Godelsensei

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]The fact will always remain that snowboarding is infinately more difficult than skiing. I learned to ski decently in about five or six hours, total. On the other hand, it took me two hours, on the bunny hill, to make three consecutive turns on my friend's snowboard. _ _U Either I just suck, or my first sentence is correct. I usually just blame it on her board's being goofy, though. ^^"" I almost broke both of my legs skiing the first time I tried...whee... That wasn't the singular most fun event of my life, but don't let me discourage you. : )[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New][b]Overbearingly Angsty People[/b] I'll readily give you that every person has their right to ***** and moan about the littlest of things now and again, but there are people who do it constantly. And not in a world-weary, intelligent, sarcastic manner, either. They do so in a whiney, self-victimizing, grotesquely annoying manner, that leaves even the most tolerant of souls readying their metal, bent-in-the-middle, baseball bats, preparing to strike the hopefully final, hopefully fatal, blow. [b]Intense and Constant Seriousness[/b] It's not attractive, it's not "deep", and it's not practical. Psh. If you can't take things for what they are, silly, then when are you going to find time to have fun? I mean, there are a few things in life that require a partial, or even complete, lack of humour, but they should be few and far between, [i]neh?[/i] [b]Deeper Meanings in Everything[/b] "This bunny with a pancake on his head is like the world." Need I say more? O_o o_O"" [b]Menonites[/b] Don't even get me started on this one. How stupid can you get? Sheesh. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]It'd never happen. It'd be like you wanting your non-existant older-brother. Just because they're not really siblings, it doesn't mean they weren't raised like it. Stop being a pervert, Skippedry! You're turning into an outright Ero-sen'nin! *smack* I think my favourite aspect (or one of my favourites, at least) of SP is how [Spoiler]"God" is portrayed as an angsty lady with silver hair. It makes me chuckle.[/FONT][/Spoiler][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Physician-Assisted suicide. The prescription and use of a drug (typically an injection) that is intended to end the patient's life. What it is [b]not[/b]: -giving a patient pain-treatment drugs that quicken death as a side-effect -failing to provide a patient with life-support, for whatever reason -sedating a patient so they are unconcious while they die of their ailment Now that those few points are clear, comes the question: is it moral? On the one hand, you could say that PAS is murder: a doctor has no right offering a patient a death-inducing prescription. The patient may be confused or depressed, may not be in a state during which they can properly think it over. What if there is a medical break-through the next day? What if their condition suddenly picks up? And it doesn't only apply to the ill. What about depressed people who simply don't want to live any more? Young people, with their lives ahead of them? What business does a doctor have offering them the oppertunity to die? Legally, your life is not yours to take, or to give to some one else to take for you. It is [i]illegal[/i] for a doctor to prescribe lethal drugs. Should it be? What if there is no hope for the person? What if they are in horrible pain? What if they are depressed beyond recovery? It is their right to choose (incidentally, this is not true...) whether they want to live or die. When it comes to illnesses, though I still stand by the first argument, the case is quite different. If you are dying of cancer, and the pain is un-bearable, you are lonely, senile, maybe it's slightly less wrong than a doctor offering a depressed 28-year-old a chance to end it all. But, still: I don't feel that either is right, especially not the latter. Depression passes, and the chance for improvement should always be held sacred, not thrown away. Comments?[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Let me get this straight...you're condoning your two best friends' smoking mary-jane? It's impossible to develop a physical dependance on marijuana, so it's entirely out of peer pressure. It might sound crazy, but it'd probably be better for you to just tell your friends that you aren't jumping for joy at the thought of being a drug-user. It might shed some light on priorities and health for them, too.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]TELL ME YOU ARE LYING, YOU SICK *****!!! *runs around, burning things* Skippedry, Skippedry, Skippedry!! Don't you *dare* delete your fansubs, unless you are telling a horrible lie. Just so you know, this is beyond being funny. >:^O FUNimation is a [i]terrible[/i] organization that obviously takes great delight in hiring utterly talent-less voice-actors, re-writing scripts, cutting all the good parts, censoring everything from blood to guns, and they just...eugh. They're awful. I actually screamed when I read your last post. I [b]screamed[/b] Skippedry. If you're telling a mean joke (and I'm going to find out if this is the truth once I finish writing this), I am [i]so[/i] not being your friend any more. I resent the thought of such a beautiful series being taken and mangled by such a hideous, ruthless monster. I will start a petition! Hell--screw that. I'll just burn FUNimation's headquarters!! The [i]last[/i] thing I want to see is Henrietta's lifestory being bastardized and played at 4:30pm for all the eight-year-olds to come home and watch after school. EDIT: I'm curious--where did you read this? It's not on their site. : /[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]You're just getting to the good part. From here on in, Skippedry, old chum, Scrapped Princess goes crazy. Crazy wonderful, I mean. My favourite character, Seineth Lulu Giatt, starts to become a huge part of the storyline (she's very similar to Kushana, aside from the crazy screaming, no?), and the relationships between all of the characters start criss-crossing and becoming more and more interesting. Truth be told, I wouldn't care for the art-style if I just saw a few screen-shots, but I think it gives the show an interesting mood. Then again, I love art-styles that contradict what one woudl expect: and in this case, I think it's done amazingly well. The character designs and characters, overall, (especially my favourite Leopold^.^) are extremely cool and utterly likeable. And they're even believable! : O I think the reason people tend not to like the last few episodes is because they become highly philosophical. Also, the feeble-minded might get just a tad confused. XD Anyway, I'm glad to see you're getting into the Scrapped Princess bit: it's great stuff, it is. I love the clothing! Especially the robes that Shannon and Raquelle wear!!^^[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Being some one who loves to eat, and having friends who take great joy in eating, as well as cooking, I don't really know what to tell you in this situation. If you're concious of the fact that you mental image of "pretty" has been extremely skewed, I think you're probably halfway there, already. Admitting that you know you have problems is a good sign, as well. You mentioned being uncomfortable with being 145 pounds, I think it was? That's the average weight for a woman or teenaged girl who doesn't diet. I don't mean to sound hostile, but there is absolutely nothing healthy about being extremely thin (unless it's in your genes, in which case, it's natural). Also, there is [SIZE=4][b]nothing attractive[/B][/SIZE] about being extremely thin, unless it's in your genes. Your bones, face shape, hair, skin, everything, look best together when you allow your body to grow naturally. This doesn't mean you should just sit around eating crapfood all day long, though. (That's pretty gross, too...even I don't do that [i]all[/i] day...=_="") If you are underfed, your body does not receive enough of the things it needs to survive. Your hair and teeth can fall out, your skin starts to sag, you faint easily, are unable to concentrate on mental tasks. To put it simply, you need to eat. And you need to eat healthily. I know you've heard this all before, and it's not going to change anything, but it's the truth. If you're looking to make yourself more "beautiful", remember that there is no one who has the right to force a these feelings upon you. Not the media, not people you know, no one. You sound like an intelligent person, and that comes above all else. When you get down to it, any one who cares more about your looks than [i]you[/i] as a person is not worth your time. Your friends, family, and your boyfriend (the ones who really mean something to you in the end) wouldn't care if you were a few pounds over-weight, and you shouldn't either. I don't know if I sound naive or whatever, but you owe your body respect (after all, think of all the things it lets you do: walk, run, surf the internet...), and you owe the people you mean alot to doing whatever you can to keep yourself alive and healthy. If all else fails, remember this: [b]"Beauty fades, but stupid stays."[/b] In the long run, the size of your highschool jeans doesn't matter, as long as you're healthy, both in body and in mind.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Well, no matter what I go through in my life (aside from dying, that is... : / ), I will always remember [Spoiler]that close-up of a beating heart during the fight between my favourite Neji (heart) and Hinata. u_u The "kchnk" sound effect at the end was simply O_o""-ifying, as well. Pure gold, there, that is. The sound of ripping flesh and spurting blood...ahh... Another scene I loved was the "fight" between Itachi and Sasuke at the hotel. The anime didn't censor most of the wince-rendering violence, which was a relief. The part where Itachi snaps his younger brother's fore-arm was done particularly well; the screaming was extremely convincing. Also, seeing the blood and the spittle trickling from Sasuke's mouth as Itachi continued to knee and kick him in the stomach was brilliantly done. Now, this might just be because I absolutely cannot stand Sasuke, [/spoiler]but it really was a powerful scene that emphasized both of the character's personalities and mental states. What a great episode that was... Another scene from Naruto I have and will always love(d) is [spoiler]Sakura's allowing Zaku to kunai her several times before knocking him to the ground. The blood splattering onto his face was extremely cool.[/spoiler] The message from the scene was pretty touching, as well. T_T (Squirrels forever, man.) The last scene from Gunslinger Girl most certainly draws on a few heartstrings. [spoiler]The singing in German was simply beautiful in that it, for the first time, really, [i]really[/i] addressed how young and human the girls were.[/spoiler] *sigh* And, of course, you've gotta love the line [Spoiler]"I'll stop when I run out of fingers. One..."[/Spoiler] Seeing Seguchi [Spoiler]push Taki infront of a car was pretty neat, too.[/Spoiler] : D[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Turning people away from a private institution because they appear suspicious can be justified. An eleven-year-old boy wearing a polo-shirt, traveling with his Mom and Dad is not suspicious. It shows that they, as a family unit, wish to take part in whatever is going on within the institution. Correct? Give two of them accents, and everything changes. Just a thought. [center]***[/center] But, yes: what Skippedry said. Culture is not something to be ignored or kept hushed-up; it's something that should be celebrated. (Like proper punctuation!!! : D) Having grown up in a very diverse part of the world, I think I've had it off easy when it comes to any kind of racial stereotyping. There's simply no room for prejiduces when it comes to employment, friendships, etc... because you're cutting yourself off from too many people. People aren't countries, and they're not history (though they can be proud of them both). Some older fellow who was visiting some of our neighbors was complaining that there were "Too many foreigners walking around." I often find myself almost offended by attitudes like this, although I'm not of the groups they reffer to. My friends are, though--and most of them were born here, anyway. Politically, racism has become utterly tabboo, though it is still prevelant (the same is true of sexism in many cases). Give it fifteen years, and most of it ought to be gone.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Unches? What's an unches? *blink blink* [Spoiler]AAAAARGH. Shizune's voice was terrible. Tsunade's voice was terrible. Tsunade's proportions were not there. >:^O She should have a deep, imposing, manic voice. Kind of just like Seineth Lulu Giatt.^^ Tsunade is the kind of character who is always in charge, even when she's not Hokage. How dare they screw with that image?! And did you hear about the possibility of the show's introducing a major character that did not appear in the manga? I hate it when that kind of thing happens. Damn them...>_> I'm glad Gaara's come to his senses, while retaining some of that manic killer essence. And, boy, is his shirt cool. ^.^[/FONT][/COLOR][/Spoiler]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]A classmate of mine and his parents were turned away from a museum or something somewhere in America because his parents have Indian accents, were from Canada, travelling with Australian passports. (Or something to that degree. : / ) This kind of thing isn't acceptable in highly developed societies like the United States and Canada. In response to your last question: What the hell kind of question is this? I am going to give you the benefite of the doubt by imagining that this was worded incorrectly. Sorry for sounding rude, but "NO." That would be like saying "We need to arrest all Asians to stop kidnappings." There is no specific race associated with being Canadian or American (as two examples), and that should mean more to people. People should be arrested because there is reason to believe they are connected to, or have committed, crimes. People like my classmate and his family should not be turned away from borders or museums because of their accents.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]O_o"" You know how, when you're driving, and you pass a sign that says "You are now leaving such-and-such, entering this-and-that?" but everything looks the same? In other words, it's nothing special, although you thought it would be dramatically different. As long as you have a few friends to do stupid things (eat ice cream with a spoon held between chopsticks, for instance) with, everything is as "meh" as it was before. Yep. Life experience is over-rated, from what I can see. *burns things*[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Hey! Gaara is not just a psycho who kills everything in his path! [Spoiler]He and Lee have a nice, philosophical discussion about life and precious people! They're acting like best-friends now! : D They make a pretty cool pair of pals, actually (just pals, you perverts), seeing as they're so...different. ^.^[/Spoiler] I honestly don't know where all these things spring from, Skippedry. O_o"" I mean, it's cute seeing Kakshi x Iruka pairings, but when people start defying all laws of common logic and pair Orochimaru with Naruto... Aiya. Actually, Reflux, I think the character most likely to be gay would be Kakashi (but I doubt there are any actual gay characters : / ), but whatever. I wish I could show you guys the print I bought at the convention. Haha... Oh, and by the way... [CENTER][Spoiler][SIZE=4][b]ENTER TSUNADE![/B][/SIZE][/Spoiler][/CENTER][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Ahh...Barbies. What fun it was, to be a young thing, with my best friend at the time, "playing" with our dolls. She has two little sisters, and I have one, and we are both girls, so there were...alot of Barbies and Kens and vehicles and pets and clothes and horses lying around. However, we solved this problem with great joy and efficiency. Some of my fonder memories are dying their hair green, then ripping their heads off. I remember how we would leave them lying around the house (the heads), as some sort of warning sign or something to that degree. The bodies were usually thrown into a box and left in a closet. : / I also remember taking an electric pencil sharpener to Life-guard Ken's hand. And his feet. And ripping his arm off by the means of leverage--that is, we popped it off using a door, somehow. I do believe my friend still has him lying around somewhere. We also used to cut their hair as short as possible, then pretend to burn them at the stake. I remeber, as well, that we once sold Barbie's horse to the glue factory, and put Kelly and her friends/clones/cousins up for sale as slaves. They were bought by the tyranous Ken and Barbie, who made them do all sorts of tedious chores and almost never fed them. What fun. For us, I mean. Every so often, when looking for dice or whatever in a closet, you'll find Barbies, mutilated in various ways. Yes, those were the days...^_^[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Hey! What was that for, you jackass?! >:^O And it's not like it hurt anyway...*maniacal laughter* I mean, my uber-ninja skills allow me to ignore pitiful, juvenile, attacks like that! *hobbles off into the corner to plot revenge* Anyway, [Spoiler]I find the theory that Jiraiya is Naruto's grandfather to be rather, well...funny? Jiraiya doesn't seem like the kind of person who would wander off and leave his son or daughter (and eventually grandson) for as long as he was away. He would have come back to take care of Naruto when he found out his son/daughter had died. At least, I imagine he would have. >_> I seriously doubt that Yondaime was Naruto's father. It would be [i]way[/i] too cliche. : / But then again, what if it turns out that Orochimaru is Naruto's father?! : O[/Spoiler] *watches every one fall over* [Spoiler]And NEJI IS NOT DEAD!!! *runs into a corner (again : / ), and starts crying* How dare you suggest that?! >:^O NEJIII~~II!!!![/Spoiler] (Hm...Skippedry, did that there just count as spam? XD) *throws a codfish at you* [Spoiler]If Neji died, however, *gush of tears* it [i]would[/i] bring about a great amount of character development when it comes to Hinata, Hanabi, Hiashi (H, H, H...o_o""), and Ten-Ten. And other people, too.[/Spoiler] Finally: I saw episodes 83 and 82! T_T Baka no BitTorent... >:^O[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Glad to hear I achieved the effect I was reaching for. Anyway, here's the next installment: (I used some smarter, more visually appealing, spaceage in this one.^^") *** It was a beautiful day by any mortal standard. Of course, being bereft of the ability to hold mortal standards in any kind of esteem, the figure standing at the city gate, trying to convince the guard that he was not a menace to the society enclosed, was in somewhat of an itchy, too-hot, and overall oppressively negative mood. He possessed no interest in the butterflies that landed here and there, or in the ants that crawled through the cracks in the dirt road; he took no notice of the scents of flowers or the twittering of birds. (The only sound he was really taking in was the grumbling of his stomach?as far as smells went, anything safely edible would have had the scent of the finest Elvish feast in the history of the Earth.) For what was not the first, and wouldn?t be the last, time in his life, Xeth Xiloscient wished he knew how to cook. However, the thought was fleeting: the guard had finally accepted the bullcrap the almost-somewhere-near-to-being-sly Elf had been feeding him for the past ten minutes (this was probably due to the fact that the guard?s Elven was spectacularly poor, however). As the caravan, intact with empty cupboards, his younger brothers, and Benjamin the tortoise, rolled into the bubble of the city on its sturdy wheels, Xeth almost burst out laughing?it would be the last time this city let an Elvish caravan into its walls. He could almost hear the gentle tap of his oldest-but-still-younger-than-himself brother laying a hand on his swords? respective hilts; the gentle hum of whatever instrument the youngest of the three chose to put to work for the day would surely follow momentarily. Xeth, Xerxes, and the other one weren?t merely hungry, dirty, and lacking in any ability to speak or comprehend the Common Tongue: they were also thirsty, smelly, sleepy, and anxious to create whatever havoc they deemed reasonable. (After all, they were still young, living the Elvish equivalent of their teenaged years. Incidentally, they had been exiled from their homeland due to some rather messy business involving fire and an astounding number of potatoes?nevertheless, their mother and father had always insisted they were proud. For humanity at large, this had turned out to be a very bad thing.) Xeth, Xerxes, and the other one?s collective concept of what was reasonable being called anywhere near realistic would have been astoundingly akin to one?s referring to a cow-sprung fart as being overwhelmingly pleasant. (For the purpose of this simile, we will pretend that creatures that, in any way, resemble Orcs do not exist.) It was several hours, and two-too-many-pints-of-beer later that they rode away, caravan packed with every form of plunder imaginable, bellies full of alcohol and the odd buffalo wing. Indeed, what was left of the city was somewhere bordering appalling?within a few short hours, three guys in cloaks, wielding two swords, what must have been at least level-ten magic, and a harpsichord, respectively, had somehow managed to flatten most of the buildings, step on a cat, and down eighty percent of the establishment?s ale. The journalists in the immediate area, if no one else, were delighted. ?Um?Xeth, I hate to bring it up now, but I think there are several big men on horses following us with hatchets.? The middle brother, who had the reigns, was looking back, over his shoulder?the three, with their vast combined intelligence (along with the rest of the world), had yet to discover the wonder of rear-view mirrors. Xeth leaned out the side of the fast-moving caravan, lips pursed ever-so-slightly. ?No?that one has a sword. And the one on the left is carrying a mace. The other two have spears. You were wrong.? ?I do believe you are missing the point entirely.? He drove the horses at the front on faster. ?My hands are full?would you be a dear and do something about those fellows behind us?? Xeth raised an eyebrow (his brother?s habit of being polite and endearing in all situations still confused him to no end) and replied with a half-hearted, ?Sure.? He yawned once before clambering around the contents of the caravan, until he was leaning halfway out the back. He waved at them in a patronizing fashion, realizing almost too late that the one he hadn?t seen before had a bow. Irritated by almost being nicked in the arm, he pointed a steady (as steady as is possible in a caravan moving recklessly fast down a rocky, narrow path, anyway) finger at the offending human. His [the human?s] friends (Or were they simply allies? Did it matter?) were somewhat taken aback, to say the least, at his almost-immediate transformation into a cheesecake. ?Wouldn?t a frog have been more?you know?? ?Conventional?? Xeth shrugged in his youngest brother?s general direction before taking care of the rest of their pursuers. The squirrels would feast tonight.[/FONT] [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Xerxes Xiloscient was not happy. As a matter of fact, the breadth and length of his unhappiness could have allowed one (had they been physical) to, quite easily, bridge the deepest and widest of chasms. Had his unhappiness been a ship, it would have enabled its crew to sail from one point on the Earth to another, with little or no reaction to waves. (However, one could also argue that his unhappiness? being a negative emotion would render whatever sea vessel it took the form of a long-neglected dinghy.) But his emotions were neither ships nor bridges and, as it were, he was left with no more to do than brood. Then, it started to rain, and he was left with nothing to do but brood and curse. Incidentally, he was extraordinarily proficient at both. So, he sat, brooding and cursing, in the rain, waiting to see if his brothers really would come back for him. Wait for us here, Xerxes. Don?t worry, Xerxes. He could see the foolish grins and dismissive waves in the back of his mind, and it irritated him fantastically. He was unsure of how long he sat in the rain but, eventually, as they had said they would, his older and only two siblings came into view. The darkness and blur created by the falling droplets gave their entrance an eerie effect, making it seem almost as though they had materialized out of the woods. When creatures and things materialize, it is custom for them to strut about (or even float) in a mysterious, overbearing fashion, perhaps spouting a few tricky lines of poetry. Xerxes imagined that, between the two of them, they were incapable of performing either. What they were capable of did not matter to him a great deal at the moment; he was growing tired of the sogginess that had thoroughly overthrown his clothes and hair, and his only thought was to get somewhere dry. Or somewhere warm. Preferably somewhere both. ?Hey, Xerxes?you look some how malcontent.? His older-but-not-oldest brother was peering down at him in a curious, stupid fashion. ?Is that so?? Xerxes liked to imagine he was capable of creating a tone that dripped with sticky sarcasm. In truth, he ended up sounding nothing but whiney to the thread-bare reaches of extremity. His brothers were used to this, and had long-since given up on the notion that he would, one day, stop being (in spirit, anyhow) a sixteen-year-old human girl with pre-menstrual syndrome. ?Couldn?t you have made a lean-to or something?? His oldest, stupidest, most irritating brother was giving him a patronizing, disappointed look. ?No. I couldn?t have?why don?t you make one now?? ?Because I don?t want to.? ?You could have at least gone inside until we got back; we wouldn?t have noticed. And if we had, we would have pretended not to.? His other brother?s voice was rich and sickly sweet with almost-maternal concern. How Xerxes loathed it. As a matter of fact, Xerxes loathed most things: his brothers were just at the top of the list. The only things he didn?t loath were music, emus, several exclusive and conservative foods, and his pet tortoise, Benjamin. ?Benjamin went inside. You should have listened to him. You?re going to die of pneumonia.? ?I?m not going inside.? After a heated, entirely valid (in Xerxes? eyes, anyway) argument, he had refused to set food inside their caravan that served as home. ?You are if I make you.? The other one was talking again. Not just talking, but slinging the cold, wet, angry Xerxes over his shoulders and carrying him to the door. When he protested, his brother simply stated, ?I?m not listening,? over and over, until the younger of the two gave up. *** This is a stand-alone piece that I just did because I felt like getting the comical nature of these three little guys down on...screen. They're quite possibly my favourite characters that I've created (after Izumi, of course), and I think they disserve some recognition. I plan to add a few more little snippets--whether or not they will relate to each other is yet to be determined.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Hey, man, Orlando Bloom is a very pretty guy; why else would I have a poster of him on the wall, over there? *points* Having said that, I think that is about the extent of both my celebrity knowledge and (for the most part) interest. While it would be neat to get a chance to talk to certain actors, singers etc... I don't really think of myself as pop-cultured. : / There are people I know who dress, talk, and act in the ways they think they should, simply because these notions are pushed so strongly by the media. It's sad, really, that they can care so much about what they think is popular. I wont deny the fact that I have a few movie-posters on my walls, or find so-and-so to possess above-average atractiveness, but I hardly let these things govern my life (at least, I don't as much as most people--we're all influenced to an extent, of course). I have no interest in celebrity news, when it comes to the kind of thing covered in People magazine. It's just boring; I'd rather read Naruto... (Speaking of Naruto: Masashi Kishimotto--now [i]there's[/i] a dude I'd like to meet.^.^ Psh.)[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Well, I for one think pizza's great! : D *does the pizza dance* However, the above statement and course of action were entirely beside the point. So, if you'll allow me to compose myself... *brief, yet suspenseful pause* [Spoiler]I aboslutely adored the image of Temari smiling at the end of chapter fourteen. It was an expression we've never gotten out of her before, so it was very refreshing and cool. Also, I think the entire "Girls have cooties!!!" thing Shika-kun has going on is very cute, not to mention rapidly being displaced. I think it's almost obvious that our dear friend Mr Kishimotto is planning some unsatisfactorally mild degree of romance between Temari and said Chuunin. (Damn those 13+ ratings!!! >:^O )[/Spoiler][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]If you are the target of bullying, it is generally because you do not have a group to defend you (not necessarily as in beat-the-crap-out-of defend either...). My school experience has been different from most people's--since I was eight years old, I have never been picked on or beaten up in any way. Especially in middle school. Why? Because I'm in a special ed. class that's been together since fourth grade--even if we're not uber-close friends, that's a pretty substantial group, no? (My friends and I would probably be the stereotypical bullying target, too. Heh.) However, before switching schools, I was constantly picked on (mostly verbally, but physically, too) by other students. I had a grand total of three friends over the span of as many years, and was made fun of because of it. (It's unbelievable how much you're made fun of for being friends with a boy in third grade. Sheesh.) However, switching schools landed me with people I could actually talk to--so, it's all good. Funny, I had forgotten until recently how bad it was for those three years. So much for psychological effects there... So, I don't consider myself a bullying target.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Ahh, but I would assume your girlfriend is of an age where she is able to make decisions like whether or not to participate in beauty contests for herself, no? Even babies are included in these sorts of competitions. How can you possibly take a little girl from when she is an infant and raise her believing that looks are the most important thing in the world and then say it hasn't had any negative effects on her self image? It's rediculous. In our highly developed society, where we are constantly striving (as a whole) for equality and acceptance, how can we condone such things? The message that most children's TV shows send is "Be yourself." or "You're special." (

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Recently, an interesting topic has come up among my classmates and I: children participating in beauty pageants. While it is obvious that these functions can often result in low self-esteem later on in life, extreme parental pressure, and overall unhappy children, some people still seem to be for these Little Miss *insert name here* events. I am not sure how many years ago it was that a little girl was murdered as a result of her participating in a beauty pagent. I am not quite sure what the story was, though I believe she was murdered (directly or indirectly) by the competition's parent/guardian. I find it appalling that people (parents, especially) could take something so hollow so seriously. If one is going to dress your daughter up and pressure her to become skinny and look what one envisions as "pretty", one should at least retain some degree of civilty about it. I know that not every one could possibly take these things [i]so[/i] seriously, but I am against the concept of beauty pagents all together. They send a negative message to girls because of the strange ideas of "beauty" that exist today. Be rail-thin, pile yourself with makeup. I find neither of these concepts at all appealing, but there are people who are driven to take them seriously to a disturbing level. Starting to send such intense waves of the above messages from when your child is six or seven years old cannot possibly benefit their self-concept in any way. Similarly, I would imagine it would give them a skewed image of how [i]other[/i] people should look and behave. It's a rather obscure topic, I know, but I think it's serious in its own right. What are people's opinions in the matter?[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]YOU DON'T SAY?! [Spoiler]I mean, since when does inhaling poisonous gas and O.D.'ing within thirty seconds cause death? : O Psh.[/Spoiler] Come on, Arvie. Hm...Tokyo grandfathers, eh? It looked kind of...boring last time I was at the video rental store, so I neglected to take it out. Maychance I will next time, though, now that Skippedry has suggested its being mocked by PA.^_^ [Spoiler]While the episode had funny parts, there was this constant feeling in the gut of "I shouldn't be laughing at this." Well, for me, at least... Dark humor can do that sometimes. Another thing their having died in the building would explain was why they were unable to commit suicide later on. After all, dead people can't die, right? (Unless you exorcised them, of course.)[/Spoiler][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Every death is a trajedy (unless we're talking about some one like Hitler etc... But that's a different issue.). Whether the loss of life is on the American or Iraqi side of the war makes no difference. In stating that the murder of Nicholas Berg was a means of revenge for the mal-treatment of Iraqi prisoners, those who killed him are stating that a group of people's pride is on the same level as some one's life (if not higher). This enfuriates me. The nature of this event is disgusting, the manner in which it was preformed is disgusting, and the most disgusting thing of all is how a young man's death is being propagandized in such a manner. (I feel the same way about Iraqi deaths, btw.) Honestly, I think the U.S. should pack up. They're not about to "bring peace to the people of Iraq" any time soon, which isn't helping cover up the desire for the monopolization of oil reserves. American soldiers are dying for a complete lack of results. Iraqis are dying for a complete lack of results. I think the best approach to take would be to simply say, "You don't want our help, you want us dead? Fine. We're leaving." War is stupid, especially when it's obvious it isn't going anywhere.[/FONT][/COLOR]