Rachmaninoff

I don't have a car, just one that I get to share. =P However, I have to say that the scam over needing a new air filter when you don't seems to be pretty common. Everyone I know has run into it and I've had someone try to pull it on me too. Thing was, I had just changed it the week before so I knew the guy was lying. So once they were done, I checked the car to make sure they didn't leave the fake dirty one that they showed me in there. Naturally it still had the new one. I know my parents have had places try to rip them off, but I don't remember the particulars. Not to say they're all bad, you just have to look around. Though like Sabrina mentioned, that often means they're quite busy.

It's the one thing you don't want to hear. =P [CENTER][IMG]http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/funny-pictures-cat-asks-if-shirt-makes-her-butt-look-big.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]

Never seen the show but why not? I'll go with the family car I share with my brothers. The air conditioning is shot and the back windows won't roll down anymore. =P @Ace: Special trees? The kind that are imaginary, but we'll just pretend they exist.

[QUOTE=taperson][COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"][SIZE="1"]*bzzt* *bzzt *bzzt* I love vibrate.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]Same here. Having your phone go off in the middle of class just doesn't go over well so I tend to leave it at that. When I remember to change it back, I just use some snippets from waltzes for different people. And yes I'm too lazy to look to remember which ones.

I feel like I'm trolling my own thread here, but I couldn't help but get a laugh out of these when I came across them. o_O In the end I do feel sorry for them though. [CENTER][IMG]http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2009/2/17/128793627086606406.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2009/2/17/128793615619778826.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]

Both of you are taking the guy out of context. This is related to Black History Month so naturally he's going to bring up social relations, here's the full deal: [URL="http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/speeches/2009/ag-speech-090218.html?loc=interstitialskip"][U]Remarks[/U][/URL] [quote name='Ace][FONT="Comic Sans MS"']That being said, the man needs to shove it. The Attorney General's job is to be an adviser in legal matters. He doesn't get to advise me about how to spend my free time or who I buddy up with.[/FONT][/quote]Normally I would agree, but again this isn't about legal matters. The only thing that gets me is the mingling aspect. I live in a state where the population is less than 2% African American. It's a little hard to mingle when there literally aren't many to mingle with. I for one will not be moving just so I can be more integrated so to speak. That would be silly. I understand the sentiment, but it needs to be grounded in reality.

[QUOTE=Lrb][FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DimGray"]Ironically in writing that last short thought about weed and alcohol I thought of that and I also wondered how long it would be before you commented on it. :p I thought my splurge about alcohol at least made up for my tiny out of context comment. :animecry: I even considered making another weed thread but I didn't want it to be about the legalization and I figured all the pot-haters would turn it into that, anyway. >_

[quote name='Lrb][FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DimGray"]Guh, I always get a little irritated when people start talking alcohol. It [I]should[/I] be illegal considering something else is even though it's not as bad for you as alcy, but [U]I won't go into that[/U].[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]O rly? [QUOTE=Lrb][FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DimGray"]But WEED still remains to be the ILLEGAL (yet completely harmless) substance and ALCOHOL is LEGAL. WTF.[/COLOR'][/FONT][/quote]That resolve didn't last long. And since I don't want to see this thread derailed by something that can and should, if people want to get off on it, go in a seperate thread I'll move along. I don't drink. I was raised in a religion where you don't drink, period. So by the time I got out on my own and quit being a member of said religion, I was already firmly in the habit of not having alcohol. I've had a few roomies who drink and some friends that do. But that's it. I'm sure my upbringing has something to do with it, but it doesn't appeal. *shrug*

Seeing this thread become active again only reminded me that I hadn't finished this game yet. So I started it up and finally did since I was so close. Most of my impression about it is similar to [COLOR="Indigo"]Indi[/COLOR]'s since other than the very last boss I didn't have a lot of issues with the final dungeon. Brief notes are that I enjoyed it well enough. I'll probably get around to a second play through one of these days. Not right now but eventually. I didn't have any major complaints with it. Oh and I did even less side quests since my final stats were characters at about 65 and total time spent on the game was 60 hours. I have around 3,000 in grade so hopefully that will be enough to purchase lots of good stuff for the next time around.

[quote name='Raiha][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]This kid's life is now effectively ruined. Oh yes, and that fifteen year old floozie cheated on him like six times with other boys his age. So who knows if he's actually the father or not? He's not only a thirteen year old with the 'responsibilities' of parenthood, he's also dating a cheating skank. Congratulations.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]Funny you should mention that since there's going to be a DNA test: [URL="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/02/16/2009-02-16_alfie_patten_the_13yearold_british_daddy.html"][U]Alfie Patten, the 13-year-old British daddy, taking DNA test to prove he's the father[/U][/URL] If it turns out to be someone else... that's gonna bite.[QUOTE=Ace][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]This is nothing. I remember this kid on [I]Maury[/I] who had a baby despite "not having sex since she was ten." Oh, damn. Did I just admit to once watching Maury?[/FONT][/QUOTE]You did, congrats. lol

I know this one is a bit... o_O But reading it kind just made my eyes pop a bit. I know kids are getting sexually involved at younger ages but... thirteen? [URL="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2238252.ece"][U]Feeding, nappies... and PlayStation[/U][/URL] Anyway, if you skipped the article basically, this thirteen year old kid got some fifteen year old girl pregnant and now they have a kid. The father looks like he's eight. I know I shouldn't be surprised but seriously, I can't imagine kids that young being ready to be parents. You know that their parents are going to be the one taking care of them and the newest addition to the family. So I'm curious, does anyone here think that someone that young can actually be ready to be a parent? I personally don't. I think no thirteen year old has the mental maturity to be an adult when they themselves are still a kid.

[QUOTE=Retribution][font=Arial]I called her on it, and now she's indignant. Further, she chose to overlook the relatively elementary point that [i]education in the US is heavily eurocentric and fails to teach "black history" outside of slavery and MLK.[/i] It was a rhetorical exercise to drive home the point our education problem is not only massively biased, it's systemically problematic. We've passed the point where we can just hire new teachers - it would require an almost entire recall on teachers nationwide.[/font][/QUOTE]You need to re-read the thread. Aaryanna Mom was in favor of replacing the current curriculum not the actual teachers. She's rightfully questioning why you're being a jackass to her when [U][I][B]I'm[/B][/I] the one who suggested replacing teachers not Aaryanna Mom[/U] I think even you should be smart enough to grasp that teaching was different when she was in High School. Which was before most of us were even born. In that light, your post was unnecessarily rude and I'll ask you to not post that kind of crap again. Plus you still missed my point to begin with. If teachers have the stuff in their curriculum and they're not teaching it... what does that tell you? Either they do, or they don't. If they do and they aren't covering it, then that's a fail on the teacher's part. If it's not in the curriculum then like Aaryanna Mom suggested at the end of her post, that needs an overhaul.

I'm currently watching [B]Monster[/B], I started it in the last week. So far I'm liking it. It's nicely paced and well done. I'm only to episode 10 out of 74 though so we'll see on that. As for reading, other than to catch the new chapter of [B]Tsubasa[/B] as it comes out, I'm not reading anything at all.

I personally find the idea behind Friday the 13th to be nonsense, but it's still lolworthy in my opinion. So lets start with this here: [URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4607081/Friday-13th-breaking-a-mirror-leads-top-10-superstitions.html"][U]Friday 13th: breaking a mirror leads top 10 superstitions[/U][/URL] And yes I know it's for the UK, It's not that far into the day yet here in the US so... I'm just looking at what articles have been posted so far. =P Oh and how about this: [URL="http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/feb/13/best-make-peace-with-friday-13th/"][U]Best make peace with Friday 13th[/U][/URL] Seems like we get to have it twice more this year. In March and then in November, and for some reason, I find that amusing. Mainly because I'm not superstitious. I do find it interesting that we even have a word for it. triskaidekaphobia o_O I'm sure that's been around for a while, you just don't hear it that often. So, what superstitions do you believe or don't believe in? Or what crazy stories do you have for past Friday the 13th's?

I'm kind of curious to know if feathers end up being influenced by their surroundings if the circumstances are prime for it. Like how that one feather was protecting the water. Would that type of situation actually cause it to become more powerful. Because if the memories already contained such power to begin with, what need would there be to scatter them at all? Other than to somehow gain more power and therefore open the path where Fei Wong could achieve his ultimate goal. I get the feeling that Fei Wong planned on that happening and used it to isolate feathers that had the greatest [I]potential[/I] to be affected, while using the others to gather the rest and increase their power by adding more memories at the same time. Just a thought.

[quote name='Sangome][SIZE="1"]I gotta say, I find the "I don't cry over them because they're not real" excuse rather silly. I understand the reasoning, but a fictional character can be just as endearing and evoke at your emotions as anything else. And it's not just video games, either -- it can apply to anime, TV, movies, books, anything that has a fictional story. [Now, if you spent hours on end crying and wailing about the character's death and don't want to live without them, THEN there might be a problem...'][/SIZE][/quote]There is nothing silly about it. It's hard for me to feel attached to a fictional character dying. Probably because I know what it feels like to watch someone I care about suffer when they lost someone they cared about. I may be moved by it in the game, show or whatever. I might laugh at the funny things they say. But when they die, so far, not one of them has [I]ever[/I] been memorable enough to actually make me cry. If I'm going to actually cry, it will probably be over real death, not over a game. I know it's going to vary for different people, but for me, I can't forget that they don't exist.

Allamorph... wtf?[quote name='Vicky][size=1]Oh, no, it's still pretty true. I'm [i]dying[/i'] to see Allamorph crack and flip out one day. There'll be letters and fullstops everywhere.[/size][/quote]o_O I think I'd rather pass. kthxbai And [B]Kisaoda[/B], don't let these weirdos scare you away. =P Welcome to OB.

[quote name='Retribution][font=Arial']Unfortunately, public school curricula still frequently overlook black achievement and history. Blacks still have only a vague idea of what their forefathers accomplished, suffered through, and contributed to this nation. So as a counter to these tragic circumstances, I still support the existence of Black History Month.[/font][/quote]Care to back that with something? I'm just curious about that. In the end, if people are unaware, that seems more like a failure on the schools or teachers than anything else. If someone isn't coving that kind of history, or rather all of it. It seems that replacing them with someone who will is a better solution. I mean we never really focused on the Black History deal and yet it was still covered, just like the rest of it.

[QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]I tend to view Black History Month about the same as I view National Novel Writing Month, National Pancake Day, and National Hug An Engineer Day. Us people get bored unless there's something to celebrate, amirite?[/FONT][/QUOTE]Well that does it. Now we have to keep it to avoid getting bored. =P

Putting aside the pollution aspect, though cutting back on that is always a good idea, it [I]is[/I] a good idea to think twice before having a long distance relationship. It's a little to easy to get indignant over the concept of restricting one's activities based on something like carbon footprints. But if you stop and think about this, isn't the article pretty much pointing out how people tend to gloss over wasteful aspects of their lives all in the name of pursuing love or other habits? In the end I'd be more likely to argue the stance of dating local for the simple reason that being closer, and therefore actually having time for more of those [I]happiest hours[/I], would be more appealing. And probably a lot healthier for the relationship as a whole. It's a little hard to be close if you... you know... aren't. I mean seriously, I wouldn't want to date someone who was so far away I had to actually FLY to see them. o_O That's just crazy. Also... wtf? Anomaly posting a thread in The Lounge? =P Hahaha. XD

[quote name='Raiha][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Oh tush, they cried foul anyway.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]I know, so terribly amusing that. :D I do find it funny how Atheists can't, or in this case didn't, directly say there is no God and yet Christians can and you know it's going to get overlooked. Oh and A_M. I would positively DIE LAUGHING if those slogans were on the buses here. Because watching all the people run around whining would amuse me to no end.

[quote name='Magus'] I do think we've gotten to the point to where Black History month can be dropped, or at the very least, shortened a bit.[/quote]Considering what most people have said, if they don't drop it, shortening it would definitely be a step in the right direction.

I love finding an article that makes me laugh, it's the best way to start one's day. :catgirl: Anyway...it seems that those ads on buses about there probably not being a God resulted in this: [URL="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29056903/"][U]Christians counter atheists — on London buses[/U][/URL] I'm sure you guys remember the previous thread on this that I posted. If you don't, go and take a look: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=59984"][U]Atheists Send a Message, on 800 Buses[/U][/URL] Basically now that the campaign is coming to a close as the article states:[quote][FONT="Arial"]The Christian Party has paid $22,000 to run ads declaring: "There definitely is a God. So join the Christian Party and enjoy your life," in red, pink and orange letters.[/FONT][/quote]Also it seems that the Atheist ad campaign got around 300 complaints but the Ad authority wouldn't intervene so this is their response since they couldn't get it taken down. Just as I find that amusing, I also find this amusing: [quote][FONT="Arial"]"I got tired of seeing these messages on buses driving past my window and want to give people the chance to read something with hope." Another Christian group has also joined the campaign, with a more confrontational message from Psalm 53:1, which reads: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." That ad will run for two weeks.[/FONT][/quote]I find it amusing because the ads they want to run, as mentioned in the article, are "dogmatic and declaratory, leaving no room for reason and debate." It's God exists... period. No ifs ands or buts. If anything, they're only proving the point that the original tongue in cheek ads were trying to point out. The word probably... is key, depending on which way your belief runs. And yes I know those of you who do believe are unlikely to say probably. I still find it amusing just the same. =P

First of all, I'll give you guys the link to the article that got me thinking about this. [URL="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29057064/"][U]Time to end Black History Month?[/U][/URL] And now we can move to the discussion. =P In all honesty I haven't really heard this argument before ([SIZE="1"]probably because I just don't pay attention >_>[/SIZE]), that it would be better to make history more comprehensive. I'm not sure how that works since I don't recall my teachers skipping certain aspects of history, they were just taught, usually, in order based on dates. Some of the arguments that it's not necessary are ones that I can relate to. Having that month, as it were, hasn't made me any more aware of that aspect of history. I got that from just the normal American history classes that I was required to take. So if we are already teaching history, it does seem like overkill. Either way, I have no strong inclination to feel like it should be dropped. But I do find the discussion interesting. Would keeping it make people any more aware or would dropping it and focusing on simply teaching history, all of it, be better?

I've been doing the same as Aaryanna with the [B]Tales of the Abyss[/B] game since the anime is currently airing in Japan. I'm close to the end and picking up all sorts of side quests while I wait for the anime to catch up to where I'm at. In the past, when I use to play more [B]Star Wars[/B] games, I'd do the same. I'd be playing one of the games and then end up re-watching some of the shows or reading some of the books.