Charles

Ah well, the only detail that actually bothered me here is the fact that the complaint wasn't taken up directly with myself. I don't mind people voicing their concerns about content on the site. Something just rubs me the wrong way when someone creates a public discussion centered around me instead of using the private messaging system to address me specifically. Perhaps I'm just intimidating or something. So yeah, what can you do? :shrugs: heh At this point, I'll just close this thread before it becomes needlessly blown out of proportion. The discussion seems to have served its purpose and that's what's important.

Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't hate his material. Macho Man has always had a unique I've-got-sandpaper-in-my-throat voice that's made him so successful as an orator because he's just plain fun to listen to. Thus far, I've only heard the "Be A Man" song and it appeals to me on a certain level because I know what he's talking about. But, I can't say I think he'll be successful in this rapping stint. You know, it's a totally different audience entirely. Not everyone will be amused by a song shooting on Hulk Hogan. As a matter of fact, I've read that at a recent live performance, the CD started to skip and he obliviously kept lip synching until he was made aware of what was going on. To make a long story short, he was booed tremendously, slammed the mic down in frustration and walked off stage. So, I honestly doubt there's room on the market for an aged white guy who's basically cutting rhyming wrestling promos and calling it rap music.

I won't ever reach my full potential--most of us never will in a literal sense. Intellectually speaking, human potential is almost a limitless well. There are so many avenues of knowledge that can be explored and so many distractions to lure us away from them. Physically, I'm not particularly interested in exposing myself to the grueling training regimen it would take to perfect my body. Unless I was able to do it on a professional level, it would just be impossible because there wouldn't be enough time in the day. When it's all said and done, however, when you can look in the mirror and be satisfied with yourself--the people you've met, your career, the things you've done--and you wouldn't trade it for anything else, then it's possible to fill your full potential for happiness, I think. That's probably what's important, what you choose to take with you in life.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i] [B]I've thought about bringing back my old "Mr. Spanky's" banner, but this place seems a bit more sensitive now than it used to be. I'm sure Charles remembers that banner, at the least heh. [/B][/QUOTE] How could I forget? lol [quote][b]It's against the board rules, it's something I really don't want to look at every time I read a thread in which he's posted, and it could open the gates for even worse avatar/banner behavior by members.[/b][/quote] I never knew you liked to stare at my avatar for extended periods of time instead of actually [i]reading[/i] the content of a thread. I know that all 80 x 80 pixels of it just eat up the entire screen. Go figure. [quote][b]Why didn't you just send him a PM, rather than make a thread about your complaint? That seems a lot more direct... oh well.[/b][/quote] Nope. That can't be. If someone didn't create a thread in this forum whenever I update my avatar, the seasons probably wouldn't change. Anyway, as it has been said, my avatar is based on a wrestler. It's not vulgar in any way.

After various complications (such as my troublesome ISP and contacting judges), we arrive at the Final Round of Otaku Idol--at last. This time, there will be no time complications. We're pulling the final curtain on this baby. Unfortunately, several contestants failed to participate in the previous round and were eliminated from the competition. So, instead of holding a pie eating contest to decide which two competitors would advance, we decided to advance the remaining four idols, Braidless Baka, Lady Asphyxia, Deedlit, and Ajeh, to the finals. For the final round, I will join the judging team. Now, on the surface, the objective of the final round is simple. But, the underlying paradox shall present our contestants with a most perplexing challenge. For this round we would like all of the idols to describe a snow storm to someone that has never seen one. The task may be accomplished with incredible flexibility. It may be of any length our writers see fit. Their approach can be beautiful, it can be scientific and concise. There are many possibilities. The deadline is September 30th, which leaves [i]plenty[/i] of time. Good luck.

I'm not a senior yet. You're looking at the five year plan, here. Lately, I've really been stressed over career decisions. Choosing what route I'm going to take in shaping my life is difficult to say the least. So, I feel your pain. Right now, I'm leaning on becoming an English major because I want to write too. Perhaps an editorial job could come of it. Other than that, I'm not entirely sure. Journalism was an interesting course, but my university focused more on reporting than feature writing. It just didn't suit me. I'm aiming to decide on what I want to do before the second half of the semester. Good luck to both of us. lol

Hey, welcome to OtakuBoards, Bashar. I don't think this thread is really what we're looking for in Otaku Lounge. It's obvious that no valuable discussion is going to rear its head here. Because, there's no room for it. The subject matter is a little too frivolous. Don't get me wrong; we don't look for unbelievably profound threads all the time. But, you know, we have to draw the line somewhere. ^^;; Be sure to check out our OtakuBoards Information Center and browse the site. You'll be able to integrate into the community easily if you follow that advice. For example, you'll find that threads related to anime belong in Anime Lounge. Now, I'm going to close this thread. If anyone wants to discuss anime quizzes with The Bashar, then feel free to use our private messaging system.

It's hard to say, really. There is a huge laundry list of wrestlers I like almost equally. Unfortunately, they're mostly under utilized talent. Off the top of my head, I like The Rock, Rob Van Dam, Randy Orton, Batista, John Cena, Rey Mysterio Jr., Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Spanky, Christian, Chris Jericho, and both Guerros. The Rock and Kurt Angle always belong at the top of my list. They're the best in the business. The Rock may lack in technical skill, but his charisma is incredible and many of his promos become instant classics. What he lacks in the ring, he makes up for with consistency. He can miss six months due to his film career and produce like he never left. And, his mannerisms in the ring always make his matches entertaining to watch. It's like he tells a story. Kurt Angle is like today's Bret Hart. He's got it all. His wrestling fundamentals are only rivaled by Chris Benoit. I've literally ordered pay per views just because they had a match together on the card. Plus, like The Rock and Chris Jericho, Angle is fantastic on the mic. He's proven that at a whim he can be a huge heel, like Triple H, or a strong face, like The Rock. In the long run, I'm looking forward to see what the WWE will do with John Cena and Randy Orton. By my estimation, they have all the credentials necessary to be top players in the business. Their styles of delivering promos are incredible, they've got the look, and their skills in the ring are adequate. If I had to pick five of my favorites, I'd try my best to include them in that list. Perhaps I'll elaborate more when I have the time.

I enjoyed this. It's mighty gosh darn accurate. Especially the part where James beats me in Mario Kart 64. I've not played it nearly enough to be any good. The only flaw in characterization was how KittyLyn turned out to be a bimbo or sorts. Otherwise, it was neat. It's super flattering finding myself in the story, too. Especially since I didn't die in the end. Great job. The fact that I read this, but refused to see [i]Grind[/i] should speak volumes.

The answer is Paul Bearer. I'll throw you guys a bone here. [b]Question[/b]: [i]Who were the only two people to pin Bill Goldberg in WCW and how did they do it?[/i]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by OlgaTheDwarf [/i] [B]Yes, I agree it is mostly memorization, but when you don't have a good memory and you have to know every inch of the levels... It gets rather difficult. [/B][/QUOTE] Well, I don't know that it was that, really. From what I remember, the controls were thoroughly unresponsive for that area. Jumping was particularly a huge problem. I don't know if anyone else had that trouble, but it attributed to the game's high difficulty level in a big way for me.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i] [B]Battletoads was mostly memorization in that level. I had no real problem with it after the first few tries. [/B][/QUOTE] Yeah, but the main problem is that (from what I remember) you share lives with the second player. Once we got past that area, our lives always ran out before we could reach the end of the game. >_<

[i]Who Framed Roger Rabbit[/i] had to be the most difficult Nintendo game ever created. This can not be debated. It is fact. As a youngin' I loved the film. Couldn't get enough of it. So, it was only natural that I should play the game. To make a long story short, I'm sure I returned my copy on the very same day I rented it and made an exchange. The aforementioned [i]Battletoads[/i] was also extremely difficult. Especially, the sequence that involved the toads racing through a cave on some sort of jet-powered car. Maddening--simply maddening. Factor in the lack of continues and you're looking at one formidable gaming experience. I also recall [i]Contra[/i] being somewhat of a big challenge. The memory of shooters where the player dies in one hit warms my heart. Unfortunately, I've never gotten around to playing the Playstation 2 version, which is touted to torture the player with a staggering difficulty level.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Leh [/i] [B][size=1][b]I'm studying Spanish right now, and I'm falling in love with it. [color=blue]Como estas?[/color][/b][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] Whoa. It's obvious that your teacher better watch out. His/her job could be in jepordy with this vast knowledge you've already accumulated. I'm not any better, though. I took multiple Spanish classes and I could never speak it well. I've also taken German and French. For some reason, I could never develop an interest in them. If I had to guess, I would say it's because the class sizes were too large and the courses were more of a large game than intellectually stimulating.

Hey, welcome to OtakuBoards, Adahn. Great post. Very thought provoking. [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Adahn [/i] [B]Those who have no religion, correct me if i'm wrong, would probably consider themselves at the center of the universe. If you believe there is no life after death, then life must be spent with the knowledge that your own life is the most important part of you. If you recognize yourself as all-important, then the most sacred knowledges must be gained through life, and true insight must also be gleaned from the unknown, because the most sacred things are those not easily obtained.[/b][/quote] There's an old saying that says "If donkeys had gods, they would be donkeys." I'm paraphrasing, so if there are any literature fanatics or philosophy buffs reading this, please don't shoot me. The exact wording isn't important for the purposes of this post anyway. What I'm trying to impress upon you, is that our species does not consider itself the center of the universe because of religion. Rather, religion is a direct product of a preexisting, natural attitude. Any species capable of intellectual thought enjoys the idea that it's the best species: the most beautiful, the most intelligent, the likeness of God. That is precisely why Gods adopt humanistic characteristics in popular religion or in literature. The Greek Gods, for example, quarreled, had furniture, and enjoyed wine. With or without religion, I'm convinced that people will try to get the most out of life. Humanity's greatest quest is their pursuit of knowledge--even if it does contradict religious belief. Religion was only created for the purposes of establishing a code of law, and to give people explanations when the science just wasn't there to provide answers. You can also factor in how people lived off the land and had a very pessimistic attitude depending on the reliability of rivers and such to provide water reserves. Gods provided hope for a people who spent their entire lives toiling under manual labor. Today, I think people are interested in making things better for their children than they are entering the eternal gates of Heaven. [quote][b]This brings me to dreams. [/B][/QUOTE] I wrote a paper on dreams for psychology class. It may be of some interest to you. So, I'll provide it. Just keep in mind that it's very poor. The information is accurate, but it's quite redundant because I wasn't interested in writing it. I was trying to fill up the space necessary to complete the assignment, so skim it if you'd like: The Freudian view holds that dreams stem from unacceptable, hidden wishes and fears. However, psychiatrists such as Allan Hobson suggest that dreams are caused by spontaneous electrochemical signals in the brain, and their meaning is transparent, not obscure. So, the question remains: Are dreams really a pathway to interpreting and understanding the unconscious and cognitive reality, or are they merely an abstract jumble of meaningless sensations and abstract thought? We all accept, as commonplace, that dreams bubble up from a troubled subconscious, that they represent hidden and mysterious wishes, and that they require deciphering (Dolnick 54). But, one must question whether the flood of images that constitute our cognitive visions are merely bits and pieces of wandering thoughts that are even possible to interpret, in the first place. Although the brain is active while one is sleeping, there is little awareness to suggest that the brain is capable of stringing together logical, coherent thoughts in the form of visions. Hobson notes that the dreaming brain works under adverse conditions deprived of any access to information from the outside world while laboring to fashion a tale from a cascade of internally generated signals (Donlick 55). It tends to piece images together, as it would a puzzle, and the end result isn?t always complete. Hobson suggests that the dreamer is a kind of sorcerer?s apprentice, racing madly to keep up with a flood of images as the core of his theory. Every night, he says, the dreaming brain automatically generates a barrage of signals that we do our best to assemble into a coherent story (Dolnick 55). However, although the imagery itself conveys no valid ?message,? the stream of consciousness has the potential to do so, as a free writing exercise would. Unconscious thoughts pour out into the stream of consciousness. Dreams and free writing can both present discernable patterns. According to John Suler, a psychologist from Rider University, people, things, or events from the previous day that get incorporated into a dream were put there for a reason. They touched off ideas, feelings, and memories in the unconscious. Examining your thoughts and feelings about these events from the day will help you understand the dream and why it is "commenting" on these events. So, although he acknowledges the meaning behind dreams, he in no way endorsed the theory that dreams are prophecies. This way of thinking falls in line with that of modern dream interpreters. They feel that dreams can be triggered by a myriad of things. Emotional concern, or sex aren?t necessarily triggers for dreams alone, according to this view. Furthermore, dreams aren?t supposed to reflect a universal symbolism--they rely on symbols and metaphors to convey meaning rather than as disguises to obscure it. Belief plays a major role in the credibility of dreams. Belief is thus the mental state or function of cognizing reality. ?Belief? will mean every degree of assurance, including the highest possible certainty and conviction (James 283). Someone might see a coat rack with a coat and hat on it, as pointed out by Hobson, but they might see a person standing there. In such a case, someone is filling in the gaps. So, just as people reassure themselves of an object?s existence via perception, they are able to fill in the gaps in their dreams and create meaning. The fact that dreams are bizarre or hard to remember, lies in the aforementioned point that the brain is operating under adverse conditions. We forget them [dreams] because the dreaming brain happens to be deprived of certain chemicals that are essential for storing memories (Dolnick 56). Therein lies another distinction between the scientific dream theory and a general theory of consciousness. A student of the latter theory might conclude that it is sometimes difficult to remember a dream because it is uncensored and too painful to recall. The main conflict between someone like Hobson and dream groups who believe in the Freudian theories, is the value of dreams, whether or not they?re a truth to the unconscious and truths that might otherwise be missed. It?s all a question of the value of dreams, in this sense. ?But is the dream uniquely valuable, uniquely informative? I would have to say a qualified no. I am just not sure it?s all that useful? (Dolnick 61) Other psychologists, such as Gayle Delaney, for instance, view dreams as invaluable in therapy--a powerful tool. The critical differences between Hobson?s view and Freud?s are as follows: dreams are not obscure, but transparent, dreams are not censored, but unedited; dreaming is not triggered by daily events that resurrect buried memories but is a process as automatic as breathing. (Dolnic 55). So, it?s not the psychological significance of dreams that Hobson doubts, but the scientific nature surrounding them. When using dreams as an x-ray into a patient?s mind, psychologists might observe patterns in dreams. Suler points out that changes in dreams can represent changes in one?s self and recurring dreams can point to a persistent theme or issue, such as ?unsettled business.? He also points out the dream-ego, as Jung called it, can represent hidden parts of one?s life. Hobson doesn?t completely disagree with theories like these. They are revealing, he says, much as interpretations of Rorschach inkblots can be (Dolnick 55). It?s the randomness that muddles dreams that concerns him. A multitude of current problems and crisis can mix with past events and fears, blurring the meaning surrounding them. Finding out where the meaning lies, is the most complicated part--separating the wanted from the unwanted, unscrambling the jumble. It exists, to be sure, in a fashion, for it forms the content of that mind?s hallucination; but the hallucination itself, though unquestionably it is a sort of existing fact, has no knowledge of other facts?(James 288). Dream journals, in a way, can be a useful means of comparing dreams, pulling pieces from them, and separating the extraneous from the important issues. Hobson and Suler, both note the usefulness of the journals. It can be a way to open up the dream life, according to Suler. Such a way of systematically thinking, may allow dreams to be interpreted more clearly and more in-depth. There?s no clear evidence to say which school of thought is superior to the other. But, as pointed out, both sides do recognize measures to sort through dreams and derive significant interpretation. Can dreams be interpreted? The short answer is yes, it is possible to extract some meaning from them. But, without proper interpretational methods, such as free writing exercises, dialogue, dream enactment, and the ability to recognize dream intangibles, as pointed out by Suler, dreams can lead to misinterpretation if too heavily relied upon. Hobson once said that the phrase ?I have a dream,? should read ?a dream had me.? In the end, dreams are a product of who we are and how we perceive reality. Their truth is limited to those things much like how a computer is only as perfect as its programmer. So, when one asks what dreams are made of, whether one believes that they?re made of the cobblestones on the road to the unconscious or transparent thoughts rendered by the brain, the answer is clear. Dreams aren?t made of anything--they?re made of us, by us. If our perception of reality solely determined dreams, then animals or infants wouldn?t dream. In the end, dreams may reflect who we are, what we want to be, don?t want to be, or are afraid to be among a myriad of other thing-- but only to a certain extent.

Okay, I'm finally back after a slight hiatus that can be attributed to AOL. ^_^ The sky is gray, almost like it's painted-on. It's midday and there are no cars in sight. It's one of those days where everything is glass. Glass buildings, glass people, glass dreams, everything glass at the seams. It's all fragile-like, and he feels like a bull in a china shop. Touch something and it's bound to break. That's how it is. It's one of those days, all right--he can see what's coming because it has nothing to hide behind. Time tends to slow in intense situations--when you're waiting for something to happen--and you know it's just there, but it hasn't happend yet--still coming--but not yet. This one is no different. And without warning--it?s there. Endless images of his presence roll over in his mind successively. Endless cackling faces, volatile grins, unstable pupils and his massive hulking presence consume his thoughts. Nothing else is there? but HIM. He's never seen him--but he's still there. He's created him. His own version of him. The thoughts won't escape Genocide. He is submersed in them, so much so that he walks like a zombie just to escape them--now unaware of the world around him. That's when his phantom becomes something different. Something familiar. Something that is [I]true evil.[/I] Adorned in a massive black trenchcoat with a dangling, lush mane of jet black hair hanging down to his shoulders, the breadth of the man is awe-inspiring. He is, to put it quite frankly... enormous. The figure?s head is turned down and slightly raised to one side as he smirks evilly, before bringing back his hand, connecting with Genocide's jaw. Before cinching his paw around his throat and lifting him high into the air. He notices a miniature metal cross stabbed into his tormentor?s neck before the grip of reality shakes him from another night?s torture. Genocide had awoken, still laying in the same place he?d been forced to endure HIS presence last time, and although he was alone when he woke, he felt better off getting the hell out of there just as soon as he could. Judging from the absolute void of night, he?d guess it to be about 4am. But that?s not what?s important here, only getting away from this place matters. Popping his 1984 Grand Marquis into gear, Genocide peels out of the shoulder and onto the road, kicking up an invisible cloud of dust, thanks to the darkness of the night. He peels away into the moonlight, not seeing the miniature metal cross stabbed into the top of his trunk, making some sort of blasphemous insignia for the rear of his car? Genocide?s hellian driving continues into the night. Flying down the back roads in excess of 75 miles an hour, he?s come near death several times. However, he feels like he?s been assisted by something--a few of those corners, he was sure he?d lost it, but somehow, he came through. He dares not think why that was--he just has to get to his office. His one escape.

Chris Kanyon was known as: 1) Mortis 2) Positively Kanyon 3) Chris "Champagne" Kanyon Here is my question, assuming my answer is correct: [b]Queston[/b]: [i]Who did D'Lo Brown defeat in order to obtain the European Championship for the first time?[/i]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by shadowthegunner [/i] [B]I have never played this so called soul calibur 2.... Is it true on playstaion 2 you get to use spawn? [/B][/QUOTE] It's not "so-called." That's the official name. :rolleyes: And no, the exclusive character for the Playstation 2 version is Heihachi. Spawn is featured in the Xbox rendition of the game. Overall, I personally prefer Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution to Soul Calibur 2. There's little innovation to be found in Namco's fighter. Which, isn't a [i]terrible[/i] thing, per se. But, when you've already put generous hours into the original Calibur, it's slightly disappointing. For all intents and purposes, it's a refined version of an outstanding game. The character balance is spot-on, the music is sweeping and beautiful, and the fighting is difficult to truly master, but quite fun. So, it's not such a chore. Perhaps if Namco had chosen to introduce some truly original characters to the cast instead of recycling move sets, I would have had more fun with this one. That would have spiced things up nicely, for sure. That lack of initiative on Namco's part is essentially what mars an otherwise wonderful experience.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Lady Macaiodh [/i] [B][COLOR=darkblue][size=1]You sounded like (and no offense by this whatsoever) an innocent little girl just waiting to be corrupted.[/size][/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] Well, that about sums up how I sound too! :blush: Nah, but seriously, I'm not aware of my accent. Although I'm close to Philadelphia, it's thankfully not even remotely similar to South Filthy talk. It's hard to distinguish exactly what a New Jersey accent sounds like since we're such a joke of a state. Practically speaking, it's probably similar to most northern states. I remember there was an audio file posted of me in the poetry forum somewhere, so if people want to hear me, that's the route they want to take. It's a joke file, so it's not [i]exactly[/i] what I sound like, but a fairly good indication of my Godly "innocent girl" voice nevertheless.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by PoisonTongue [/i] [B]An english degree is basically worth nothing if you don't decide to teach, and really it only gives you leeway to bull**** about literature. [/B][/QUOTE] Yes, and this has caused me much stress and anguish, as of late. English is the only thing I'm really interested in, but I don't want to teach. :nervous: Getting to the point--of course I've had my share of poor teachers. Most of us have. Fortunately, the number of adequate teachers I've encountered in the educational system have outnumbered the bad. And, that's only natural, I think. If one doesn't have a passion for what they do, they absolutely won't last long at all. Sadly, a bad teacher isn't always a miserable person. A select few just can't reach their class. Their teaching methods are mundane, or they're hesitant to set an example and take disciplinary action on disruptive students. I've seen it happen more than I'd like to and it's almost painful. Once one proves they can walk all over the instructor, the rest of the class is sure to follow. When such a thing happens, no one learns at all. It's just pandemonium.

I know that there hasn't been recent discussion of this film. Meaning, there are no similar topics within immediately recent times. Yet, the thread we did have was fairly large and encompasses everything of importance that can be talked about at this time. There's very little to talk about here that hasn't already been covered and there's little value in reiterating old discussion. For your interests, you may access the older thread at this location: [url]http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=26994&highlight=Pirates+of+the+Carribean[/url] Barring the possibility of discussing an eventual DVD with extra material, there's no point in creating threads related to this movie. And, Michelangelo, your post isn't up to what we expect from our members here. In the future, put more thought into your posts and elaborate on your opinions. A visit to the OtakuBoards Information Center at the top of the main page is seriously suited to your best interests if you wish to remain a member here.

I'm very moody during the morning hours. Generally, it's because I'm awake because I [i]have[/i] to be, and not because I actually want to be. There are very few days when I achieve a complete night of rest. Therefore, my morning personality shares an alarming number of traits with Frankenstein or some other sort of shuffling undead creature. Sometimes it's vaguely amusing when I'm sort of trapped between the planes of sleep and consciousness. It's neat when I talk about stuff from my dreams because I haven't been awake long enough to know that they aren't real. Other than that, being sleepy during the morning portion of the day isn't a pleasant experience--for me or anyone around me. ^_^

Hey, welcome back Jamvis. If you're looking for quotes, there was a recently closed topic with exactly what you're looking for. You can find it here: [url]http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=15109[/url] It's quite an expansive thread, so it should suit your needs. Also, feel free to use our search engine to find similar threads. I know they've been done repeatedly in the past.

First of all, this thread should have been created in the Square Enix forum. Secondly, this guy is banned, so there's no much point in allowing this discussion to remain open. I can only express my wish that people would actually try [i]searching[/i] for these games on the Internet or small shops that still carry SNES games before posting threads that only ask a simple question. Heck, these titles are even included in compilation discs for the PSX. Ah well. No point in going on about this.

The premise of the Buu saga was almost identical to every other saga. Its lack of originality did not earn it points in my book. If you analyze DragonBall Z, the show's recipe doesn't benefit from too many interesting ingredients. From the Furiza saga on, we're introduced to dilemmas where a villain threatens to conquer the universe for whatever reason. Their agenda usually isn't very deep or poetic. They're evil and they must be defeated. The heroes train and attain higher power levels. After the protagonists get a few hits in on the antagonist, he transforms and the heroes must achieve even [i]greater[/i] power levels to combat him. Eventually the side of good prevails in the face of seemingly impossible odds. And that's the gist of Dragonball Z right there. lol It only became more annoying when the ability to regenerate lost body parts was introduced to the villains. It only added to the unnecessarily prolonged sagas. Particularly in the case of the Buu saga, there were too many confusing gimmicks used to stretch out the series' lifespan.