how to pick up women the right way…

P.S. Can anyone guess how old I am? Just a stupid question, but I want to see if anyone gets it.

Must have been a shock. I’ve lost 4 friends to shootings, drugs and AIDS during high school and college, so I do understand a bit about how you feel. The whole Paris thing just underlines how screwed up our justice system is – you can basically buy your way out of anything these days. We’re witnessing the tipping point at the decline of our civilisation I reckon … I also think part of the attraction of HP and LOR during these times is due to our need for a true hero to save us from the darkness . . . thing is it could be any of us if we’re willing to step up to the plate … isn’t that the one of the morays of the books … Don’t despair too much man, just do the best you can – there ain’t nuthin’ wrong with that. About the hurt – it subsides, the trick is to learn from it and never forget …

No one is taking offense and certainly no one is asking you to step out of anything! The whole purpose of the board, especially this one, is to have “adult” conversation centred around our beloved Potter books. You certainly don’t need to have a history/literary background to participate. I offerred the historical quote as a point in consideration of what the country (US) has degraded into as it pertained to freedom and the purpose of law. The vision of the founding fathers was one of “self-government” which unfortunately has all but dissapeared and while law serves to protect, it also by default restricts our freedom.

Aaron, I’m sorry to hear about your son’s friend. Her mother I think reacted in a very positive and noble way. Much better than the MADD crew of mom’s whose ultimate purpose is just as noble but whose resulting narrow outlook and efforts have effectively destroyed fourth and fifth ammendment rights. As for being anti-establishment, this is what “freedom” is all about and being one of them (although I’m not a death-rocker) I can tell you that freedom is about diversity and dissent not complicity and apathy. Although her life was short, at least she lived it expressing true self – props to her! I’m not sure there’s any comfort there for you but it seems to me she had a positive life at the end there . . .

Aaron, as a long time contributor to the site, I am sure you wouldn’t do such a thing, a question of civil liberties or not . . . besides, I think the rant is better directed towards the government who has effectively erased American citizen’s civil liberties – we’re not talking about freedom of expression here really . . . As much as I like “The Annoying Devil” (British comedian on “Balls of Steel” – if you haven’t seen this, check it out for sure), if he or someone else wrecked the book for me, I’d bust him in the mouth. If it happened on the net, I would flame that person to the end of thier days and hack thier myspace page with nasty pictures and comments. Believe me, it WILL happen . . .

Alicia – on Aaron’s side of the coin, I offer you a quote from Benjamin Franklin that is truly relevant in our times:

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Nuff’ said . . .

It’s a bit of a paradox; and it’s a (the?) theme of the book of Exodus.

I came here to support the decision of the prognosticators. There is a story, supported by a youtube video of an idiot who bought Half-Blood Prince, scanned the last 50 or so pages and then announced to everyone in line to buy the book that Dumbledore had been killed by Snape on page whatever. Why someone would do that is a discussion for another forum. But the fact that we know there are malicious people who would destroy the joy of discovering the outcome book 7 for themselves is indisputable. The loss of spontaneity is a large price to pay for preserving the integrity of book 7. That is an argument worth making. Arguing that no price should ever be paid to avoid an undesirable outcome is rhetoric and poor rhetoric at that.

I appreciate the time this will take and THANK YOU!

ps.
wot do thnk bout my whole “the dirge of the 4 cities” theory?