James

[color=#707875]If you've noticed the new banner on OtakuBoards, you'll notice that we're looking to spruce up OB for the holiday season. After some discussion on the subject, I've decided to turn things over to the members once more. I want someone here to design a Christmas-themed banner for OtakuBoards -- one to replace our current grainy placeholder. What are the requirements? Simple, really. 1) A Christmas theme, with the words "Seasons Greetings" somewhere on the image. 2) The same links as what we have on the current banner. 3) The OB logo somewhere on the banner (Century Gothic font, with "Boards" in bold). And that's it! In terms of size requirements -- there are none. Hoewever, try to keep the banner a similar size to what we have now. Whether it's a little bigger or a little smaller is up to you -- as long as all the links are readable and as long as it's nice and clear. I will close the competition over the weekend -- probably Sunday afternoon/evening. So, you guys don't have very long to get in gear and come up with something. The winner will be credited in a site announcement, when chosen. Good luck! [/color]

[color=#707875]Yeah, it would actually be preferable for people to use Queen Asuka's site, rather than OtakuBoards itself. [/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Crimson Spider [/i] [B] But many over time have known the existance of a superior race. The problem lies with not knowing which one it is. And thus, the quest for which one is better (ultimatly trying to prove one's own race is superior) had started, and that leads to nothing but trouble. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Tell me, Crimson Spider...which race [b]is[/b] superior? In relation to gender...being "different" doesn't mean that both are not "equal". You can have equality while also having diversity. If a man and a woman both exercise all the time...the man will ultimately be the physically stronger individual. I don't think anyone is questioning that. That's just how mankind has evolved; it's the same with many other species (although in some species, the female is actually the bigger/stronger individual...like spiders and other invertibrates, for example). But the fact is, our society isn't based purely on these extremely basic aspects of nature. Men don't have to go and hunt down food for the family in the society that you and I live in. And, by the same token, women don't have to spend all their time at home rearing children in this society either. Because we have developed beyond those basic fundamentals in our everyday lives. And we do know that men and women are capable of achieving the same feats on a mental level -- women can become lawyers, doctors, writers, painters and so on, the same as men. Women can also become national leaders (like Margaret Thatcher, Gloria Arroyo and Helen Clark for example). We [i]know[/i], through experience, that the playing field is pretty darn equal when it comes to cerebral matters. And I think that's the most important aspect of it. The problem is that some of you are taking "equality" too literally. I mean, my own physical makeup is going to be different to another male -- does that mean that one of us is superior to the other? Of course not. Not only is the idea of superiority subjective...but also, again, "different" doesn't necessarily mean "better". And even if you called one person "better" than another...how do you decide that? On looks? Or on sense of humor? Or intelligence? Or how good they are at sport? And who makes the decision? You? Me? *shrug* This is why I find the whole "debate" over which gender is better to be pretty moot at this stage. Not only is the actual idea of "better" extremely vague and subjective...but the idea that we, as people living and working in modern society, would actually spend our time trying to find an answer to that question (a silly question in the first place), is pointless. [/color]

[color=#707875]I think it's just a question of time and development. Long ago, you'd never have seen a black Secretary of State. Now you do. One day, you'll see a female President, a black President, a gay President, etc. So it's not a matter of "if", but "when", I think. That becomes even more evident if you look at society's development through history. We always tend to become more tolerant and intelligent/socially developed as time goes on. New Zealand even has a transgendered Senator. So there you go. So yeah. I think that every "group" in society will probably have an opportunity at some point in history...whether it's in 2008 (next elections after November next year), or whether it's in fifty years. *shrug* And Cloricus...bypassing the censor is a violation of the rules. So is posting something like "*taps foot patiently*" as the entire content of one post. You should know better. There are only so many warnings myself or other staff can dish out.[/color]

[color=#707875]Compared to much of your other work, Baron, I think this is a big step up. It's a step up in the sense that the use of colour is very strong and the composition works pretty well. It also comes across as being very crisp and "professional", rather than sloppy. So, I like it. I'm a big, big fan of strong/vivid colours. While it's nice to go for a more subdued monochrome look now and then...there's nothing like some vivid colours. It makes me appreciate the fact that I'm not colour-blind or something. It's just too good to miss out on. So yeah, thumbs up for this one. I don't know if I'd actually give you a "score", because I generally don't do that in here. But I do like it -- I also like the border. It doesn't overpower the work.[/color]

[color=#707875]I didn't mind the concept of having voice work in FFX -- and I thought that most of the voices were suitable (save for the awful acting with Yuna). The main problem I had was either a) lines being delivered badly or b) the inability to scroll through conversations more quickly. I remember that there were a few parts where I'd saved before fighting a boss. And before the boss, I'd have to listen to a big conversation. That's fine -- but if I ever died on the boss, I'd have to go through that all over again...without any way of fast forwarding through it. It was really annoying, to the point where I'd simply not play because of that obstacle. I wouldn't mind if there was voice in a Zelda game...primarily because I assume that Nintendo would do it justice. I mean, I could never have imagined Mario talking -- but Nintendo found someone who got his voice [i]just right[/i]. Now I'm really glad that Mario talks, because it's added to his persona so much more. And his voice is so utterly unmistakable. Link has already had his "ugh" and "arrrgh!" type sounds in OoT and MM. And you'll notice that the young version of link always sound pretty much the same in any of the newer games. So presumably there's a relatively small extension to actually go from that to speech. But who knows. Either way, I still don't mind reading text. Also...the mention of voice in Final Fantasy's FMV is an interesting thing. I think that the lack of voice in the FMV of pre-FFX games was actually something that worked to the game's benefit. It was like watching a silent movie, I guess. I remember the part in FFVIII when Squall encounters Edea at the end of the first disc...and when he [spoiler]falls off the float, with Rinoa calling out...and the camera panning out rapidly over the city.[/spoiler] I thought that was really effective; voice may have actually hurt it. You could sort of hear her scream, but as a background element. It was like this awful tragedy had occurred and everyone else in the crowd was oblivious. It was also as though her scream was reaching out across the entire city in that sequence. I think it just captured the emotion very well. In that sense, I think Square always did the FMV very well -- it wasn't there just for no reason...it was there to express an idea or an emotion. Real time graphics would never have been able to achieve that, really. It reminds me of when [spoiler]Cloud drops Aeris' body into the pool when she dies[/spoiler]. That just couldn't have been done the same way with real-time graphics. The FMV gave it a sense of heightened emotion. As far as it being jarring going between FMV and real time...I never really thought about it. I guess because I was just able to imagine it working together. I mean, I didn't have to always see the FMV to get an impression in my head of how those characters looked. It's like using icons to represent something. I don't know how I'd explain it. I can see how it would be jarring though, especially if you aren't used to FMV at that point. But I always really saw it as an effective tool -- provided that it doesn't take up the bulk of my time, or that it actually does something relevant to the story.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Bloodsin [/i] [B]Thus the "However". Such words as "However", as here compared, have an adversative sense in reference to something referred to in the context. However is the most general, and leads to a final conclusion or decision. Thus we say, the truth, however, has not yet fully come out; i.e., such is the speaker's conclusion in view of the whole case. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Maybe I'm not concentrating or something, but I didn't understand a word of that. It was just really, really poorly written. I didn't get a sense that you were trying to show two contrasting viewpoints in your post...I was only getting a sense that your conclusion contradicted your original submission. So, apparently I'm not the only one with that viewpoint. And, yeah, TVE...I think wrist cutter was joking. It's his thing. ~_^[/color]

[color=#707875]I agree with you. Each member should only have one thread to themselves for pictures. However, we may not be keeping the Your Picture forum for the next version of the boards. Instead, we might be asking people to keep a personal picture in their profile, rather than on the boards themselves. So we'll see how it goes. If the forum remains on the next version of the site, we will probably have a system put in place to deal with multiple threads.[/color]

[color=#707875]We allow members to save up to 20,000 messages across all folders. So yeah. That's the limit. ^_^[/color]

[color=#707875]Yeah...even the fact that you mention "dungeons" makes me think that FFVII isn't your cup of tea. ~_^ I don't think I'd even compare FFVII to traditional RPGs. Honestly, the more I think about it...it's kind of halfway between one genre and the next. I didn't particularly go in expecting an old school Final Fantasy, though. In terms of plot devices...I agree that FMV tends to be over-used. However, what would other games do? They'd show that sequence in real time...or with text...or not at all. So, FMV is just a technique to do the same thing, really. I enjoyed the FMV in FFVII, because it wasn't over-used. But in some later games (particularly FFIX), it was used frequently. I actually liked the FMV in FFIX because it was so gorgeous...but obviously it cut into playing time and it didn't really deliver much in the way of narrative.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i] [B]I think you know me well enough to know that I don't simply lash out on games for no just cause. I've been playing FF games since the first year they hit the US. Yet, I do have a poor opinion of FF7 though FFX (and even FF6 to some extents). Here, FF7 was just poorly translated, in my opinion. A lot of it is completely incohesive and muddled, especially in terms of Sephiroth. When someone needs to create a FAQ about Cloud's motivations and people still argue about the true existance of Sephiroth in a mortal coil, I think there's a problem. These aren't things the game didn't try to address (which would mean they were up to the player to make their own decisions on), they just weren't addressed [i]well[/i].[/quote][/b] [color=#707875]I don't even remember a lot of the plot to FFVII, simply because I haven't really played it since the year it came out. I played through the entire game...I loved it...and that was it. Obviously, being an RPG, I don't tend to play through twice. I do know, however, that the translation on the PAL version (at least the Australian/SE Asian version) was very good. Bear in mind that our version also came in multiple language settings too. Generally -- and compared with other games in the series -- I felt a stronger sense of emotion in the writing to FFVII. The characters felt more alive and real than in, say, FFVIII. To me, FFVIII was really like a flat experience, compared to VII. I just had very little care for the characters and scenario. Also...and I've said it before...there was something about FFVII's atmosphere that sucked me in. Even the part where you go from the slums and make your way up through the Shinra building in a covert-type manner...the whole concept of being a part of AVALANCHE and avoiding the authorities...and the fact that the game had so many sobering/depressing moments. Maybe the writing was something that enhanced this; I'm sure that's the case. FFVII just carries so many wonderful memories for me, even though I actually prefer the physical gameplay of FFX -- I'd much rather play a battle in FFX or Chrono Cross any day, I think.[/color][quote][b] I know a lot of people feel otherwise, but on the other hand, I'm not someone who gets confused by complex storylines. I'm not simply just misunderstanding this game, especially considering there are more complex ones around. The rest of my issues with the game are really just personal, so I won't bother lol From speaking to you in the past, you've given me the impression that your translation was tightened up. This is something I think would have benefited FF7 greatly. I blame SCEA, although they didn't screw it over as much as they did Star Ocean: Second Story and Grandia.[/quote][/b] [color=#707875]Well, regarding the understanding of it...if Square did translate the US version poorly, then I can see why there would a) be debate and b) problems with the overall plot and the way it was presented. I enjoyed the pacing of the game -- to me it felt far more epic than FFVIII through X. X doesn't feel epic to me whatsoever, frankly, even though I do enjoy it. But yeah, the more I read about this game and the more I talk to people about it...the more I am starting to wonder how badly SCEA has messed up translation in general on other games. This is perhaps the only advantage to getting some games later in Australia -- we tend to get fixes. Mostly it's either translation and bugs...or both. The camera was tweaked in our version of Sonic Adventure, for example. And we received an extra mode and goodies in Luigi's Mansion. So I guess that's some comfort to those of us who get games later. In the case of RPGs...I'd rather wait and get the better translation, if the first version was worse off.[/color][quote][b] This is also why I likeRPGs that aren't as story centric as FF is now. That doesn't mean I don't like a good story... I do. However, FF recently has been removing all the chance I have for imagination. In old school RPGs, there was little story by comparison. You had to form your own opinions on characters and their ideals... something that is just missing from these games. Some people may love that, I personally don't. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Well, I would personally not like to be left in the lurch, as far as narrative and dialogue goes. I enjoy the fact that FFVII has plenty of great dialogue and narrative, without actually being deliberate in filling me in on every step of the game. For me...I enjoyed reading through it. And that was because I liked what was being said and I liked the way characters were fleshed out. So, I enjoyed that part of it. Had the translation been worse...or had the actual story/characters been poorly done, it would be a very painful experience -- the gameplay would not help it, I don't think. But yeah, I do prefer text to voice. I'd rather see text bubbles coming out from Yuna and Tidus than voices, in all honesty. Or at least, allow me to fast forward and scroll through more quickly. I just didn't like the pacing of FFX's dialogue sequences. And as a result, I ignored half the story and disliked the bits that I actually listened to.[/color]

[color=#707875]Ugh. What a waste of a thread. You guys have the opportunity to discuss policy -- to discuss the actual issues and the sides that different candidates support. Instead, at least on these last few pages, the vast mojority of you only engage in name calling and "down with America" style posts. It's a big shame, because this [i]could[/i] be an intelligent discussion over public policy and how that policy has/hasn't shaped America during the last few years. Instead, we get a lot of mindless junk. I don't know why I even bother to post in these threads, when I am not going to get a reasonable, political discussion. It was okay at first...kinda...but now it's just getting silly. Thread closed.[/color]

[color=#707875]Doesn't this:[/color] [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Bloodsin [/i] [B]However, some people can only be helped by death.[/b][/quote] [color=#707875]Cancel out this:[/color] [quote][b]Death accomplishes nothing. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]? Just a thought. :smirk: [/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Charles [/i] [B]I'm not sure that stricter forms of punishment are likely to prove effective as deterrents. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Well, the death penalty already serves as pretty much a zero deterrent. And we do know that, for example, with the Bali bombers...they [i]want[/i] the death penalty rather than life in prison. So, I think that there are probably quite a few things that would act as a bigger deterrent to a murderer than the death penalty. Having said that -- and despite my own arguments on here -- I'm [i]relatively[/i] neutral on the subject. I can see both sides and I quite often find myself agreeing with the points that pro-death penalty advocates put forward. I guess that I just see slightly more arguments on the opposing side...so if I [i]had[/i] to choose one side or the other, I'd go against it. In terms of the state sanctioned murder issue...I do see what you're saying, but I wouldn't want to compare taxation or legal detainment with actually taking a life. Shades of grey, I guess.[/color]

[color=#707875]I greatly enjoyed all the dialogue in FFVII...the "blabber" was generally great. And it was well translated (our version, at least). So it was nice and it was fun to read people's different personalities. But I must ask a question about this dialogue business. Am I the only one who would prefer text-only dialogue in games? Sometimes I don't mind spoken dialogue...but I found it annoying in FFX. The issue you mentioned (with spoken word getting ahead of text) frustrates me to no end...and I read very quickly, so I like being able to flick through dialogue at my own pace. I think I still do prefer games with text-only dialogue. Although some complained, for example, that TWW had no audio dialogue...I would actually feel a bit saddened if Link started talking. I'm sure they'd do his voice well...but you know what I mean. For me, FFVII was like a great novel -- the fact that it had so much dialogue was wonderful. It was a novel...only with beautiful scenery and interaction. Spoken word would kind of ruin that, for me at least.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Boba Fett [/i] [B][COLOR=green]Correct. However, the government goes through a lengthy and established process before it, pardon the euphemism, removes people from society. The government only "murders" someone after a logical and fair process. This seems to be justification enough for me.[/COLOR][/quote][/b] [color=#707875]So if I go through a fair and logical process, I can murder someone myself? Even if they deserve it? No; I'd probably get the death penalty for that. lol[/color][quote][b] [COLOR=green]However the fact is that the "comforts" of prison are unlikely to be removed in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the Death Penalty remains a valid punishment in my view.[/COLOR] [/quote][/b] [color=#707875]Yeah, it's a shame that the comforts won't be removed anytime soon. But I don't think that the death penalty being a "lesser evil" makes it any more acceptable. So yeah. It's just a matter of opinion there.[/color][quote][b] [COLOR=green]I?ve read several, although none that I seem to be able to specifically quote at the moment, articles and statistics that show that the Death Penalty isn?t an effective deterrent. However, this has nothing to do with my reasons for the Death Penalty to be employed. Those reasons are stated earlier in this thread.[/COLOR][/quote][/b] [color=#707875]Yeah...that's right. I'm not sure why you really wrote that paragraph. I don't think I implied that one of your reasons was that the death penalty is a deterrent -- in fact, I was only saying that it's lack of being a deterrent is one reason why I don't support it. So...I wasn't really trying to say that you have that viewpoint -- but a lot of pro-death penalty supporters do.[/color][quote][b] [COLOR=green]I?ve seen statistics that show it both ways. It seems to me that it varies by state. In Texas for example, putting someone to death is far easier, and less costly than in California. The sentence is usually carried out within the month. In CA, any trial that sentences a person to death is automatically re-tried. Only on the second death sentence is the person put on death row. However, CA hasn?t executed anyone in at least five years.[/quote][/b] [color=#707875]The problem here is that you can't have your cake and eat it too, unfortunately. In Texas, the sentence is usually carried out within the month -- but the less time it takes to carry out the sentence probably correlates to the number of errors made in terms of innocent people being killed. Obviously, the faster you prosecute a death penalty, the less time you have for post-sentence examinations of forensic evidence and so on. So that's obviously a concern. But I do take your point; I don't doubt it whatsoever.[/color][quote][b] I?ll do a little research, but I?d be willing to bet that in Texas, it?s far cheaper to put someone to death than put them away for life. Perhaps it?s justice system should be used as a model for cost efficient death sentencing.[/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]It might be cost efficient, but in being cost efficient, it's also probably a lot less effective. I think Baron's article mentions the lack of transparency when it comes to various death sentence procedures in Texas. When you cheapen the process to a large degree, you also therefore remove a lot of the safeguards and time-allowances that other territories may have. [/color]

[color=#707875]Roxanne...Zidargh didn't mean that at all. He was simply saying that one should not over-dramatize the importance of one single song on some video game. I think that's reasonable.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Boba Fett [/i] [B][COLOR=green]I think that it is definitely misguided for someone to oppose giving a government more power than an average citizen. If the government if forced to assume only the powers and rights of an average citizen, then it would be ineffective at best.[/quote][/color][/b] [color=#707875]No, I'm not talking about rights. I'm talking about the ability to commit an illegal act; murder. So it's important to make a distinction there. If your Government tells you not to do something and then they do it themselves...that's hypocritical at best.[/color][quote][b] [color=green]I disagree; the death penalty is a punishment in itself for several reasons. It ends the criminal's life, taking it away is the most severe and final punishment that we use today. Being executed, and facing the prospect of death isn't the greatest way to spend a lengthy appeal process that may take years. It's simply "putting down" people who have committed crimes worthy of this punishment, but in a humane manner that doesn't sink to the level of murder.[/color][/b][/quote] [color=#707875]I really don't think that death is as severe a punishment as life in prison, without "comforts". Bear in mind that many of these criminals have very little to lose anyway -- a painless death is a lot easier than a life in prison. Also, the death sentence is apparently not a very big deterrent. I haven't thoroughly read Baron's post...so I don't know if he has any statistics to support that. But if you compare murder rates in the United States to other countries (on a per capita basis), you'll note that the death penalty makes little difference to criminals. Bear in mind that if you're going to commit murder anyway, then you're also probably unstable enough not to care about a death sentence. In terms of it being humane...I think that's really just splitting hairs. Whether it's humane or not, it's still state-sanctioned murder. As I said, I don't lose a lot of sleep over the idea that a violent murderer has died. But I do find it odd that a Government can commit murder.[/color][quote][b] [COLOR=green]Expensive? I'd assume it'd be cheaper to kill someone than to provide them all the comforts afforded to them in prison, for life. Then again, I really don't have any statistics to back that up. [/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]As far as I know, the death penalty costs as much as a life sentence, in terms of Government spending. I believe that Baron's article has a section relating to this. And I've heard statistics on it before, though I don't have any specific ones in front of me. But yeah, basically...I do see where you're coming from. I also agree that some people probably deserve to die for their crimes -- especially if it's a particularly horrible crime. But at the same time, I have practical problems with the idea of a Government being able to commit murder. And, as mentioned, I don't think that the death penalty is either harsh enough, or an adequate deterrant.[/color]

[color=#707875]While I respect your opinion, Anime Otaku, you must understand that we are one of many forums on the Internet. And every individual forum is free to make decisions about what they require of their membership. Some sites will require very little...others will require more. There are forums which (believe it or not) are even more strict about post quality than we are here. I like to think of it simply as a marketplace. OtakuBoards is one option -- there are thousands more. We have made certain decisions about what we require, in terms of our rules and what kind of behavior we expect. As a privately-owned site, that is our decision. And so, when people join the site (or just browse as a guest), they can take a look at our rules and our forums and they can make a decision about whether or not they think this place is suitable for them. Just as people will shop around and choose a site that interests them in terms of content (ie: anime, gaming or something else), people will also make decisions about other aspects of the site. So, really, with OtakuBoards...what you see is what you get. If you feel that our requirements don't meet your approval, you'll find various other anime communities who might be more appropriate. Either way, you're very welcome here -- but we do require that all members follow our rules. That's what we ask of our community, just as we provide them with a spam-free environment to gather.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Boba Fett [/i] [B][COLOR=green] As for the Death Penalty being the worst possible punishment, I think that it is the worst punishment offered by the US legal system today. Nothing is more final and uncertain than death. It's the most valuable thing that we can take from a person, as punishment for their crime(s). I just don't see what else can be done, besides a total reform of the prison system. Most other punishments that would be seen as "worse than death", are simply too cruel or unusual to be used today. Even the death penalty has been softened, from gas chambers and firing squads to lethal injections. [/color][/quote][/b] [color=#707875]But do you really think it's "misguided" for someone to desire that their Government doesn't commit murder? I mean, I personally wouldn't lose much sleep if a murderer was killed. But I can see why people object to the principle of state-sanctioned murder. It's obviously a very interesting contradiction. But yeah, what I would advocate would be a change in the prison system itself to coincide with the elimination of the death penalty and on that point:[/color][quote][b][color=green] James, you mentioned the death penalty being a way out, for some of these insane criminals without regard for human life, what else can be done with them? I really don't care if it's used as a way out; these are people I didn't want "in" anyway. Should I care if they're trying to stop me from spending my tax dollars to feed them? [/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]What can be done with them is to give them a life sentence in prison. A death sentence is a way out of that...it's a way out of one's punishment. In any case, I do see there being a dilemma here. The death penalty is not really desirable for various reasons...it's also expensive, as pointed out above. But also, the prison system itself isn't the kind of punishment that is really required. I wouldn't ask for anything "cruel or unusual", at least...I certainly wouldn't ask for torture or anything like that. I guess that at the very least, I'd ask for certain privileges to be removed for the worst offenders -- no TV, magazines, books, radio, etc. So that'd be a good start, I think. But obviously there are many other issues to consider; prison reform isn't a simple task.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Boba Fett [/i] [B][COLOR=green] The Death Penalty removes the most undesirable members of our society, and gives them the worst possible punishment for their crimes. [/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]As we've mentioned though...it's really not the worst possible punishment. It's a painless injection on a bed. You even get a nice meal beforehand. For some crazy murderer, this is hardly punishment. As I said earlier...it's a way out, more than a punishment. Of course, the prison system (both in the United States and here in Australia) is probably not harsh enough on the worst criminals. It should definitely be a situation where the worst offenders are [i]truly punished[/i] for their crime -- not sent to some kind of hotel on the one hand, nor given the easy way out via an injection on the other. The reason I quoted you earlier was to point out your use of the word "disgusting". I just felt that it was strong language, given that people who object to the death penalty for moral reasons certainly have the best intentions at heart. I don't think that their opinion is any less legitimate -- though I know you weren't necessarily trying to say that they didn't have valid concerns. I just found it a point of interest.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Drix D'Zanth [/i] [B] However, perhaps it?s good I?ve reverted to my good ol? scientific stance. It?s been fun debating. I hope you don?t hold this viewpoint so strongly that it will limit future relationships. We are all made up of varying opinions and ideas. I didn?t mean to offend anyone as much as was required. I?ll see you on the boards. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Unfortunately, the scientific viewpoint that you've presented is shaky at best. Not least because there are dozens of researchers and scientists who tend to contradict it. Moreover, homosexuality isn't exclusive to human beings; it's been discovered in various species around the Earth. Additionally...you're telling us about having a love for a father/brother/etc. Yes, obviously, there is a [i]choice[/i] involved in phsysically having sex with someone else. But we don't choose who we fall in love with -- there's a difference between falling in love romantically, and having a love between say, a father and son. Obviously people are going to be offended when their sexuality is attacked. If someone attacked you for being in love with a woman, you'd probably feel awful. You can't help being in love with that woman -- you care for her with all your heart. For someone to attack that would probably be shocking and uncomfortable. While I don't believe that TN should actually insult anyone, I also do sympathize with his response, at least in the sense that defending your humanity is never a fun or easy thing to do. And finally...the Government allowing civil unions doesn't amount to a public acceptance of homosexuality. People will or won't accept it. It's simply a matter of the Government recognizing that such relationships [i]do[/i] exist and that the people involved are being denied basic civil rights. In the end, the topic could probably be discussed ad nauseum for a long time. At the very least, everybody's viewpoint has been demonstrated here. And I guess that's all we can ask for. Debating the topic is pretty pointless at the moment, because you're not going to get someone to agree that their own in-built emotions are invalid...nor are you going to change someone's devout religious beliefs. So, I think that a continual discussion is probably only going to inflame things. And that's not what I want. The only other point I'd make is that all people are welcome to the boards. And that, most importantly, nobody should be insulted or personally attacked. I just want everyone to remember that, regardless of what their personal opinions are. I'll close this now -- I think Charles was already thinking of closing it a while ago, but he didn't. So now it's definitely time.[/color]

[color=#707875]There is a rank beyond "I Live Here", yes. But you'll have to wait and see what it is. ~_^[/color]

[color=#707875]I haven't seen all of Evangelion myself. I'm actually hoping to borrow the series from a friend soon. So I'm not particularly qualified to label it as the best anime of all time or not. But from what I [i]have[/i] seen, I do appreciate its depth and uniqueness. It certainly [i]is[/i] unique, when compared to other anime. In terms of whether or not it's a "mecha anime"...the term "mecha anime" annoys me anyway. It annoys me largely because it's so stupidly simplistic. Would I class Evangelion as a "mecha anime"? No. I'd class it as more of a dramatic thriller/sci-fi...or something along those lines. It really is very difficult to slap a genre label on Evangelion, which is probably a good thing. As a fan of Teknoman (which could be considered a "mecha anime"), I also feel that even for animes that [i]would[/i] fit under this label...it's still an overly-simplistic one. And, more to the point, you'd have to ask yourself exactly how you define "mecha". If you simply define it as "giant robot", then you could probably slap that label on a whole host of different anime. If you compared Teknoman and Evangelion for example (the EVA Unit with the Teknomen), you could make some basic comparisons...but only very basic ones. The EVA Unit is, as has been said, an entity. It's not just some machine. Even the way the pilot is inserted into the Unit's spine is quite telling of that. Teknoman, on the other hand, requires the individual to basically "transform" into that being. Is a Teknoman a giant robot, a suit of armor or a living being? Any of those could probably be true, depending on your interpretation. So, yeah. It's kinda a pointless argument. Evangelion is a darn sight deeper than most "mecha animes" out there. So, in my view, slapping a simple label on it is kind of denegrating to what it really is. But that's just me. I personally don't care how people label it...it comes down to personal taste and interpretation, really.[/color]

[color=#707875]Ah, the surveys keep us going. [b]What is your name:[/b] I'll give you one guess. [b]Spell your name backwards:[/b] Semaj! ^_^ [b]Date of birth:[/b] 4/30/83 [b]Male or female?[/b] Strapping young male. ~_^ [b]Astrological sign:[/b] Taurus [b]Nicknames:[/b] Where do I start? Jeh, Jeh Jamas Hazaa, Jamesy, Jamie, Jamesboo, Sexy Legs...agh, there are too many to list here. [b]Occupation?[/b] I'm a freelance journalist at the moment. Wow, how interesting. [b]Height:[/b] 175cms. I don't know what that is in the old imperial system. [b]Weight:[/b] About 65-70kgs. Again, I don't know what that is in old-fashioned imperial. ~_^ [b]Hair Color:[/b] Dark brown/black. [b]Eye Color:[/b] Brown, although I do occasionally buy coloured contact lenses if my wallet is in agreement. [b]Where were you born?[/b] Melbourne [b]Where do you reside now?[/b] Melbourne, still. More specifically, Glen Waverley. [b]Age:[/b] 20. [b]Screen names:[/b] JamesOtaku01. [b]What does your screen name stand for?[/b] It's pretty obvious. [b]What is your gangsta name?[/b] Yo-yo mo' fo' izzle-bizzle...eh, forget it. [b]What does your diary name stand for?[/b] Eh? [b]Pets:[/b] None. My last one was killed by a cat...*sniff* [b]Number of candles you blew out on your last birthday cake?[/b] You've asked me my date of birth...and my age, despite the fact that my DOB tells you my age. If you're now going to ask how old I was on my most recent birthday, that means you're asking me my birthday three times in a row. Don't be so stpuid. [b]Piercings?[/b] My body is too pretty to put holes in. [b]Tattoos?[/b] Refer to the last answer. [b]Shoe Size:[/b] Do you want American or Australian measurement? [b]Righty or lefty?[/b] Politics or hands? [b]Wearing right now:[/b] Black cotton shorts. It's night time here. [b]Hearing:[/b] Music. [b]Feeling:[/b] Keyboard (duh...hehe). [b]Eating/drinking:[/b] Nothing. ~Guys/Love/Kissing/And Other Stuff~ [b]Have you ever been in love?[/b] Yes [b]How many people have you told "I love you"?[/b] Too many people...it's not nice when a stalker tells you that. [b]How many people have you been in love with?[/b] That's a really difficult question. Maybe three. Maybe one, if you asked me about "true love". [b]How many people have you kissed? romantically?[/b] Plenty. [b]Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex?[/b] Yes. [b]How many people have you dated?[/b] I would say...*thinks*...in total, perhaps five people. [b]What do you look for in a guy/girl?[/b] Intelligence, sense of humor and kindness. [b]What's the first thing you notice about the opposite/same sex?[/b] Their smile, and how they sound when they laugh. ~_^ [b]What type of guy/girl do you usually go for?[/b] I think I've already explained that. [b]Do you have a bf/gf?[/b] Yes. [b]What do you like most about your bf/gf?[/b] There are too many things...I couldn't pick just one. [b]Do you have a crush right now?[/b] I always have crushes. [b]If so who is it? why?[/b] I'm not telling you. [b]Do you believe in love at first sight?[/b] Physical attraction at first sight, yes. But not love at first sight. [b]Do you remember your first love?[/b] Yes [b]Who is the first person you kissed?[/b] A friend of a friend (isn't it always the way?) [b]Do you believe in fate?[/b] No. If everything was pre-determined, we wouldn't be able to change the course of the future. That would be very depressing indeed. [b]Do you believe in soul mates?[/b] In a sense, yes. [b]If so do you believe you'll ever find yours?[/b] I already have. ~Family Stuff~ [b]How many siblings do you have?[/b] Three [b]What are your parents names?[/b] None of your business. [b]What are your siblings names?[/b] See above. [b]How many siblings does your mother have?[/b] Four [b]How many siblings does your father have?[/b] Four [b]Where are your parents from?[/b] Melbourne [b]Is your family close?[/b] Yes [b]Does your family get together for holidays?[/b] Yup [b]Do you have a drunk uncle?[/b] No. But my grandmother's boyfriend (and I shudder to use that term, because I never think of a boyfriend as an elderly man), is frequently drinking too much wine at family gatherings. It's rather funny. [b]Any medical problems run through your family?[/b] Yes. Cancer on both my mother and father's side. [b]Does someone in your family wear a toupee?[/b] No...we are all far too trendy to do something that stupid. [b]Do you have any nieces or nephews?[/b] No. [b]Are your parents divorced?[/b] No. [b]Do you have step parents?[/b] Not that I'm aware of. [b]Has your family ever disowned another member of your family?[/b] No. My family isn't that backward. ~Music Stuff~ [b]What song do you swear was written about you or your life?[/b] Well, most songs are pretty much about the same thing...life, love, depression. Nothing was written specifically about me. But I can certainly identify with some songs. [b]What's the most embarrasing cd you own?[/b] I own one of Ace of Base's old albums. I bought it years ago. But I'm not embarassed about it; why be embarassed about music? [b]What's the best CD you own?[/b] I don't know. I like most of them pretty equally...I couldn't just choose one. [b]What song do you absolutely hate?[/b] Where do I start? [b]Do you sing in the shower?[/b] Not really. Sometimes I hum. There are more fun things to do in the shower than sing, anyway. [b]What song reminds you of that special someone?[/b] I don't know. Lots of songs remind me of different events in my life. [/color]