Retribution

[quote name='Pumpkin']I know my first contact with the internet was when I was 6 or 7 and I use to go into Nickalodean chat rooms and talk about cartoons. I had parental advisory so no I didn't get into anything bad.[/quote] [size=1]Whoa! Same here! Anyway, my first contact with computers was watching my mother work on MSDOS to do the taxes ... fun. Once we got a Windows 98, I got into the whole internet scene -- not alot of real involvement, just going into the "Kid's Only" section of AOL (4.0, I believe. Yeah, I'm totally old school). My first screen name was Binder238 -- don't ask me why, but I'm pretty sure because when my mother asked me for a name, I looked around the room, and a binder, and tossed on some number. I stopped using the computer for the internet for quite a while in about fourth grade, but I got back into it in about seventh grade when talking to friends became super-important to me. By this time, my family had switched over to CompuServe (more 56k sufferage) and stayed this way until I finally nagged them for Comcast High Speed Internet in 2003. After I got High Speed Internet, I spent alot more time online, and eventually found OB in 2004. Since then, I've been a complete addict, and I don't intend on stopping. But really, I can stop whenever I want to. I swear. ;_;[/size]

[size=1]Well, I really do prefer the second one to the first. The first one seems a bit disjointed - as in the music doesn't really match up well with the visual cues, whereas in the second (at least in the beginning) Cloud's motions match the beat. Also, the first AMV has alot of dead space in it ... there's too much pause where the music doesn't call for it, and at some places, it's just too slow. Try cutting up the clips more, splicing them in with other clips instead of just having big chunks of video, as it gets boring that way. Keep it up![/size]

[size=1]That was brilliant, actually. I really enjoyed the metaphor between the art and the women, as well as "the Victorian Heart may be yours," as in he's in love. All very well thought out, Ms. Revvy. The only problem I have with this is the last sentence - it's a bit too obvious and in your face. Maybe try to make another cleverly subtle reference to his death, just as you did with the art and the Victorian Heart. I look forward to the next installment.[/size]

[size=1][quote name='Drix D'Zanth] I don't blame Katrina or the Economy on him. I blame the economic depression on companies like Enron, which was exacerbated further by 9/11. I like his tax-cut plan, and I think it's fair (if you spend more on taxes, you get a proportional amount back in returns). I think if people don't [i]save[/i'] that money, and re-cycle it into the economy- we would see stimulation. Inevitably, there's little a government can do in a capitalist-driven market.[/quote] Trickle down economics hasn't worked for quite a while -- since Kennedy, I believe. It only worked in that occasion had a much larger potential for growth and output than what they were currently producing. Really, trickle down economics is unrealistic, as it supposes that when people get back the money, they'll reinvest in businesses, who will give more jobs out with the money they got. That never happens. If there's nothing a government can do in a free-trade economy, then why under Clinton was there a [i]surplus[/i], and once Bush got the reins, we're in a [i]7 trillion dollar deficit?[/i]. Sure, I'll concede the fact that there's only so much that the government can do, but they aren't powerless. Bush's tax cuts only substanially affect those in the upper income brackets. We all know that -- this isn't some light-shedding revelation. And why, in heaven's name, [I]would you cut taxes, and then enter a war?[/I] [quote]I think Bush is terrible at public speaking...[/quote] Amen, I say to you! [quote]...but I think he's a bright person.[/QUOTE] *cough* Yeah... alrighty then... *shifty eyes* Heh. I kid -- believe he's bright.[/size]

[quote name='Chabichou][COLOR=#004a6f']But then what would the point be of being christian? The only thing about this ideology that doesn't make sense is its connection to christianity. Chrisitanity teaches that only christians go to heaven, it's a complete contradiction. So why would you believe in this religion? (I mean no offence or pressure Retri).[/COLOR][/quote] [size=1]I think you should be whatever feels most comfortable to you. To me, that's being a Christian -- it's a personal decision. There's an example for you that'll hopefully give you an idea of what I mean. Your father is very nice to you, and therefore you thank him. Your father is very nice to your brother as well, but he doesn't thank him to his face. Instead, he expresses his thanksgiving through giving back to him, by helping others, by doing extra chores around the house. You would be the Christian in this example -- you thank who I believe to be God directly, and your brother isn't a Christian, who praises his father through other acts. I find it more satisfying through thanking Him directly. Christ once said that you should not follow the law as it is written to the point where the divine law becomes unjust. Christ taught that you can and should help someone out on the Sabbath, despite him being a Jew, and it being a Commandment to do [b]no[/b] work on the Sabbath. I think it's the same way with religion -- that if you blindly say "You're not ____, so you're going to hell," you're no better than the Pharisees who said "You're not in line with your teachings, so you're (insert negative adjective here)." Sorry if that didn't completely explain it.[/size]

[QUOTE=Shinji][color=crimson] I myself, am a comitted Christian, and I believe in all aspects of the faith. [...] So, in a sense, I have mxed up my original faith a litle, yet, that's within the confines of Christianity itself. I can't see myself adopting any aspect of another religion into mine, since my beliefs are pretty much solid-footed.[/color][/QUOTE] [size=1]How can you believe in all aspects of the faith, when there are many, many denominations? Catholics believe in praying to Saints, whereas Methodists believe you should only pray to Jesus. Catholics confess their sins to a priest, while Baptists confess directly to Jesus. I think I know what you mean in general, I just wanted to know what you meant specifically.[/size]

[size=1]Well, the foundation of my religious ideology was shaped by going to church every Sunday -- a Protestant one. As a result of learning Christian beliefs during my "formation" years, I consider myself a Protestant Christian, and share most of their beliefs. I grew up in a very liberal, open-minded area, where people had those "War is not the answer," "Peace on Earth" signs in their yards, where people played the guitar in the park with friends, where half the neighborhood was vegetarian, you get the point. This, I think, was a really great nuturing environment, and instilled in me a sense of acceptance and appreciation of diversity. I kept an open mind about religion, and made sure I didn't turn into some crazed zealot. Now, I attend a Catholic school, which has forced me to look at the other side of the Christian fence. My values haven't really changed at all, but I do pray to the Virgin Mary now -- a very minor change from my Protestant (no belief in Saints) views. I personally believe that if you lead a good life, that if you have a truly good heart, no matter your religion (or lack thereof), you will be in heaven. I think that Christ is just, and that He will see the kindness in everyone's hearts, rather than be a Pharisee and discriminate against Gandhi just because he wasn't Christian. And yes, I believe in Hell.[/size]

[quote name='Shinmaru']w3$t $1d3 4 lyf3 d00dz[/quote] [size=1]y34h, w3$t$1d3 str8 r3pp1n' 1t, y0!1 There's so many people over here, that we should have a get-together in a central location like [i]DC![/i] I added myself as well, and I'm excited to see that there are several people relatively close to me. [/size]

[size=1]I'd say these are substantially better than the first batch -- I have no real reason why, though. My favorite of these is a tie between "Purple" and the black and white one with bits of red brushing. I must say, though, that "Purple" would be much better off without the text and a tighter crop (from the left side) after that. As for the black and white one with bits of red, I'd recommend taking away the brushing and coloring in only the designs on your shirt. I think that'd be pretty awesome. I would also recommend that you try a few photos like "Purple" but without the camera -- you'd have some seriously kick*** photos then. Keep it up.[/size]

[QUOTE=Lord Rannos]*Keep in mind that I'm from the US, so all comments henceforth are about the US, and our policies. Cause frankly I don't know much about other countrys' systems [COLOR=DarkRed] I agree with Chabichou here. If the policies that our president enforces affect us, and we are expected to live by them, then why don't we get a say in who the president is? Just because we're younger, and therefore stupider? I don't think there's a big jump between 17 and 18 years old in terms of maturity, or necessarily in terms of political knowledge. Fact is, people and the government believe that as long as you are under the age of 18, your parents own you. So they're the ones who get to make the decisions for your future. And I believe that's wrong. If teenagers have an opinion on who should be making decisions that affect the entire country, they should be able to express those opinions.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [size=1]Eighteen is when the government recognizes you as an 'adult,' capable of making your own decisions, being responsible for your own actions, and so forth. It's not a question of how exactly less mature a 17-year-old is than a 18 -- it's a right you recieve when you become an adult. Yes, the understanding is that your parents would essentially have two votes. What's the difference between political knowledge from 15 to 16? How about 16 to 17? Maybe 17 to 18? You get my point, right? It's nigh impossible to determine this for one person, let alone an entire nation where maturity widely varies. Therefore, the government slaps the voting age together with the other ones your recieve. I think the government is right on this one, personally.[/size]

[size=1]You see, Jordan, Pacifism is all well and good for a Christian to believe in. Christ pretty much lays it out for everyone that you shouldn't draw your weapon even in self-defense. However, Christ told Peter to put down his sword, because Christ knew that He and only He would be killed by the Romans. The reason why any leader of a country cannot be a Pacifist is because of the fact [i]they hold the lives of their citizens in their hands[/i]. Whatever decision they make -- to fight in defense, or to be lambs to the slaughter -- rests in their hands. Pacifism is a person decision, and cannot be imposed unto people as would be the case if the President were to adopt that philosophy. It's foolish to do so -- not only would it be condemning your citizens to death, but it would also do so without their consent. The way the system works now seems to be working alright (more or less, I suppose) -- if you are okay with fighting, you enlist, and ifyou're a consciencious objector, you register yourself as such. But I'm with you on the fact that the war in Iraq isn't justified.[/size]

[size=1]I notice two general problem in your banners. While you have a good eye for design, [1] your text is overpowering the banner, and [2] you obsure the focal point/stock beyond the point of recognition. [1] I'd recommend lowering the font size and making the font a less clashing color. Instead, try to make it compliment the banner. So if you had a navy blue banner, maybe a royal blue would suffice, instead of a green or red. The font also eclipses the stock, so it's harder to enjoy the banner. [2] The stocks (images) are relatively obscured in most of these. When you make a banner, make the image as clear as possible, without distortion or grain. Find the cleanest image you can get your hands on so that when you add effects, you don't lose the general 'integrity' of your image. Oh, and add a one pixel black border. ^_~ Keep up the work![/size]

[quote name='Starwind']The UN right now is in the process of analyzing this worlds greatest military threat, Iran. That's right, Iran has been declared a rogue nation and is rebeling against the US and the UN. But two of the permanent members of the security council, namely Russia and China, are using there power of veto to keep them from appearing before the council. These two nations have close economic ties to Iran, so the odds of them allowing Iran to face the council, which could result in political and economic sanctions, is silm.[/quote] [size=1]I wholeheartedly agree that the UN is very important in this day and age. Surprisingly enough, I agree with almost everything you said. However, I always thought that China and North Korea were larger military threats than Iran. China would probably wipe the floor with America in a land-oriented battle, due to their heavily superior numbers. Although America does have superior technology, there's only so much you could do against a D-Day invasion of something like LA by the Chinese. I also thought that North Korea was a huge threat due to their posession of nuclear weapons and willingness to use them. I might be wrong, though. I haven't read any real statistics.[/size]

[QUOTE=Amelia][FONT=Arial]Hm, Retri, I'm pretty sure not every country thinks America is stuck-up, piggish and greedy. It's strange, for some reason, my parents think France is rather stuck-up. =(? Oh well. I'm neither a republican or a democrat, because politics bore me to death and I really don't care. The way I see it is that if I don't like the way things are being run (and chances are, I won't care) then I can just move to Europe. I don't want to vote (as I've said before) so I'm probably never going to waste my time trying to make a difference in something I'm not interested in. I'm just really apathetic, and I may grow out of it, but if I see something as something that won't help my future (and since nothing has changed since the last election, I can't see how voting will change anything later) then I just don't want to do it. xP;; But as for Bush...better than Kerry. I don't remember much about why I didn't like Kerry, I just remember that I didn't. >=([/FONT][/QUOTE] [size=1]Funny - someone on dA said "Are you [i]American[/i] or something? What kind of question is that?" And yes, everyone jokes about France. It's what they get for getting steamrolled in WWII. :3 Your indifference and apathy bothers me. You essentially said "If it bothers me, I won't try to change it, I'll just leave so that others have to put up with the same system and chance never occurs." The same could've been said about the racism in the sixties. If it bothers me, I'll just move to Europe so that it's not such a problem. How would that change things for the greater good? I think voting is a right that should be exercised -- it's sad that the words "Give me liberty, or give me death!" are now answered with "I can't be bothered to vote." Get up, read a newspaper, figure out where you stand, and help the nation develop by voting. All you really need to do is take a look in history to see how elections have changed the course of the nation. What if Andrew Jackson had won the elections instead of John Quincy Adams? Jackson was the biggest bigot to hit America -- he massacred natives throughout his life, and so think about the damage that would've been done had he been president for that term? Sure, the issues seem distant, as if they don't affect you, but they will eventually. As for not liking Kerry, coming from someone who is too apathetic to follow the news, I'll take it with grain of salt.[/size]

[size=1]The War in Iraq is completely unjustified. We're not going after the same people that had ties to 9/11. We went into Iraq after realizing that Afghanistan was a lost cause, as far as finding Osama went. Bush needed to bring something back home to show for all the military action, and that's why when Saddam was caught, he said it was "Mission Accomplished." Really, what mission was accomplished? I thought there war was against terror, and as far as I can tell, Saddam is not the only terrorist in the world. He needed a trophy to bring back to the American public after failing to bring back Osama or WMDs. We're trillions of dollars in debt -- when Clinton left office, America had a [i]surplus[/i]. The oddest thing, though, is that Bush insists on [i]tax cuts[/i] during a war, when [i]you need those tax dollars to pay for all the costs.[/i] The fact that Bush brought up gay marriage and abortion in another attempt to divert America's sort attention span from the slow-moving Iraqi conflict annoyed me a great deal. I disagree with him outright, and the whole "It's against the Bible!1" arguement he regurgitates makes him even more tiresome. He's also the reason why all other nations think of Americans as stuck up, piggish, greedy, and arrogant.[/size]

[size=1]There is a school of thought that believes that dream analyzation is completely pointless, as dreams are the result of synapses firing at random, and your mind attempting to make sense of these, hence the odd scenarios (An underwater teaparty where the cups begin to burn, for example). I also think it is nigh-impossible to analyze someone else's dreams until you have extensive prior knowledge of the person's past. There's never one set-in-stone explanation for "dreaming I was an ant" or something equally strange. It doesn't mean that I feel inadequate per se, and some vague online aquaintance cannot tell me otherwise. As for my weirdest dream, well, I was in a burning building (a police station, actually) with my little brother. We were on the third floor, and I jumped out, landed, and rolled to minimize the impact. I survived, and told my brother to jump and do the same as I had done. He did, but didn't roll the right way, and died upon impact. I cried for the rest of the dream. If anyone would like to try to interpret dreams, if you think it's possible to do such a thing, try reading Freud's "Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis" and I heavily recommend Jung's "Memories, Dreams, Reflections." It's very heavy reading on dream and memory analyzation, but if you're interested, it's a good idea. You get insight into Jung's own dreams, how he confronts his subconscious, and interprets his own dreams. He also explains how you should go about analyzing your own. [quote name='eXo']Onto the killing situation, first note that dreams of murder occur frequently during periods of depression.[/quote] Actually, I dream quite a bit about murder and death, but I'm not depressed. Far from it, actually -- I'm a relatively happy individual who loves his life. [quote name='indifference']The training I have received is based on the concept that when you are interviewing the person who had the dream you need to leave interpretations to the dreamer, the interviewer?s role is to ask the right questions so that the dreamer can make his or her own discoveries about what the dream means to them. It?s a very effective technique in helping the patients to deal with the nightmares that they often experience.[/quote] Lucid dreaming is being utilized to combat nightmares as well. Lucid dreaming can be triggered by giving the person who is asleep a "sign" they are asleep as they enter the REM stage of sleep. This "sign" would be something akin to a brief flash of light at the person's eyelids as they enter REM sleep. For some reason, this triggers lucid dreaming.[/size]

[size=1]I've never really had to deal with an incompetent 'prompt,' although I have had overly complex and detailed ones. I remember looking at it, wondering "So how am I supposed to pass when all I have is 42 minutes?" Some ask me to analyze Federalist v. Democratic Republican (Jeffersonian) philosophies and support such analyzation with documents that I've never read before (they provide them for you). Very challenging. I managed an A-. Others are rather vague but enjoyable, "The first step to change is discontent. Is this statement true? Provide examples, etc," but I end up getting lower grades on those.[/size]

[size=1]I enjoy both for different reasons. I find collecting manga a fun thing to do. It feels like I own a piece of the universe when I do that, and it's cheaper than a DVD version. However, the downfall of manga is that it's hard to follow the hectic battles (Naruto, Gundam, Vagabond), and this is where anime comes in. I like watching anime solely because it's easier to follow than a manga. The battles aren't chopped up into frames, and so the exchanges go much more smoothly than that of a manga. On top of that, there are just some animes that you can find on TV that you can't find in the manga aisle.[/size]

[size=1]Your colored paper cut-outs were simply amazing. Before I completely read all the posts, I was about to tell you to move away from filtering in Photoshop... silly me. Really, there's not much to talk about with those -- minor proportion problems, but you're extremely skilled. Wonderful job. You might want to try to clean up your logos -- they look interesting, however, they're not legible enough for a stand alone logo. I think the last one is the best, but it seems a bit too hollow, and the "D" as well as the "P" are hard to make out. Perhaps a serif font would do the trick?[/size]

[size=1]Athena, would you like this battle added to your GFX Club record? I'd consider it valid, as it was done with another member of the Club. Anyway, it was a very tough challenge to complete, and I think you executed it well. I certainly couldn't've done any better, and the only thing I can really say about this hilarious entry is that you can tell that the advertisement had no depth. Ah well, great job all the same.[/size]

[size=1]SunfallE, I?d recommend searching on Google for ?photoshop brush downloads? or something of the sort. There are plenty of websites that have them, and you don?t have to look too hard for them, however, I think that they severely cripple your skill when you become reliant upon them. Instead of actually knowing how to achieve the pre-made technique, you?ll need your brushes. The lighting effects I was talking about can be found in Filters > Render > Lighting Effects. It?s also quite fun to liquefy the light that you placed down to give you an easily made abstraction. Good luck with all that.[/size] [b]Lesson: Blending Stock[/b] ? [size=1]Requested by White I?ve been working on this lesson for some time now (about a week, on and off), so I hope that it helps everyone. [b]Common Mistakes:[/b] These mistakes are most seen by beginner banner makers ? a two layer banner, with one layer at a low opacity. [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/sasukebad.jpg[/IMG] The problem with this is that there?s nothing really going on in the banner. The two layers are both somewhat pale and the entire piece is undynamic and rather boring. This lesson will try to remedy these common mistakes, and arm everyone with a new technique or two for making a new banner with multiple images. [b]Overlaying Layers:[/b] This trick is rather easy ? you take the two layers you?d like to blend, place them accordingly, and turn the upper layer?s blending mode to whatever strikes your fancy (overlay, soft light, linear light, pin light, color dodge, etc). However, be sure the main focus? don?t overlap, or else you?ll get a very jumbled image. Here?s an example of using this technique: [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/phobia.jpg[/IMG] [b]Extraction:[/b] To extract an image from its background to add into your banner, use the [I]magic eraser[/I]. To vary the range of colors it erases, change the [I]tolerance[/I] accordingly (found somewhere at the top). Be sure to maintain the color harmony in these two images. This can be done by using [I]color balance[/I] (ctrl + b). Pick a good layout for these images ? be sure they?re interesting, or else your banner will be boring. [b]Brushing:[/b] This is the hardest of all to do to blend two images with. It is also I cannot (unfortunately) describe, due to its complexity and subjective nature. A good tip to begin with, though, is to modify the brush settings (in the upper right corner, I believe), as well as brush on multiple layers, and blend those together to achieve different effects.[/size]

[size=1]Are you a teenager at eigh[b]teen[/b]? Anyway, I think the current voting age is quite alright. As for those who don't vote, I think it's foolish. Why waste your Constitutional priviledge, when the matters DO affect you, and you CAN change them if you vote? People always think "it's only one..." and those people make up half of America. Every little bit counts. Everyone's acting like voting is some collosal task that one must undertake. It's really quite simple -- you watch the news, maybe read the paper every now and again, keep in sync with the issues of the day, and figure out where you stand on them. What's so stressful and tense about all of this? Why should everyone "cherish the years before [they] can vote"?[/size]

[size=1]I immensely enjoy the textures of these -- particularly the last one. I'm guessing you're relatively new at Photoshop (no offense if you're not), and these are very good for a 'novice.' How did you achieve the effect in the second image? I'm pretty sure I know how you get the color (Color Balance, ctrl + b), so I mean the general shapes and patterns. Keep it up![/size]

[quote name='Boba Fett][center][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Jedgar/RLYcopy.jpg[/IMG'][/center][/quote] [center][IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/orlygeek.jpg[/IMG] [size=1][And in response][/size] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/orlyquite.jpg[/IMG][/center]

[size=1]Alrighty, Athena, I decided to take your words to heart and make myself a new avatar. I hope it's more powerful, less pixely, and overall more appealling. Random, I'm giving your banner/avatar set a [b]6/10[/b]. The text feels somewhat out of place and undynamic, while the stock used has a slight grain to it. I think the stock choice of the banner is a good one, however, the hand is out of the blue, completely not-matching your banner. And it's always a plus that you have a border. :3[/size]