To add onto what I was saying before:

Being a supporter of WikiLeaks, one thing that has always bothered me was that it does try and sell itself too much. Julian Assange is far from the perfect hero, and he's certainly not Jon Lennon. But that's the thing-- does it matter?

So here's what I want to ask you: Even if WikiLeaks is not well-intentioned-- even if it is part of some "psy-ops conspiracy"-- should there still be SOME organization that serves as a watchdog for the government, which exists outside of the government, and is exempt from prosecution by that government for exposing its lies?

It would be shallow of anyone to shun someone because of his or her age only. Friendships aren't built on numbers or years or even experiences, but on thoughts, beliefs and behaviours, and most importantly, connections. A true friend should be that same friend even without you knowing that friend's age. Anyone who looks down on someone else because they are younger, or who feels alienated from someone because they are older, should look at themselves and see what it is that they think it is that separates themselves from others.

But that's not to say people with different ages will, or should, always get along perfectly. Sometimes experience does make a difference when relating to someone. But why not share your personal perspectives with them, rather than alienate them because they are too different?

Granted, but you use it on someone else's Pokemon.

I wish I was on Gilligan's Island.

Granted, except for the last wish.

I wish for a swimming pool full of Jello.

Granted, but then you start selling your soul to the devil instead.

I wish I knew what a soul looked like.

The game is one of those games that gets easier as you progress. Not just because you level up though (although that helps), but because your actual skills increase. By the time you get to the end, you're laughing at how many times you let yourself be hit at the beginning.

Granted, but no one in the world knows you.

I wish I knew where my keys are.

I've been following the WikiLeaks story for some time, and have always been a very strong and vocal supporter of what they are doing.

A bit about the site:
It was created by a group of Chinese dissidents, and is headed by the only person in the group to make himself publicly known: Julian Assange. The goal of the group is to obtain and publish confidential documents that contain information that is in the public interest to be known, but would otherwise be concealed from us. The original website was wikileaks.org, which ran for several years, until it began to release thousands of confidential diplomatic cables from around the world.

What was the government's reaction?
Although this was not the first time WikiLeaks released confidential government documents, it was the biggest. Many governments, especially America's, reacted with a strong arm that hasn't been seen quite so visibly since the McCarthy era. Companies that had an affiliation with the website were put under intense pressure to severe any ties. This resulted in the website losing its domain name, as well as many payment providers cutting off support, effectively preventing Wikileaks from accepting donations.

Around the same time, Julian Assange began to receive death threats from public officials who called for him to be illegally assassinated.

Is he a rapist?
(WARNING: THIS SECTION IS A BIT GRAPHIC)
Also around the same time, two women from Sweden came forward with sexual assault charges against him. While it is known that he did have sex with these women, his guilt has yet to be proven. What must be kept in mind though, is the nature of the charges. Sweden is known for some of the most stringent sex laws in the world. The charges against Assange are as follows:

1) Having sex without a condom (he did wear one, but it broke mid-act, making the act one of assault).
2) Having sex with a sleeping woman.

Personally, in my eyes, even if found guilty of the first charge, Assange did not commit sexual assault. And it certainly was not pre-meditated.

To me, the second charge is less clear-cut, because it depends on the circumstances, which we can never know for sure. How far did he go? People "cuddle" each other while sleeping. Many people I've talked to even enjoy having sexual acts done to them while sleeping. If this was the sort of mindset he was in, does it make him 'evil?' Of course, there are many reasons for a law preventing this to be in place, and I don't argue with many of them. But keep it in mind.

Does it matter if he is a rapist?
No, it most certainly does not. Even if he is, the entire incident only serves as a cover-up/distraction for two things:
1) The information contained in the documents
2) The incredible need for government transparency

Even if Assange was guilty of these charges, and even if these acts are 'evil,' it does not mean ALL of Assange's acts are evil. This is a simple fallacy. The act of releasing much-needed information to the public is NOT the same as-- nor does it in any way translate into-- sexual assault.

So where did they get all of this information from anyway?
The number one suspect is Bradley Manning, a private in the US military who is suspected of obtaining the documents while on duty and releasing them to WikiLeaks. He is currently being detained in a military prison camp, and according to many close to him, he is being deprived of basic human rights.

Why would Assange and Manning risk so much for this?
I'll leave that for YOU to decide.


Most of the information I have given here is accurate to my knowledge, but has been provided from memory. Feel free to correct or argue with me.

If you have any questions about the issue, I'm more than willing to provide you with what I (think I) know.

I've eaten worse!

Waiter, there's Alphagetti in my soup!

I'm going to say Yellow, because it was my first one, but really Gold was the best.

My old room mate owned one. He was only in the music shop for a guitar pick, but of course he couldn't pass it up when he saw it

They're pretty cheap by the way. I think he paid under $50.

The best / my favorite Street Fighter character is by far Chun-Li, because she is

THE STRONGEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD!

Whoops, sorry, the gamecube came with the toast.

Waiter, there's a small child in my soup!

Granted, but then you figure out the secret to the universe and become afraid. Very afraid.

I wish I knew the secret to the universe.

ha ha guess what my brother looks like Phil Anselmo.

(and he probably wishes he was him too)

Granted, but everyone in the world has lost their sense of humor. Including you. Comedy is now a sad thing.

I wish I had twelve arms.

B is for Beowulf, author unknown

(can't post images yet, sorry)

How about the Bible? Personally I'm not religious, but I'd still love to read it. And I've tried. About six times. Problem is, I never seem to get past Genesis (except to skip to Revelation).

I'll bet the same is true for a lot of people, regardless of their faith.

Animal Farm's a great book, I read that recently too.

Last book I read was The Little Book of Frauds by David Owen. It's a great book that catalogues 50 of the biggest frauds in recent history, with early ones dating back to colonization days. Very interesting to see how easy it is to pull off (well, for awhile-- they usually get caught eventually).

Vizzed Ghostblood :
Yup, he was really on to something with this site! I'm almost kinda jealous.