AMERICA! It undermines the constitutional rights that my grandfather fought for.”

Those words were spoken by a beauty contestant and pornographic video model named Carrie Prejean. [5]

As Quoted From Wikipedia:

“Caroline Michelle "Carrie" Prejean Boller Is an American model, author, former Miss California USA 2009 and Miss USA 2009 first runner-up. Prejean received national attention in 2009 when she told a pageant judge that marriage should be between a man and a woman; pageant judge and gossip blogger Perez Hilton used his final question in the Miss USA pageant to ask Prejean about same-sex marriage laws in the United States, and used his popular gossip blog to publicize her response.”[6]

Again, we have another example where the right to free speech was not impinged on by the government or any representative of the government. It was the negative reaction that Carrie Prejean received that was her argument that her freedom of speech was being denied. The “punishment” that she speaks of is when she had her Miss USA beauty crown removed by executive order from Donald Trump the owner of the contest, when a pornographic pictures and a video surfaced of Carrie Prejean. Donald Trump said it was in poor taste. Let me say that again, DONALD TRUMP said it was in POOR TASTE.

Poor nude model and pornographic tape maker Carrie Prejean claimed that she was being persecuted for her Christian beliefs. She said that her statements weren’t anti-gay, rather just an expression of her beliefs in the Bible. So, supposedly not anti-gay she takes every chance to she can to appear promoting her beliefs that aren’t exactly pro-gay. She became the daring of the anti-gay, conservative Christian hate groups.

“Later, the National Organization for Marriage used footage from the pageant for a television advertisement that warned that same-sex marriage activists wanted to silence opposition. Prejean also hired a Christian public relations firm. In late April, Prejean presented an award at the Gospel Music Association's 2009 Dove Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. Prejean also spoke at Liberty University's final convocation of the year on April 29, 2009.” [7]

In addition Carrie Prejean made several appearances on Fox News, and wrote a book, ‘Still Standing’. What a title, ‘Still Standing’, it’s as if to say, against all the odds the poor little conservative Christian was able to push her hate agenda.  I’m surprised the book wasn’t called ‘The Courage to Hate.’

Does Chic-Fil-A Really Hate?

So really, did Dan Cathy President really say anything hating gays? Nope. He said nothing about hating people of the LGBT community. He only affirmed what he believes to be the "the biblical definition of the family unit" and that he prays "God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is about.” He merely said that, prays for mercy.

Yes, I’m sure Dan Cathy was praying for mercy. He wanted mercy so badly that he made public statements that agitated masses of people that are already at odds. What acts of mercy has Dan Cathy performed for the LGBT community? Dan Cathy is the millionaire president of a multi-billion dollar fast food chain so he has ample opportunity to show mercy on the LGBT community. Don’t ask for mercy, Mr. Cathy, perform acts of mercy. All those “Christians” that showed up to affirm their anti-gay beliefs, what did they do to show mercy?

The saddest part of all, so many supposed “Christians” were able to mobilize in support of hate rather than the support of the sick, hungry, aged or poor. What does this say about “Conservative Christian values”?

Questions about freedom speech and how you believe in your version of Christianity obscures the real issue. Chic-Fil-A supports and donates money to hate groups, and anti-gay organizations. [9]

Anti-Gay groups and groups listed as hate groups

The Southern Poverty LawCenter is an organization that tracks hate groups all types including anti-gay organizations. The Southern Poverty Law Center is a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society. The organizations listed below have met the appropriate metrics, and are classified as hate groups.

1. Family Research Council [10]
2. Westboro Baptist Church [11]
3. American Family Association [12]

The Family Research Council

The Family Research Council has been a major beneficiary of Chic-Fil-A’s largess of tax deductible donations to a “charitable” organization.

On ‘Hardball,’ Chris Matthews moderated a debate between the Chair of the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, and the Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which listed Family Research Council to its expanding list of certified hate groups.

“well, let me say for starters that when we name groups hate groups, that has nothing to do with any allegation of criminality or some kind of measure of expected violence. it’s purely about ideology. do groups demonize entire groups of people with falsehoods and other propaganda. the Family Research Council among many other things has associated falsely gay men with pedophile pedophilia. That’s simply a falsehood and a known falsehood. on your show, Chris, a representative of the council, Peter Sprig said something” [13]

Peter Sprigg

Associated with the Family Research Council.

 “the position that was taken here by Peter Sprigg, which said we should outlaw gay behavior “

Chris Matthews talking about the head of the Family Research Council [14]

Focus on the Family

Notably, Focus on the Family has cited freedom of speech and freedom of religion to justify bullying.

 “Bullying policies should not apply to “religious, political, philosophical, or other protected student speech.” Like states that have tried to pass similar laws, this amounts to a “license to bully.” Given that anti-gay bullying is often justified by religious beliefs, such an exemption would invite bullying to persist, defeating the point of a comprehensive policy.” [8]

As quoted from the Huffington Post:

Here are five reasons why Chick-fil-A isn't what you think:

1) Chick-fil-A has donated at least $5 million to organizations (including a certified hate group) that, among other things, depict gay people as pedophiles, want to make "gay behavior" illegal, and even say gay people should be "exported" out of America.

Even if you oppose same-sex marriage, do you really want to support a company that advocates putting gay people in jail, or "exporting" them, just because they're gay?

2) Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy didn't merely say he supports traditional marriage. Dan Cathy said if you support gay marriage, you "are inviting God's judgment on our nation," and that we "shake our fist at Him" when we do. Dan Cathy also said same-sex marriage is the result of a "deprived" mind and called it "twisted up kind of stuff."

Even if you don't support same-sex marriage, do you really think gay marriage is "inviting God's judgment on our nation"? Haven't we all heard enough blame from those who claim to speak for the Lord, like after Katrina or, more recently, after the shooting in Aurora, Colo.?

3) Chick-fil-A supports organizations that have claimed they can change gay people into straight people -- "pray away the gay" -- despite the fact that practically every major medical organization has stated that this is not only impossible but dangerous and harmful.

Even if you don't support same-sex marriage, do you support fake "science" that is known to harm the very people it claims to help?

4) The media keep saying Chick-fil-A has never discriminated, but the truth is that Chick-fil-A has been sued over a dozen times for employment discrimination. That's what a leading business publication, Forbes, stated in 2007, when they also called Chick-fil-A a "cult" and reported that Chick-fil-A's founder and CEO Truett Cathy said he wanted to hire married people because they are more industrious and productive. Truett Cathy has also said he would probably fire someone who "has been sinful or done something harmful to their family members."

Even if you don't support same-sex marriage, do you want to support what some call a "cult" whose CEO says he would fire employees for "being sinful"?

5) Chick-fil-A is just exercising their First Amendment rights by running a business based on the Bible, right? Wrong. There's a line between the "free exercise of religion" and violating the law. If Chick-fil-A is violating the law by discriminating against gay people, or by firing women so that they can be "stay home" moms, as one woman who is suing Chick-fil-A says in court documents, that's not exercising religious expression or free speech, and that's not a First Amendment issue. It may be, if the court decides, a violation of the law. [15]

Really? How Can a Christian Justify Gay Marriage or the LGBT Lifestyle?

First off I would remind you that their several examples where the Bible tells us not to judge other people.

Christianity is based on the idea that Jesus Christ came to earth and died for our sins. The premise of what makes a Christian a Christian is that the Salvation of the New Testament washes away the laws of the Old Testament.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Jesus said "Do not think that I have come to fulfill the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to fulfill them but to abolish them."

Under Mosaic Law as prescribed by the Old Testament the sexual sin of adultery was punishable by death - specifically being stoned to death.

John 8:1-11

3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

This is an example of Jesus refusing Mosaic Law . Not only did he refuse let others carry out the laws of Moses and the laws of the Torah. from the Old Testament, as she stood there guilty in front of the son of God, Jesus said that he would not condemn her either.

10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Conversely, Jesus taught that a person was not defined by their adherence to customs and laws.

Mark 7:15 | English Standard Version

“There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

“This was to deny the relevance and the instrumentality of the Law in the process of salvation and justification. He was asserting that man could have a direct relationship with God, even if he were poor, ignorant and sinful, and conversely, it was not man’s obedience to the Torah (Mosaic Law) which creates God’s response, but the grace of God to men, at any rate those have faith in him, which makes them keep his commandments.” [16]

Of course you would have to think of homosexuality as a sin to find mercy in your heart to not judge. Jesus spoke out agaist homosexuals. What Jesus did say about homosexuals seems to be straight from the mouth of Lady Ga Ga.

Matthew 19:12

“For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

An Eunuch was a common term for a homosexual.

Hijra, a Hindi and Urdu term traditionally translated into English as "eunuch", ... male-to-female transgender people and effeminate homosexuals.  [17]

Born This Way By Lady GaGa

I'm beautiful in my way

'Cause God makes no mistakes

I'm on the right track, baby

I was born this way. [18]

Yes, it seems that Lady Ga Ga (Not Jewish) understands the bible much better than those who claim to know it the best.

Given all the media attention that anti-gay Christians get, you might think that most or all Christians are against homosexuality or view it as a sin. Not all Christians are against Homosexuality. 

Famously, The United Church Of Christ has taken a position in support of the LGBT community.

"On this July 4, the United Church of Christ has courageously acted to declare freedom, affirming marriage equality, affirming the civil rights of gay - of same-gender - couples to have their relationships recognized as marriages by the state, and encouraging our local churches to celebrate those marriages," Mr. Thomas said at a news conference after the vote by the General Synod. [19]

LGBT-affirming Christian denominations [20]

The Bible warns of false prophets, apostates, and heretics.

True and False Disciples | Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’.

I do not believe that homosexuality is a sin. Like Lady Ga Ga said; 'Cause God makes no mistakes’ I do believe that one who is LGBT certainly has a rough road in life, and it hard to be a Christian when so many people have taken it on themselves to define sin. I think that as a Christian you should let God be judge, for it is only him that passes judgment in the end. The best advice comes from a non-prophetic source and that is when Voltaire said,” Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” I believe that it is your personal relationship with God that in the end, will allow you to enter the gates of heaven.  Anyone who wants to tell you their definition the Law, rather than help you seek the truth is likely an apostate that is seeking glory on earth rather than the grace of God in heaven,…but who am I to judge?

Judging Others

Matthew 7:1-2

1. Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Romans 2:1

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Romans 14:10,13

10You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 13...therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another...

James 4:11-12

11... Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it... 12... who are you to judge your neighbor?

1 Corinthians 4:5

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

True and False Disciples | Matthew 7:21-23 

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’.

Links and References

1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/chick-fil-a-president-anti-gay-comments-inspire-movements_n_1710506.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_(basic_principle)
3. http://christianity.about.com/od/denominations/p/christiantoday.htm
4. http://articles.cnn.com/2012-07-30/opinion/opinion_randazza-first-amendment_1_first-amendment-adult-bookstores-free-speech
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnQHdh1ujkY
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Prejean
7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Prejean
8. http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/08/30/775491/anti-gay-groups-offer-model-policy-to-protect-religious-bullying/?mobile=nc
9. http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/07/02/509982/chick-fil-a-gave-2-million-to-anti-gay-groups-in-2010/
10. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/family-research-council
11. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/westboro-baptist-church
12. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/american-family-association
13. http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/newly-christened-hate-group-frc-spews-lies-on-hardball/bigotry-watch/2010/11/29/15567
14. http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/newly-christened-hate-group-frc-spews-lies-on-hardball/bigotry-watch/2010/11/29/15567
15. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-badash/chick-fil-a-5-reasons-it-isnt-what-you-think_b_1725237.html
16. http://books.google.com/books/about/A_History_of_the_Jews.html?id=VIKGCHT1sbwC
17. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunuch
18.  http://www.metrolyrics.com/born-this-way-lyrics-lady-gaga.html#ixzz26KYaII3Y Copied from MetroLyrics.com
19.  http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/05/national/05church.html
20. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT-affirming_Christian_denominations

The Time that Douglas Adams Met Jim Henson

Mental Floss | By Chris Higgins



Adams had been working with the Henson team that year [1985] on the Muppet Institute of Technology project. Collaborating with Digital Productions (the computer animation people), Chris Cerf, Jon Stone, Joe Bailey, Mark Salzman and Douglas Adams, Jim’s goal was to raise awareness about the potential for personal computer use and dispel fears about their complexity. In a one-hour television special, the familiar Muppets would (according to the pitch material), “spark the public’s interest in computing,” in an entertaining fashion, highlighting all sorts of hardware and software being used in special effects, digital animation, and robotics. Viewers would get a tour of the fictional institute – a series of computer-generated rooms manipulated by the dean, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and stumble on various characters taking advantage of computers’ capabilities. Fozzie, for example, would be hard at work in the “Department of Artificial Stupidity,” proving that computers are only as funny as the bears that program them. Hinting at what would come in The Jim Henson Hour, viewers, “…might even see Jim Henson himself using an input device called a ‘Waldo’ to manipulate a digitally-controlled puppet.”

Read the full text here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/141878#ixzz26qJ05BaE
--brought to you by mental_floss!

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Pitchfork | By Evan Minsker

As you may recall, the Flaming Lips had a huge falling out with Erykah Badu after posting an unapproved NSFW video for their Heady Fwends collaboration "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". The song now has a new singer, Dresden Dolls vocalist Amanda Palmer, who appears nude in a bathtub for the new NSFW video (via the Future Heart).

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13 Disturbing Works of Art by Female Artists

Mental Floss | M. Asher Cantrell

After we posted 13 Disturbing Pieces of Art from History, several readers pointed out that none of the works were created by female artists. So, here are 13 more disturbing pieces of art, and they’re all created by women.

Read the full text here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/141751#ixzz26kujRBTe
--brought to you by mental_floss!

 

‘I’m Your Man,’ Leonard Cohen Biography by Sylvie Simmons

New York Times | By JANET MASLIN

Writing about a living subject, Sylvie Simmons says, means having “to immerse yourself in that person’s life to a degree that would probably get you locked up in any decent society.” It can also mean abandoning all hope of objectivity. But despite her simpatico feel for the life and work of her subject, Ms. Simmons’s “I’m Your Man” is the major, soul-searching biography that Leonard Cohen deserves.

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1893 Snowball Fight

Neatorama | Miss Cellania

Those must have been some icy snowballs! These three Princeton students were photographed after the annual freshman-sophmore snowball fight in 1893. You can imagine that the picture was requested as a "trophy" for the other side. Read more about the bygone Princeton tradition at 22 Words. Link -via Buzzfeed

11 Amazing Librarian Tattoos

Mental Floss | by Jill Harness


There are plenty of literary tattoos out there, and plenty of tattooed librarians. A bit less common are librarians with tattoos celebrating their career choice.

Read the full text here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/141087#ixzz26TOSojOw
--brought to you by mental_floss!

Put a Bear On It: Ursus Roundup

Apartment Therapy | ANDIE POWERS

The other day, my mother happened to spy a young black bear while looking through her binoculars to the other side of the river that they live on in Colorado. She watched it for a while until it ran off into the woods. Bears really are beautiful animals, and have been woven into myth, children's stories, and decor for centuries. The bear sighting story set me off on a trail into the technological woods (so to speak) to see what types of bear-y cool designs I could find.

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The M*A*S*H Still

Neatorama | Miss Cellania

The most memorable prop from the TV show M*A*S*H would be the sign that shows how far away the character's hometowns were. But second to that is the still that Hawkeye, Trapper, and B.J. used to distill their own gin. The still was destroyed and rebuilt several times, and had several different looks, from a hillbilly moonshine-style tank to a mad scientist's lab. And where is it now?

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Hodgman Box Set: it's official!

Boing Boing | By Cory Doctorow

Early in August, John Hodgman teased the release of a boxed set of his three books (The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, That Is All). Now the set is officially announced.


Also on October 2, the paperback edition of THAT IS ALL shall also be made available as part of a special COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE BOXED SET, which set shall also include my previous books of fascinating fake trivia and made up true facts THE AREAS OF MY EXPERTISE and MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU REQUIRE—all wrapped up in a protective, RAGNAROK PROOF box.

THAT IS ALL, FIRST OF ALL: The PAPERBACK edition of THAT IS...

COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE BOXED SET

(Thanks, Benjamin!)

Giant head of Klaus Kinski

Boing Boing | By David Pescovitz

German artist Paule Hammer created this massive head of Klaus Kinski for a 2005 exhibition at Munich's Galerie Andreas Binder. The work is titled "Niemand weiß, was wir fühlen" ("Nobody Knows What We Feel"). It reminds me of something an exhausted Ron Mueck might sculpt after sitting through a comprehensive Herzog film festival in its entirety. (via Spencer Hickman and Dangerous Minds)