Photography Chat

(by that I mean, if someones religion mandates that they kill others, I have a serious problem with that...however if they annoy me with talk about their beliefs, thats fine. ;P)

Rowland Shaw

I think that too many religions use there faith as an excuse to enforce their view on others

I don't like people enforcing their view.

jrista

8:26 PM

Agreed

Rowland Shaw

I'm open to people discussing their views though

as long as they're willing to listen to counter views

jrista

In the US, we have certain very political organizations, like the ACLU, that goes around enforcing their anti-christian and anti-religious views on people through law suits

Its sad how much intolerance there is to people expressing their constitutional right to religion

Rowland Shaw

The scientologists haven't got the best reputation for listening to counter-views

jrista

heh

scientologists have a reputation for being bat-shit crazy

Tom Cruise being supreme among them

Rowland Shaw

I wonder what Katie Holmes saw in him ;)

jrista

8:29 PM

it was kind of funny for a while there...Scientology became a bit of a fad in hollywood

Rowland Shaw

Kabala was another odd one

jrista

hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars were given to the Church of Scientology when hollywood went through its scientology fad stage

yeah, Kabala

Rowland Shaw

Each to their own though, I saw

say, even

jrista

so long as their view doesn't mandate the murder, tourture, or other radical invasion of peoples lives

There are some things that religion is simply an excuse for

Rowland Shaw

I find it a little odd at times how Christians stick up for Jews, even given how they treat the Palestinians

(And there's a sentence that'd prick up the ears of the CIA/MI6 :)

jrista

8:33 PM

what about how the Palestinians attack Isreal?

that is most certainly not a one-sided issue

Rowland Shaw

Indeed; it does work both ways, but there is bias in how it is reported

jrista

the Jews live in their rightful land and have a right to protect their people

the Palestinians have lobbed rockets and whatnot into isreal for decades

and Isreal responds

if the Palestinians did such a thing to the US

I think we would have been FAR harsher

Rowland Shaw

Ever since the West gave parts of Palestine to form Israel. Ooops.

jrista

It was Isreal long before it was Palestine, though

Rowland Shaw

Indeed

Its a shame they can't resolve their differences, as in essence they are all humans

jrista

8:36 PM

Well, its Islam

Of all the "religions" in the world

Islam is the least tolerant

I don't think they will rest until they have quite literally conquered the world and either murdered or converted everyone

its not really just a Palestine/Isreal issue

its more of an Islam/World issue

Their "religion" mandates that they convert or kill anyone who isn't muslim

Rowland Shaw

I think most branches of religion have their extremists and their more tolerant.

jrista

Which is really just an excuse to be brutal and hateful and murdurous that much of the world seems obliged to accept

Sure, most beliefs of any kind have extrems

but with Islam, it is intrinsic in the belief system

Rowland Shaw

But if you compare Islam in Marakesh, it's different to say, Kabul

jrista

You can't really be "muslim" without fully submitting to the will of Allah, as it is portrayed in the Qur'an

thats actually what muslim means...one who willfully and fully submits

Rowland Shaw

The irony is the common roots of parts of the Qur'an, the old testement and Tanakh

jrista

8:41 PM

aye

Ishmael, the illegitimate son of Abraham, is lifted to a lofty and godlike position in Islam

Rowland Shaw

Oddly, I know little of the oriental religions

jrista

heh, because there are too many :P

Rowland Shaw

...and I've never studied relgion properly

jrista

I havn't really either

I've been trying to learn more

knowledge is the root of understanding, right?

Rowland Shaw

I like learning new things

jrista

8:46 PM

me too

like photography

I havn't been so hooked on anything in a LONG time

Rowland Shaw

I think that's why I got hooked on the stackexchange/overflow model

jrista

I think my addition to SE is starting to wane

I used to have to be here all the time

answering every question

Rowland Shaw

With so many, I tend to now focus only on Photo

jrista

Its been kind of a relief to back off a bit and do some real photography

yeah, me too

although I try to back off a bit and let other people answer these days

Rowland Shaw

I was on cooking & gis daily, too

jrista

8:48 PM

I do some moderating every day or two

how is cooking doing?

Rowland Shaw

Ditto, I think it's good to give others the chance

jrista

yeah

Rowland Shaw

I find cooking a little too US-centric (no offence meant)

jrista

Matt Grum has really raced through the ranks lately

Rowland Shaw

Deservedly, too

jrista

8:49 PM

:225244 None taken. Sometimes things do end up that way...which is kind of sad for Cooking...that is such an international thing.

he seems pretty smart

Rowland Shaw

I asked on cooking about homesmoking, and was told just to use liquid-smoke; a product that doesn't appear to be available here

The stats for us on area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/1265/… are good

the cooking site comes across as dominated by Hobodave's opinions at times

jrista

hobodave, eh?

and what is liquid smoke?

I can see what they mean about too many niche site proposals on Area51

Rowland Shaw

Yeah

Bah. turns out the Bing contest is US residents only :(

jrista

DOH

thats kind of odd

microsoft is pretty international

Rowland Shaw

Nevermind

I just tweeted them to suggest they change their mind ;)

jrista

9:00 PM

nice :)

Ever heard of Marc Adamas?

Rowland Shaw

Nothing like a bit of public humilation to kick them into life next time

jrista

Guy is pretty much THE best currently living landscape artist I think I've ever encountered:

:225277 Indeed!

marcadamus.com/index.php

I LOVE this shot:

Rowland Shaw

HDR?

jrista

nope

the guy is just a friggin genious

marcadamus.com/photo.php?id=142&gallery=favorites

I guess he's used all kinds of equipment, including film and digital.

Rowland Shaw

jrista

9:03 PM

Seems most of his work over the last several years has been pure digital.

yeah...isn't he amazing?

Rowland Shaw

Pretty good

:)

jrista

he just captures sky in the most brilliant way

Rowland Shaw

That guy must know his grad filters very well

jrista

I can only hope to b ecome a fraction that good some day

he must.

I finally have enough Lee filters to really make a difference

Rowland Shaw

Well, it's sunset season

jrista

9:05 PM

my more recent shots used Lee soft GND's and ND's

yeah :)

I'm actually looking forward to winter this year

snow adds an intriguing element

snow and ice

The flare here is perfect:

bleh, I'm being throttled by 10 seconds now....this chat really clamps down if you type too much too often

Rowland Shaw

I'm going to head off now, anyway. Timezones working against us...

BEst of luck with the Bing competition :)

jrista

thanks

night rowland

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