SunfallE

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='Retribution'][font=Arial]There have been numerous psychological studies showing that people more frequently associate black people with violent acts and consider them to be more likely to be armed. People whose conscious thoughts tell them that black people are not inherently dangerous -- these are the people that also were more likely to associate a black man reaching into his pocket and pulling out a gun rather than a key. Go look the studies up yourself, I'm not making it up.[/font][/QUOTE]I find that statement amusing because having grown up in a predominantly white area, my first thought when associating crime with what could be considered a racial association... is to fellow [I]white[/I] people like myself. Because when the area you live in is close to 90% white, then you can pretty much guarantee that 90% or more of the crimes that are committed... are done so [I]by whites[/I]. Numerous studies that say otherwise are only as accurate as the pool or source the data is taken from, they don't account for the circumstances surrounding the individuals involved in the crime. That kind of study is useless in determining if such was the case for Sean Bell. Using studies to determine intent of that nature is a dangerous path to take, each case needs to be evaluated on it's own merits least you make the mistake of associating possible motivations that may have nothing to do with it.[quote name='Retribution;811268][font=Arial]Furthermore, the most brutal cop (in the respect that he fired 31 shots out of 50) was white (but as Nerdsy says, this does not vindicate the two black cops). He fired ~16 shots [i]then reloaded[/i] and kept going. So to say this was a "gut reaction" or "split second decision" is in my opinion erroneous. He wanted to play cowboy, and now a father is dead. Disgusting.[/font][/QUOTE]Excessive use of force? Yes. Wanted to play cowboy? Assumption with no basis in fact. Until each and every one of us have stood in that mans shoes, have experienced firing a gun at someone we mistakenly thought was dangerous; it's presumptuous to assume that we would be any better or that we would not react in the same manner. It's an easy road to sit back in our comfy chairs and read the articles and watch the television reports and pass judgment on others. Which is why I'm glad we have a law system instead of listening to the gut reaction of the public to such a tragedy.[quote name='Lunox;811287][font=trebuchet ms]But complaining about never hearing about Hispanic hate crimes is like complaining about how we never see Hispanic kidnapping crimes in media. The point isn't that they are Hispanic or white or whatever, it's that the crime exists.[/font][/QUOTE]No, the point I think that was being made, is that the media tends to focus on those crimes that will get the most attention (and ratings). Unfortunately it often tends to be ones that either are or aren't racist in regards to blacks (or rather could be taken either way). It's true here as well. I hate to say it, but some Hispanic kid gets nailed like that and there's barely a ripple. But if it's someone who's black? Then all hell breaks lose as if it was a deliberate racism issue. If crime was the only issue/problem, there would be more fair coverage of such things, but there isn't. So the complaint about not seeing the other is valid. We need to be giving equal air time to all cases not just ones that will get the strongest reaction out of people.[QUOTE=Lunox'][font=trebuchet ms']On both sides you can make assumptions: the side who hounds the racism card might be people who hate white people, the side that thinks racism can't play a role because it "doesn't exists anymore" might be people who like to think to themselves that all white people aren't racist anymore. Everyone saying that people who think there's racism involved aren't thinking about it enough could take the same advice.[/font][/quote]No, I think you've missed what Allamorph was getting at to begin with, he wasn't saying racism didn't exist, he was talking about how that card is used for media sensationalism, clouding the facts of what happened. Getting people to focus on the color of his skin instead of whether or not the officers should be charged. Rachmaninoff touched on it briefly, the guy was drunk, he was ignoring police requests to pull over, hitting an officer with his car and then ramming an unmarked car. It doesn't mean the officers actions were justified, but it does point to glossing over what happened in favor of saying [I]they killed him because he was black[/I]. Which diverts from the true purpose of the trial, to determine if the officers should be charged or not. Racism only has a place in a trial if it was a [I]KEY [/I]factor in causing the tragedy. Was this a hate crime? Was it key? No, I seriously doubt it based on what I've read. It was a stupid tragedy that sadly lead to the death of Sean Bell.[quote name='Lunox'][font=trebuchet ms]That's semi-ridiculous. Skin color still matters, so you've already contradicted yourself. Both of my posts in this thread aren't even about the Sean Bell case, it's just about racism in general. As someone who grew up as a minority, am I more predisposed to suspect racism? Yes. And I'm not ashamed of this or anything. A white person who grew up in a white community would probably have a harder time seeing subtle acts of racism or prejudice. A minority who grew up in a white community would probably suspect too quickly any racism in a problem. No one can be unbiased or the best judge, no matter how removed or well-sighted one thinks he/she is.[/font][/QUOTE]You're missing the point again. In taking this case to trial, [I]skin color does not matter[/I]. No matter what happened, [I]everyone[/I] is entitled to a fair and just trial. You're reading way too much into what Allamorph was talking about. I don't see anyone really saying racism or bias doesn't exist but rather we as a nation need to stop looking for it unless we have a damn good reason to think it's there. It's far to easy to think he only did it because the guy was black when it's next to impossible to really determine what was going through their minds at the time of the incident. And seriously, if someone hit me with a car and then rammed another one and yet still ignored an order to stop? What the hell was the officer suppose to think? Oh it's okay, he's harmless? I mean seriously... wtf? This wasn't some immediate shoot the person because he's black... This happened [I]after[/I] requests to stop were outright ignored and his actions were not that of someone simply walking or driving away, his actions were impaired on account of being drunk, leading to false impressions of what was truly going on. And sadly, it turned into an utter nightmare. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][CENTER][SIZE="3"][B]Black Box[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER] Lucia had felt no regret at leaving almost immediately after Phaidra had arrived, barely taking the time to make sure she understood what she would be doing when she sent someone on their way to the next level of existence. Deep down she knew that her arrival and the time spent getting her settled in was nothing, but that part of her that resented how her time as a whole had been taken from her couldn?t help but find it annoying. It wasn?t the newcomer?s fault but Lucia still found it frustrating, something Ruby picked up on as she always did. ?[B]You could be a little nicer you know.[/B]? She chided from her position on Lucia?s right shoulder. ?[B]Phaidra isn?t the one who decides where she?ll work or who is assigned to help her settle in after all.[/B]? Lucia sighed a little, ?[B]I know.[/B]? Though regardless of that fact, she was never social to begin with, spending decades and even centuries at time caught up in her research. To have it forced on her to some extent was? irritating. If she wanted it she would have actively sought it. [I]Why should I have to socialize with others when I don?t want to be here in the first place?[/I] Even the more reserved Adrian was far more social than she was. In the end, she did not understand the need that others seemed to have for talking with humans or with others of their own race. Lucia buried that line of thinking since it always lead to thoughts about how much she disliked how her life was now. Instead she focused on what she was doing and that was retrieving some of the material that her own communicator was made from. She didn?t need much, but if she was going to build what she wanted for the lab, some would be necessary. A few minutes before she was finished a soft chime sounded resulting in Lucia pausing to see what the message was. There were two of them, one giving her the schedule of her work and the second was from Nathan. She didn?t have the information for the project she would be working on for the humans yet, but that did not matter. Lucia took a moment to review the schedule in her mind and then composed a brief message to send back to Nathan, letting him know that she would be free all evening. Then, she sent it off to Nathan before turning to finish gathering what she came for. Once that was tucked into the small pouch she had brought with her she took off, ghosting through the obstacles in her path and then once clear, she made for the city at top speed. Lucia was tempted to use a shortcut but the fuss wasn?t worth it, not when it wouldn?t save her enough time to really matter. That and dropping off the radar, even if only for a few seconds, would bring her keeper down on her again. She?d rather lose the time than have to deal with [I]that[/I] twit again. ?[B]You?re going to get rid of Phaidra as soon as possible aren?t you?[/B]? Ruby accused. ?[B]What are you talking about? She needs her own place.[/B]? Ruby snorted. ?[B]In other words?[/B]? She switched to a high pitched insulting screech. ?[B]I can?t stand being around others! They should have assigned her to someone else! It?s a waste of my time![/B]? ?[B]Now you?re just being rude Ruby.[/B]? Lucia gave her a sharp look of irritation. ?[B]It?s practical for both of us to have our own work space. Besides, if you really want someone to talk with, you?ve never hesitated to go and pester Alex and Nall or the others too.[/B]? ?[B]I?m not the one who needs to lighten up a little,[/B]? Ruby hunched down a tiny bit. ?[B]It?s not good for you to spend all your time alone brooding over everything.[/B]? Lucia turned her attention back to where they were going as they came to the outer city limits. She had never needed it before so why would she need that contact now? [I]Sometimes you make no sense at all Ruby.[/I] The thought was pushed aside as she got closer to her own place, after all, in her own way Ruby did care for her wellbeing and that was more than enough in Lucia?s mind. A moment later and the two had ghosted through the door to her place only to come up short at an unexpected change. Her brow furrowed, Lucia paused, wondering what could have happened to make her place smell like freshly baked cake of all things. [I]What in the world?[/I] Before she could do more than take a single step in the direction of the doors leading to the kitchen area, they opened to the sight of Phaidra herself carrying a tray laden with the items in question. ?[B]Oh![/B]? Phaidra exclaimed upon seeing the two. ?[B]You?re just in time for some tea and cakes.[/B]? She smiled winsomely at both of them. ?[B]Care to join me out on the balcony?[/B]? For the longest moment the two just stared at each other until Ruby snorted in Lucia?s ear and took off to hover in front of Phaidra who was starting to look a tiny bit worried. ?[B]Don?t mind her,[/B]? Ruby indicated Lucia with a roll of her eyes. ?[B]She may be a stick in the mud but I love cake![/B]? ?[B]Ruby...[/B]? Lucia started to speak but Ruby just cut her off again. ?[B]Come on! Let?s go![/B]? She said brightly to Phaidra, ?[B]You?ll get use to her after a while.[/B]? Lucia just closed her mouth, saying nothing else. [I]Why am I even surprised or bothered?[/I] She wondered. [I]I never use the kitchen anyway[/I]. Still, as she watched Ruby head out for the balcony, chatting like a little mad thing with Phaidra and Sarvel in tow, the thought crossed her mind to wonder if being alone and brooding all the time, as Ruby put it, really [I]was [/I]bad for her. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='Sabrina'][FONT="Tahoma"]I?m tearing my room apart and rearranging things. I don?t know why I always get this urge each spring, I just do. [/FONT][/QUOTE]You're not the only one who does that. I'm in the middle of doing that right now since I like shaking things up. It's like spring comes around and I have to change how my room is arranged. Heh. In general, I just love being able to be outside without needing layers and layers of clothing to stay warm. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='Desbreko'][color=#4B0082]That's fine. I have absolutely no problem with this image. :cool: *passes out pellet guns to the fanclub* Go wild.[/color][/QUOTE]Oh my... *dies laughing* Dessy as [SIZE="1"][I]OB's [strike]crazy[/strike] awesome motorcycle-riding uncle.[/I] [/SIZE]Haha! Seriously, when I was growing up? I had an uncle like that. Him and his friends every summer would get together and tour the US on their bikes. Damn... now I'm going to have to hunt it up but I'm positive I have a picture of that from when he stopped by at my place when I was younger. [quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]Desbreko: Cause I don't have a motorcycle riding uncle. Plus his fanclub cracks me up. Maybe I should join up.... [/FONT][/QUOTE]You should. :p[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]This thread reminds me of this: [URL="http://www.lns.cornell.edu/~seb/need2know.html"][U]Click me![/U][/URL] I think I even have a poster of one for Star Wars or Star Trek around here somewhere with the [I]List![/I] :p But yeah, I've been seeing this kind of thing for a [I]long[/I] time. Not that it isn't fun mind you. ^_~[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]I see that Karl continues to be wonderfully smug. :p Anyway, I uploaded some of the images to my own photobucket account since imageshack is a joke and keeps dropping images in the links in the first post. Darren was telling me that he keeps having to rehost and fix the silly links so I figure this is a better solution. I'm not done yet, but here's the link. [URL="http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a88/SunfallE/Shinigami%20Dance/"][U]SD Album[/U][/URL] Anything we want hosted for this I can take care of, after all I am paying for the service so we may as well put it to use yes? [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]Where to begin... [U][B]Sailor Moon:[/B][/U] You heard right. Sailor Moon, unedited of course. Why? Because it's the series that upon seeing it unedited drew me back into anime when I had grown up and left it behind. So silly sailor outfits and all... it will always be one of my favorites. [U][B]Pretear:[/B][/U] It's one of my favorite versions of Cinderella. Anime style! Short and sweet and to the point. That and I enjoy the music. [U][B]Fruits Basket:[/B][/U] I just love how this is a slice of life show about growing up and yet is infused with great comedy; what with all the craziness from transformations caused by members of the zodiac being hugged by the opposite sex. That and Black Haru... that was so me as a kid. o_O [U][B]Crest of The Stars:[/B][/U] It's more slow paced and relies on conversation to build the story, but that just really comes together at the end, making those moments when things do get filled with action more alive. No super flashy battle scenes, just the story of two very different characters caught up in the changes caused by a war between their respective races. [U][B]Detective Conan:[/B][/U] I enjoy the mystery aspect to this, how tiny details in the show itself are clues to what's really going on. Along with the circumstances surrounding the main lead... it's just fun to watch. [U][B]Lucky Star:[/B][/U] I love how this show is nothing more than glimpses into the lives of high school students. That and I swear... Konata is a female version of Des with her otaku nature and gaming personality. I re-watched this recently and still loved it just as much as the first time I watched it. [U][B]Lovely Complex:[/B][/U] It's a romantic comedy about a tall girl falling for a short guy. It's just full of all sorts of fun moments and it's augmented by just how lovable the lead, Risa is. There are more of course, but this will do for a start. :catgirl:[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='indifference'][COLOR="Indigo"]I prefer manga for those stories that have not been or aren't likely to be made into an anime. Just as I prefer it for stories like Yu-Gi-Oh where the anime is so edited as to be another story altogether. So in those instances, I prefer manga over anime. Overall, this is really something that is a case by case deal and not something where I can make the generalization of this one is better than the other.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]I agree with this completely, however, in the end I still prefer animation. I know that for stuff like Yu-Gi-Oh I'm unlikely to see it done more true to the original, but still; I wish they would because I like seeing it in motion far better than just seeing it on paper. Manga though fun to read, on some level has never been my preferred format for entertainment. Not for stuff that's more involved like the stories that are presented in manga's are. Short comics I'm fine with, but extended stories? Animate please! Nao![/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]Collette from Tales of Syphonia fits me pretty well as I have blond hair and blue eyes. And though my hair has gotten much darker over the years, I still look like that to a certain degree. [URL="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a88/SunfallE/Tales%20Of%20Symphonia/TalesOfSymphonia01.jpg"][U]Picture[/U][/URL] It really fits since until I got older and my hair got a bit darker, I really was that blond. I should hunt up a picture for comparison. :p[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='Matt']At the end of the day, it is best to simply say that the article is just, simply put, utter foolishness, and we would all do ourselves a great service to put it out of our minds and memories as quickly as it entered them.[/QUOTE]I'm sorry, what were you talking about again? :p Seriously, I agree. I want the time I wasted reading it back! Heh.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]I swear... sometimes I feel like I'm so damn blond. XP [CENTER]Confusion Discomfiture; abashment A mind in turmoil; lost and separated Defeat weighing heavily on one's shoulders Self-conscious distress[/CENTER][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]Right now I'm listening to the music from the IMAX movie Yellowstone. I haven't seen it anywhere at youtube so I uploaded the first track from my CD. [URL="http://sunfalle.vox.com/library/audio/6a00e398cc45e1000200e398f2b8640004.html"][U]Yellowstone[/U][/URL] The whole album is enjoyable and I really like the orchestration to it. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]It was official; Vallon Drace was now the new Commander for the [I]Creator[/I]. The investigation into what had happened to Jared was not finished, but the fleet had left for sector four, making it necessary for him to be promoted to take Jared?s place. It would still be considered semi-permanent in that it would still be open for things to return to how they were should Jared show up again and have a valid reason for his absence. But for all intents and purposes it was final as far as Jason and Celestia were concerned. In all honesty, she was of two minds about it. Pleased that it was possible that her and Jason would never see Jared again, frustrated that Drace was now in charge. The only good thing about it was he considered dealing with them beneath his new status and left all of that up to the new Sub-Commander. Though that one, he was no better either since he too was unbelievably arrogant just like Drace was. Celestia pushed it out of her mind as her and Jason made their way to their usual check up with Dr. Matheson. If not for their current situation, she would have found the massive sick bay impressive, with its huge inner room with corridors leading off to the various sections. Each one clearly marked with directions telling would be patients where to go. They had never seen all of it, but both of them had seen the schematics for the layout as well as for what it was capable of handling. However, it was mainly being used to help facilitate the current war and that only served to make Celestia detest the place. ?[B]I?m beginning to wonder why they bother with these checkups.[/B]? Jason observed once the medical assistant who had taken them to their assigned room left; after getting scans of the two first. ?[B]If they really want your stress levels to?[/B]? Both of them turned to face the door opening to admit Dr. Matheson, who before she could even get more than a word out was cut off by Celestia. ?[B]Save me the same tired speech of how to reduce my stress levels Doctor.[/B]? She sighed. ?[B]I can recite it from memory since it?s always the same. So do me a favor and just make any adjustments, if needed, to the damn medicine I?m on and send us on our way.[/B]? ?[B]Celestia? please don't.[/B]? Jason urged her like he always did when she got upset. ?[B]Oh come on Jason! It?s a lie, a pretense. The only thing that will fix my so-called [I]stress[/I] problem is for the stupid High Council to end this foolish war and stop enslaving other races.[/B]? Dr. Matheson just raised an eyebrow at the outburst, showing little to no emotion at all. ?[B]You?re rather hostile today.[/B]? ?[B]Well now, that?s just ever so precious and cute.[/B]? Celestia quipped sharply. ?[B]The aggressor telling the captive that they?re hostile.[/B]? ?[B]That?s enough Celestia,[/B]? Jason said firmly, grasping her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. But she shrugged him off. ?[B]You really should listen to Jason,[/B]? Dr. Matheson said quietly. ?[B]It helps nothing and only serves to reinforce the sentiment that we are being too lenient with the enslaved races. It will be seen as a need to put you through corrective measures instead of one of cruelty on our part.[/B]? ?[B]Naturally.[/B]? Celestia couldn?t keep the bitterness out of her voice. ?[B]There?s another thing to consider as well, with Jared being gone and Commodore Luciana being occupied with preparations to re-take sector four. If either Drace or the new Sub-Commander decides to send both of you for corrective measures; it?s likely the mistake won?t be corrected until after it?s already begun.[/B]? Celestia froze in place and then looked away. ?[B]Just finish please,[/B]? she said in a quiet voice. ?[B]We still have the modifications for the hyper drive system to finish working on.[/B]? ?[B]I?m sorry.[/B]? Celestia was sure that at least Dr. Matheson meant it, but still. [I] I never seem to be able to keep my mouth shut. All I do is keep getting me and Jason into trouble again and again.[/I] And if she followed up on what she was thinking? the consequences if they discovered it would be more than simple corrective behavior. But she couldn?t quit thinking about it, about doing something,[I] anything[/I] to help put an end to the war. Celestia wanted to help stop things, even if that action was something that would have serious repercussions for her and Jason. She said nothing else as the Doctor finished up and sent them on their way. The only question on her mind was could she do what she was thinking of? Could she live with the possibility of being permanently separated from Jason? [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]This is what I get from listening to the sound track from the movie National Treasure 2 Book of Secrets. I will so be getting that on DVD next month when it comes out. ^_^ [CENTER]Inspiration Courage, resolute Soaring above the clouds Wondrous new sights to behold Exhilarating discovery![/CENTER][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]You and cowbell's Allamorph. XP Anyway, I've shifted from Van Halen into the soundtrack to [B]National Treasure 2: Book of secrets[/B]. [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaxudK5VjU4"][U]Page 47[/U][/URL] I really love the violin part to this. Honestly, I could listen to this part on repeat for a while and not get tired of it. :catgirl:[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]It depends on the show/story in question. Like some have mentioned, action is definitely better in an animated form where stuff that is more character driven in that there really is no action, I'm fine either way. Plus if it's a show I really like, it's fun to read/watch both to see the differences. Though that can backfire in that sometimes they leave a lot out in the anime so you end up disappointed. But at the same time... if you see the anime first, then it's fun to see even more. There are the exceptions of course, manga that is just about nothing but action is something I find very boring to read. Also, can't leave out those shows that were just mutilated, Yu-Gi-Oh is definitely a good example. Ironically the anime is what got me started on manga to begin with. I just couldn't imagine it was[I] that [/I]stupid, so I bought the first couple of mangas out of curiosity. Best out of nowhere purchase I ever made. :catgirl: Now overall... I do tend to favor anime since I like seeing it in action and I enjoy the voices and music, etc. Especially since horrible editing isn't as bad as it use to be. I think the fact that I easily have several hundred DVD's compared to say about sixty manga's is more than enough evidence that I prefer the anime format. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]I got off on Van Halen somehow... so I'm listening to this right now: [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ju-1kn_X2w"][U]Human Being[/U][/URL] I've always enjoyed Van Halen's music. I should listen to it more often even if some of the screaming for the vocals isn't my thing. Though now I want to watch the movie Twister. I just know I have the VHS for that here somewhere. XP[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='Sabrina'][FONT="Tahoma"]My favorite thing to do - that is the most relaxing - is to take a short drive up one of the canyons nearby, especially during warm weather since I love going to a waterfall and sitting there and just listening to the sound of the water. [/FONT][/QUOTE]I do that a lot. I'll even take a book and find a spot to curl up and read for a while. I could do the same at home since we have nearly half an acre for a yard, but... I love the silence one gets when you're up in the mountains and away from all the cars and noise. If I can't do that, then I fall back on soothing music or watching something that makes me laugh. There's just something addicting about watching a show that is humorous when your mind is shot. I often pull out something like Keeping up Appearances or Are You Being Served. It's like that state of mind makes them even more fun to watch. I'm not sure how that works though. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][quote name='Sandy']So yes, I had several great chances to cause drama, but I decided not to. How unbecoming of me...[/QUOTE]I have only one question...[B] o_O[/B] Who are you and what have you done with Sandy! I demand an answer! Hehe. :p All joking aside, the whole thing sounds absurd as explained. I mean... no he has no proof and accuses your friend, just because he thinks they were looking shady? [SIZE="1"]*wonders how someone[I] looks[/I] shady*[/SIZE] But yeah, I'm thinking that moving, even though it's not until June is a good thing. Once a roomie makes a blanket assumption and accusation like that, it's kind of hard to take it back.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='chibi-master']Well, I live in the area that was hit pretty badly by the October storm of 2006![/QUOTE]Are you talking about a different storm? Because the one we've been referring to was in August 2006 in the SLC and Provo, Utah area. [URL="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=395507"][U]Click[/U][/URL] Sounds like you're thinking of another storm in a different state I imagine. ^_~ Whiteblaze, I don't know if some states disallow tinted windows, but I do know that here in Utah, the front windows are limited in how dark they can be. Which is why I paid to have someone tint my windows so they'd fit the regulation. Which kind of sucked since they aren't nearly as dark as I would like.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial][COLOR="DarkRed"]Vicky[/COLOR] and [COLOR="DarkRed"]Gavin[/COLOR] (and others?) are in Britain, [/FONT][/QUOTE]Actually, Gavin is in Ireland. :p [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]I'm really sorry to hear the part about what your mother said to your sister, it's hard enough working like mad to do well and that sort of thing... I find that more disappointing than anything, that she would say such a thing. I myself never had college admission woes since my father was faculty at the one I planned on going to. So the high turn away rates or grade issues didn't matter. I was guaranteed entry along with half tuition rates because he worked there. The thing that makes it ironic is that I hated it and ended up transferring to one of those other schools, the community college level that is often the last choice. Something that I don't regret since leaving that uptight environment behind made college a lot more fun and less stressful. I guess I'd just say hang in there and do your best, because fancy college is just that, fancy and kind of meaningless in the long run because no matter how good you are, they can only accept so many. I know I don't regret leaving the expected go here deal behind. Though I was more fortunate in that my father was a firm believer in doing what worked best for a student, so he supported the switch, even though he was helping me pay for it and that meant more expenses out of his pocket. Anyway, just hang in there. Like others have said, I too believe that things will get better. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='Dagger']If controversy = infighting among fans, or between fans and the creator(s), or perhaps the presence of the kind of anti-Show X sentiment that stems as much from mob mentality as pro-Show X sentiment, then I guess Evangelion would be pretty high up there. At least in the English-speaking anime fandom. ~Dagger~[/QUOTE]I would agree, if only because when I first heard about Evangelion and then followed up by actually watching it... The amount of backlash I got from English speaking fans for not liking it was rather startling. It was like I committed a crime by not liking the show. lol[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]And yes you'll know what type of fall I'm referring to Allamorph. XP [CENTER]Fall Unexpected, sudden Tumbling down the path we go Climbing back is so [I]not[/I] fun Freudian slip[/CENTER][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]I use to have a nice strict schedule of going to bed around midnight and getting up early for work, school, etc. But then I took up a job as a truck driver for a while and that ended that. There is no such thing as a set schedule when you're on the road. Now, especially since most of the work I do is online and has no set time, I sleep when I'm tired, so it varies a lot. Like last night, I was up until 4am and slept till noon. [/FONT][/COLOR]