Horendithas

[COLOR=DarkRed][QUOTE=Adahn]Aaryanna_Mom, I am grateful for the insight you have offered. I hadn't really considered that people might still view it as a mental disorder. I was too young during those years, so I really have no grasp on what was going on politically at that time. However, I don't believe I said anywhere that religion was the only thing standing in the way of the legalization of gay marriage. [/QUOTE] I could be mistaken but based on your original post here:[QUOTE=Adahn]Generally, gay marriage is opposed by the Christian ideology. The reason for this, I believe, is that a certain act act male homosexuals can engage in is a sin. It is from this that the Christian ideology is repulsed. Voting to legalize gay marriage would condone this sin, and so the ideology instructs its followers not to vote to legalize it.[/QUOTE]It gave the impression that the main objection to Gay marriage came from Christian ideology. And if I understand what Aaryanna_Mom is saying here, a lot of the people in position to politically push these bills to deny them rights through and to rally others to vote for them, all of them are old enough to remember when homosexuality was considered a mental disorder. The problem is you didn?t really clarify that you were only addressing one aspect of why people object to gay marriage. You just went straight into how that Christian ideology was flawed. She was pointing out that for many people it wasn?t one of Christian values but one of a sickness that needs to be treated instead of supported. [QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]For a while, I was for civil unions. After careful deliberation, I am now against them. I believe that calling it a "civil union" just because the couple is gay is a manifestation of [b]separate but equal[/b], which was ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court a while back. If the two are the same -- civil unions and state marriage -- it is discrimination to call them different things if they perform the same function. It's an impermissible compromise, a stab at appeasing the moderates on the issue who just feel "uncomfortable" calling it a marriage. Suck it up, call it a state marriage, and call it a day.[/size][/QUOTE]I don?t think she was talking about the name used so much as she was agreeing that they should have the same privileges and rights one gets from getting married. In the end I agree that it?s pointless to keep denying them the same right. If it really is a sin, then since it does not affect you or me, then that?s their choice to make. I don?t believe in God so I don?t see it as a sin. And if God does exist, again we are back at the point of that?s his call to make. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed]Well since it sounds like once we get to the facility we won?t be together, I?ll write up a post along the lines of Jared dropping the two of you off and then cover the part where Jared makes all the preparations while the two of you are busy inside the complex. Unless it would mess up what you have in mind Aaryanna I?ll have my character pick the two of you up later in the day before the first charge is blown so to speak. Then I?ll work in the bit where Jared delivers the ultimatum to the authorities after the first explosion and then the following sequence of events where it all gets blown up. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed]Here?s a bit about myself then: My real name is Crystia, I?m 26 and I currently live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where I am attending college. I?m currently working towards getting my bachelors degree in Psychology. Which if everything goes well will happen at the end of this summer. I also work as a volunteer for the Women?s Crisis Center for victims of domestic violence. Once I have my degree I intend to work as a counselor in the same area and also start working on graduate school to eventually become a psychologist. I?m actually the only member of my family living in Utah. My parents moved here over ten years ago and when my parents decided to move back to the eastern side of the US I stayed behind since I had just started college. I also have issues with allergies and the dry desert climate here in Utah is far more agreeable than some of the more green states. I have many friends here that I attended High School with who are either finished with college or are also attending the same university I am. Although I do date, I don?t have anyone that I would consider a steady boyfriend. I enjoy video games and anime, though in all honestly my biggest attraction to anime is the art. I love to collect art books the same way people collect series. I suppose the one difference is I?m no artist, no drawing talent whatsoever and I?m very clueless when it comes to computers. [B]Team Captain:[/B] It?s rather ironic that Gavin mentioned me as I was thinking his devotion to RPG?s and longstanding activity here at OB would make him an excellent choice for leading. I?m more than happy to go by the general agreement, and if that?s the case I?d be happy to accept the position to represent us as a team. ;) [B]Team Name:[/B] The Purple Cobras works for me unless someone else has another idea. [B]Team Color:[/B] I also adore the color purple. I like Teal and red as well. [B]Team Flag:[/B] I?m not sure how all of you want to do this, I can do graphics, but my skills do not even come close to some of the other more talented artists here. It may have said I had that skill at first in this thread, but that was a typo and not correct. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082']Being an anime board, I think we should follow Japanese tradition for Valentine's Day. As such, all you girls around here should give me chocolate come the 14th. It's a great idea![/color][/quote]As a devoted fangirl/lackey I second this suggestion. ;) Now all you need to do Dessy is give us your address so we know where to mail the chocolate to. :p [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='kalon] I swear, [spoiler]killing gang members by dropping a tazer in a puddle of water and electrocuting them[/spoiler'] was one of the cruelest deaths I've ever seen. I don't care for any heart of the cards compared to Yami's practically evil original personality.[/quote]Not all of them [spoiler] died, the leader of the gang survived and shows up again later in the manga. [/spoiler] And I wouldn't say the other personality is evil, I was thinking along the lines of it being a more [spoiler] ruthless alter personality in that those who ended up dead deserved that punishment. [/spoiler] I rather thought the whole Death-T aspect was downright chilling. Now the creator of that was evil until [spoiler] Yugi's alternate personality crushed the dark part of his mind. After all he was willing to drive Yugi?s grandfather insane and his own little brother as well.[/spoiler] And the way they turned Joey into a whiney annoying brat in the anime grates on my nerves, He's a hundred times more interesting in the manga. I?d have to read the card battles again, but I was thinking even they still had a bit of a more ruthless edge to them that was not only stretched out but made more gentle in the anime. The heart of the cards, in spite of being picked on as a silly aspect of the show/manga, was an aspect of the series from the very beginning. After all in the manga, Seto first got his hands on one of the Blue Eye's White Dragon Cards by [spoiler] stealing the one from Yugi?s grandfather when he wouldn't sell it to him. And when Yugi challenged him to a game to get it back it refused to attack Yugi since in the shadow aspect of the game, it?s heart did not belong to Seto.[/spoiler] A concept that I thought was rather interesting. [/COLOR]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Now that the Elite Specialist had arrived, tomorrow along with Darren, Jared would be implementing the first stage of disrupting Earth?s shipping. He had been pleasantly surprised to see that Darren was every bit as efficient and good at his job as he was at his. It had taken him little time to hack into their computers and databases and to get a general grasp of how things worked. And an even shorter time to modify his original timetable and choice of targets to lesson the expected impact. Now that they had been working together for several days, Jared realized that the flaw with his plan was in overestimating Earth?s ability to defend and protect their shipping. He had originally thought no one would be so stupid to leave things so open to terrorism but apparently they were. It would be horribly easy to bring everything to a complete halt worldwide. He didn?t envy Darren in coming up with a solution to work with their technology. Jared closed down the computer terminal in his quarters. Tomorrow everything would begin. First he and Darren would be putting the explosives in place at a huge trucking distribution center that sent goods to a huge part of the US. That would require careful movements on their part, once that was done they would call in a bomb threat as the center was home to thousands of workers, there was no need to kill any of them. But if they were too foolish to evacuate them then there wasn?t much he could do about their stupidity. He got up and went into his bedroom to change into his sleeping clothes. Usually he stayed up later, but tomorrow was going to be a busy day for him and Darren. He quickly changed and went back out into the main room to get a drink from the storage unit next to the table. He poured himself a generous measure and then took in into his bedroom to finish it. He set the unfinished drink on the stand next to his bed and picked up his handheld computer to input a few more details in regards to what to pick up from the weapons locker before they left tomorrow morning. It didn?t take long for him to make sure he had everything they would need listed. Jared turned it off and set it back down next to his now finished drink. Jared picked up the glass and went back out in the main room to put it away for the crew to pick up tomorrow when they checked his quarters. He chuckled to himself as he remembered what had happened the other day when he had given Darren a couple of bottles of what his file listed as being his favorite drinks. He had intended it as a reward for good work but Darren had misunderstood. Never had Jared seen someone turn as red in the face as he did. It was so enjoyable to tease Darren, and it was quite the temptation to take it beyond simple teasing. Because to be honest, he was very attractive, even more so since he was so competent at his job. Pretty and brainless men were fun, but not anywhere as interesting as the competent ones. Jared sighed, the things he did for duty. Still there was no telling what was going to happen in the days to come and for now he was satisfied with simply putting him on edge. If only because he really did look so adorable when he was flustered. He walked back into his room and turned off the lights before climbing into the soft silk sheets of his bed. If only he could find Jason again, he never did get to finish what he had started and to be frank he was tired of sleeping alone other than the occasional lover or conquest. Jared pulled the sheets up until half of his body was covered, then he wiggled into a comfortable position, within minutes he was sound asleep. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=DarkRed][QUOTE=humanoid]hallo, i'm new in here i found out forum coz i'm looking for rei's pic so , i defenetly will vote for rei. she is cute,very calm, i like her![/QUOTE]Welcome to OtakuBoards humanoid, First of all I'd like to remind you to take a moment to read the rules and FAQ. Not only is spelling and good grammar a must as it helps others to understand what you are trying to say. But the rules also explain how reviving long dead threads is not allowed. If you have any questions feel free to pm myself or another member of the staff. ~indifference[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed]We have all sorts of fun conventions or events here in Salt Lake City, Utah. Except anime that is. Those are so poorly advertised that half the time when I find out about it, it?s already over. Something that really frustrated me last year since they even had Charles Forrest "Spike" Spencer as a guest attend. It?s only run twice, so this year, especially since I know about it and I?ve book marked their web page I intend to go. And the best part is it?s held at a university that for me is a quick ride on the light rail system here. Other things I?ve enjoyed when they?ve had them here has been a charity event where you go and see elaborately decorated Christmas trees that they sell to raise money. They often have one where you can check out older restored classic cars, even if I know nothing about cars it?s fun to go and check them out. And one that Rachmaninoff drags me to when it occurs is the Gina bachauer piano competition, where pianists from around the world come to compete. I?m not really into classical music, but good lord those people can play. Last year?s competition was really good. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed]My resolutions are almost always the same, to keep getting good grades in school so I don?t lose the scholarships I currently have. And to be more patient with the people where I live. I?m not religious and sometimes their overzealous attitude really grates on my nerves. But most importantly, I always resolve to spend so many hours a week goofing off, otherwise all I do is work and study. Something that makes me grouchy in the long run.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed]For this year? No one, unless I start dating again. I broke up with my boyfriend just after thanksgiving and though I?ve gone a few dates I?m not going steady with anyone at the moment. So I have no plans nor do I expect to have any for this holiday. Though a few guys in my classes at college have been trying to not be obvious in their questions in regards to what I have planned for next month. Either way I don?t really care, if someone wants to do something I?ll probably say yes if they get around to asking me, otherwise I?ll just do what I always do, homework and video games. ;)[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue]All in all I still adore this game and now I?m off in the first bonus dungeon the Maze of Tribulations and I?ve also started a new game on the next level of difficulty. My first complaint would be that Nel [spoiler] dies too easily as it seems like no matter what tactic I set her on, she can?t be bothered to heal herself until it?s too late. [/spoiler'] That and I?ve already been completely wiped out several times. But then that makes it more fun and challenging right? ^_~[/COLOR][/quote]If you think she?s bad now, just wait until you unlock the final level of difficulty. The real challenge will be to survive past the first battle without dying. Something that took a lot of careful planning and timing on my part. And you have to spend a fair amount of time leveling up the first chance you get, which is a pain, but if you don?t and you advance to the next section too soon. You?ll end up having to re-start the game. If you do unlock it and eventually play it, make sure you are making save points before you head to the next area so if you get stuck you can re-load, level up a little more and then try it again. I?d be more annoyed if it wasn?t the hardest level in the game, but it is a lot harder to actually get anywhere and there?s no getting around customization, you either use it or die. ;)[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][QUOTE=Adahn][size=2]So you have a problem with me saying that menstruation is treated like a disease? I'll keep it really simple for you. They had a hysterectomy performed on their daughter because having a functional uterus leads to monthly pain and bleeding. Let's see if this is in any way related to disease.[/size] [size=2][/size] [size=2]1. Symptoms- monthly pain and bleeding.[/size] [size=2]2. Disease name- menstruation.[/size] [size=2]3. Cure- hysterectomy.[/size] [size=2][/size] [size=2]Hysterectomies are performed to treat a number of diseases, as can be easily found [url="http://www.4woman.gov/faq/hysterectomy.htm"]here[/url]. Hysterectomies are not done for any reason other than to treat a disease. If the disease isn't menstruation, my new friend, then what disease did the parents intend to cure/prevent?[/size][/QUOTE]I think both of you are missing the point. Hysterectomy?s are performed to correct issues that are not normal for a healthy woman. Excessive bleeding, damage from giving childbirth, etc, Since her brain is damaged and she will not be growing up to be a normal healthy woman in that respect, it is being treated as a problem that she does not need. It does not mean that menstruation itself is a disease. You see it as them treating it as a disease where the parents see it as something that will burden their daughter with unnecessary pain and suffering. For the little girl it could be considered a disease, but overall it is not. [quote name='Adahn][size=2]The parents' decision to perform a breast bud removal on their daughter on the assumption that she [u]would definitely[/u] develop large breasts is at the very least misinformed. If they had consulted any geneticist on the issue, they could have told them this much. Perhaps they did, and ignored it. Perhaps they didn't want to seek out any information that could contradict their plans. If genetics didn't play a large role in their decision to remove her breast buds, then what caused them to have the operation done?[/size][/QUOTE]Here?s the thing, for a three month old baby, or someone with the mind of one, any type of breasts whether they are small are large, are going to be confusing and uncomfortable for her. She simply will not understand it. If they have already stunted her growth, it doesn?t take genetics to realize that breasts on the body of a nine-year-old child will be larger than they would on a fully-grown child. People are forgetting that this is referring to her having them as a nine year old not as an adult. It?s not the same thing. [QUOTE=Adahn]I know all this. They changed the body to conform to the mind. Sex change operations and plastic surgery are all the rage, and very interesting. Just watch Nip/Tuck. The problem is that whatever the diagnosis of her condition, this child has a living brain, and therefore has the potential to develop if some treatment is discovered. However unlikely, that [i]potential[/i'] exists. We both know what potentials for the child exist no longer[/quote]Last time I checked they weren?t trying to turn her into a little boy, she?s not having a sex change, and she?s still a girl. ;) The argument that she has a living brain proves nothing. You could use that argument to disagree with all sorts of controversial treatments. However, none of us are fully qualified to understand the situation. About the only one here who at least understands a part of this is Aaryanna_Mom as she at least has experience in taking care of children. It?s obvious that you do not approve of what they have done and in the end it?s not your place to disapprove nor is it mine to approve. One some level we have to step back and quit condemning others when we all have things we do that someone somewhere does not approve of. We each have our own opinion on the subject so lets start respecting that. Allamorph isn't the only one guilty of implying others are stupid, so I expect this snipping to end here folks. And that includes myself if anyone felt that some of my statements were abrasive, then I apologize for them. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='Adahn][size=2']My statement was not so much a mass of contradictions as your reply is a mass of misunderstandings. With the cause of static encephalopathy as yet unknown, there is the chance that the cure exists (or would be easy to find), because the true cause to the disease is in someway related to some other disease we have already extensively studied. If the cause were known AND it was not related to anything that exists in medical knowledge, then it would be even more difficult to cure the disease.[/size][/quote]That still implies that being unknown somehow makes the answer easier. When the truth is that many diseases went for decades even centuries of killing people even though the cure was simple and something that did not exist in current medical knowledge. Unknown does not=easier. It simply appears easier since we haven?t a clue so the assumption is that the cure will be simple once it is found. I think the problem here is semantics in regards to what each of us are saying and I?ll leave it at that. [QUOTE=Adahn][size=2]As for ridding their daughter of the pain of menstruation... Our society has been made to cause women to be ashamed of their bodies, especially menstruation. I myself know pain, even if not so often as women do, but I suspect much of that pain is a result of their upbringing. Perpetuating the idea that the parents have done good by ridding their daughter of the monthly curse only serves to further women's shame of their own bodies.[/size][/QUOTE]In that case our society is bringing all of us up to be ashamed of our bodies as we regularly go to the doctor and take remedies to treat all sorts of pain. It?s not an issue of shame but one of comfort. And thinking it is upbringing that conditions a woman to feel pain is one of the most ignorant things I?ve ever heard anyone say about menstruation. It would only be a curse to someone who couldn?t learn what was happening and understand why they felt pain. Much in the same way you were saying surgery would expose them to pain they wouldn?t understand. There is no shame in having a menstruation cycle, I?m not even sure where your notion that there is came from or how it?s even relevant to this discussion. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][QUOTE=Adahn][size=2]Actually, not knowing the cause to the disease makes it much more likely there could be a cure. Why? Because if you know the cause of the disease and you have no idea how to cure it, it is that much more hopeless. If the cause were to be found, it's just as likely that a cure will be easy to find as it will be difficult.[/size] [/QUOTE]Make up your mind, first you say knowing the cause and yet not knowing how to cure it makes it more hopeless. And yet in the end you have to know what is wrong to even begin to fix the problem. That whole statement was a mass of contradictions. [quote name='Adahn][size=2][size=2']I've just read up on static encephalopathy, and all it really means is brain damage, and the cause is usually unknown. It seems to me that people are sprouting up left and right trying to learn about brains, and if any area of medicine is due for a breakthrough, it's that.[/size][/quote]How wonderful the world would be if a break through as you put it would be in a field that needs it or that we feel is due for one. Or how about some statistics to back your idea that people are sprouting left and right to study the brain, it?s usually a good idea not to go by what seems to be a trend when it may not actually be one. [QUOTE=Adahn][size=2]I didn't read every post, but I would like to pose a question. If you had a nine-year old daughter with static encephalopathy keeping her mentally at 3 months old, what would you do, and why?[/size] [size=2][/size] I would let her grow and develop normally, and I would also redirect my research towards finding a cure for her. I would hope that some change would be brought about in her brain by going through puberty, and if not, I would do everything in my power to restore brain function.[/size][/QUOTE]Perhaps reading every post might give you better insight as to why people agree with the parents. It?s a nice sentiment, but flawed to think you could truly decide now what you would actually do in such a situation. We can hope that we would choose a certain path, but in the end only experience will tell the tale. [quote name='Adahn][size=2]I understand that she may never be able to think, but she can still taste, touch, smell, and see. I would surround her with nice things and bombard her senses. Just because she's only got a three-month old mind doesn't mean she can't be happy. The last thing I would do would be to put her through a painful, desensitizing surgery. She's already living a shadow of a life. Why should I want to make it darker?[/size][/QUOTE]As opposed to this: [QUOTE=SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue']The last thing she needs is to grow up and deal with menstruation every single month. If she's got the mind of a three month old baby, there's just no way she's going to understand that. Especially if she's like a lot of women in that it's an uncomfortable process. All she's going to do is suffer every time that happens. If she has the standard length of periods for about the same amount of time most women go though this, that translates to four years of needless suffering. [/COLOR][/quote]I don?t recall ever hearing of a surgery that took over four years to recover from. And yes for some women that time of the month is as painful as recovering from surgery is. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][B]What is it?[/B] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=55840][COLOR=DarkRed]Christmas Banner Contest[/COLOR][/URL] [Thread] [B]Why is it nifty?[/B] It?s lots of fun to see the members making banners for the holidays. And by being open to everyone it really is nifty as it shows anyone can contribute to the site. [B]What is it? [/B]James [member/staff] [B]Why is it nifty?[/B] His tireless devotion and endless patience in dealing with everything that happens at OtakuBoards make him beyond nifty. [B]What is it?[/B] Desbreko [member/staff] [B]Why is it nifty?[/B] He is Link in Real life; it just doesn?t get any niftier than that. I had more, but they've already been listed, so if I think of more I'll post again since I'm only up to six of the ten I'm allowed to nominate. ;)[/COLOR]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Jared woke up early as he always did. It didn?t take him long to get ready, the blue jeans and plain green t-shirt along with the strange shoes Earthlings wore required little to no fuss, unlike his uniform. He paused to check himself in the mirror. The small pack he wore that fastened around the waist and had a small pouch on the right fit well with the image of someone who was a worker as they often had pouches of tools that they carried with them. He only had a small disruptor and the handheld computer/communicator in his. He didn?t expect to actually need the disruptor, but it was better to be prepared, especially since Darren would have nothing to defend himself with. Other than his natural strength. He looked closely at his eyes to make sure that the treatment was completely in place; blue eyes stared back at him from the mirror with no traces of irritation from the change. He smiled and then turned to leave his quarters. Jared bypassed Darren?s and went straight to Sandra?s quarters. It was too early to pick up Darren and he wanted to talk to Sandra before he headed down to the planet. He stopped in front of her door and then reached up to press the button indicating he was there. A moment later it opened and her voice told him to enter. Jared entered the room to find Sandra over at the small table sipping some tea while she reviewed some reports. Her half eaten breakfast neatly shoved to the side. ?[B]Ah Jared, I was hoping you would stop by before heading down. The Tempest arrived a short while ago and Commander Crystal has already transported down to the surface.[/B]? She said. ?[B]Good, I?ll be sure to check in with Crystal before heading out into the city with Darren. But that?s not why I am here.[/B]? Jared said. ?[B]I know, you wish for me to explain why I had you brief the Elite Specialist on their mission, a mission that must to you look like something that hardly calls for an Elite Specialist.[/B]? Sandra said. ?[B]You?re right, I am curious about that. I can understand that Kiva has excellent hacking skills and that her choice of personal is perfect for taking care of the human?s weapons facilities. But Earth?s computers are primitive, enough that anyone here on the Crimson can hack them.[/B]? Jared said. ?[B]True, but Kiva will mostly be looking for resistance members here on Earth, something that others are not as skilled at. Also, the nuclear weapons Earthlings build are very dangerous. Some of them are too large to fit through a transportation door and will require actually taking a ship down to the surface to pick them up. Something the Crimson is too large for and that the Tempest is ill equipped for.[/B]? Sandra said. She closed her report and looked directly at Jared before continuing. ?[B]The messenger ships are specially designed to enter the atmosphere and do covert operations. At night they could slip in, take the weapons and leave without anyone seeing them. Something that neither the Crimson nor the Tempest can do without being noticed as our ships are just too big. And the High Council does not want the planet contaminated with radiation that will kill the population. I would imagine that even Kiva herself is wondering why she has been assigned to this mission. After all Elite Specialists may work with the military but they do not answer to them. And other commanders in the past have ignored the High Council and caused unnecessary civilian damage when taking over a world. So the question is why would a specialist be sent?[/B]? ?[B]So why was one sent then?[/B]? Jared asked. Sandra pushed her tea aside and leaned back, crossing her legs. ?[B]Because I requested one. As a candidate for a position on the High Council I must prove that I have the ability to use the correct resources to do my job. And that includes the use of an Elite Specialist if I feel the mission warrants one. The High Council has plans for the people here as well as for the planet and to ensure that as few people as possible are harmed; having them take care of the weapons and hunt for resistance members is the most effective way to do it.[/B]? ?[B]I see, if that?s the case then to meet the requirements in regards to the safety of the people, a specialist would be the logical choice for this mission.[/B]? Jared said. ?[B]Exactly. There will already be quite a bit of confusion from what you and Darren will be up to as well as from the specialists? activities. I have to choose which of the leaders of the world would be best suited to serve as a liaison. Crystal will be choosing which humans would be best for the High Council?s research project. Together everyone has the skills needed to get things ready in time and yet keep the civilian causalities at a minimum.[/B]? Sandra finished; she got up and pushed her chair back against the table out of the way. ?[B]I understand, I?ll make sure that Darren understands his role as well in keeping the disruptions down to a bare minimum as far as transportation goes. He?s already advised me that going to fast would cause riots.[/B]? Jared said. ?[B]Good, then I suggest you get started as it?s almost time for you to pick him up.[/B]? Sandra said as she headed towards the door with Jared following her. ?[B]Understood Commander,[/B]? Jared said as he left her quarters. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=DarkRed][B]Yuuichi:[/B] Where did you put my clean clothes! [B]Makoto:[/B] I?m not telling! [B]Akiko:[/B] Hurry with the camera Nayuki! Before Yuuichi realizes that the towel is too short. [B]Nayuki: [/B]It?s not my fault the battery is dead! You guys should have told me you wanted embarrassing pictures to post on Yuuichi?s myspace account. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='Aaryanna_Mom']If anyone could clarify that statement for me I'd appreciate it.[/quote]I was referring to this discussion in regards to making RPG's more friendly by encouraging members to not use longer posts. [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=54561]Word Count?[/URL] I've been enjoying writing them but if people felt like I was making them too long it would be fairly easy for me to break them up into separate posts. ;) [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][B]1.[/B] [B]What name would you like to be used for you during this competition?[/B] Crystia [B]2.[/B] [B]What is your age and gender?[/B] I'm female and 26 years old. [B]3.[/B] [B]What country do you come from?[/B] USA [B]4.[/B] [B]What areas of OtakuBoards you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses?[/B] ~For weak I would have to go with computers, as I'm pretty hopeless with them along with arts/graphics. ~For strong I would say discussion/debates because even though I'm far from being excellent at it, I enjoy it the most. [B]5.[/B] [B]Name one member of OtakuBoards that you consider your friend here.[/B] Just one? I would have to go with SunfallE then, as she was the first member here that I really got to know. I still chat with her on a regular basis, as she's one of the nicest people I've met online. [B]6.[/B] [B]What one thing would you take with you to a deserted island?[/B] I'd be hard pressed to choose just one item, but I guess I'd take one of those large survival/medical kits I've seen in the store. [B]7.[/B] [B]Why do you want to participate to OtakuBoards Survivor 4?[/B] Ironically I really detest Survivor shows on TV but the idea of doing so online where it's [B]not[/B] a case of pitting others against each other in the hopes of bringing out the worst in them just for ratings...This actually sounds like it would be fun. A true survivor experience if you will instead of the fake one's on TV. That and I'd like to meet more people here.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed]I hope no one minds that my posts end up being so long. I don?t mean to, but Jared is tons of fun to play with and I actually end up editing things out to shorten it. He?s pretty determined to overshadow Sandra when I?m writing. :p [spoiler] and to get Darren just for fun. Ah... the lovely ideas that come to mind. XD[/spoiler][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]With the equipment in hand for preparing both himself and Darren for transporting down to Earth Jared headed toward Darren?s temporary quarters. He could wait until morning but the treatment for their eyes would itch quite a bit at first so it was better to do it in advance. He didn?t fully understand how it worked, but he knew from experience that it would. Though he disliked putting anything in his eyes, even if it was necessary. If what he had read was correct, humans wore something similar though far more primitive known as contacts. The stuff they used was more advanced as it was designed to literally attach itself to the person?s eye, it was a simple thin membrane and yet it was extremely tough and resilient, requiring a special solution to get it to come off. And in the end other than a little bit irritation in the eyes when it was removed that would later heal itself, there was no negative side effects to using it. About the only good thing about it was that it required no upkeep. It was also widely popular among the wealthy as having different colored eyes was considered exotic since genetics had resulted in everyone having silver colored eyes. He took a ride up one of the lifts to the officer?s quarters and then once he was at Darren?s door he pressed the button indicating he wished to be let in. Not that he couldn?t just let himself in, but so long as Darren answered promptly he would let him have an illusion of privacy. He didn?t have to wait long as the door opened almost immediately. He ignored Darren?s stiff greeting and walked in, the door shutting behind him. Jared set the small bag he had been carrying down by the door before speaking. ?[B]I take it you have read through the data I gave you?[/B]? Jared asked. ?[B]Yes Sub-Commander.[/B]? Darren replied eyeing Jared warily. ?[B]I need you to confirm some of the data for me as your time table for disrupting the transportation on Earth is flawed.[/B]? ?[B]Oh?[/B]? Jared said raising his right eyebrow, ?[B]How is it flawed?[/B]? ?[B]It?s too drastic, what you have in mind will cause quite a bit of chaos and riots down on Earth. It won?t work unless you plan on putting something else up in its place.[/B]? Darren said. ?[B]Exactly Darren,[/B]? Jared said dropping the title of Commander, but other than to narrow his eyes slightly Darren did not respond to the implied familiarity. ?[B]Preparations are already been made to take over Earth, in addition to disrupting their shipping, you are to study it in order to set up a replacement system. One that will work with their limited technology to run with ours.[/B]? ?[B]I see.[/B]? Darren replied. ?[B]Good.[/B]? Jared said as he moved closer to Darren. ?[B]We will be transporting down to the planet tomorrow morning and for that I will need to get you ready.[/B]? He chuckled inwardly at Darren?s look of barely concealed panic as he backed up a few steps and clutched at the chair he had been standing next to before realizing what he was doing and stopping. Jared stopped as well and quickly tossed him the container with the treatment for his eyes. Darren caught it and then looked back at Jared, uncertain as to what he should do with it. ?[B]I take it you?ve never worn those before have you?[/B]? Jared asked. Darren shook his head indicating that he had not. ?[B]Go put them on, it?s not that difficult as the instructions are quite simple.[/B]? He waited patiently in the main room while Darren went into the restroom to make use of the mirror. Jared laughed when he could hear Darren cursing while he did so. Then he watched Darren come back out into the main room, blinking as if his eyes itched and obviously resisting the urge to rub them. ?[B]Don?t worry, the itching will be gone by tomorrow. Now come here.[/B]? Jared commanded. Darren hesitantly took a few steps forward and stopped. Jared sighed and took the initiative by moving closer and closing the gap between them. ?[B]Darren,[/B]? he said slightly irritated as he was tired and ready to call it a night. ?[B]The next time I tell you to come here, don?t hesitate, do so immediately.[/B]? Then before Darren could react he swiftly reached up and grabbed his left ear and attached a micro translator, ignoring Darren?s instinctive reaction to pull away. He ignored Darren?s attempt to grab what he had placed on his left ear as it was already too late. Seconds later Darren doubled over with a grunt of pain as it entered his system and attached itself to the inner workings of his ear. Then just as suddenly it was over. Jared watched as Darren straightened back up and then looked at him, fury written all over his face. He stood still when moments later Darren grabbed his tunic with both hands and yelled at him. ?[B]Damnit! Take that out immediately![/B]? Darren yelled, furious over what Jared had done. Jared reached up and took hold of Darren?s hands in his own and then leaned forward. ?[B]You should do that more often,[/B]? he said teasing Darren. He laughed when Darren flushed and immediately let go, pulling his hands free from his grip. Jared moved forward reveling in the look of panic and dismay on Darren?s face as he backed away. He continued until Darren was brought up short, his back against the wall. He leaned forward as if sharing a secret. ?[B]You?re very cute when you are angry.[/B]? He said, looking straight into his now blue eyes. Then he turned around and walked back to where he had left the small bag by the door. He picked up and tossed it to Darren who upon catching it opened it and took out the uniform that was inside. ?[B]Go change. While you are onboard the Crimson you are to wear that at all times. Once you are ready, we will go to your ship and get your things.[/B]? Jared said. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Ever since they had gotten the message Phase One, Jared had been reviewing the information on the new Elite Specialist Kiva and her crew Daego. It didn?t take long to see why they had chosen her. Jared had known Hays was an arrogant fool, but it was a little surprising that he had been so blind as well. The same went for Ryan as well. He continued to read through their information, noting how Kiva had chosen someone whose skills would fit well with her own. But then to have been promoted to an Elite Specialist she would have to have that type of judgment. It was a highly coveted position that was next to impossible to get. The High Council selected all members of that group; recommendations from any source were ignored. You were either noticed and promoted or you weren?t. Jared smiled to himself. This was going to be perfect. Unless the High Council was wrong in their assessment, she was going to need little to no supervision whatsoever. A fact that would leave him free to focus on working with Darren on the transportation aspect of Phase One. Not that he minded diverting his attention between different projects, but it would be far more fun to spend time working with Darren instead of having to go back and forth between the two. He closed the report from his position in the conference room just off the main bridge and then he opened up a channel to contact the Catalyst. A minute later they answered. Both of them were on the small bridge of the messenger ship they had been assigned to. ?[B]Sub-Commander Jared,[/B]? Kiva said, ?[B]How may I assist you?[/B]? ?[B]Things have changed Elite Specialist Kiva and I have been instructed to brief you on that change.[/B]? Jared replied. ?[B]The invasion of Earth is not that far away and in order to make securing that world go more smoothly, you and your crew are to neutralize any potential threats to our ground troops.[/B]? ?[B]Am I to identify the targets? Or do you have a list for me?[/B]? Kiva asked. ?[B]A little of both actually. We do have a list of facilities that are known on Earth for making weapons using a very primitive yet destructive form of nuclear power. That list should have been included in the information given to you on Earth?s culture. But the list was made well over a year ago and even then it was only from scanning the planet. So no attempt was made to verify if there was more than the initial scan pulled up. You?ll need to not only scan for such activity, but to hack Earth?s computer systems and track down others that did not appear.[/B]? Jared replied. ?[B]What methods am I approved to use in neutralizing these weapons?[/B]? Kiva asked. ?[B]If the weapon in question is nuclear anything small enough I want transported in to space close enough to their sun so it will be pulled in by it?s gravity, none of the weapons are enough to affect it and it will safely dispose of them. These weapons have a nasty side effect of producing radiation that in high enough doses can be lethal to anyone exposed. Anything else can be taken care of with standard explosives. There won?t be any need for the more lethal special explosives, though if you were to run into anything that needed it, just inform me.[/B]? He said. ?[B]I understand, anything else?[/B]? Kiva asked. ?[B]Yes, in addition to disposing of the weapons, you are to take out the facilities for making them as well, along with any defenses set up that could possibly harm ground troops. There really is no limit on what you can do. Obviously it is preferred that the biggest threats are taken out first, and then you can work on the next level and take it from there. Also, whether or not you choose to use a common tactic on Earth and call in a bomb threat and have the people evacuated before blowing up a facility is entirely up to you. The High Council would prefer it if more people are left alive to serve the Empire, but your safety and that of your crew comes first.[/B]? Jared finished. ?[B]Understood Sub-Commander.[/B]? Kiva said. ?[B]If you have any questions just address them to either myself or to Commander Sandra. I?ve left standing orders that if either you or your crew needs to talk to us that you are to be put through immediately.[/B]? Jared said in closing. ?[B]I?ll start reviewing the list then.[/B]? Kiva said. Jared closed the communication. In just a few hours they would arrive at Earth. Shortly followed by Commander Crystal and then in only a few days the Catalyst would also arrive. He stretched as he got up as it had been a long day and it still wasn?t over yet. He needed to go to sickbay and get the necessary equipment to prepare both himself and Darren for transporting down to Earth. And once that was done he needed to take Darren over to his ship to pick up anything he needed before sending Mike off to sector fourteen. Jared stifled a yawn as he left the conference room and headed towards sickbay. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=DarkRed][QUOTE=Shinje][color=Black] Another thing to consider in this is medical advancement. Who is to say they won't find a way to repair her brain in the coming decade? We're at this point where we can take stem cells from other parts of the body and repair a damaged heart with them. The technology to allow someone like this girl to live a normal life is being pioneered as we [strike]speak[/strike] type. Stunting her growth is like playing russian roulette with her future. [/color][/QUOTE]To be realistic, our advancement is a long way away from even approaching what you are suggesting. Her brain is stuck as a 3-month-old baby. It takes pretty severe damage to be stuck so early in one?s development. I?m not an expert, but a huge percentage of what I?ve read in regards to stem cell research has been more along the line of fixing things like paralysis or helping with a bad heart. Not something more complicated like the brain and even then her parents already waited nine years. She?s at the point where a decision needs to be made. By the time stem cells, which are iffy due to the controversy, even get to the point where they will be useful, she?s likely to be an old woman. The true Russian roulette would be to let her suffer needlessly because she has a one in a billion chance of them developing a treatment in time for her to have a more normal life. And even that is stretching it, as it?s unlikely it will ever happen. It?s hard to repair something that never developed in the first place. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='Takuya']I might do that. But don't worry about waiting on me, indifference. The things I'd put in that post could easily be included in a post I write after you've posted, so please go ahead and post.[/quote]Yeah, I plan on it, I?ve already got the post about halfway done. It?s late for me so I?ll finish it up later today after I've slept since it's early morning here. [B]EDIT:[/B] All right the post is finally up. I left it on the vague side as to where the facilities and weapons are for the simple reason that I don't know where such things are. And for the purpose of the story, simply stating that the facility was in the country known as the USA is sufficient in my opinion. Oh and the list mainly pertains to major countries like the US and the UK or Russia, places that actually do have nuclear weapons. Though again for the sake of the story pretty much anything would work since the holographic technology Celestia is suppose to have created doesn?t even exist.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][quote name='Shinje'] The child may never understand, or comprehend life in a full-grown body, but I don't see this as giving anybody a mandate to take that away from her. You don't need to understand the rights you have to be able to have them.[/quote]True, but as a society we already make decisions where we make choices for others regardless of their rights. Take people who suffer from dementia, the families often have to go to court to get control so they can make decisions such as putting them in a facility to be cared for. It's neither easy nor simple and though the person may have desired to never be in a nursing home, at that point they no longer even realize that they are there. For people who don't have enough money and can't be home 24/7 (which is what people like that require in terms of care) doing things that would go against their rights is what's best for their health and well being. It's the same for their daughter. She's not going to ever understand having a period, or be able to understand sex, and as a woman myself, I agree completely with what SunfallE and DeadSeraphim was talking about. It would be needless suffering since most women have some sort of issue every time they have their period whether it's cramps, bloating or outright pain. So which is crueler? Willingly allowing your daughter's body to mature and experience things she will never learn to adapt to. (Normally females learn to do so along with medicine if needed, but that's a concept she will never grasp) Or try to do something different in spite of others sending you hate mail because in the end you truly care about your daughter? Whether or not it's the right thing to do, it's obvious they want to take care of her instead of letting her grow up and ending up partially placing her in a facility or requiring more help for their daughter. Which by the way can get expensive real quick. So at this point someone needs to make decisions for her and it sounds like they are doing their best to put her needs and comforts first. And Peanut, I so agree with you, honestly, why are people getting in arms over whether or not she can have sex? That's so stupid that it's painful. [/COLOR]