Retribution

[quote name='Chabichou][COLOR=#004a6f']As for pork, God states that there is something wrong with that meat. It's unclean, and it has certain chemicals that are not good for us.[/COLOR][/quote] [size=1]This law, for example, is completely obsolete. There's nothing wrong with pork, and the only reason God deemed it 'unclean' and 'unfit to eat' was because back when the religion was founded, there were serious sanitation problems, so cutting it out of the equation entire was a better idea. The same thing goes for Jewish circumcision, and a woman during her period being 'unclean' and 'unfit to go to the synagogue.' Really, there's no chemicals that'll be harmful to you -- nothing less healthy than beef.[/size]

Keiji?s eyes danced with light as basked in his success. The test had been a difficult one, but he was extremely happy that his blood, sweat, and tears ended up paying off. The warm feeling of victory surrounded him, bolstering his confidence. [I]Finally! I?ve done it![/I] The former-classmates rejoiced, sharing their happiness with one another. Amid the euphoria, Keiji realized he was no longer friends with most of these people, but now rivals ? opponents he had to outperform to take his next step in becoming a full-fledged shinobi. His mood shifted quickly to downcast as he looked at Meiko and Imi. Within, he wished with all his might that he would be in their cell, but realized the probability was extremely low. Maybe just one, perhaps, he hoped. ?Miyamoto Keiji. Hey Miyamoto, get over here!? the voice sailed through his inner-turmoil, calling him back to the bittersweet real world. A man with blonde hair and an orange outfit glared at him impatiently. ?I?m not paying you to stand around, now!? ?Sir, you?re not paying me at all.? ?Smartass. C?mon, let?s go.? He looked up seeing Meiko and Hart looking at him expectantly, and his heart was torn. He had one of his best friends in his cell, and he couldn?t complain about it, but he also lost a very good friend. He followed Naruto out of the room onto a balcony, where he sat on the rail, studying his three students. Keiji took a seat next to Meiko, who was in between Hart and Keiji. He never got along with the womanizer, and a conversation between the two always resulted in Keiji walking away, calming himself down before he did something he would regret. ?Give me your name and what?d you?d like to accomplish,? said Naruto. ?And please, don?t make it anything lame, staring with you,? he finished, pointing at Keiji. ?My name is Keiji. As for my ambitions? Well, I?m determined in all that I try, and I hope to succeed in all that I do.?

[quote name='Ecstasy']Freedom of Speech, to my knowledge and correct me if I'm wrong, is to allow all thoughts, opinions, and choises, for lack of better words, a chance to be spoken, as long as it doesn't infringe on other's thoughts, opinions, choises, or happiness...seems like a bit skewed, if you ask me.[/quote] [size=1]No, no, I didn't mean that. What I mean is that if I said, for instance, "Bush is stupid," it would anger someone -- they would not be happy. However, I'm not hindering their pursuit of happiness by saying things about Bush. I'm not hindering their pursuit of happiness because all they need to do is walk away or count to ten. We're all entitled to our opinions -- my opinions don't have to be the same as yours. My freedom of speech ends when I hinder another's life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness, meaning, I cannot shout "Fire!" in a crowded building when there is no fire. I am endangering lives. [quote]Back to the topic of flag-burning, I, personally, belive it's wrong. Sure, it might be "within a citizen's rites" to burn a flag, but that doesn't necessarily make it right, right? I understand where you're coming from, Retri, because I hold the same feelings as you do - "I feel truly sad when it happens" - but that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm going to respect someone for doing it...wouldn't that be hindering [i]my[/i] Freedom of Speech? Just because someone's doing something like burning a flag and it's in their Constitutional rites to do so, doesn't mean that I can't say something against it, because saying, or doing, something against something...or for something, for that matter...is exactly what Freedom of Speech is all about.[/quote] No, it's really not hindering your freedom of speech to allow flag-burning. If you don't want flags burned, try to pass a bill to make it so. If you don't want flags burned, you can [i]say that[/i]. No one's sewing your mouth shut on this issue. However, until your bill is passed, the citizenry have the right to burn flags, and that right should be respected. I think the misunderstanding is how I'm using the word 'respect' here. What I mean by respect, is not smile or applaud or salute when you see a burning flag. You don't need to be happy about it. What I mean by respect is understand that it is within their rights to do so, and honor that right. You can debate against it. You can utterly disagree with it, but you have to 'follow' the law, so to speak. For instance, there's nothing illegal about a neo-Nazi parade. They really anger me, and I wish they'd get off the street. But if they have a permit, they have the right to march, and I must respect that. I must [i]honor and respect[/i] their right to march, no matter the message. Whether you disagree with it or not is inconsequential. [quote]Sorry if this is a little confusing, Retri, but it seems like you're putting too much emphasis on others' rites under Freedom of Speech, and not enough on your own...what I mean by this is that you allow other people to burn flags, but you aren't allowing yourself to do anything about it, other than "feeling sad" and "respecting" their decision to do you. But, then again, maybe you are following your own rite to do nothing about it...I honestly can't say, but from what I've read, that's the conclusion I've come up with...correct me if I'm wrong.[/quote] I really don't think I'm overstressing the rights of others above the rights of yourself. You can do something about a burning flag, don't get me wrong. You can go pass a bill, you can tell them they're idiotic and they should stop, but you must respect their Constitutional rights. And I don't think there's anything that needs to be done on the issue. I'd rather have the citizens choose to respect the flag, rather than have that honor forced upon them. You end up with a feeling of hollow patriotism if you force the citizens to respect the flag ... instead of it being something that gives you pride, it's something dull, and the action (the Pledge of Allegiance, for example) loses its value. That's how it is for me, anyway.[/size]

[size=1]I feel like no one is listening when I say that [i]burning a flag is within our Constitutional rights, and it usually has a reason and/or logic behind it[/i]. Rarely do people go burn the flag for fun. Like I said, I truly feel sad when this happens -- it's burning something I have feelings for. However, I know that it is within the citizen's rights, and that should be respected.[/size]

[size=1]Starwind, listen to me. The people who burn the flag are discontent with America, or "Hate America" as you put it. Why do they hate America? What happened to them that led them to hate America? It's not like the nation's completely pure and above-the-fray. We've committed war crimes (Read: Trail of Tears), we've utterly oppressed and discriminated against a huge chunk of the population. We've destroyed villages and killed civilians for no reason (Read: Vietnam War). We're not the almighty, all-pure country you're trying to paint here. There is massive sin and blood on America's hands -- there's plenty to 'hate' here. Granted, there is the instance where someone is burning the flag just to do it, but nine times out of ten, there's logic behind it. You seem to think that America's all about liberty, freedom, and happiness. You seem to think that we're all actually equal in America. America's no euphoria -- there's things horridly wrong with it. The burning of a flag is a way to quickly grab attention to a cause, saying "I'm unhappy with America, come see why." There's a reason behind it. And please don't call me delusional because of my views.[/size]

[quote name='Starwind']I'll tell you right now, I ever see some one burning a flag, even if it's just one of those tiny little flags they hand out at the 4 of july, I'll shot right in the f***ing head. I take this very seriously. Why? Because unlike what I've noticed here is that no matter how much you asay it, if you can condone flag burning then you obvously have no respect for our armed forces who died so it wave over our country. You have no respect for great names like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who fought to the brnk of death so this symbol could fly with out repretion.[/quote] [size=1]It is also these revered fathers who said "Give me liberty, or give me death," those revered fathers who fought for the right to do what they wanted, for self-governance, for the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I'd say it's hypocritical to want to take away the right to burn a flag. It's infringing upon a sacred right -- if we start saying "Well, you can do this, but not that," how will we know were to stop? We already have wire taps, we already have the PATRIOT Act, we already have jailing without a warrant. Give the people their rights -- no matter how much they upset you. Sometimes burning a flag is completely called for -- if, hypothetically, slavery were re-instated, you better believe that I'd go in front of the White House and burn every American flag I could get my hands on. Try not to blindly dismiss the [i]reason[/i] behind burning the flag. Yes, sometimes it's just a completely stupid reason, but sometimes it's a valid argument they have. Not to mention that your revered Founding Fathers had slaves and were racist. Jefferson was a hypocrite -- he advocated the rights of the 'common man,' preached about how slavery is evil, and lived in Montecello, and owned slaves. Do you hate him? [quote]...I hate nothing more then a hypocrite.[/quote] I don't smile when I see an American flag burned. I truly feel sad -- I feel sad that there'd be such disrespect towards the flag. The thing that separates me and you, is that I'm rational about it -- I look for the meaning behind it -- I respect their freedom of speech, and how people died for that right. How would it be if you revoked a right that people died for? Would it be just?[/size]

[quote name='WhiteBlaze][SIZE=1']I pretty much grew up with Cartoon Network. I was there when they used to air G-Force, Speed Racer and a whole slew of other cartoons that you can't even find anymore. There before the idea of Toonami even existed so of course when they announced their new prime time block that would air on Sunday I of course happily looked forward to it and have been a happy viewer since.[/SIZE][/quote] [size=1]omfg, [b]Represent![/b] G-Force, Speed Racer, Thundercats, Voltron -- those were the [i]days[/i], man. That's the serious old school stuff right there. I remember wasting my free time watching those shows in my basement, how entire weekends would be devoted to watching Cartoon Network. I remember the beginnings of the rumors of starting "Toonami" and how Tom was just a short, pudgy robot back then. *eyes glaze over with nostalgia* Now they've nearly killed Toonami -- but Adult Swim is still just as awesome. I was really pleased when they brought back Family Guy from the dead. Good times...[/size]

[quote name='Random']That being said, I agree with Retribution's quote: [...][/quote] [size=1]Alright then, but I thought that you said... [quote]The thing about freedom of speech is that it's a joke.[/quote] ...which is something I totally disagree with. [quote]Any opinion you have is totally valid, until it contradicts with other's opinions. Then it becomes "debateable." You can tell anyone your opinions, if they're willing to hear them. You just have to be careful that you trust those people, and that they won't "rat" you out to the person/thing you have a differing view on.[/quote] That?s not true. An opinion I have about, say, what I should have for dinner is a completely valid one, even if others disagree with me. If I want tacos, and my brother wants pizza, how is my opinion invalid by the conflict? [b]Anything[/b] is debatable ? does that mean that all opinions are invalid? Of course not. As for the point about being ?ratted out,? that?s not true either. I can walk downtown, stand outside the White House gates, and say ?F___ BUSH! DEATH TO THE REPUBLICANS,? and there would be nothing wrong with that. Perhaps I?d be yelled at for disturbing the peace, but not for having a differing opinion. [quote]That's the hard part about freedom of speech, isn't it? Finding out where enough is enough, and where to stop. I know that's part of your question, but I don't think anyone has the answer because everyone has their differing opinions on the topic at hand. That's where it gets complicated: Where do you stop showing your opinions? As I've said, everyone has their own, and this topic is basied on everyone's opinion on other people's opinions...quite complicated, if you ask me, and it seemes to contradict itself.[/quote] Not really? you should stop when you feel yourself encroaching upon another person?s rights ? be it life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. You stop showing your opinions when it?s at the wrong time, in the wrong place. For instance, I wouldn?t tell people how I?m a Democrat and how I?m unhappy with Bush?s job of running the country at a Republican Convention ? that? socially unacceptable, so to speak. Likewise, I would not tell a child that there is no (beware!) [spoiler]Santa[/spoiler] ? it?s just not right. [quote name='Baron']There are lots of things I'd like to mention but my main view is that flag-burning is unnacceptable. The rabble who do it should be arrested. If you hate the country that much, piss off and go somewhere else. Leastways, thats my view.[/quote] Why should they? Yes, it's obnoxious, but it's [i]technically[/i] within their rights, so why should they stop? It's completely acceptable, just really annoying.[/size]

[size=1]Well, I thoroughly enjoy [b]English/Creative Writing[/b], and I'm told that I'm good at it as well. I prefer short stories and poetry -- that stuff I can really churn out. I took a Creative Writing class last semester, and it was just great. AP English III, which I'm still taking, is pretty fun when we're not analyzing some dry passage and actually writing stuff ourselves. I also take a [b]Photography[/b] class at school, which is pretty technically-oriented. Our teacher is a serious stickler for f-stops, exposure times, and value. I guess I'm alright at this, but I don't really consider this something all that hard to do -- it's more luck than anything else, really. You point, you shoot, you get lucky and modify the pictures on the computer later to fine-tune 'em. My pictures are clear and well-exposed, though. :3 I'm a huge fan of [b]Graphic Design[/b], as a few of you might know. I really wanted to take a class this year, but it just wouldn't fit in my schedule, so I'm still a self-taught GFXer for now. Anyway, I've been teaching myself for a year and a month now, and it's still fun. I really hit my stride over the summer when I had plenty of time to devote to art, but now with school and all, I've just been trying to keep on top of my schoolwork. I'd say that writing and graphic design are my favorites -- I'm really not sure which one I love more.[/size]

[size=1]Flag burning? You could be burning a bedsheet for all I care -- the only problem I have with it is the fire hazard such a situation presents. If, somehow, you were to do it in a manner that would control the fire hazard, then go for it. My history teacher said that your rights end where my nose begins. This means, quite obviously, that you can do whatever is within your Constitutional rights, so long as it doesn't hinder anyone else's life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness. Self-expression should be legal, so long as it isn't hurting anyone. The racists who held anti-Civil Rights protests were allowed to say what they said, but it crossed the line when they threw rock and lynched.[/size]

[quote name='Chabichou][COLOR=#004a6f']Because there are times that call for things that he does not encourage. God permits divorce, but that is one of the most hated things he permits. He expects couples to try their best to make their marriage work, but sometimes,a divorce is just neccesary.[/COLOR][/quote] [size=1]So God would stand for something He doesn't encourage? Would God consider something He doesn't encourage sinful -- and if not, then why would He not encourage it? You have to see Boba's point with the whole "perfection in God's laws." If an almighty being created these laws, and they have not been altered, then why would they permit something that is not encouraged? Why not just permit it, and say "but you can't in these cases"?[/size]

[quote name='Drix D'Zanth]Healthy exercise is the key to a healthy life, actually. Sure, decreasing caloric intake is an easy way to maintain a healthy weight. But as long as kids spend an adequate portion of their day actually [i]going outside[/i] their metabolisms will do the rest! Contrary to Rev. Morgan Spurlock you can live a [b]healthy[/b'] life eating nothing but McDonalds! All you need to do is maintain a consistent workout plan and the human body is really remarkably capable of handling itself! It will quickly and efficiently turn your LDLs into HDLs.[/quote] [size=1]This, of course, isn't taking into account the horrid trans-fatty acids that are in processed foods. I'm pretty sure your body can't handle that stuff as effectively as 'normal' fats. As for integrating DDR? Like Boba said, as long as they're burning as many or more calories. I, however, think that kids should get outside more -- we're starting to live in front of screens. Maybe PE should be the one shining moment of the day where kids play dodgeball, basketball, jump-rope, or whatever, to get a breath of fresh air and step away from the constant stimuli of videogames, television, and computers? I mean, I have to say that it's kind of lame that we're resorting to videogames (however physical they may be) to keep kids interested/active.[/size]

[size=1]I think that people thinking of a world government are biting off more than they can chew. Realistically, I see the European Union becoming one nation in another 100 or so years, as the cultures and languages are so intertwined due to the geographic locations of the countries. Will there be a world government? I have no idea -- I'm inclined to say yes. Will it be a good idea? Anyone's guess. The Roman Empire collapsed because it overextended itself (granted, it's not the only reason, but a contributing one), for example. As for the government of such a nation? I'd say a Representative Democracy, similar to that of the United States's government. It seems like a fair way to get everyone's input in a way that's proportionally fair -- why should Ireland have the same representation as China when China has far more people? It's a good idea to think about, no doubt. And what would the world language be, then? Basic?[/size]

[size=1]Eh, in Washington (D.C.), the weather swings alot. I'm located in the middle of the country as far as longitude goes, so I get scalding summers and frigid winters, but as of late, the winter's been pretty weak. I really hate the cold, and I love the heat, so the climate is alright. I just wish it'd snow a bit more, so that we'd get a few days off.[/size]

[size=1]I don't really know most of the bands posted here, so I'm going to contribute to the mainstream. :3 [b]1. Pick a Band or Artist:[/b] Radiohead [b]2.Are you male or female:[/b] Kid A [b]3.Describe yourself:[/b] Paranoid Android [b]4. How do some people feel about you:[/b] High And Dry [b]5.Desscribe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend:[/b] Life In A Glass House [b]6.Describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend:[/b] Optimistic [b]7.Describe where you want to be:[/b] Black Star [b]8.Describe how you love:[/b] Everything In Its Right Place [b]9.What would you ask if you had just one wish:[/b] Fitter Happier [b]10.Share a few words of wisdom:[/b] How To Disappear Completely [b]11.Now say goodbye:[/b] Street Spirit (Fade Out)[/size]

[size=1]I'm rather apathetic to the banning of Mitch and [b]Brasil[/b], but I was just as puzzled about Generic NPC #3's banning. From what I've been told, he asked to be banned -- I have no idea why, though. I'm not toasting Brasil. While his written rhetoric was top-notch, he took it too far, more often than not. And while I don't really know him, he didn't seem like a very nice guy - the whole "Mediocrity of the Memberbase" thing was uncalled for. Mitch, I don't really know him either, but I'm certainly not pitying him. He didn't strike me as a very mean or cruel guy, but he didn't strike me as a particularly nice one either. It's sort of like a distant cousin dying -- you want to feel sad, but you don't, and eventually, you don't care anymore. That's sort of how I feel. As for Generic NPC #3 banning himself, well, I'm more puzzled than anything else. He seemed popular and nice here. He got plenty of nominations, and he was friends with many people. I can only suppose that he had personal issues with either the people on this site, or felt it was taking too much time away from his life. I'm assuming the former.[/size]

[QUOTE=ForgottenRaider]Haha you American's amuse me... You are worried about some primitive 'cloaking' technology when you can buy (off the shelf) weapons that make swis cheese out of other people and the like. Why can't you just see it from the point of view of 'hey rad, that's some nice tech, wouldn't mind having a play with it!'[/QUOTE] [size=1]Hooray for generalizations! Yes, I'm worried about some primitive cloaking technology, because once it becomes more sophistocated, it'll be more useful than a gun. Imagine all the crime that you could carry out if you were invisible, and while stealing, all you had to do was put the item underneath your 'cloak' or what have you. It will become a weapon, that's why I'm thinking about it. And yes, it's something cool to have, like giving rooms with no windows a view.[/size]

[quote name='Raya][COLOR=#790A43][SIZE=1]Question: Are thermal sensors still able to pick up anyone wearing these things?[/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] [size=1]I can't see why not... I believe they're just cameras. Quite frankly, I'm afraid of the day that these cannot be picked up on thermal sensors. For all intents and purposes, you'd be a ghost.[/size]

[size=1]I'm not sure if it's hilarious or sad that I got all of your jokes, even the techy ones. Great job maintaining your composure throughout something so ... [i]hilarious[/i]. I also say that you try to do this with something else equally amusing. Great idea, by the way. And was this spontaneous, or did you two mutually plan to have a camera pun conversation?[/size]

[QUOTE=Keyblade Wielder][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=1][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Finally, I know how to that double image overlaying technique now. I've always wanted to learn how, but now I can now. Thanks, Retri-san. n.n Another question: How do you make a banner without a background?? Like that picture Imi made for you in this thread with the girl's hand out of the background?? And like Imi's cool new blood-splatter sig. I was always wondering how you could do that. Anyways, great idea for this thread, Retri-san. I can always ask questions dealing with these kinds of things. XD Oh and yes, another question: How do you make that dashed border with two different colors instead of a single line border with one color?? I've seen it done many times and I was also wondering how to do that. n.n[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [size=1]To make a banner without "the background," so to speak, just follow these steps. [b][1][/b] Open up a new canvas. Be sure that the "Background Contents" are set to "Transparent." Without this, it's impossible to do. [b][2][/b] You should see a canvas with checkered tiles. Those tiles signify that that area of the canvas is transparent, so currently, it should all be transparent. For example, if you were to put a black brush stroke through it, the brush stroke would be there, but the checkered tiles would also be there to show that the rest is still transparent. [b][3][/b] Put your image on top (you'll have to extract your image out of the background so that it looks like it's 'popping out') of the canvas. [b][4][/b] Save it as a .gif with transparency enabled. The rest of the settings don't matter, I don't think. If done correctly, you should have the 'pop out' effect. As for the border, I'm not entirely certain, as I've never really done it myself. Perhaps asking her yourself (she's currently [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=10831][b]Ezekiel[/b][/url]

[size=1]Here's the original O Rly? [url=http://yearoftheowl.ytmnd.com/][b]Year of the Owl[/b][/url] animation. Enjoy it, but be careful - it goes on for quite a while. Please do not forget your friends, family, school, or work while watching.[/size]

[quote name='Ramen_Mido']I say screw it you dont need this extra drama. Your busy with high school,college, and your black belt. Tell Josh it wont work out and he will have to suck it up and move on. I hope this works out for you.[/quote] [size=1]Actually, that's a great idea. I say screw 'em both. You don't really have time for all these high-school games. You have alot of your plate, all of which sounds alot more important that a temporary teenage relationship. I don't mean to sound callous, but you must weigh all the responsibilites in your life, prioritize them, and drop the dead weights. There's only so much one person can do, and so I'd recommend you tell them both you just can't go out, and get on with your life.[/size]

[size=1][b]Name:[/b] Miyamoto Keiji [b]Age:[/b] 12 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Appearance:[/b] [url=http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/keijicrop.jpg][1][/url] [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/mechinfinity/keiji.jpg][2][/url] With calming brown eyes and a cute face to match, Keiji is easy on the eyes and a pleasure to look at. His brown hair is worn long, solely because he likes it like that. He stands at average height, has a toned build, and has particularly nimble fingers, partially due to the training he has done with scrolls and hand positioning. Keiji wears a navy-blue outfit, consisting of both long-sleeves and pants. These are relatively close fitting, as far as boys apparel goes, as the extra flourish in baggy clothes are not combat efficient. [b]Rank:[/b] Rookie Genin [b]Personality:[/b] Keiji is a moderate boy, lacking any real strong emotions and extreme reactions to most situations. The only real mentionable trait of him would be his determination and devotion to a cause ? be it building a sand castle, making a friend, or completing a mission, he devotes all his time and effort towards the completion of the task. Many have commented that such a one-track mind is unhealthy, that everything is good in moderation, but to him, pursuing his passions (or obsessions, depending on who you ask) is something he places first and foremost. [b]Equipment:[/b] Keiji is equipped with five kunai and two smokeballs, both of which are shrewdly employed in battle. His most important weapons, however, are his jutsu scrolls, which he stores on his hip (hooked to his belt) for quick access. As most of Keiji?s fighting centers around his chakra and use of scrolls, he finds these weapons most valuable. He finds that keeping his weaponry to a minimum allows for him to fight more effectively and respond to given situations with more speed due to the lack of bulk. [b]Main Weapon/Technique:[/b] Keiji is highly advanced in the arts of chakra manipulation and scroll utilization. His technique consists of attack redirection ? both physical and jutsu ? he is relatively weak in all other areas, and so he can only effectively fight by using his opponents techniques against them. Channeling his chakra into his scroll, he performs a jutsu that creates an invisible barrier in front of him, which counters and redirects jutsu used against him. When up against physical fighers, however, he uses jutsu to gain the upper hand in battle. Using his mind and chakra to his advantage, Keiji is a creative boy, always attacking a problem from more than one angle. [b]Biography/Writing Sample:[/b] ?You look like a girl,? they sneered, ?and you probably punch like one too.? A child tugged the boy?s hair, laughing in delight at his pain. Keiji hated them ? he felt the feeling rise in his chest. He was outnumbered five to one, and would probably lose in a fight. He fought down the tears, choosing to walk away instead. ?And where the [I]hell[/I] are you going? Get back here, ******!? The children moved to tug his hair once more. Keiji broke into a sprint, trying to evade his pursuers, who closely followed. He thought of the jutsu scroll he learned to use in class that day, how it could save him. He had been the best in class at utilizing them, coming up with several variations to the jutsu they had been taught. A kick landed squarely on his neck ? he fell onto the ground, sliding a few feet before his body came to a halt. It was automatic at that point ? the adrenaline built up in his veins, begging to be used. He arm opened up the scroll, his hands made a series of complex gestures which he had learned in class during that week ? the art of fire, gravity, and wind. He had been instructed not to combine jutsu at this point, as he would only hurt himself, but he had no choice. With hate in Keiji?s eyes, he screamed, triggering wind to swirl around his opponents. They attempted to evade it with their speed, but failed beautifully. They collided with one another, falling into a heap. The heap rose as they lost their weight, and the wind swirling around them became a searing flame. He had the strength to keep up the assault for four seconds, but it was enough to win the fight. ?Do you want anything else?!? He screamed, his body still pulsing from the adrenaline and his mind still racing from his expenditure of chakra. The boys were crying, nursing their wounds, yelling for help. A slow guilt crept into his chest ? at first, negligible, but then overwhelming and painful. He ran away from them, hoping to find Imi ? someone who wouldn?t pull his hair just for being long. He ran away from them, wondering why they hated his difference, why their sadism was directed at him, why they gave him no rest. All he wanted was to be ?one of the guys,? to be invited to their training sessions, to be invited to hang out with them and talk about girls, to be [I]accepted[/I]. He hated them. [b]Extra Notes:[/b] Keiji doesn?t get along too well with his male counterparts, and as a result, is only friends with Imi and Mei.[/size]

[quote name='Starwind][...'] it's not Bush's fault. Every government is token to do the things he does. Why? Because that level of power can and will corrupt people. The reason presidents of past knew to stay in line was because of the people, and the fact they were being watched so closely. Now a days in this "I don't give a crap" societh we live in, no one pays attention to the politicians and that's how they get away with this crap.[/quote] [size=1]How does this [i]not[/i] make it Bush's fault? He exploited the fact that apparently the people aren't keeping him on a tighter chain, and now it's our fault? It's his fault he's doing these things in the first place. True, we should pay more attention to the happenings in the political arena, but the President shouldn't be 'corrupt' either. It doesn't even matter what the people say right now -- he has no reason to listen to the American people. It's his second term, and as long as he doesn't do anything impeachable, we can't do anything about it. The people have power in the government to a very limited extent -- I'd say that the People can more influence the House, rather than the Executive branch. And really, the people [i]don't want to do anything about it[/i]. Bush got elected - he was more popular than Kerry. Therefore, the people's will is reflected ... so why do you think these same people would be hopping up to protest? If you meant for the Democrats to do something about it, well, we can't. Republicans control the Congress, and Bush has appointed three (I think) Supreme Court Justices. There's no way for any legislature to be passed to change things.[/size] [quote]Bush isn't a bad president, he's human. The people in this country are what's wrong. If you want change, stand up and cry out against the world and go for the big chance. If you don't strive for change and succession then democracy failed. Our government stability is completely dependant on it's people, so it's our fault if it falls flat of it's face.[/QUOTE] I think you're being a bit too idealistic as far as the power of the people and the government's dependency on those people. Yes, the people have power, but not as much as you keep saying they do. We don't hold up the government and choose to let it live or die. The government is a pretty strong beast alone, thanks to the Federalists.[/size]

[size=1]First and foremost, I'd like to thank BanditJing for inadvertantly reminding me of my very, very old FFX AMV tribute. So [b][url=http://www.youtube.com/w/?v=CDxUMPjBt0g]here[/url][/b] is the link. Tell me what you think of it -- I'm looking for effective critique here, and I'm hoping that I can enjoy this medium as much as my still one. (Wow, that sentence was awkward).[/size]