Dagger

I'm really interested in seeing Noir. However, I'm not entirely sure if I want to invest in it yet. The basic concept definitely appeals to me, and I enjoy anime that makes me think, so a twisty, mind-bending plot wouldn't turn me off. Plus, the animation sounds excellent. But I also heard that despite a very promising start, the series really slows down, and has a number of filler and "bad guy of the day" episodes. So perhaps I'll wait before buying it. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Queen Asuka [/i] [B][color=hotpink][size=1]And Mitch, contraceptives do matter. Now they have the shot. You only have to have the shot once every three months. And no pills or condoms to worry about.[/color][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] The women who live in developing countries are having more children than women anywhere else. These women are generally poor and uneducated, and so either (a) have misconceptions about birth control/don't know how to use it, (b) can't afford to pay for shots/pills, or (c) [i]need[/i] a larger number of children to help earn money and take care of household duties. In the past, people used to have enormous families (my dad is from a family of eight, and my paternal grandmother from a family of fifteen) because children could get jobs at a very young age, and, if they lived in a rural area, could be taught to work around the farm. Condoms are cheap in both industrialized and developing countries. However, not enough women have learned how important it is to encourage their sexual partners to use one, and men will often pay prostitutes more money to have intercourse without a condom. Prostitution is a viable trade throughout the world, particularly in areas where women are starving and desparate. Their own families sometimes sell them into slavery or prostitution. Birth control is important, but without proper education, it will continue to have little impact. ~Dagger~

An excellent banner. Sure, it's bright, but I'd venture to guess that you were going for that effect. Just make the text stand out a bit more, and it'll be perfect. ~Dagger~

My suggestion is to work on your punctuation. A few well-placed commas can really add to both the pacing and emotional impact of any poem. ~Dagger~

If life had an 'undo' button, I'm sure I would be tempted to use it. However, as things stand, I'd have to agree with Semjaza. Things--both good and bad--happen for a reason. All the stupid mistakes I've made over the years won't be wasted, because I know now how not to repeat them. All the painful or tragic events that I've experienced in my life have helped to shape the person I am today. ~Dagger~

My dad loves to hate anime.... but he really doesn't have much room to talk, seeing how as he's a huge Star Trek geek. So I have fun teasing him about that, and he gets his kicks mocking anime. It's all good. My mom, on the other hand, does enjoy some anime. However, she tends to prefer more kid-oriented stuff (like Miyazaki movies). I think that seeing serious violence and sexual material in a "cartoon" just makes her uncomfortable. My little sister is a huge Miyazaki fan..... she's madly in love with Haku (the cool dragon-boy character from Spirited Away). I plan on eventually getting her interested in other anime, which shouldn't be too difficult. My dog couldn't care less what I'm watching, as long as he has a good seat on the couch. ~Dagger~

I've always been a supporter of the concept of showing anime movies on Saturday night. As long as they're decently good, I think it'll be a tremendous hit. Rave Masters sounds pretty interesting. I have to say, Toonami is at an all-time low right now. I loved watching it over the summer (Yu Yu Hakusho and Rurouni Kenshin--what an amazing line-up), so hopefully things will improve. ~Dagger~

Heh, mal, I was waiting for you to reply to this. ^___^ I stayed up late last night finishing the first volume.... and whatever anyone else says, I really love it. The character designs are great (especially Yuki....), and even though the art isn't always perfect, there are so many sweet and hilarious moments. Manga rarely makes me laugh, so I tend to be wary of romantic comedies. But so far, Gravitation is awesome. I can't wait to see the anime. ~Dagger~

I'm in the same situation as Terra..... I'm no longer Christian, but I still have some Christian CDs from a couple of years ago. At the time, my favorite Christian artists were Rebecca St. James and Avalon. Both are a lot softer and poppier than what I normally listen to, but they're quite good, if you like that particular genre. ~Dagger~

Mm, fall is definitely my favorite season. The weather is gorgeous--crisp and cool, but not too cold, and everything just seems so much cleaner and fresher than in summer. The summers where I live are humid and smoggy, so it's really nice when the season finally begins to change. Also, I tend to mentally equate fall with beginnings, even though the new year doesn't start until January. I suppose I think that way because the school year begins in September. ~Dagger~

I've always wanted to see Gravitation, but I'm planning on waiting until it's released in the US (which should be fairly soon.... spring of 2004, if I'm correct). Anyway, I was at a local bookstore the other day, and I ran into a few volumes of the Gravitation manga (translated by Tokyopop). Now, I really hadn't been interested in reading the manga. I'd looked it up on Amazon, and apparently the translation was something of a hack job. Since I haven't seen the anime, I have no basis for comparison.... but so far it seems fairly decent. And the artwork is absolutely gorgeous. I simply couldn't resist buying the first volume If you've read the official English release, how does it compare to fan translations, or to the anime? I'd love to read your replies. ~Dagger~

Salome Gray sat curled in an armchair, luxuriating in the heat that radiated from the fireplace before her. Several wolfhounds lay sprawled on the rug at the woman's feet, snoring gently. She seemed content to watch them. Though her clothes were warm--lovely, fur-lined garments, the best that money could buy--her eyes remained distant and chilly. [i]Am I the only one who feels it?[/i] Salome mused. [i]A great shifting..... a change in the balance. Odd, that the animals notice nothing.[/i] They were the first to sense earthquakes, storms, and all such natural forces. But now her dogs slept, her horses stayed calm, and her falcons wanted only to fly free. She sat alone in the great stone manor, studying ancient texts, seeking answers to the questions that were slowly taking shape in her mind. She could not even put them into words. Perhaps it was time for a trip to the Temple. Salome rose and commanded the hounds not to follow her. She slipped on a soft white cloak and strode outside, making her way towards the stables. Today, she would take the gray mare. She hadn't been to town in months, and she had a reputation to keep up. Besides, it [i]was[/i] tradition. The Lady rode her way through the winding streets, occasionally raising a gloved hand to acknowledge one of the resident's greetings. They did not ask or expect her to smile; they only wanted her to look grand and pretty and powerful. She had no trouble obliging them.

Sadly, I haven't seen this rather popular series. I've heard that Hellsing has excellent animation and some pretty cool fights. However, I've also heard that the character designs tend to change from episode to episode, and that it doesn't have much in the way of replay value. Anyway, if the entire series is only $30 dollars, go for it. ~Dagger~

I like this very much. The background image is gorgeous, and the stars really fit Kagome's personality. My only complaint would be that the foreground picture contrasts a little too much with the lovely background. Perhaps you could fade it a little? ~Dagger~

Hmm. If I were trying to choose between a co-ed and a same-sex school, I'd judge the two institutions on their various merits, rather than on their gender diversity (or lack thereof). I have several friends at an all-girls school, and I honestly don't think that their romantic experience with boys has been terribly different from mine. They simply go see their boyfriends on the weekends. With that having been said, I really enjoy having boys as friends--and nothing more. At same-sex schools, you don't really get the chance to cultivate that type of friendship. Gentle: I used to wrestle. Yes, I wrestled boys (and beat most of them, too). None of them tried to do anything inappropriate. So don't discount co-ed sports.... although I am sorry that you've had bad experiences with them. ~Dagger~

Her thoughts were racing--this changed everything.... her assignment, the syndicate's plans.... hell, the entire goddamn world. She had to speak to Shirai'i, but it would take a good few minutes to reach her. For one of the first times in her life, Maia didn't want to be alone. "Hey, Luthian," she whispered. The redhead leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of his face. "Will you come with me?" He let her slide to the ground before turning around. "Where?" Maia picked nervously at the sleeves of her coat. "Well.... I should probably tell you that I don't live here. I just came from Ii'Kaer.... some work-related business. Y'know how it goes. Do you remember the woman who was with me at the bar? She's my partner." Luthian nodded, startled. "You dance?" "No need to look so surprised. Although I guess I'd probably be a disaster onstage." She offered him an odd, sad sort of smile. "We've got to go tell her about the letter. I can't believe this is happening..... the world was already a pretty screwed-up place." Not much to say to that. He took her arm, trying to ignore the strange tightening in his chest. Maybe it was simple superstition, but he had a feeling that the worst was yet to come. "Lead the way, then." Maia threaded her way through the fearful, whispering crowds. She had to be careful not to lose him--she was smaller, and used to this sort of manuvering. Moments later, a thought suddenly occurred to her. She stopped, braid whipping around as she glanced back, amber eyes scanning his face. "It doesn't matter what I do, does it?" "Hm?" "For a living," she clarified. Luthian blinked. "What's your line of work?" "Oh, you'll probably find out," Maia muttered, her gaze falling to her feet. "Er--nevermind that for now. I had a job tonight, but I doubt I'll have to go through with it. Anyway, let's find Shirai'i. I think we'll all be needing a few drinks." OOC: Bleagh. Stupid brain, making me write crappy posts.

Answer: Soaring Dragon Flash. Question: In Yu Yu Hakusho, what is the name that Keiko gives to Yusuke's "inner self"? ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by InuyashasLover [/i] [B]Ya know....I hate ppl who take yaoi into consideration. It's not true. Hiei and Kurama have been given the Yaoi title on another messageboard that I post at and I hate it...I pisses me off...Yaoi is just....stupid [/B][/QUOTE] Okay, so you hate me. I really couldn't care less. However, it'd be nice if you chose to clarify [i]why[/i] you dislike yaoi so strongly, and why it's "stupid." Thanks. Do you feel the same way about yuri, then? Simply stating your opinion, without providing any kind of justification for it, will not lead to any meaningful discussion. Daigo: Heh, I knew you were joking. And even though we disagree, I appreciate the fact that you're reasonable about it. ~Dagger~

I'm amazed that you can make these banners with MS Paint alone. That takes some real skill. I like the Sanzo banner, but you might want to clean up the text a little bit, if possible. The Naruto banner is very colorful and clean; it's definitely my favorite. You might want to enlarge the word "Fate" in the Eva banner. It's a little small, so I didn't quite see it at first. ~Dagger~

*grins* I agree. I wish that there had been more about Zack's character in the game. And for someone surrounded by beautiful women, Cloud seemed pretty content not to make any moves. I call it the Tenchi Syndrome. To ILoveBebop: Although I share your opinion, it was a little unfair of you to tell Daigo that you didn't want to hear his arguments on the subject. After all, why post in a thread like this if you have no desire to engage in some healthy debate? Just a thought. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by AzureWolf [/i] [B]I remember this saying about online petitions being the lowest form of expression or resistance, being even lower than just wishing for something without action. Signing a petition isn't going to help anything, but supporting the company will. Buy the games, buy the soundtracks, and buy the DVDs: that will be the strongest way to tell Bandai and CC2 that you want "The World" to be a reality. Hmm... Another wolf... Grrr.... [/B][/QUOTE] No fear, Azure. You'll always be the coolest wolf in town. ^_~ And I agree completely. Signing an online petition is really a kind of cop-out--it's the easiest way possible to demand what you want. Not that your intentions aren't good, Midnight, but like Azure said, supporting the company should be your first priority. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Eternal Otaku [/i] [B]I have to admit Tenchi is very good. I almost died laughing when that one gil said "are you a jewler?" Aw man... anyway, Dagger, thats an interesting choice. ive never seen that series but it sounds pretty good. Im surprised youve seen so many seies off CN... [/B][/QUOTE] Heh, I think I'll take that as a compliment..... Out of all the Tenchi series, Tenchi Universe is probably my favorite, but the 13 episode OAV is also excellent. I watch Tenchi for its characters (well, Ryoko specifically) more than anything else. When you look at the show's other aspects (plot, animation, etc) it becomes clear that it's not particularly outstanding. And the fact that they never made Tenchi choose between Ryoko and Ayeka really infuriated me. However, it can make for pretty enjoyable viewing. ~Dagger~

I love Roger/Dorothy too. She's a refreshing change from the usual nice, submissive female android. Anyway, in last night's episode, [spoiler]her memory circuits were ripped out, which basically rendered her catatonic[/spoiler]. Poor Roger.... it was very sad. The thing is, it's entirely possible to like het, shonen-ai, and shoujo-ai. There's no need to be "partisan" about it, since shonen-ai relationships don't conflict with het relationships any more than various het pairings do with each other. Case in point: In Final Fantasy VII, there's a love triangle between Cloud (the male lead), Aeris, and Tifa. If Vincent (or Zack, for example) had been a part of that love triangle instead of one of the girls, that wouldn't actually have changed the overall situation. Cloud would still need to choose between the two people who were romantically interested in him. See what I'm trying to say? ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by StrikerX [/i] [B]Well , what if you had game's on the site, and what about , when you go to the battle forums , when you type a post , and tell about how the battle go's , blah blah blah , you can choose banner's , as scenery picture's, and weapon picture's , then you put in the name[for the weapon]. and more interactive things, i know there not that detailed , but i'm a little bit tired , and that these are little improvement idea's , just to help you think. and if anyone else has some improvment's for mine i would love to hear them.:) [/B][/QUOTE] I'm a little confused as to what you're suggesting. By "games," do you mean games, or do you mean the type of written battles and RPGs that OB already has? Anyway, I don't see how choosing banners that depict scenery or weapons would have a different result than attaching an image to one's post, which is already common practice. If anything, it'd end up being quite inconvenient. And I don't see how doing this would make the Battle Arena experience more interactive. Besides, [i]describing[/i] the weapons, setting, and one's character is half the fun, isn't it? I might have misunderstood your post, so feel free to correct me. ~Dagger~

Name: Lady Salome Gray Age: 27 Gender: Female World: Gensine Magic: [i]Aquilo[/i]: Summons the north wind to form a defensive torrent around herself and other targets. She can control the strength of this spell; in other words, it may range from a simple cold breeze to a hurricane-strength gale, one which both blinds and drives back the enemy. This spell is extremely useful and in some cases even impenetrable, but Salome cannot sustain it for long periods of time, and is incapable of taking any other action while she is casting it. [i]Mirada[/i]: Allows Salome to watch something happening elsewhere at the same time. It can be performed from any distance. However, if she has never seen the person or location in question before, its power is limited, and will only afford her the briefest of glimpses. The greater her familiarity with what she is attempting to see, the greater her chances of success. [i]Gedanke[/i]: Permits her to scan the thoughts of either whoever is nearby, or a particular target. In the latter instance, the target must be within seeing distance, and his or her thoughts will become more clear with proximity. Salome can delve into a person's innermost thoughts and emotions, but it takes tremendous effort and precision, particularly if the target is mentally strong. Location: Jerrik Bio: Salome, the daughter of a deceased nobleman, lives alone on the outskirts of town. She is something of a mysterious figure, as she rarely ventures into Jerrik proper, and is known to be a powerful enchantress. Above all else, Salome loves to learn and to hunt. She has no need to work, having received a sizeable inheritance from her late father, and so spends most of her time poring over obscure scholarly treatises, riding her horse through the countryside, or training young falcons in the art of pursuing prey. Though strong-willed, she is very calm and intelligent, and it takes a great deal to make her lose her temper. Since she was very young, she has been granted visions of the past and possible futures. These waking dreams can be disturbing and deeply unsettling, but Salome is accustomed to them. Despite the fact that her true talents lie in her role as a seer, she also has knowledge of some basic healing magic. She is a graceful and elegant woman, classically beautiful, but there is something slightly cold about her demeanor. Her element is wind/air. Appearance: 5' 5" and slender, with long black hair and icy blue eyes. ~Dagger~