Heaven's Cloud

[color=indigo] Some of these were hilarious! Here is my take... [b]Berserk[/b] - Genocide rape orgy for all [b]Akira[/b] - Brains without bodies cause trouble [b]DBZ[/b] - Look constipated, gain strength [b]Cowboy Bebop[/b] - Don't befriend men named Vicious [b]Noir[/b] - Prepubescent girls make great assassins [b]Gunslinger Girl[/b] - Like Noir but more prebubescent [b]Vangaurd[/b] - Boobs! In Space! [/color]

[quote name='Shinmaru' date='28 July 2010 - 06:20 PM' timestamp='1280355624' post='698143'] Probably the worst I've finished is the [b]X[/b] movie, but even that is kind of fun in a totally trashy way, even if it makes absolutely no sense and is completely stupid. [/quote] [color=indigo]I truly can't believe anyone liked [b]Alien Nine[/b]...are you sure you aren't just screwing with me Shin? I agree with you about [b]X[/b] though, and am chagrined that I didn't mention it. I own that movie and have no idea what it s about. Every now and then I'll watch it just to see if I can finally make sense of it. Never is going to happen... To defend [b]Naruto[/b] one more time I will state this, if you remove all the fillers it is a great story of acceptance, of friendship, and of growing up. The character development has been fairly decent and the plot (not the fillers) always serves a purpose. As for the animation, I was actually a fan of the Naruto vs Pain and Naruto vs Sasuke fights. I like that almost old school sort of choppy animation, it kind of reminds me of [b]Ghost in the Shell[/b] and [b]Demon City Shinjuku[/b] (even the animated scene in [b]Kill Bill[/b]). I wouldn't have minded if all of Shippuden had been animated in that manner (though I am sure to be alone in my opinion on that one). [/color]

[quote name='CaNz' date='28 July 2010 - 06:39 PM' timestamp='1280356786' post='698149'] why don't they make a law stating everyone has to carry proof of citizenship with them. make it a government issued card. that way when people get stopped for any reason. they can check that. if people are citizens. they have it. if people are legal immigrants they have it and if they are illegal immigrants they will not have it. how hard would it be to keep one card on you at all times? the government coulld actually make money off of it with slightly overpriced maintenance, and we dont have to worry about the BS discrimination clams. [/quote] [color=indigo]Unfortunately the situation is a little trickier than that. The US government does issue a card to every legal citizen, your social security card (as well as a birth certificate if you were born in the US). It also issue immigration papers to every legal US immigrant. On top of that, most states require citizens over the age of 18 to obtain a state id (your driver's license is also a state id). The big problem with having a national id card s the same problem that you have with the social security card/numbering system. Though created for a good reason, the social security cards purpose has extended greatly especially over the past 30 years. This has led to a myriad of problems including an increase in fraud and a decrease in privacy. While I would argue that the social security card/number has done more good than harm, it certainly hasn't been all roses. Many fear that a national id would hinder privacy even more, especially with a truly integrated id that is attached to everything from your mortgage to your spending habits. The real question is, will a national id really help solve the problem of illegal immigration? Before I give my answer to that question, I want to write a little about Arizona's law and my opinions on it. While I think there are plenty of racist people that support the law, I don't believe that law Arizona purposed discriminates against US citizens. It requires that all immigrants carry immigration paper or have a current application in process (which an immigrant receives paperwork for), not just the brown ones. It also states that police must inquire the immigration status of anyone that they stop, detain or arrest. Again, this doesn't just apply to people of a certain race or skin color. Also, it is important to note that this means police can't just randomly ask a person for their papers, they can only ask once they are in the process of doing their duty (ie giving a speeding ticket, arresting someone for assault or theft, or being suspected of breaking the law in some other manner than being an illegal immigrant). The biggest issue of contention is that the law makes it possible for police to make a warrant-less arrest. Again, I really don't see the big deal in this issue. Police officers make warrant-less arrests all the time. If you are in the process of committing a crime, no warrant is needed for an arrest, therefore the very fact that illegal immigrants are in the act of committing a crime (being in the US illegally) should make it a non-issue. While I have no real problem with the laws Arizona has proposed, I have no problem in stating that it doesn't matter what anyone's opinions are concerning Arizona's law and its potential effects, it is still unconstitutional. The US federal government is the organization charged with passing and enforcing laws dealing with immigration. If they choose to create a law but not truly enforce said law it is within their rights. It is not within a state's rights to enforce a federal law with their own resources without federal approval. Now, to answer the question, would a national id help solve the problem of illegal immigration? No, not unless the federal government is willing to enforce its own laws. Before I go, my two cents on illegal immigration and the whole Arizona fiasco. Anyone that sees the situation in black or white should be consigned to a short bus, not because they are mentally handicapped, but because it will really boost the mentally handicapped kids' morale to have someone on their bus that they can make fun of for being dumb. I have a slew of friends whose parents are illegal immigrants. Every single one of them makes the US a far better place to live in, and it would have sucked to not have them in my life because their parents were deported soon after they arrived in the county. On the flip side, illegal immigration is a huge burden on the US, especially in border states like Arizona and New Mexico. The largest burden comes from the fact that the vast majority of illegal immigrants don't pay federal, state, or social security tax. While many state that this is a non-issue because illegal immigrants tend to not utilize government programs like social security, they are sorely mistaken. If illegal immigrants didn't take jobs, then many of them would be filled by citizens that are required to pay taxes. Their are other economic issues, including the simple fact that any illegal immigrant that is sending a portion of their paycheck to another country is immediately adversely affecting the US economy. At the end of the day the only good solution is to increase the amount of immigrants legally allowed into the US, make the immigration process simpler, and then really focus on enforcing laws against both illegal immigrants and businesses that allow illegal immigration. Whew, hat a rant...[/color]

[quote name='Elk' date='27 July 2010 - 08:37 PM' timestamp='1280277422' post='698063'] Here's another Remi Gaillard video for all to enjoy, since chibi-master loved the first one so much. =] [/quote] [color=indigo]Hilarious! I Googled this guy after watching the video. He does some ridiculous stuff. I wish there was a video where he got caught by one of his "victims".[/color]

[color=indigo]I'm kind of shocked that Naruto is getting so many votes. Even if you don't like Naruto, and I can understand not liking it, there is no way that anyone that has seen even a moderate amount of anime could honestly say it is the worst anime out there. My vote for worst anime in Alien Nine. I only made it through three episodes, but those three episodes nearly made me swear off anime altogether. I'm still not 100% sure what the story is about...I get the feeling that the main character is supposed to be hunting aliens. Apparently this requires her to merge with another alien and then roller blade around her school while wielding a lacrosse stick. As bad as the plot is, the art is worse. It is truly so bad that it is hard to tell apart the girl characters from the boy characters. The artists also seem to have an obsession with knee pads. Weird. Trust me, Alien Nine makes Naruto look like fine art. It is easily the worst show i have ever see...I'd rather watch Dr Phil.[/color]

[quote name='Gavin' date='27 July 2010 - 10:20 AM' timestamp='1280240406' post='698012'] [font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Picked up the original Assassin's Creed, Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on the Dark Athena and Dead Space with my new 360 slim, about half way through AC and I have to admit compared to it's sequel it's very, very repetitive and kind of boring, style over substance as it were. It's not terrible but certainly having killed my first three targets there doesn't feel like there's anything new to happen.[/size][/font] [/quote] [color=indigo]I could see how playing [b]Assassin's Creed[/b] after playing [b]Assassin's Creed 2[/b] would be frustrating. The sequel was so superior to the original it is almost sad. I'm currently playing [b]Give Up Robot[/b] over at [url="http://games.adultswim.com/"]Adult Swim[/url]. It is horribly addictive, though I am stuck at level 6 in the "hard" setting.[/color]

[quote name='Miss Anonymous' date='24 July 2010 - 05:20 PM' timestamp='1280006437' post='697799'] Gurren Lagann. No really. Well, it's not that the genre itself isn't my thing. I'm not in love with robots and omgwtfaction, but it doesn't turn me off either. However, the reason I didn't think I'd ever like Gurren Lagann was 'cause the first episode I saw was the hot springs one. Yeah, didn't exactly give me a good impression of the series. On top of that, Yoko; just... yeah, her. I thought her fanservice was so annoying that I'd never watch the show. Suffice to say, I was wrong. Horribly, delightfully wrong. Gurren Lagann is epic and I love it. I even like Yoko now. <3 [/quote] [color=indigo]I agree. I didn't think I'd like Gurren Lagann at first. After choking down the first two episodes I fell in love with it. Great series. My pick would have to be [b]Chobits[/b]. At first I just couldn't stomach the idea of the series, but I warmed up to it pretty fast. After watching a few episodes I immediately picked up the manga (one of the very few manga I have actually read). The story is sweet and interesting and weirdly perverted at the same time. [/color]

[quote name='PiroMunkie' date='25 July 2010 - 03:25 PM' timestamp='1280085915' post='697883'] [color="#A0522D"][font="Arial"]http://www.cookiemisfortune.com/ You are not alone in that thought.[/font][/color] [/quote] [color=indigo]Bummer, I didn't think I was alone in this, but I can't believe someone beat me at creating a viable company surrounding it. Maybe they'll hire me on as a freelance evil fortune cookie writer.[/color]

[color=indigo]I recently picked up [b]Tarot Sport[/b] by the (word that rhymes with duck and begins with an "F") **** Buttons after one of my friends gave it a glowing recommendation. Usually I am not a fan of noise groups (that is the genre that I would lump them into, however, I would have no problem being corrected on this), however, this album blew me away. For the past couple of days I have been trying to figure out why I enjoy it so much. And then it dawned on me, the layers of sound (music/harmony/melody) seem to provide the listener with different textures to enjoy each listen. It is almost akin to eating a meal made by a really good chef, lots of sweet/sour/salty notes mixed together with chewy/crunchy/creamy goodness. I'd definitely recommend this album to anyone that likes "electronic" music as well as anyone with sensibilities toward the indie scene.[/color]

[quote name='Magus' date='24 July 2010 - 09:12 PM' timestamp='1280020370' post='697820'] I never imagined a SF and Tekken crossover because of the style of gameplay. They just didn't seem to go hand and hand to me. If anything I would expect a Virtua Fighter and Tekken crossover before a SF and Tekken crossover. "shrugs" [/quote] [color=indigo]I actually think that he clashes of style in game-play is what could make this game a lot of fun. As long as they let you control Street Fighter players with the standard SF special moves/controls and Tekken characters with the standard Tekken combo moves/controls this could really be a fun and interesting game. If it ends up being SF vs Tekken with straight SF controls and Tekkn vs SF with straight Tekken controls then I think I may pass. [/color]

[color=indigo]I really enjoyed the [spoiler]Barthandelus/Orphan[/spoiler] battle at the end of FFXIII. Sure, the big baddie isn't the strongest villain in the game (like all of the more recent FF games, their are "special" monsters to fight) nor are they as coll and iconic as Sephiroth. However, I do feel that this pairing was the hardest to defeat in the FF series simply because you were limited to how much you could power up before hand. Due to a lack of power-ups you really had to form a multi-tiered strategy when dealing with the bosses. When to launch you medics, synergists, and sentinels were key to defeating the bosses, both of which had one-punch knockout power.[/color].

[color=indigo]I always thought it would be great to own a fortune cookie company just so I could put really dark fortunes in cookies. Here are a few ideas: "You will die shortly" "Next year you will be audited by the IRS" "Your spouse is sleeping with your sibling" "A broken condom doesn't just lead to a bundle of joy" "The cadmium in the Happy Meal toy from McDonald's that you keep on you desk has given you prostate cancer" "Your lucky number is none" [/color]

[quote name='AvalonAngel' date='24 July 2010 - 01:15 PM' timestamp='1279991754' post='697763'] [font=Garamond]Again, you can't say you didn't watch less than manly anime, HC.... there has to be some secret Tsundere crush you have [/font] [/quote] [color=indigo]How dare you make such implications sir! You got me though, I do enjoy "less than manly" anime from time to time. I can't think of a secret Tsundere crush, though I guess I am not adverse to "moe" characters. I think it would be awesome to have a pikachu...what is better than a cute pet that can electrocute your unsuspecting friends? And, though I don't see how anyone could like Hamtaro, I also don't see how any one could [b]not[/b] like awesome chibi things...Chibi-Gundam time, I think so. [/color] [center][img]http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs5/i/2004/343/3/c/SD_RX_78_2_Gundam_Lineart_by_VR_Eli.jpg[/img] [/center]

[quote name='CaNz' date='23 July 2010 - 02:53 AM' timestamp='1279868005' post='697685'] no mind control plz thanx why does the combination of chocolate and peanut butter make me overwhelmingly happy? [/quote] [color=indigo]Are you sure it is the peanut butter and chocolate and not the vast quantities of LSD that you put into the peanut butter and chocolate? I mean, there is no way a non-drug user would like Hamtaro that much [/color]

[color=indigo] Note â?? Huge incoherent rant below First, and most obvious, the US is not Nigeria. If Nigeria is having continuous problems with oil spills then it is up to their country and government to address those issues, not the US. If they are lacking the funds needed for the clean up they can do what every third world country doesâ?¦beg at the steps of first world countries. Second, the US government did not solve the crisis in the gulf. The US government did exactly what it should have (well, exactly what it should have after the oil rig was damaged, they sure as hell didnâ??t do well in regulating oil wells before hand), it applied a ton of pressure on BP to use the best scientists and engineers that they could muster to stop the oil flow and fix the mess. While I am sure the US government spent millions on the disaster (deploying coast guard and scientists) , they forced BP to spend billions on solving the problem and will force them to spend billions more in retribution. Contrary to what many media outlets (at least in the US) would have you believe there was a reason it took BP so long to find a solution that worked. They used methods that they thought would work in an order that would cause the least amount of ecological damage if they failed. In other words, they realized that if the top kill didnâ??t work the consequences werenâ??t too detrimental. However, had the latest cap failed a rupture would have likely occurred in a different location, making the situation astronomically worse. Now, I am by no means defending BP. They, and every other oil company, should have viable solutions ready in case an event occurs like the one in the gulf. Finally, I am tired of hearing about how the US doesnâ??t care about Africa. There are plenty of people in the US who care about Africa. They organize conferences, send tons of aid and medicine, and even come and teach people in poor regions how to properly irrigate their lands so they can have sustainable crops. You know who doesnâ??t care about Africa? Me. I am tired of Africa. Well not all of Africa, there are a lot of stable, beautiful countries in Africa. But I am tired of the Nigerias, the Darfurs, and the Rawnadas. Developed nations poor aid into these regions, we back these so called â??progressiveâ? political regimes that state that they want the best for the people. But when the dust clears and the wars are over they end up being just another group of despots, another group of rapists and murderers that care more about tribal/religious grudges than prosperity. It is getting old, it is time to let Africa figure out Africa.[/color]

[color=indigo]The final boss in [b]Final Fantasy X[/b] was extremely easy considering some of the harder battles that you encountered almost immediately before (Sin killed all of you characters if you couldn't finish him off in a fixed amount of moves and Seymour was a pain). Anytime you can defeat a final boss in an RPG the first time makes the whole ending disappointing.[/color]

[center][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAY4vNJd7A8[/media][/center] [color=indigo]I can't believe I forgot to mention my most anticipated game of the year. Sure the graphics are a bit old school and I am sure the game play will be easy as pie, but I have a feeling that [b]Scott Pilgrim vs The World[/b] is going to be a truly awesome game. At the very least it has to trump the new Michael Cera movie that also pays homage to the original comic.[/color].

[color=indigo]I spend a lot of my time travelling alone, and while music is still my main travel companion, I have grown more and more fond of listening to podcasts. Anyway, I thought Iâ??d start a thread on the subject not just to share some of my personal favorites, but to find out what the rest of you are listening to. hopefully I'll be able to pick up a few new favorites. [b]The Adam Carolla Show[/b] â?? If you arenâ??t familiar with Adam Carolla, he was a former host of [b]The Man Show[/b], a creator of [b]Crank Yankers[/b], former co-host of [b]Love Line[/b] and a prominent American radio personality. I was never really a big fan. However, I gave his podcast a shot and, I have to admit, he has won me over. The format is simple, Adam rants about stuff (news, personal garbage, celebrity) and then he interviews a guest (during which time he rants some more). I know it doesnâ??t sound like anything that hasnâ??t been done before, but it is a really entertaining show. And vulgar. [b]Giant Fire Breathing Robot[/b] â?? A heads up, the cast of the [b]GFB Robot[/b] podcast arenâ??t the greatest radio personalities (their personalities are all pretty bland). However, what they lack in charisma they make up for in content. [b]GFB Robot[/b]â??s content is aimed at geeks like me. They talk about games, comics, and toys and how awesome all of this wonderfully nerdy stuff is. [b]Real Time with Bill Mahr[/b] â?? If you are interested in politics and you donâ??t have HBO, [b]Real Time with Bill Mahr[/b] is available in podcast form. Though I donâ??t always agree with the opinions of the host and the panel the show is always interesting and informative. [b]Fitz Dog Radio[/b] â?? Greg Fitzsimmons is a comedian and comedy writer that now has a radio show and podcast sponsored by Howard Stern. The show is always witty and Greg always has solid interviews with interesting guests. His interview with Dane Cook was actually one of the most solid interviews Iâ??ve ever seen done with the talented comedian/untalented actor. [/color]

[center][img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a282/stickman_2050/DBZ_Ginyu-Force.jpg[/img][/center] [color=indigo]Really? No one mentioned the most elite team of villains ever assembled under one banner? Yes, I'm talking about the Ginyu Force, the greatest group of evil doers that ever graced an anime. Honestly, their cheese factor alone makes them some of the most memorable baddies out there. [/color]

[color=indigo]Some recipes are so good they may as well be pornographic. This thread is to discuss, share, and salivate over those recipes. [center][img]http://img.foodnetwork.com/FOOD/2006/07/21/tu0113_sketti1_lg.jpg[/img] [/center] I'm going to kick this thread off with one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Tyler Florence. With the exception of my mom no one has taught me more about cooking (I should mention that I am a fan-freaking-tastic cook, not because I am creative in the kitchen, but because I can follow basic instructions) then Mr. Florence. His cookbooks are always filled with appealing dishes, and he does a great job making simpler food taste great. The above dish is a great take on spaghetti and meatballs. I have made it many times and it is a great dish when you are entertaining groups of 6-10 people, add a simple salad and some homemade garlic bread and you'll have your friends and family wondering why this classic never tasted so good before. If you are interested in the recipe you can find it [url="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe2/index.html"]here[/url]. Trust me, its worth making at least once.[/color]

[quote name='demon39536' date='21 July 2010 - 08:16 PM' timestamp='1279757777' post='697623'] Hello people who probably don't know who I am. I bought awesome socks yesterday. [/quote] [color=indigo]I don't know who you are, but I like socks. I have an extensive Paul Smith striped sock collection that makes the sartorial streak in me smile. So anyone that likes awesome socks is cool with me. Unless you are a pedophile or a rapist...then I don't care what kind of socks you wear, we are not cool.[/color]

[quote name='The Tentacle' date='21 July 2010 - 06:19 PM' timestamp='1279750751' post='697621'] If I had to list one of the most underrated animes of all time I'd have to say [b]Birdy the Mighty.  [/b]Sure we got the OVAs over here but that was back in the dark ages of VHS.  They re-released them in DVD format but they're difficult to find and pretty pricy these days.  The series was popular enough to garner a TV series in Japan but it hasn't been released here in American yet.  [/quote] [color=indigo]Heh, I remember [b]Birdy the Mighty[/b]. My parents bought me a copy of the series back in the mid-nineties that was horribly subtitled. The spelling and grammar were terrible. It was almost as though someone translated it into another language and then translated that into English. I can't think of a single anime that I have seen and liked that I would consider under-rated, or not mainstream. Simply the fact that I have seen it makes me think it probably isn't "underground". I liked [b]Monster[/b] and [b]Gungrave[/b] though, so I guess I'll parrot the other members that suggested those. [/color]

[quote name='James' date='20 July 2010 - 08:17 PM' timestamp='1279671453' post='697555'] [font="Palatino Linotype"]I think it takes real manliness to use a Hamtaro banner. You're only girly if you have a banner like mine, which obviously covers up some serious insecurities.[/font] [/quote] [color=indigo]Really? I thought your banner was meant to show your extreme passion of American themed S&M. C'mon you can't tell me that guy doesn't have a zippered leather mask in his hand off shot. [/color]

[color=indigo]I have a little Spidey action rocking my desktop right now.[/color] [attachment=14811:Screenshot.jpg]