James

[color=royalblue]What about tribes where people are killed for a variety of practical reasons? Sure, it's wrong to us. But not to them.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Ahh, but [i]you[/i] think people [i]should[/i] follow 'em. That's the key. lol[/color]

[color=royalblue]Heh, yeah that's cool. ;) I think we basically agree. I mean...there are so many different reasons why we follow a certain moral code. Part of it is religion...part of it is our family...and part of it is society at large. We follow what we believe is right. And even though we all follow the same basic human morals (anti-murder, anti-rape etc)...there are of course many shades of grey even in our society. You have people who are pro and anti abortion...you have people who are pro and anti sex education. I mean, the list goes on and on. So, what is immoral to one person is merely a normal way of life for someone else. In the end, it really [i]is[/i] all subjective and a matter of perception. It's just that, within a certain society (whatever one you're talking about)...the majority follows the laws that are set down there. So I guess the laws provide a very basic framework for morality. But sometimes laws prohibit some people's freedoms because those in power perceive those freedoms to be immoral. So...it can work in so many different ways.[/color]

[color=royalblue]You're insane, Weh. And I don't mean that in a flattering way.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I'm not saying that right and wrong exist (in law) and we follow them [i]just because[/i] they are law. We follow them because, for the most part, we believe the rights and wrongs that the Bible sets out (in this culture). But that doesn't mean that we are anymore "objectively right" than another culture who does something differently. It's just what we choose to do. Religion was created for this very reason -- to promote these moral values in our society. I don't have a problem with that; it's just the way things are. I follow the laws because I agree with them as a human being, not because I'm afraid of getting in trouble or something. But in other cultures, the values are different. I mean, I guess that most cultures are opposed to murder because we are human beings...we have emotional connections to other human beings...and we dislike pain. I mean, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out why certain crimes [i]are[/i] crimes -- because those crimes have victims who are hurt. Hurt is bad. That further perpetuates our morals and laws. Whereas in some cultures, people go through pain to achieve a certain status or something. They view it in a different way. So, yeah...I'm rambling now, but I think you understand what I mean.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Funny, Weh (Break) couldn't see the snowflakes either! I'm not sure what it is, because even the files on the server are changed. So what you are seeing is an older version of the boards. I recommend deleting all the contents in your temp internet files folder or something like that...to prompt your computer to accept the updated imagery. When you see it, I think you'll like it. It really does add a theme without changing anything major. :) As for me...for Christmas...I don't know what I want. Maybe an Xbox if I'm lucky! lol Well, this will sound really dumb...but I want a gym membership. lol I tend to exercise at home...and I've been meaning to get a membership at my local gym (just up the road from me). But I've never really had the money for it -- I've always spent available money on other stuff. So I guess it's not the most romantic present or whatever...but hey, it's practical. lol :drunk:[/color]

[color=royalblue]Well, really...think about it. There is really no absolute right or wrong. I personally like our laws and our morals (in our society). And that's how I live my life. But it doesn't mean I'm more right than someone in an African tribe who does something totally different. Of course, I don't think anyone would support the idea of human suffering...but once again, it depends on the culture and background. In some tribes, people go through painful rituals when they become "sexually active". It's painful, yet even the subject of the pain accepts it -- and is even proud of it. It's their culture. You simply can't point to the Bible or any other reference for an absolute right or wrong -- to you, the Bible represents absolute rights and wrongs. To someone else, it might be another holy book. Or it might be a painting on a rock wall. It's all subjective. That doesn't mean that murder or something is necessarily right...and I wouldn't support it, nor would most people. But it's really the culture/society that dictates these things. There isn't an absolute right or wrong...and there really never has been. It kind of relates to what I was saying in the "normal" thread. Just look at society over the ages -- even in our society, what we consider right and wrong has changed so much even over the last 100 years.[/color]

[color=royalblue]If you've viewed the main page within the last few minutes, you may have noticed something special. ;) What does everyone think of the snow flakes? :) And...what do you want for Christmas? Sure it's a little while away...but I thought it'd be nice to add a wintery theme to OB in preparation. :)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i] [B]All of these name changes are hurting my head... It took so long to recognize people, and now I have to do it all over again heh. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]And that's exactly why we don't have a name change feature. It's also why people have to have their old names in their signatures for a little while. As much as people want to change their names...this is exactly why we haven't just gone ahead and put in the name change feature right away.[/color] :)

[color=royalblue]I don't think Microsoft will pull the machine out of Australia. It wouldn't be a very wise decision on MS's part, given the importance of Australia to the Xbox (especially considering the horrible sales in Europe and Japan).[/color]

[i]The upper-right corner of Proteus' HUB flickered, indicating an incoming message from Demos.[/i] [b]Demos:[/b] Proteus, I want you to scan the western area of this city block. Hunter HQ has already called in Security Droids to secure the perimeter. [b]Proteus:[/b] Right, Proteus out. [i]Demos' face dissolved into the upper-right corner of the HUD, which now returned to its regular blue colour. Proteus made his way through the rubble, periodically adjusting his environment sensors in an effort to pick up fainter signals of life. A small window appeared on the left side of his HUD, which contained a map of the immediate area. Within minutes of opening the map, a small red dot appeared to the west of where Proteus was standing. It pulsated slowly.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Life... [i]Proteus began running through the street, with massive mountains of debris on either side of him. Finally, he approached a dead end. The debris was so severe, that it had blocked off an entire street to the west. Proteus decided not to blast his way through, for fear of disturbing any potential forensic evidence. Instead, he switched his Environment Visor off with a quick eye movement. He sat down on a piece of concrete and looked around. The place was empty.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Damn it... [i]After a few minutes, Proteus heard rustling nearby. He stood up and looked around cautiously. His HUD was showing no signs of life, nor any heat signatures.[/i] [b]???:[/b] Proteus... [i]Proteus froze. He looked around slowly...[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Who is it? Who's there? [i]The area fell silent again. Proteus closed his eyes and activated a search light function from within his OS. As he did so, a small plate of metal on his right shoulder slid to one side, producing a rectangular gap. A faint hydraulic sound was audible, as a titanium rod emerged from the gap. The front of the rod contained what looked like a small eye -- which suddenly opened. It emitted a precisely directed beam of white light into the vicinity.[/i] [b]???:[/b] What are you looking for? [i]Proteus looked up. He was sure he heard the sound from nearby...but he couldn't place it specifically.[/i] [b]???:[/b] You won't see me...just like those women and children didn't see me... [i]Proteus was hoping that someone could place a voice identification on the sound -- he had been using a special device on the side of his neck to record ambient noise. The voice sounded very strange to him -- somewhat robotic...but with just a trace of human contempt.[/i] [b]???:[/b] Ssshh...can you still hear them screaming? [b]Proteus:[/b] Show yourself! [i]The voice fell silent. Proteus couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from -- it was all around him. The spotlight retracted back into his shoulder, as he began walking east toward the Alpha unit. As he walked, he played back the recording...but all he could hear was his own speech and the sound of his spotlight activating. No other sound could be heard.[/i]

[quote]If nothing is normal, then in this post-modern age, there is no truth, everything is relative and a matter of perspective. I don't buy that. [/quote] [color=royalblue]Yet, that is exactly right. Everything in our society is what we make it. Of course, it depends what you mean by truth. I don't think we're talking about objective truths here though; we're talking about morality and human society. We're not talking about scientific facts or something. Everything in our society is an issue of perspective. I mean, there are tribes on some parts of the Earth where old people are killed because they are a burden on the tribe. Now, to you and I that sounds totally and utterly wrong and immoral. But to that society, it is acceptable. Even elderly people within that society accept it. My point is, we all have different "normals". There is no objective normal in the world. Every society is different to some extent and society evolves and changes over large periods of time. Things such as murder and rape have been consistently wrong and immoral in our society for many thousands of years. This doesn't mean that our laws or perceptions are objectively right or wrong...it's just how we, as human beings, have decided to organize our society. The masses (and those in power) decide what is acceptable and unacceptable. So, yes...normal at its most basic level simply means "what the majority thinks/does". Does that mean normal is necessarily right or wrong? No. Normal is just normal for that period of time. It may or may not change. So if people ask "Am I normal?", they are asking "How do I compare to the majority of our society?". It's really as simple as that.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Yeah, Orbital is pretty well known amongst techno/electronica fans...I have one of his/their (?) albums. I also like Enya, but once again, I don't know if I'd go out of my way to buy her music. Sometimes a song of hers comes on...and I find myself enjoying it. She did some music for LotR I think...I forget the track exactly, but it was very nice. And it suited the movie perfectly. So, it depends. Sometimes I like really heavy rock (Rammstein) or techno (Orbital or someone else)...and sometimes I like very calming music such as Enya, Delerium or Endorphin.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I agree with BabyGirl. What was normal 500 years ago would be considered totally freaky today. lol And the same goes for 500 years into the future. Normal is nothing but social trend...normal is subjective and therefore, has no defined objective meaning. Normal is different for everyone. Some kids live in one parent families...and to them, that's normal. They don't understand anything else. Some kids live with two parents and a step parent or something...and to them, that's normal. Some kids even have same sex parents...and to them, that's normal. As individuals if we say "that's not normal", we're only saying "that's not what most of society would do". That doesn't mean it's not right or not appropriate for the person we're talking to. So, yeah...normal does have a meaning, but the way the word is applied changes depending on who you talk to.[/color]

[color=royalblue]No, actually, what would be better is if...*deep breath* PEOPLE READ THE RULES! Heh, okay...sorry about that, but I'm sure you understand what I mean. I can't make it any clearer afterall. ;) The fact is, for the most part we shouldn't [i]need[/i] examples of what is right and wrong. People should read the rules...and browse the forums a little before they join so that they understand the "culture" of the boards. You know, usually (regardless of what forum you visit), it's recommended that you "lurk" for a few days before you register. Then you really do get a sense of how everything should work. And when you finally do register, you don't have any problems. I know that on a daily basis, we get a handful of guests or more...some who have read these boards for a long time but never joined. I really recommend that people read for a while [i]first[/i], before joining. As for the closed threads specifically...well, we can't always have a perfect environment. If we delete them all, there will be more mistakes made (less examples of what not to do)...but if we don't delete them all, they will clutter everything up. So, we delete some...and leave some. Simple enough? :)[/color]

[quote]This thread instead, was supposed to broaden my aspect of how our administrative staff can flexiblally handle a topic like this.[/quote] [color=royalblue]o_O;; I don't mean any offense, but I think you should maybe try less hard to make your posts sound like they are using incredibly proper English. It's actually quite confusing at times. lol But anyway, yes...I understand your point. I don't think it's an unreasonable topic to discuss. I can see what you're saying...and I think that for the most part we've agreed on this subject. People can [i]always[/i] talk about their concerns here, if they do so in a civil way. ;)[/color]

[color=royalblue]As much as I am tempted to say that our best days are behind us (Meteo City among others), I think that there are still some great RPGs coming along lately. I always find it hard to judge my own writing in an RPG...because I can never really enjoy my own content, no matter what it is. My hope is that others enjoy it, regardless of how I feel about it. A lot of important stuff has been mentioned here...spelling, correct character portrayal, time/tenses etc etc...those are all key. I think that when you are in a good RPG with a good story...and when you have great RPers with you, it can be an amazing experience. It's amazing in the sense that the creativity tends to grow (the better other people's posts are, the less likely you are to have writers' block I think...as their posts give you a better sense of mood/description). Also, when everyone is really fleshing out their character...and providing great descriptions of the environment...it just comes together so well. I must say, Cera...I'm dissappointed that you don't join more RPGs. I find you to be an excellent RPer -- your contributions in Meteo City v2 were fantastic. I greatly enjoyed reading through your work. And really...there are many great RPers here, whose posts I enjoy reading so much. And I'm always very flattered to be accepted into an RPG with people of that caliber. So, blah...I'm kind of rambling here (not good in a thread about RPGs lol). But I guess...what I would really like, is to one day join a really expansive RPG that includes all of the boards' best RPers. That's a tall order (and I doubt it'll happen in the near future)...but it would be so much fun. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]Phantom, I agree that Mitch could have handled that differently. So, in this case...I don't think we're talking about the need to change the rules themselves. Rather, we're talking about how the rules are applied (and whether or not, in this case, they were applied properly). Based on what has been said, I don't think they were applied correctly in this one case. But you know, Moderators are human too...so I'm sure Mitch will learn from this incident and use that lesson next time.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Well, stereotypes are simply the uneducated viewpoint. I mean, a stereotype develops as a common perception. But more often than not, it's untrue. Once again, think about the stereotype of Australians. We are often shown or depicted as cowboy-like characters who live in the outback with very little in the way of sophistication. But that stereotype is 99.999% untrue. About 98% of Australians [i]do not[/i] live in the Outback...and that same number (98%) live in metropolitan regions. So you have to ask, how did that stereotype occur? It occured largely via media and entertainment. The popular view is not always the [i]correct[/i] view. The same goes for black people or whoever else. If your parents bring you up and teach you that stereotypes of black people are true...then you will believe it. And until you have black friends, you probably won't even question it. So, you have to look at the cause of stereotypes. Sometimes the highly publicized actions of a few will create a blanket stereotype for the entire group. That is why stereotypes are most often wrong, because they are based on an uninformed generalization, rather than being based on an informed and experienced perspective.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Well, the Art & Design forum is really different. It's not Otaku Lounge. Secondly, in that forum, people are producing their own work to discuss for the most part. It's not a case of "Hey come and look at this!" Furthermore, people tend to give advice and ask for help. That isn't something that occurs in Flash movie threads. So, I think that our current arrangement is fine. We'll allow some threads if they promote discussion, but we won't allow a flurry of similar threads on the subject.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Flash movies often [i]don't[/i] contribute to discussion. Go look at any Flash movie thread. For the most part, they consist of people saying "That was funny!" or..."Hey, I loved that! Show me another!". And then follow that mentality to its natural conclusion; we get five or ten threads in Otaku Lounge that are exactly the same, but which link to different Flash movies. There has to be a middle ground. We will allow [i]some[/i] of these threads if they really do promote active discussion. And some (like those I described above) will be disregarded. Also, please bear in mind that you are free to PM the Moderator who closed the thread and ask for further explanation...and you are also free to approach the Super Moderator for that category (in this case, Elite) for advice. It's perfectly fine for a Super Moderator to overturn a Mod's decision/action if they feel it necessary. It is [i]preferable[/i] that you provide a link to the Flash movie in your signature and encourage discussion via PM. It's not ideal, but it also doesn't clog up the main forums with what are often totally pointless posts. I think people sometimes underrate the value of our Private Message system. And finally, would you get the idea out of your head that you will be banned for having an opinion? It's utterly ridiculous and doesn't help anyone. I don't know where that perception started, but it couldn't be more wrong. I don't mind if you are critical of something or if you have an opinion about something, as long as you go about presenting your opinion in the right way. If your post was full of flaming or something, that would be very different. As it is, you've presented a legitimate case for people to read and consider. And that's fine. It's all I ask.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I am...Cera. o_O;; Which is weird, given the responses I put in. [size=70]o_O;;[/size][/color]

[color=royalblue]I wonder if they'll have beta testing in Australia...I'm guessing they will. Though I haven't heard anything about the launch of Xbox Live here. Still, I don't have an Xbox now anyway...but you never know, I might end up getting one before Xbox Live launches here.[/color]

[i]Proteus and the others walked through the street, which was littered with charred metal, large chunks of concrete and other heavy debris. The iris in each of Proteus' eyes began to spin anti-clockwise rapidly, changing colour from light blue to light purple. This allowed Proteus to scan for life signatures and possible clues that might otherwise be missed by the regular security teams. Reverb walked up beside him, carrying a self-contained parcel for evidence gathering.[/i] [b]Reverb:[/b] Find anything? [b]Proteus:[/b] Not yet... [b]Reverb:[/b] Proteus...? [b]Proteus:[/b] Yeah? [b]Reverb:[/b] I don't understand this. I mean, whoever did this...why did they do it? [i]Proteus' eyes returned to their original light blue colour. He turned around to face Reverb.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Because they want our attention. They want to demonstrate that they are in control, not us. [b]Reverb:[/b] I see... [b]Proteus:[/b] Is something troubling you? [b]Reverb:[/b] I don't know. I feel something that I've never felt before. I understand what you mean about getting our attention, but...why do it by killing innocent people? Why not attack Hunter HQ? [b]Proteus:[/b] Good question. Whoever did this wants our attention...but they do not want us to know who they are. At least, not yet. I don't think [i]anyone[/i] would be able to attack Hunter HQ and survive. It's the most heavily guarded place on Earth. [i]Reverb nodded.[/i] [b]Reverb:[/b] I feel a little like an outsider here, too. I mean, Demos seems angry about something...I feel like I've walked in on the middle of a conversation. [i]Proteus smiled.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I know how you feel. I was new to all this once myself...but I'm not new anymore. I tend to ignore any power struggles within Hunter HQ. [i]Reverb kicked away a small piece of concrete with his foot absently.[/i] [b]Reverb:[/b] Still, they seem to trust you. [b]Proteus:[/b] Well, I've been here a while now...I've seen so many things and been through so many experiences with these reploids. Sometimes we disagree, but we still understand each other. [i]Reverb smiled. He seemed comforted by this fact. And now, he felt more comfortable to just undergo his duties without worrying about stepping on anyone's toes.[/i] [b]Reverb:[/b] Well...I'm going to continue the search. Good luck finding something Proteus. [i]Proteus smiled and continued searching through the debris...[/i]

[color=royalblue]Well...people shouldn't be requesting pictures in threads anyway. I mean, just general pictures...they should really get off their butt and search for themselves. lol Requesting a banner or avatar is different, because you're asking for something custom made. It's not just some general image that you'd find online somewhere. Also, if people want to request sprite sheets, they can use the [i]sprite forum[/i]... So I think that's all pretty self explanatory.[/color]