Nathan

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Indi][COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]I got to thinking about this since Nathan picked up one of those big breakfasts from McDonald's the other day and ate the entire thing. He's one of those guys who is on the scrawny side and yet eats a lot. For myself, all I can mange is maybe one of those biscuits with either sausage or egg, but not both, it's just too much.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]I can't help it if I get hungry. Also, it's no wonder you don't eat a lot. You're the tiny one dear. =P Anyway, I like having a decent sized breakfast or I end up finding myself hungry later on. I like hot cereal like oatmeal, though cold cereal is good too. I tend to avoid the bacon, sausage and eggs deal since the greasy content just makes me tired. But every once in a while, it's nice to have. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]If you think I use italics in a fun and safe manner, you my friend are sorely mistaken. [I]*guffaw*[/I] I just said it's my jurisdiction. I never said whether I used my powers for good or evil. [/FONT][/QUOTE]I was giving you the benefit of the doubt. So are you saying I was mistaken to do so? :smirk:[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]Oh now there's no need to be cynical, mister E Em Tee. :p Old times are allowed to be good even if the new times are just as good. Plus being snarky with italics is my department anyway. So there.[/FONT][/QUOTE]I was being factual with a dash of snark. The only thing that stands out in my mind so far is that thread you started the evening I proposed to [COLOR="Indigo"]Indi[/COLOR]. Also, I contest your claim to being the department for the regulation of [I]fun[/I] and [I]safe[/I] use of italics. Sharing is good for you. :p[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Sara'] Do new people even register here, anymore?[/quote] [quote name='Allamorph][FONT=Arial']We do. We just don't post in threads dedicated to time before us.[/FONT][/quote]Exactly. I don't recognize anything that's being brought up here as the [I]good old times[/I]. So there's really nothing for me to comment on in this thread, except for perhaps this one point. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]This sounds like a case of mom deciding to give the finger to her ex by supporting the crazy idea of her daughter suing him over punishment merited out for her behavior. She was posting inappropriate images of herself, so grounding her for doing so after he blocked some of the sites she was using was reasonable. The fact that the court actually sided against him just shows negligence on their part.[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]I'm leaning towards a combination of people being more open about actually reporting it and the potential increase in stress. However, it doesn't mean the stress is caused by the economic issues. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]And here I would have agreed with the sentiment that some of them [I]are[/I] zombies. =P[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]So he's reading that kind of manga and hanging out at certain bars. Is there anything else he's doing that you haven't told us about yet? Cause if he's also doing stuff like stealing your clothing to wear, among other things... yeah. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]I don't do anything different for the day. No church, no candy, just what I normally do on a Sunday. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Korey][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"']But I guess kids would need that, seeing as common sense is something they are severely lacking in these days.[/FONT][/quote]And that would be why I think putting them on the sex offender list is taking it too far. They're still kids in many ways so branding them with that kind of punishment is unnecessarily harsh. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Raiha][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]And yet we promote sex education that equips these minors to have sex. When I was 14 I was taught how to properly put a condom on a large pyrex dildo named Mr. Man. So, by that logic, it's a little- wait no. It's REALLLLY stupid to assume that kids aren't going to be getting naked for each other and it's even more stupid to assume that said naked kids won't think "Hey, I should whip out my...phone. And take a picture! For posterity!"[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]We promote sex education that teaches kids the dangers of unprotected sex. We don't hand them condoms and say, here you go, you can go do whatever you want! They're still bound by a little thing known as [I]age of consent[/I] based on what state you live in. Statutory rape anyone? So it's REALLLLY stupid to assume ([SIZE="1"]or talk in a roundabout fashion that essentially says the same thing[/SIZE]) that they're teaching the kids that the class gives them a free pass to do whatever they want. If anything, it wouldn't hurt to expand the class a bit to explain how certain behaviors will land them in serious trouble, like passing on those pictures taken for posterity. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Binxy][SIZE="1"']There is some reprimanding in certain states about things like this. Teen who participate in sexting have the choice to either register themselves as sex offenders or have to take a two week course on sex education including writing a paper about how what they did was wrong. Most parents don't want their children to have to take the class or register and are trying to find ways to beat the system for their children.[/SIZE][/quote]Gotta love parents trying to help their kids [I]avoid[/I] the responsiblity of their own actions. It speaks volumes as to how they were raised in the first place. The way I see it, if you're a minor, then you shouldn't be taking pictures of yourself and putting them out there. Minors lack the maturity and legal grounds to even give consent. So if you sent it yourself, you're an idiot and that's why you're considered a minor. You're not old enough to fully understand making a decision like that. So yes, it's pornography of a child. However, along that same line of reasoning, just as they aren't legally adults, they shouldn't be treated as one if busted. Being required to take a class seems like a fair punishment to me, where registering them as sex offenders seems to be overkill. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Frederic_Achard.jpg[/img] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Belmonda_Achard.jpg[/img] [/center] It didn't take Frederic long to keep an eye on Natalia as she made her way to where the chimeras were loaded. Once he was certain she was going to be alright, he made his way back to the guest quarters on [I]The Stelmaria[/I]. Just as he had been making sure Natalia was alright, Belmonda, after giving him and Jack Deacon a bit of a glare, had gone off to check their personal supplies. [I]Perhaps I should have gotten something from the military after all[/I], he wondered as he glanced down the corridor that lead to the engines of [I]The Stelmaria[/I]. By now Jack Deacon had to be down there checking to see if they were still flight worthy. Though if what he said about the air was true, it was possible they wouldn't be able to take off after all. If that was the case, they'd just use the chimeras to get back to the nearest town or contact the military for assistance. [I]If we have to do that... Bella's gonna chew me out for sure.[/I] He thought grimly. Still it could have been much worse, even if the ship couldn't fly again, at least none of them had been seriously hurt. The chimeras had been skittish, but they too had looked fine. He hung on to the railings along the corridor since the ship was at a slight angle. It had happened so fast, that he wasn't sure if the scenery he saw of ice had been accurate or not. If it was... It had looked like they were headed for a huge sheet of ice. Frederic put it out of mind, he could worry about that later. Belmonda was still sorting through the equipment that had been tossed about when the ship crashed when he finally found her. He could tell by the way she was muttering to herself under her breath, that she was obviously still quite irritated. He couldn't fault her though. "[B]Broken![/B]" She said sharply as she tossed something aside before picking up another item to look it over. She tossed it aside as well. "[B]Broken, broken, broken.[/B]" She muttered. She was putting stuff that wasn't too damaged in one pile and tossing the stuff that was unusable in another. "[B]I know you're standing there Frederic,[/B]" she said after he had stood there for a brief time. "[B]So stop lurking and give me a hand.[/B]" "[B]I'm not lurking Bella,[/B]" He shut up when she turned and fixed him with a piercing glare. "[B]Yes you are,[/B]" She moved back to sorting the equipment and then changed the subject.. "[B]So how is Natalia and the chimera's?[/B]" "[B]They're alright.[/B]" He mumbled back as he started helping her sort stuff. "[B]Well that's good.[/B]" Belmonda tossed another item aside, barely missing Frederic, letting him know that she was still quite annoyed with him. It had been a while since she was that angry with him. "[B]I'm going to go and see how Jack Deacon is doing with the engines.[/B]" "[B]You do that.[/B]" Belmonda answered shortly. "[B]If we're not going to be able to look for the artifact or whatever it was you said we are looking for, then the sooner we get back to Le Monde, the better.[/B]" [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Frederic_Achard.jpg[/img] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/jackavatar.jpg[/img] [/center] "[B]So, what's the verdict?[/B]" Jack Deacon had his hands full and was inside one of the engines, other than a bit of color from his tunic, Frederic couldn't even see him. He hated to admit it, but other than simple stuff, Frederic didn't know much about air ship engines. All of the equipment and machinery that was exposed with the panels off, was a bit of a mystery to him. "[B]Nothing seems to be too seriously damaged,[/B]" Jack called out from where he was located. "[B]The only problem will be finding a way to superheat the air. Normally the engines can do that themselves, but the instruments are indicating that it's abnormally cold outside.[/B]" Frederic frowned. "[B]If we can't get them to start, then I'll contact the military and request that someone come and pick us up.[/B]" Though he'd rather not do that since Cole had specifically told him to not tell anyone about it. "[B]Well, that's not going to work either,[/B]" Jack said. "[B]Something may be interfering with standard communications. Shortly before the ship hit, everything died. I'll check the equipment for that as soon as I'm done here.[/B]" "[B]If it happened before the ship hit...[/B]" "[B]Exactly,[/B]" Jack answered. "[B]Why don't you go and check outside while I finish up?[/B]" He shifted so Frederic could see his face and flashed a sardonic grin in his direction. "[B]If nothing else, we'll just ride the chimeras back to town.[/B]" Frederic nodded and headed for the closest hatch. However, the door refused to budge. Either it was warped from the crash or something outside was pressing against it. He tried the others and encountered the same problem. A cold uneasy feeling started in the bottom of his stomach and spread outward. Had they sunk in the ice and snow? He shook his head and shoved the thought aside as he made for the bridge of the airship. When they had first landed, he had seen what looked like an endless field of white. If not ice, he had assumed it was snow. To his surprise, half of the windows were covered in what looked like ice. [I]We have sunk into the ice! [/I] He froze in place, horrified. If they couldn't get the hatches open or contact anyone... [I]Shit![/I] [/font]

[FONT="Arial"][QUOTE=James][font=franklin gothic medium]Actually, most cases of genetic attraction involve reunited parents and children who [i]know[/i] that they are related. Of course this usually happens with no contact in the interim years, but I doubt slight contact (as suggested by the news item in your post) would make much difference there. In any case, does it matter if this is so-called "genetic attraction" or not? (Even though I think it clearly is). I mean, at the end of the day, I think the big question is about the impact this has on their family - particularly any children.[/font][/QUOTE]It's been a while since I read up on the subject. I was thinking it was the other way around, but now, based on what you've said, it sounds like I need to read it again. And no, it doesn't really matter in the end. The biggest concern I would have would be for the mental health and well being of any children. Though I'd wonder, as Crystia mentioned, about the mental health of the individuals as well. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Shy][size=1']My understanding is that Nathan is posting next for the Anovans. If that's not the case I can include Belmonda stuff alongside my Fonty post.[/size][/quote]I am and the post in question is halfway written. I had planned on getting it up sooner, but I ended up covering at work for a buddy who's sick. As a result, I ran out of time. If all goes well, I should have that up later tonight. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='SunfallE][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]I don't know if I'd blame the current economic crisis. I think it just gave some people a new thing to swear at.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]I agree, people who swear, didn't suddenly start over the economic stress. They just added it to their list of things they swear over. I actually don't swear much if at all. I did when I was a teen but when I started working, I noticed that for some people, hearing the paramedic helping them swear from time to time, just got them agitated, which isn't a good thing. So I worked on dropping the habit and I haven't been one to swear much since then. Can't say it bothers me though, well unless it's someone who, like the article says, needs to expand their vocabulary. When someone swears that much, it just makes them sound like a moron. lol[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][QUOTE=James][font=franklin gothic medium]On the more serious side, there is apparently a phenomenon that may have occurred here... I forget the specific name, but it's something like "genetic attraction". It seems to happen in cases where a child is away from their parents for many years and then meets up with them again as an adult. It's actually quite a common phenomenon - so much so that it's now a fairly recognized issue.[/font][/QUOTE]The only problem with that is his ex-wife clearly states that the two weren't completely separated all that time. Here's a bit from another article:[quote][FONT="Arial"]Mr Deaves' second wife, Dorothy, who he married long after his split from Joan, today rubbished claims he and his daughter had virtually no contact for 30 years. She told ninemsn that when she married John Deaves in 1984, the then 15-year-old Jenny stayed with them for a week. Jenny stayed with them four times before their marriage broke down in 2000 after the father and daughter took a trip to Dubbo together, she said.[/FONT][/quote]So it wasn't some case of not really knowing who his daughter was. She stayed with him and his previous wife and had some form of contact. It was after his second marriage broke down that he started doing stuff with his daughter. So I don't see this as being genetic attraction. That tends to refer to people who meet up and genuinely [I]don't[/I] know they are related. That's not the case here. Anyway, as for the actual deal, can't say I find it all that appealing. I can understand that it's different if they don't know but otherwise, blech. Oh and Lunox, they do have a daughter, only one died shortly after birth. For the one that is alive and well, I feel sorry for that kid. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Magus']Would it help if I said I can't stand seven year olds? [/quote]It would for me. =P Not that I can't stand them, but rather I can easily see how he was annoying as hell. It wasn't enough to stop me from starting over now that I've beaten the game (finally). But at times you just want to kick his butt out of your party. lol Now, I'm running on double experience among other things and this time I'm going to use a guide to go for some of those other quests that I ignored the first time through. Obviously I did enjoy it enough to make playing it again worthwhile. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='James][font=franklin gothic medium']I really believe that those who upload the videos and who engage in the fights hold the ultimate responsibility. And I really hate to see the buck being passed in that sense - it isn't YouTube's fault that people are stupid and violent, for instance.[/font][/quote]That's how I see it. The ones ultimately responsible for this are the one's actually doing it. Youtube is merely a medium for hosting it. However, I do hope that when flagged, they're being removed. If they're not and the person later lands in trouble either with the law or at work, then I know I won't feel sorry for the person at all. If you're dumb enough to fight and then stupid enough to put it up where anyone can access it, sucks to be you.[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Well that's definitely nifty looking with all the banners and quotes. So congratulations to those who made it and to those who took the time to nominate them. I'm still a bit surprised at the engagement one. It looks great though. :) [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][B]1. Would you rather be a dragon or Superman?[/B] Superman of course. Dragons are nifty, but I'm not interested in actually being one. [B]2. Would you rather have no arms or no legs?[/B] This is easy, no legs. It's much easier to get around without them than without one's arms. [B]3. Would you rather never be able to listen to music again, or would you rather never have sex again?[/B] The problem with this is I don't want to give up either one. I enjoy music and I do eventually want to be a father. I guess I'll have to settle for being deaf. [B]4. Live a long life, but start losing your memory and your ability to do things on your own or live a short life but live it independantly until your death?[/B] Old age here I come. [B]5. Have your acts of public drunkeness captured and broadcast on youtube or have your most intimate moments broadcast on Veoh?[/B] Intimate moments are not meant to be shared, so I guess I'll have to get drunk in public once. [B]6. Find the most perfect guy/girl ever go on a few dates and find out that he/she is a cousin of yours or become the new Naked Cowboy of Bourbon Street[/B] I'm already engaged to the perfect girl and she's not related in that manner. And no I will not become the new Naked Cowboy. No thanks. [b]7. Would you rather meet one OBer of your choice and get the chance to meet them once a year for the rest of your life or meet a different OBer once a year every year for the rest of your life?[/b] I'm marrying one, so I guess that means the same one for the rest of my life. :catgirl:[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Malkav']Nathan, if you don't mind, could you post our character's meeting? I'm going to be out of town this weekend and midterms start next week so I'm gonna be MIA for a while again. Just run into Jack in Le Monde, you don't have to know what he was doing beforehand. He'll most likely be in a bar or tavern but I'm going to put him in your creative control for a while. If you need any references on how to RP him then you can research the Almagest Legacy thread. Don't worry, Shy, Raiha, and some others have a good idea of him so you can always ask them too if you're that much of a stickler for accuracy.[/quote]Alright, posted. If you want anything tweaked in that, let me know and I'll edit it. I didn't post the bit with Hinata's character. I figured someone else would want a chance to add their bit to getting them on the go. =P Anyway, sorry that took me a bit to get to. It's easier for me to get a post in on my days off. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Frederic_Achard.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/jackavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Frederic smiled to himself upon leaving the Bourgade national Museum. For all of Bella?s apparent protesting, he knew perfectly well by the slight gleam in her eyes that if he had left her behind, she would have been furious. He felt only the slightest twinge of guilt over giving her no warning whatsoever, but it couldn?t be helped. The events at the wedding made it clear that if they weren?t quick about it, someone else would beat them to the location. He was certain that if they found nothing though, he?d never hear the end of it from Bella. It took no thought on his part to head for one of the taverns where freelancers of all sorts would gather, he could about navigate through the town blindfolded. Frederic could have requested a military ship, but doing so would have set them back time wise and drawn far too much attention to what he was up to. What he needed was someone who had the right kind of ship and would have no problem keeping their mouth shut. He halted in front of the Crete Tavern. It was still morning but he wasn?t surprised to find over a third of the tables occupied when he entered. Frederic ignored the glances sent his way on account of his uniform. He had already done a little research and knew who he would consider approaching, provided they were? He smiled slightly when he caught sight of a man sitting in the far back. He made straight for the table. ?[B]Jack Deacon I presume.[/B]? Jack blew smoke from his cigar and leaned back a bit, ?[B]It depends on who?s asking.[/B]? ?[B]May I?[/B]? Frederic indicated the chair across from him, ignoring the question. ?[B]Feel free.[/B]? Jack waited for him to take a seat. ?[B]Can?t say I care for the military, so I suggest you get to the point.[/B]? ?[B]I?m not here on behalf of the military,[/B]? Frederic replied. ?[B]I?m looking to hire a ship for a private trip.[/B]? He could see only the tiniest hint of interest. ?[B]I?m not really into babysitting.[/B]? Jack looked slightly bored with the conversation. Frederic looked down briefly and then back up. ?[B]If I wanted a pleasure cruise, I wouldn?t have bothered to come here.[/B]? He placed both hands on the table between them. ?[B]I need someone who can handle carrying chimeras and most pleasure cruisers can?t handle the height we?ll need to get to.[/B]? Jack seemed a little more interested upon hearing that. ?[B]So you?re doing some? [I]exploring[/I] then.[/B]? ?[B]And that answers the other thing I?m looking for, someone who doesn?t ask stupid questions.[/B]? Frederic folded his arms across his chest. ?[B]I don?t want to waste my time with someone who will question orders since they have no experience with something [I]unexpected[/I].[/B]? Jack took another long drag on his cigar before answering. ?[B]Alright, you?ve got my interest, and you are?[/B]? ?[B]Frederic Achard.[/B]? He leaned forward slightly, ?[B]So basically Frederic, you?re looking for someone who isn?t going to ask pointless questions and won?t require a set time frame for their services.[/B]? ?[B]Correct.[/B]? ?[B]Standard pay including additional expenses I assume.[/B]? ?[B]Of course, it will be based on the fair market; with a five percent bonus should the trip go as planned.[/B]?Frederic tilted his head to the side a bit. ?[B]I assume that?s acceptable?[/B]? Jack just looked at him a bit before finally extending his hand to shake Frederic?s. ?[B]It?s a deal then. I assume you want to leave as soon as possible?[/B]? ?[B]I have one more person to talk to before we can load up what we?ll need.[/B]? He stood up. ?[B]I?ll send a messenger to where your ship is docked to let you know where to come and pick up the chimeras.[/B]? Jack just nodded. Frederic turned and took his leave. He already had someone gathering the supplies; all that was left was to talk to Natalia. After the fuss with her mother at the reception the other day, he was pretty certain she?d jump at the chance to get away for a bit.[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]I can't really say one way or the other. I joined back in October of last year and tend to visit a couple of times a week. I'm thinking that's no where near long enough to have an accurate idea of whether or not activity is dying. Now as for the 3,000 online record, I'd be willing to bet that it was mostly bots instead of actual members. But then I'm basing that on other places I've been to. There's always a lot of stuff out their that's a program and not a real person. =P[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Both stories were interesting to read and that makes choosing only one rather difficult. I'm not really good at explaining why one stood out more but I'll try. I enjoyed Lrb's but it felt a little too predictable. I knew what was going to happen pretty much immediately. I could say the same about Anomaly's as well, however, the manner in which it would was a little less clear. Not by much, but it's that tiny bit that makes it memorable. So... In the end, the one that stood out the most was Anomaly's entry. So therefore I will be giving my vote to [B]Anomaly[/B] for this round.[/FONT]