Repelling blandomness with randomness.

[RavingLunatic]

At my work I received in a book on cd or whatever by that Joel Osteen dude. Chucked that shit right into the trash compactor.

Oh, god, I don't even know what that dude does (except that it's religious), but I am so sick of his face. Every one of his books has his repulsive mug in giant form on the front. 

EDIT: screwed up the quote.

[FreddyKnuckles]

from wiki
Osteen says that he chooses to focus on the goodness of God rather than sin.[19] In answer to questions raised over why he does not include many Bible verses in his books, he says that he sees himself as more of a life coach, and thinks that there are probably others better qualified, or more gifted for explaining Bible verses. Osteen continued on to explain that he tries to teach Biblical principles in a simple way, emphasizing the power of love and a positive attitude. [20]

I saw a 20/20 piece on him, and he actually came across fairly well, kinda like "I'm doin' what I'm doin, telling people about the goodness of God and I'm not saying that I have all of the answers, why ya gotta hate?"

Then they had on this bitter ass biblical scholar who hated enormously on Osteen.

I'm not saying that I like the guy--I don't need his dumbed down Jesus--but I don't really think a guy like that being out there is such a bad thing.  At least he's relatively pacifist--he's not out there condemning homosexuals or what have you

[jebreject]

ryan, i can borrow you some Julian Casablancas

[Good Intentions]

Bertrand Russel is like that, RL, except when he writes on language, logic and mathematics. People really pay attention to what he did in those fields. The rest is about as noteworthy as press releases by black metal bands.

[diesel_powered]

Fuck. Adult Swim is off and the new Transformers is on. This means I'm wayyyyyyyyyyy past my bedtime.

[C of heartbreak]

The other night this Jamaican guy I work with got really excited because he found a radio station that played reggae music. We talked about reggae for a while--apparently Toots never ages, and he is going to live forever because he wrote a song about it.

Also, after offering a rather Marxian explanation of reggae music, he told me Bob Marley was actually killed by the British and the CIA.

[diesel_powered]

It's all true.

[C of heartbreak]

I was never really satisfied that he got cancer from a soccer-inflicted injury.

Another thing he told me: When Mugabe came to power in Zimbabwe, he invited Bob Marley to play a concert. Apparently prisoners broke out of captivity to go see Marley play. I tell you Wikipedia has nothing on this dude.

[Augo]

Fuck. Adult Swim is off and the new Transformers is on. This means I'm wayyyyyyyyyyy past my bedtime.

Haha I hate when this happens.  You're up late and the TV is mumbling in the background and all of the sudden you realize that old Power Rangers is on, or the morning news, or the crazy overnight guy on the weather channel has been replaced by the good-looking morning weather ladies... it's just one of those "Ah, fuck" moments.

[elpollodiablo]

The other night this Jamaican guy I work with got really excited because he found a radio station that played reggae music. We talked about reggae for a while--apparently Toots never ages, and he is going to live forever because he wrote a song about it.

Also, after offering a rather Marxian explanation of reggae music, he told me Bob Marley was actually killed by the British and the CIA.

Didn't he actually die because he wouldn't see a doctor about his toe infection

[Andrew_TSKS]

I was never really satisfied that he got cancer from a soccer-inflicted injury.

haha i just checked wikipedia to see what the deal with this was, and it's so much goofier than you made it sound.

In July 1977, Marley was found to have malignant melanoma in a football wound on his right hallux (big toe). Marley refused amputation, citing worries that the operation would affect his dancing, as well as the Rastafari belief that the body must be "whole":

“ Rasta no abide amputation. I don't allow a man to be dismantled. ”
—From the biography Catch a Fire

Marley may have seen medical doctors as samfai (tricksters, deceivers). True to this belief Marley went against all surgical possibilities and sought out other means that would not break his religious beliefs. [...] The cancer then metastasized to Marley's brain, lungs, liver, and stomach.

fucking BRILLIANT, bob. just BRILLIANT.

edit: fake i-didn't-finish-the-thread xpost w/pollo.

[Nick Ink]

No, it was stupid and very sad. He ended up being ripped off for fortunes by various medical charlatans in increasingly desperate attempts to find a cure. Should have whipped the toe off in the first place.

[C of heartbreak]

Dudes you are forgetting the facts I have presented. Marley didn't die of no TOE CANCER

http://www.whale.to/b/constantine23.html

Your daily dose of celebrity death paranoia, from the guy who wrote the book on the subject.

[das kranke Tier]

So, uh, did any cool shit happen while I was away?

[FreddyKnuckles]

nope

[andronicus]

No, it was stupid and very sad. He ended up being ripped off for fortunes by various medical charlatans in increasingly desperate attempts to find a cure. Should have whipped the toe off in the first place.

I don't think it particularly sad for a person to die in a manner consistent with deeply-held personal principle.

Not to pick on you in particular of course Nick; I think when I internalized my morals as a kid, it led me to place somewhat less value on life than tends to predominate.

[Andrew_TSKS]

it's sad when people die for deeply-held personal principles that are irrational and stupid, though. just my opinion.

[andronicus]

The irrationality and stupidity of them are just your opinion, as well.

[FreddyKnuckles]

ughhh moral relativism is for the birds

[RavingLunatic]

I don't think it's moral relativism when only yourself is involved.

[FreddyKnuckles]

yes it is

[slow west vultures]

bob marley dying from a toe infection that could have been treated is stupid and sad.  there, i settled it for you.  i had never heard that before, but seriously that is a stupid way to die. 

[Good Intentions]

ughhh moral relativism is for the birds

Let's rather not get started on this, because currently I discuss question like this for a living (or rather, full-time, since payment for my services is still a little hard to come by).

[Good Intentions]

I will say that the best response for moral relativists against moral objectivism is to call the morals of folk like Freddie's queer.

[lastclearchance]

having sensitive ears, have you experienced the joy of keeping q-tips in your ears? it is really enjoyable. it's cost me a number of friendships, but the trade-off is the pleasure of moving my jaw and having the q-tips tickle me. it's like cat whiskers in YOUR EAR.
it's like ... MAGIC

this just reminded me to check carrie brownstein's blog for updates.