Two Babes and a Brain

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Political Correctness

It was the young wizard’s biggest challenge yet: understanding why those who should be defending their civilization were pretending that nothing was happening or even becoming apologists for the other side. Barry Rubin tells the tale that began with a headline in the Daily Prophet newspaper: “Minister Fudge Urges Engagement; Accuses Harry Potter of Voldemortphobia”

News item: The Iranian newspaper Kayhan, has criticized officials there for allowing the sale of the new Harry Potter book, claiming the series is a Zionist project in order to disrupt the minds of young people.

“The main thing is to try and convince as many people as possible that You-Know-Who came back, Harry….[Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge] is absolutely refusing to believe it’s happened.”
“But why?” said Harry desperately. “Why’s he being so stupid?”…
“Because accepting that Voldemort’s back would mean trouble….”
“It’s hard to convince people he’s back, especially as they really don’t want to believe it in the first place.”
—Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, pp. 93-94.

What’s going on here?” Harry said angrily. “I personally saw Voldemort gathering his followers but when I read the Daily Prophet it would seem there is no real threat. And now they want to negotiate with Voldemort?”
“That’s not all,” Hermione explained. “The newspaper is trying to make you sound deluded for exposing the truth.”

“Yes,” Ron added, ”and there are a lot of people now who favor giving aid to Voldemort in order—they claim—to moderate him.”
Certainly, the MSMM (Mainstream Magical Media), had long been blind to the return of Voldemort and his Death Eater movement. The Order of the Phoenix, the group formed to fight Voldemort, had a lot of blogs but the followers of You-Know-Who seemed to control all too many of the biggest institutions. Even on the Internet, Draco Malfoy had even developed one of the most popular blogs of all, “The Daily Draco” and some of the blander naïf’s from one of Hogwarts’ houses had created the “Hufflepuff Post.”

Harry just didn’t understand. How could anyone not see the terrible things going on around the world: the suicide bombing attacks; the organized incitement of hatred, the attempt by an extremist movement to take over and enslave millions of people? Why were they constantly attacking the victims and ridiculing those trying to expose these dangers, distorting their words and slandering their characters?

Gee, I was wondering the same thing.
-LizaJane

You can read the whole thing here: Pajamas Media, article by Barry Rubin

The Author’s note says: As popular as the Harry Potter series has been, it is still just a set of novels about a fantasy situation. Thank goodness nothing like this could happen in the real world.

For LJ

This made me laugh and maybe you will find it funny too - HC

Sometimes you just need to laugh at the Hypocrisy

The Democrats can Always count on the Republicans to make them look Good. In the following two clips from the Daily Show, Jon Stewart make some great points with Humor. Enjoy the Laughs - HC

This is amazing...

...watch this intersection somewhere in India for a few minutes...We think the 405 freeway is hard to deal with!

:0)

300

SSG Rob and I, with friends, are going to lunch and to see the movie "300" today.

Synopsis
In the midst of the Persian-Greco war, Spartan King Leonidas leads his army of 300 soldiers into battle against the invading Persian army during the Battle of Thermopylae. According to legend, their valor and sacrifice inspired all of Greece to unite against the Persian foe, leading to the origins of democracy.

If you are not familar with this historical event, you should really read up on it. I do not do it any justice here. There is even some real "Hocus Pocus" in this story too, as grumpy mean ol'boring Lee would call it.

King Leonidas goes to see the Oracle at Delphi, which says:

O ye men who dwell in the streets of broad Lacedaemon!
Either your glorious town shall be sacked by the children of Perseus,
Or, in exchange, must all through the whole Laconian country
Mourn for the loss of a king, descendant of great Heracles.
He cannot be withstood by the courage of bulls nor of lions,
Strive as they may; he is mighty as Jove; there is naught that shall stay him,
Till he have got for his prey your king, or your glorious city.

In essence, the Oracle's warning was that either Sparta would be conquered and left in ruins or one of her two hereditary kings, descendant of Hercules, must sacrifice his life to defend her.
King Leonidas considered himself a descendant of Hercules.

In the book, The Gates of Fire, based on the same historical event, according to legend King Leonidas gives his Spartans a question to ponder on the sleepless night before the battle was to begin. The question was "what is the opposite of fear?" It is a really great question. Do you know what the answer is?

Happy Saturday!

LizaJane
-Daughter of a Greek Lady and a Brave Marine, and a wife to the Brave SSG Rob.

Remember the Spartans!

No Matter What You Think...

...You gotta respect this guy for being honest.  My new friends who just moved into the house across from the restaurant were in Boise for some training on some environmental thing-a-ma-giggy and...

they came across this homeless guy asking for money....

but here's the best part....

he was up front about what he wanted it for.

Just too funny.

Thanx Mary.

Lisa

Too Funny...

As ya'll know, I'm at my uncle's training for the hunt test that starts tomorrow.  Well, tonight, we rode over to the hunting lodge where Rob (an employee and cattle rancher) keeps his herd of cattle.  We pull up and I jump out of the truck to run to the pasture to see the babies (yes, I love baby cows).  As I am walking down, I see Rob walk up to my uncle's truck window. 

OK...so at this point, you think this testosterone filled professional dog trainer and this macho cattle rancher are going to discuss the latest hunting rifle or shotgun that they just purchased...right???

Oh no....The first thing that pours out of Robs mouth is....

Hotel Blogging...

Here I am...stuck in a hotel room... blogging from a far.  I really haven't been paying too much attention to the olympics this time... not sure why... I'm just not.  With nothing else to do, I turned on the television and came upon the women's curling competition. 

My first question was ... why?  Why do these women take perfectly good scrubber sponges and scrub their way down a track of ice?  My second question was... how does one first become involved in curling?   I mean, do mom and dad pack up the kids and take them to curling practice like footbball and baseball?  Do kids sit around and say..."I want to become a professional curling player?"

Any insight to this perplexing sport would be greatly appreciated.

And BTW... I've decided to start my own curling team... any women out there who can scrub a bathtub in record speed... please give me a call.

Lisa

Should I Feel Good About This???

OK...I took the Muppet Quiz and this is who I am...

You are Miss Piggy.
You are talented and the center of attention. At least you'd like to think you are. You're really just a pig.

FAVORITE EXPRESSIONS:
"Moi", "Moi" and "Moi!"
LAST BOOK READ:
"Women Who Run With Frogs And The Frogs Who Better Wise Up Quick"

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"To Have and Have More"

DRESS SIZE:
If it's expensive, it fits.

BEST FEATURES:
Eyes, eyebrows, eyelashes, nose, cheeks, hair, ears, neck, shoulders, arms, elbows, hands, fingers, legs, knees, ankles, feet, toes and so on and so forth.

SPECIAL ABILITIES:
Singing, Dancing, Directing, Producing, Writing, Starring, and Being Famous.

So...is this a good thing?

Lisa