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Everything posted by James
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Jubei Yagyou [/i] [B]I thought ninjutsu was the art of stealth (It litterally means that). I did a thing on japanese warriors and I would have to go with samurai cause in the research I found ninja are not recruited. They are either abducted or was born into a ninja family. They didnt get to chose they had to. So thats wat I say. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]That's partly true, yeah. I was focusing my comments more on the idea that Ninja aren't fighters and that they are more like spies. I studied Ninjitsu at a school near my house a couple of years ago -- until that school closed down. (-_-) So, I gained a good grasp of how it works, at least in terms of modern day martial arts. [/color]
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[color=#707875]Yeah, as far as I know, "ADD" is a very generalized term. It's like skitzophrenia -- that term can be used to describe a massive range of mental issues, mostly very minor. But it's a word that has become known for extreme cases. I always thought that ADD and ADHD were the same thing. I'd always thought that "Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder" was a kinda vague attempt to make "Attention Deficit Disorder" more specific or something. One thing I will say...is that it's a shame so many kids are on ADD medication -- many don't need it. It's funny how people blamed the Columbine shooters' killings on Doom, when both kids were heavily into ADD-based medication (read: mind altering medication that might have been wrong for their condition). There has been a lot of reports about kids getting medication that isn't right for them. I think sometimes a child with a difficult personality is labeled as having ADD simply as a matter of convenience. You know...throw a pill their way and it'll all be fine. EDIT: Puppetmaster...please put more effort into your posts. "Strange, isn't it?" is really a kinda pointless post. I recommend waiting until you can include some more thoughts into your posts (you might want to respond to specific comments or offer new ideas, just as a suggestion). You'll get there. ~_^[/color]
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Puppetmaster [/i] [B]oh *blushes* sorry [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]It's okay. Most new members need to be shown the ropes at some point or another...so don't worry about it. Once you get an understanding of how OB works, I'm sure you'll enjoy the place. Welcome, by the way. ^_^[/color]
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[color=#707875]Puppetmaster, single word posts are against our rules. I strongly advise that you visit our rules page ([url]http://www.theotaku.com/rules.shtml[/url]) before you continue posting, just so that you're aware of how things work at OB. ^_^[/color]
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[color=#707875]I think that my mother is probably the most influential person in my life. She has shaped me more than anyone. She's always taught me to think for myself, to take responsibility and to be my own person. I'm very thankful for that. She's similar in that way...her parents were very keen to let her develop as an individual. My dad is also pretty influential. He's a professional and he's always conducted himself with pride and know-how. He is also a person who knows more than he usually lets on...he's a wise person. Another influential person would have to be my grandfather, who died only a few months ago. I was very close to him. Even though he kind of became quite a religious fundamentalist of sorts after WWII, he was actually a thoughtful person in some ways. In particular, he was a very tolerant person. When he served in the military after WWI, I remember hearing stories about how he had stood up for people who weren't being treated fairly (one story involved an officer who was found to be gay...and a few nasty things happened to him - my grandfather, despite being relatively conservative, stood up for him when few others would). So, I always appreciated that from him. And even though he had quite a simple life, it's definitely the legacy that I will always remember. Fairness/tolerance of all people. Other than that...I don't know. There really isn't one specific person who I can point to and say "this person influenced me the most". Different people have influenced me in different ways. I mean, I studied Religious Education in primary school (as many kids here do). And I remember that my early RE teacher, Mrs. Pelios, was an extremely open-minded person. She taught about all sorts of religions (both modern and ancient). So, we had a very well-rounded curriculum. Everything was taught in a historical context and in an objective way. That was really beneficial. After she left, our RE classes went back to more of a "Sunday School format". So that was a disappointment for me. But yeah, I think Mrs. Pelios was a tremendous influence when it comes to something like that. I've [i]always[/i] had people straining to show me multiple sides to these things...I consider myself lucky in that regard. I notice that some of you are talking about online people as well. That's fair enough; I've known some people online for years. I've known Adam for a very long time now...almost as long as I've had access to the 'net. And he has been a major influence on me, in the sense that he's always encouraged me and he has worked side-by-side with me on so many things. I respect him more than most colleagues, because he is someone of such outstanding character. I think it's rare to find people like that. I could go on...but I think I'd be here forever. The truth is, nearly everyone I meet influences me in some way, whether it's minor or major. [/color]
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Justin [/i] [B] Ninjitsu is not a very effective combat martial art, lol. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Mmm...that's kind of a misnoma. Ninjitsu is a defensive martial art. In other words, it's a practical martial art. You don't learn how to wield some big heavy sword -- you learn how use your keychain, or something of everyday use, for your defence. Ninjitsu is primarily a defensive art. You learn to avoid combat as much as possible, whereas Samurai are designed purely for battle. You really can't compare the two, in terms of which is more effective. However, just because Ninjas avoid combat doesn't mean that they can't win a battle. Ninjitsu, as an art, can be frighteningly fast and confusing. It's not about weaponry so much, it's more about using your own body and basic objects at your disposal, for your own self defense. Although I know that in a historical context, Ninjas were used for a variety of purposes. They were obviously good assassins [i]because[/i] of their ability to be silent and to avoid physical contact. But yeah, don't let that make you think that Ninjitsu isn't effective as a combat-based martial art. ~_^[/color]
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[center][i]"Winds sweep over the rolling fields, Finally the reckoning comes, This is where Kelost yields."[/i][/center] [color=#707875]Fortitude Forest had never been so disturbed by wind and rain, as it had been that night. The wind had turned the trees into flexible whips, which lashed each other violently for hours on end. And the rain had attacked the canopy with undying ferocity; the water droplets like bullets, piercing through the leaves and pummeling the soft dirt below. Everything under the canopy knew of the storm. Its reach extended everywhere. Even the little treehouse -- hidden somewhere in the forest -- experienced the storm's ferocity. The bamboo struts that held the little house shook and rattled as the wind bore down on the canopy overhead. Despite the punishment that the house's thickly-matted straw-and-bamboo roof was taking, the interior was relatively quiet. It was a nice little place. It felt like home. A little kitchen, with table and chairs carved from wood. A little bathroom and a little bedroom. Even a balcony, jutting out from one side. It wasn't much, but it was comfortable. And for Clavat Bunel, it was truly his home. Indeed, the loft was one of Clavat's few pleasures in life. For a year, he'd been working under the Ramza Batallion. And a year before, he'd been a bounty hunter. It wasn't an easy life. And, much to his father's dismay, he had become a known outlaw in the Kelost Empire. His father, Cerion-Gall Bunel, wasn't interested so much in his son's reputation. He was more interested in how his son's reputation may affect business in the Empire. Despite his hardships, Clavat considered himself to be a well-rounded individual. He'd made his own home in the forest, he'd made good friends in the Batallion and most importantly, he was doing good work for the planet. And through it all, he'd not been tempted by quick wealth. He'd not succumbed to the gold trade as his father had. Clavat had refused his father's business and had left in the cover of night, without any forewarning. Cerion-Gall was surprised, but the surprise was soon overcome by indifference. Perhaps even happiness; now he had one less expense. Clavat hadn't slept well that night. His dreams were vivid and powerful. They often spoke of great tragedy -- of everything he knew disappearing forever. Suddenly, he woke in a cold sweat. He rubbed his face and reluctantly dragged himself out of bed. At one end of Clavat's little bedroom was a door that led directly to the kitchen. On the other side, a pair of bamboo double doors opened out onto a small balcony. Even though it was raining outside, Clavat pushed the doors open and stepped onto the balcony. The cool rain splashed against his face and the wind snaked through his hair. Almost instantly, he had forgotten the dream. He'd forgotten his troubles. And then he remembered that tomorrow, he needed to be at the batallion headquarters for an important meeting. At that very same moment, Clavat realized that he hadn't packed a single thing. He also wondered if his Chocobo (which was tied to the base of a tree underneath the house) would be able to make the journey, given that its feathers must have been soaking wet. Clavat decided to go back to sleep. It was no good mulling over the negative things that might happen. Besides, Clavat needed sleep if he was going to be fresh for the meeting next morning.[/color] ------ Note: Due to the lateness of my post, this event (my current post) takes place the night before the meeting. So when you guys have the meeting, you can include Clavat...because he'll have arrived by the time it starts. ~_^
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[color=#707875]Well, I've just seen it. Initially, I was afraid that it'd be like Jurassic Park III. Or, in other words, a [i]highly[/i] lame excuse for a sequel. Thankfully, I was wrong. Let's face it, the Terminator movies aren't comparable to The Matrix. Where The Matrix is more like chess, Terminator is like kicking an empty can around an alleyway. You know? lol It's always been a pretty hollow, basic storyline. I'm not faulting it for that -- it's always been designed that way deliberately. It's an action movie. So, given that, I was hoping that T3 would at least be plausible when compared to its predecessors. And thankfully it was...at least, it kept things in-line and didn't try to do something bizarre and nonsensical with what already existed. At the beginning of the movie, things seemed to be a bit...I don't know...pointless. I can't explain it. During the first twenty minutes, my impression was kinda like "Oh, okay...it's definitely a lame excuse for a sequel, like JPIII". lol But as the movie continued, I changed my opinion. In terms of the effects...I was very impressed generally. You know that scene in The Matrix Reloaded where Neo swings that pole around and hits all the Agent Smiths? Where the entire scene is done in CGI? It was blatantly obvious that CGI was used. It looked sloppy. And I didn't like it. It was too jarring. T3 is a movie that [i]gets it right[/i] in regard to CGI. Well, mostly. They don't do large parts of scenes in CGI, as far as characters go. Instead, they splice a handful of CGI frames in with live action...they use CGI in a more careful and finely tuned manner. And you can really tell the difference. For instance, look at that part where Arnie pushes TX through the wall (when they have their huge fight at the military installation). The action of TX going through the wall was entirely CGI...but they spliced it with live action [i]very[/i] carefully. The end result? It was utterly seamless. Tony's right about the impact of physical strikes, as well. The Matrix Reloaded was far more "ballerina-like" than the first movie, I thought (particularly toward the end...most of it was fine, it was just a few minor areas that I had problems with). But look at T3...the sense of force and weight was conveyed very well. [spoiler]Remember that bit where Arnold smashed the urinal over TX's head and she immediately looked back up at him? That part was done SO well, because it [i]looked[/i] heavy...and it didn't look jarring when she looked back up at him. I can't explain it well...but it was very, very well done.[/spoiler] So, obviously, the effects are the main part of the movie. I was very impressed with the CGI character/live action character integration. I've not seen any movie do it so well. Harry Potter had some awfully jarring CGI/live action character movements...and The Matrix Reloaded is another movie that did it somewhat poorly (though much better than most others). T3 got it right. That makes me happy, moreso than the story or anything else. lol[/color]
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[color=#707875]It goes back to that comment I made about the $1 million offer. It's easy money. All you have to do is prove your "gift". Yet nobody, in about a decade, has even attempted to claim it. That's certainly not a coincidence. As far as John Edwards goes...I think that what he says is mostly predictable. He uses the cold reading technique, without doubt. Obviously he's clever -- clever enough to have his own TV show and to make something believable. And maybe the fact that his message is mostly positive...maybe that justifies him to an extent. But regardless of the positive/negative outcome, he's dealing with people's raw emotions. They're putting trust in him. I hope he at least never comes out with a negative comment...because that would make him a very cruel man.[/color]
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[color=#707875]Sex was meant to make babies and not for a daily basis? What the hell? lol Sorry Taylor...but I don't see a whole lot of relevance here. You've listed a bunch of bad stuff in society. So? What do you expect people to say? "Yeah, I agree dude." or "No! You're wrong, all these things are wonderful!" I think it's fair to ask for more thought to be put behind these threads in future.[/color]
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[color=#707875]Most psychics use a technique called "Cold Reading". I saw it explained in detail once...very interesting. Very convincing. I also saw a documentary about Harry Houdini. They demonstrated how, toward the end of his career, he publicly disproved spirit mediums. It was very clever -- both what he did, and what the spirit mediums did. But world war one really signaled the rebirth of the whole spirit medium movement. And Mr. Houdini was dead by then, so he couldn't do much about it. But yeah, I find the whole thing interesting. And I feel sad about the number of people who have been unfairly preyed upon by spirit mediums (like John Edwards and others). As far as psychics...I can't say that I believe it. There has been a $1 million reward for any psychic who can [i]prove[/i] their abilities under "sterile conditions" (ie: no hidden objects, a clean room, etc). And as yet, in many years, nobody has stepped up to claim it. Funny, that. [/color]
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[color=#707875]We lost our signature limit hack when upgrading. Unfortunately, whenever you upgrade the forum software, you lose various "add on" stuff. In terms of adding another signature limit hack...I'll do what I can. If I can get one installed that suits our needs, I'll have it done. Until then, Category Moderators have my permission to ask people to shorten their signatures if they're too long. I recommend a length of about 10 lines, and I'm sure that most people can keep within those limits.[/color]
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[color=#707875]Well, even though there's an email link on OB, email is obviously something that takes place off OB. So email isn't our responsibility. If the member were spamming you via PM, that'd be a different story. So, I recommend asking the member to stop...or blocking their email address.[/color]
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by XBebop [/i] [B] You probably flunked college, live with your parents, shot every girlfriend you've had just becuase they wouldn't **** you. YOU ar the lowest part of society, go live with your boyfriend, i beleive his name is Osama Bin Laden. *******. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]XBebop...consider yourself warned. If I see one more post like this, I'll ban you without question. If you disagree with Harry, that's fine. Most of us do. lol But you don't need to resort to flaming. [/color]
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[color=#707875]Nobody is taking sides. But I'll lay it on the line for you anyway. There are two issues here. Firstly, you can't claim to represent the creators of these anime series. If someone wants to use those characters in their own fanfics for whatever reason, it's their business. You don't see me running around to each person's fan fic and saying "This isn't appropriate -- look at how you're misjudging the characters from this series!" So, that's the first point; freedom of the artist. I'd also make one other quick point about that. It's not my position to subjectively conclude how each member should deal with certain anime characters. These characters are fictional and fans have the right to create their own fan fiction, regardless of whether or not you find it acceptable. [i]However[/i], OtakuBoards rules apply here. If you post something pornographic or overly violent, there will be consequences. And this sort of thing won't be allowed. The second point is a very simple one. And I've made it quite clearly before. If you do not like yaoi or any other type of fan fiction, you have the right to that opinion. However, I do not think it appropriate for you to spout this view off at every opportunity, for two reasons. Firstly, it's often irrelevant to the thread -- and that is a rule violation. Secondly, people who like that type of fan fiction are going to feel that [i]they[/i] are being offended by [i]you[/i]. Now, I'm pretty impartial here -- I am not a fan of yaoi and I personally don't read about it. However, it's my responsibility to be "above the situation". This means that I need to protect the interests of everyone on the board. If you want to be anti-yaoi, go right ahead. But do so without alienating other members and causing a situation where arguments might start. There is a diplomatic way to go about it, as there is with any subject. Believe me, I [i]am[/i] being fair. Your complaint is completely unwarranted. I'm not going to bend the rules or allow others to feel alienated because of your personal views. That wouldn't be right. I crack down in the same way on people who constantly bash dubbing, for example -- they fail to recognize that, despite their own view (which might very well be reasonable), their constant bashing of "dubbies" is a form of alienation against other members. It fosters a negative atmosphere and I'm not willing to permit it. I hope that I've made my position clear on the issue. It's a position that will not change, and it's a position that will be applied evenly to everyone, regardless of the subject matter. [/color]
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[color=#707875]As much as I like the cel-shaded style, it's unlikely that Nintendo will continue to utilize it forever -- at some point, the style will change again. It might be with the next game, or it might be with the game after that. Who knows. It largely depends on who is responsible for directing new iterations in the series. Shigeru Miyamoto no longer directs games, but instead, he acts as a producer. So he still has input with the Zelda series (as well as many other franchises, including third party games), but it's the director who will really craft the specifics. It seems that Aonuma (the guy who did MM and TWW) has a pretty good track record so far. Majora's Mask was an excellent twist on the series. The Wind Waker's fresh style and much improved fighting engine were also big plusses. Of course, I have my problems with TWW, in the sense that I think some elements were rushed. But overall, Aonuma has done a good job. And I think he understands the franchise. So, Zelda is in good hands. It's still a strong seller and it's still one of the most respected franchises in the entire industry. In terms of visual changes in the future...I don't know. I doubt that Nintendo will ever go "photo realistic" with it, because that's never been an essential part of Zelda. You can bet that Nintendo have some great plans for the future, though. ^_^[/color]
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[color=#707875]Well, how else are you going to prove that they're dead? You [i]need[/i] to show pictures, however gruesome they might be. It's good news, of course. These violent psychos are dead. That alone ensures that more people won't die (or be tortured) at their hands.[/color]
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[color=#707875]I don't know how workable Shy's idea is in the way it was originally intended. However, I would like to see a large collapse of the anime forums. I'd like to seperate things in a logical manner. Having a "Senior Anime Lounge" and a "Junior Anime Lounge" might be a good idea if only in terms of seperating anime with different classifications. But, I'm still very much undecided on the issue. It needs more time to develop, I think.[/color]
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[color=#707875]I'm really getting sick of this sentiment on the boards. It's fine to have your opinion, but really...maladjusted is asking for a critique of her art and nothing more. I don't think anyone is implying that these relationships [i]really exist[/i]. They're just fan story type stuff. And they're cartoon characters, too. Let's not take it [i]so[/i] seriously. lol I recommend that if you're going to unleash some anti-Yaoi tyrade, you use your signature rather than the boards themselves. Not only are the comments irrelevant to the actual art (in terms of how good or bad the piece of art itself is), but they are also totally unwarranted. If I went around saying "I'm anti-DBZ! I hate it! It's sick!" every five seconds, I'd be just as wrong. There's a time and place for opinions -- please do not throw them around at every opportunity.[/color]
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[color=#707875]OOC means "Out of Character". ^_^[/color]
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[color=#707875]The announcement clearly states that people are [i]not[/i] IP banned -- that they're merely experiencing an error. This is a temporary error. So, once they can see the boards again, they can view this Announcement and they'll know that they weren't banned. ^_^ Also, this really belongs in the Suggestions & Feedback forum. Just a heads up.[/color]
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[color=#707875]Hi Dave. Welcome to the boards. ^_^ Unfortunately, we don't allow "Introduction threads" as such. We prefer it if people introduce themselves during regular posting, if at all. Also, I recommend going over our rules page ([url]www.theotaku.com/rules.shtml[/url]) for further details (they're especially useful when it comes to signature restrictions and so on). We hope you enjoy OB. ^_^[/color]
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Desbreko [/i] [B][color=indigo]Um, do I need to know a lot about FF Tactics specifically? I'm totally winging it for my character's back story. :cross: [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Hehe, you did a great job, 'breko. You got your class description very accurate. ^_^ This RPG reminds me of a cross between FFIX/VIII and Tactics. o_O Anyway, it's good to see more people sign up. I have high hopes for this one. ~_^[/color]
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The eternal Question " How the hell do women think?!"
James replied to a topic in General Discussion
[color=#707875]Eh, I don't think that there's such thing as "man thinking" or "woman thinking". Sure, there might be some common traits among the genders...but everyone is an individual. Just as you can't generalize about women, you also can't generalize about men. When I see all the stupid/bad things that some men do, I know that I don't fall into that same general category of behavior.[/color] -
[color=#707875]Green Goblin is the single most [i]stupid[/i] bad guy I have ever seen in my entire life. lol He totally destroyed the first movie for me. Ugh. He made it so utterly camp that it was ridiculous in some scenes. [i]But[/i], this Dr. Octopus looks a lot "darker". So here's hoping that he can actually act. ^_^[/color]