Shared Text: Harry Potter and the War Against Terror

December 4, 2011 by 8 Comments

‘Harry Potter and the Islamization of America.’ (Hat Tip to Grant!)

There are points I find unlikely in this American Thinker piece, most notably that Ms. Rowling was writing either a tit-for-tat historical allegory of the Second World War’s European theatre or a satire of the present day denial of danger concerning Islamic terrorists. What I think is undeniable in this writer’s argument is that Harry Potter, as the Shared Text of this generation of readers, ages “nine to ninety,” is the perfect vehicle to score political points via creative exegesis. Everyone knows the stories so mavens of every stripe can speak to their respective flocks using their language and power as touchstones of their ideological positions.

Look for a repeat of “Republicans for Voldemort 2012” on bumper stickers in your neighborhood soon.

Filed Under: Shared Text

Shared Text: Gringotts, China, and US Trillion Dollar Debts

November 30, 2011 by 1 Comment

China on the Brink of Bankruptcy is a recent article on The Catholic Reporter, of all places, where we can read about “Politics and Culture from a Catholic Perspective.” The article clincher? Not what you might expect in a traditionalist Catholic voice-on-line:

Go here to read [the original article on Chinese money woes] at The Epoch Times.   If the Obama administration is thinking that the Chinese will buy our increasingly worthless debt as far as the eye can see, they had better readjust their options. Perhaps Gringotts might be in the mood to buy paper from Uncle Sam?

H/T Peony!

Filed Under: Shared Text

Hogwarts Professor Loved in Sweden — No Joke.

November 30, 2011 by 3 Comments

When anyone on the Internet links to this site, I’m sent a “pingback” notice. It’s fun to see who is talking about what we’re talking about here (most of the time) but sometimes the link is more of a stretch than usual. In September I got pinged from Sweden and I couldn’t make heads or tails of the post from way, way over there. So I wrote Odd Sverre Hove, our man in Norway, and he sent me a translation.

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Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes, Shared Text

Guest Post: Hippogriffs, Epic Fantasy and Warrior Maidens

November 29, 2011 by 6 Comments

Today’s guest post — which comes with a wonderfully generous offer — is by long-time HogPro All-Pro and author of Quest of the Warrior Maid: A Romeo and Joan of Arc Love Story, Linda C. McCabe, aka ‘Pallas Athena.’ As she explains in her post, we have been corresponding since 2003; I am happily obliged to add that she ‘took me to school’ about the Hogwarts Saga and the world of Harry Potter fandom, a world in which more than once she has had my back in discussions with those wanting to run a virtual sword through me. I remain a grateful student, reader of her blog, and I love her book, which I hope Potter-philes will read alongside the original Orlando epics. Without further ado, then, I give you Linda McCabe!

John Granger is graciously allowing me a guest post to tell his HogPro readership about my debut novel, Quest of the Warrior Maid, and how it relates to the Harry Potter series.

The inspiration for my novel is directly related to my participation in the online Harry Potter fandom.  I spent several years re-reading and studying the series.  I formulated theories and shared them online with other likewise obsessed fans.  I wrote some fanfiction fleshing out my wacky theories as to where I thought things might go in the fifth year.  It was after that was completed that I wrote a post on the Harry Potter for Grown Ups list serv that dealt with shipping.  I thought it was a good post, so did others and I was asked for my permission to have my words quoted on another HP centered site. I started reading that board and began posting there as well.  That is what drew me into the shipping debates.

Yup, I was a shipper.

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Filed Under: Potter Fandom, Shared Text

Shared Text: Doonesbury and the New Potter

September 4, 2011 by 1 Comment



Filed Under: Shared Text