Retribution

[size=1]tenten1993, please read our [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=54203][b]Art by Request Rules[/b][/url] as well as our [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php][b]Official OtakuBoards Rules[/b][/url] so that you understand what is expected of our members as far as post quality goes. Punctuation and capitalization are your friends! Thank you for your patience and cooperation.[/size]

[quote name='Adahn][size=2']The easiest solution to this problem is what has been suggested; steal it back. The BEST solution to this problem is to recognize it as a problem, and treat it as one. Any of the courses of action I have presented will result in the whale returning to the original owner, with the benefit that people will be made aware of this girl's problem and deal with it properly.[/size][/quote] [size=1]Perhaps it's my cynicism, but it's been my lot in life that when I tell the parents their child "has a problem with [insert vice]" and how it's affecting me, they shut me out. They don't want to hear that their child is a kleptomaniac. Perhaps it's presumptuous of me to completely bypass the parents; in hindsight it really is. [QUOTE][size=2]You people, telling him to do what's necessary to get the item back and nothing else, are encouraging him to encourage her to keep stealing. You are telling her, "It's not okay to steal from me, but I'm not telling anyone else about your stealing problem, okay?"[/size][/QUOTE]But you said... [QUOTE]If someone stole a gift from me that my dear little sister gave to me, I'd get it back, and I'd never talk to the thief again. Gosh, does that make me a hypocrite? Yeah, I suppose it does, but there's nothing wrong with looking at alternatives.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE][size=2]If you must persist in this nonsense, then I hope this girl grows up to be a master thief, and I hope she steals very, VERY valuable things from you, to the extent that you find your assets harmfully diminished, and you must survive on food stamps.[/size][/QUOTE] Why are you so bitter? After just admitting you would steal it back and never talk to the girl again, do you actually have any right to wish something like that upon anyone? [QUOTE][size=2]You have an influence on nezzyjean, here, and if you won't take responsibility for what your statements can cause, then I can only hope that it bites you in the *** someday.[/size][/QUOTE] Seriously, folks. Don't ask for personal advice on the internet, and if you do, take that advice as a grain of salt. It's not our fault if nezzyjean blindly accepts our suggestions without considering the consequences. [QUOTE][size=2]If you think what I have suggested is a bad idea, then listen to Sara. You may be too young to take the responsibility of helping your friend into your own hands, and in that case, you should just take it back and let her deal with her problems on her own.[/size][/QUOTE] And so now you say "if you're too young to help, just let her deal with her problem." I'm confused. If I'm misquoting you, kindly correct me. I honestly don't think what I'm saying warrants you wishing my financial future ill.[/size]

[quote name='Syk3']I don't see how your points pose more of a problem for philosophy than for any other field of study. If you're expecting to impact the world with your writing or research, you're going to need a lot of luck in addition to years of experience. lol I'm not saying that it's easy to make a splash in philosophy, but in response to Retribution it's possible to apply the knowledge gained by studying it in a practical way (if you so wished to do so), be that by simply living your own life or by trying to improve the lives of others by structuring politics. It appears to me an argument that can be resolved by clarifying for Retribution the true nature of philosophy, against which he seems to have created a personal definition based on face-value. Do you ever have moral problems? Of course you do. Do you ever wonder how to be happy? Of course you do. Philosophy studies these areas and helps immensely.[/quote] [size=1]I guess my point was that becoming a "philosopher" or trying to get a job in philosophy has very, very limited use. Certainly, philosophy has use if you apply it in a practical way. And again, I will say that philosophy definitely helps you on a personal level such as if I had a moral problem, or if I wondered how to be happy. [quote name='Papa Smurf']And I think some of what the pro-philosophy side is saying is actually justifying and supporting Retribution's comments, as lame and infantilely phrased as they were. He's saying philosophy is useless in a practical sense, right?[/quote] But thanks for remaining more mature than me. I appreciate the civility.[/size]

[quote name='Adahn][size=2']If someone stole a gift from me that my dear little sister gave to me, I'd get it back, and I'd never talk to the thief again. Gosh, does that make me a hypocrite? Yeah, I suppose it does, but there's nothing wrong with looking at alternatives.[/size][/quote] [size=1]If someone stole something that was yours from you, does that mean you still own it? Of course. If that object is yours and they refuse to give it back and diplomacy has failed, the next and only other feasible option is taking it back by force or in this case, stealing it back. Stealing it back does not make you a hypocrite. It means you took what was yours. It means you stood up for yourself instead of being some shoved-around person whose idealism was taken advantage of. And Adahn, I'd be careful before justifying this girl's actions under the banner of kleptomania. To an extent, sakurasuka is right. People are overdiagnosed (in my opinion) with ADD because they're just bad children who weren't beaten enough as a child :p. Whether or not she has kleptomania is inconsequential, in any event. Stealing in this instance is obviously not justified, no matter what force is compelling her to steal this glass whale.[/size]

[size=1]I think that's pretty much right, however an essential characteristic of a great leader must be that he works for the people. He must be selfless, a servant to his people. If he is not, no matter what your dreams or ideals are, you are a poor leader. And I suppose it's best we don't get too caught up in the overvaluing of ideas over the actions themselves. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, so they say.[/size]

[size=1]Don't carry around a very precious object that has no purpose aside from being "lucky". A laptop, sure. A camera, of course. But a glass whale? That's just increasing the chance of it getting lost or stolen for the sake of getting it lost or stolen. That aside, just steal it back. And never talk to her again, she'll know exactly why you stopped talking to her. [quote name='Adahn][size=2']I'm not saying it's not her fault she stole the whale, I'm saying that it may take more than a ***** slap to set her straight.[/size][/quote] You're right. It'll take getting bludgeoned in the head with a glass whale to set her straight. [QUOTE=The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]You despise those who steal? I have a question, why is it that you think most people steal in the first place? They don't steal out of greed in most situations, they steal out of necessity. They steal because they have no money, no food, no shelter, nothing. Is it wrong for the unfortunate to take from the fortunate? Was Robin Hood morally in the wrong? [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] Are you using this argument to justify her friend's actions? Certainly, stealing food when you're on the verge of death is a far different matter from stealing a glass whale because you want it. Stealing because of greed is always wrong. Stealing to live I can deal with [well, to an extent].[/size]

[QUOTE=jigglyness]yeah i find it weird how mine is supposed to be after rifles but on the worm site it skipped rifles and went straight into mine. oO sorry for not being able to do the other one i claimed. school started and i havent been able to get some time to actually work on it.[/QUOTE] [size=1]Capitalization is your friend. You've been a member long enough to know that, and I've been lenient on you thus far, but shape up. Thanks.[/size]

[QUOTE=Phaedrus]If philosophy is ultimately useless, then what is wholly useful? It's true that the only job as a philosophy major is likely a teacher/ professor.[/QUOTE] [size=1]What is wholly useful? Nothing is 100% and completely useful, but there are things that are far more essential to the progression of the human race. Electronic engineering or law is far more useful than philosophy. Ask yourself [i]why[/i] the only job as a philosophy major is likely a teacher of youth. Once you ask yourself this, you will understand what I mean. The study of philosophy exists to retain past knowledge, which is a noble goal, but it's certainly not as useful as an engineer or a businessman. [QUOTE]Honestly, if I didn't have philosophy, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. Philosophy is all I am. . .so if it's ultimately useless, then I guess I may as well be dead now. But I'm not dead, because I know it is useful.[/QUOTE] It can be useful to you, but if you exist solely to pass on the knowledge to future generations and nothing more, just know your use is very limited. [QUOTE]Philosophy is more than personal beliefs. You're defining philosophy in a very casual sense. While it contains many personal beliefs, none of these personal beliefs are strictly held onto. The philosophic mind is willing to accept any "personal belief" and question and question it till truth comes forth. While I may have my ideas and assumptions of reality, that doesn't mean I'm not willing to let them go and seek to understand someone else's. . .[/QUOTE] Never did I say that philosophy is only personal beliefs. [QUOTE]Philosophy is more than just something passed on. And tell me, what isn't passed on? As men we pass onto our children what we're going to lose, since we're doomed to die, since we're mortal. Genes are passed on, and ideas are too, and so is everything. We nurse this world and hand it off to the next generation, like the handing off of a torch.[/QUOTE] The difference between passing on philosophy and passing on nanotechnology is that [i]one[/i] has a practical real-world [utilitarian] application while the other does not. [QUOTE]Philosophy is useful. . .if people were more equipped with a philosophic mind, it could improve the human condition.[/QUOTE] Of course the improvement of the human condition is a completely subjective measure and opinion-based statement. What is the human condition? How can that be "improved"? The answers to these questions vary from person to person, so your claim falls flat. [QUOTE]Plato presented the idea of a philosopher-king, and this philosopher-king had to go through rigorous years and years of learning and training before they were made philosopher-king. Not just studying philosophy or thinking or "forming personal beliefs," but also pursuing sports and games, and so many other things too[/QUOTE] And we see how well humans can produce philosopher kings too. It's this sort of claim that also backs the idea that Communism can actually work; it's too idealistic and blind. I guess I'll have to defend this claim soon... meh. [QUOTE][...] It's a fanciful idea, this philosopher-king idea, akin to a utopia.[/QUOTE][QUOTE]I'm not saying a philosopher should rule the world. I'm merely trying to show you that philosophy is useful, that a philosophic mindset is a very healthy mind that has great magnamity, great kindness, great flexibility.[/QUOTE] So wait, let me get this straight. You're saying that the "fanciful idea" (or even the mere concept) of a philosopher king is useful and practical and applicable to the real world? A flexible and kind mind is a great thing to have, but you don't need philosophy to cultivate that. [QUOTE]It's been centuries and centuries, maybe even millenia, and mankind is still at odds over [i]religion[/i]. It's quite funny. Wars are still raging over that thing. . .and it's creating endless difference. Religion is something passed down too, but religion is problematic, since it gives someone an unhealthy mindset. Instead of giving all things a good go, the believer believes their religion to be true above all. . .and is given a certain set of ideas and attitudes. . .and this only creates endless strife.[/QUOTE] I fail to see how this correlates to the argument at hand. Clarification is welcome. [QUOTE]Philosophy looks at the big picture, but it doesn't do so through blind speculation or wholly personal belief, like religion does. . .[/QUOTE] I don't ascribe to the active study of either philosophy or religion, yet I don't go through blind speculation or wholly personal belief. I don't, and no one else needs to, either. The active study of philosophy is not necessary to cultivate a strong mind. [QUOTE]Anyway, I digress. You should give philosophy a better chance. But it's not my place to force it on you--you'll find it out your own way if you want to try and understand things to a greater degree.[/QUOTE] I'm always open to reading philosophy, and I find it interesting on occasion (although I prefer psychology). I just don't see it's practical application in day to day life, which is probably why I'm not drawn to it. Oh well. Thank my western indoctrination to logic and science for shutting down philosophy. :) And Syk3, other "distinguished" areas of study differ from philosophy in the respect that while both exist to carry on the knowledge of previous generations, philosophy exists [i]only for that purpose[/i], whereas something like biochemistry has a use readily applicable to the real world.[/size]

[size=1]The way I see it, philosophy exists only to pass on the knowledge of the previous generation onto the next generation so that this knowledge is not lost. It's one of those self-fulfilling/self-repeating studies. If you major in philosophy, [basically] the only job out there is a philosophy teacher/professor. What is philosophy? It's interesting to read about, especially things like the Allegory of the Cave, but ultimately useless aside from creating your personal beliefs.[/size]

[quote name='Tatsubei Yagyu][COLOR=Navy][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Retribution is BLACK?!?! It's like some sort of plot twist...[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [size=1]zomfgiamanegro?!?!11 Since you're young, I'll spare your life.[/size]

[size=1]I'm grateful for the Ford Model T. Ford mass-produced the automobile for the first time, making it affordable enough so that most Americans could buy one. Needless to say, this revolutionized transportation. Although I couldn't profit from the Model T (nor would I really want to) directly, it's invention and marketing has led to the mass-production of all goods after other companies saw how it increased production [i]and[/i] the beginning of the automobile industry. Ford's in his flivver, and all's well with the world. (Did anyone get the Brave New World reference? No? ;__;)[/size]

[size=1]Here's just a suggestion, as it's something we did in my Drawing class I took last year. Take the picture you want to draw, and put it upside down. Then draw it upside down (do NOT flip it right side up or it will mess up the exercise). While this sounds very odd, it's makes the right side of the brain (the creative part) take over the drawing process instead of the left side (the part that pre-assigns shapes, more logical). Basically, when [i]you[/i] were drawing these figures, you came up with an idea of what an eye, a hand, a leg, etc, look like from your previous experiences with them. What you want to do is just focus on what shape the lines are, not that you're drawing an "eye," but what shape are those lines? It sounds somewhat confusing, but if you just take it on faith, your picture will come out better. Start out with something simple... print out a picture of a simple character, then turn it upside down and draw what you see. Focus on just the shapes. When you're completely done, turn it the right way and you'll be amazed. And for effect, draw it right side up afterwards and compare the quality.[/size]

[quote name='Gavin][SIZE=1]If Alex [Retri'] happens to be reading this, please don't go dissecting my post to try and draw me into one of your pointless atheist versus faithful debates, at this stage, it's getting ridiculous.[/SIZE][/quote] [size=1]Do I deserve this? I don't think I've been hammering the atheist versus faithful point here at all, certainly not to the point of ridiculousness. To be honest I agree with a great deal of your post. [quote name='musical_kitten']And didn't Yuuko say that in Tsubasa?[/quote] I honestly have no idea.[/size]

[size=1]The [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre][b]My Lai massacre[/b][/url] was a rather disturbing event in the Vietnam War. Here's a long story short. The Vietcong were hiding amongst the civilian population, which frustrated the US soldiers. After extremely long periods of no fighting and high tension, the soldier's nerves became shot and agitated, desperate for an open battle as opposed to erratic guerilla warfare. My Lai was labeled as harboring retreated Vietcong from the Tet Offensive, and as a result, the pent-up US forces planned an offensive on the village. The US military command advised Charlie Company that all real civilians would have gone to market at about 7am the following day, and all other people within the village would be Vietcong. Charlie Company recieved orders to destroy the village. The soldiers found no combatants the next day, but because of their platoon's sustained losses, they cared little of what happened to the civilians. When officers asked the civilians where the Vietcong were, and no one knew, the massacre began. Gunning down old men, women, children, and babies without remorse, the US troops leveled the village. Civilians were ordered into ditches and mowed down, other times grenades were lobbed into houses. None were left alive. The My Lai massacre resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. There was no question as to if they were enemies or not.[/size]

[QUOTE=Mr. Maul][size=1][color=DimGray]Wow. You all were so much sexier in my mind. I guess that's what's to be expected from an anime forum. ahBURN! [/color][/size][/QUOTE] [size=1]Alright, bigshot, let's see a picture of yours.[/size]

[QUOTE=Papa Smurf] Regarding the controllers, I'm positive I'm a hell of a lot more abusive with mine. You're looking at six years, easily, of rigorous and rough playtime. Mario Party, GoldenEye, Smash Bros, Mario Kart, Bomberman 64...the list goes on and on, man. If your joysticks were that loose and unresponsive when you first bought them, then that was obviously not regular wear and tear and seems to me to indicate that durability and hardware quality aren't in question there. You'd said you'd bought them second-hand. That confirms for me that those joysticks worked perfectly when they were new, and something disastrous happened to them between retail purchase and when you got them.[/QUOTE] [size=1]The N64 joysticks becoming less responsive over time (even after a few years, much less ten) is a fairly normal thing. The vast majority of the joysticks I've seen are loose in the socket, and move when you tilt the controler (if you know what I'm trying to say). I suppose your controllers being in such great shape after so long as just a miracle given to you by the gaming gods. Be thankful for their blessing.[/size]

[size=1]Phaedrus, nice shirt. And whoa, several black folk. And here I thought I was alone after Manic left. [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/P1010018crop.jpg[/IMG] Yes, the camera is still in this one because I lack the self-photography skill you all have. The picture's sort of blurry because I had to choose from a flash-washed image or a blurry one. [b]Edit:[/b] Found another. [IMG]http://myspace-745.vo.llnwd.net/00346/54/77/346747745_l.jpg[/IMG][/size]

[quote name='sakurasuka][size=1][b]If a tree falls in the forest it makes vibrations. Wheather or not you recognise it as 'sound' is your own opinion.[/b'][/size][/quote] [size=1]Precisely. Can we close up the thread now? This debate is ludicrous.[/size]

[size=1][url=http://www.last.fm/user/retri/][b]My Last.fm[/b][/url] is awesomer than yours, Boo. >_> I personally like it because it suggests new musicians for me to check out based on my recent weekly chart. Often, those suggestions are very good ones for me. However, I have yet to check out the radio feature, though. And what's the point of tags? I never understood them much.[/size]

[quote name='John][size=2]You can't believe in destiny and not predestination, that would be contradictory. And I never said I went gung-ho Calvinist about it, either. [img]http://otakuboards.com/images/smilies/wink.gif[/img'][/size][/quote] [size=1]If you were Calvinist, I'd send you threatening PMs. ;) [QUOTE][size=2]Fate and human free will can coexist because of man's inability to know his fate. If one doesn't know their fate, then they still have an illusion of choice in the actions that they want to take, and man doesn't need real actual choices (which, by what I've stated, don't actually exist anyway) on which to exercise his free will, because the illusion will suffice. And that's the most important thing to realize regarding free will.[/size][/QUOTE] So free will does not exist, only the illusion of it? Isn't that an excuse for mediocrity and complacency? One could never really try at anything in life because they "don't have free will to choose otherwise," in other words, "whatever happens is part of a predetermined plan in which I have no say in, so why bother?" I just can't stand to think that ones life remains on a pre-plotted path from which you cannot deviate.[/size]

[quote name='John']I happen to believe in destiny and predestination, and the problem with your argument is that you haven't thought through the situation entirely. You seem to be coming from the idea that once a conclusion is reached, you factor that into your view of the world and let it affect your decisions.[/quote] [size=1]You believe in predestination? Lame. :p If you believe in destiny, and you want to fulfill whatever you percieve yours to be, you will consciously or subconsciously try to fulfill it. Sure, there are isolated cases that don't stand up to the aforementioned, but you can see this working on the small scale too. If I think it's my "destiny" to have a higher spelling score on a spelling test, I will study my hardest to fulfill what I believe to be my destiny. It's a self-fulfilled prophecy. [QUOTE]But an important part of destiny is that you can't outthink it, nor would it be possible to know your destiny except in special hypothetical cases where there is 100% certainty that you would comply with that destiny willingly (or unwillingly, as it could be I guess). In any other, normal situation, where you wouldn't know your destiny, then anyone who even believed in the idea of destiny at all would have no logical choice but to behave like it [i]didn't[/i] exist, since their knowledge of it doesn't change its specific outcome. And since the reason humans constantly want to know things is so that they can tweak their internal views and their actions to make a better life for themselves, this unusable knowledge must logically be disregarded from their choices.[/QUOTE] I honestly don't understand what you said. Dumb it down for us commoners. My major problem with predestination, fate, and destiny is as follows. If you have an inescapable fate, do you really have free will? And if you have free will, do you really have a fate? If you have an inescapable fate, then no matter what you do you will end up with the predetermined fate, and therefore no real free will, as all your actions lead up to that end. If you have free will, then your fate cannot be a fixed one, as your future fluctuates with every decision you make. Again, I give the example of the lazy person. "If I'm predestined to be poor, why even try to work?" This is the self-fulfilling prophecy I'm talking about. Or maybe the information you gave that I didn't understand debunked everything in this post pre-emptively. Maybe I'm predestined to lose this debate.[/size]

[size=1]There is no such thing as fate or destiny. There is only coincidence. Everything that seems to "tie together" is just happenstance, not the plan of some divine being. The belief in a destiny or a fate is leads to the excuse for complacency. "If it's my destiny, it'll happen eventually" is a frustrating response to "Why aren't you _____?" I think people believe in fate or destiny because they are self-fulfilling prophecies. If you believe your destiny is to make $100,000 one day, you will work to make that a reality. Only once you achieve that goal do you attribute it to fate or destiny, despite the fact that your devices alone got you that salary. Sorry if I confused anyone.[/size]

[size=1]My avatar is the US Department of Homeland Security's crest, and my banner speaks my opinion on both my President and Homeland Security. And my custom title is again, quite self-explanatory. Interestingly enough, "Arrest the President" is a song as well. Unfortunately, I don't know the group/band; if you could tell me who it is, I'd be grateful.[/size]

[quote name='KickAssGal14']wow awsome pics! ^_^[/quote] [size=1]Please read both the [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=52171][b]Art Studio Rules[/b][/url] and the [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php][b]Official OtakuBoards Rules[/b][/url] so that you know what is expected of you in terms of post quality. When critiquing someone's artwork, ask yourself [i]why is this awesome?[/i] Tell the artist, and come up with possible ways to improve. Empty praise is useless. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.[/size]

[size=1]If you'll kindly read the [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php][b]Official OtakuBoards Rules[/b][/url], you'd see that double posting is strictly prohibited. Bumping your thread is no excuse; if nobody posted to do this request, try posting a different one with modifications to make it easier to do. I'm also assuming this request isn't for OB, as the dimensions are collosal and [i]much[/i] bigger than the allowed dimensions (500x100). Thank you for your cooperation and patience.[/size]