Syk3

When considering an opening, I tend to prefer and concentrate on the music rather than necessarily the animation sequence, though if it's really bad that would definitely leave a mark. :/ Some of my favorite openings are (ironic or not :p) also some of my favorite animes, including Cowboy Bebop, Evangelion, Trigun, Berserk, and Outlaw Star, which all have awesome music, especially Outlaw Star. Cowboy Bebop's sequence is very original and intruiguing, Eva's is filled with symbolism and stuff, Trigun's is halarious, Berserk's is cool, and Outlaw Star's is awesome. Perhaps a good sequence predicts a good series, or maybe the ones that go with the good series just stick out in our heads.

I've always preferred Mad TV to SNL, the sole reason being because I thought Mad TV was funnier and I laughed more. I don't pretend to be an expert on either, though, and I've only seen about 5 or so episodes of SNL. As for the new Mad TV, all I watch is pretty much reruns anyway, with the old cast, and I like it, lol. Stewart is one of my favorite sketchy, but Ms. Swan.. I want to strangle her. o_o

I saw a preview of the movie when I went to see Team America this past weekend. I haven't seen much of the previous Chucky films, and what I did see was years ago so I remember very little, but the preview for this new movie seemed to focus on comedy. Now I'm not sure what genre the other Chucky films were in, which I've always thought of them as horror films. O_o Maybe that's just me, though. Oh, and Chucky looks more CG now than doll, and that's definitely not cool. :/

[quote name='Xxanime_freakxX']i dont like the way the DDR game series is going , it's becoming all american and not japaneesy like ( the songs ) they should really come out witha DDR game that has the exact same songs on the arcade version that would be so cool :p[/quote]I'm not sure how many times we have to say this, so I recommend everyone read through the thread beforehand. DDR has always been like this in America. It's not going anywhere, lol. If you want to buy the Japanese version, go ahead, but there's no way that they could take the 200 songs in the arcade and transfer them to a PS2 disc. It can't work like that. :/

I've never had to have braces, but I can imagine how much of a bother they must be, expecially in terms of what you can and can't eat. My teeth have always been relatively straight, some have said perfect, so I'm pretty lucky about that, though I don't have a smile to go with them, lol. Lately, though, the dentist has been mentioning a slight overbite of my top row over my bottom that I've always thought was pretty normal, and I'm thinking that it might be because I sometimes grind my teeth a bit, bleh. In any case, I also wanted to mention that I find braces on girls to be pretty sexy, though I've found that I am the minority of that opinion. XD

In response to the statement about a joint not being safer than a cigarette, I just wanted to say that I simply don't understand how someone would willingly put all of the toxins and poisons into their body from a cigarette, as well as nicotine which could potentially get you addicted after one smoke. Joints have a bigger impact on your lungs with the smoke intake, it's true, but this is how I see it: a lot of smoke > poisons and addiction. Not only that, but as said before, there are methods for using marijuana that bypass the smoke issue altogether. Heaven's Cloud and Zeta have made excellent points on the subject: [quote name='Heaven's Cloud][color=indigo]Despite all of my pro-pot propaganda, I am actually against legalizing the substance for several reasons. First being that corporations would more than likely bastardize the product, much like they did with tobacco. I have a feeling that commercial marijuana would be loaded down with an overabundance of the same carcinogens that cigarettes contain. Second, marijuana grows anywhere and that means that, regardless of corporate involvement in the product, there would always be a huge underground market for it that is entirely un-taxable. Third, there is no definitive way to test for marijuana impairment. Since your motor skills are severely hampered while under the influence of marijuana you have a greater chance to create a vehicular accidents, and I don?t want pot legalized until there can be repercussions for its abuse. [/color][/QUOTE][QUOTE=Heaven's Cloud][color=indigo]You don?t weigh the benefits of something before you make it legal, you weigh the consequences. The marketplace is currently saturated with products that, with the exception of enjoyment, offer no benefits (Twinkies, most video games, and reality television to name a few). But partaking in these activities doesn?t directly or indirectly hurt anyone but the partaker. If an object or substance doesn?t present a threat to anyone other than the user than why should the government become involved? I don?t think the government should protect ourselves from ourselves.[/color][/QUOTE][QUOTE=Zeta']When you smoke weed you have the ability to think. Which I hope that everyone actually does before thinking of getting into a car while under the influence. I used to drive after/while I was smoking, with people who are totally against the stuff mind you. They commented on my driving being a whole lot better. Maybe this is just an isolated incident, maybe it isn't. But all the people I have driven with stoned are much better drivers while under the influence of marijuana than alcohol. It was stupid of me and them to do that, but our driving wasn't half as bad as those who have been drinking. Looking back on this, I realize that I was not being responsible and am just glad that nothing ever happened. But most times when someone smokes they are just going to chill wherever they are at. Usually it is in small groups and they just crash where they are, lol. Or the person is alone and just sits at a computer or watches a movie. Not too many people smoke and drive and get into accidents. If they did you would hear about them a lot, even if it is illegal you would still here about them. I know I don't around the places where I have lived.[/quote]And now, I think it's about time that I retire from this debate. I do appreciate all of the replies to my posts, which I have read in addition to all of the new posts. It's not that I'm trying to get out of this debate so much as out of the cycle. I'm confident enough about the strong positions on each side of the subject that I don't think either of us will fully convince the other, and I don't want to debate for the sake of debating, especially when we're no longer trying to convince someone. I feel unfortunate that Serraph chose not to support the legalization of marijuana, which I do still back up, but that's his decision. We've each responded to the points, and it's likely now that I've already shared my opinion on positions that are still coming up. I don't want to start sounding like a broken record here, heh. I am interested on what others opinions on the subject are, though, such as the posts I've quoted above.

I just wanted to mention that you can only have one image in your signature at a time, so please choose between the two and get rid of the other. ^_^

[QUOTE=Baron Samedi][size=1]What if we look at this from another side: aside from medical uses, what good does marijuana do? It obviously has problems...but lets look at it's good aspects, if any. If you can dredge up some overall positive and otherwise [through safer etc. measures] unatainable effect of marijuana...go right ahead. I'd be interested.[/size][/QUOTE]The majority of the positive effect come from the medical aspect, that's true. The understanding of marijuana on the human body is crucial for an important new medicine that could benefit millions of people, creating a very distinct field of research. Already, the herb has been found to "be useful in treating pain, nausea and appetite loss caused by advanced cancer and AIDS," and are also shown help with glaucoma and arthritis. Effects caused by THC, such as short term memory loss, also help researchers study different aspects of and changes in the human brain. After you cover the medical standpoint, however, it gets down to the individual and how they are affected by the drug. In many cases, it can stimulate creativity, not only artistically but in writing and other forms that benifit from imaginative thinking. It makes you feel good and calms you down, as well as enhances the fun for a number of activities. Of course, this is subjective thinking, but it's generally true as well. On marijuana, you could see a problem from a different perspective, and often times it will break the cycle and allow you to move on. If you want to be responsible in getting high, pot is a good choice, due to it being much safer than other drugs. [quote name='Solo Tremaine][color=#503f86']I'm not too sure where they stand individually, but it's all on a party system here anyway, rather than individual candidates. The drug's already had its status lowered to a Class C drug (as opposed to A or B, which contain things like ecstacy and heroin). So it's still illegal, but carries less of a sentence with it.[/color][/quote]As it should. I don't think I really need to go into that. [color=#503f86][color=#000000][quote][i][/color]Those were the effects of THC (which you said yourself could be stored in the body for up to three months if smoking was done on a regular basis), not the joints themselves.[/color][/i][/quote][color=#503f86][color=black]Yeah, but you know. THC is in the joint and the high I was talking about was from the drug anyway. Whether you[/color][/color][color=black] say the THC caused the high or the marijuana did, we're talking about the same thing.[/color] [color=#503f86][color=black][quote][i][/color]No no no no no, not in th UK. There's a [i]huge[/i] culture of binge-drinking for fun, not for trying to drink away problems. People (especially younger people and adults) go out specifically to get drunk and will happily smoke at the same time. People will continue to follow that traditions that they know, but will simply swap the cigarettes for the cannabis because it's new and supposedly better, which leads to a much nastier combination than cigarettes and alcohol in terms of driving safety.[/color][/i][/quote][color=black]Well if that's the case, in that drinking is part of the culture, not only would the combination of that and marijuana be bad for driving, but it's extremely dangerous health-wise. You've heard of pot smokers getting the munchies. Well imagine drinking and drinking until you're dead from alcohol poisoning and don't even know it. It is NEVER safe to drink and smoke pot.[/color] [color=#503f86][color=black][quote][i][/color]That said, there is a proportion of people who use alcohol to dive into unreality to get away from problems. But letting them take cannabis instead will not change their situation for the better. You need about 7,000 milligrams of alcohol to achieve the desired mind-altering effect of being drunk and the relaxation that comes with it. Cannabis needs only 0.3 milligrams to achieve the same desired effect, and the skills you need for driving are impaired for a full 24 hours after smoking them. A study made on airline pilots showed that cannabis was still influencing the brain up to 50 hours after a single joint. A joint is a far quicker and cheaper way to induce nirvana, so for your money you can get far greater amount of chemical with the same essential effect on the brain.[/color][/i][/quote][color=black]Well like I was saying before, I still think that law enforcement should crack down hard on smoking and driving, as [color=black]much if[/color] not moreso than alcohol. The only reason that I suggested that it might be slightly safer than drinking and driving is because a lot of my friends claim that sober people in the car have told them that they are great drivers when they are stoned. I don't know if similar remarks are made about drinking, but I'm just saying what I do know.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color][color=darkslateblue]Drugs can also cause sensations of paranoia, disorientation and panic, which, setting people off against each other in clubs, bars and on the road could be a lethal combination. Yes, it affects people in different ways, but you can't blow off the fact that these effects [i]will[/i] happen in people, however small the minority may be.[/color][/i][/quote][color=black]This is exactly the kind of thinking that got marijuana prohibited in the 30s. Around the time of Mexican immagration to the US, a man named Harry Aslinger, who worked for the government, used marijuana as an excuse to explain their radical behavior (the name itself was created to sound hispanic). Injecting 300 dogs with the drug, his finding of 2 dogs who had died and belief that humans were kind of close to dogs, led him to produce the following statement which had the herb prohibited in the United States: "Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death." Not only that, but Aslinger was appointed to the government by, and known to be cousins with, a man who owned a rope company that was in rivalry to one that used hemp. I'm not sure how it was banned in your own country, but I can speak for America. I also don't see bar fights as a cause for concern. While it does affect people differently, marijuana generally calms someone down, and slows them down as well, rather than speed them up and make them want to fight. It does kind of make you paranoid, though, making you think that you're being too loud or not being cautious enough for someone to possible catch you.[/color] [color=#503f86] [/color][color=#503f86][color=black][quote][i][/color]Okay, let's say cannabis does get legalised to the same extent as cigarettes, then. That means manufacturers can sell them legally en mass in the same way they do with the cigarettes, which means they'll add as many chemicals as they can to make their brand better than anyone else's, bringing the health risks with regards to the toxins up to the same level. Of course, if it's legalised to the same extent as in Holland that shouldn't be too much of an issue, but I sincerely doubt every marijuana dealer is as clean as they make out to be- if someone likes their brand more than someone else's, the chanced are it's been laced. And I don't think that's particularly uncommon.[/color][/i][/quote][color=#503f86][color=black]Perhaps, but I think that there would be an extremely high demend for straight marijuana to the point where users wouldn't buy it if it had something laced in it. Why fix something if it's not broken? You never know, though.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color]So it might free up crime-fighting services and save money used for the fight on narcotics. That's an incredibly defeatist point of view-you're saying we should let criminals get away with what they've been doing for so many years? The illicit trading won't stop, and even if it were licensed and heavily taxed then they'd be far more expensive than anything you could buy on the streets from your local drug dealer. Why bother spending £20 on something when you could spend £5 on the same amount? The criminal dealers would make millions, and that gives them greater scope to perform more serious crimes and deal much more expensive, harder drugs.[/color][/i][/quote][color=black]Once it becomes legal, there would be no point in persecuting these dealers. I'm not saying to leave the dealers alone who sell harder drugs, and it they sell both, of course they would be punished as well. If they did tax it, you never know how close it would be to what you can buy it for now. Sure, there's no tax, but the quality and whether it's home grown, and the fact that it's illegal in the first place, all raise the price, perhaps higher than what you could get from a mass produced joint.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color][color=darkslateblue]Selective legalisation in Holland hasn't worked as well as some studies suggest, and the repercussions are felt by other countries. 80 per cent of the heroin seized by UK customs officials has come from Holland, and this is as a direct result of their cannabis legalisation. Between 198 and 1997 there's been a 50% increase in heroin addiction, while the level of cocaine use by 14-16 year olds is the highest in Europe. If cannabis isn't the cause of this, then it has to be something to do with the mixed messages the state sends out as a result of the decriminalisation: While you're trying to persuade them that underage smoking is illegal, you're opening up a whole new debate of substance abuse encouragement.[/color][/i][/quote][color=black]Did you know that in Amsterdam they have special blue lights in public restrooms so that you can't see your veins to shoot up? I always thought that was interesting. It still doesn't change the fact that it's such a trashy country though. Marijuana doesn't cause this though, and they aren't ecouraging substance abuse in general.[/color] [color=black][quote][i][/color][color=darkslateblue]I'm not saying it's always a gateway drug but if anything I think it will make you [i]more likely[/i] to try something else, even if you eventually decide not to.[/color][/i][/quote][color=black]If that's your argument about how the illegal market of marijuana puts people in a higher risk of being pushed to try harder drugs, than legality would solve it, right?[/color] [quote name='Alan][color=indigo][size=1][font=Arial]Marijuana, especially hydro but any ole home grown will do it as well, can cause paranoid pscitzophrenia. It's rare, but it happens, as my uncle is living proof and has to be medicated every day of his life to help with the disease.[/font'][/size][/quote][/color] [color=indigo][size=1][font=Arial][color=black]In no disrespect to you or your uncle, he may have been predisposed to the disease despite his smoking marijuana. Even with frequent use, you can't take everyone who has schizophrenia, take the people who smoke pot, and use that to explain it.[/color] [font=Arial][size=1][color=black][quote][i][/color][/size][/font]Also, one joint of marijuana has the tar equivalent of [b]40 mild cigarettes[/b]. That's rather huge in my book... Not to mention, as has been said before, the effects it can have on short term memory. The **** has shot my father's short term to bits.[/font][/size][/i][/quote][color=black]Comparing one joint to 40 cigarettes is absolutely rediculous no matter how you look at it. I can safely say that when comparing a single joint to a single cigarette, the marijuana will potentially cause less harm.[/color][/color] [quote name='Inari][color=darkslateblue']If marijuana was legalized I personally would choose not to use it because of the harmful side-affects, but I feel that I should have the liberty to decide that for myself. [/color][/quote][color=black][font=Verdana]Excellent point, excellent point. Responsibility is the key.[/font] [quote name='wrist cutter']None. But you can't just ban them now. It's a little late for that; it's not going to stop anybody. They put a tax on cigarettes, and what did people do? They started ordering from places that would cut the tax.[/quote]Even so, how hypocritical is it to allow both when pot isn't any worse than either? What kind of message is that sending? And seeing how marijuana was prohibited in the first place, it's rather rediculous that it isn't legal now. [quote][i]I suppose we should have the liberty to kill people too? I don't get what your point is. Having a law against substances that will kill you is a bad thing?[/i][/quote]We have the option to do anything illegal, obviously, with risk of punishment by law, but in this case we are referring to the liberty to choose between doing things that are [b]legal[/b]. If pot was legalized, we'd have the choice of whether or not to do it without having the law telling us that if we do choose to do it we will be put in jail. If you're talking about the killing aspect of the drug, pot can't directly lead to death. o.O [quote][i]Like I said, people didn't realize the effects of cigarettes and alcohol and such when they were making laws.[/i][/quote]That is e[i]xactly[/i] the reason that pot was outlawed in the first place. [quote][i]It's not just "you do pot for awhile and then you die early." It fucks you up which in turn fucks with everyone else. Having sex is a totally different situation (though I agree we need more laws regarding who can and cannot have sex).[/i][/QUOTE]You choose to have sex, I don't get where you're going with that. I thought that you would be talking about harming someone in car accidents to support your opinion. This is why legalizing marijuana with caution, restrictions, and responsibility would be a good idea, and crack down hards on those who disobey that. Thank you for your sarcasm, wrist cutter.[/color]

[font=verdana][quote name='James][color=#707875']I'm speaking based on scientific research though. I mean, if you compare regular marijuana smoking to regular tabacco smoking...both are dangerous, but marijuana has some potentially severe mental side effects.[/quote][/color] I still am trying to figure out what you mean by "severe mental side effects". While it is true that short term effects include memory loss, beer has the same effect, which is temporary and wears off completely. In no way does pot have long term effects on the brain. If you check out the site in my first post, you'll read that after 25 years of smoking marijuana, the author still tests as a genius on IQ tests, and claims that his mental abilities have actually increased over the years. It's also true, however, that it affects each person differently. "Obviously, if you have tried Marijuana and it had a bad effect on you, don't continue to use it." [quote][color=#707875][i]All too often, proponents of marijuana try to suggest that it's a "harmless drug" or that it's somehow being victimized.[/i] [i]But that is incorrect. It's a drug, and it's potentially very dangerous.[/i][/color][/quote]"A person who wants to get high on something that isn't addictive and doesn't have any long term health effects for the moderate user would likely choose to smoke Pot." Perhaps someone who frequently gets high on the drug (every day) has potential risks of getting cancer or similar effects as cigarettes, but it's all speculated information and has yet to be proven. Until it is, you can't say [i]for sure[/i] that frequent use is bad, even though that would be the most likely way to contract something from marijuana. [quote][color=#707875][i]I also don't agree at all with the rebellion point. And I don't think that there is any data to back that up.[/i][/color][/quote]Well, lets go back to square one. There are always going to be kids that rebel against authority. Now, I personally believe that pot is a safe way to do that, but that's just my opinion. Whether the drug is legalized or not, kids are going to do it, so you can count that for whatever side, as even if you legalize it this will not change. Even if it would be legal, it's likely that you would have to be over 18 or 21, so it would still be illegal for them, and they might rebel by smoking pot. This will not change. But if it becomes legal, it might stop adults from using it to rebel against society, and it will clear up prisons for violent criminals. [quote][color=#707875][i]As I said earlier, my younger brother smokes. I'm sure he started because it was "cool" or something, but now he is addicted to it. Smoking tabacco isn't illegal. The sense of rebellion was there regardless of the legality of the item -- I guarantee you, making it legal isn't going to somehow make it less attractive. lol[/i][/color][/QUOTE]You're right, tobacco isn't illegal and people still do it. However, most people who smoke cigarettes start when they are young and when it [i]is[/i] illegal, and they become addicted to it. They might do it to rebel as an underage smoker, or to appear cool with the "rebel-image". Pot has the same image, and I think that the rebellious nature is an extremely important point that should not be ruled out when considering why someone starts something young. [quote name='ScirosDarkblade']One thing that legalizing marijuana would hopefully reduce is the amount of money wasted on the "war on drugs." There's a lot of other things our law enforcement and other such agencies could worry about that are more important than your typical marijuana smoker. [/quote]Absolutely. One of the main reasons that I support legalizing pot is because it would free up money spent in society and allow us to put it toward things that are much more important and crucial. Like I mentioned earlier, though, that's one of the stronger points for why it probably won't be legalized: people will lose money. Pot smoking would become the recreational drug of choice because it is safer than alcohol and in some cases may help to break the addiction of cigarettes, and in turn the alcohol and tobacco lobbies will lose money; law enforcement and government agencies get a lot of funding in order to fight marijuana, which instead would not be receiving money from the taxpayers; pot prices will go down and in turn drug dealers lose money, and even trial lawyers will be crushed by the lack of criminals. [quote][i]Really the most valid reason for keeping it illegal is that possibly more adults (that can afford marijuana at whatever price) will be smoking it, and not too responsibly either, which may lead to more automobile accidents, etc. That's not something I'd considered before. But, now that I have, I think that it's possible to get around that issue, at least partially, but making smoking marijuana while driving a criminal offense (or something along those lines). Some sort of enforcement regulations that would curb the amount that smoking mj and driving is done.[/i][/QUOTE]When talking about responsibility, it's no different than that of alcohol usage. I'd love for, and even support, individuals to be cracked down hard for smoking while driving and such if the drug became legal. [QUOTE=James][color=#707875]Basically though, if you make it legal but you put regulations in, you're really only taking one step forward and one step back. You might as well just keep it illegal. Basically I think that people are going to seek out the drug if they want it, regardless of the legality. However, the illegal factor will hopefully make it tougher for most people to locate it and it may help to deter those who would otherwise give it a try.[/color][/quote]Despite the inevitable restrictions that would come with legalizing marijuana, it wouldn't be a lost cause. It would still mean that you could not be arrested for the possession of a single joint, and like I mentioned before, it would immediately eliminate the illegal Pot market and get rid of crime associated with it, allowing law enforcement to concentrate on robbers, rapists, and murderers. [quote][color=#707875][i]Saying that people don't smoke it as much as cigarettes is kind of irrelevant I think. Again, we can't go in there and make sure that people only smoke a certain amount. You can't control that, you can only have some level of control over access in the first place (and prosecution of those who produce and sell).[/i][/color][/quote]It kind of depends on what you mean. Of course we can't control how often an individual would smoke pot, even though smoking a lot may or may not lead to devastating effects. It's no different that what we do for cigarettes and alcohol now in warning that if you do it, avoid using it excessively. Everything should be done in moderation, etc. etc. The thing about cigarettes and alcohol, however, is that they are physically and mentally addictive and are proven to be harmful, so obviously they are more likely to be done frequently and more likely to have those dangerous effects that make them relevant to this discussion. [quote][color=#707875][i]I think the biggest argument against legalization, from my standpoint, is that you are potentially opening the floodgates. Not to say that everyone will become a weed addict or something, but clearly, a [i]lot[/i] more people would have free access. And none of us would do that with any other harmful product -- you wouldn't take a prescription drug that can have harmful side effects and start selling it to anyone and everyone without a prescription.[/i][/color][/QUOTE]That's true. I know a ton of people who would try the drug if it was legalized based on what they know about it. A lot of them don't do it solely because they don't want any trouble with the law. I know that this wasn't exactly the point you were trying to make, but I just wanted to share that. lol [quote name='Harry']Have you ever seen someone who's smoked weed frequently? They lose their short term memory, it's hard for them to concentrate, and other things. That's what happened to one of my friends and he's still a worthless stoner several years after High School.[/quote]Yeah, this is something else I wanted to address. By smoking marijuana, you have a lot of responsibility, such as whether to concentrate on pot or your studies. Those who choose the former don't have as good short term memory, and after 15 years of smoking, they are still going to act like a 16 year old. I was listening to this radio show called Love Line a little while ago and Adam Carolla was talking about this, and he basically said that once you're fully grown, out of college, and don't have any further schooling, that the potential risks from marijuana are just about [b]zero[/b]. [QUOTE=Solo Tremaine][color=#503f86]'Feel' in this case seems like a physical basis to me. You can experience it with your mind, but the mind by nature is part of the body anyway, so nothing can be purely one or the other. An addiction isn't either mental or physical- it's a balance of both. You can become addicted to pretty much anything if your need for said substance isn't satiated. Why do people smoke in the first place- most people do it for the initial hit which as has already been said, is due to the ammonia in the cigarettes. I understand that 'pure' marijuana shouldn't have that in it, but the point is it is the body's chemical imbalance that causes the high in the first place. If you want to get high, it's because your body feels in need of something to pick it up. The decision to do it may be a cognitive thing, but the initial drive to have it is always physical. That's the same with pretty much anything else- caffiene, nicotine, food, sex... you name it, every drive has some kind of physical drive behind it.[/color][/quote]An addiction is both mental and physical. You're right. And if your body cannot become physically dependant on marijuana, then it should be easier to control, right? "Pot is not an addictive drug. For those who claim it is, anything is theoretically addictive, and there are some people who can become addicted to spring water. So to put it in perspective, Pot is less addictive than coffee. I have become addicted to coffee myself and have broken the habit. You get mild headaches for a few days. I have never had any symptoms for withdrawal from Pot." [QUOTE][color=#503f86][i]Many UK politicians have already admitted to having taken cannabis during their University years, and I sincerely doubt there is a single one of them that hasn't. They haven't been labelled as 'druggies' because everyone else has done it to. For anyone to carry out a character assassination on that level here would certainly be hypocritical; I'm not sure what it's like in the States, though.[/i][/color][/quote]Really? That's insane. I won't say that it's entirely that surprising that they tried it, but the fact that they have admitted it and that it's so well known is astonishing in and of itself, heh. I would be interested to know where they stand on the subject of legalizing marijuana, and marijuana in general.[/font] [QUOTE][color=#503f86][i]Marijuana carries [b]exactly the same health risks as smoking[/b] because you are inhaling carbon monoxide and dioxide which are both serious carcinogens. They may not be laced with ammonia or rat poison but the fact is that you're still ingesting poisonous chemicals into your body. Smokers cough- cannabis users get it to because [i]they smoke it.[/i] There's no debate over the heath risks of smoking anything- this is only a comparative of the effects of cannabis and smoking which have different effects on the chemicals inside the body but still do exactly the same things to your lungs. Except marijuana tar is about five times more concentrated.[/i][/color][/quote]The fact of the matter is that the health risks for cigarettes and the poisons that they are laced with go hand in hand. Marijuana has [i]similar[/i] risks to cigarettes because of the smoke, but they are in no way exactly the same because of the risks from the poisons. Hell, there are safer methods in smoking marijuana than just getting it out of a joint. A water bong filters out bad chemicals, smoking it with a magnifying glass takes the chemicals from a lighter out of the equation, and eating it with food gets rid of the smoke issue altogether, to name a few. [QUOTE][i][color=#503f86]Perhaps so, but they will still have an effect on the body for the duration of their stay, some of which include:[/color][/i] [i]-Decreased attention span[/i] [i]-Decreased coordination[/i] [i]-Decreased motor control[/i] [i]-Decreased Short-Term Memory (which may have been what people refer to when talking about 'brain' damage- it affects the area known as the hippocampus)[/i] [i]-Increased appetite (possibly)[/i] [i]-Changes in sensory awareness[/i] [i]-Increased bronchodilation[/i] [i]-Analgesia[/i] [i]-Iecreased body temperature[/i] [i]-Decreased libido & sperm count (high doses, heh)[/i] [i]-Decreased nausea, vomiting[/i] [i]-Decreased fertility (high doses again)[/i][/quote]They do have an effect on the body during the high, which is the entire point of the drug. But when you get right down to it, are these effects actually bad (other than in frequent high does)? They just describe what your body does when you get high. I've never heard of nausea and vomiting, though, but I suppose it's different for different people. [QUOTE][color=#503f86][i]Drunk-driving is only so prevalent because alcohol is so widely available on a legal standing. Legalise marijuana and you'll probably have the same problem as an added bonus to drinking. I doubt that just because marijuana would be legalised, it would decrease people's motivation to drink. If anything they'd drink more if the claims that cannabis increases your appetite are accurate (and I'm not saying they are). but the point is that the binge drinking culture will always stick- people smoke cigarettes constantly in pubs and clubs while downing drinks- what makes you think cannabis will be any different there?[/i][i][/color][/quote][/i] I think people who look to alcohol as a legal solution to drowning their troubles and abuse it have a very good chance of switching to pot because it's clearly so much safer. As such, drunk driving will go down, and pot driving very well might replace it, but I'm not saying that this is something that I support. I don't have any evidence to back this up, but I do believe that drunk driving, as opposed to with marijuana, is much more likely to lead to an accident. [QUOTE][color=#503f86][i]The research also said that everyone who had done harder drugs had done marijuana at some point. So if you're going to do serious drugs the chances are you're going to do anything including the stuff less 'potent', but the fact is if you're willing to do an illegal substance you are [i]more likely[/i] to try something more illegal especially if you've an addictive personality, even if it's only the small majority of people who do so.[/i][/color][/quote]You answered your question right there. Only a very small number of marijuana users go on to harder drugs. [b]Most[/b] pot users never do any other drug. Once again, anti-weed organizations will use this to skew facts in their advantage. Marijuana has nothing to do with it, because those with the addictive personalities would have gone on to harder drugs regardless of whether or not it even existed. [QUOTE][color=#503f86][i]I find that incredibly hard to believe, sorry. That's almost like willing yourself not to get fat after eating a whole chocolate gateau. When people are high, their own self-perception alters and they ca't see things in the same way as others do. Likewise if two people get high at the same time they believe they're experiencing great inspirational conversation but are actually just in the same state of mind as each other.[/i][/color][/quote]I can't prove it for sure, but I do believe that mindset plays a role in some way or another. If you relax and are willing to accept what comes at you, it is more likely that the high from the marijuana will have a stronger effect on you than, say, someone who has a stronger immunity and wants to see if they can overcome the effects. This is why I believe that most people don't get high the first time they smoke. In closing, I want to say that I've been in your shoes before and can understand what you're saying. Marijuana is bad for you. It can mess up your lungs and stuff from smoke. If smoked frequently, pot can have a tar intake of as much as seven times that of cigarettes. But what a lot of people don't realize is that the kind of stuff that they consume on a daily basis is bad as well. My friend who smokes a good deal of marijuana has given up soda because, and I quote, "it's bad for you." His brother who, in all likeliness, is more of a stoner than he is eats nothing but a couple apples for lunch because, "it's good for you." Fatty foods are bad. Caffeine is bad. Moderation is the key. In this case, I believe that the positive outweighs the negative. Quotes were taken from: [url="http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/pot.htm"]http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/pot.htm[/url]

[quote name='James][color=#707875']The idea that marijuana isn't dangerous is a complete misconception. The actual plant itself is more dangerous than tabacco. The only reason that people are saying tabacco is more dangerous is because tabacoo is smoked more frequently. But that in and of itself isn't really a terribly strong argument in my view, because how often you smoke it is irrelevant (since we can't go in and control how often people smoke it). What matters is how dangerous the substance is.[/color][/quote] I'm not saying that the plant isn't dangerous, but it's a lot less worse than what most people percieve. It very well may be worse than tobacco, but the fact that, as Serraph-Angel pointed out, cigarettes are laced with hundreds of artificial poisons, such as rat poison and window cleaner. Cigarettes are also made with nicotine, making them addicting, and thus a [b]lot[/b] more dangerous that pure marijuana, because not only does is slowly kill you, but you can't stop. You mention addiction later in your post, and I'll address it there. [quote][color=#707875][i]The key problem with marijuana, from the materials I've read on the subject, is that it can lead to longterm mental problems -- including skitzophrenia and other disorders. Of course, you do have to be a regular user for that to occur. But again, how does one define "regular user" when you consider that the drug has different effects on different people (ie: some are affected more quickly, others are not).[/i][/color][/quote] I have NEVER heard of anything that even [i]suggests[/i] that marijuana leads to mental problems. Ever. I'd like to see where you got this information. I will agree that marijuana is more dangerous for regular users, in that if you smoke it every day, you are much more likely to feel the bad effects. If you don't do it more than once every week or so, there isn't too much potential harm. [quote][color=#707875][i]I tend to view marijuana as I do cigarettes.[/i][/color][/quote] That's the difference with us here; I see cigarettes in a completely different light, as I mentioned above. [quote][color=#707875][i]My feeling is that kids are going to smoke it regardless of the law. If they want to experiment with it, they will. Making it legal isn't going to somehow remove some "taboo" -- I don't agree with that.[/i][/color][/quote] Right, they are going to smoke it whether it's legal or not. You make it legal, you can't stop them from trying it, but you have to consider those individuals who would be of age as well, and not just kids. [quote][color=#707875][i]I should also add that you can be addicted to marijuana. Some of you are countering misconceptions with your own misconceptions. lol One of my dad's employees is a marijuana addict; so much so, that he will go without buying diapers for his children -- or even buying food in some cases -- just so that he can buy more marijuana. Although I am sure that the chemicals present in certain drugs can create addiction, you are forgetting that addiction is also the result of an addictive personality. There are people who are more prone to different types of addiction (such as addiction to gambling, alcohol, various drugs, sex, etc).[/i][/color][/QUOTE] No misconceptions, lol. I described this in my first post. It is absolutely impossible to become physically addicted to the drug. What your story relates to is a [i]psychological[/i] addiction, in which the guy just really wanted to feel the high. I'm not saying that psychological addictions aren't bad as well, far from it, but the simple fact that this problem resides in the mind makes it much different from something like heroin, and easier to cure as well. Also, extreme cases such as this do not reflect the norm. I'll edit this post over, my class just ended.

[font=Verdana][size=2]Man, I certainly am getting into this thread rather late. I would have liked to have found this when it was just starting out, but now I have to go through and share my opinion on these posts. Ah well, it?s worth my time. ^_^[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]There are quite lot of people who smoke marijuana. Chances are that you or someone you trust has tried the ?drug? at least once in their lives. I put the word ?drug? in quotation marks because honestly, I don?t consider marijuana to be a drug. To me, an illegal drug is a substance that is physically addicting and will slowly kill you, even having the potential to overdose. In this sense, I would place marijuana under the category of ?herb?. Those of you who oppose the legalization of weed and consider drugs to be substances that alter your state of mind as well must take alcohol and cigarettes into account. Both of the products not only alter your state of mind, but they are much more dangerous than marijuana and are actually legal! Hell, even caffeine alters your state of mind, and ?drug? is the last category I?d wish to label that as. All four products are ?drugs? that alter your state of mind, but only cigarettes and alcohol are addicting and slowly kill you, and with alcohol you can even overdose. [b]You cannot become physically addicted to, over overdose on, marijuana.[/b][/size][/font] [QUOTE=Serraph-Angel][color=red]Now, if this is innapropriate I totally understand but I just wanted to get the opinion of some of the OBer's on this situation... So, I am doing a public policy project on the legalization of marijuana. I am personally for it. One of the main things that I have heard was that alot of people that use marijuana, not for medicine, use it to rebel against parents, government, etc. or to "relieve" stress. Now I for one have tried marijuana, and when I tried it I did feel good, but it wasnt right for me. But the thing is, I think that if we did legalize the drug, then more people would stop using it because there is no sense of "rebellion" left in the drug... [/QUOTE][/color] [font=Verdana][size=2][color=black]I agree with you on both points, but I?ll respond to each individually[/color].[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]The sense of rebellion being removed is an excellent point. Those using pot as a tool for such are much more likely to go on to harder drugs, and if pot was legalized it would destroy that lust, allowing us to crack down on the individuals who do coke, meth, etc. Don?t get me wrong on this; I am [i]completely[/i] against the use of other drugs in any regard, even cigarettes and alcohol.[/size][/font] [quote][color=red][i]Now to my next point about it, medicine. If you dont think it should be legalized for everyone, do you think all states should allow it as medicine. I agree with this as well because if they are using it, or trying to use it for a good cause then I agree with it being allowed to be used. So what do you think on the situation? Are you for it, or against it, and why...[/i][/color][/QUOTE] [font=Verdana][size=2][color=black]Medicine is a great way that marijuana can be used as a beneficial herb to possibly curing diseases. By restricting pot in this regard as well is to block off an entire field of research.[/color][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]In terms of legalizing marijuana on a whole, you should be able to see where I stand on the issue. The problem is that I don?t see it happening. By making it legal, hundreds of organizations will lose money, including alcohol businesses since people will see that weed is a much safer alternative, funeral homes will lose money from drunken driving accidents, and prisons will lose money from the lack of inmates who don?t deserve to be in there in the first place. And that?s just naming a few. Also, to publicly support marijuana is suicide for any political figure, due to the fact that they will instantly be labeled as a ?druggy?.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]And the reason that no one can publicly support marijuana is due to the misinformed public. People oppose marijuana because that?s what they?ve been taught. Everywhere are warnings saying that it?s bad, without clear, standing evidence to support it. Don?t assume something because someone told it to you, go out and look on the internet or whatever, and find evidence proving or disproving the point.[/size][/font] [size=3][color=black][font=Times New Roman][quote name='Godelsensei][/font][/color][color=gray][font=Courier New']Kids still smoke tobacco because they think it's cool.[/quote][/font][/color][/size] [font=Verdana][size=2]Kids smoke tobacco to be cool because it?s illegal only under 18. Kids smoke pot to be cool because it?s illegal. Kids would smoke pot to be cool if it was illegal only under 18. Kids are going to do things that are illegal to act cool no matter what. Legalizing pot is not the issue here, and you?d be surprised at how easily they can get their hands on it even now.[/size][/font] [size=3][font=Times New Roman][color=black][quote name='Solo Tremaine][/color][color=#503f86']Not in terms of the damage it does to your body- marijuana is a lot worse than you might think. It releases far more dangerous toxins into your body and the effect they have lasts for weeks after the initial effects.[/quote][/color][/font][/size] [font=Verdana][size=2]The number of toxins isn?t the cause for the extended amount of time that pot stays in your system. The simple reason is that THC is stored in fat cells, and depending on how often you smoke, it could stay in your body for up to 3 months. How you smoke it is a factor as well. Getting it from joints and small bowls will generally put more toxins into your body, as opposed to a water bong that filters out certain chemicals that do more harm than good. And if you ever see the resin in a bong and how gross it looks, keep in mind that those chemicals are created from exhaling; it?s not what would be found if someone were to check inside of your throat.[/size][/font] [quote][color=#503f86][i]Do you know how many car accidents are drug-raleted? Well over 40%, certainly in the UK. Legalise it and you'll get a hell of a lot more people doing it in places they wouldn't have before. Considering the huge amount of smokers about, hypothetically if they all changed over to marijuana we'd be in deep trouble.[/i][/color][/quote] [font=Verdana][size=2]Do you know how many car accidents are alcohol-related? And what percentage of the 40 can be related to pot rather than another drug? I won?t deny that driving while high is NOT a good idea, but like I said before, legalizing it would cut back on drunk driving, which is far more dangerous on its own.[/size][/font] [quote][color=#503f86][i]They don't do it just because it's a law to brea. A lot of the people I know who smoke did it underage not because they wanted to break the law, but because it was something they felt pressured into doing- "I want to smoke socially because everyone else is." And even then, the others must have been affected by something. If you legalise it all you're allowing people to do is get something dangerous more easily.[/i][/color][/quote] [font=Verdana][size=2]That?s another reason that people smoke marijuana. I don?t condone either way, but by legalizing it, it will bring off the pressure from having to say yes because you would be able to do it when you get older anyway and have time to decide whether or not it?s right for you.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Let?s go on to the common misconceptions. ^_^[/size][/font] [size=2][color=black][quote name='Godelsensei][/color][color=gray][font=Courier New]Also, it's a gateway drug.[/font][/color'][color=black][/quote][/color][/size] [font=Verdana][size=2][b]Fact[/b]: Like Zeta pointed out, most users of harder drugs have tried marijuana, but most people who smoke pot have not gone on to other drugs. Marijuana is much more accessible, so it?s easy to see why people who do things like ecstasy start there, but the ads manipulate the facts to trick you into thinking that everyone who smokes marijuana will somehow go on to other drugs.[/size][/font] [size=2][color=black][quote name='maladjusted][/color][color=firebrick] ..and it's addictive[/color'][color=black][/quote][/color][/size] [font=Verdana][size=2][b]Fact[/b]: Marijuana [b]is not physically addictive[/b]. There is no proof in any way to say that you become dependant on the drug. You could be smoking for years, and suddenly decide to stop and it wouldn?t be much of a problem. You can become mentally addicted to a degree, but that is in no way different from becoming addicted to something like video games. Cigarettes and alcohol are addictive though. Gotta watch out for them.[/size][/font] [font=Times New Roman][color=black][size=3][quote name='Baron Samedi][/size][/color][color=black']Marijuana has worse, and quicker effects than cigarettes.[/quote][/color][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][b]Fact[/b]: Unless you consistently use marijuana on a daily basis, you will not see any effects, and nothing has been proven that it leads to effects in the long run, as opposed to cigarettes which are shown to lead to lung cancer and other such life-threatening diseases. Any effects seen with pot will generally go away if you do not use it for a period of time.[/size][/font] [color=black][font=Times New Roman][font=Tahoma][quote name='Baron Samedi][/font']the effects of the 'high' become accustomed to by your body, you need more to get the same effect.[/quote][/font][/color] [font=Verdana][size=2][b]Fact[/b]: You do not need more marijuana to achieve the dame effect. My friend has been smoking since 8th grade and he is often gone after the second or third hit. It will usually take the same amount to make someone high, but I do believe that mindset plays an important role. For example, if you think to yourself that you won?t get high from a hit, you won?t get high.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Other than that, I can only echo what Zeta said, and [b]encourage ALL OF YOU[/b] to take the initiative and read up on the facts.[/size][/font] [b][font=Verdana][size=2]Where do you start? [color=#800080][url="http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/pot.htm"]http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/pot.htm[/url][/color][/size][/font][/b]

It's fine if you just post the banner here, if it's not too much of a hassel. ^_^ That's what everyone else does, anyway.

[QUOTE=keitaro84]Hey SaiyanPrincessX, love the banner you made with the aegis :love: any chance you can make me one with the Gundam - Freedom please? Also how did you make it? I would like to have a go and try to make one for myself. Is it hard to make an banner?[/QUOTE]Two things. If you want her to make you a banner, your best bet it PMing or IMing her about it, rather than ask in someone else's thread or restrict a brand new thread to just her. If you want to make one yourself, please refer to [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=28018]this thread[/url].

I was just watching the first two episodes of this anime on the Anime Network On Demand, and I must say, I thuroughly enjoyed it. I'm still trying to figure out whether it's an OVA series or a TV series, or if it's both in which case I need to find out which one AN is showing, but I have learned for sure that it's a spin-off of a series called Soul Taker. The plot is relatively simple, and has to be so in order to just go crazy like this series is. It's about this cosplay idol named Komugi (GASP, SHOCK!) who somehow gets these weird powers to transform into a nurse witch and fight again viruses, sent by her best friend, who is, of course, posessed. Trust me, it [i]is [/i]relatively simple. -.- I'm reluctant to say that the series is similar to Excel Saga, because Excel is much more random and overall just insane, but they are both those kind of silly anime that insult the plot line and stuff, haha. It is a very funny anime, at least in my opinion, and I recommend that you go and see it. The animation is also spectacular, with kind of this silly, clear, and modern feel to it. Now I'm just wondering if/when the series is out on DVD so I can buy it. :o

[quote name='Teufelmann']well done crossOver verry good work.[/quote]Please read the thread at the top of the forum on constructive criticism. For example, instead of just saying that it's good, say what in particular is good about it, and what can be improved that the artist can take out of it and get better. Otherwise, who is benefiting from the post?

This sort of thing belongs in the Request forum. Phew, I'm having a busy day. *moves*

Your effort would be better focused on reading the thread entitled [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=28018]How do I make a banner?[/url] Topic closed.

If people want to post their banners, we encourage them to simply make a new thread. Otherwise, the thread gets cluttered and it becomes difficult to respond to an individual banner, and that's what this forum is here for: constructive criticism to help the artist improve his or her work. The desktop thread is different, because it's just a fun little thread that's been going on for a while now, and it's hard to comment on a desktop, especailly if you didn't make the wallpaper. ;) So anyway, I'll allow this thread to continue, but it will be your own thread that people can respond to. If you wish to post more banners, please feel free to do so, as long as you don't double post.

Well, the URL isn't working for me as it is, but you should probably explain what it is once you get it fixed. ;)

Well. *moves this thread back up a bit :p* I finally finished unlocking all the songs on Extreme a couple days ago. It wasn't a huge priority for me, but somehow I managed to beat my friends. >:D I'd have to say that, now completely unlocked, my favorite songs are 321 Stars, A Stupid Barber, Absolute, Can't Stop Fallin' in Love (entirely for the steps), Drop the Bomb, Kick the Can, Move Your Feet (for the music video), Tsugaru, Tsugaru Apple Mix, and V. I still have to say, in terms of number of songs that I enjoy, I still prefer Max, but these songs that I mentioned above make it worth while for me. I like them better than Max2, for sure. :o

[quote name='chopsticks']i think that ur drawing is great coz u draw better than some of the people that i know!!!!![/quote]You need to improve your constructive criticisms. A good start would be to look at what other members have to say, and read the sticky on such at the top of the forum.

Please note: Only respond to a request thread if you are interested in fulfilling it. My post.. erm, is the exception.

Your avatar is way too big for these forums. The max size that we allow is 150 x 80 pixels, so we deleted the avatar, and would like to you remind you to be more cautious in the future. ^_^

[quote name='Dante_666']That is a great picture, I mean wow!!!...............cool[/quote]Please include consructive criticism in your art comment posts. Thanks! ^_^

[quote name='Jamvis']Okay, yes i've played it and all. here's something nice. Good news: DDR Extreme came out in america september 21st! the bad news: Like alot of good Japanese culture games, they've horribly and i mean HORRIBLY americanized it. they've removed a number of the japenese pop songs and others they've made it so that you have to unlock them [complete 200 songs and you'll get all of them v.v][/quote]It sounds to me like you wouldn't have been satisfied no matter what. They Americanize all of the games that come out in the US. Wake up! There are going to be some Japanese songs, and some American ones. It's always been like that. As for Extreme in general and the song list, I guess you didn't notice that we discussed ALL of that already. O.o [quote]okay, now that i've ruined the fun of all the games. Most of the songs are tastefully stepped, but for cripes sake, WHY do they add in american stuff to a PERFECTLY good japanese dancing game?[/quote]Why did they add American songs? Perhaps because it's coming out in the US. :p If you want the Japanese game so badly, then mod your PS2 and import it. [quote]--Edit I forgot to mention the lame minigames ^-^ Mario Party on your FEET! AWESOME! *cough, not, cough* buuut the awesome things are the nonstop mode and the even more impossible endless mode! I'm not sure, but i think endless mode becomes unlocked after you get all 65 songs and you get to play all of them with a break every 5 songs... not sure how long that break is but it's got to be wonderful to play over 100 minutes worth of music back to back ^-^. okay, enough of my ranting.. i'm going to go play DDRMAX now. :D[/QUOTE]The minigames are for people who want to expand their fun of the game. If you like DDR how it is, then it's not for you. Skip over it. Secondly, there are 69 songs, and if you want to play the same songs that were out years ago, I encourage you to go back and play Max. :) Otherwise, we don't need you to just complain about Extreme. :/