Description: A topical wallpaper - if you want to squeeze a little government propaganda out of your ambient environment and insert a different perspective, this is for you. It's supposed to look stark, like a protest banner. There's been some negative feedback about its artistic merit so I'll be trying some improvements shortly.
The gist is "there's a reason for this war - the survival of the Corporate Industrial-Military complex and the source of its fear - corrupt Christian fundamentalists whose fear mongering poisons the U.S. government."
It never fails to surprise me that the people demanding the removal of something like this are the very people that espouse freedom of speech. Or is it really free as in beer?
For me, the wallpaper is a little too bombastic. Maybe that's the intention. I don't like it for aesthetic reasons.
First, I really don't think this is the right place for this... but more over, what's this corrupt fundamentalist Christian thing? "Fundamentalists" -- how about using the term Evangelical instead? -- don't have very much power in D.C. Based on his politics, the president certainly isn't one (or a very moderate one, if he is). And how is attacking Iraq going to help "corrupt ... Christians"???
Instead of inflamatory symbols, particularly the swastica, how about something more civil. While I'm not totally for attacking Iraq, I think there is a MAJOR difference between attacking a country in violation of international resolutions and an aggressive, racist philosophy (i.e. Nazism).
This is very offensive, IMO.
Fundamentalists think they've found the one truth and generally like to impose it on everybody else.
Corrupt Christian fundamentalists are corrupt particularly in that they've forgotton the basic tenant of Christianity - to forgive - to live and let live. It has bred in the cess pool of fear - of the Russians, of the Blacks, of the Immigrants. It's offered rightiousness and absolute solutions where that's the worst possible option. It is the worst kind of aggressive racism - most people I know seem to think that Arabs are all barbaric nutters, this is a fantasy. If Bush isn't a fundamentalist then I'm scared - there are worse people out there? Maybe you've been reading his speeches and believing them. Look at the actions of the man, on the death-penalty, on abortion, on war and revenge. Lunatic. The power of the Christian fundamentalists IS strong because it is STRONG in the military. Of all the armies in the world the U.S. army has taken the philosophy of brainwashing to new heights (" to break down the liberal pussy with ;D ") instilling the most dangerous brand of "America is the greatest country on earth, the only free country, the only democratic country, we are surrounded by evil and violent people" which is total double-think. Try reading George Orwell - 1984 - to understand what "perpetual war" does to a people and then think about what the government's been saying recently.
As for treaty breaking and racism - take a look at the list of countries on the bottom half of the wallpaper.
The first problem with your assumption is that Fundamentalist == Bad Person. Which is like saying Arabs == Bad Person. Your case is the same kind you are accusing the Christians of.
Bush is NOT a fundamentalist in many issues. He's a rather moderate socially, many of his positions have appeased the moderate liberals as well as the moderate conservatives. Those further on either end of the spectrum don't like it though.
Fundamentalist, simply, just means someone who sticks to the fundamentals. That is, in the context of Christianity, one that follows the traditional tenets of Christianity. Billy Graham is a fundamentalist, for example. President Bush isn't, because he is somewhat on the moderately liberal side of the Christian church. Make sense?
He is rather conservative on some issues (i.e. he doesn't support 'killing'/euthanizing the unborn, as you point out), but he also is liberal on others (he supports some embryonic stem cell research).
All that said, fundamentalism and conservative foreign policy are two different things. No where odes it say in the Bible "Thou shalt have preemptive strikes." The point being, whether or not some fundamentalists agree with the Iraq situation, calling anyone who does a Christian fundamentalist is truly like calling all Muslims terrorists. On the other hand, there are many Christians and NON-Christians that support action in Iraq but in a measured way. Whatever the case, it just isn't a black and white world.
Just because there are more Christians than Muslims doesn't make it any better or less hurtful to generalize that the group is one of "hatred" and/or "warmongering."
-Tim
How is a fundamental Christian any worse than a fundamental Muslim? Both kill in the name of religion... and both claim to be justified by their God, who has declared to both "Thou shalt not kill". And who is more arrogant: Those who resort to force for their own means, or those who refuse others a forceful recourse under any circumstance? In my own humble opinion, I believe all sides are equally intolerant, selfish, and spiteful.
Actually the proper translation of the Bible and this commandment is "Thou shalt not murder"
There is a difference between killing in the act of defense and murdering someone.
It's a felony to display the swastika (the Nazi symbol) in Germany. As a formerly used sign of a politcal party that is hostile against the democratic republic constitution of Germany you will be seriously punished (put into jail for a year or so) when showing it in the public.
Frank's server is in Germany. HE will be held responsible for this content (regardless YOUR personal sense of justice)!
Don't destroy KDE-Look by showing this kind of unconstitutional signs.
Hence not illegal.
$ host www.kde-look.org
www.kde-look.org A 66.111.55.80
marm@funkster:~$ whois 66.111.55.80
OrgName: United Colocation Group, Inc.
OrgID: UCG-14
Address: 200 Paul Ave., Suite 500
City: San Francisco
StateProv: CA
PostalCode: 94124
Country: US
[snipped]
It seems like you are right. Obviously KDE-Look gets hosted on a new server meanwhile. This explains why the timestamps changed sometimes during the last weeks from MEST to some overseas time zone.
Yo, in this case it is certainly not illegal. :-)
problems with the US or anything political take it somewhere else. This site is for art not propaganda and I don't want to read trash when I come here. there's a million places for you to bitch on the net; this is not one of them.
Like it or loathe it, we are all political creatures, we all have our own viewpoints on the world and some are not afraid to express their viewpoints.
Normally I wouldn't expect political issues to spill over into a place like kde-look.org - usually political commentaries are better kept in an appropriate forum - but this is such an important and emotive issue for so many people that I'm not surprised it has happened here. I'd rather not see kde-look.org turn into a political bitchfight though, so let's keep it to just this one subject and let's keep it polite and thoughtful, eh?
Personally I'm with the wallpaper on this one, but if those who are pro-war want to do their own pro-war wallpaper and put it up on kde-look.org... let them. That's part of what the internet is about, isn't it, empowering the individual?
I bet there's some jerk who will just write a down-voting bot for it though... :(
Ok ok ok. So political content isn't the norm, and as far as wallpaper goes, the desktop icons can kind of get in the way...
But I say BRAVO. Nice to see that at least someone is trying to challenge our grey matter. Admittedly, I have seen most of this information before, but it is interesting to see a concise list of 'interferences'.
However, I disagree with the first comment for two reasons;
a. The three lines, (here in England), mean 'equivalent'. OK, a pedantic point, but it changes the argument.
b. As history shows, the Romans continually used the threat of war, (real, or frequently, imagined), as an excuse to invasion/intervention. More often than not, commercial interests were closest to the heart of the problem. Admittedly, the Nazis did not use these arguments themselves, but the arrangement of the logos suggests that the US between the two; imitating the Roman model, whilst creating the terror & oppression seen under the Third Reich. So it isn't a simple matter of sticking nasty logos together. (Hell, I only know what SPQR stands from because I read 'Asterix' as a child). I'm sure there are other interpretations of the logos, but the think I like the most about this wallpaper is that the viewer isn't spoonfed; something that always gets right on my...
Another plus is that it is factual, (although the references are all over the shop). It's not an insensible demand to kill Christians or Americans.
I think it fair to point out that berating the fundamentalist Christians in control of the US govenment doesn't have any reflection upon those of us that can actually USE our brains, and therefore have no relation to the current US government. So I wasn't offended.
This is obviously turning into a rant. I think I'd better have a lie down! :)
Most of what is written on the wallpaper is true. But I have to agree that kdelook.org is not the best place to post things like this.
(Maybe it is not safe to publish anything like this on the web , ever hear of Echelon...) :-)
I'm curious about the nationality of the creator of this wallpaper. Is he/she american ?
What do americans think of the fact that this war is not good for what other people around the world think of americans ?
I agree totally that this is not a political forum (if anyone knows any really good ones, let me know), but I feel obligated to stand up on my own soap-box for a minute.
(A) This is a tacky wallpaper (better presentation of this info would make it much more impressive)
(B) I am American, though I am ashamed at the unabashed nationalism, brinkmanship, and general pre-WWI "diplomacy" we are presently conducting, and don't think that KDE (or Linux in general) should be concerned with the activities of nations (*cough* RedHat *cough*); Aren't we above that?
"Revolution" "Kennedy" "Iraq" "Al-Qaeda" "Anarchist's Cookbook" "C-4 cookbook" "Bush Travel Schedule"
There are many ways to present the same information, this is one. As I have said at the top, the style of the artwork is deliberate. I'm sorry you don't like it, but then, that subjectivity for you.
I totally agree with your political sentiments, and yes, Americans should be above it... but again, the actions of America are not. Ask yourself why that is.
Good political forums? Your local pub. Some good books? "The New Rulers of the World" John Pilger [respectable]
"Rogue State" William Blum [not such a respectable writing style but well referenced and researched]
and perhaps "The Free World Colossus" by Horrowitz, although I doubt you'll be able to find it anywhere :(
Actually, a very good political website is www.zmag.org and the British www.schnews.org.uk
i see your point about your deliberate style -- and apologize for my rudeness; I just have a failing for super-overdone, photoshopped pics. Anyway, I do love the text, may take it and use it in something of my own (If that's ok), I actually did a splash-screen a few months ago (right after the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act passed...) that put a nazi-fascist spin on an american flag, but never uploaded it because it seemed un-KDEish.
I didn't mean that Americans should be above the actions of the Bush-regime; on the contrary, they should be out there marching against blood-for-oil and the growing American theocracy. I meant the os/fs community, as a community, has no place in this debate.
Oh, thx on the books, will look, but odds are bad in this part of the "bible belt"; I do, however, read zmag.
btw, i'm 17, in texas, so the nearest "local pub" is across the ocean, and I'm not exactly a welcome customer. ;)
talk politics with no flame wars: www.tfproject.org
Aside for that, I agree this is not the place for political activism.
And the "wallpaper" functions better as a poster than a wallpaper. It's too busy (mostly the words) to be used as a wallpaper.
War should always be a last resort, but sometimes the last resort is necessary. A less patient country would have sent troops in a year ago. I think our reluctance is admirable. Iraq could stop this process in five minutes by simply complying with the treaties they have signed.
... that such hard words help in solving such a conflict.
Though it may not be completely untrue, insulting nations and religions will not do any good but will - just as this war - cause the opposite of what it was meat to achive ...
Ratings & Comments
31 Comments
It never fails to surprise me that the people demanding the removal of something like this are the very people that espouse freedom of speech. Or is it really free as in beer? For me, the wallpaper is a little too bombastic. Maybe that's the intention. I don't like it for aesthetic reasons.
First, I really don't think this is the right place for this... but more over, what's this corrupt fundamentalist Christian thing? "Fundamentalists" -- how about using the term Evangelical instead? -- don't have very much power in D.C. Based on his politics, the president certainly isn't one (or a very moderate one, if he is). And how is attacking Iraq going to help "corrupt ... Christians"??? Instead of inflamatory symbols, particularly the swastica, how about something more civil. While I'm not totally for attacking Iraq, I think there is a MAJOR difference between attacking a country in violation of international resolutions and an aggressive, racist philosophy (i.e. Nazism). This is very offensive, IMO.
Fundamentalists think they've found the one truth and generally like to impose it on everybody else. Corrupt Christian fundamentalists are corrupt particularly in that they've forgotton the basic tenant of Christianity - to forgive - to live and let live. It has bred in the cess pool of fear - of the Russians, of the Blacks, of the Immigrants. It's offered rightiousness and absolute solutions where that's the worst possible option. It is the worst kind of aggressive racism - most people I know seem to think that Arabs are all barbaric nutters, this is a fantasy. If Bush isn't a fundamentalist then I'm scared - there are worse people out there? Maybe you've been reading his speeches and believing them. Look at the actions of the man, on the death-penalty, on abortion, on war and revenge. Lunatic. The power of the Christian fundamentalists IS strong because it is STRONG in the military. Of all the armies in the world the U.S. army has taken the philosophy of brainwashing to new heights (" to break down the liberal pussy with ;D ") instilling the most dangerous brand of "America is the greatest country on earth, the only free country, the only democratic country, we are surrounded by evil and violent people" which is total double-think. Try reading George Orwell - 1984 - to understand what "perpetual war" does to a people and then think about what the government's been saying recently. As for treaty breaking and racism - take a look at the list of countries on the bottom half of the wallpaper.
The first problem with your assumption is that Fundamentalist == Bad Person. Which is like saying Arabs == Bad Person. Your case is the same kind you are accusing the Christians of. Bush is NOT a fundamentalist in many issues. He's a rather moderate socially, many of his positions have appeased the moderate liberals as well as the moderate conservatives. Those further on either end of the spectrum don't like it though. Fundamentalist, simply, just means someone who sticks to the fundamentals. That is, in the context of Christianity, one that follows the traditional tenets of Christianity. Billy Graham is a fundamentalist, for example. President Bush isn't, because he is somewhat on the moderately liberal side of the Christian church. Make sense? He is rather conservative on some issues (i.e. he doesn't support 'killing'/euthanizing the unborn, as you point out), but he also is liberal on others (he supports some embryonic stem cell research). All that said, fundamentalism and conservative foreign policy are two different things. No where odes it say in the Bible "Thou shalt have preemptive strikes." The point being, whether or not some fundamentalists agree with the Iraq situation, calling anyone who does a Christian fundamentalist is truly like calling all Muslims terrorists. On the other hand, there are many Christians and NON-Christians that support action in Iraq but in a measured way. Whatever the case, it just isn't a black and white world. Just because there are more Christians than Muslims doesn't make it any better or less hurtful to generalize that the group is one of "hatred" and/or "warmongering." -Tim
How is a fundamental Christian any worse than a fundamental Muslim? Both kill in the name of religion... and both claim to be justified by their God, who has declared to both "Thou shalt not kill". And who is more arrogant: Those who resort to force for their own means, or those who refuse others a forceful recourse under any circumstance? In my own humble opinion, I believe all sides are equally intolerant, selfish, and spiteful.
Actually the proper translation of the Bible and this commandment is "Thou shalt not murder" There is a difference between killing in the act of defense and murdering someone.
It's a felony to display the swastika (the Nazi symbol) in Germany. As a formerly used sign of a politcal party that is hostile against the democratic republic constitution of Germany you will be seriously punished (put into jail for a year or so) when showing it in the public. Frank's server is in Germany. HE will be held responsible for this content (regardless YOUR personal sense of justice)! Don't destroy KDE-Look by showing this kind of unconstitutional signs.
PLEASE delete your submission.
You will be punished with up to 3 years of jail or a (high) fine. Read the law in german at http://www.gesetze-xxl.de/gesetze/stgb/p86a.htm Read the commentary on the law at http://www.anwaltskanzlei-online.de/StrMM-11.html
Hence not illegal. $ host www.kde-look.org www.kde-look.org A 66.111.55.80 marm@funkster:~$ whois 66.111.55.80 OrgName: United Colocation Group, Inc. OrgID: UCG-14 Address: 200 Paul Ave., Suite 500 City: San Francisco StateProv: CA PostalCode: 94124 Country: US [snipped]
It seems like you are right. Obviously KDE-Look gets hosted on a new server meanwhile. This explains why the timestamps changed sometimes during the last weeks from MEST to some overseas time zone. Yo, in this case it is certainly not illegal. :-)
problems with the US or anything political take it somewhere else. This site is for art not propaganda and I don't want to read trash when I come here. there's a million places for you to bitch on the net; this is not one of them.
Thank you thank you thank you. Just what i need. But it is too small. Could you make one in 1280 x 1024
Like it or loathe it, we are all political creatures, we all have our own viewpoints on the world and some are not afraid to express their viewpoints. Normally I wouldn't expect political issues to spill over into a place like kde-look.org - usually political commentaries are better kept in an appropriate forum - but this is such an important and emotive issue for so many people that I'm not surprised it has happened here. I'd rather not see kde-look.org turn into a political bitchfight though, so let's keep it to just this one subject and let's keep it polite and thoughtful, eh? Personally I'm with the wallpaper on this one, but if those who are pro-war want to do their own pro-war wallpaper and put it up on kde-look.org... let them. That's part of what the internet is about, isn't it, empowering the individual? I bet there's some jerk who will just write a down-voting bot for it though... :(
Ok ok ok. So political content isn't the norm, and as far as wallpaper goes, the desktop icons can kind of get in the way... But I say BRAVO. Nice to see that at least someone is trying to challenge our grey matter. Admittedly, I have seen most of this information before, but it is interesting to see a concise list of 'interferences'. However, I disagree with the first comment for two reasons; a. The three lines, (here in England), mean 'equivalent'. OK, a pedantic point, but it changes the argument. b. As history shows, the Romans continually used the threat of war, (real, or frequently, imagined), as an excuse to invasion/intervention. More often than not, commercial interests were closest to the heart of the problem. Admittedly, the Nazis did not use these arguments themselves, but the arrangement of the logos suggests that the US between the two; imitating the Roman model, whilst creating the terror & oppression seen under the Third Reich. So it isn't a simple matter of sticking nasty logos together. (Hell, I only know what SPQR stands from because I read 'Asterix' as a child). I'm sure there are other interpretations of the logos, but the think I like the most about this wallpaper is that the viewer isn't spoonfed; something that always gets right on my... Another plus is that it is factual, (although the references are all over the shop). It's not an insensible demand to kill Christians or Americans. I think it fair to point out that berating the fundamentalist Christians in control of the US govenment doesn't have any reflection upon those of us that can actually USE our brains, and therefore have no relation to the current US government. So I wasn't offended. This is obviously turning into a rant. I think I'd better have a lie down! :)
Most of what is written on the wallpaper is true. But I have to agree that kdelook.org is not the best place to post things like this. (Maybe it is not safe to publish anything like this on the web , ever hear of Echelon...) :-) I'm curious about the nationality of the creator of this wallpaper. Is he/she american ? What do americans think of the fact that this war is not good for what other people around the world think of americans ?
I agree totally that this is not a political forum (if anyone knows any really good ones, let me know), but I feel obligated to stand up on my own soap-box for a minute. (A) This is a tacky wallpaper (better presentation of this info would make it much more impressive) (B) I am American, though I am ashamed at the unabashed nationalism, brinkmanship, and general pre-WWI "diplomacy" we are presently conducting, and don't think that KDE (or Linux in general) should be concerned with the activities of nations (*cough* RedHat *cough*); Aren't we above that? "Revolution" "Kennedy" "Iraq" "Al-Qaeda" "Anarchist's Cookbook" "C-4 cookbook" "Bush Travel Schedule"
There are many ways to present the same information, this is one. As I have said at the top, the style of the artwork is deliberate. I'm sorry you don't like it, but then, that subjectivity for you. I totally agree with your political sentiments, and yes, Americans should be above it... but again, the actions of America are not. Ask yourself why that is. Good political forums? Your local pub. Some good books? "The New Rulers of the World" John Pilger [respectable] "Rogue State" William Blum [not such a respectable writing style but well referenced and researched] and perhaps "The Free World Colossus" by Horrowitz, although I doubt you'll be able to find it anywhere :( Actually, a very good political website is www.zmag.org and the British www.schnews.org.uk
i see your point about your deliberate style -- and apologize for my rudeness; I just have a failing for super-overdone, photoshopped pics. Anyway, I do love the text, may take it and use it in something of my own (If that's ok), I actually did a splash-screen a few months ago (right after the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act passed...) that put a nazi-fascist spin on an american flag, but never uploaded it because it seemed un-KDEish. I didn't mean that Americans should be above the actions of the Bush-regime; on the contrary, they should be out there marching against blood-for-oil and the growing American theocracy. I meant the os/fs community, as a community, has no place in this debate. Oh, thx on the books, will look, but odds are bad in this part of the "bible belt"; I do, however, read zmag. btw, i'm 17, in texas, so the nearest "local pub" is across the ocean, and I'm not exactly a welcome customer. ;)
talk politics with no flame wars: www.tfproject.org Aside for that, I agree this is not the place for political activism. And the "wallpaper" functions better as a poster than a wallpaper. It's too busy (mostly the words) to be used as a wallpaper.
Just to confuse Echelon... ;)
War should always be a last resort, but sometimes the last resort is necessary. A less patient country would have sent troops in a year ago. I think our reluctance is admirable. Iraq could stop this process in five minutes by simply complying with the treaties they have signed.
... that such hard words help in solving such a conflict. Though it may not be completely untrue, insulting nations and religions will not do any good but will - just as this war - cause the opposite of what it was meat to achive ...