jay's place

Mini Hamburgers

masteroftrouble — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:04:31 GMT

There's a snack I make all the time for work because they love it, so I figured I'd share it with all of you! And no, it isn't what you think...

Ingredients:
Vanilla Wafers
Peppermint Patties
Green, Yellow, and Red Icing

-The amount needed for each depends on how many you want to make. I generally get one box of wafers for every bag of patties. If I want more, I get more.
-The icing is tricky. We used to make it by buying two tubs of white frosting and mixing in food coloring until it looked good. This took a lot of time and a lot of wasted icing. My suggestion is to just buy the pre-colored tubes. Not only does it save time in the preparation process, it saves a lot of time in the making process. Here's what I bought for this:

If you're mixing colors with the icing, do that first. Use one tub for the green, and then split the second tub for the yellow and red. You want a mustard yellow, ketchup red, and lettuce green.

If you're not mixing colors, go ahead and lay out your wafers. If you're using one box, I wouldn't go more than twenty-four at a time. Also, be sure the surface you're using is clean and the wafers you use aren't chipped. :)

Lettuce goes on first (that's the green icing). If you mixed the colors, use a knife to smear some on. If you didn't use a knife, squeeze the pre-color on the entire wafer.

Next, you want to put on your patties. I really like using the Valentine's Yorks because they're pink in the middle (medium rare, please!). Oh, make sure they're unwrapped too!

The next two steps can be tricky if you're a bit uncoordinated, like I used to be. On half of the patty (or wafer, if you'd rather do that instead -- you'd just need extra room to stick the new wafers), smear/squeeze on some ketchup.

After that, use the other half to smear/squeeze on some mustard. Yes, these two steps are interchangeable. You don't always have to do ketchup first. In fact, if you want, you can even do these before the lettuce! But the lettuce must be separated from the ketchup and mustard or else the patty won't stay on.

Now, you can stick the last wafer onto the patty.

Make sure you store them in either a container. They need to eventually go in the fridge for a while when you're done.

You also don't have to be stuck to the peppermint patties! We found a way to make veggie burgers. Just replace the patties with Andes mints (or any other slightly small and flat mint with a green center). One and a half Andes mints per burger.

After you're done, put them in the fridge. A day is best, but if you don't have that long, just put them in there until you're ready to take them out and enjoy!

I didn't show it here, but we also used to add "cheese" to our burgers. The white chocolate that you melt into candy (you find it at craft stores) can be put straight onto the burger (with the help of a tiny bit of white frosting).

Icons Galore~

masteroftrouble — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:03:32 GMT

[8] Rocket Summer
[4] Fandom Freedom Fighter
[2] Porn terror!!111!

[preview]

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[Rocket Summer]

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[Fandom Freedom Fighter]

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I can make more of the Fandom Freedom Fighter icons. If you give me a picture first, that would help, but you don't have to. Just name what you want.

[Porn Terror]

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Reason 5293 I shouldn't be allowed to my own devices...

masteroftrouble — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:12:17 GMT

So they aren't the best icons, but I was terribly amused. If you want something else, let me know!

Deathly Hallows Spoilers!

[preview]

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For these two, I can do any couple, just tell me who (and if you really love me, point me to some pics)

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Stand Up And Defend Yourself

masteroftrouble — Thu, 31 May 2007 01:55:23 GMT

Apparently, I missed the entire beginning of the purging drama. My apologies to those people that felt as though they needed me here (even if just a person to talk to about it).

This post is made for one reason and one reason only. I want to know who is staying on LiveJournal. I, for one, am not leaving. Yes, I have a permanent account and seem to be on top of the LiveJournal world (as there is more icon space and better features), but that isn't true. I am part of numerous fandoms, just like many of you are.

So far, none of my personal journals, communities, or friends have been deleted, but I'm sure that might change soon. There are journals that have been deleted that I've heard of or that many of you guys have friended. My heart goes out to the mods that spent their time and effort making those communities. Really, I know your pain and I'm sorry.

But, LiveJournal deleting these journals does not mean we run. Running is for cowards. Running is for people that don't want to stand and fight. Yes, we all have our complaints about LiveJournal and yes, we all wish that they could be better, but why are we running now?

Playing the devil's advocate right now, the LiveJournal Terms of Service state, "Failure to comply with these [Terms of Service] may result in account revocation." So, technically, LiveJournal has the right to delete a journal if, and only if, we don't follow these terms.

Now, taking the knowledge on the journals being deleted, let's see if we, the users, have been breaking something in the Terms of Service.

During registration, all users are required to provide accurate, complete and current information about themselves in all required fields. Should any of your own information change after submitting it to LiveJournal, you are required to update that information as soon as possible. Should LiveJournal suspect that your personal information is not complete, current, or accurate, your account may be subject to suspension or termination.

This is a tricky part in the Terms of Service. Technically, if we're role-playing a character and put in their correct information, then we aren't lying. So there's not much problem there unless they decide to say that there's more than one journal with the same e-mail address and different birthdays. Easy way around this: create a separate e-mail for every new character. Harry Potter wise, if you role-play four Ron's, make an e-mail for Ron. This might take longer, but it's complying with the Terms of Service. Also, it's easy with Gmail because you can have your e-mails all go to one inbox with it.

Now what's really funny is this part:
All Content posted to LiveJournal in any way, is the responsibility and property of the author. LiveJournal is committed to maintaining the Service in a manner reasonably acceptable to all audiences but is not responsible for the monitoring or filtering of any journal Content. Within the confines of international and local law, LiveJournal will generally not place a limit on the type or appropriateness of user content within journals. Those users posting material not suitable for all audiences must agree that they are fully responsible for all the Content they have posted anywhere on the Service. Should Content be deemed illegal by such law having jurisdiction over the user, you agree that LiveJournal may submit all necessary information to, and cooperate with, the proper authorities;

I would personally like LiveJournal to explain that one to us. If they don't place a limit on appropriateness, why are so many journals being deleted? Oh, but wait...

Should any Content that you have authored be reported to LiveJournal as being offensive or inappropriate, LiveJournal might call upon you to retract, modify, or protect (by means of private and friends only settings) the Content in question within a reasonable amount of time, as determined by the LiveJournal staff. Should you fail to meet such a request from LiveJournal staff, LiveJournal may terminate your account. LiveJournal, however, is under no obligation to restrict or monitor journal Content in any way;

How come nobody was asked to screen the posts? Or modify the info pages to look better? By all means, LiveJournal, please explain this to us.

I find it funny that LiveJournal is deleting so many journals when, in reality, most of these are not violating their Terms of Service. If you find it funny as well, please stay on LiveJournal. If your journal or community is deleted, create another one.

Stand up and defend yourself! Do not let LiveJournal try to do this when they are, in no way, doing what is right. Their Terms of Service (which I did, in fact, read) state what they would do with content that has been deleted. They didn't follow through with that they said they would do, so don't back off.

Stand up, LiveJournal users! Don't move anywhere else and run away! Fight for your right to have discussion boards! Fight for your right to have communities about whatever you want! If you know your community or journal did nothing wrong, then create another one and continue on.

Post Here if you're staying to fight! Post here with your list of communities that you still have or that you will rebuild.

Spread the word; I want to see who is staying through this madness. Don't let LiveJournal win this fight. Beat them, instead.

Also, fandom_counts.

Also, Also:

masteroftrouble — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 21:55:07 GMT

I can make more. I've still got the base saved. ^_^ Hehe, just let me know what you want it to say!

Harry Potter Fans: McGonagall a Spy?

masteroftrouble — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:52:57 GMT

I just read the most amazing thing. And now? I'm going to pass it to you. Why? Because I want to get thoughts on this.

[EDIT]The article that brought this up is here![/EDIT]

The Most Amazing Twist JKR Could Ever Put In The Books (and if she doesn't, I'm writing a fic on it)

So I got this off of a discussion board on Facebook...

Anthony Caruso (Clarkstown South High School) wrote:
So obviously from the Topic title this is about the possibility of Professor McGonagall being a spy for Voldemort. I know it sounds far-fetched and believe me, when I first read this theory in a Mugglenet Editorial I was so astounded. I mean, McGonagall is one of my favorite characters and she is soo good so how could she be a spy for Voldemort? But then I read the editorial and I was blown away. It really got me thinking that it could actually be true. So I'm just going to post some highlights and evidence about it from the editorial and some of my own ideas.

"But – she’s [McGonagall] so wonderful! We love her and cheer for her – her crotchety old spirit, strength of character, biting wit, her constant support of Harry even under pressure, and the fact that she is just plain cool... A bit like Mad-eyed Moody in GOF. Jo doesn’t mind giving us a favorite character whom we respect and chuckle behind our sleeves at (The Amazing Bouncing Ferret, anyone?), and then smashing our castle brutally. And McGonagall isn’t a person. She is a character. A very cool character, but a character invented by an author who has proven that she is the master of the red herring.

By the way, did you know that McGonagall and Tom Riddle went to school together?

McGonagall is two years older then Tom Riddle, according to the Harry Potter Lexicon, which dates McGonagall’s birthday in 1925 and that Voldemort’s in 1926 or 1927. Therefore they both attended Hogwarts and were within two school years. It’s safe to assume that they were both prefects. They must have known each other. This seems to be very important information - why haven’t we been told? The only reason we wouldn’t be told was if JK Rowling didn’t want us to know. And why wouldn’t she want us to know something so important but seemingly so innocuous? Perhaps because it isn’t innocuous. There is a parallel nature to their lives that gives two foundations: one, it gives ample opportunity for them to meet and become connected, and two, it leaves doors opened for later explanations of events – such as the connection between Voldemort’s job at Borgin and Burkes and McGonagall starting at Hogwarts, which happened a year apart.

Certainly, we cannot convict McGonagall on the grounds of “having opportunity to side with Tom Riddle.” But although we all love McGonagall, has she ever done anything that would disqualify her for being a Death Eater? When we rush to defend her, citing cases of strength of character and witty retorts, do we ever have in our hands actions – things that she herself has committed – that place her firmly on the side of Dumbledore? In other words – what, officially, prevents us from believing that McGonagall is a spy? And is lack of evidence for a good McGonagall enough to convict? After all, none of her actions show any leaning towards evil, although noticeably neutral. Nothing she’s done is actually suspicious... Or.... perhaps it is.

Perhaps the fact that she appears at Privet Drive that fateful day before Dumbledore. The fact that he was not anticipating her arrival, although it “amused” him. Process that. Dumbledore didn’t send McGonagall to Privet Drive. So what was McGonagall doing all day – the most important day in Wizarding history – sitting on a stone wall? Especially when we find out that she had no idea that Harry was arriving there. How did she know that Dumbledore was going to be at Privet Drive – or did she even know? And if she didn’t know, why was she there? Why is she so angry – angry – at the celebrations taking place? Why does Jo attach adjectives to her like “coldly”, “piercing”, “sharply”, and “angrily” all in the same two pages as they are discussing – not the death of Lily and James – but the demise of Voldemort? Why does she become almost out of control at the idea of Harry living with the Dursleys? And why are there so many unanswered questions about McGonagall from this one scene?

It’s not only the opening chapter of PS/SS that cast a shadow over McGonagall. The trio goes to her with the information that the Philosopher’s/Sorceror's Stone is about to be stolen. When Harry wants to talk to Dumbledore and tells her it’s secret, she’s “cold” and answers him sharply. Why the negative response? But that’s nothing compared to her reaction to their knowledge of the Philosopher’s Stone. She is extremely flustered, dropping things, reacting with “suspicion and shock” that these children know such a well hidden secret. Which makes me wonder – if these children know such a well kept secret, isn’t it less guarded then originally thought? And if that’s the case – shouldn’t she at least mention it to Dumbledore? Considering that she’s his second in command, the fact that she doesn’t even notify him is very strange.

Remember her reaction to Ginny’s return – alive and well – in CoS?

“I think we’d all like to know [how she got out alive]," McGonagall said weakly.

Weakly. She’s certainly in a bit of shock. Remember who was with Barty Crouch Jr. when the dementor administered the kiss in GoF? Isn’t it strange that one of the most powerful witches of her day couldn’t prevent that happening in the same room with her? Re-reading the books, I’m struck by how often McGonagall’s actions are neutral, and how often her words could be taken to mean so many different things. When McGonagall first hears of Dumbledore’s murder, she sinks into a chair in shock and gasps:

“Snape...We all wondered... but he trusted... always... Snape... I can’t believe it...”

Substitute Voldemort for “he” in that sentence and listen to the implications – a bit shocking how easy that was, isn’t it?

Even beyond double meanings, though, the final scene with Harry and McGonagall is disturbing. Harry will not tell her about his trip with Dumbledore, and her reaction – rather then grudging acceptance of his loyalty to Dumbledore – is anger and frustration. But she too is supposed to be loyal to Dumbledore – and considering that he’s just died, the fact that she is prying into his personal information through Harry seems at best inconsiderate, and at worst – treacherous.

J.K. Rowling is playing a very tight game here. She has to give us enough very cleverly hidden clues so that when the truth is revealed, we believe it despite the shock and horror, because we can return to the older material and find the weaker scent. However, if there is too much evidence and paper trail, it’s ferreted out and there is no surprise. Is there lack of evidence? No. Is there abundance of evidence? Obviously not.

Alright, I admit that there isn’t any conclusive evidence against McGonagall. But let’s do a bit of literary role playing. You are J.K. Rowling. You are starting to plot out the Harry Potter books, and you decide, for kicks, to create a spy. You want it to be revealed at the end of the seventh book, so for six books you have to hide him from your readers prying eyes. You begin to lay out the game plan, with this thesis – if there was a spy, what would he look like and how would characters around him behave? He would be:

* Trusted by Dumbledore – high up in command.
* Trusted by Harry and his friends.
* Trusted by the readers.
* No doubt about his/her loyalties.
* There would need to be someone or something to distract people (readers and characters) from thinking about him/her at all – say, a more obvious target.
* Someone with ties to Voldemort that were discreetly hidden.
* Mild hints scattered that were recognizable from hindsight, but barely visible at first glance.
* Nothing to disqualify him/her – random acts of goodness – that would have to be explained away.

Is there anything I missed?

If there was a spy at Hogwarts, his/her character would be developed in exactly the same way as McGonagall’s character. Catch that?

If JK Rowling created a spy for Voldemort, she would have to create the character in the same way she has created McGonagall.

I’d say that that’s an indictment.

It’s still all guesswork and whistling in the dark, of course. But then, if it was anything else and we could prove it, JK Rowling wouldn’t be a master at her trade, now would she?"

Also Think about the irony. Snape, the Slytherin, turning out to be a good guy and McGonagall, the Gryffindor, turning out to be a bad guy? Plus JKR said there are Death Eaters from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor so why not McGonagall?

PLUS, McGonagall is head of Gryffindor and WAS head of Gryffindor when the Marauders were at school. What if she saw Peter, a vulnerable, weak, little boy who didn't fit in even with his own friends, and decided he could be easily persuaded so she pushed him to the Death Eaters? She'd be in the perfect position to influence him as head of his house.

[I'm adding people on here, by the way, that added things that had to do with the theory]
Jessica Irish (UC Davis) wrote:
i think this is really interesting, and certainly worth thinking about. the one thing that bothers me is that mcgonagall gives off such an aura of goodness and rightness (if you will). i think jo rowling is amazing at playing with characters' loyalties, but there are certain characters that just give off an innate aura of reliability and trust. this theory is hard for me to accept in the same way that it would be hard for me to accept a theory that fred and george were working for voldemort. they're just too good.
so i would say that even though the theory is convincing on a purely analytical level, there is too much emotional goodness in mcgonagall's character for me to condemn her as a spy.
although it was a little odd that she asked harry what he was doing with dumbledore the night they went after the necklace horcrux. hmmm...

Anthony Caruso (Clarkstown South High School) wrote:
Also, new evidence against McGonagall:
McGonagall let Harry onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team. What is so significant about this? Harry was the youngest seeker in a century and first years aren’t even allowed to play on their house teams. When has McGonagall ever shown any inclination to break rules or traditions? Never. Yet she admitted Harry to the team. What happened that first year? That very first Quidditch game? Harry was nearly killed.
Fawkes left the school for good at the end of the book six. Fawkes goes to people /is attracted to people who are loyal to Dumbledore and have shown loyalty to him in the past. If McGonagall was so loyal to Dumbledore, like everybody believes, why didn’t Fawkes stay behind at the school with her?

Kimmii L (Glendale Secondary School) wrote:
With Fawkes. Fawkes went to who ever was the most loyal to Dumbledore WHEN HE WAS ALIVE...once Dumbledore died, I believe Fawkes leaving had some significants...once his master is gone, it goes. However it is possible it would go back to Harry when he needs him the most...because Harry always did support Dumbledore more than McGonagal I think. I mean, Dumbledore told Harry about the Horcrux's but not McGonagal...and McGonagal didn't seem to mind telling HARRY'S class about the chamber of secrets...knowing that Harry, Ron, and Hermione would more than likely try to figure something out. So when looking at this it does become suspicious....

Anthony Caruso (Clarkstown South High School) wrote:
She said it in the Mugglenet/Leaky Cauldron Interview. Here's the exact quote:
ES: But there aren't a lot of Death Eater children in the other houses, are there?
JKR: You will have people connected with Death Eaters in the other houses, yeah, absolutely.
ES: Just in lesser numbers.
JKR: Probably. I hear you. It is the tradition to have four houses, but in this case, I wanted them to correspond roughly to the four elements. So Gryffindor is fire, Ravenclaw is air, Hufflepuff is earth, and Slytherin is water; hence the fact that their common room is under the lake. So again, it was this idea of harmony and balance, that you had four necessary components and by integrating them you would make a very strong place. But they remain fragmented, as we know.

Some responses of the thred discussions on MuggleNet (with my input in-between)

Let's not forget that if McGonagall is the head of house for Gryffindor then she was probably sorted INTO Gryffindor. That means that she and the Slytherins of her day probably didn't get along since it seems to me that the animosity between Gryffindor and Slytherin has existed ever since the original Gryffindor and Slytherin had their fight and Slytherin split. I doubt very seriously that Voldy would have had anything to do with a Gryffindor, especially a smart female. I think he's not only a pure-blood fanatic but a sexist too. That seems pretty evident since only one known death eater is a female.

Me say: Peter was in Gryffindor. besides, every Gryffindor he takes, it's like a slap in the face to Dumbledore since Gryffindors are "the good" side.

I've been thinking of something though. How did quirell pass her test in PS?

VERY good point. Unless the chess board magically rights itself after it's done.

i really liked the editorial, it almost had me convinced that mcgonagall was not to be trusted. but i would like to point out that there already was a spy for you-know-who that has been exposed other than snape....and thats wormtail. I don't think JKR would create a character for harry and the reader to trust so much and then turn them into a spy. if mcgonagall is a spy, then who is left in authority for harry to trust? the morals of the series have always been very positive, why ruin that with a 'trust no one' negative moral. harry will never trust snape, no matter where snapes loyalties actually lie. with dumbledore gone who is left at hogwarts for harry to trust? no one other than mcgonagall has earned harrys trust.

Ahha! But, Voldemort is a cruel evil bastard. If you were a cruel evil bastard, wouldn't you want someone THAT close to Harry? He obviously couldn't sway Dumbledore.

Another thing I like is when at the end of GoF Dumbledore says he knew something was wrong with Moody because no-one would have removed Harry from his sight, and the first thing McGonagall wants to do when they blast into the room is take Harry away and DD has to insist that she doesn't. It goes like this - 'Professor McGonagall went straight for Harry. "Come along, Potter,' she whispered.The thin line of her mouth was twitching as though she was about to cry. "Come along...hospital wing..." "No," said Dumbledore sharply.'
Now, you could say she was just being caring by wanting to take 'Potter' to the hospital wing, but she could also have an evil motive...
The way I see it, for someone to be a true spy WE as readers would have to be as oblivious to them as the characters. This is why it's fairly easy to say that Snape is good because we've been told/shown that on a number of occassions (Dumbledore thinks he's good and we have to trust that). A true spy would be one that totally hoodwinked Dumbledore. I don't believe Snape was that double-crosser simply because we haven't even been told why DD trusted him in the first place.

GOOD POINT! I didn't catch that in GoF, but that is a very good point.

i dont think that jk would introduce such a massive concept into the last book when its supposed to be about redemption etc.

Er... okay.

I think there's definitely a spy in Hogwarts, apart from Snape that is. If you remember Draco’s words in HBP when Snape confronts him at Slughorn’s Christmas party:
‘Where do you think I would have been all these years, if I had not known how to act? Now listen to me! You are being incautious, wandering around at night, getting yourself caught, and if you are placing your reliance on assistants like Crabbe and Goyle – ’
‘They’re not the only ones, I’ve got other people on my side, better people!’
‘Then why not confide in me, and I can – ’
(HPB Chapter 15 p303 UK Hardback Edition)
So it does look like there is at least one spy in the School, someone who is helping Draco along with the cabinet, who most likely put the imperious on Rosmerta, and someone who Snape does not know about. The most likely person would be Slughorn, but I think that could be too obvious.

SO true! If it's not Snape, then WHO does Draco have?

*The Day Harry was delivered to the Dursley's
1. HOW did McGonagall know that Harry was even being delivered to Privet Drive in the first place? Does it ever state that Dumbledore told her such?
2. WHY was McGongall there, on Privet Drive? All day? Watching/casing the Dursley's?
3. WHY was she there, unbeknownst to Dumbledore? She had no orders to be there.
*The Stone
1. Why did she never relay the Trio's urgent message to Dumbledore? (That they knew not only about the stone, but that someone was coming to steal it). Even if she believed they could not have concievably come about the information, it still seems important enough to tell Dumbledore, considering it was about the stone.
2. Symbolically, what was the ONLY obstacle that hurt the Trio during their quest for the stone (other than Quirrelmort of course)? The chess set. Symbolism?
*Quidditch
1. If McGonaggal is so traditional, so against rule-breaking, why then did she personally request Harry to be on the Quidditch team? Because he caught a remembrall? Couldn't that have been "sheer dumb luck"? The same way it was "sheer dumb luck" that the Trio defeated the mountain troll?
2. Since McGonagall seems to know so much about Harry, wouldn't it seem that she would know also that his parents' had left him a large amount of money? It's pretty common knowledge---Dumbledore, Hagrid, Ron & Hermione all know. So why would she buy and personally send him a broomstick?
3. She got him on the team. She bought his his broomstick. He almost died in the first game---why was Snape doing the countercurse against Quirrel's attack? Wasn't she present as well? And her being a very clever witch, would she not recognize, as Snape did, what was happening to Harry, and make an effort to stop it?
*And lastly, a couple of tidbits:
-I found this on (only sometimes reliable) Wikipedia:"According to legend, the Queen of Spades playing card depicts Minerva"
-Spades, in a Tarot reading, depict obstacles, trouble, death.
And while it may not be a very solid argument at all...Why DOES she choose to wear emerald green robes? Her favorite "color"/pattern is quite obviosuly tartan.

Very good questions raised. I'm sure most of them can be answered easily while hiding behing the "McG is good" thing nearly everybody has from the books (without influence from the article), but think closely on them...

MM took steps, of her own volition, that she did not need to take to keep her cover. I can't see LV being too pleased if she got herself kicked out in OoTP - there goes his best source of info on Harry and company.

Ah, but a good spy takes risks. What if MM didn't do that? People would be suspicious.

[In answer to the Quidditch question] That's not breaking a rule. We're told that Harry is the youngest Seeker in quite awhile, which implies that there have been young Seekers in the past. No one at Hogwarts seems to think there's any problem.

BUT it clearly said by Draco that first years aren't allowed to play.

I found some info to add to his editorial: I found this interesting quote in PS/SS... "Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect P-P-Poor St-Stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"
I tend to think that the line that I found in PS/SS was JK's way of telling that Snape is meant to be a kind of distraction from the real traitor... it should be interesting if this pattern continues into book 7

JKR does give clues and we're stupid not to see them. XD

By the way, if McG is on the dark side why would she refuse to sign Harry's permission slip to go to Hogsmeade? Everyone thought Sirius was out there trying to kill him, so why wouldn't she let him go?

Because she knew Sirius wasn't out to kill him, duh.

If McGonagal was the traitor, why would she not have let Harry have the firebolt? If she thought it was tampered with, what better way to get rid of Harry?

... That's a very good point. I have nothing for it.

In my last post (104) I proffered the thought that Professor Sinistra would make a fine alterative candidate as spy to our much respected Prof McG.
Perhaps I read too much but it seemed to me that I had heard that name before.... and I had.
It was many years ago when as a gawky 11 year old I was forced to sit through Latin lessons.
SINISTRA < With the left hand, interchangable with the word protagonist.
Sounding more feasable?
SINISTRA< Name of star in the constellation Ophiuchus who was also known as the serpant handler (Kind thanks to Lexicon for that tidbit)
Off topic, but on point! That could very well be it, too. Except, we know NOTHING about Sinistra.
I think that many people are overlooking what JKR said herself about Mcgonagall
Question: In the second book, Harry and Ron went to the girls' toilet and met McGonagall. They told her that they were going to visit Hermione, and she started crying. Why?
J.K. Rowling responds: She found it very touching that Harry and Ron were missing Hermione so badly (or so she thought). Under that gruff exterior, Professor McGonagall is a bit of an old softy, really.

Point.

My Thoughts

First, the common room under the lake is so cool. XD I'm so jealous of you, Slytherin!

Anyway, there are some valid points in this and when it's presented as such, I can't help but not trust Dumbledore anymore. Does anybody realize how wild that would be? For McG to be a spy? The entire fandom would turn and do a 180! 90% of the RPGs would be all "well fuck" and the tons of fiction that has already been written will be "well fuck" and not to mention the people that truly and deeply believed in her. I mean, seriously!

* There would need to be someone or something to distract people (readers and characters) from thinking about him/her at all – say, a more obvious target.

Snape is the distraction. Snape distracts readers and granted we don't know what side he's really on (and it brings more questions to the front), but he still distracts us to the point where we don't know anything more.

Adding to that, Voldemort is too stupid to just have one spy (Snape, supposedly) in Hogwarts. Yes, he had Quirrel in the first book, Riddle was through Ginny in the second, the third revealed Peter (anybody else saw that coming when it first happened?), the fourth had Barty Jr., the fifth he actually got into Harry's head and Umbridge, the sixth was Draco... there's going to be more revealing in the seventh.

Besides that, McG will most likely become Headmistress. Let me repeat that. McG will most likely become Headmistress. Voldemort wanted in at Hogwarts and now, if she's a spy, he's got the top spot. He could very easily take over the school. Granted Harry will be out finding Whorecruxes, but still. Harry thinks of Hogwarts as home and if he returns to find that Voldie took over, then he'll feel lost.

Speaking of the Whorecruxes (and yes, I know I'm spelling it with a 'w'), McG didn't know about them. At least, we didn't see that she knew about them. Why would Dumbledore keep them from her? And I honestly think Dumbledore told Snape that he would eventually have to do what he did (kill him). He probably suspected that he had a spy for Voldie somewhere and if Snape didn't do what he did, then his own spy position might have been shattered.

Just things to think about. As much as I don't like the fifth or sixth books, I can't deny that JKR does know how to pull a few tricks (as long as their valid, I won't get into my couples rant). With Snape gone, maybe McG's true intentions will come out since she doesn't have anyone to hide behind anymore.

I'm leaving this post public in case anyone else wants to get on this discussion. Honestly, invite people!

[EDIT] hptheory is opening April 2nd! [/EDIT]

Rantage ... that's not mine.

masteroftrouble — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 04:27:15 GMT

Original Rantage Came From Here. I'll highlight the points that I really liked. Especially since this is words that I couldn't form before (writer who can't form words, go figure).

...Alongside these ideas is yet another Hindu thought, the real term for which I can not remember (I don't have my notes on me)...but this term is one of the ideals of Hinduism which indicates that all men should care for all things because we are all one (This great oneness that is the world is called "Braman"). Then she began to tell a story, she said, "Does anyone remember those things called "Random acts of kindness"...awhile back it was a big thing, and that emphasizes this point of Hinduism. By doing good deeds onto others you take your eyes off yourself, help to make yourself less self-centered, and in turn, help to make yourself realize that you are not atman (the singular self) but Braman (one with the great One). No one seems to notice how good it feels to give anymore, I mean, when was the last time you went through a toll booth and paid for the next 10 or so cars that came through, and knew that none of them have a damn clue who you are..."

Then I began to realize exactly how selfish this world is...especially the people who claim to be better than the rest...as illustrated in this disney song "God Help the Outcasts"

God Help the Outcasts

Esmeralda the Gypsy:
I don't know if You can hear me
Or if You're even there
I don't know if You would listen
To a gypsy's prayer
Yes, I know I'm just an outcast
I shouldn't speak to you
Still I see Your face and wonder...
Were You once an outcast too?

God help the outcasts
Hungry from birth
Show them the mercy
They don't find on earth
God help my people
We look to You still
God help the outcasts
Or nobody will

Church Parishioners:
I ask for wealth
I ask for fame
I ask for glory to shine on my name
I ask for love I can posess
I ask for God and His angels to bless me

Esmeralda the Gypsy:
I ask for nothing
I can get by
But I know so many
Less lucky than I
Please help my people
The poor and downtrod
I thought we all were
The children of God
God help the outcasts
Children of God

As you can see from this song, the only person praying to God for anyone other than themselves is the Gypsy girl. I don't think that Disney intended for this song to make a point like that, but I do. Too many times I have gone to a church and when the pastor opens up the floor for prayer I do not hear people ask for prayer for the needy, or for the sick...I hear that prayer is asked for to help with a decision in their household...or that they need more money because they spent too much on their last vacation to the Bahamas and now the bills are too much to handle...

People in this world have become selfish and greedy...wanting everything for themselves and forcing others to turn to their beliefs because it is better, in the end, for them. But at the same time, they will try to play it off helping the world, or even helping the people that they are obviously hurting....

...In the center of the room we had another video playing, this one made by Judy Shepherd, the mother of Matthew Shepherd, the first gay boy whose funeral Fred Phelps ever protested. Her video, which was made in retaliation to Fred Phelps and his blasphemous talk of how he is "Saving the nation" showed men and boys screaming things like "Fag" "Queer" and "Homo" then she came on and simply stated, "The next time you say things like this, think of how much it really hurts..." then it showed a picture of her son and his death date and cause before she came back on, now crying freely "or there might not be a next time..."

For those who don't know anything about Matthew Shepherd, he was killed by a group of three anti-gay boys who beat him severely then left him to die hanging on a fence. He hung there for 18 hours before he was discovered and sent to the hospital. There he was so badly hurt that the only part of him that was not bandaged was his eyes. He spent 4 days in agony from the beating before succumbing to death.

Is this what good people do?

Then I'm not one of them....

...It's true that loves the only house big enough for all the pain in the world...but people seem to have forgotten what love is. Now a days love is forcing someone to be like you, because they will be better off for it, and I'm not just talking about Christians...everyone is like that. Even I have been like that at times, but the real point is that Love is understanding, is letting go, and is accepting everything and everyone around you. Death to those who are different from you is not the answer. The Hindu's believe that there are thousands of paths to enlightenment, an they will not tell you that you are wrong because you do not worship as they do...but Christians will...Muslims will...

Did you know that those are the ONLY two religions in the world that believe their way is the ONLY way?
Seems kind of silly when you stop and think about all the other religions who have never said a word against you, how much we try to change them.

So I guess my point is now this...everyone needs to stop for a minute and pull their heads out of their asses. If you are truly so much greater than me, or my agnostic friend, or my muslim friend, or my hindu friend, or my black friend (I think you get the point)...then prove it to me...

Show me that you have enough faith in your God to call down fire from the heavens...

Maybe then I'll eat the shit you spout...

Because according to Fred Phelps and his gaggle of lunatics that is what gay men do, eat shit...

[And no, I'm not LJ-cutting this.]

Pimpage

masteroftrouble — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 03:33:28 GMT

Grub Street was once the name of a street in London, and it was famous for the residents and clientele who frequented the location. In fact, in his Dictionary of the English Language, Doctor Samuel Johnson described Grub Street as being "much inhabited by writers of small histories, dictionaries, and temporary poems". The street was renamed Milton Street in 1830, and although the original Grub Street is long gone, the name (and term) is still alive and well.

grub_street is a community where writers of any caliber, practice, or concentration can meet and greet. Members should feel free to ask questions, get answers, share tips, share writing, discuss books, and basically familiarize themselves with the writing world -- or the other writers therein.

Welcome to Grub Street. Whether you're a published writer, a writer looking to get published, or a dabbler, we hope our writer's market(place) will help you uncover whatever it is you're hoping to find, and we wish you all the best in your endeavors.

It's a long road. Travel it at your leisure.

masteroftrouble — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 17:24:36 GMT

Sometimes, people need an analogy.

masteroftrouble — Thu, 17 Mar 2005 04:35:00 GMT

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