Charles

I can't stand the term "evil." It's lost a lot of its weight, honestly. Especially following 9/11 and the war on terrorism. I don't intend to turn this into another thread that aims to needlessly bash George Bush--but his speech writers have stretched the word to its greatest possible boundaries, leading it to become nothing more than a catch phrase with no attached meaning. I feel that it became especially humorous when used by him--a reaction detrimental to his intended rhetoric of fear. Thus, in a day and age when everything is "evil," I'm reminded of funny references--like cliché comic book heroes--or Gargamel from The Smurfs. It's just such an overly righteous expression that I can't help but to laugh at the sound of it. Using it seriously is the verbal equivalent of tripping over your toes.

Box Hoy, there's no point in posting a chronicle of ongoing RPGs. If anything, this would be most approrpiate to the confines of a signature. ~_^ I'm going to add this to my compilation of closed threads now.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Hellraizer [/i] [B]damn that was some thing my cat would of thought up of and yes I am a FREAKING GUY!!! damn you all and fine everyone can post. [/B][/QUOTE] Chill out. If you're going to make a lame thread like this, the least you could do is be respectful--and understandable. Look at it this way: you're asking a bunch of strangers to help you romance a girl they don't even know instead of translating your own feelings towards her into words. Sincerity is important--your stab at wooing her is synthetic at best. We're not re-writing [b]Casablanca[/b] here. You could probably tell her that she's sweet and cool and that you like her. At this stage of your lives everything would go well enough with that. So, I don't know what you're looking for here. lol

Well, I just disabled this ability; I'm sure that members were not supposed to have it in the first place. Members don't have the ability to close their own threads, so I don't think they should be able to delete them. It's a responsibility I feel staff should handle. If I'm wrong, it'll be easy to fix it regardless. But, considering what happened today where a rather large thread was deleted by a member for seemingly no reason, I doubt that'll be the case.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Leh [/i] [B][size=1]I remember Surge. It was disgusting, unless it was warm. o.O[/size] [/B][/QUOTE] I know what you mean! Although I didn't find it disgusting when cold, I preferred it warm. At one time, Surge was my favorite soda; my friends and I would go to a corner store and treat ourselves to our own individual two liter bottles. Eventually, I was able to down mine pretty quickly--what a terrible mistake that turned out to be. The gas was painful. All in all, it was much better than Jolt. So, yes, I too miss this wonderful beverage.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Viper0529 [/i] [B]Both games are good, and CS is probably better on the X-box because of downloads and extra maps. Just trying to help :). [/B][/QUOTE] Rainbow Six 3 has these as well. ;)

I enjoyed the Resident Evil remake but Resident Evil Zero disappointed me greatly. Despite the amazing visuals and intriguing cooperative gameplay structure, it just wasn't very exciting. I actually progressed pretty far into the game and enjoyed myself despite the familiar out-of-place puzzle sequences and the series' signature menial tasks. But, the second I found a crank (after pushing crates around), I hit the power button, placed the game back into its case and traded it in. lol I just couldn't stand the lack of originality. Obviously, the puzzles weren't a revolutionary step for the series at all. Much of the time I was performing the same tasks I've been doing for years in these games. The only exception being, I would have to send items to my partner on a different floor once we became seperated. Honestly, despite the original Resident Evil being a remake on the GameCube, it offered more original ideas than Zero did. Especially involving the zombie characters.

I thought it was a generally worth seeing. It's impressive that they pulled it off. So, I give the film points for being ambitious and stylish. Hosting the majority of the film in one small area worked in favor of [b]Phonebooth.[/b] The tension was there (it mounted as the film progressed too) and it generated excitement. I also enjoyed the feeling of desperation. I mean, this guy who has so much control is trapped inside of a glass box and put on trial, so to speak, by an invisible judge. He has no control over this situation. He's helpless. It's almost like he's facing the wrath of God--because the sniper is a foreign entity that knows everything about him and has the ability to take his life in an instant. Furthermore, some of the situations the sniper put him in were very compelling. So, that was all expertly done. There was also a nice mix of humor integrated into the action. [spoiler]For example, I love when he got into the altercation with the prostitutes and one of them accused him of hurting their "dick hand." lol[/spoiler] I understand why people are disappointed with the ending. [spoiler]Film goers automatically expect the sniper to be a recognizable face that provides shock value. I, for one, am glad they decided not to go that route. ^_^[/spoiler]

The best time to have sex is when you're naked. Ahem. Yeah, I'm not going to sit here and give you an age that sanctifies sexual activity. The decision to have sexual relations is a personal one that's different for everybody. Before people are ready for sex though, they must be able to discuss the subject intelligently. Judging by some of the posts I've read in this thread thus far, many of you are definitely not ready for sex because you don't even understand it. Those of you who declare that sex is meaningless or "no big deal" are immediately telling me that you're not ready for the responsibility attached to the decision to have sex. White Mage is a perfect example of this attitude. I won't be hypocritical. I realize, just moments ago, I said there's no definitive age for sexual readiness--but there is a general ballpark estimate. A fourteen year old--a child himself who can't possibly seem to fathom why sex is "a big deal" and couldn't be a successful provider for offspring probably shouldn't be having sex. The maturity level just isn't there yet. I'm not saying that to be insulting, but it's true. People should take the time to grow up before they make grown-up decisions that could have grown-up consequences. People also shouldn't have to ask others when it's the right time to have sex; it's something they should just know. If there's any question to it, they're probably not read yet. Now, personally, I'm not going to preach about chastity. And, I would like it if we could have a discussion where we don't condemn individuals for being sexually open or free. Such behavior is typical in these discussions. I've even seen the makings of it here already. Personally, I don't think people should have to be married before deciding to have sex. I respect those of you who believe people shouldn't have sex for enjoyment. That's fine. I just don't see things that rigidly. I'm not a diehard moral entrepreneur. If two people are responsible and believe they're ready to take that step, I won't complain. What they do in the bedroom is their business alone and I won't judge them. At the same time, I don't think people should screw anything that moves. Again, that maturity level has to be there. If someone's being sexually careless they're putting themselves and others in jeopardy. Thereshould be personal reasons behind the act of having sex and there should be some sort of emotional attachment. One must care enough about the other person enough to commit to them and protect them from careless behavior. Anyway, if I ever have a daughter, there probably won't be an appropriate age for her to have sex. ^_^;;

First of all, one word posts are not allowed, Box Hoy. It's spam and I'm going to delete it. What makes it worse is that the word isn't even spelled correctly. lol Please read our rules. ^_^;; The same goes for you, Skitto. We don't allow double posting or the upload of erroneous images. If you two visit our OtakuBoards Information Center, it'd be just delightful. :) Either that, or I'll be forced to write my own story--and it ends with members that neglected to read the rules being banned. :(

I like [b]Happy Gillmore[/b] and all the rest of his movies that are basically the same exact thing but with a different title. ~_^ [b]Punch Drunk Love[/b] is probably the most original film Sandler has appeared in in quite some time. It's a shame he never developed bigger chops as an actor, like Jim Carey (not that he's even remotely close to being as good as Carey though) for example. He's quickly going the way of Eddie Murphy in my opinion. Anything under the Happy Madison label is formulaic and worthless for that matter, as well.

This reminds me of the thought process Charlie Kaufman went through in [b]Adaptation[/b]. Which, was one of my favorite parts of the movie. This is one of the more difficult pieces there is to pull off because it's random and nonsensical. But, I think you did it exceptionally well. It was a fun read and it didn't hurt my head too much. My only problem with it was that it seemed a bit too conversational. If there were no "you?s" and the narrator was speaking to themselves, I think I'd like it just a touch better. Nevertheless, this is still very wonderful work Alex! ^^;;

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Mitch [/i] [B][size=1] Yes Charles, I was just being sarcastic, and also showing you that originality doesn't matter. See how silly it is to say that, just because Toy Story had the same computer animation as Finding Nemo, that it's not originial? This was my point. Just because Last Samurai took things from Dances with Wolves doesn't make it any lesser of a movie at all. That was my point by what I was saying. And I totally agree with you--Nemo wasn't much like Toy Story at all. Nemo had a deeper, more adult message. I was just pointing out, as I've said, that just because Toy Story has the same computer graphics, that doesn't make Finding Nemo not original; and in comparison and retrospect, just because Last Samurai stole things from Dances with Wolves, that doesn't make Last Samurai any less original or any less better. That's my personal opinion, though, heh. Charles Bobs can have his own. ^_^[/size] [/B][/QUOTE] Well, it's not as if I'm suggesting that [b]The Last Samurai[/b] plagiarized [b]Dance with Wolves[/b] simply because they're live action films. I'm drawing a comparison between [i]plots[/i]. Whereas [b]Finding Nemo[/b] was an original film that appealed to all audiences, [b]The Last Samurai[/b] was a good film [i]despite[/i] recycling and repackaging its story and characters from another film. You've never seen [b]Dances with Wolves[/b] so you obviously don't fully understand why I'm making these comparisons. I'm not just doing it for the sake of doing so. [spoiler]Look at it this way: both films star disillusioned soldiers in the 1870s who become captivated in the ways of "barbarians" and ultimately reject the ways of the white man. Secondly, in both of these films, the characters fall in love with a female member of the barbarian societies. In [b]The Last Samurai[/b], Tom Cruise defends the samurai in their village. He takes up arms and wars for them against his own people. Likewise, Costner's character in [b]Dances with Wolves[/b] defends an indian village and fights side-by-side with the Indians.[/spoiler] So, what we have here is a rehash of [b]Dances with Wolves[/b], but with a Japanese theme. I'm not insisting that [b]The Last Samurai[/b] is a bad movie because of this. But, it certainly doesn't deserve to be rewarded. I don't see why you'd even joke about punishing [b]Finding Nemo[/b] just for having computer graphics. I don't see the comparison. lol While you're obviously allowed to have your own opinion, I can't really take it too seriously since it's not an informed one. See the movie. ~_^ Anyway, I saw [b]Cold Mountain[/b] this past Friday, I certainly think it's deserving of winning something. Not best picture--but best supporting actress for sure.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Mitch [/i] [B][size=1] Charles, if Finding Nemo has a shot, it's not original. It's just like Toy Story, only with fish. :rolleyes: [/size] [/B][/QUOTE] No, it had very little in common with [b]Toy Story.[/b] It's a computer animated film from Pixar. That's it. lol Obviously, [b]Finding Nemo[/b] has a darker, more adult edge to it than [b]Toy Story[/b]. Its message was that handicapped children are often handicapped by others' perceptions of them; their limitations begin with outside influence. [spoiler]In Finding Nemo, we see Nemo's father constantly sheltering his son because of his weak fin. It's his own limited expectations for Nemo that stops him from accomplishing things. He also fails to enjoy the minor details of everyday life because of his father's fear of losing him. So, in a way, the entire movie is about overcoming handicaps. Nemo reaches within and finds his own independence; he discovers that he's capable of great things. His father overcomes the constant fear and paranoia that had plagued his life since the trauma that opened the movie. And, Ellen's character defeats her memory handicap.[/spoiler] By identifying this movie as nothing more than a write-off of [b]Toy Story[/b] you're showing a total misunderstanding of the material and undercutting the powerful message it communicates so well. Think about that! ^_^

All right, I'm going to provide critiques piece-by-piece instead of overwhelming you with one gigantic reply. You've told me that you're confused as a writer, so I'm going to provide my insight to help "clear the cobwebs," so to speak. Keep in mind, that any objections I may have with your writing are being highlighted for the purpose of helping you improve. I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. But, I'll be fair and willing to discuss my observations at length with you. ^_^ [quote][b]She was a most beautiful creature when I first eyed her. She had long black hair, a thin, clear face; petite hands, bony yet well-kept; she had lucent, well-rounded eyes, blue as the ocean. She was a beautiful creature. But only beautiful when I first eyed her.[/b][/quote] This is a very nice beginning. Although, I'm not particularly fond of the use of repetition. This paragraph begins and ends with the same idea. I'm not sure you need that. Cutting out the first sentence would benefit your piece. At least, that's the way I see it. Otherwise, this is very crisp, clean and pretty. It does a nice job of kicking things off in an interesting way. I'm immediately curious. ^^ [quote][b]I first eyed her as I sat getting ready for bed. It had been a tiring day, so I was most tired.[/b][/quote] Again, this is redundant phrasing. You're saying the same thing twice. You don't need to. ~_^ [quote][b]I stood in my room, the lights turned off, sweet music stuck in my head playing, slowly taking off my clothes.[/b][/quote] There's nothing dangerously haphazard in your writing here. Just break this up into two sentences and re-arrange a word or two to accommodate the change. Like this: [quote][b][color=red]I stood in my room, the lights turned off, sweet music stuck playing.in my head. Slowly, I took off my clothes.[/color][/b][/quote] [quote][b]I must have looked like a dark thing in the darkness, just standing there, the black, vague shadows of my shirt as I took it off dancing; the black, vague shadows of my pants as I took them off cadencing about my little room.[/b][/quote] Don't take this the wrong way, but I would completely overhaul this excerpt. To say "I must have looked like a dark thing in the darkness" just doesn't work. It's awkward and silly-sounding. Just read it aloud to yourself. If you truly intend to include a simile here, you've got to come up with something better than "dark thing." Of course this individual looked that way in the darkness. You know? Also, this is all one sentence. You can break after the first sentence and say "I just stood there...". But, at that point, a whole new set of problems present themselves. Plus, is ?cadencing? a real word? I?ve never heard of it. Anyway: [quote][b]just standing there, the black, vague shadows of my shirt as I took it off dancing; the black, vague shadows of my pants as I took them off cadencing about my little room.[/b][/quote] You repeat vague shadows twice. At this point, I'm assuming the repetition must be intentional--something you've incorporated into your style. But, be careful with it. I'm not sure it's contributing to your work in a positive way. Otherwise, this doesn't read well nor does it make very much sense. You're having problems with point-of-view. Let's see if I can clean it up for you: [quote][color=red][b]I just stood there. The the black, vague shadows of my shirt danced as I removed it. My pants as well casted a similar set of shadows about the small area when I took them off.[/b][/color][/quote] See? This is much easier to read and it actually makes sense. Don't try to burden yourself with superflous words. The result will be much more polished. The next part of this paragraph isn't too bad. I'll just add a small layer of polish to it. [quote][b]I am not sure if she was watching me then and there as I undressed. I am not even sure that, if she was watching, her eyes could see my form clearly. [color=red]Perhaps[/color] she was accustomed to darkness and had the abilities to see [color=red]through[/color] it. But that [color=red]was[/color] not for [color=red]me[/color] to concern myself with. [color=red]Regardless of whether she saw me or not, the crossing of our paths was unavoidable.[/color][/b][/quote] Moving on: [quote][b]My room is a small little, homely place. The walls are bare and do not contain anything on them, for I pay little attention to such superfluous things.[/b][/quote] You've told us the walls are bare. So, you don't need to tell us that there's nothing on them. And, "contain" isn't the word you're looking for unless you're referring to the innards of the walls being filled with something. I?ll end this post for now. If you?re interested, I?ll always be glad to do another for you.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by krippled master [/i] [B]you know what, i had a nice post all written up, explaining my reasoning and what not, it even had an apology, but to say the least **** that. Look at you guys, i went a bit over the top, i said what came on my mind at the time because as you said this is a forum where we reply to others posts, and you all jump on me like i am some goon. his bias behavior was towards me, because i suggested something different than what the mod says so he felt a need to strike my idea down. whatever, i could care less, you have an issue with me that you cant debate out, ill be in the battle arena. [/B][/QUOTE] No one is ganging up on you. You're misconstruing the situation. Semjaza's staff position bears zero relevance to this situation. No one is coming down on you for what you said, but rather [i]how you said it[/i]. Of course people are going to address you directly when you unjustly shrug off someone's post as biased. [quote][b]dude, what the heck is your problem. your just looking to argue with me.[/b][/quote] There was nothing in Semjaza's response to provoke that type of response. He simply picked up on something you said and expressed his own insight on the situation. There was no personal motivation or silly ulterior motives behind his reply. If you had disagreed with him sans lashing out like you did, this conversation could have carried on normally without third parties such as myself interrupting to keep things in line. You're very dismissive though. Instead of arguing with facts, you dodge things by calling people "biased" and by playing the victim. All that I ask is that if you have a disagreement, you behave maturely or don't debate at all. If you have a problem with that, I'll see you on the rules page! I'd like to see this thread get back on track now.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by haruno_sakura [/i] [B]Do you mean the only other animated feature to be [i]nominated[/i] for Best Picture was [b]Beauty and the Beast[/b]? Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture ever, but it didn't win. It lost to the Silence of the Lambs, I believe. [/B][/QUOTE] Yes, I apologize. I should have been more clear. I thought I came across well enough at the time. I can see the confusion though. I meant, it has as an opportunity as [b]Beauty and the Beast[/b] did. I can see how my point could be misunderstood though with the way I worded it.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by krippled master [/i] [B]Oh wow, you are the gaming moderator. You are the most bias person in this forum, how did you ever get to be mod? [/B][/QUOTE] He got that position because [i]he knows what he's talking about.[/i] ;) You shouldn't be so defensive, krippled master. Semjaza Azazel isn't personally attacking you. This is what constitutes a discussion. You said something that he (rightfully) disagreed with and he's addressing it accordingly. And, he certainly isn't demonstrating biased behavior. Visit our other gaming forums and read his posts. The only bias I see is coming from your direction. You're the one coming at him with all sorts of backlash. Maybe you should get to know people a bit better instead of jumping to quick conclusions. Or at the very least, understand the material you're discussing. ~_^

I think you LOTR fans are in for a serious dose of disappointment. From what I've been reading, [b]Finding Nemo[/b] has a legitimate shot at winning Best Picture. The only other animated feature to do such a thing was [b]Beauty and the Beast[/b]. So it's in good company, that's for sure. [b]The Last Samurai[/b], although a fantastic movie, was not very original. It borrowed too many elements from [b]Dances with Wolves[/b] to come away with the big one. [spoiler]I also didn't like the thoroughly "Hollywood" kiss scene.[/spoiler] Having said that, I don't think it's serious competition.

I will make my critique broad. It's appropriate for a lot of this guy's posts lately! [center][img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?postid=539916[/img][/center]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by cloricus [/i] [B]As for cleaning the user list, out of all the time I've been here I haven't seen a decent attempt at this. I assume thats some thing to do with users list and gloating? (All boards should go on active user numbers in my opinion.) [/B][/QUOTE] I wouldn't mind trying this myself some time. But, I can't promise you that I'll come out alive. :blush:

Interesting poem, TheFameof_Dying. But, I'm afraid you should have placed a warning label on it. Your lyrics and the image you included with your post aren't appropriate for all members. I'll edit this thread to provide it now. By the way, was your poetry told through the voice of hatred? Or is that your own voice? I also find it interesting that you're sixthcrusifix. You can't deny it either because I know! lol Edit: You know, I think this will become a problem down the road. If you're not him, (which I heavily doubt considering you have the same AOL screen name) you're posting for him. I think I'll just end it now. And for the record, sixthcrusifix was banned because of his atrocious post quality. His terrible attitude was only the icing on the cake. It was nothing personal.

This is good so far. It could benefit from some revision, but you're on the right track. This piece especially shines in its characters most simplistic gestures. Keep in mind that my suggestions are my own only. My banter may be disagreeable on some occasions, but I'll try to do a good job. The emphasis of Tom's superiority left me with mixed feelings. I just didn't detect an air of supremacy here. And, it is clear to me, with or without it being stressed in the narrative, that these two boys share a relationship typical of siblings because it's apparent in the dialogue. Plus, we see that Tom is the director of this plan in the following sentences. Because of that, I didn't find it necessary for the situation to be hammered home. I also find it interesting that you begin to call their mother by her name once the perspective shifts. She seems heavily concerned with appearance, as opposed to her children. Perhaps because she's a young woman, she doesn't see herself as a mother? You suggest an interesting scenario there. Now here are some specific suggestions. [quote][b]The five year old looked toward[strike] the woman in question, in this case[/strike] their mother. She was hanging out the weekly washing and battling the wind at the same time. It was unseasonably windy for summer, and the hot breeze did nothing to alleviate the sweltering Australian temperatures. [/b][/quote] This is a very nice paragraph, A. As you can see, I only want to fuss about one minor detail. Obviously, I don't think you need "the woman in question" here. I mean, we know she's in question. And, through the five-year old's eyes, she's not really "the woman in question." She's just "mom." That's the way young children think. If she were a stranger, it'd be appropriate. But, the relationship between these characters seems intimate. Thus, the phrase comes off sounding a bit out of place and superfluous. I think it'd be more endearing to simply say "The five-year old looked outside at his mother who was hanging out the weekly washing and battling the wind at the same time." Other than that problem, paragraph is simply gorgeous. I'm immediately "there." Very nice. [quote][b]They?d used some blue twine from the cupboard to ?make it pretty?, as Tom had put it. Tom had seen it used is a Christmas catalogue last year, and figured it would be easy to do. They?d tried to use glue, but it hadn?t worked very well, so they ended up snitching the sticky tape from their mother?s draw. The card had been from Tom?s birthday last year, but they?d crossed out the words, ?To My Beloved Son?, and written instead, ?To Mum.? Inside they?d signed their names. [/b][/quote] This part sounds genuine and I'm fond of it. The description of the present is wonderful. The childish innocence behind their little "adventure," if you will, shines through effortlessly. [quote[b]He [strike]the[/strike] smacked the screen door open and barged out to his mother.[/b][/quote] Just a small typo. I'm not even sure you need the "then" in there, either. [quote][b]The object of their prior attention turned and grinned at the two of them, taking in their flushed expressions and sweat-streaked hair.[/b][/quote] I don't think you should label her as an object; it's obvious she's much more than that to them. ~_^ I've already told you my other suggestion regarding the rest of this excerpt, so I'll spare you the redundancy. From this point forward, it becomes apparent, that the perspective shifts and I know that that's what you were going for. I didn't find it confusing. ^_^ Splendid job so far.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Inuyasha7575 [/i] [B]I dont like the fact your hating on HBK the man is old but he is a great wrestler who still has a few years left in him if you want someone to leave get rid of Ric Flair I really think he is out of his prime and it is about time for him to leave the WWE Raw. [/B][/QUOTE] To add to what Shinmaru has said, the tremendous sales of Ric Flair's DVD (which I bought myself) also signal his overwhelming popularity and value to the sport. I suggest it to any wrestling fan; I can promise you you'll have new found respect for Flair after seeing it. Plus, although I'm annoyed when Flair is put over guys like Eddie Guerro and The Hurricane, the WWE mostly uses him as a heel manager as opposed to a wrestler. So it's not really that bad. And yes, his promos are incredible. I'd love to have the ones from the night in Greenville when he challenged Triple H. Both the motivational one with Shawn Micheals and the one where he fired himself up against Triple H. What incredible vignettes.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Dan [/i] [B][color=#006699]I think should point out I've been playing Mario Kart: Double Dash!! as well. To me these two games are just two games you can't compare. They have two whole different premises. They're just un-comparable. But, yes, I still have yet to notice any slow down. Even as I play MK: DD. So find another excuse. ;)[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] I'm not attempting to draw comparisons between the two games or their concepts--just the frame rates. And you can compare frame rates. Need for Speed: Underground probably clocks in at around thirty frames per second [i]at best[/i]. Mario Kart: Double Dash runs at a stable sixty frames per second. I'm not saying there's slow down. But, there is a clear difference in how smoothly the games run. I honestly don't know how you couldn't see the difference unless you lack eyes or suffer from some other kind of disfiguration. Mind you, I'm not pointing this out to say one game is better than the other. It's an example I've brought up to highlight the one drawback the game has that annoys me. It's suffers from a bit of choppiness. So, I don't know who's making excuses here or for what reason, but that's the way it is.