SunfallE

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic] I honestly don't think it'll be a problem, except for in "nice" neighborhoods. But that won't be a problem. Who would stick a brothel there? It's like sticking a best buy in a mormon town![/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]I don't know where you got that idea since I live in a Mormon town and we do have a Best Buy. :therock: I pick up anime dvd's along with video games on a regular basis at Best Buy. Honestly there's just no comparison between Best Buy and a brothel. I can guarantee you that no Mormon is going to object to Best Buy being built or run in their town. Anyway, as for the argument about it devaluing property and attracting more problems to where brothels are located. How many of you have even seen how it's done in Nevada? When I was working as a truck driver I drove past many of the legal brothels in Nevada on a regular basis. Many of them are a good distance from the main city and there is nothing there. And I do mean nothing, no gas stations, no stores, no homes, nothing at all. And there's no sign adverting it either as most of them are a good distance from the actual interstate. So there is no surrounding property to be affected since businesses and residential structures are not even being built in that area and there isn't a location for people to hang around and start selling drugs, or stores to steal from. Legalizing it in that manner makes it easy to keep an eye on since the isolation makes it harder to hide anything illegal going on. And it neatly keeps it out of sight of those who oppose it due to religious or moral reasons, which shouldn't be a factor when deciding if someone is allowed to have sex. Because in the end if they are consenting adults if they want to have sex that's their business and if they want to sell having sex to someone, so long as they follow rules like any business that sells a service, I don't see a problem with making it legal, if it's carefully controlled. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Well as much as I'd love to say Kim will live, it's still undecided. But to be frank it doesn't look promising, for the very same reasons indifference just listed. Realistically her two options are execution either at Earth or in Sector One. Or as indifference suggested, being broken by Stevens since that type of cruelty that is overlooked by the High Council is part of why the resistance was formed. Their statements when they cause problems may be about not enslaving other races, but higher members of the resistance are well aware of a certain level of inexcusable behavior, like what happened to Jared when he was a teenager. What happened to Daniel when Jared interrogated him and had his mother executed, etc. I've left the final decision up to Aaryanna_Mom since Kim is her character and she assures me that she will make her final decision when the time comes. And if Kim dies, if she chooses she can introduce a new character to the story, though the new character does not have to take Kim's place. I've left it open for her to even control a character for the Versilan Empire if she so chooses. ^_~ Another thing to consider, Kim's former crew that she served with on the Tempest had a great deal of respect for her and if she was "broken" by Stevens or executed, it would result in a number of them doubting their loyalty to the Empire as a result. So whether she lives or dies, Kim will make a difference. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Matt']People will continue to have prostitution. Its been here for thousands of years, dating back to the Bible. Now law is going to remove it completely, no matter how much we would like to hope.[/quote]People will continue to steal, rape, murder, do drugs... It's been here for thousands of years, dating back to the Bible....etc. That's not really a compelling reason to legalize prostitution. Not that I'm against it mind you since on some level I think the only objection people have to it is some notion that others should live by the same moral values as they do. Only that the argument that because it's always happened, doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing. Or that we shouldn't do our best to get rid of a problem. ^_~ Personally I have no interest in it or any real objection to legalizing it. Since the reason to make it legal makes sense, it would have to be carefully monitored though. Like how in some European cities, where prostitution is allowed in certain designated areas. or even done like some places do where it's only available in a certain part of the city. Thus making it easier to regulate and keep the illegal drugs, sex-slavery and crime out of the picture. And because in the end...Selling is legal, and sex is legal, so why isn't selling sex legal? Especially when it's between two consenting adults?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]As part of my closing statement I?d like to take a moment to go a little deeper into the meaning of Prima Facie that my opponent has brought up. Though they are referring to debates it is also well known that in most legal proceedings, one of the parties has the burden of proof, which requires that party to present prima facie evidence of all facts essential to its case. If that party fails to present prima facie evidence on any required element of its case, its claim may be dismissed without any response by the opposing party. My opponent is proposing that all of my arguments be dismissed as you can see here:[quote name='Darren] Honestly, with the [B]credibility of my source compared to yours[/B], I can only urge Sandy to disregard your statement completely unless you provide me with a proper link.[/quote]And here:[quote=Darren] After reading the three sources, I found aboslutely no evidence contradicting my own about how 60-65% of those who used it lowered IOP. Or that patients had to inhale the smoke for up to six hours... Of course[B] I only skimmed through it[/B], so I may have missed it, but[B] I highly doubt that it was a credible source either way, comparing it to my own.[/B][/quote]In spite of failing to provide proper credit and reliable sources for their claims in their opening statements which can be seen here: [quote=Darren] We all know that marijuana is a powerful pain killer, but what about its other treatments? What would normally be viewed as harmful, such as lowering blood pressure, is the preferred treatment of Glaucoma patients for its ability to lower pressure to the eye. Also, Cannabis has been proven to help with analgesia, neurological and movement disorders, cancer-related disorders, and cachexia among others.[/quote]Or this claim:[quote=Darren'] Scientists believe that many of the negative effects of cannabis could be avoided, especially in the medical field, if they were allowed to study it better and discover just what was causing all these side-effects, since THC is only responsible for neurological symptoms.[/quote]And yet looking through their arguments only one reference is made to a Dr Weil. Further information on them can be found here: [url]http://www.drweil.com/drw/ecs/index.html[/url] who as I pointed out earlier is not a creditable source for any of these claims, and since no other references other than a link to an article by The Eye Digest which other than to show that marijuana could work for glaucoma based on research that was over twenty years old, nothing was provided. And even the link they provided also went on further to state: ?[B]In addition, some potentially serious side effects were noted, including an increased heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure in studies using smoked marijuana.[/B]? One of the very things I had quoted as being considered an issue and part of why the research was abandoned, as there were too many issues. But that is not really the point here. The point is that my opponent is trying to prove that their sources are more creditable, [I]I highlighted where they made this claim in the very first quote, and again in the second quote[/I] when they have in fact not provided any sources at all to back their claims. Other than at one time marijuana was researched as a [I]potential[/I] treatment for glaucoma. My opponent would have my own arguments dismissed and even boldly states:[quote name='Darren]I would just like to point out that a lot of[B] my information required little to no evidence at all[/B'].[/quote]And yet still failed to explain why my information required evidence and theirs did not. They did not "[B]present prima facie evidence of all the facts essential to their case[/B]" In other words they did not back up their claims with any form of supporting evidence and I would ask Sandy to consider the fallacy of this statement that would require one person to provide evidence and yet not the other person. You cannot make a stance and then fail to back it up when requested or challenged. And since I have been challenged as not providing proper credit I am going to do so, I am going to present the [I]prima facie [/I]evidence that is essential to my case. We have both focused on an aspect of the fight, mine was more directed towards being against legalizing it for everyone, his was more towards making it legal for medical purposes. However in the end legalizing it at all would be a big mistake. For starters as I already stated there are serious health issues such as: [INDENT]· Memory and learning problems · Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch) · Difficulty in thinking and problem solving · Loss of coordination · Increased heart rate · Anxiety · Panic attacks · Daily cough and phlegm · Symptoms of chronic bronchitis · More frequent chest colds[/INDENT] And many more problems, all of which can be verified at the following sites: [url]http://psychologytoday.com/conditions/marijuana.html[/url] [url]http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/harmful-effects-of-marijuana.htm[/url] [url]http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/marijuana.html[/url] Just as there are health issues there are other compelling reasons to not even consider the medical argument for cannabis. For starters: [INDENT] Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act ([url]http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/csa.html[/url]). Schedule I drugs are classified as having a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.[/INDENT] The source for that information can be found here: [url]http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/marijuana/index.html[/url] Also another thing to consider is that as recent as 2006 marijuana was denied for use for medical use and the reasons can been seen here: [CENTER] [B]Marijuana For Medical Use Turned Down By FDA[/B][/CENTER] [INDENT] The three criteria for placement in Schedule I, says the FDA (21 U.S.C 812b 1) are currently met by Marijuana. It listed as the three main reasons against the use of marijuana for medical use as: 1. It has a high potential for abuse 2. It has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the USA 3. It has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision The FDA also added that current evidence shows marijuana is harmful to human health. It cited several studies and reports done by HHS, FDA, SAMHSA and NIDA, which indicate that scientific evidence supporting marijuana's medical use is lacking (for treatment in the USA). Also, the FDA said animal or human data supporting efficacy and safety of marijuana for general medical use is lacking. There are alternatives (approved by the FDA) to smoking marijuana for medical use, said the agency. [/INDENT] The source for that information can be found here: [url]http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=42060[/url] My opponent is arguing as you can see here:[quote name='Darren']There's no reason why marijuana shouldn't be legalized for scientific research or medical purposes.[/quote]That there is no reason why it shouldn?t be legalized. However as you saw in the last bit where it was turned down by the FDA ?[B]There are alternatives (approved by the FDA) to smoking marijuana for medical use[/B]? There is no need to legalize marijuana as there are alternatives already synthesized, that serve the same purpose. Something that can be seen here: [url]http://www.aphios.com/pipeline/Delta9Cannabinoids.htm[/url] Also another thing to consider about legalizing it for medical purposes as can be seen here in part of a document issued by: [B]Office Of National Drug Control Policy[/B] where I've highlighted the relevant points: [CENTER][B]Medical marijuana[/B][/CENTER][INDENT]?Our medical system relies on proven scientific research, not polling results. ? About 100 years ago, leaders in this country created the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make sure that medicine falls under the ?safe and effective? standard before it is sold on the open market. ? Research has not demonstrated that smoked marijuana is helpful as medicine.53 ? [B]A component in marijuana?THC?has been approved in pill form by the FDA. It?s called Marinol, and though it is not frequently prescribed, the U.S. supports the right of doctors to prescribe this drug if they feel it would best serve their patients? needs. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) even lowered the scheduling on Marinol to make it easier for doctors to prescribe the drug.[/B] ? Marijuana smoke contains more than 400 chemicals and increases the risk of cancer, lung damage, and poor pregnancy outcomes.54 ? [B]The U.S. continues to support research into the medical efficacy of certain isolated properties of marijuana.[/B] ? Even if smoking marijuana makes people ?feel better,? that is not enough to call it a medicine. If that were the case, tobacco cigarettes could be called medicine because they are often said to make people feel better. For that matter, heroin certainly makes people ?feel better? (at least initially), but no one would suggest using heroin to treat a sick person. ? Marijuana use causes precancerous changes in the body similar to those caused by tobacco use. Smoking pot delivers 3 to 5 times the amount of tars and carbon monoxide into the body. It also damages pulmonary immunity and impairs oxygen diffusion.55 How could changes such as these be good for someone dying of cancer or AIDS?[/INDENT] The source for that information can be found here: [url]http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.org/publications/pdf/mj_rev.pdf[/url] I highly recommend taking the time to read this document as it covers many important aspects of problems associated with marijuana, helping to clear up a lot of the myths and misconceptions out there about this drug. Making the decision to keep it illegal more clear. My final statement is that there is no need to legalize it medically as aspects of the effects of THC as well as other elements are already approved. So in the end legalizing marijuana would be a mistake due to the heath concerns were it to become available to the public and for being unsuitable for use in medicine when alternatives are already being researched that do the same thing. As well as synthesized versions of the Cannabinoids which already are legal and available for treating patients.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Sandy][font=Century Gothic][B]Question to all team members in all teams:[/B] What are [I]you[/I'] expecting from the future of OtakuBoards Survivor 4?[/font][/quote]Well you see I was expecting...blah, blah, blah, Oh never mind since you've said this:[QUOTE=Sandy][font=Century Gothic]I have decided to discontinue this challenge after this round, and award both The Mercenaries and whichever team wins this debate. The two losing teams won't be punished, though. The reason is that I want to vitalize this game with a more active challenge. Hope nobody feels bad for this decision. The heat is on, Survivors![/font][/QUOTE]I'm not sure what to expect, though I know I won't miss the debate part, even though I think it's fun in terms of the actual debate, it's just dragging out so slowly that I feel bad for all the other players being left sitting on the side watching. And even if the losing team won't be punished, I still intend to go for the goal and win. :catgirl: [CENTER]--------------------------------------------[/CENTER] As for the questions from my teammates, lets see... As far as movies go I'm rather fond of both sci-fi and fantasy, but mostly sci-fi. Though I do like the occasional romance story like EverAfter. Action is alright so long as the action is well done and I even like martial arts. I recently saw House of Flying Daggers and rather enjoyed it. Comedy is fun as well, especially some of the more wacky stuff like Big Mamma, stupid as hell and yet I really enjoyed it. (though I'd never watch it again) If we were to get into favorites, I would have to say the original Star Wars movies since one of my first memories of going to movies was when my grandparents took me and my siblings to see Star Wars in the theaters back in 1977. :catgirl: I've been hooked ever since! If we get into TV, then my favorite sci-fi show is Dr. Who. I've been watching that for as long as I can remember. I have over 20 VHS tapes with episodes as well as most of the DVD's as I've been collecting them. And most of all I've been positively thrilled that they are making the show again. Lets see as for music. I like a mix of rock, light metal, soundtracks and classical. Most of the more recent stuff I'm not too familiar with, and in the end my favorite is the soundtracks, like stuff by John Williams and the classical. I use to play the violin and I've also had voice lessons as well as tiny bit of piano and organ. And in the end, though I love stuff with a good beat I end up going back to my soundtracks and classical. Lately I've been into listening to Rachmaninoff's piano concertos. Probably about the only thing I don't like is rap and country. There are a few I do like, but not very many. >_< And one other thing, singers that sing off key, that just grates on my nerves. Blech! I can tolerate it to a certain extent, but some of them are just awful.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Celestia smiled at the view from the cabin high up in the mountains surrounding Denver. She couldn?t see the city, but she didn?t care, it was just so nice to not be stuck in the windowless base for a change. The structure was cleverly built into the mountain side instead of being out in the open, with the front built to look similar to the rock face as well as the entire structure being coated with a special type of stealth substance. Not enough to hide that the building was there, but to hide the fact that there were life forms in the area from scanners. So long as she and Jason did not wander among the woods and stayed on the upper and lower balconies of the building or inside, no one would detect that someone was living there. It was part of what Daniel had first done when he arrived at Earth. He had immediately overseen the construction of quite a few safe houses. It was her understanding that there were lots of them built in various places around the US and in Europe and that they had been built in Australia as well, until the Catalyst had destroyed them in Australia that is, the others were still in place. Celestia closed her eyes as a soft breeze brushed her face, laced with a strong scent of pine. Just standing there leaning against the railing of the upper balcony was sheer heaven. She opened her eyes at the sound of Jason coming out to join her, and then smiled when he wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back, resting her head against him and reached up to take his hands in hers. ?[B]It?s a beautiful day isn?t it?[/B]? He asked her. ?[B]I know. I?m going to miss this when we return to the base.[/B]? Celestia said a bit sadly. ?[B]Which reminds me, you promised that you would tell me how you got Daniel to agree to let us come here. Well we?ve been here for two days and you?ve yet to tell me.[/B]? ?[B]It?s simple, I told him that unless he let me take you somewhere to relax, we wouldn?t help him anymore.[/B]? Celestia pulled free and turned around to face Jason to see if he was serious. ?[B]Please tell me you didn?t tell Daniel that.[/B]? Jason crossed his arms across his chest. ?[B]I most certainly did, especially after talking to the doctor about how upset you got over the destruction in sector six. And she agreed with me, that a break would do both of us a world of good.[/B]? ?[B]Why didn?t you say something to me?[/B]? Jason walked over and sat down on the redwood sofa with soft cushions and motioned for Celestia to join him, waiting until she had reluctantly sat down before continuing. ?[B]Because every time in the past I?ve suggested we take a break, you come up with some reason as to why we can?t. Celestia, the Versilan?s have been at this for a very long time and working ourselves until we drop from exhaustion won?t change that fact.[/B]? Celestia frowned a bit, ?[B]I know that![/B]? ?[B]Perhaps you do, but honestly, even before we were dragged into this mess, you didn?t even take a break from your regular job.[/B]? He pointed out. Celestia sighed, ?[B]I know, but what if something were to happen while we are taking a break?[/B]? Jason just shook his head. ?[B]Celestia, even if we?ve been taking it a bit easy here, we both brought our handheld computers so we could still work on projects and we?ve been checking in with Daniel every day. If something happens that needs our attention he?ll tell us.[/B]? ?[B]All right! All right![/B]? She said with a grin, ?[B]You win.[/B]? She moved until she was leaning into Jason, smiling when he obliged her by putting his left arm around her shoulders. Even sitting down the view was still fantastic with all the pine trees and the hint of blue from the lake much further down. ?[B]Besides,[/B]? she said mischievously, ?[B]You?re far more affectionate when no one?s around.[/B]? She chuckled when she looked to see Jason blushing at the statement. Celestia snuggled even closer to Jason. It really was a shame that they would be returning to the base in a few days. It had been so nice to have the huge cabin to themselves, Jason had turned out to be quite the romantic as he had fixed her breakfast and lunch as well as candlelit dinners. Something that due to their circumstance she hadn?t even known he could do. It had never occurred to her that he knew how to cook. If only the High Council could be stopped and soon. She wanted more than anything to simply settled down somewhere with Jason and start thinking about having their own family. ?[B]So, do you want to help me with dinner?[/B]? Jason asked. Celestia pulled free and got up at the same time Jason did. She smiled and replied. ?[B]I?d love to.[/B]?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Lonley Fighter]My problem or situation I should say is my girlfriend has told me that she could very possibly be pregnant[/QUOTE]For starters, why does she think she may be pregnant? Besides the obvious issue of unprotected sex, has she had any type of pregnancy test? Or other signs like missing a period? Personally I think finding out just why she thinks she may be pregnant is important as well as actually making sure. If she is then your questions would apply:[QUOTE=Lonley Fighter]1) What's the things I should do if she's pregnant?[/QUOTE]Most importantly, don't hide it. In the end people are going to find out. You don't have to run and tell everyone, but your parents and her parents are going to need to know since I'm assuming that like you she is under age. [QUOTE=Lonley Fighter]2) If she's not what should I do?[/QUOTE]Make sure you're more careful in the future, if you weren't using protection, then do. Or better yet, don't have sex as then you can't get her pregnant. Once you're a little older you can decide if you want to risk a pregnancy again.[QUOTE=Lonley Fighter]3) If she is how do you break something down like that to your parents?[/QUOTE]There's no easy way to do it. And I don't know how your parents and hers would react. So obviously the best way is to simply tell them and see how they take it.[QUOTE=Lonley Fighter]4) I'm pretty damn nervous right now so what the hell can I do to ease this feeling besides my under-age drinking?[/QUOTE]Find out for sure if she actually is pregnant since drinking won't change a thing in the end. She either is pregnant or she's not.[QUOTE=Lonley Fighter']5) Could this be a bad thing or good thing? [/quote]I'm inclined to say it would be a bad thing, due to your age. It could turn out good, but to be frank, everyone I've know who got pregnant in their teens had nothing but problems. At the same time if she is, there are options like adoption or finding a way to take care of the kid with your parents help. Hopefully if that is the case they will be understanding and do their best to help both of you come to a solution. Either way, best of luck. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Since we are coming to our closing arguments I do want to take a moment to clarify something here: [QUOTE=Darren]First off, I'm going to have to quote the resolution just so there's absolutely no confusion about this debate hence forth: [quote name='Sandy][font=Century Gothic][B]Second Debate: Legalizing Cannabis[/B][/font][/QUOTE']Nowhere in this statement by Sandy does it state that I must argue to legalize cannabis for public consumption, nor does prevent me from making an arguement based on legalizing it simply for scientific research and medical purposes. Since I'm not contradicting the resolution in any way, you'll find that most of your arguements fall through, since you clearly stated that medical & scientific research was fine as long as it wasn't available for unbounded public consumption.[/quote]Just as you say no where does that statement prevent you from making an argument for medical only, it doesn?t say [b]medical use only.[/b] If we are going to debate about making it legal, so long as it is not explained further one cannot take the stance you are talking about. Because nowhere does it say: Legalizing Cannabis [U]for Medical Purposes only[/U]. Just a few words added on, but a world of difference. Especially when a quick check online will show that the push is to make it legal for so much more than medical purposes. Your first statement which has quoted the topic to be debated is clearly a fallacy due to it being an appeal to ignorance on the assumption that simply because it doesn't say you must argue for a specific point regarding the more general standpoint of legalizing cannabis, it does not make it logically acceptable that you completely forsakes that side of the argument because [B]it is [/B]under the jurisdiction of your overall responsibility to explain [b]why[/b] cannabis should be legalized. As for the glaucoma: [quote name='Darren'] Honestly, with the credibility of my source compared to yours, I can only urge Sandy to disregard your statement completely unless you provide me with a proper link.[/quote] Other than to quote one doctor and a book, you did not provide any real references as to your claims either. Dr Weil is a proponent of integrative medicine, which combines the best ideas and practices of alternative and conventional medicine in order to maximize the body's natural healing mechanisms. He doesn?t even come close to being qualified to recommend treatment for glaucoma. I have dealt with friends who suffer from glaucoma and taking the medicine as well as having had surgery so I was already well acquainted with the disease. But that was not enough as I also researched it as well to make sure I remembered what I had learned about it. If we are going to talk about creditability of one?s sources, try going to the source of doctors who actually do study to treat this disease. Along with the organizations that do research to find a cure. And with that in mind here are my sources: [url]http://www.glaucoma.org/treating/medical_marijua.html[/url] [url]http://www.glaucomafoundation.org/news_story.php?i=18[/url] [url]http://www.revoptom.com/index.asp?page=2_13116.htm[/url] [quote name='Darren'] In the end, my stance still remains without opposition: There's no plausible reason why cannabis/marijuana shouldn't be legalized for scientific research or medical purposes.[/quote]I cannot accept that stance since it ever so conveniently allows you to pretty much ignore a huge part of my argument since you are trying to have my points dismissed over a lack of comprehension. Think about it, if the wording were that lose as far as legalizing cannabis goes, it wouldn?t even be considered until it was clarified that it was for medical purposes only. So my stance at this point is that if my argument is going to be made redundant, so is yours since from the very beginning it clearly said Legalizing Cannabis, not ?Legalizing Cannabis [U]for medical use only[/U]? And once that point is clear I will present my final statement. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Big Sky][SIZE=2][COLOR=Gray]Are you kidding...?[/COLOR'][/SIZE][/quote]Are you? I mean think about this instead of assuming people who don?t want swearing are idiots. [QUOTE=Big Sky][SIZE=2][COLOR=Gray]First off, there is nothing wrong with swearing. This cultural taboo on swearing that we have is hilarious - tell me, what's the difference between "Gosh, this darn thing is freaking annoying!" and "God! This damn thing is ****ing driving me crazy!". What's the difference? The words mean the exact same thing. This taboo is laughable. It's not the words, it's how their used - calling someone a ****** in an affectionate, personable way is worse then calling someone African American in a venemous way and then spitting on the ground? Yea, that makes sense... [/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE]That?s completely subjective and your opinion only. Filtering out swearwords and ratings are designed to give viewers a choice so they don?t turn on the TV and catch the F word being thrown in left and right when it?s not even relevant to the scene other than to have the people swearing. And just as you have no problem with it, why should others have to put up with it if they don't want to? [QUOTE=Big Sky][SIZE=2][COLOR=Gray]Secondly, shows like Lost and 24 and CSI and the like, as Dagger said, cannot swear. It's some crazy ******** about how parents like to overprotect their kids because, as everyone knows, the only way to save their souls from eternal damnation is to ensure that they never ever hear swear words... Making as much sense as always. Man, you make no sense. Who cares what words they use? They mean the same thing! **** and damn and **** and ************ are no different then frigg and darn and poooooo and Alabaman, man, they mean the same thing. There is nothing wrong with swearing. I leave you with a quote: "Sin lies only in hurting other people unnecessarily. All other "sins" are invented nonsense." - Robert A. Heinlein[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE]You?re not making any sense either, the opening post clearly said they were tired of seeing the F word since as they put it ?you don't need a liberal sloshing of f-words and other such assorted expletives to make something dramatic or funny? I didn?t see anything to the effect that it damns people?s souls. lol Perhaps someone has told you that, but that isn?t what they were talking about here. In the end I agree, I don?t have a problem with swearing but I?ve seen far to many shows that depend on gore or swearing instead of genuine acting and a good script. So it?s nice to see, even if they don?t have a choice, shows that have more work put into them instead of relying on swearing to provide impact or humor. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][QUOTE=BKstyles][font=tahoma]Ah, in that case. *thrust hand forward* Onward to victory, Beth! :D [/font][/QUOTE]So long as Sandy doesn't mind that I'm not going to have time to address it tonight either. >_< But I will be able to present an opening statement tomorrow. [B]EDIT:[/B] All right my opening statement is up, it may look a little slim, but I've got good information to back up the points and to use in a final closing statement. I didn't want to put all my cards on the table up front since some of them are well suited to countering some of the pros of making it legal. ^_~ [CENTER]-----------------------------------------[/CENTER] You know I'm actually part of the debate this time around and yet because of how slow this is...it's boring! >_< So I can only imagine how the rest of you must feel. And sorry Sandy, but that's just how I feel, if you follow the same format as the previous debate then other than my one response all I have left is my final argument, which I can write up without any further response from my opponent. And in fact I already have written most of it up. :animesigh Anyway, speak up team! It feels like it's gotten awfully dead and quiet around here! As a fellow team member what's your take on the current debate format? Personally I think there should be more than one debate at a time since it's not that hard to keep track of different issues. Because at this rate, especially for the two of you who are not debating, you're going to be doing nothing for at least another month. And I for one would like to get the show on the road and see what Sandy has in mind for the next challenge! [Pokes Sandy!][/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][QUOTE=Retribution][size=1] I see you conveniently overlooked this: I'm mostly just against books that say "Here's why your afraid!" as a means of remedying your social fear. I mean, really, if you know you're afraid of talking to new people what help is it to know that you're afraid specifically of female rejection? Because at the end of the day, no matter which way you slice it, you're going to have to talk to a girl you don't know and confront that awkwardness. cancer, go get 'em, champ. ;D[/size][/QUOTE]We are in agreement about how in the end the only way to finally learn is to actually do it, so long as you realize you conveniently overlooked this:[quote name='Rachmaninoff] A good example would be the book ?Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy? by Steven Burns. Though [B]it is mainly used to treat depression without using drugs,[/B'] it also addresses what he refers to as cognitive distortions, or ways of thinking that are negative that people don?t even realize that they do.[/quote]He wasn't talking about a book that says "Here's why your afraid" You've been focusing on how those type of books are stuff that people already know and that's not what he was referring to. ;) Which is why I would have imagined he even mentioned it since its quite different than what you seem to be thinking. Again its about understanding how you process information incorrectly and not just about being wrong or not. Maybe this will clear things up: [/COLOR][URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_distortion]Click Me![/URL]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]The first thing Celestia noticed when her and Jason entered the command center was the live news feed from other parts of the Versilan Empire. They both sat down intending to work but instead ended up pulling up additional information at their own workstations. As much as she could understand the need, it was a bit shocking to find out that innocent people had died. They were always so careful to keep innocents out of the way if possible. When another report came up showing the level of devastation on the actual world she turned off her monitor and left. Ignoring Jason?s calls to for her to stop, forcing him to run to catch her. They were just outside their quarters when he finally managed to grab her right wrist and force her to turn to face him. ?[B]Hey! I?ve been calling your name since you left the command center![/B]? Jason hesitated when he realized that Celestia had tears in her eyes. He reached up and used his key card to access their quarters and pulled Celestia inside with him, taking her over to the sofa and sitting down. Then he pulled her close and simply held her while she cried. Waiting patiently for her to finally calm down. ?[B]I?m sorry,[/B]? he said. Celestia sighed, ?[B]What for? You didn?t do anything wrong.[/B]? He kissed her gently on the forehead, ?[B]Yes I did, I didn?t even think about how seeing the destruction would upset you.[/B]? ?[B]There?s no way you could have known.[/B]? Celestia pointed out as she wiggled closer to Jason and placed her right cheek against his chest. ?[B]Both Daniel and William didn?t tell us what they were going to do.[/B]? Jason smiled sadly, ?[B]That may be true, but I know you and once we saw the initial news I didn?t even think to ask Daniel for more details.[/B]? He reached up with his right hand to gently stroke her hair. ?[B]Especially when I know just how tenderhearted you can be.[/B]? ?[B]I can?t help it, even if technically they are both my people and our enemy, I can?t blame all of them for what their leaders do. They don?t know any better and no one deserves to die.[/B]? She choked a bit before continuing. ?[B]I know I?m naïve in my desire to end this without any bloodshed. I just?[/B]? Jason just tightened his grip, holding her even closer, ?[B]I know, you?re a hopeless optimist.[/B]? He felt her stiffen a bit but he continued before she could pull free. ?[B]But that?s what I love about you.[/B]? He smiled at her when she pulled free just enough to look up at him to see if he was serious. Then he tenderly kissed her, ?[B]Don?t ever change Celestia.[/B]? He said when he pulled back after kissing her, gently holding her chin, ?[B]Optimism such as yours is desperately needed.[/B]? Celestia frowned a bit, ?[B]You?re just saying that.[/B]? She accused. Jason let go of her chin and placed his hand on her back, ?[B]No I?m not. Too many people on both sides are caught up in getting vengeance for what has happened. It?s one thing to put a stop to the High Council and enslaving other races, but what happens afterwards? If we aren?t careful we?ll make the same mistake they did and punish innocent people who were just doing their jobs, or even worse, simply had the bad luck to be on the other side. Unless someone makes a point of reminding them that they are innocent of wrongdoing.[/B]? He watched, as she thought about what he said and then sighed before resting her head on his chest again. ?[B]If we actually win that is,[/B]? Celestia finally replied. Jason shifted a bit so that he could comfortably hold her close before responding, ?[B]Then lets do our best so we will.[/B]? Celestia just sighed and closed her eyes. With a small smile Jason simply held her and said nothing more. He knew her well enough to know that when she was ready she would pull free on her own. But then she surprised him by falling asleep, at least it surprised him for only a moment until he realized just how hard she had been pushing herself and how little sleep she had gotten since the invasion started. Gently he moved his right hand without waking her to grab the throw blanket that was on the side of the sofa and then carefully he maneuvered it using his other hand until he had covered both him and her. He shifted slightly so he could simply rest his head against the back of the sofa, as he himself was tired as well. [I]We?ve been working every day without any stop other than to eat and sleep, [/I]he thought.[I] I should talk to Daniel about taking a brief break, invasion or not, we need one.[/I] Then as the warmth of both Celestia and the blanket began to make him feel drowsy as well, he closed his own eyes and fell asleep. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Retribution][size=1']The book you recommended was to help cancer figure out why he feels afraid to talk to new people. I stand by my claim in saying those books really don't do much aside from tell you what you probably already know "You're afraid of embarrassment, rejection, and you want to remain safe." That provides you with no real information on how to improve your situation.[/size][/quote]It seems that both you and Rachmaninoff are laboring under a misconception here. Rachmaninoff is assuming you have read it and you Retri are assuming it?s about getting to know new people. Because if you had read the book he recommended you would know that it?s not about why he feels afraid, but rather understand your thought processes and how you see things incorrectly. Which in turn can lead to being afraid since you are going off a faulty premises. Rachmaninoff already touched on it briefly with the description on how we assume someone thinks something about us when the reality is we don?t know what they are actually thinking. The ten thought processes in the book are actually how we process information incorrectly (by making certain assumptions) and it applies to more than being nervous about talking to someone you don?t know, it applies to quite a few situations in life. [quote name='Retribution][size=1]The books that teach you how to carry on conversation are the valid and helpful ones. I actually did read one, and although it was rehashing stuff I thought as common sense, it did offer great advice. But you can't rely on those either. You have to, ultimately, walk up to that person and say hello. The biggest battle is within yourself, and that's something a book can only mildly alleviate.[/size][/QUOTE]It still doesn?t change the fact that they can be helpful in providing a launching point for a person to start with, and the very same book Rachmainoff recommended, has a workbook to go along with it for analyzing your performance later, to look back and help you address your fears, regardless of what they are. It?s no different than Cancer taking your advice Retribution, and coming back to the boards to say this is what happened, any more advice? [QUOTE=Retribution][size=1']cancer does not have social problems if he can easily hold a conversation with a friend, but has trouble talking to new people. It reinforces my point that he's only afraid and nervous in these alien situations, which is normal. But it also reinforces my point that he also just needs to get over it and start talking. If he already has the tools, he just needs to put them to work. At this point, books would only teach him what he already knows.[/size][/quote]Actually, that?s something that only Cancer can answer. And reading a book or talking to people online doesn?t mean that they have social problems. And to be blunt, how would you know if he already knows what is in books? You didn?t even know what was in the book Rachmaninoff was referring to. And to answer the question that will pop up, I do, as I have read it. I?m kind of curious as to why you are so anti-book here. Since like your suggestion of talking to people his was to also get additional help as well. And both of them recommend interaction with people. And in the end, why limit yourself to going only with the standard [I]force yourself to talk[/I] when you can read stuff and get a little reassurance as well as additional tips? I really don?t see why you keep insisting books are useless when you yourself haven?t read most of them.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Rachmaninoff']And personally I think it would be cool if anyone who wanted to use a sci-fi picture to enhance the story could. Provided they gave proper credit like you did of course. ;)[/quote]If you really want to then by all means go ahead. So long as they are sci-fi in nature instead of anime though sci-fi anime is alright. Anyone else who wants to use pictures is welcome to do so as well. If it helps before the High Council was formed there were ten factions, similar to royalty in that they ruled over sections of space before they joined together to form the Versilan Empire. Though there is a certain amount of technology that is standard for everyone, there is obviously quite a bit of differences due to these ten factions still being a bit secretive about things that they develop. So the pictures wouldn't even have to be of the same style since one sector would be quite different from another. And even within sectors, like in sector six, there is the main world where the population lives and then other small ones that are used like the one the resistance attacked that are for different things like shipping or anything else you might imagine. Or outposts on the moons of different worlds that are not inhabited. So definitely feel free to use pictures or add things that you think of into the story. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Darren']We all know that marijuana is a powerful pain killer, but what about its other treatments? What would normally be viewed as harmful, such as lowering blood pressure, is the preferred treatment of Glaucoma patients for its ability to lower pressure to the eye.[/quote]Actually this is what advocates of marijuana for medical purposes would like you to believe, the truth is far from that claim. To understand why this claim is inaccurate it helps to understand the nature of glaucoma. A person?s eye has pressure in it much in the same way you have blood pressure, this intraocular pressure (IOP) can damage the optic nerve if it is too high. Resulting in decreased peripheral vision and eventual blindness if it is not treated. When studies on the effects of using marijuana to treat glaucoma were done it was shown that a high dose was required to produce an effect good enough to help reduce IOP in patients. And this required constant inhalation, as much as every three hours. It also only had this effect in about 60-65% of those who used it. Because the amount of marijuana actually required would cause significant side effects, for such a short duration of actual beneficial effects, it was considered a poor treatment and was not recommended for glaucoma treatment. Especially when there are other treatments that not only have fewer side effects but also only require being applied as little as just once a day. It?s important to remember that there is no cure for glaucoma and any drug is merely a controlling factor as the only sure treatment, at this time, of this disease is surgical. And with constant improvements in surgical techniques it is often the best method to keep this disease under control. The problem with advocating marijuana for this is not only are there better drugs to keep it under control, but it is not something that would cure the disease as lowering IOP is merely treating the symptoms not the cause. The approach currently being taken by experts is to find ways to protect the optic nerve cells by strengthening them to prevent damage and to map the genetics so they can understand which ones are responsible for starting the process leading to the increased IOP in the first place. Currently work is being done to develop vaccines to protect the optical nerve and to develop gene therapy to prevent glaucoma from developing in the first place. Another misconception going on here is the part about marijuana lowering blood pressure, and yet studies have indicated that a user's risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the first hour after smoking marijuana. Such an effect is most likely due to marijuana's effects on blood pressure by lowering it and yet increasing the heart rate as well as from the reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. Which considering that most of the people who suffer from glaucoma are over 40 is yet another reason why it was never considered a good treatment for reducing IOP as the additional risk of a heart attack was considered to be an unacceptable risk. [quote name='Darren]Also, Cannabis has been proven to help with analgesia[/quote]I must admit I am confused by this statement here as analgesia is defined as:[I] A deadening or absence of the sense of pain without loss of consciousness.[/I] So I really don?t see how cannabis can help something like that. Unless you were trying to say it actually makes a good analgesic? In which case it is a simple matter to look up and find that there is already a vast amount of well documented and proven medicines that provide pain relief without most of the negative side effects one would get from using marijuana. [quote=Darren]many users get used to the psychological effects after two or three times. Also, taking the right dosage and not smoking cannabis plays a key role in preventing negative side-effects. [/quote]Actually that?s not quite right. Users of it may get use to the effects but the actual effect on a person?s system does not change. After you smoke marijuana, its ingredients reach their peak levels in your body within minutes, and effects can last up to an hour and a half. These effects include impairments in learning, memory, perception, and judgment - difficulty speaking, listening effectively, thinking, retaining knowledge, problem solving, and forming concepts are short term effects that occur every single time it is introduced to the system. The same is true if it is eaten instead of smoked. Since when marijuana is eaten as it has to pass through the stomach and intestine and can take up to one hour to experience the "high" effects which can last up to 12 hours. So the only difference is it takes longer for the effects to occur, whether or not the user has ?gotten use? to them. The effects do not disappear or go away after continued use. [quote=Darren'] marijuana is used illegally across the globe, and it still hasn?t even gotten close to the death rate of alcohol[/quote]Though the death rate from alcohol is shocking, what they don?t tell you is the problems that could arise from legalizing marijuana as the two of them together are a lethal combination. Taking both at the same time in low to moderate doses results in a person being incapable of safe driving for several hours. If we were to even consider legalizing marijuana for recreational use, there would need to be some form of system to keep people from smoking a joint and drinking because unlike alcohol, there is not test that can reveal whether a driver has taken cannabis in quantities high enough to impair driving before they actually did. Since current tests only detect if they have used it as it looks for a very small level of the substance in one?s system and marijuana can show up on a test as much as 90 days after it was initially consumed. As a result there is no set guideline to determine if a high level of marijuana contributed to an accident if alcohol was also involved. Alcohol is far easier to immediately determine if they have enough in their system at the time and as a result it is always blamed for the accident regardless if traces of other substances are found in a person?s system. It would be foolhardy to legalize something without addressing the real possibility that marijuana is indeed a contributing factor to car accidents where both substances were used. Especially when quite a few drivers do use both. And it?s been confirmed that even if taken alone marijuana impairs a driver?s judgment making them unsafe drivers while they are high.[quote name='Darren'] marijuana is used illegally across the globe, and it still hasn?t even gotten close to the death rate of alcohol or other prescription medication, such as sleeping pills or muscle relaxers. If we?re worried about the effects of Cannabis, why don?t we make everything that impairs our judgment illegal? [/quote]If only it were that simple. The distinction here, other than the alcohol one as I?ve already addressed it, is sleeping pills or muscle relaxants are not killers if taken according to intended dosage. But rather can result in death due to overdose or combining them with other drugs or substances like alcohol, which they were not intended to be taken with. And the argument to remove everything that impairs judgment isn?t a good one. Why? Because we are talking about legalizing marijuana for far more than medical purposes, sleeping pills and muscle relaxants are not used for recreational purposes but for medical ones and the more powerful and dangerous ones out there that require careful monitoring and a prescription from a doctor, you can?t just go and buy it at the store for a good reason. Alcohol is a good example, but the millions of drugs for medical purposes only are not as they are already strictly regulated to help prevent needless deaths. [quote name='Darren'] In no way am I suggesting that we legalize cannabis on a large scale, making it available for everyone. I?m simply pointing out that for the benefit of health and medicine, as well as the people, it would greatly improve our society to legalize cannabis/marijuana for prescription medical purposes.[/quote]Here?s where the true problem is, it?s one thing to make researching it legal and yet another to make it legal for everyone. It would be irresponsible to simple make it legal when the only real benefits would come from checking it out further for medical reasons. But the push to make it legal is all about putting it in everyone?s hands not just for medical purposes. And though you may be suggesting that you are for making it legal for medical only, the current push is for making it completely legal. Something I do not support since most of the medical reasons given are already addressed by better treatments. The sad truth is that the push to legalize this substance is more about gaining legal access to a substance for personal use than any real desire to help the community. Regardless of the very real issues I already mentioned in my opening statement as to the problems using it can cause. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=royalblue]Well Kim's fate may be undecided but what's going to upset Stevens is up. ^_~ And I've now sent everyone their new objectives! Great work everyone. :catgirl: Hehe, time for the resistance to have some fun for a change. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][SIZE=1][CENTER][IMG]http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/4373/silveronebanner001fj1inel5.jpg[/IMG] Banner by [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=20994][COLOR=RoyalBlue][U][B]indifference[/B][/U][/COLOR][/URL] [/CENTER][/SIZE] ?[B]All right, is everyone in position?[/B]? William asked from his position in the center of the bridge of his ship. A few nods and verbal confirmations from agents who were tied in to the bridge quickly came in. William stood up and walked forward until he was standing right behind his second in command, his hands clasped behind his back. Not that he needed be closer to see what was going on as the main viewer not only had an image of the planet where the target was, but running along each side was the corresponding images and incoming data of the others involved in the operation. ?[B]How much longer until the fleet with the reinforcements for Earth are in position?[/B]? William asked. ?[B]They just passed the last checkpoint, unless they deviate from their current path they will be in range in ten minutes.[/B]? His second replied. ?[B]Excellent,[/B]? William smiled. ?[B]As always they are right on time. Prepare to initiate the first charge on my mark. And then follow up with the others exactly one minute apart.[/B]? He paused and snickered before continuing. ?[B]We wouldn?t want the fleet to miss out on the fun now would we?[/B]? A nervous chuckle ran among his crew and the others that were tied into the communication. Not that he blamed them, after all if it worked; this was one of the most aggressive moves the resistance had ever made. He already knew that Stevens and the High Council considered them a real threat now, but this would cement that fact into the rest of the population even more than what they had done when they disabled the Tempest and the Crimson. William took a deep breath as the time crept closer; it had taken quite some time to build the resistance to the point where a difference could actually be made. It was time to start doing so. And when time finally came, without hesitation he gave the order. Then though William could not see the effect immediately, a moment later it became apparent that something was being destroyed as flashes began to show up from multiple explosions. The planet in question was not where people in sector six actually lived, but rather was one where the merchants and the military stored surplus goods such as the crystals used for their technology. ?[B]Sir! We have a problem![/B]? ?[B]What is it?[/B]? William asked. His second in command pulled up the information from the scans to the main viewer. Before his second in command could explain what had gone wrong the main space station in orbit around the planet along with several merchant ships and small military ships seemed to shudder as if in the grip of an unknown force. A number of the smallest ships literally broke apart. ?[B]My God![/B]? William exclaimed. ?[B]It wasn?t supposed to do that![/B]? ?[B]I don?t have enough data yet, but it looks like the initial distortion from destroying the crystals along with the supplies sent out a shock wave at least three times stronger than predicted.[/B]? His second in command turned to face him before continuing. ?[B]We need to move sir, and now. Otherwise the fleet won?t be the only ones affected by the shock wave.[/B]? ?[B]All right, you heard him everyone get moving.[/B]? William ordered. A moment later the communications closed and he went to sit back down in his seat. ?[B]Back us out of here, but slowly. If possible stay just ahead of the shock wave. I want you to get as much data as possible understood?[/B]? His second turned back to his station, his fingers flying over the console as he input the commands. ?[B]Understood sir.[/B]? ?[B]Any news on the fleet yet?[/B]? His second in command answered by switching the view to one showing the fleet on the other side of the shock wave where they had been dragged out of hyperspace by the shock wave, a number of the ships drifting as if they had been severely damaged. William smiled. ?[B]Good work everyone, finish getting as much data as possible. Hack any and all communications to find out just how severe the damage was. I?ll be in the conference room should any of you need me.[/B]? He got up and left and then once inside the side conference room he sent out a communication to Daniel. He would send him the specifics later, but for now he would want to know that those reinforcements for Earth would not be coming any time soon. The destruction of some of the smaller ships had not been in the original plan to simply destroy the supplies and possibly yank the fleet out of hyperspace or force them to stop to restore order. William grimaced at the thought of the innocent people who had gotten in the way since that had not been his intention. He finished sending the information to Daniel and then started pulling up the data to see just what had happened. It may have worked, but it would be foolish to try that tactic again without knowing what had caused the shock wave to be so strong. Now if only he could be there when Stevens found out. He smiled at the thought. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]I do not support making Cannabis/Marijuana legal for a number of reasons. For starters it helps to understand just what this substance does to the body. The active ingredient is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. When introduced to the body it has a wide range of effects that include a sense of well being, relaxation, enhanced sociability, difficulty concentrating, distortions in sense of time, vision and hearing and at high doses, auditory and visual hallucinations. It also increases the heart rate, causes reddening of the eyes, sedation, and increased appetite and decreased muscle tone. As a result problems from using this substance include: [INDENT]~Impaired memory and ability to learn. ~Difficulty thinking and problem solving. ~Anxiety attacks or feelings of paranoia. ~Impaired muscle coordination and judgment. ~Increased susceptibility to infections. ~Dangerous impairment of driving skills. Studies show that it impairs braking time, attention to traffic signals and other driving behaviors. ~Cardiac problems for people with heart disease or high blood pressure, because marijuana increases the heart rate.[/INDENT] In short the push to make this legal on the basis that it is harmless is a myth. Cannabis/Marijuana is harmful in many ways from memory loss to distorted perceptions, to trouble with thinking and problem solving, young kids and students are the most vulnerable to the damaging effects of using it. It?s one thing to make it legal for legitimate medical purposes, but to make it legal for everyone would be irresponsible and dangerous to society as a whole. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]I'd like to issue a warning and a reminder about keeping it civil and respecting other's opinions on the subject. Especially after reading this:[quote name='TherapySessions']A state of denial? Get over yourself, the only reason I bothered signing upto this forum was because I saw pages and of one sided bile concerning how disgracefull drugs were, then a seemingly outraged poster denying someones personal experience as absolute fact. Step outside your little box, it doesn't suprise me that someone as old as my mother who speaks to children on the internet and participates in anime RPG's has such an utterly narrow minded, condsending view on drug users who are able to function just aswell as they are.[/quote]It's one thing to state your opinion TherapySessions, but to blatantly flame and attack other members is unacceptable. Further comments along this nature will not be ignored. And if Aaryanna_Mom is as you put it is "speaking to children on the Internet" I expect you to stop behaving like one and show some respect for others opinions even if you do not agree with them. Instead of going on pointless tangents of insulting them due to age or other reasons. This thread has done fairly well so far, but if the snide remarks and snipping I've been seeing continues it will be closed. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]In that case Aaryanna_Mom consider the post yours. ^_~ Since once Crystia and Darren wrap up their bit between Jared and Darren [you're right Darren that is a bit creepy that it's your own name. lol] I will be moving things along with what William has put in motion. And believe me, Stevens is definitely going to be extremely unhappy along with the High Council as well. It will also result in some people getting new objectives as a direct result from what happened. As well as modifications to existing ones that are not finished. So as you put it Darren "sit back and enjoy watching the fur fly so to speak" Because that's exactly what's going to happen. ^_~[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='BKstyles][font=tahoma']Well we now know that Darren will be undertaking this for the LOLs. If Mike doesn't answer in the next 4 hours (give or take), I'll officially announce you in the main thread as our representative, Beth. If you're still up for it :P.[/font][/quote]Fine by me though I'm done for the night and won't have time to address this until much later, but realistically I wouldn't have time to put together an opening statement until tomorrow. And then if Mike [strike]who has been on today by the way[/strike] hasn't responded by the end of the four hours I say we bonk him on the head since we've known about the new debate for a while now. :p Either way if I have time I'll check later tonight, and if not definitely tomorrow to see who is up to bat so to speak. :catgirl: [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]It didn?t take Jason and Celestia too long to finish writing the program to tell the scanners what to look for. If the material they needed for the crystals growth were here, the level of scanners they had would detect it. A moment later to test it and then they divided the planet into sections for the scanners to check at random intervals. ?[B]It?s a pity we can?t outright scan the entire planet.[/B]? Jason said as he started the program. ?[B]It would go a hell of a lot quicker if we didn?t have to worry about heavy scanning activity being picked up.[/B]? ?[B]I know.[/B]? Celestia replied. Jason looked at the timer on his screen, it didn?t seem like it but they had already spent close to twelve hours working on the program. Which now that he thought about it, explained why he was feeling rather tired. He turned to Celestia who was sitting to his right. ?[B]What I?d really like to do is go outside and scan things in person. I know I can?t but I am sick and tired of being stuck underground. At least when we were on the ship with William or at other more established bases they had a room set aside for holographic recreation.[/B]? He gestured to the gray walls and the cold lights above and to the room in general. ?[B]As impressive as all this is, it?s cold and barren. I miss the sunlight.[/B]? Celestia leaned into Jason wrapping her left arm behind him and around his left side. Smiling when he placed his right arm across her shoulders. ?[B]I know I feel the same way. Even the holographic programs just weren?t the same, the grass did not smell like grass, the flowers had no scent and the fake sun had no warmth.[/B]? She looked up to see Jason looking down at her. ?[B]As dangerous as it is, I actually envy Sara as she is allowed to leave the base, where the chances of Daniel agreeing to allow us to leave are pretty much non-existent.[/B]? ?[B]I know,[/B]? Jason replied bitterly. ?[B]I asked him the other day and you would have thought I was asking him if it was okay for me to hand myself over to the Versilan military! And then I got quite the lecture to go along with it.[/B]? He sighed. ?[B]I don?t know about you Celestia, but sometimes it feels like we are wasting our time. I know William said that we would not be able to stop the invasion of Earth and that it was critical that we delay the take over. But he?s so damn closed mouthed as to what?s up that I haven?t a clue as to how that actually helps![/B]? Celestia just hugged him tightly as she too felt the same way. Though it didn?t make sense to her that they would even try to resist if there was no hope at all. And some of the programs William had her and Jason write when he first rescued them had her rather curious since they could be used to achieve some very interesting results. She pulled free of Jason and moved back to the workstation to pull up a file to show him as his talk about missing sunlight reminded her of something Daniel had shown her a while ago. A moment later she found it. [CENTER][IMG]http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6143/highcouncilge2.jpg[/IMG] [SIZE=1]Copyright [URL=http://bakenius.deviantart.com/][COLOR=RoyalBlue][U][B]Bakenius@DeviantArt[/B][/U][/COLOR][/URL] [/SIZE][/CENTER] ?[B]What is that?[/B]? Jason asked her. ?[B]Talking about missing the sunlight reminded me of something Daniel showed me a while back.[/B]? She pointed to the white crystalline cluster of buildings in a huge underground cavern. ?[B]That is the where the High Council is in sector one.[/B]? ?[B]It?s Underground?[/B]? Jason asked, surprise written across his face. Celestia nodded. ?[B]It was built after the ten factions joined together to form the High Council and establish peace at the end of a war that Daniel said almost resulted in the annihilation of his people. The surface of the planet even to this day can barely support life. So everything in sector one is in underground caverns such as this one.[/B]? ?[B]Couldn?t they just repair the damage?[/B]? Jason asked. ?[B]They could, but Daniel said the High Council left it as it is to remind the people of just how close they foolishly came to destroying themselves. Other sectors are just like Earth with things being built on the surface, but I understand there are literally millions of people living there who have never been on the surface of any world.[/B]? Celestia finished. Jason turned the workstation off, ?[B]Never been to the surface huh? I can?t even imagine it.[/B]? He reached over and brazenly tickled her. ?[B]Jason![/B]? She cried with laughter even as she pulled away. Only to blink with surprise as he caught her and pulled her close so she was facing him. And then blush when he leaned forward until their noses were touching leaving her breathless as well. He stared straight into her eyes before he wrinkled his nose and pulled back a bit. ?[B]You are trying to distract me.[/B]? He accused. ?[B]And what?s more, it?s working![/B]? Celestia giggled at his mock serious expression and then laughed some more when he outright tickled her. Jason stood up, pulling Celestia up with him before letting her go. ?[B]I say we get something to eat and call it a day, sound good to you?[/B]? Celestia wrinkled her nose at him in return. ?[B]It does.[/B]? She reached out with her right hand and took his hand in hers before heading out the door towards the mess hall. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]No worries, both of you will find out soon enough as that particular event is coming up within the next couple of days as far as the story goes. ^_~ [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='White][COLOR=DimGray][FONT=Tahoma]It's too bad we're against. For would be so much easier.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]o_O It's a good thing that I like you, or I'd have to whack you upside the head for that. :p Because other than the possible medical benefits, I'd have a hard time coming up with good reasons to make it legal for everyone. [QUOTE=BKstyles][FONT=Tahoma']There are however more sides to this particular argument (our debate topic) then it seems. I don't know from personal experience but theres quite a good amount of info that can be brought up on the negatives (as Beth already mentioned) but the same goes for the positives. Though the negatives seem to be more abundant and statistic friendly so I think it gives us an advantage. [/FONT][/quote]Personally I think the positives are not a problem here since most of the arguments on that stance tend to be from a medical standpoint. And this debate is more about making them legal for everyone, not as a controlled substance that can only be obtained from a doctor. Ironically I see no reason to even compare alcohol since it would be to easy to counter with the point that Marijuana is not as deadly in that respect. I've been looking around online but I'm going to save the specifics of what I found for the debate if I am the one chosen or to send to the person who will be representing us this round. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082']Hylian hī·lēăn (hi lee an)[/color][/quote]I never thought about it before, but that is how I've always said it. [/COLOR]