64 comments to “We’re back”

1. Revenant:
   1 November 2006, on 6:19 pm

   Hey, glad you made it back! I was thinking a plague had been unleashed upon the server or something.

2. DrunkenTune:
   1 November 2006, on 6:34 pm

   Hoorah! My morning routine was quite empty without GifS. I’m glad to see it back up again.

3. Jimmer:
   1 November 2006, on 6:35 pm

   Great job Ron and all who have helped get it back up. So here is something to keep in mind for the holidays. Double entendre’s for Thanksgiving.

   Things not to say to your inlaws at Thanksgiving

   Talk about a huge breast!
   Tying the legs together keeps the insides moist.
   It’s Cool Whip time!
   If I don’t undo my pants, I’ll burst!
   Whew, that’s one terrifc spread!
   I’m in the mood for a little dark meat.
   Are you ready for seconds yet?
   It’s a little dry, do you still want to eat it?
   Just wait your turn, you’ll get some!
   Don’t play with your meat.
   Just spread the legs open and stuff it in.
   Do you really think you’ll be able to handle all those people at once?
   You still have a little bit on your chin.
   Use a nice smooth stroke when you whip it.
   I didn’t expect everyone to come at once!
   How long will it take for you to stick it in?
   You’ll know it’s ready when it pops up.
   Wow, I didn’t think I could handle all of that!
   How many are coming?
   That’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen!
   How long do I beat it before it’s ready?
   Just lay back and take it easy…I’ll do the rest.

4. elianara:
   1 November 2006, on 6:59 pm

   I kinda like the minimalistic layout.

5. stardust:
   1 November 2006, on 7:05 pm

   YAY! Thanks so much Ron, Bob and whoever else was involved in fixing things! Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Cranberry sauce…wooo oooo woooooo!

6. Joules:
   1 November 2006, on 7:26 pm

   I’m glad you’re back. I missed you.

7. Eve:
   1 November 2006, on 8:20 pm

   Three cheers for Ron and all the other technical supporters:

   Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray!

8. JJR:
   1 November 2006, on 8:25 pm

   I sort of feared the worst for awhile…fundie hackers or something…glad to see GiFS back up and running.

9. Matt:
   1 November 2006, on 8:38 pm

   JJR, I don’t think fundies would make good hackers. Seriously, they can’t even master the English language on an English keyboard, what makes you think they’d be able to master HACKER language and software?

   But I’m glad it’s back. I missed this place.

10. Heather:
    1 November 2006, on 8:42 pm

    I prefer this layout.

11. Stardust:
    1 November 2006, on 8:53 pm

    JJR, I don’t think fundies would make good hackers. Seriously, they can’t even master the English language on an English keyboard, what makes you think they’d be able to master HACKER language and software?

    Matt - That’s true for many of the drive-by trolls, however, my fundie neighbor happens to be a computer programmer. I wouldn’t underestimate all of them. A few do have brains, even though they have their delusional beliefs. Just look at the fundie extremists who flew the planes on 911.

12. Hilary:
    1 November 2006, on 9:21 pm

    So glad to know it wasn’t my breath.

13. Kate:
    1 November 2006, on 9:42 pm

    Yay! I missed you guys. Glad to see the site back up, even if the layout isn’t that great.

14. Revenant:
    1 November 2006, on 9:43 pm

    I’ve met plenty of excellent programmers who couldn’t spell their way out of an elementary school vocabulary test.

    These days so-called hackers are mainly script kiddies anyway.

15. Russman:
    1 November 2006, on 9:48 pm

    Jimmer,
    LOL on your “Things not to say at your inlaws”…May I offer a few that I have actually heard at various holiday family functions - or dysfunctions maybe a better way of putting it:

    >The gravy is really smooth this year…
    >A little sauce on the side?
    >I’ll take another roll with butter if you’re offering…
    >It stays juicier if you don’t stuff it…
    >Grandma’s stuffing anyone?!?!
    >A thin/fat slice of pie would do me fine…With whip cream please…
    >Clam dressing?
    >Don’t give the dog your bone!
    >I got up at 5 AM to stick it in the oven…
    >Pull it apart and stick the extra leaves in it…
    >You eat giblets?
    >Her pie is really flakey…
    >If you leave it out to long it’ll go bad…
    >And the worst thing I have ever heard on Thanksgiving—”Does Roto-Rooter work on holidays?”

16. Eve:
    1 November 2006, on 10:01 pm

    Next thing you know, the fundies will try to ban that evil, obscene holiday Thanksgivin’!

17. roya:
    1 November 2006, on 10:26 pm

    I thought I didn’t have a share of Halloween, but this ‘Error Server’ massage on my comp. was scariest thing ever.

    Glad to see you guy again.

18. roya:
    1 November 2006, on 10:27 pm

    guys*

19. Bob:
    1 November 2006, on 10:31 pm

    YAY! Thanks so much Ron, Bob and whoever else was involved in fixing things! Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Cranberry sauce…wooo oooo woooooo!

    Just for the record: Ron did ALL of this by himself, because, of course, he knows I’m a techno-retard. Ron gets to pig-out on the ‘taters, and he deserves it…

    Muchos nachos to the Old Man, putting his real life on hold while he caters to us blasphemers…

20. nathan:
    1 November 2006, on 10:38 pm

    Welcome back, I thought the rapture had started and ruined my favorite god-hating read.
    Remember to vote!!

21. Stardust:
    1 November 2006, on 10:41 pm

    Ron is a genius. He is our gawd. We are not worthy!

22. ChuckA:
    1 November 2006, on 11:05 pm

    Hmmm…in which direction does genius Ron [our new gawd!]reside…so I can get out my prayer rug and make sure I’m bowing toward the proper alignment!

    Should we start a chant?

    I feel like my Webaholic addiction has finally been satiated.
    [Of course...I don't know what I'm saying...as usual!]

    Thanks Ron and Bob…and EVERYONE at GifS!
    Aaaah…I can live and love again!…Yay!

23. Spencer:
    1 November 2006, on 11:14 pm

    Yeah, like someone had mentioned, I feared the worst: Fundie hackers.

    Actually, the worst would be that there actually was a God, and he’d smitten everyone on the GifS team as well as the website. That’d be bad enough, but the knowledge that I’d be following soon afterward would suck even more.

    Anyway, glad to see it back! Let’s get some of that ol’ time blasphemy going on!

24. Matt:
    2 November 2006, on 12:12 am

    True enough. Of course those hijackers could barely fly a Cessna… but I really don’t want to get into that argument.

    By the way, if anyone here happens to know where I can find irrational, hateful quotes about atheists, or some articles on violence towards atheists because they’re atheists (not some random violence of the wrong place/wrong time variety), I’d be very thankful.

    I need them for my essay/CotG submission. When are those due anyway?

25. roya:
    2 November 2006, on 12:52 am

    Off topic, there are “Beware of the god” screensaver images, on the beware of the god site. They are nice.

26. ATM:
    2 November 2006, on 12:54 am

    I was starting to wonder if that “righteous hand of [insert deity name here]” had come down and slapped the server. Or not. Glad to see you’re all back!

27. beepbeepitsme:
    2 November 2006, on 12:54 am

    Welcome back.

28. Aesmael:
    2 November 2006, on 1:05 am

    Ah, good news! I too had feared an outbreak of fundie hackers. Welp, back to the site archives for me

    Matt, have you tried Fundies Say the Darndest Things?

29. Matt:
    2 November 2006, on 1:07 am

    No, but I’ll go there. Right not I’m looking mostly for anything from Hannity, Limbaugh, or Savage. You’d think it’d be easy to find something.

30. Lynda:
    2 November 2006, on 2:16 am

    Thanks, Ron! Missed GifS big time! Glad it’s back! My husband’s first response to the “Internal Server Error” message was, “They’re cracking down. No more freedom.” Glad he was wrong, but still we worry about these precious liberties.
    Can’t say I like the more modest website attire though. Hope we can get back the irreverent pizzazz soon.

31. Naomi:
    2 November 2006, on 3:23 am

    So: hacked? or not hacked? And what about the other atheist sites that were reportedly hacked? Inquiring minds need to know…

    But, I’m glad you’re back up. If you could just publish Ron’s GPS co-ordinates so I, too, could align my prayer rug. (Okay, so that’s not my best idea–privacy and all. Sorry!)

    Yepper, I miss the old razzle-dazzle and watching my comment while under construction. “You sermonize:”…

    Naomi (*sighs with relief*)

32. Anne:
    2 November 2006, on 3:30 am

    Thank you Ron, 3 cheers for returning.

    I was going barmy without you.

    In your absence, John Howard (Australia Prime Minister for those lucky enough not to know) has come up with the wonderful idea of spending 90 million dollars to put chaplains into each school. To get an idea of this please bear in mind we only have 20 million people.

    It gets better, our opposition have decided to do a preferences deal with Australia First (coservative xian party).

    Help I can’t get away from the lunatic xians interfering in our political process. They have now corrupted our 2 main parties.

    So I am in a dilemna on who to vote for, as we have a state election coming up early next year.

    I am so glad to have this place to rant to. I think we are starting to give you Americans a run in the merging of state and religion. Not a contest I want Australia to win.

    Must go I am off to write a letter to the Labor party telling them whay they won’t get my vote.

    ATHEISTS UNITE.

33. Aesmael:
    2 November 2006, on 8:14 am

    Ah, well. Mostly they do the online religious, the big players only get quoted occasionally.

    Anne, do you mean Family First? When did that happen? At least there are still some parties with sense, though: http://aesmael.livejournal.com/71804.html

    I should say it is not enough to vote for who you believe to be the right choice and it is not enough that the politicians know why you are voting or not voting for them, but those around you must also be swayed to make the right choice or your vote will count for very little.

    Aye, thank Ron the site is back.

34. Deacon Barry:
    2 November 2006, on 8:19 am

    Welcome back. Did any other sites get jinxed? My Favourites list got seriously minced. Some links have vanished, some were out of place, and links which I’d deleted, miraculously reappeared. My sceptical/athiest links were the worst affected. If it’s only me and this site affected, then that’s coincidence. If more were affected, that’s conspiracy!

35. Stardust:
    2 November 2006, on 9:12 am

    Deacon - I had to replace several of my links in my blogroll list and my bookmarks that suddenly didn’t work. Really weird! I have my blogs backed up now, which I should have done a long time ago. Agnostic Mom’s site was messed with and she just got back up and Cassandra (Atheist Mama) was having some problems, too. Is it just a coincidence that all this happened after that Dallas Xian College started making the rounds on atheist blogs? Then now they just disappeared?

36. Anne:
    2 November 2006, on 9:17 am

    Hi Aesmael, thank you for the link. I loved your article. Great their are other Australians posting here, but I adore the postings of our American friends.

    In the 2004 Federal election Labor gave Family First their prefernces. Latest word is that is happening as well in the Victorian state election.

    I just reread my post and realised I mislead you and got it wrong.

    An intersting thing I have noticed in the last month, is that Labor are also trying to get the religious vote. Did you know that Kevin Rudd, is also the chairman of the Labor Party’s committee on faith, politics and values.

    I find it scarey that such a thing exists.

    I think in Australia a lot of politicians go in with ideals and wanting to make things better. Unfortunately they soon tow the party line.

    There are some individual members that are great people.

    Luckily I live in a marginal electorate, so I like to feel my vote counts.

    Ultimately people will always vote for self interest instead of what is best for their country. An example of which is the Australian government giving tax cuts. Great for votes but not the best way to spend the money. (only my opinion)

37. Anne:
    2 November 2006, on 9:19 am

    Good point Stardust. I do not believe in coincidence.

    Good to see your site was still up. I had a wonderful time browsing through it. You have done a wonderful job.

38. raindogzilla:
    2 November 2006, on 9:32 am

    Am I just staring at an unseen snake on the verge of biting me or is there no place on this page for the mods to sign in? And I’m not sure about this “mods” designation- “You killed my scooter!”. I’m much more of a rocker, just ask Ace Face.

    Seriously, much love to Ron- and you too, Bob, for getting the joint functional again. I was vexed and fumin’ there for a minute. I would like to know whether this was done intentionally or just, you know, an act of gawd.

39. MoeNeigh:
    2 November 2006, on 9:34 am

    Glad GifS is back! Thanks, Ron! GifS has been such a part of my daily routine that I was experiencing withdrawal.

40. Marcus:
    2 November 2006, on 9:36 am

    Hooray us!

41. Stardust:
    2 November 2006, on 9:40 am

    Am I just staring at an unseen snake on the verge of biting me or is there no place on this page for the mods to sign in?

    RDZ - You have to go back to the main page and it’s at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar. It doesn’t show up when you have comments open.

42. Stardust:
    2 November 2006, on 9:47 am

    Good to see your site was still up. I had a wonderful time browsing through it. You have done a wonderful job.

    Thanks Anne, I enjoy it…and I especially enjoy my other blogs that have nothing to do with all this religious/political controversy.

    I have everything on back-up and plan to save my template info regularily, which everyone should do even with their personal computer files. My last computer completely died a few months ago and I lost a lot of stuff that I am still trying to retrieve and have since learned my lesson.

43. Aesmael:
    2 November 2006, on 11:03 am

    That’s much appreciated Anna and I do rather appreciate the Americans here too (it is their site!). Um, that was meant to be a more universal you in my comment too, directed at everyone including myself.

    Didn’t even know there was a committee in faith, politics and values, now I am scared too. As for the Family First preference, those bastards! If I’d known they never would have had my vote.

44. Steve Sutton:
    2 November 2006, on 11:46 am

    I like this minimalist layout. You should stick with it.

45. KristyLynn:
    2 November 2006, on 11:48 am

    I missed you GifS.

46. Lynda:
    2 November 2006, on 12:07 pm

    I’ve tried to submit a comment to Stardust’s post of October 29th a couple of times now and it is not showing up. I get a message that it’s a duplicate comment if I try to submit again. Still some bugs in the system or am I banned?

47. Lynda:
    2 November 2006, on 12:08 pm

    Well, that answers the question of being banned. So what’s happening with Stardust’s post?

48. Travdawg:
    2 November 2006, on 12:39 pm

    Yessss!!! I thought jeebus cripes may have decided to smite this page, but it’s back.

    I love GiFS, and Stardust too!

49. vinny:
    2 November 2006, on 1:36 pm

    Great to see the site back up again! I must admit that it’s absence for a short time affected me more than I would have thought…

50. karen:
    2 November 2006, on 1:59 pm

    SO GLAD YOU’RE BACK!
    You were missed!
    I love GifS!

51. Matt:
    2 November 2006, on 2:05 pm

    If there’s a conspiracy afoot, then this is a job for THE CONSPIRACY MAN!

    The government is trying to crack down on blogs that post “inaccurate” information, but of course what’s inaccurate and what’s not is not defined, so it’s left entirely up to them.

    Of course there are some vengeful assholes who scream “FREEDOM OF SPEECH” while at the same time supressing it through illegal means, such as hacking.

    Hmm. Perhaps I should look into it. Wonder if any xian blogs had the same problem.

    By the way, I went to that Fundies Say site (not to keen on the conspiracy theorist part though ) but it didn’t have what I needed. *Sigh* You’d think it’d be easy to find a quote from Michael Savage slamming atheists, since he slams EVERYTHING. Same goes for Limbaugh and Hannity too.

52. Raindogzilla:
    2 November 2006, on 3:28 pm

    Matt, I know that Bush 41 said something about not knowing whether atheists should be citizens and that they certainly couldn’t be patriots, this country being “one nation under gawd” after all.

    The poet Shelley was denied custody of his children for being an avowed atheist.

    As for Savage et al, just make shit up, because if they haven’t said it yet, you know they will eventually. Plus, they make shit up on a daily basis.

53. Ron:
    2 November 2006, on 3:41 pm

    http://gods4suckers.net/archives/2003/04/06/papa-bush-atheists-not-citizens-or-patriots/

54. Jimmer:
    2 November 2006, on 3:46 pm

    Lynda
    I had the same problem at that post also the day before the server went down. Change a sentence or add a sentence and keep trying it will work eventually. It took me 6 tries. last Thurs or Fri.

55. Vinnie:
    2 November 2006, on 3:57 pm

    Nice one! welcome back guys!

56. The Atheist Jew:
    2 November 2006, on 4:30 pm

    Fellow Atheists should check out this story. It is great:

    http://baconeatingatheistjew.blogspot.com/

57. MoeHammered:
    2 November 2006, on 7:50 pm

    So glad to see y’all back in bidness.
    We missed you!

    Also, let me add my voice to the small chorus -
    I am quite happy with this minimalist look.
    It is easy on the eyes, straightforward, and to the point.
    Much like myself.

    I think putting the original “GIFS” title graphic on the top bar (a fitting trib to Sean) and leaving the rest of the site basically as it is now would be excellent.

58. MoeNeigh:
    2 November 2006, on 8:29 pm

    AJ, thanks for the link. Here’s some more from an Associated Press article:

    Mike Jones, 49, told The Associated Press that Haggard paid him to have sex nearly every month for three years. His allegations were first aired on KHOW-AM in Denver.

    Jones said that he had advertised himself as an escort on the Internet and that a man who called himself Art contacted him. Jones said he later saw the man on television identified as Haggard.

    One of Bush’s main evangelical persons, who supposedly communicates with the White House at least once a week. Can’t stop laughing! Priceless! The more vehement homophobes turn out more often than not to be gay themselves.

59. Jimmer:
    2 November 2006, on 9:13 pm

    I can’t stop laughing about that either. what do you think the prostitute said when he saw the dude on TV? Oooohhh he’s cute… hey wait a minute I fu…d him. \

    And what is it with Colorado? Kid killers and evangelicals. Is there some link to the madness? Or are they naturally insane. Or did they move to Colorado from Texass

60. ChuckA:
    2 November 2006, on 11:03 pm

    Just something from another atheist Site, regarding our illustrious Secretary of Defense…surprise!…like Chimpy, Rummy thinks he’s getting instructions from his sky daddy. No wonder the Iraq war is fucked up!
    Check out the article and associated Dominionist links at the bottom? Whateva!

    From Austin Cline’s Agnosticism/Atheism Site:
    http://atheism.about.com/b/a/258407.htm

61. Bean:
    2 November 2006, on 11:56 pm

    I miss the old look, but I like this new look as well. I agree that the old logo should go at the top, regardless of the rest of the site’s design. So glad it’s back. I was getting a twitch in my eye - seriously - and I didn’t realize it was because I couldn’t feed my addiction to GifS. You guys keep me sane!

62. Revenant:
    3 November 2006, on 9:52 am

    Jimmer wrote:
    

    And what is it with Colorado? Kid killers and evangelicals. Is there some link to the madness? Or are they naturally insane. Or did they move to Colorado from Texass

    Lack of oxygen.

63. Ron:
    4 November 2006, on 11:41 am

    Good idea about putting Sean’s logo on the new minimalist page layout. Done.

64. Eve:
    6 November 2006, on 10:07 pm

    Looks great, Ron!