James

[font=franklin gothic medium]I actually think that the Human Focus idea is my favourite. It comes across at first as a typical superhero story (teenagers who gain powers from a meteor? Yep.), but I think that the end of it contains an interesting twist. After all, if you have all of those super powers but you have no real "super villains" to fight, what do you do? Would you become so frustrated and bored that you'd begin taking things out on people who you actually care about? I mean it needs to be a lot more fleshed out to become an RPG, but I think that it has potential. Super powers do not automatically make super heroes, I guess. Ironically you've presented a lot of ideas here, but all of your concepts seem to still revolve around some central themes. Elements like super powers/magic, apocalypse and prophecies seem to permeate just about all of these concepts. So they are different on the surface, but they all seem to share a common core. Rather than worrying too much about outright setting, I would look at changing the core focus of what you're doing. What if you tried to create an RPG that isn't based on magic/powers or some sort of ancient prophecy? You could do something more realistic (like a real-life drama), or you could look at doing a horror story (which may or may not include supernatural elements) or you could even do a parody of your favourite film. And along those same lines, you could maybe even look at taking a franchise you're interested in and re-developing it with a very different focus (like Shy's Zelda RPG). So you have a lot of options. It's good to see all the brainstorming anyway. Good luck.[/font] :catgirl:

[font=franklin gothic medium]Hi guys, good to see you! TheDumbening, I just merged your intro thread with this one. Hopefully that's ok. Welcome to OB. :catgirl:[/font]

[quote]I do agree that the biggest issue is people don't have the time or interest to read and really critique someone's work. It doesn't help if what they post is the type of story you're not really interested in. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yep. And that's really the reality here - it's not about elitism (I'm not even sure how that could be measured). Critiquing written fan works has never been terribly popular, even on theOtaku when we used to do regular fan fiction (I'm not sure what the situation is there now though). So it's been a common problem. In fact at one point there was even a question as to whether or not OB should even have an Anthology forum. Anyway it seems like we might as well give this a try, since I don't think it will do any harm (and may be something most people prefer anyway). I will make the changes shortly.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Parts of this remind me a bit of my Ladies of London idea (which involved an OB "TV Show"). But I think your concept is much better. I like this idea a lot. Maybe you could allow a few more posts per episode, but still, I think that this could really work. As each TV show begins you could even put together a TV Guide and list shows in different groupings (like by genre for instance). And then you could do a little blurb under each one, with a list of the main characters. If you did Introduction, Problem and Solution though, you could have it so that one member does a post for each. But with each episode they could switch places perhaps to keep things interesting. This way it would be relatively easy to pump out an entire "season" for one TV show without much trouble. Very interesting idea though. I can really picture this having huge potential. I imagine the Guide having a logo for each show and stuff...and people doing totally unique stuff, or parodies of existing shows, etc. You could have comedy, drama, crime/cop shows, horror... etc. All this needs is a fair bit of commitment from the creator. If you were to run/edit the Guide and be a major participant in the shows, it'd have a better chance of surviving.[/font]

[quote]Let's face it, OtakuBoards's Anthology section is pretty much dead. No one wants to step out of their comfort zone to show support for a work by someone they don't even know (also known as 'clique syndrome'), and they don't want to offer criticism for fear that someone will tell them they're wrong. Relying on other posters to provide your breaks and bumps for you isn't the logical way to go, and a word processor will allow you to continue on with your fiction independently of the silence of the elitists. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I think the biggest problem has nothing to do with elitism or fear - it simply has to do with laziness. It takes real effort to read through someone else's story and critique it. Most people aren't willing to do that regularly. The same thing will happen in many places, including back when we had regular fan fiction on theOtaku.com. It was one thing to publish your work and have it read, but it was another thing to get any real criticism beyond "OMG that was awesome!!" So it's a common problem and it's somewhat understandable. Some people just prefer to read and don't want to sit there and analyze the work. I don't expect you to sugarcoat things, but you're the Moderator for Anthology - it would be a good idea not to use the term "elitists" when referring to Members within your own forum. Seriously, we should be encouraging constructive criticism and participation rather than discouraging it. In terms of this rule, I don't really see the need for a time exception. It would be easier to just say "double posting is allowed in Anthology" and leave it at that. The next question, though, is whether we allow more than double posting - in other words, five or ten posts in a row. And does it really matter? Ideally people would use anchor tags and stuff, as Des has suggested. It's not only easy to follow, but it's tidy and you can easily link to each chapter in your piece.[/font] [quote]If we do change the rule, I think the exceptions should be kept as simple as possible. Basically just something like, "You're only allowed to double post if you're adding a new chapter to your story or you reach the character limit." Stuff like time limits confuse people and are a pain to enforce.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, I agree with this. It needs to be simple. Lots of weird exceptions and time limits are nothing but a pain and they can't effectively be enforced. My preference would be to simply allow double-posting in Anthology and leave it at that. Members can then each decide how they want to use that. If Anthology users would like to see double-posting allowed in that forum then I have no problem giving it a try. We can see how it goes and adjust things as we go along.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Welcome, guys. I've had huge internet issues lately myself, Linku-kun, so I know where you're coming from. Hopefully everything works out for you now! I hope you enjoy the place. :catgirl:[/font]

[quote]I didn't see it that way, I saw it as him explaining why he saw no value in the discussion or rather one of the reason's why he saw no value. I don't see it as dogmatic if someone points out exactly why they think a topic is silly. That is just their opinion after all. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, I see why Allamorph is talking numbers. The problem is that it's becoming an exercise in semantics. The bottom line is that there are enough people talking about the OP's contention to warrant the thread staying alive. And, secondly, it's not for one member to decide that a thread is useless anyway (unless a Mod decides that it's against the rules) - especially if it's just personal opinion. Posting in a thread simply to say "this is an invalid discussion" is not really acceptable. :catgirl:[/font] [quote]By changing the focus in that manner, it became more prevalent in the thread where before it was not. That's pretty common in local politics when it comes to debating a decision or considering a topic for discussion, if there isn't enough consensus then the request for it to be considered is dismissed. This isn't that kind of deal, but I can see the logic behind not wishing to go in depth over something that we don't consider an issue. Or the logic of looking at the numbers to measure interest.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Oh that's true, but thank god OB does not operate this way. Otherwise only the most popular topics would be discussed and nothing else would ever get a look in! Ouch. Haha. The numbers were brought up to refute my claim that a large number of people were discussing the political aspects. But note that I said "large number", not "majority" or "half" or whatever. As I said, it's a semantic argument that is now pretty tired. So with that said, I am going to pose a question. We all know that the Olympics in Beijing can't be reversed, purely for the fact that they're in motion now, haha. However, if you guys were on the selection committee, would you take human rights and other matters into consideration with future Olympic bids? For instance, the recent issues with Russia/Georgia. If Russia were to bid for the next Games, should their current strife be a factor? Or should it only relate to how well they can service the event?[/font]

[quote]I wasn't the one who brought this up, but it's pretty simple or I think it is. He was referring to the math or percentage of people actually discussing the original topic. There were posts that had nothing to do with the OP's question. So therefore...the variables (in this case the number of replies) don't accurately reflect the interest in the topic at hand. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Haha, yeah, I understood his meaning. :catgirl: What I meant was, he had no real point and was being dogmatic for the sake of argument, rather than making an attempt to actually debate the subject. Whether 60% or 20% of people are talking about the politics, the fact remains that a large number of people are discussing that subject. And, moreover, it has once again become dominant in this thread. Therefore, there is sufficient interest in the topic. Getting into specific numbers and ratios is splitting hairs to the point where it becomes purely argumentative and doesn't have much bearing on the topic itself. [/font] [quote]People can object and move that such a thing never happen again. I'm just not going to agree with it since I had no real issues with a place like China being allowed to host the games.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]That's totally cool. It's just a shame this wasn't clear at the beginning. Several people not only disagreed, but outright dismissed vegeta rocker's entire point as being irrelevant or "whiny". Disagreement is fine, but the way vegeta rocker's point of view was rudely brushed aside by several people is far from fine. The point of view and rhetoric has subsequently changed and cooled down and has been portrayed as though it was always like this when it wasn't. So I think that's what I took issue with. However, ironically, I actually agree with most people in this thread as far as China playing host. I know I've said that a lot, but I think it's important because we also really have to be respectful of those who still see this as an issue.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I probably have a million weird habits, although I can't really think of any at the moment. For a while I was a bit like Vicky, where I was totally noctural (or preferred to be, anyway, haha). It's weird that now I just can't do it...even if I stay up late and sleep in a lot, I can't seem to stay up as late as I used to. Maybe I'm just so used to having a routine where I have to be awake early in the morning. *shrug* I also sometimes feel the need to take a random walk with music, if for no other reason than to clear my mind a bit. It's amazing how well it can work sometimes. Although I guess quite a few people probably do that at times.[/font]

[quote]That's not the problem I'm seeing. The problem is one of usefulness. Will a discussion of China's right to host this year's games do anything now? No. And yes, I know the issue was raised then, but since the decision to allow them to host was made back then as well, continuing the debate (again, over their right to host this year's games, which was the specific intent of the OPer) serves absolutely no purpose. Absolutely none. If we were discussing their right to host any future games, or hosting rights and governmental ethics in general, then I would not be descrying this thread quite so intensely. Such an issue is, as you have said, a legitimate topic, and one that should definitely be addressed.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Well, you concede that the scrutiny placed on human rights violations is a legitimate topic in your second paragraph - and that is essentially part of what we are discussing here. It is the underlying motivation for those who did not want China to host the Olympics. Yes, the choice has been made and China is now hosting them, but that certainly doesn't make the question moot or irrelevant. Dismissing people's real concerns and questions about the selection isn't fair or reasonable.[/font] [quote]See, that's the whole thing with discussing future rights. Discussing flaws and a need for change is great. Debating a decision that cannot be reversed is . . . well, downright silly.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Asking the question "Should China have been made host of the 2008 Olympics?" is not a silly question. It's a fair question and it's one that [i]someone[/i] should probably be asking. Just because an event is in progress doesn't mean people can't question the motivations or lead up to the choice itself. A topic doesn't suddenly become untouchable simply because the event itself is passing, lol.[/font] [quote]What, thirty-seven replies? Eleven Sorry, twelve of those were discussion of the games themselves, and at least twelve more now have been debating the legitimacy of the intended topic?which stemmed from my and Darren's efforts to discuss only the games in the first place. Confounding variables there, methinks.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]That isn't even worth debating - what is "confounding variables" supposed to mean? lol My earlier point still stands; if this were an entirely useless discussion, people wouldn't be discussing it. Simple. And obviously people [i]are[/i] discussing it. It is therefore a legitimate topic of interest (even if you yourself have no interest in the political aspect of the Games).[/font] [quote]I'm not entirely sure this thread would have had quite as much depth if I hadn't tried to change the subject.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Well then, give yourself a gold star and a big pat on the back, by all means. I tend to give credit to the OP, who put this line of discussion on the table and therefore sparked a number of different responses. I have been spending at least some time defending the OP from being utterly dismissed (and quite rudely so in some cases).[/font] [quote]I almost didn't. But then I realized that more people than me wanted to discuss something that didn't need strong opinions.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I am not sure what you mean - what doesn't need strong opinions, in your view? The sport itself? The political side obviously has strong opinions by default. Any situation where you have controversy or human rights issues is obviously going to generate strong (and understandable) feelings.[/font] [quote]Also, the Funtime thread presents no discussion material, and yet people post there in droves, getting their borogoves all mimsy and outgrabing their mome raths. Snicker-snack to that point. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Snicker-snack to what point? It doesn't seem to me that you have one. I'm not quite sure how the Funtime thread compares to this one at all, lol. The only thing I can say is that if a thread has a lot of responses or activity, then people [i]obviously[/i] wish to spend their time in that discussion. The same is absolutely true here. It doesn't matter what the topic is about or how "deep" it is - people will only ever post if they are actually interested in doing so. And there's clearly sufficient interest in this topic, so as to validate vegeta rocker's original proposition.[/font] [quote]Yeah, and from this point forward I'll only add to the discussion if I have something that directly pertains to it. I understand you, and I hope you understand me, so I doubt this line of speaking holds any more value, either.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I'm not sure if you've understood some of my points, but I've clarified them a little here anyway. In any case, that's what topics like this are about - it's not only fine for people to disagree, but there's nothing wrong with discussing the political side of an event like this. Those who aren't interested in the OP's line of discussion should simply not post here. Also a sports-specific Olympics thread has begun in the Amphitheater, so I hope that people will use that if they want to talk about the sport specifically.[/font] [quote] Protesting the fact that China is hosting the Olympics or discussing why shouldn't have been able to isn't moot or pointless. I know of several people who are personally boycotting the 2008 Olympics, and I find it admirable. A lot of people like to use the excuse of "but the Olympics is all about unity!" to stop the discussion, but really the fact that the world is recognizing the coming of a nation that has *terrible* human rights and wants to forget about it for a while because of the Olympics is sort of sad. I'm not anti-Olympics or anything, I've been watching parts of it but I recognize what China has been doing lately. Put the semantics aside- clearly we can't stop the fact that China is hosting it, but that doesn't mean it's a good time to raise these issues. I've discussed it before and during the Olympics- I never thought China should have been able to play host.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I did think that China being host was acceptable, but I have to say, [i]this[/i] is the type of post that probably better expresses vegeta rocker's original point. :catgirl:[/font]

[quote]So yes I see it as silly, since I think it's the wrong place to protest, not that the protest or actual problem is silly, make sense? There is a time and a place for protests and in my opinion, the Olympics is not the place for it.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, this makes sense. Some of your earlier comments gave an entirely different implication though - and I felt that was worth addressing. But on this point, we definitely agree. :catgirl:[/font] [quote]However, when the Olympics are used as the venue for discussion of the erroneous ways of the host country, then I tend to dismiss the speaker, since they then appear to be drawing an audience by using false advertising. If the thread topic is China's government and its flaws, then the title should not merely be The Olympics, but perhaps The Olympics: Why China Should Not Have Hosted.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]That's probably true. vegeta rocker could have done a better job with the thread title. Be that as it may, though, the opening post was explicitly clear.[/font] [quote]Also, I view the practicality of debating China's right to host at this point in time as very low. If we already have four finalist cities for the games eight years from now, and the current games are already ongoing, is there really a point in raising a stink? Shouldn't that have been done back in 2000, when it might have done something?[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Well, it was raised back then. And it continues to be raised today, for very legitimate reasons. As Rach said, there's now an increased scrutiny on what happens within China. How can that be a bad thing, if it sheds light on human rights atrocities? At the same time, I do agree that we should be able to talk about Olympic events independently of the politics. It's just that I'm respecting the OP's intentions here, rather than simply brushing those views to one side.[/font] [quote]Incidentally, I sincerely doubt that the current discussion is doing anything for anyone.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]That's odd, given the number of replies and the depth of the discussion. If this discussion raised no strong opinions, people simply wouldn't post. I appreciate that everyone takes the time to discuss issues like this. Anyway I've edited the thread title to reflect vegeta rocker's intentions. Hopefully that will no longer be an issue.[/font] [quote]I don't see it as dismissing the concerns, I see it as saying, this isn't the place for it. Where do you draw the line when it comes to denying a country certain things because of current or past atrocities? I imagine there are economic or other forms of sanctions that would have a better impact than denying them the privilege of hosting. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]If it were simply about Beijing hosting or not hosting the games, that'd be one thing. But we keep being told about "hang ups" and "every country has its issues", both of which are [i]totally[/i] dismissive. Calling that out is fair. Now that we've divided the two, things make a lot more sense. I do think it's far too late to try to somehow take the games off China (obviously), but it's never too late to question the validity of China as host. I may not agree with people who put that view forward (because I think the Olympics are a positive for China), but their views are certainly relevant.[/font] [quote]The protest in my opinion shouldn't be to keep them from hosting, but against the actual problems. I think people are missing that some of us don't see hosting the Olympics elsewhere as a viable solution. I don't see that changing anything at all. Other than it would be in a different country.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]The good news is that nobody seems to be implying this anyway. I think the issue was originally more to do with China not being given the privilege, rather than saying actual issues would be fixed if the games were held elsewhere. I think anything that encourages China to open up and become more transparent is an inherently good thing.[/font] [quote]And yes I know all about bribery issues when it comes to that sort of thing. >_> Anyway, where do we draw the line? After all, what happened in Germany was pretty horrible and yet they still hosted the games.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I think it's totally reasonable for China to host these games. I also don't believe that Germany's past actions would actually hinder them in future Olympic bids. In any case, my basic point is that someone like vegeta rocker is not the kind of irrelevant whiner that has been implied throughout this thread. Far from it, in fact. Taking these issues seriously (whether in the context of the Games or not) is surely nothing if not based on honest compassion. My real hope is that China learns some positive lessons from all of this. For one thing, it is true that if they make genuine efforts, the world will not reject them. And although they are minor, I know that China has made quite a few efforts to increase transparency during these Olympics (certainly not enough, but it's a start). What I find most funny, though, is that a lot of people forget that China is still a typical Communist regime of the old school variety. When someone mentions re-education camps, political killings/arrests or even the massacre of unarmed monks, the reaction is all too often one of disbelief. Maybe this is evidence of how well China has been able to manage PR over recent years. And maybe the growing middle class of China contributes to this idea that China is "getting there" more quickly than it really is.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I have just started to read Watchmen. I'm about halfway through (or a bit more) now. I'm really enjoying it, especially as someone who really hasn't read comics in years. I used to read a few simpler things as a kid and as a teenager I became more interested in European stuff rather than American stuff (for example I was never interested in X-Men comics, but I enjoyed the TV series). So for me Watchmen was a bit of an experiment to see whether or not I was still interested in this medium. I think what I like about Watchmen is that it's far more "adult" than a number of comics I've seen before. I don't mean in terms of ideas like violence or gritty subjects, but more in terms of complexity and its ability to deal with political issues as well. The way that the characters' backstories tie together and how their often derranged personalities are not simply there for the sake of seeming "mature" is refreshing and appealing to me. Watchmen deals with more than just the idea of superheroes in the real world (or the darker side of superheroes) and I really appreciate that. It doesn't insult the reader too much by forcing the same concepts down your throat frequently. Despite this, Watchmen is still incredibly easy to read. I am not finding it to be convoluted or so complex that the average person can't understand it. It's definitely slower than traditional comics that I've seen (as limited as they were), but I don't mind that - it comes across as being far more novel-like than comic-like, in the strictest terms. As far as these definitions go, I'm certainly no expert. I always thought that the term "graphic novel" came about during the time of Watchmen and that it was a term coined to at least partially legitimize comics as an "adult" art form, like regular novels. For me, the terms "comic" and "graphic novel" are totally interchangeable, probably because I don't view a comic as being something that can't be for adults. Sometimes I think "graphic novel" sounds a little pretentious and sometimes it kind of betrays an embarassment that fans have about their hobby. At least, that's the impression I get, rightly or wrongly. Still, it doesn't change the fact that comics/graphic novels are a powerful medium. I feel very privileged to be dipping my toe in the water again with such a wonderful piece of art.[/font]

[quote]Understandable, I find it strange that people are getting upset in the first place, mainly because we dealt with the scandal of bribery when the Olympics were here in Utah. So I find it silly in the sense that the Olympics are meant to be an event that all countries can be a part of. What's the point in having it if you punish all citizens of a country because their government has hang ups?[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I don't think it's about punishing the citizens, but I do think that there are legitimate questions about the way China's government operates. The question is, should that aspect of China be discussed as part of the Olympics? As I have said before, I don't necessarily agree that we should "politicize" the Olympic Games. We do, to some extent, have to take them for what they are. And we do have to try to look at the positives of the event itself. Having said that, it's unreasonable to be dismissive of those who are putting out those legitimate concerns. Characterizing their government's problems as "hang ups" probably doesn't help, because it trivializes the very serious and systematic problems in the country (I mean, I wouldn't say that being arrested and thrown into a forced "re-education" camp could be considered a "hang up").[/font] [quote]That sounds like your saying that since I'm not taking the protest seriously, I'm just dismissing the horrors in the world... say what? Since when did not being bothered by the Olympics being hosted in China equal I find their past history acceptable? Am I suppose to always hold a grudge against China?[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]That's kind of a mis-reading of what I was saying. I'll try to clarify. What I meant was that if you dismiss the very real concerns of those who have made comment about China during these Games, you [i]imply[/i] that these matters are not of utmost importance. That implication is the problem - I don't believe that you yourself actually don't care about the horrific treatment of various groups of people. Not being bothered that the Olympic Games is being held in China is one thing (something I agree with). But simultaneously dismissing serious concerns over human rights violations as "hang ups" is not helpful, to say the least. We may not want politics and sport to converge, but they so often do - as evidenced by the actual premise of this thread in the first place.[/font] [quote] Personally I think people are so hung up on the atrocities that have happened over there to realize that by allowing them to host the Olympics there, they're extending that "olive branch" as it were. Opening the place up to quite a bit of scrutiny. It's also a big step for them to allow so much about them to be aired around the world.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, that's right. So why then complain when the scrutiny occurs? I think that the added scrutiny - while sometimes overshadowing the event itself - can invariably only be a good thing.[/font] [quote]Ignoring it? No, we just don't agree that it's as big of a tragedy as some people think it is. Malkav said it best, it's common history to ignore the problems of the host country. Not permanently since I'm not likely to ever forget what happened in Germany. But I think it would be wrong to keep holding that over someone's head. Otherwise all that bribery here would have sent the Olympics elsewhere, yeah that makes sense, punish everyone for the actions of a few.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Once again this comes back to what I was talking about earlier - it's easy for us to talk like this when we live in a relatively happy environment, sheltered from any kind of serious oppression. Many of the events that have occurred - and continue to occur - on a daily basis within China are not only tragic, they are horrific. To describe them as anything less only demonstrates that maybe you aren't actually aware of what's been happening there. I mean, where do I start? Do I start talking about the recent events where the Chinese military opened fire on unarmed monks? I mean, totally unarmed monks who were fired upon with heavy weaponry in an open street? If you do not view events in China to be as serious as some say, then you may want to pay more attention to the stories that come out of the country. When Germany held the Olympic Games in the 30's, this kind of scrutiny was not only warranted, but it was probably necessary. The same is true now. Anyway, as I've stressed before, I actually do think that holding the Olympic Games in Beijing can have positive consequences. And I do like the fact that often, the games are separated from the politics. However...it would be wrong of me to dismiss the concerns of people who are truly suffering. It's not something that should be ever trivialized.[/font] [quote]Civil Rights Violations were ignored in the US during the times we've hosted the Olympic games, Or if not ignored brushed aside for a few weeks.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]At least the United States wasn't shooting priests in the street, simply because they dared to protest. If they had been, then I think it would have been a worthy topic of discussion.[/font] [quote] I know another question or argument that could come up is how the money spent on the Olympics could have been put to better use. However, isn't that always the case? I could say the same for when they came to where I live. The money spent hosting the winter Olympics could have easily gone to better causes. You can always find something else. Always.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah I think that this argument is extremely flawed - I agree with you completely here. People will always say "Well you could have spent that money on a hospital or this or that" and that will always be the case. But at the same time I think those people devalue these kinds of events and what they can do for morale and commerce. You can bet that a lot of small businesses in China could be benefiting from these Games - and that's a positive thing.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I'm not sure if I'd want to know when I'm going to die. I mean I guess if I had a terminal illness or something it might be good to know the timing...but otherwise I think I'd be better off leaving it totally out of my thoughts. As far as [i]how[/i] I'd want to die, I'm really not sure. I think that if I knew when I was going to die I'd probably rather just die in my sleep. That way I could do what I wanted to do and go to sleep...and that'd be it. Otherwise though, I don't think it'd something I'd want to specifically plan for. :catgirl:[/font]

[quote]Anyway, I'm going to do the same, ignore all the silly fuss over what country it's in. Seriously, that would be like the pot calling the kettle black since no one is free of shady things that have happened in their country.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]As much as I think it's fair to just talk about this event in terms of the sport, I do find it kind of strange to call the controversy a "silly fuss". It just kind of reminds me how comfortable most of us are where we live. You know, because we can easily afford to dismiss the horrors of the world when it suits us. I suppose we could always just say "well, every country has had some bad blood in its history" (as if it's all totally comparative anyway) and be done with it. I mean, that's mostly what [i]does[/i] happen I guess. It's sort of sad. It's also sort of funny that everyone is ignoring the political component even though vegeta rocker's entire premise for this thread revolved around the politics of awarding the games to China. So we've actually diverted from the thread's original purpose anyway. But, I digress (and threads are allowed to as well!) :catgirl: As far as the event itself goes, I have to admit that I haven't followed it terribly much this year (other than hearing about some specific events - especially the swimming!) And unfortunately I missed the opening ceremony! I was so annoyed about that. I was on a plane as it was starting and then in a car...and I missed it. Ugh. Everyone has told me how amazing it was and I'm very eager to see it. Does anyone know a good location to see it online? Or do I just have to resort to YouTube? I'm sort of hoping it comes out on a DVD compilation or something, but I don't know if that has ever really happened before. All of this makes me wonder how the London Olympics will turn out in 2012. I actually like the logo (at least from what I've seen - the ribbon flowing through the circles). And I'm really eager to see that opening ceremony too. It's kind of weird to go to the Olympic area in Sydney now, because it's almost the same as it was back in 2000. A few new buildings have come up and parts of that area are being turned into a business park. So I guess they are trying to make it relevant now...and I know that Stadium Australia still gets used for sports events and such. Still, when I went there it all looked almost abandoned. It was really weird. It makes you realize how much expense countries go to in order to host the Olympic Games - so much money for a single major event.[/font]

[quote]Are you telling me that if the U.S.A. had hosted the Olympics this year it'd all be okay? [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Well, the USA is obviously far different than China. It's like comparing apples and oranges here. As far as this situation goes, I do think that a lot of people have "forgotten" that China has an oppressive communist regime at its helm. Maybe this is because of China's economic boom and the idea of "two systems, one country" (i.e. socialist politics with a somewhat capitalist economy). The Olympics shifts focus to China and highlights that they are still a highly retrograde country in a number of ways. It [i]is[/i] worth pointing out Tibet, oppression of free speech and re-education camps. Having said that (and having pointed out [i]very[/i] legitimate concerns), I think that it's easy to miss the point that the Olympics can be a vehicle for change as well. In order to host this event China has had to open itself up in ways that it hadn't previously. Yes, there's still a very long way to go - believe me, I don't think any sensible person could deny that. Still, the Olympics brings massive scrutiny to China and they are now in a position of having to justify everything they do. This is a good thing. Now more people are aware of what's happening there and China itself is more aware of what it has to do in order to be truly accepted by the rest of the world. The Olympics are no silver bullet, but I do think that there are a number of positives to come out of them (especially in Beijing). Anyway I think Malkav has hit the nail on the head. Yes, we want to "focus on sport" and all the rest. In doing so, we do unfortunately have this terrible habit of ignoring atrocities within the host country (Nazi Germany being an excellent example). Of course that isn't a good thing on balance, but having said that, hosting the Olympics in Beijing is not entirely negative. I think it's important to consider how this event can help to force greater transparency on China.[/font]

[quote name='NamakemonoChan']Oops..... Watch out for the n00bs like me. >.< I just came over from deviantART. And since I'm such a n00b, I'll introduce myself.... with DETAILS!!! : D [/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]You're over from DA? That's cool - you should join in on our various Art Studio projects. There's always something interesting happening over there. Welcome to the boards, everyone. Hope you guys enjoy yourselves. Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions! :catgirl:[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I doubt I'd spend $50K on jewellery, but then again, I wouldn't be interested enough to spend that kind of money even if I had it (on jewellery, anyway). I've definitely spent a lot of money on clothing items in the past though (most recently, a new suit). But I figure if that's something you're interested in - and if it's something you're actually going to make good use of - then it's probably worthwhile. I suppose it all comes down to people's preferences.[/font]

[quote]I've had teeth extracted while awake for it and wisdom teeth coming in crooked and braces for three years. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]If you've had tooth extractions (especially molars at all), then I would not be worried about a root canal. I've had one filling and one tooth extraction (the latter was the removal of a molar in order to make room for a wisdom tooth that was growing in). I think the worst part is the thought of it, but really, it isn't so bad. The tooth extraction was annoying because it took a long time and required multiple anaesthetic injections (at one point the dentist had to put her foot on the chair and try to rip the tooth out because it wouldn't move, haha). Having said all of that, the part that most bothered me personally was the aftermath, in that it was kind of messy and annoying. I didn't like holding the gauze for ages and not being able to eat. And, in general, it was a bit annoying when the anaesthetic began to wear off. So I think if you can go through something like that, root canal isn't too bad. A woman at work has had two recently and it hasn't been much of a problem. Basically as long as you're under anaesthetic, they can drive a truck over your face and you wouldn't notice. The only annoying part is if there is any ongoing mess or issues post-surgery. In any case I'm sure you'll be fine. As I said, if you can tolerate the removal of a tooth then a root canal shouldn't be too bad at all - this is especially true if they removed a molar, because those are apparently quite a not nastier than regular teeth.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Oh no, haha...no need to wait for me. You can write it however you like - you guys are participants too. If you want to make up some technology or reveal how the docking system works...that's all up to you. Anyone can write the return to the VB however they like. I think it'd be fun to see. [/font]

[quote]Is now the time for me to drag Darren into posting or perhaps DeLarge? I mean there's nothing really going on and my character doesn't really know what else there is to do but keep looking for coffee. Or maybe Shy's turn?[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Anyone can post. At this stage the next post could include their travel back to the Von Braun. They will have to quietly re-dock and sneak in...so someone might have fun writing that. I will try to post shortly, although I should mention something now. I'm moving this weekend and won't have internet until about August 13th. So I will be able to write posts at home and then put them online in my break at work, but that's about it. Hopefully it should be doable though.[/font]

[center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/zelda/newlinkavatar.jpg[/img] [size=3]The Gerudo Campaign[/size] [i]Journal Entry[/i][/center] When I was a child, I enjoyed a relatively peaceful life. Back then, we lived in a little house in Kokiri Village, south west of Castle Town. It was a quite life and although I was aware of the rise of Aghanim (and that my father foiled his plot), I do not remember feeling any immediate sense of danger. While my father was running across the countryside doing whatever heroes do, my mother raised me and ensured that our home life was as carefree as possible. I did miss my father though. At times I rarely saw him, but no matter what, he made sure to return home at the end of every month. He might only stay for a day and, if I was lucky, he might stay for three days. Sometimes when he came home he was slightly distant and he regularly wore the evidence of new bruises and scratches (as well as other, more serious injuries). Whenever I cried to my mother about him being away, she would sternly tell me that ?he is keeping the darkness at bay, so that it may never reach us here.? I was proud of him and I came to understand why Hyrule needed such a hero. When dad was home, he would always choose one night where we would all sit around a freshly-lit fire and listen to his wild and wonderful stories from abroad. We heard of strange beasts, powerful magic and ancient artefacts. I used to sit on my mother?s knee with a glass of warm Lon Lon milk while I listened intently. She used to stroke my hair, which was bittersweet, because I?d often fall asleep before the end of the story. Of all the subjects my father mentioned during those nights in front of the fire, it was his encounters with the various races of Hyrule that most interested me. He first spoke of the powerful, ancient and majestic Zora, who lived in an enormous lagoon (adjoining Lake Hylia) to the far south. When describing the Zora, I could see the look of joy on his face. He discussed their culture in great detail and even recited several legendary Zora ballads (which had been given a fresh coat of paint from an upstart music group in more recent times). In particular he spoke of Princess Ruto, the Child Princess. Here was a girl with great power thrust upon her at an early age, yet he spoke of her in such adoring terms. She was disciplined in her studies and spoke several languages, including Hylian (which impressed me, as native Hylian is truly the only civilized language in our fair country). The world of the Zora sounded mysterious and wonderful. It was clear that my father held a deep respect for these people. And, despite the fact that they were clearly not the Chosen People, the Zora managed to live peacefully in Hyrule's south, without impeding on Hylians in any way. Perhaps if they had tried to settle in Castle Town or Kokiri Village, they would have been unwelcome, but few Hylians lived in and around Lake Hylia. On other occasions he mentioned the Gorons, which were a curious sort, perhaps even more so than the Zora. The Gorons lived inside Death Mountain. They were, like the Zora, an ancient race with many customs and traditions. My father told stories about his father, who had saved the entire race of Gorons from the great dragon Volvagia. As a result, I thought that the Gorons must surely owe their entire existence to the powerful Hylians. My father told me that the Gorons began fashioning objects from rock, which they gave to the Hylians as a kind of tribute. The third story that confirmed my faith in the Hylian was related to the Story of Creation and the Three Goddesses. Every single record, every single historical account supported the core truth that Hylians were and are the true Chosen People. The Goddesses intended for Hylians to rule the world and to bring order to it. To me, this entire account of history was a kind of natural selection. Clearly, the Goddesses protected and cherished Hylians; we are in every way the superior race in Hyrule and beyond. The Zora and Gorons are curiosities of nature, with their funny traditions, curious languages and laughably simple economies. They owe their existence to the power and purity of the Hylian race and it is by our grace that they continue to remain healthy and safe. When my father retired and eventually passed away, the mantle was passed to me. While I may have been utterly convinced of Hylian superiority and the glory of my country, I wouldn't say that I was keen enough to go out and defend it. Of course, that view quickly changed when Hyrule entered a brief period of political turmoil, which was triggered by an assassination attempt on Queen Zelda. I was not immediately aware of the nature of this threat. I had always been told that Aghanim was from "a far away land", but had grown up as a citizen of Hyrule. In other words, he was a naturalized Hyrulian. His betrayal was largely no different to the betrayal of any Hyrulian citizen, or so I thought. After meeting with the Queen at Hyrule Castle, I began to gain a new understanding. I had heard of several strange races from my father, but he had omitted (or simply never encountered) one of them: the Gerudo. "Gerudo" was a word that I would come to hate with every fiber of my being. The assassination attempt had been made by a Gerudo female. When I first learned the details of the attack, I did not consider there to be anything unusual as such. The Gerudo, I assumed, were perhaps no different to Hylians. They were human, at least. And I naively thought that these Gerudo were simply looking for the same thing as everybody else: power and riches. But I did not know the full extent of their barbarism. I did not learn the true nature of the Gerudo (and by extension, the true importance of the Hylian) until I was commissioned by the Queen to travel to the Far East, into the Desert of Doubt. My mission was simple: track down the Gerudo capital and gather what information I could. At that stage I was not even required to conduct an assassination or a battle. The Queen's mercy - and the endless mercy of the wonderful Hylian people - knew no bounds. True power, the Queen told me, was not in the killing of others but in the exercise of restraint and mercy. Shortly following my discussion with the Queen, I set off for the Desert of Doubt. All I had was my trusty steed (who had still been a foal only one spring prior), as well as a small collection of food and items (I carried my father's slingshot, which was not particularly useful but which I cherished nonetheless). I rode for several days and nights, only stopping briefly for sleep and to wash in streams and creeks that dotted my path. As I continued to move further east, Hyrule's landscape changed. The villages and small towns were spread further apart and the people became increasingly different; I'm not sure how, exactly, to describe this difference except to say that they were less and less like the traditional Hylians I knew from home. Eventually I came upon a place called the Border Territory. It divides Hyrule Kingdom from the Desert of Doubt, although most Hylians would consider the desert part of Hyrule's sovereign territory. At this stage, I can distinctly remember the oppressive heat. When I looked behind me, I could no longer see the expansive grass plains of Hyrule Kindgom, even though I had only just passed over them. It was as though one became completely enveloped by the stifling heat and endless sands upon entering the desert. I continued to ride for several more days. At times I was lucky enough to come upon a small oasis, but these became less frequent the deeper I travelled. There were times when I feared that I had become hopelessly lost and panic began to set in. Enormous sandstorms rose from nowhere and covered the sky like a dark, impenetrable cloak. Over time I became convinced that the desert was slowly driving me insane. It was then that I began to write my first journal entries. At that time, I'm sure I began to feel quite different - that is to say, not quite myself. I can't explain it except to say it became increasingly difficult to navigate the desert and I began having conflicting thoughts on a regular basis: "Why are you here? Do you even remember?" "You have a job to do, you can't let the Kingdom down!" [i]"Zelda sent you here to die."[/i] Despite the setbacks, I eventually stumbled upon the outskirts of a Gerudo encampment. This was clearly not the main Gerudo city, though. It comprised of a thin row of stalls as well as some small houses (which could better be described as shanties, more than anything). There were several merchants and travelers in the encampment and they had tied up their horses and boars at one end of the strip, where several large wooden posts had been erected in the sand. I had not seen any of these people in my travels; where had they all come from? None had encountered me and I had come directly from the Border Territory, along the single Hyrule road that led to the desert. If they hadn't come from Hyrule, then where? I decided to stop and relax for a moment before pressing on. I tied up my horse and began inspecting the various stalls. Each were very simple and consisted of plain wooden frames covered in cheap fabrics. They were tattered and torn. The goods were simple fare: bland ceramics, exotic spices and odd-looking potions. As I passed these stalls, I noticed that they were all manned by Gerudo. The Gerudo were people I had heard about, but never met. And, truly, they were stranger and more bizarre than any race I'd yet encountered or heard about. There was not a single man among them. Some casually cradled babies in one arm while using the other to handle rupees. There were only a few babies. They looked wiry and malnourished. Among their many unattractive features were tiny black eyes (like little stones), long and slightly hooked noses, exceedingly long fingers (more like claws from what I could tell) and the most awful kind of cry I had ever heard. It wasn't a cry so much as an eerie squeal, like that of a distressed pig. How their mothers could tolerate such noise was beyond my comprehension. The women themselves were no better than their children. Often tall, wiry, with long matted red hair. All of them. It was as though they were bred from the same shallow gene pool. Their skins were almost unnaturally tanned (from having spent years in the desert, no doubt) and they featured the same small black eyes and angular noses. They had no hips, no shape to their legs, no breasts. They were androgynous and repulsive, with strange accents and awful toothy smiles. [i]These[/i] were the people who had attacked my beloved Queen? These "people" had ambitions of conquering Hyrule? The thought turned my stomach. At least the other races within the Kingdom had some slight claim to culture and civilization; at least they had some small element of pride and sense of order. But these Gerudo? A race of female nomads, with no culture (other than the sale of cheap pottery and gimmicky potions), no real society or history and certainly no ambition. These "people" were the only ones who could live in the desert, presumably because if they had tried to live elsewhere they would have become extinct long ago. Somehow the desert had shown them mercy. The desert is where they belonged, if they arrogantly insisted on their continued existence as a species. They were the aimless wanderers of the desert. Even the Goddesses had not bothered further with them (after one famous attempt to wipe them out long ago). They had no past and it was obvious that they had no future. So here they were, trying to [i]create[/i] a future. These Gerudo reminded me of a terrible virus that had to be cured. I have only vague memories of what followed these revelations. I remember standing in the middle of the thoroughfare and coming to the realization that my role was now clear: it wasn't enough to simply "gather information" on the Gerudo. I had to stop their dreaded progression towards the Kingdom. I had to finish the job that the Goddesses had started long ago. I had to exterminate them all. I may have failed to carry out this task, but I at least destroyed the encampment. When I began to slowly withdraw my blade, the silly idiots stared blankly in my direction. They were like stupid sheep. Or perhaps they thought I was going to sell my sword to them. I bet they were all counting up the rupees in their mind as soon as they caught a glimpse of that blade. And then I went into another world, only briefly pausing to survey the damage. As I write this, I do not feel an ounce of regret. If someone else finds this journal and reads it one day, long after I have passed away, they may wonder how it is that a man can willingly eliminate so many "innocent" people without a care. All I can say, with any degree of certainty, is that if you ever encounter a Gerudo in your life, you will not ask this question. There is no such thing as an "innocent" Gerudo. Destroying the Gerudo is no different than poisoning the rats in your cellar. If your precious food - and your very home - are being encroached upon by vermin, you would not think twice about killing them all, would you? And what of their children? The same principle applies. Children grow up. If you destroy only the adults, their offspring will simply replace them. What's worse, they may indeed seek revenge upon you. So it is prudent to dispose of them in the first place. When I returned to Hyrule I was branded a murderer. They said I committed "crimes" in Hyrule itself, well after the Gerudo Campaign. I do not recall doing such things, at least not to my beloved Hylians. Gerudo, though? Those were not crimes. They were necessary acts of self-preservation. I encountered people in Hyrule who looked strange - they were just like the Gerudo. They were probably Gerudo spies, attempting to blend in with the Chosen People. How could anyone suffer such an offense? They might have cried and pleaded that they were in fact Hylian, but I did not believe this for a moment. A Gerudo would, after all, continue this act of deception even in the face of imminent death. It is the kind of desperate act that dogs, rats and Gerudo have in common. As long as a single Gerudo is left alive, Hyrule will forever remain threatened.

[quote]Actually, that's just European, so... Way to go, Aussies![/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah I know it's European. My point was just that it's the term we use in Australia (as opposed to an American-style term). And we don't use the words soda or pop. We just use "soft drink" to describe fizzy sweet drinks. Although soda is sometimes used for certain drinks, but "pop" is never used here.[/font]

[quote name='Retribution'][font=Arial]Yeah, Aussie slang can be very non-PC. Ex: Bush hankie? Srsly guyz...[/font][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]Haha, I haven't read/heard of that for a long time. My workmates use a lot of stupid Australian sayings at times. For instance: "I'm off like a bride's nightie" (in reference to packing up and going home for the day) "I could bite the crotch out of a low-flying duck" (in reference to being hungry for lunch) And there's a ton of others. Incidentally, these sayings all come from the one co-worker...although they're certainly Australian slang sayings, haha. There are others, but they're too rude. They wouldn't make sense with censors in place. In terms of words, I did notice that one American movie pointed out an Aussie word that was pretty interesting: in Death Proof they make fun of a character referring to a "hood" as a "bonnet". I liked that an American film recognised something small like that (trust Tarantino, haha). And it's true. The front is a bonnet and the rear is a boot (rather than a "trunk"). So yeah, it's kind of weird to think about how many different slang words there are for things like that.[/font]

[quote]Or it can be more international, like calling a washcloth a flannel (it took me AGES to figure out that's what they meant, XD). [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]We use the term "tea towel". I think that's pretty common around Australia, although I'm not certain. I probably use a ton of slang from overseas, mostly as a joke. Although nothing really comes to mind right now. But I'm pretty certain it comes up a lot in our house. I know my brother has this amazing ability to impersonate Ray and Claude from the movie Life (and uses random quotes from them regularly). It's usually pretty funny. Australian slang is weird. And a lot of it is totally crude. Yet somehow, at the right moments, it can really fit the bill.[/font]