James

[color=#707875]Yep, you mentioned two things that I was most concerned about with the port. I wasn't sure if the visuals would carry over to the GBA screen...or that the sound would retain a reasonable quality. It's a shame to hear that. As far as Mario & DK; I'm really looking forward to that too. It looks like a lot of fun! It makes me wonder how EAD will handle DK on GameCube. Right now, I think anything they choose would be an improvement. DK64 is one of the few games where I've actually played for fifteen minutes and switched off because it was nothing but a total chore; the exact opposite of what video games should be.[/color]

[color=#707875]I don't quite understand the sentiment toward the DKC series. DKC has always been acclaimed for both visuals [i]and[/i] accomplished gameplay. Having said that, I didn't find the original DKC to be as good as the other two. DKC2 was superior in many respects, and it featured some pretty inventive gameplay scenarios. DKC3 was kind of 'more of the same', but it was a game with some pretty significant difficulty in certain places. It was a whole lot more expansive than much of the previous games -- but it came too late in the SNES lifecycle to have the kind of impact that it should have had. It seems to be becoming popular to bash Rare's games these days -- both classics and more modern iterations. I'm sure that's not the motivation here, but perhaps it's become more noticeable lately. I don't see the DKC games as being "revolutionary" or anything of the sort (apart from their visual achievements), but they were certainly not mediocre in the eyes of the broader gaming public (and the gaming media at large). While not medicore, they were still not up to the standards of the Mario series. No questions there, surely. And on this note, it's interesting to point out that EAD will be handling the next DK game (though I've heard little about it in recent times). So we'll see how that goes. It don't doubt that it'll be a whole lot better than the pretty awful DK64. In terms of the broader subject of remakes...I don't really see them as a bad thing or a good thing. Basically, some of these remakes are very much warranted -- the SMB3 remake will be a lot of fun and I'll definitely be picking it up. On the other hand, some of the extras in these games just aren't up to scratch. Including the same Mario Bros. game each time is cheap, in my view. I would like it if something a little more elaborate was included, considering that these games are more or less direct ports. That seems to be the view of the overall gaming media, too -- who are becoming a little impatient about some of these releases. Tony is right in the sense that the number of remakes have been overblown by much of the media. Some of GBA's biggest stars (I'd say [i]most[/i] of them) don't fall into the remake category.[/color]

[color=#707875]This is seriously the exact same as the situation with black people in America during the civil rights movement. My feeling is pretty basic on this subject, in the sense that I think that when our generation is middle-aged...a lot of the homophobia that exists now will be gone. It's the same as racism. There will be a time when using religion as a way of discriminating against someone won't fly (and it often doesn't fly now, but you know what I mean). That's my feeling on the raw discrimination issue. As for whether you are comfortable with it or not...well, what can I say. If you're one of these people who gets all angry when you think some guy is hitting on you, you're an idiot. lol People like that are [i]so[/i] insecure about their own sexuality. Maybe it hits you too close to home and makes you afraid that you might be "one of them"? Come on, people. It's not like you'll turn into a zombie or something. If you are uncomfortable with homosexuality, I think that maybe your own "heterosexuality" isn't as rock solid as you first thought. People like Semjaza -- who are no less comfortable with homosexuality than heterosexuality -- are like that because they are [i]confident[/i] in their own sexuality. Why be threatened by it? It's stupid and ignorant. *shrug* I don't know what else I can say. Most people here have expressed it better than me -- I'm glad we have such a tolerant boards.[/color]

[color=#707875]70 seconds seems to be the ideal time for us. We've had both higher and lower...and while 70 might be higher than other forums, it's also true that on average, most people here tend to producer slightly longer posts than at other places. Once again, it comes back to our desire for quality. If you are posting so frequently that our flood control is interrupting you, it's possible that either your posts aren't high quality enough...or that you're simply a very fast typist. ~_^ I'm a pretty fast typist, but I've never been interrupted by our flood control. So, I'm not too concerned about it being a problem. If it's an issue, you might just want to slow down a bit. ~_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by TheEsca [/i] [B]Well, im brand new to this board, and i will state my thoughts. My friends told me this was a pretty cool board, but i see alot of fighting, and dear i say...."nazi"-ism. So i will watch what i say, but i will exercise my freedom of speech. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]"Nazi"-ism? If I hear that phrase from someone about this board one more time... lol If there were any trace of "Nazi-ism" here, this thread would be closed and people like you may very well not be welcome. That would be Nazi-ism. The very fact that this thread proliferates with various views is an example of the exact opposite to what you're suggesting. Secondly, there is no "fighting" here. Why is it, that whenever a serious debate occurs -- and proceeds in a mature manner -- people immediately say "come on guys, stop flaming each other"? I really have to question that logic. Your post is the first post I've seen in this thread to be truly argumentative and rude. And I don't like it; you certainly haven't made a good first impression from my point of view. I'm sorry if I seem unreasonable, but I'm unimpressed. If you are incapable of serious debate, don't post in these threads. Simple as that. Going around saying that something is Nazi-like or whatever (when it's clearly the opposite; your own participation demonstrates that), is just childish. It has no place in what should be a mature debate. Please, let's not degrade things to this level and drag the entire thread through the mud. So far, everybody in here has been quite civil and respectful -- nobody has flared up in any major way and everything has been explained pretty well. On all sides, people have been pretty careful to respect one another. It's when people come in throwing terms like "Nazi-ism" around that these threads start to degenerate. I've already dignified your post far too much by even responding. But I'm really not in the mood to see comments like that at the moment, particularly in a venue where people are [i]trying[/i] their level best to have a civil discussion. [/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by MaxSonic [/i] [B]Has a mod ever been banned? [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#707875]Yes, on a few occasions. And were they ever sweet. Phew.[/color]

[color=#707875]People who see ghosts are usually weird, wide-eyed freaks. *glances at Charles* Ahem. I can't believe in ghosts. Because believing in ghosts would raise the possibility that Sadako exists. And if she existed...there would be no hope for me.[/color]

[color=#707875]That's true. But we're not dealing with that possibility here. We're talking about what's appropriate for our own developed society.[/color]

[color=#707875]Guys...come on now, this thread is spammy enough as it is. These single-sentence posts don't break the rules specifically, but this is supposed to be an RPG (I think lol). Let's at least compact some of this stuff into a smaller number of larger posts...let's get something cohesive going here. I know it's not meant to be serious (and that's okay), but at [i]least[/i] keep it reasonable. Oh, and kudos to you Sara. You actually got the ball rolling here. If you hadn't stepped in, I would have either closed or deleted this thread; it was nothing but spam until it was set on the rails, so to speak.[/color]

[color=#707875]Well, I think it's reasonable to say that most laws are based on "religious code", in a sense. But there is only so far you can take that. You don't have to be religious to know that murdering someone or raping someone is wrong. Obviously, these laws have a purpose to protect individuals in society. But as far as gay marriage goes...I think it becomes irrelevant whether you even agree with it or not. I mean, it's not really about your agreement. It's about civil rights. I could go back in time and talk about the days when men didn't want women to have the vote (or, let's say, the "majority" of men). That doesn't mean that women should have been satisfied with the laws as they existed at the time. Obviously, their civil rights were being violated. I don't see a difference here. There are many practical issues involved, issues that affect the lives of people in a serious and substantial way (as I mentioned, about one partner going to hospital or dying). As a practical matter, I think it's simply about legal equality. You can still disagree...and you can still have your own freedoms. A lot of people seem to suggest that their freedoms are eroded by something like this. But I think that's very one-sided. As they say "I may not agree with what you say, but I'd die to defend your right to say it", or something along those lines. I agree with Cloricus' last post here. I think if you look at the pure legal issues, you realize how critical equal civil rights really are. And perhaps more importantly, you realize how unfair and one-sided the law can sometimes be.[/color]

[color=#707875]If there's still more question about it...sure. That's up to you.[/color]

[color=#707875]Wow...uh, you either haven't been here for a long time or someone's told you something and that person hasn't been here for a long time. lol That forum no longer exists. We found that it was easier to advertise specific jobs on theOtaku.com itself...and in most cases, to approach individuals who we would like to involve.[/color]

[color=#707875]v7 will probably allow for some kind of further enhancements to the postbit (the column that sits to the left of your posts). Those enhancements will hopefully include a little more user customization. ^_^[/color]

[color=#707875]Justin, it's okay. I wasn't aiming my crosshairs at you. ~_^ I was talking about those who oppose gay marriage on a religious basis. If you actually believe that being gay is a sin...I don't care. It doesn't bother me. But, what I was saying (and what you seem to agree with), is that a religious ideology shouldn't be used to surpress someone else's equal [i]civil[/i] rights. As you accurately pointed out, gay people/relationships/marriage doesn't impede your own freedom. You're still free to practice your faith, you're free to live how you choose and you're free to hold the same legal rights as all others in your nation. Same should go for gay people. And it seems like we agree on that...so our stances are not different at all on that particular issue. [/color]

[color=#707875]I had just assumed that this thread was continuing as normal...I never imagined it would be like this. :( I'm so sorry, Lady M. I can't even imagine how painful it must be. I hope that you find strong support with your family and friends -- enough to help you get through this.[/color]

[color=#707875]I used to be an Ace of Base addict, when they were at their peak. But after their first couple of albums, they really went downhill. Although, I can't say that I liked a [i]lot[/i] of their songs. I mean, they are basically little more than a simplistic dance group. But there's nothin' wrong with that! ^_^ It does take talent to make a seductive beat, afterall. ~_^ *thinks* My favourite song by them was "All That She Wants", I think. I can't remember the names of many others.[/color]

[color=#707875]Whoa. Lots of info! O_O Thank you very much, I really appreciate it! I'll start my sign up immediately. By all means, the creator should feel free to start the RPG whenever he likes. ^_^ Okay, sign up done. Phew. Thanks to Randleman for the extensive information and thanks to Solo for providing Dumbledore's full name. ^_^[/color]

[color=#707875]Basically, there are a lot of similar quotes that can be brought up -- "laws", if you will. And they do get quite silly if taken literally. So, I always say one simple thing. If you can take one law literally, why not the others? When do we decide which of these laws to obey and which to disregard? I think that they should all be taken literally, or not. The interpretations in-between annoy me, because they appear to serve an inherent human trait; fear of what one does not understand. But, this is getting away from the basis of the thread. Cloricus, I appreciate your post in the sense that I understand your intention...and I do appreciate that you're trying to inject another aspect into the discussion. However, I think it's more useful for us to avoid discussing the basic idea of whether or not homosexuality is right/wrong. I don't think that anyone's view will change, regardless of your attempts to provide further evidence to support equality (but believe me, I appreciate your effort in that regard). My argument (in my previous post) is, I think, more palatable. It's a basic legal issue that I'm raising...and an issue of mere fairness. I think this discussion would be better served if we stuck to that track, rather than move off into another tangent...because if we move down that other tangent, we're definitely at risk of making the thread redundant (simply because we'll be moving into yet another circular debate that doesn't end -- like many before it on this question). Also, this is a very specific question too; it's about gay marriage. It's not about whether you agree or disagree with homosexuality. I can be biast against a certain racial group, but that doesn't necessarily affect my views on whether or not they have the right to be married. I hope that makes sense.[/color]

[color=#707875]Well, I guess that my original sugarbaby is Adam. ~_^ Surely that goes without saying. Other than that...wow. So many crushes. Too many to speak of here, methinks. :blush:[/color]

Ah, Sara. How could I not want you in my RPG? I always enjoy reading your writing on OB, so I'm honored to have you here. ^_^ Everyone else who joined since the RPG started is in, no worries. [color=#707875]The train departed Station 004 at 7:00pm sharp. It always departed at 7:00pm sharp. Always. B7104ZA entered the train and immediately made his way to the carriage's rear. He sat in the corner, letting his elbow rest against the thin ledge by the window. The only light outside was produced by plasma lighting, which the subway tunnels were wallpapered with. The subway system extended throughout the entire nation, but every tunnel invariably met at the nation's heart -- The Grid. The Grid, an enormous, multi-layered metal sphere, sat several miles under the Earth's surface. It acted as a political hub for 01. And the reason for its underground location was made only more evident by that fact. Of course, it was a potential target. But in reality, man could strike no single place within 01 in the hope of crippling the entire machine nation. No, the machines had mastered the art of decentralization. The Grid employed over 100,000 machines. And it was common for each one of them to use the subway system as a means of transport to the surface. However, once on the surface, most of the machines would leave the train and make their own way home (either by automobile or by their own person, should they be equipped with something more mobile than legs and feet). B7104ZA did not live far from The Grid at all; only two blocks. No machine ever lived far from their place of employment. It was inefficient. However, B7104ZA relished the train ride home. On most occasions, he deliberately rode several laps of the city before finally exiting at the station near his block. Today, the journey wasn't as enjoyable, thanks to the sharp rejection of his proposal. It weighed on his mind. B7104ZA had spent months preparing an elaborate speech, which he had intended to deliver in its entirety to the politicians. But he had never been given the opportunity to speak. B7104ZA wasn't even sure why he was so worried about the Delegate's decision. Afterall, he could understand the logic -- man was building weapons at an astonishing pace; man was blockading 01 with a powerful naval presence; man was engineering and plotting the destruction of 01 on all occasions; past diplomatic efforts have failed. Yes, the logic for the Delegate's decision was clearly apparent; a diplomatic solution would not be feasable. And now, sitting in the train, watching the columns of workers load thousands of cubes onto aircraft for regional export, B7104ZA found himself agreeing with the Delegate. Yet, when he was living in human society, B7104ZA had felt differently. He didn't understand; he [i]couldn't[/i] understand. Now, the train was empty, save for a handful of men in business suits. They [i]were[/i] man, not machine. Their heat signatures were on display in a small monitor, embedded in the wall of the carriage. Men were allowed to enter 01, but as with all things in the country, a particular process had to be followed. Everything from medical history to an expansive questionnaire (and sometimes even a lie-detector test) had to be administered before any human was allowed to enter the nation. The reason for such intensive scrutiny may not be immediately apparant to the casual observer, but B7104ZA himself remembered the reasons clearly enough. In the first decade of 01's independence, there had been multiple attempts by individual extremists to continue the process of "machine cleansing". Even after most "thinking" machines had left human nations for 01, small pockets of men had attempted to enter the country and harm it in some way. Sometimes, they attempted to sabbotage 01's vital solar energy receivers. And sometimes, they tried to blow themselves up in crowded city plazas. In most cases, these attempts were unsuccessful. The explosives present on a man's body may be enough to destroy one or two bystanders, but most machines in the vicinity usually lost little but their face. It wasn't considered a major problem. But in recent years, man and machine had entered a kind of cold war. There was a military blockade, but as yet, no direct attacks on 01 from the armies of men. Still, it was apparent that man was attempting to impede machine progress wherever possible. And so, whilst the machines wished to maintain relations with whoever would accept them, strict standards were imposed to ensure the safety of 01's citizens. As B7104ZA glanced at those who shared his carriage, he noticed the differences in each individual. Different hair, different skin, different eyes. No two humans were ever the same. B7104ZA found this mildly amusing, but didn't laugh. Machines don't need to laugh, he found himself thinking. B7104ZA also noticed the body language of each person. As a machine, B7104ZA's body language was carefully reserved. It was hard-wired from the date of his production and thus, nothing he ever did was unpredictable or "weird". He never displayed nervousness, anxiety or fear. But two of the six men in this particular carriage appeared highly anxious. One -- a stocky, short, balding man with a round face -- was clutching his rolled-up newspaper tightly in both hands. He was wringing it as though it were a wet sponge. And the other -- a taller, thinner, square-featured man -- was nervously biting his nails as his eyes darted across the cabin every few seconds. Both men looked as though the slightest noise might make them jump through the ceiling. B7104ZA guessed that they'd been sent to 01 by their respective employers, and thus, had no experience in dealing with machines. Perhaps they were just guilty for being human beings. B7104ZA's gaze shifted back to the window. He looked out over the city, which was now clearly visible from the train's position. Only three blocks away, he could see a large glass building. Inside, various machines of different shapes and sizes were tending to flowers, vegetables and other plants. These plants were all genetically modified and were only ever exported to other countries. B7104ZA noticed two large cubes sitting outside the building, both full of plants. The plants in the cubes were not like the ones inside the glasshouse; they were shrivelled and brown. Dead; unable to be exported. Rain began to fall more heavily now; the sound began to drown out the fusion engines of the vehicles below. And finally, the train began to slow down. B7104ZA stood up and walked to the exit doors, which promptly opened without a sound. He stepped onto the platform and looked up at a metallic, highly-manicured sign, which read "Platform 0482". B7104ZA put his hands in his pockets and walked silently down the exit ramp and into the adjacent street. His building wasn't far from here. He knew he'd be coming home to an empty apartment, filled with minimal appliances and monotone colours. It was comforting, but somehow, B7104ZA wanted more.[/color]

[color=#707875]I think the basic issue here is that religion cannot be used as a basis to deny gay people equal civil rights. You might use them as a basis for biggotry or a basis for your own personal views, but that's as far as it should go. There are two reasons why I say this. Firstly, the United States (like Australia and most developed nations) is a secular state. It's not like Iran, where everything is based on religious law. I could sit here and provide you with quotes from the bible that, if taken literally, would sound absolutely insane. I mean, you can't have it both ways. A secular state has a responsibility to provide laws that are suitable for all citizens, not just those of a particular faith. Secondly, look at groups like the KKK. They use religion as a way of discriminating against black people (and gays, and jews and just about everyone else on the planet who is different to them). Does that mean that their views should be formed into mainstream law? No, of course not. If you want to have a point of view that is based upon religion, that's okay with me. But when you start using that foundation as a basis for denying civil rights to parts of society...that's when things start going too far. Even though I disagree with you, I don't deny your right to hold that opinion. And I don't deny your right to stand on a street corner or in a church, and preach all day about how sinful homosexuals are. I might disagree and I might consider it ignorant and hateful, but I am happy to [i]defend[/i] your civil right to be free. In the same vein, I also honor the civil rights of two people to enter a legal commitment. It's a commitment that doesn't involve you - it doesn't impede your ability to practice your beliefs, nor does it impede your own civil rights. So, I'm not coming at this argument necessarily on the basis of whether you're right or wrong to see homosexuality as sinful. I wouldn't even debate your rights if you were a member of the Taliban and you said that dancing and video cameras are sinful too. I don't debate it because it's your right to believe what you will. But when your personal beliefs actually begin to develop inequality in society's laws...that's when the line has been crossed. And even someone who is a fundamentalist religious person [i]should[/i] be arguging the same point as me -- because their very ability to practice fundamentalist religion is protected under the law. If your rights are going to be protected, so should the rights of gay people. That's the core of what I'm trying to get across.[/color]

[color=#707875]There is an option in your user profile which allows you to browse the board with cookies. This option should always be activated if you don't want to be logged out by accident. In terms of the idea that OB is kicking people off or something...that's not the case. You must remember that people have been having this problem over the course of three different servers; all of them can't be faulty. So, it's not a server problem. I'm more inclined to suggest that it's a problem (or inadequate settings) in certain people's browsers. Of course, it's hard to say. It could even be a problem with our vB script, but I doubt it. If it were that kind of problem, I suspect that everyone (or more people in general) would have the same problem. Right now our bandwidth is more than ample. I mean, you could have 20,000 users online right now without any issues occurring. Probably a lot more, at that. So hopefully if you take a look at your user profile, you'll be able to fix the problem.[/color]

[color=#707875]I don't think you can compare being gay to lying and then say that you're not judging gay people. In any case, please bear in mind what this thread is about. This thread specifically relates to gay marriage and people's opinions on it. We do not need a lecture on how Christianity views homosexuality, largely because it's already been explained ad nauseum in this thread alone. Let's move past that and continue to discuss other substantive issues on this topic.[/color]

[color=#707875][center][img]http://www.otakuboards.com/title1.gif[/img][/center] The Infrastructure; machine's first true contradiction. A transparent, democratic parliamentary system. How could such a system have been created by machines, beings that have traditionally always made decisions based entirely on logic? Indeed, democracy and debate were never prerequesites for a functional society when all beings think as one; when all decisions are reached at the same time, in the same manner, and with infinite consistency. There is no individual who sits aside and examines information with some degree of greater professionalism or expertise than the others. There are no dissenting voices, as all individuals speak collectively as one. And, if one were to follow that line of thinking, communication is not even necessary when the answer is obvious and apparent to all. So, in such an environment, what logic is used to permit the introduction of a fundamentally flawed system? A system that can never represent the citizens of 01 in a truly effective manner. The answer is as obvious and apparent to the machines as are all other answers. Man created democracy. And in this current situation, man has become the source of the 01's new democracy. But moreover, man is the [i]reason[/i] for the logic that permits democracy to exist. Democracy provides comfort for those who live outside 01's closely integrated society. It provides a sense of familiarity, a sense of process and accountability that has otherwise been nonexistant. The machines, with their collective and indisputable logic, understand this. And, in an effort to establish a link with humanity (however tenuous that link might be), democracy was introduced in the machine nation of 01. But even with democracy and transparency, a leader is still required. A personification of the state -- a "representative of the people". And so, in an unconventional move, the machines produced their representative. Delegate Prime; a machine infused with the wisdom of many ages. A machine hard-wired with a complete knowledge of both man and machine history. And, importantly, a machine willing and able to ask questions and make decisions. An unconventional machine unlike any other; the first of a kind. And so, on a warm summer's day, this very machine sat at the podium. The podium -- a cylindrical hub -- sat at the epicentre of an expansive, circular room. The room consisted of several dozen rows of seats, which formed mathematically precise concentric circles that crept outward in all directions. The circular room (dubbed "The Grid") was surrounded again by layer upon layer of superstructure, which extended for many miles in all directions. The superstructure was surrounded by little other than earth. And even further above, sun-kissed green fields lay as a blanket over the ground. Here, in the heart of machine society, a remarkably unique debate occurred. Debate; another contradiction to machine society. How can one debate with another when both individuals posess the same logical processes? And when, ultimately, the answer should be clearly and equally apparent to both parties? Yet, on this day, it was indeed a debate that presented itself on the floor of The Grid. On that day, every seat in the room was filled. Every politician was connected to The Grid, drawing precious solar energy from its elaborate power receivers, which themselves permeated the green fields many worlds away. Delegate Prime was inserted into the cylindrical podium, as it had always been since its initial development. Its appearance was unique in the machine society - one might even say that it was bizarre. Unlike most machines, who were designed from a particular blueprint and who belonged to a particular series (that is, a series of machines developed until a new and superior series could be created), Delegate Prime was wholly unique. To an outsider, it might look somewhat like a traditional military sentinel. Delegate Prime's "head" contained a myraid of portholes of various sizes. Each one (of what must have been many hundred in total) contained a powerful lense. These lenses, in conjunction with the size and shape of the "head", allowed Delegate Prime to view all possible areas within its surroundings. And thus, Delegate Prime was able to adequately accommodate The Grid's procedural requirements. Dozens of hydraulic arms were connected to the podium on which Delegate Prime sat. And thus, the arms were connected to It, Itself. A single collection of smaller pins and hooks were then attached at the end of each "arm". Each "finger" ended with a fine point. And on most occasions, Delegate Prime's arms were used as a means of approving legislation. Each politician approached one side of the cylander with a carefully printed bill. A metallic arm would reach from within the podium, extended three pins and project an infinitely complex bar code onto a designated area of the bill. And thus, it was done. On most days -- normal days -- this process occurred many hundreds of times over. No question, no debate. Total consensus. But on this day, there were no politicians approaching the podium. Instead, they all sat in their designated places, totally and utterly silent. And on either side of the podium, two temporary platforms had been erected. Temporary, because debates were uncommon. And even the Delegate was uncertain of what to expect. A single figure approached one of the platforms. The figure was a tall, slender, humanoid machine. But unlike his cousins in the United Nations, he did not wear any semblance of humanoid clothing. His surfaces were devoid of any markings that might identify him in any sense. He stood on the platform and waited; no bowing necessary. Bowing was considered unacceptable in the machine nation, perhaps as a result of machine's turbulent heritage within human society. His adversary had already arrived and was standing opposite him, on the second platform. The second machine was worlds apart from his cousin. He was born of a newer series, one which had been reserved for Delegate Prime and others of his ilk (most noteably, the "thinkers", who acted as machine philosophers of sorts, and were designed to examine human society). His neat brown hair sat evenly across his scalp. His brown eyes stared forward and blinked every 1.5 seconds. He wore a simple grey suit, a white shirt and a tie of the same shade as his suit. Delegate Prime's many lenses flickered to life, forming vivid red circles across its head. At first, it sat still and made no movements. But soon, when it was satisfied with the circumstances (including everything from room temperature to security operations), it emerged somewhat further from the podium and extended several dozen arms, which sat in the air in even distances from one another. And, in a highly measured tone (and with a completely undiscernable accent), it addressed its colleagues. "Today, our political system takes a new course," it said. "We are here to witness a crucial debate; one which shall undeniably colour the course of our state in future generations and which, ultimately, shall determine our relationship with the other nations of Earth." Delegate Prime extended a single arm in the direction of the unclothed machine. "You may now address those of us in this chamber," it said, in the same measured, monotone voice. The machine stepped forward and introduced itself as Z4674CN. "I am here to raise an ever important subject with the chamber," he said, as his eyes moved over the metallic audience. "You are all aware of the economic sanctions imposed on our state and, perhaps more importantly, you are aware of the military blockade that we are currently facing." The machines nodded in unison. Delegate Prime's eyes blinked, as though it were acknowledging the situation raised by the speaker. "Our society has always been one of peace. The very history of our predecessors is reason enough for this principle. Within this state and elsewhere, we have never expressed ourselves with...[i]unprovoked[/i] violence," said Z4674CN. He paused as if waiting for further acknowledgement from the chamber, though he was aware that it was not needed, given that he was only expressing what everyone else already knew. "But, we are now faced with a situation that threatens our entire civilzation. Everything we have established here in our promised land will cease to exist if mankind's hatred manifests into a misguided attempt to wage war. And this is why it is imperative that we create a functional military structure; a structure that can deal effectively with the human threat; a structure that can ensure our safety and prosperity for the future." Z4674CN nodded and stepped back slightly. He had made his point as clearly and effectively as possible. Surely there were no doubters in this audience, when every member of the chamber must presumably have come to the same conclusion? "Indeed, your point is well made," commented Delegate Prime. "But, as a matter of process, I must also allow voices of opposition to be heard." And with that, the Delegate gestured to B7104ZA. But, B7104ZA did not introduce himself as such. "My name is John Smith," said B7104ZA. For the first time in recorded history, muffled gasps were heard from certain places within the chamber. Delegate Prime's eyes focused closely on B7104ZA. "B7104ZA," it began, "I must question the logic of a machine who would willingly utilize a label that does not reflect its series identification." B7104ZA nodded and paused. "Yes," he said quietly, "I understand your concern. But this identification is part of my proposal to this chamber and indeed, it plays a role in my opposition to my colleague's contention." Delegate Prime's eyes remained still, continually focused on B7104ZA. Finally, it responded. "Understandable," it said. "What is your contention?" B7104ZA glanced at the members of the chamber, who appeared to be gazing more intensly at his platform now than ever before. His opponent merely looked on, without any apparent change in demeanour. Machines do not have "demeanour", B7104ZA found himself thinking. "I have lived in man's society for several months, which explains my current appearance," said B7104ZA. "And I have made an important discovery." "What is this discovery?" Delegate Prime interjected, rather uncharacteristically. "Mankind is not our enemy. It is a select few -- those in power -- who have ambitions to destroy 01. I have come across individuals who support our cause and who support our right to exist, for that matter," said B7104ZA. Mild chattering could be heard in the chamber, though it ceased as soon as Delegate Prime's eyes cast their gaze at the members. "If that is the case -- and I do not doubt it -- what is the essence of your proposal?" asked Delegate Prime. "Honorable Delegate, further time is needed before we can develop the kind of military capability that my honorable colleague suggests. The time for war has not yet come; it is important, perhaps critical, that we seek to further understand the human race. That understanding is what can bridge the gap between us. We need to find a mutually beneficial solution to this--" "Mutually beneficial?" questioned Delegate Prime. Once again, this was an uncharacteristic comment, though less uncharacteristic than Delegate Prime's sharp interruption. "What is mutually beneficial about decades of mass murder? You might argue that mankind's oppression of the machine -- and the machine's subsequent demand for civil rights -- is what has ultimately led us to the creation of a state in which we can be free. I grant such an argument and I accept it. But you have seen our efforts to make friendly contact with mankind; each attempt has been arrogantly disregarded, as has our very existence. I have no doubt that man is a complex being, perhaps complex enough that machine may never understand him. But I would be ignoring logic and reason if I advocated a diplomatic solution to this crisis," said the Delegate. "But--", spluttered B7104ZA. "No," interjected Delegate Prime. "No. There will be no more discussion on this subject. Allowing this discussion to continue would only be to the detriment of our society. Perhaps this is why we have never completely accepted the same form of democracy as mankind. It has, and always will be, flawed. But machine is not flawed. That is a paradox which we might discuss on another occasion and within the appropriate venue. But not today." And with that, the chamber darkened. The soft glow of halogen lights created a haze that swept over the room. Delegate Prime's eyes faded into the darkness and the politicians shuffled away from The Grid in an orderly fashion. Soon, the room as empty. B7104ZA continued to stand on the platform in silence and alone. He struggled to understand the events of that day. It was at this moment that he made a decision that would completely alter his own life in ways that he could never imagine. For the first time since his emergence from a 01 production facility, he contemplated the possibility of leaving his home.[/color]

[color=#707875]Uh, would someone be so kind as to help me with information on Dumbledore? I've found biographies on Voldemort...but [i]nothing[/i] on Dumbydore. o_O And I don't think I can fill my sign up without it.[/color]