Sunday, December 25, 2005
Happy Christmas!
Hope it's a good one...
posted by Jonathan at 7:00 AM
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Enough with this "War on Christmas" bullshit
So today I managed to get myself pulled into this "War on Christmas" debate. This has to be the absolute most ridiculous shit I've ever come across. (And believe me, I've seen some ridiculous shit in my day. I'm talking people getting in suitcases and tumbling down a flight of stairs for fun here, haha.) Anyway, I responded to an article called "Why the World Rejects 'Christmas'" with the following:
It isn't about rejecting Christmas or its religious connotations, it's about accepting and including those who don't celebrate Christmas but do happen to celebrate some sort of major holiday, (whether religious or secular, whether they call it Chritmas, Hanukkah, Solstice or whatever), around the same time that Christians celebrate Christmas. Is that really so hard to understand?
So someone (I have no idea if it was the original author or not, as the website gives no names) decided to respond:
No, it is NOT difficult to understand. We Christians have been sharing Christmas with those who do not share our beliefs for centuries. We have been most tolerate and understanding. It is the other side who insists that "MERRY CHRISTMAS" cannot be uttered in the public square any longer. It is the "other side" who insist on being intolerate! We have not told anyone they cannot say "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings." Many Christians have even adopted (unfortunately) the story of Santa Claus and allowed him into their homes. No, we have been tolerate and accomadating. But enough is enough. No more Christian bashing from you secularist! Please! And MERRY CHRISTMAS!
A fairly incoherent argument to be sure, bearing no real relevance to the original article (aside from the mention of Christians embracing Santa Claus, which I frankly don't give a shit about, that's their problem, not mine) or to my comment. The point of the article is that "Jesus is why we celebrate Christmas!" My point, of course, is that not everyone celebrates Christmas. So here's my reply to this person, (which they apparently haven't posted yet):
First of all, how exactly am I bashing Christians? I never said a single negative word towards Christians in my post. As a matter of fact, while I may be a secularist (which you seem to be using as a pejorative, so you might want to be careful when talking about bashing people), I strongly believe in respecting ALL religions, including Christianity (as I was raised in a very Christian environment).
No one is saying that "Merry Christmas" can't be uttered. Saying "Merry Christmas" to someone that actually celebrates Christmas is absolutely fine. However, you can't just disregard that there are other holidays being celebrated. Saying "Merry Christmas" to someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas is a mild faux at best, and if you insist on saying it to everyone whether or not they celebrate it, that is just downright ignorant. Now how might one extend a greeting over a holiday season without actually knowing what particular holiday the other person celebrates? "Happy holidays!" How about a large crowd of people who, while some might celebrate Christmas, others might not? Rather than potentially excluding some by specifying a holiday, (how would you feel if it was insisted that they only acknowledge, for the sake of argument, Kwanzaa, to the exclusion of everything, including Christmas?), saying "Happy holidays" includes everyone.
Then, if you take into account that people who celebrate Christmas might also be celebrating the New Year holiday, and you might have Canadians or Britons who also celebrate Boxing Day, it's pretty logical to use "happy holidays" in such a context as well, rather than saying something as long-winded as "Merry Christmas and a happy New Year (and if you're Canadian or from the UK, happy Boxing Day)."
As a matter of fact, I happen to celebrate Christmas (like I said, I was raised in a very Christian environment), so Merry Christmas to you, too. And happy holidays to anyone reading this who celebrate other holidays.
All of this "War on Christmas" crap is just indicative of a nasty persecution complex and really has no basis in reality. These conservative Christians, (it's only the conservatives, I know a number of liberal Christians who think this is all ridiculous as well), are just upset that they no longer have a monopoly over the idea of what religion is, (especially in the United States). They feel threatened. I think my point here is pretty well stated, so I'll just leave it at that and I guess report back if the discussion continues.
posted by Jonathan at 9:27 PM
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Desktops for all!
Actually just A desktop, but whatever. Go to the art section. Download it. Impress members of the opposite sex (and/or the same sex).
It's styled after the header of the site. Not an exact replication, but close. Why are you even still reading this? You should be on the art page downloading it right now. How are you going to impress members of the opposite (and/or same) sex with your mad desktop steez when you're still here reading this crap? GO! GO! GO!
posted by Jonathan at 2:27 PM
Monday, December 05, 2005
I feel so productive
5/5 sections are now up and running (though the three main ones, Art, Design and Sketchbook, have no real content yet).
Now all I have to do is make thumbnails and whatnot and get that content up.
posted by Jonathan at 11:22 PM
1/5 of the way there...
I have the "About" section up and running. I feel so productive.
posted by Jonathan at 7:37 PM
Finally!
I finally made this fucker display properly in IE. I am a GOD!!!
Now, to work on the content...
posted by Jonathan at 5:49 PM
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Valid XHTML 1.0
So the site is now coded in valid XHTML 1.0 (aside from the damn tag that the Yahoo! server adds to every page which I need to get turned off soon), which is rad. What is not rad, however, is the fact that it won't fucking render properly in Intenet Explorer. Need to play around with the CSS to figure that out (or find someone who knows more about CSS than I do and get him or her to figure it out).
In the meantime, here is an open letter to Microsoft:
Dear Microsoft:
Please quit being jackasses and start supporting web standards. Pick up PNG alpha transparency support while you're at it. The fact that Internet Explorer is still the most popular browser just goes to show that popularity does not always equal quality. (It is the 50 Cent of the web browser industry.)
Sincerely,
Jonathan M. Kennedy
posted by Jonathan at 2:46 AM
Thursday, December 01, 2005
00:02 - The Second Floor
(Click the thumbnail.)
On the second floor the children played hide and seek.
Part two in my Fifteen Stories in Thirteen Seconds series. Slightly less ambitious in style, but I am very pleased with how it turned out.
I've decided to keep the random floating mystery door motif for all the pictures in the series. I like it.
The spotlight was inspired by the scene in Twin Peaks in which Bob/Leland kills Maddy. Whenever Bob is shown, there is a spotlight shone on him. Always loved that.
posted by Jonathan at 4:44 AM
