Nathan

[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] Frederic was trying to decide which was more uncomfortable, the suit he was wearing for the wedding or his dress uniform. Both, he decided firmly, after adjusting the stiff collar for what seemed like the hundredth time. At least the regular uniforms for work were moderately comfortable. Better yet, why was he here again? It wasn?t just because father expected it. He looked over at Bella who in spite of the beautiful dress she was wearing, looked less than thrilled. That?s right, he came because her less than ecstatic look when father had talked to them about the wedding months ago, had resulted in him volunteering before he could think the better of it. She caught his gaze and laughed at his expression. ?[B]I thought I was the gloomy one here.[/B]? Bella smiled, ?[B]You should cheer up.[/B]? ?[B]Only if you do Bella.[/B]? He teased, earning a tiny frown. ?[B]It can?t be that bad can it?[/B]? ?[B]Oh I don?t know,[/B]? she mused, ?[B]perhaps if there were less Almagests around I might enjoy myself more.[/B]? Her tone of voice was light as if she was joking but Fredric knew better. Not that he blamed her; he had already heard the rumors from the staff of the [I]Alaina[/I] about how Macey Almagest had berated someone over a simple mistake with one of the flower arrangements. What Vincent had ever seen in her, he?d never understand. And [I]that[/I] was a line of thought he wasn?t going to follow. It was a wedding after all, whether or not he liked some of the relatives of the intended couple was a moot point. Once the affair was over with, they would return to Le Monde and he wouldn?t have to see any of them for quite some time. If he was lucky, for some of them, that would mean never. ?[B]Well it will be over with soon enough so stop being a grouch?[/B]? He twitted Bella and then pulled away with a grin when she moved to poke him in the side. ?[B]You asked?[/B]? She started to point out and then chuckled in spite of herself. ?[B]Fine, fine, I?ll cheer up. I at least know better than to pick a fight at a wedding.[/B]? Fredric studied his hand for a moment and then looked back up. ?[B]Of course you do.[/B]? He answered in that voice of disbelief that he knew irritated her so. She hadn?t quite given up after all. ?[B]I at least promise to not be the one to start it, fair enough?[/B]? She fixed him with a glare. ?[B]More than fair oh dear sister of mine?[/B]? He chuckled as she moved to swat him again, a mock serious look on her face barely keeping her own laughter in.[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]I don't need others voting on posts to tell me if it's good quality or rather contributing to the discussion. I can figure that out by simply reading it. So like others have said, that seems like a silly popularity contest more than anything. I say no. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Oh there is no doubt that some couples are just showing off. But for the rest of us, we really don't look around to see if anyone is watching or anything like that. lol It is a good idea to keep anything more than a kiss or hug out of sight, but otherwise, if my fiancée is comfortable with it then I see no reason to hold back on a kiss or a hug. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]I support the Death Penalty. And if you wonder why... [URL="http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/"][U]Reality[/U][/URL] it's not so pretty when you go looking into the circumstance behind those who warrant such a sentence. It may seem humane to lock someone up for life, though the issues regarding the so-called life sentence make that a joke, but it's really not as humane as you might think. Basically, when someone has become so sick that destroying another's life holds no meaning for them, you don't cage a sick animal, you put it out of it's misery. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Good thing we're only talking about pants here. If this was about shirt pockets and jacket pockets... I'd be making a huge list, especially when I'm at work. Now since this is pants, all I ever have is my wallet with my ID and other types of cards. And of course some pictures. I'm sure you all can guess on that. The other thing is my keys. The rest of my junk, as it were, is usually in my other pockets and anything else I might be carrying around with me. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Normally I'd be a bit leery of the amount being spent. However, from a historical stance, I'm pleased that they're going the extra mile to open it up as much as possible to everyone. It's an enormous milestone for the US and as such it's only natural that people want to be a part of it. I know I'll be watching the broadcast. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]It seems harmless to me. I hadn't even realized they were showing until I saw this thread. I could see wanting to hide it for the aesthetic sense that Darren alluded to, but otherwise I think having them being visible is no big deal. Also... 8,700+ posts James? Man, you about live here! :blulaugh: [spoiler]And yes I'm kidding.[/spoiler] [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]I like Valentines Day. It's just a whimsical holiday and therefore a perfect excuse to give someone you care about a small token of affection/appreciation. I'm engaged to be married so naturally I'll be doing something for my fiancé. But since she's a member here, I'll leave it at that so as not to spoil just what I have in mind. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Rexikat XVI did a nice job of connecting with someone who had realized that everything he cared for was gone. DeLarge did a nice job of portraying someone who had fallen from what he was. In the end I liked Rexikat XVI's entry better since I felt like DeLarge's relied a little too heavily on descriptions and I never felt a connection to the main character. I vote for [U]Rexikat XVI[/U].[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Shy gave a very clear impression of a parent running short on time and the ending left you with a slight jarring feeling. It made you wonder just what was going to happen next. pfisland captures the nature of kids easily being affected by a thoughtless comment, though it felt a bit off. Perhaps having the teacher as the antagonist is why. In the end Shy's entry caught my attention the most so my vote goes to [U]Shy[/U].[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Vicky's entry was like seeing into the mind of the person who was dying. It made the story very dynamic and you could almost feel the despair they felt as they died. Blonde's entry got into the manner of how the person felt disconnected with life and therefore took their own life. Since I felt more emotion from Vicky's piece, making it stand out more in my mind, I vote for [U]Vicky[/U].[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][B]Your name:[/B] Frederic Gael Achard [B]Your age:[/B] 30 [B]Your connection to the Almagest or Achard family:[/B] Son of Oliver. Brother of Vincent and twin of Belmonda. [B]Your portrait:[/B] [URL="http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/2163/fredericas8.jpg"]Frederic[/URL] [B]Your occupation/location:[/B] Frederic Achard is a member of the Special Security Force and is currently stationed at Fort Blanc in the capitol, Le Monde. [B]Your story:[/B] Frederic was never one to be interested in the arts or other forms of what he considers entertainment. His more serious bent led to him pursuing studies that eventually resulted in him enrolling and training at Fort Blanc to become a member of the Special Security Force. He has little use for social functions, even family required affairs and once he was accepted into the Special Security Force he served in various cities around Anova. Frederic?s attention to detail and excellent swordsmanship has resulted in him steadily rising in rank. In the last six months Frederic was promoted to 1st lieutenant and reassigned to the capitol, Le Monde. Though he has no qualms with the post, he finds being closer to his family, and incidentally matchmaking attempts by certain members, tiring. Frederic does however, enjoy being closer to his twin sister Belmonda and will often spend his free time discussing history and politics with her. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]I really don't see this move by PETA doing anything other than taking them further down that road of portraying themselves as nuts. It just lowers their level of legitimacy in my opinion. As for the bit on vegetarian or not, I view that as a personal choice. And I don't view it as being inhumane if one does eat meat. Like Rach I find the assumption that I am conservative based on the Israel thread very amusing. Like him, I too am a Democrat and have voted in a similar fashion. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][QUOTE=Chabichou][COLOR="#004a6f"]The actions of Israeli state do not represent Jews. I never said such a thing. The state does little to uphold the real teachings of Judaism. When people refer to a country, the are generally referring to their government, not all the people. I'm Canadian, and when I heard that it was the only country to oppose the UN resolution condemning Israel over its actions in Gaza, I was appalled, and likewise, chanted "Shame on Canada" with other Canadians. I am actually quite pleased and happy that there are many Jews who are opposing the attacks on Gaza. Here in Canada, 8 Jewish women occupied the Israeli consulate on January , and demanded for Israel to end its atrocities. Likewise, there is also some Jews in Israel, though they sadly make up a small minority, opposing the actions of their government.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]You are misunderstanding me and it's my fault for not being more clear. I do not accept the stance that[I] either[/I] government is like Nazi Germany or is free of blame. Just as Israel has a responsiblity to their people so does Hamas and in my opinion, both of them are failing. My stance is more in favor of Israel since I feel Hamas is failing their people more (something James already covered so I'll not repeat it), but by no means do I see the responsiblity exclusively falling on Israel or do I see them as a Nazi type government. [quote name='Chabichou][COLOR="#004a6f"']Accept responsibility? What did the innocent people in Gaza do justify their brutal slaughter? How about Israel accept responsibility for their crimes rather than blaming their own victims?[/color][/quote]What did the innocent people in Israel do to warrant having rockets fired? People have covered it in here already. Both sides are to blame, not just one. I'm not going to argue in circles with you since you seem to have the agenda of placing the blame solely on Israel. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Chabichou][COLOR="#004a6f"']I think it's about high time that people recognize Israel for what it is: a terrorist state, comparable to Nazi Germany. [/COLOR][/quote]That depends on who you ask really. [URL="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jan/12/gaza-israelandthepalestinians"][U]Thousands of Jews rally against Hamas[/U][/URL] I no more accept your post that Israel is like Nazi Germany than I do of the other side saying the same thing. In all honesty.. [B]shame on[I] both[/I] of you[/B] for making such broad sweeping generalizations against an entire nation/people. All I see right now are people pointing fingers instead of accepting responsiblity and trying to work towards peace. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='chibi-master']*still not satisfied* C'mon, they couldn't just change the kids' names?! There HAVE to be better reasons, and I want to know what they are!:animestun If not, then this sounds sort of illegal to me...[/quote]I imagine they have other reasons and due to the high profile nature of this, stemming mainly from the incident with the cake, we're not likely to find out until after it's been reviewed. I know the source is Fox so overlook that since this part of an article is something I agree with: [quote][FONT="Arial"]Forensic psychologist N.G. Berrill said naming a boy Hitler could be considered child abuse. "Part of it is the infantile nature of the parents? behavior," Berrill said. "You can name your dog something weird, but they think they?re making some kind of bold statement with the children, not appreciating that the children will have separate lives and will be looked at in a negative light until they?re able to change their name. It is abuse." Last year, a New Zealand court removed a 9-year-old girl from her parents in order to change her birth name: Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii. In that country, officials do not deem a name abusive unless it causes serious bullying.[/FONT][/quote] The rest is [URL="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479904,00.html"][U]here[/U][/URL] if you want to read it. I cannot see any reason for giving a kid a name like that either. The moment someone does, I have doubts about their ability to raise a kid. Since that kind of thing indicates they are ignoring the likelihood that such names would potentially be a source of grief for the kid in question. I don't know what the reason is, but I sincerely hope those names are dealt with. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Allamorph][FONT="Arial"']I rather liked the bit about the inevitability of the war and its implications on fate, myself, so we'll see how that gets handled in the new one.[/FONT][/quote]That's the part that has me at least curious enough to bother seeing it when it comes out. Anyway I do agree that any form of look-a-like for Arnold would probably be better than a digital makeover. Though I'm also of the opinion that if he really can't be in it at all, they should just leave it alone. There's no reason to force it just for the sake of his face being in the film.[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]I think there's no doubt that the kid is just nuts. If not video games, it would have been something else I'm sure. I agree with the sentiment that he's crazy for plotting to kill his parents and make it look like a murder suicide. I have to wonder how he thought he was going to manage to continue his lifestyle of gaming all day long with no parents to support that habit. I sincerely hope they try him as an adult and put him away for a very long time. With no games of course. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]Oh where to begin since accidents are what I deal with. o_O Lets see... [I]*hunts for the right article...*[/I] Here we are: [URL="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5018706"][U]Drivers have trouble navigating through snow storm[/U][/URL] Now of interest are the collection of pictures posted. First we have a vehicle that ended up in a river, please note that it is one of those so-called four wheel deals. People always forget how their greatest asset is to get you going, not to stop. Then next one is yet another so-called four wheeler, off to the side and stuck. Not all of the pictures relate to actual accidents but every year I always see some pretty crazy stuff out there. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='SunfallE][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]If it helps there is a bit on it which can be found in the opening post for the backstage of the previous rp. Here's a link to it: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58301"][U]post[/U][/URL] [/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]Thanks for the link, reading the material in that first post cleared up some of the questions I had about certain aspects of this paticular rp. There is one thing that is most peculiar though. It seems that I should know the image used in the Chronicle about CHAOS. It is oddly familiar for some reason but I can't seem to place it. Also, though my character isn't going to be directly associated with the church, I rather like the idea of a more focused and balanced organization. Instead of the tired and clichéd fanatical or evil approach that seem to be so popular in movies and stories. I much prefer that and since I intend to have a character who is a member of the Special Security Force's, I think that difference would show up in their attitude towards the church guard as a whole. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]That is hilarious, both the slogans and the angry response to it. I find it highly amusing that anyone would get upset over the ads. I certainly pay no attention whatsoever to the religious ones I see. The whole thing is wonderfully tongue in cheek and frankly, in my opinion, it's about time someone thought to do it. :animesmil[/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]A lot has already been said on this subject so I'll skip straight to how I see it and I think this comic says it quite well. [URL="http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/8948/comicsc8.jpg"][U]Comic[/U][/URL] Also, please don't get the impression that I'm saying one side is without fault. This is my opinion of the current situation, not the entire conflict as a whole. That has been going on since before I was born so I don't intend to try and stuff all of that into my post here. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]This definitely looks promising. I'm interested in joining it. However, other than to indicate that I'd like to work with the Special Security Force's or rather create a character that is associated with that, I don't have much else to offer. I only just got through all the information in this thread. And that doesn't include the previous chapter if I were to go find it and read it. Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and start working on what I have in mind and I assume that when sign ups are finally being accepted, a new thread will go up in the Auditions part of OtakuBoards. [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"]We had snow the week before and on Christmas day. It's nice and pretty as they put it, but I hate the poor weather since it makes my job harder. Right now it's easing off, but I could live without getting any snow during the winter. We always get something though, even if it's just in the mountains, so I still get to deal with it no matter what. lol [/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][quote name='Rachmaninoff']That's part of why I honestly just don't care. I know that no matter who he picks, someone will be mad or upset. He could have chosen better (in my opinion), but at the same time, I'm sure he could have chosen someone even worse.[/quote]That sums up my feeling on the matter as well since no matter what Obama does, someone will be upset. I don't like the choice, but I don't see it as the end of the world either. [/FONT]