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[KongZilla]

I would usually refer to them as extremists, actually... and I have to admit this is the first time I see someone using the term Islamist. I admit I was kinda appaled at first since I thought he was refering to Muslims as a whole. But then understood where he's coming from and I agree that what they're doing is wrong. Really wrong. And really misguided.

[MadModBassist]

In other news, Les Paul, creator of the Gibson Les Paul and known as the Father of Modern Music, has died at 94 years.
Story

;_;

[Sister Princess]

Originally Posted by MadModBassist

In other news, Les Paul, creator of the Gibson Les Paul and known as the Father of Modern Music, has died at 94 years.
Story

;_;

K-ON anime adaption used their products isn't it?

[MadModBassist]

Yes, as a matter of fact they did. Yui played a standard sunburst Gibson Les Paul, but Mio played a Fender Jazz bass (in the anime that is, apparently) :P. Azusa played a Fender Mustang and Sawako played a Gibson Flying V.

[mg1942]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Take a gander at the Nissan Leaf.... at $25K and 367mpg averaged and 100miles/charge. Hits the market the same year as the Volt in 2011.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_257448.html

what kind of styling is that!? it's got "chick" car writen all over it.
IMO styling should have been like its R35 GT-R cousin or - I dare say it - Cadillac's Art & Science style.


anyways...i think big oil/gas would rather see us drive this intead

Spoiler for :

[Vexx]

eyup... I'd be fine with a hydrogen based distribution network as well -- though again that doesn't really change the power distribution model from gasoline's setup.

Having multiple kinds of fuel systems distributed amongst millions of units is more painful for a energy distribution network than having all electrics on the road and choosing what the centralized power stations use as fuel. Its a tradeoff between competing technologies and where you want to thrash about in competing.

"eyah, I got one car that runs on chickenshit, one that runs on propane, and one that runs of hydrogen and fuel cell hybrid.... I have to keep freaking maps on where I fill up with what."

[iLney]

pssh... I'm rooting for a nuclear powered car

[Vexx]

Here's something absolutely staggering and beautiful to watch (and makes me wonder why I waste my time wasting time with "America's got Talent" freak show)...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_258793.html

Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist who just won Ukraine's version of "America's Got Talent." She uses a giant light box, dramatic music, imagination and "sand painting" skills to interpret Germany's invasion and occupation of Ukraine during WWII.

She's also heartstoppingly beautiful in an anime sort of way... love her hair. Every time they'd show her, my stupid anime-ridden brain would say "Choose this one, you idiot lead male!!! the solemn gothic one!!"

[Saleh]

Her captivating performance just made my day .

[yezhanquan]

Sand drawings.... I once saw a Taiwanese man do them on a variety show (Variety Big Brother, with Zhang Fei as the "Big Brother" in question).

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Here's something absolutely staggering and beautiful to watch (and makes me wonder why I waste my time wasting time with "America's got Talent" freak show)...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_258793.html

She's also heartstoppingly beautiful in an anime sort of way... love her hair. Every time they'd show her, my stupid anime-ridden brain would say "Choose this one, you idiot lead male!!! the solemn gothic one!!"

Yes, she's very impressive. My fiancee showed me some of her videos a few weeks ago - not sure how she had heard about it, but goes to show that it's reaching a lot of people.

[Anh_Minh]

Oh... And she makes it look easy, too.

[yezhanquan]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Oh... And she makes it look easy, too.

All experts make what they do look easy. That's why they're the experts.

[Thingle]

Originally Posted by Vexx

So IS there a consensus on what the term "Islamists" means? Just linguistically it looks like it covers anyone who is "of Islam" (which makes it terrible to use for defining the wingnut fringe). If Muslims and those who practice the faith of Islam themselves use the term to label the fringe nuts... then well.... okay then. Though I guarantee Christians will misunderstand it to mean "all of those people".

I see the start of the euphemism treadmill with this one, and before "terrorist" becomes "socially challenged" and suicide bomber becomes "socio-demolition engineer", I'd point out that it is called that not because of what methods they use, but because of their ideology-- Political islam--The replacement of all secular institutions/ structures with strict implementation of Sharia. The "terrorist" acts are only the means, so we must not confuse ourselves. Even non-violent ones, can be called islamists if they believe/advocate Political Islam.

[KongZilla]

Originally Posted by Thingle

I see the start of the euphemism treadmill with this one, and before "terrorist" becomes "socially challenged" and suicide bomber becomes "socio-demolition engineer", I'd point out that it is called that not because of what methods they use, but because of their ideology-- Political islam--The replacement of all secular institutions/ structures with strict implementation of Sharia. The "terrorist" acts are only the means, so we must not confuse ourselves. Even non-violent ones, can be called islamists if they believe/advocate Political Islam.

But then you have to know that not all Muslims share the same point of view as they do. I'm not accusing you of anything so don't get me wrong. Believing is one thing but being an extremist is another thing.

[Thingle]

Originally Posted by Mai Tokiha

But then you have to know that not all Muslims share the same point of view as they do. I'm not accusing you of anything so don't get me wrong. Believing is one thing but being an extremist is another thing.

Yes, and it's one thing to practice a religion, and another thing to politicize it, especially in the context of a secular state which guarantees separation of religion and state.

[KongZilla]

Originally Posted by Thingle

Yes, and it's one thing to practice a religion, and another thing to politicize it, especially in the context of a secular state which guarantees separation of religion and state.

Correct. I'm Muslim myself and I have alot of people ask me about this whole thing. For one, I am not that religious. I do pray and believe in God but I still have alot to learn. So what does Jihad mean? Many interchange it with the term Holy War but the term Jihad comes from the Arabic root "jahada", meaning to struggle and the term has a much wider significance to it. Jihad can refer to any kind of struggle which has spiritual significance. Giving up smoking can count as Jihad, for example, or controlling one's anger.

Religion and politics are two totally different things. And politicizing a religion is wrong.

[Vexx]

@Thingle: ah thanks for clearing that up (theocratic advocacy). eyah... that problem isn't restricted to certain muslims though... there are christian elements in the US who would fervently love to rewrite history so that the US is a theocracy (though they have been less likely to use violence so far).

[Thingle]

Originally Posted by Vexx

the US is a theocracy (though they have been less likely to use violence so far).

I think they'll have to change the constitution as well if they want to succeed.

[Shadow Kira01]

Right-wing militias on the rise in US: report

WASHINGTON — Incensed by the election of the first black US president, right-wing militia groups in the United States are rising again after a decade of decline, according to new research on extremist groups.

Ideologically driven by racism and a virulent anti-government, anti-taxation and anti-immigrant agenda, the homegrown groups that thrived in the 1990s and spurred numerous deadly terrorist attacks are expanding, said the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

"This is the most significant growth we've seen in 10 to 12 years," said a law enforcement official quoted by the SPLC in its special report "The Second Wave: Return of the Militias."

"All it's lacking is a spark," said the official, adding it is "only a matter of time before you see threats and violence."

From the looks of it, it is only a matter of time when the streets are going to be unsafe as that there is an increase number of right-wing groups out there who are definitely not murderers but these pro-freedom and pro-constitution individuals also don't like the sight of non-white individuals, especially that the United States had elected a black president with a landslide victory, Barack Obama and the fact that he went on a tour of apologies just made things a little worse than it was before. The white individuals residing in America would definitely receive the benefits of extra protection from these right-wing groups but everyone else are obviously not in the same boat and that things will take a turn for the worse if a spark occurs.

----

Originally Posted by Mai Tokiha

Correct. I'm Muslim myself and I have alot of people ask me about this whole thing. For one, I am not that religious. I do pray and believe in God but I still have alot to learn. So what does Jihad mean? Many interchange it with the term Holy War but the term Jihad comes from the Arabic root "jahada", meaning to struggle and the term has a much wider significance to it. Jihad can refer to any kind of struggle which has spiritual significance. Giving up smoking can count as Jihad, for example, or controlling one's anger.

The term "Jihad" can refer to the religious duty of Muslims which generally can mean anything. Supposedly, it is a term used as a reference to positive things as that it relates to religious beliefs but of course, there are always people within every religious foundation or organization that would make use of something good as a tool of malice which can't be prevented as that it is the nature of human beings. Nonetheless, that is irrelevant to what the term "Jihad" means. Perhaps, you can even translate the term "Jihad" to "realizing the path of Allah in a struggle to improve oneself and also one's society". Of course, I do know that the term is also used by various countries to describe malice and terrorism due to the anti-Islamic movement led by the United States and China.

Religion and politics are two totally different things. And politicizing a religion is wrong.

I am not sure about Islam but since ancient times, religion and politics are one and the same in regards to the Christians and Roman Catholics. Its not that people are politicizing a religion but that the existence of a religion is the foundation of politics to start off with. However, it is also true that not every religion is associated with politics. Buddhism has nothing to do with politics since ancient times, as well as many other religious foundations.