Billy Shears

[size=1][color=DarkRed]OK! Vocals: Chino Moreno (Deftones) Lead Guitar: David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) Rythmn Guitar/ Vocals: Matthew Bellamy (Muse) Bass: Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones) Synth/ Keys: Isaiah "Ikey" Owens (The Mars Volta) Drums: Zach Hill (Hella) Percussion: Jamie Muir (King Crimson) Sound: Chino has an amazing, heartfelt voice, and Matthew Bellamy sounds like a perfect harmonizer. David Gilmour is the greatest emotional player on earth. Victor Wooten can coax some of the most amazing basslines and Zach Hill is so fast, technical and complex, a perfect compliment to the slower or more emotional vocals/ guitar of Moreno and Gilmour, respectively. Owens plays jazzy, swirling lines on the keyboard, and Muirs' different percussion instruments could provide the best textures to finish off this group.[/size][/color]

[quote name='DeathKnight][color=crimson']Hearing post-rock music live is a really amazing expierence. I don't know if Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky, Gregor Samsa or any other post-rock band will come to my city anytime soon but, thankfully, This Will Destroy You is from a town thirty miles away so many of their shows are local lol.[/color][/quote] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1][URL=http://youtube.com/watch?v=FtW67TCAn0E]This link[/URL] goes to the song. Excellent, emotional, moving performance. Lucky me, Explosions is coming to Chicago March 13. I'll be there![/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=DeathKnight][color=crimson][url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBy6AIv4dL0]The World Is Our.. by This Will Destroy You[/url] is my pick for this week. I saw this band live last weekend and they were stellar. I hope they get the publicity they deserve.[/color][/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Amazing song right there. And in an eerie twist of fate, I suggest "Only Moment We Were Alone" by Explosions in the Sky, another ambient/rock band like This Will Destroy You, as my song of the week.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1][URL=http://myspace.com/musicforthehardofhearing][B]The Para-medics[/B][/URL] Members: Dylan (me!)- Guitar, Nnamdi- Drums, Bass. Genre: Progressive/ Rock/ Post-Hardcore/ blah blah label genre/ *insert something here* We are about to put up more songs. My main project, and probably the most fun I have. I am really proud of the music we have up. We just like writing music and ripping off our influences. [URL=http://myspace.com/secondsbeforesunrise84][B]Seconds Before Sunrise[/B][/URL] Members: Shaun- drums, Chris-bass, Dylan (me again!)- guitar Genre: Experimental/ Rock/ Ambient Our bass player just got into a car accident, so we don't really know when we will be recording our EP like it says on the site. We might be joined by another guy named Tony, who is a member of the [URL=http://myspace.com/thedigitalkill][B]Digital Kill[/B][/URL], vets of the local underground Chicagoland scene.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]2006DigitalBoy beat me to [I]Amputechture[/I]. Damn good album. My personal pick would have been the[B] Mars Volta[/B]'s latest, but I will pick something I bought a few days ago. I read about it in an older [I]Guitar World[/I] magazine and it sounded interesting. [IMG]http://www.mastodonrocks.com/store/items/blood-mountain-CD.png[/IMG] [B]Mastodon/ Blood Mountain[/B] Great choice. I heard some of the things from their older records but never really thought much of it. Not with [I]Blood Mountain[/I]. Musicianship dominates this record. There is also some dizzying concept behind the album; something to do with some people at the bottom of a mountain, they have to climb up it and put this crystal skull on top so they can travel to different astral planes and all other kinda crazy crap. The lyrics are typical prog-rock fare, full of things that are metaphorical and are pretty much "drug required" to understand. But that isn't always bad. :D Like I said before, the music is amazing.The riffs these guys peel off the fretboard is amazing, and the drummer could be one of the world's next great skinman. The songs are complex and dense, full of nutty meter changes and oddball scale ascensions. Definitely a riff-o-rama wet dream for any guitarist, and drummers better recognize, ya hurr'd. And they managed to recruit some talented people to appear as guests on the record. Josh Homme ([B]Queens of the Stone Age[/B]), Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and Isaih Owens ([B]The Mars Volta[/B]) lend a hand. The only downside is when the vocalists try to sing. It isn't [I]comepletly[/I] terrible, the style they sing in fits the music, but it would have been great if there was more screaming instead.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]"Cosmonaut" and "Catacombs" by[B] At the Drive-In[/B]: This is a die-hard [B]Mars Volta[/B] fan talking, but these songs has so much raw energy and hardcore punk aethstetic to them, I want to puke or pound in peoples' faces when I hear it. "Time" by [B]Pink Floyd[/B]: The solo is the reason David Gilmour will be my favorite guitarist forever. He just nails the perfect tone. "St. Ides Heaven" by [B]Elliott Smith[/B]: So I guess I'm a little late to the Elliott Smith party, but the lines "Because everyone is a ****ing pro/ And they all got answers for troubles they know/ And they all gotta tell you what you shoud and shouldn't do/ But they don't have a clue" make this song a classic in my book.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=RiflesAtRecess][font=arial][size=1]Yes, I definitely know of The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. I saw them play here like three years ago and I've seen them about four times since then. They're incredible, but really, they're just a more frenzied clone of Burnt By the Sun with random references to Guns N' Roses thrown in. While we're on the subject of Grindcore, you should check out another (dead) local band, The Sawtooth Grin, who have moved on to form the cybergrind band, Cloacal Kiss. Both are pretty stellar, but so far I like the sound of The Sawtooth Grin better. Also, The Great Redneck Hope are fun, as well. They're probably worth checking out. What I really want you to hear are The Fall of Troy (whom I'm sure you've at least heard of already) and Hot Cross. Don't expect to find anything good by Hot Cross on MySpace or Purevolume, though. Feel free to IM me and I'll take care of you. ^_- Another random band that I feel needs more attention (especially by some of you folks who are into Mars Volta) are The Sound of Animals Fighting. They're a supergroup of about 15 musicians from other bands who come together to make music that lies outside of what their regular bands play. Their first album was straight-up screamo and electronica, but their latest album [u]Lover, the Lord Has Left Us[/u] is a weird and beautiful mixture of diffent types of rock music put over electronica. There's also several different languages being sung in the duration of the album. I love it.[/font][/size][/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1][B]TDTE[/B] is good since they are just insanity. And I love the "Sweet Child o' Mine" reference. My friend Matt knows a ton of grind bands, and I have heard him mention [B]The Sawtooth Grin[/B] before. I'll ask him a little more about it. [B]The Fall of Troy[/B] is awesome. I like Tom Erak's voice, and he is a fantastic guitarist as well. It's cool that he can sing and scream well, unlike most people who sing and scream usually suck at one or the other (or both). I have also heard good things about [B]the Sound of Animals Fighting[/B] from that Matt feller. Very cool name, by the way. If they are anything like [B]the Mars Volta[/B], I will like it. [B]TMV[/B] is my favorite band besides [B]the Beatles[/B]. I will check them out tonight, along with more [B]Cinemechanica[/B].[/SIZE][/COLOR] ;)

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]I am a fan of vodka, especially Hot Damn, which is a vodka that tastes just like Big Red gum, but has the trademark "burn the **** out of your throat" vodka taste as well. Straight Smirnoff is good, too. I don't like the Twisted stuff, just because none of those flavors they have really suit my taste buds. I'm not saying vodka tastes good, just that adding things, in my opinion, makes it taste worse (minus Hot Damn, of course). I don't drink too much beer, but if an MGD or Coors is ripe for the taking, I am there. :cool: I know a good hangover relief (well, it works for me). If you can get your hands on a good Irish whisky, say, like Cooley, Bushmills, or Jameson, a few shots of that will make you a-ok.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[quote name='John]I've been having a recent, but pretty small, foray into '60s-'70s prog rock, consisting mostly of King CrimsonSpooky Tooth, lol. I've barely made a dent into my ([i]maybe[/i'] torrented ¬¬) King Crimson collection, because I'm going through it chronologically and each album grabs me so much that I won't move past it until I've given it a copious amount of listening XD As for Spooky Tooth, well, they're just a fantastic blues-rock band who wasn't afraid to get a little out there. Incredibly catchy songs.[/quote] [SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Both are fantastic. I have [I]Red, Court of the Crimson King, [/I]and [I]Starless and Bible Black[/I]. And my dad has a [B]Spooky Tooth[/B] record, but I don't remember what it is called. I know it has two indians smoking the peace pipe on the cover, and maybe something to do with [B]Crazy Horse[/B] as a guest. Check out [B]Captain Beyond[/B]. Blues-rock with a dash of prog, please.[/COLOR][/SIZE] [QUOTE]-Apocalypse Hoboken (the best punk band that ever has or will exist) -The Fall (cool proto-punk band from the late '70s) -Fugazi (post-punk perfected) -Hum (space-rock, very accessible) -Hüsker Dü (oh, come on. Who hasn't heard of Hüsker Dü? :P) -Kyuss (stoner metal. Rawk on) -Local H (about as close as you can get to un-subgenre'd rock) -Toadies (fantastic post-grunge) -The Velvet Underground (No doubt the name's at least crossed your ears. Commercially unsuccessful but absurdly influential '60s rock band)[/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1] Oh yeah, baby, oh yeah. \m/ [B]RiflesAtRecess[/B], since you like grindcore, check out [B]Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza[/B]. Saw them live and they were insane and a half. The guitarists are so technical and fast. I really couldn't believe my eyes. Listen to the beginning of "Mad Max Beyond the Superdome", and get back to me! [B]EDIT: 2006DigitalBoy[/B], I saw [B]Maps & Atlases[/B] today! It was one of the greatest shows ever. The only dissapointing thing: not strappin' on those acoustics for "The Ongoing Horrible". But anyway, I had no idea that someone could tap that fast [I]and[/I] sing, let alone tap and sing at the same time. Dave is one talented bastard. I'm going to see them again on Saturday. It's cool, you can be jealous.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=RiflesAtRecess][size=1][font=arial] I'll check out the rest later, but you've made me a fan of Volta Do Mar. XD [/font][/size][/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]What can I say? I have the greatest taste in music, the best known to man. :animesmil [/SIZE] [/COLOR]

[QUOTE=RiflesAtRecess][font=arial][size=1]I quite agree with everything you just said. GY!BE is nothing short of amazing, and everyone should hear them. While it's not something I would necessarily sit down for an hour and listen to, it makes great background music. I usually do homework and paint to them or bands like them. I have to say though, I like the bands Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky just a tad more, their songs are shorter and there's just more stuff going on in them. There's also A Silver Mt. Zion, but I'm not a huge fan of what I heard, really. The live recordings I have of them are pretty good though.[/font][/size][/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1][B]Explosions[/B]: Fantastic [B]Godspeed[/B]: Was going to mention them in my last post...I dunno why I didn't. [B]Mogwai[/B]: Fantastic For any instrumental bands, you must look up [B]Volta do Mar, Oxes, , Unwed Sailor, and Russian Circles[/B]. [B]Volta do Mar[/B] is probably the best one out of the group, so I suggest going [URL=www.myspace.com/voltadomar]right here[/URL] and listening to "Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer". When I first heard this song, I thought it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. Please, click the link and listen. [B]Oxes[/B] and [B]Russian Circles[/B] are math-metal type bands. They both cram tons of riffs and nutty time signatures into their songs. Fun fact: [B]Russian Circles[/B] is (oddly) on the grindcore label [B]HewhocorruptsInc.[/B], which is a label run by god-awful grind band [B]Hewhocorrupts[/B]. [B]Unwed Sailor [/B] is another one of my favorites. They are a little like [B]Explosions in the Sky[/B], but the songs are a little more complex. I think it is just one guy doing all the instruments, and he just plays with a live outfit. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=F.O.Y.][COLOR=DarkOrange] Anyway, I know this band isn't 100% unheard of, as I was actually introduced to them via Billy Shears, but it's hard as hell to find any of their music aside from their 3 myspace/purevolume tracks. Plus their self released EP is sold out >_< [B]Maps & Atlases[/B] - While I've only heard 3 of their tracks, I have already fallen in love with this band. Their 2 songs "Every Place Is A Home" and "Songs For Ghosts To Haunt To" are trademarked my maniachally fast tap guitaring. These guys are pretty lighthearted, but still great. They are truly like nothing I have ever heard before. Their third track "The Ongoing Horrible" is a more calm song with only an acoustic guitar played over a sweet as drum -- or rather what sounds like someone hitting wood blocks. M&A are very unique and inteesting, so they are worth checking out. If I were to compare them to a more mainsteam band... I'd say they'd be related to [B]Rush[/B], but no more than a distant cousin.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Holy christ, I don't even remember talking about [B]Maps and Atlases[/B] before. Anywho, my friend jus burned me their EP, and I listen to it about, oh, lets say, at least 3 times a day. It's that good. Well, I am glad I introduced someone to this amazing band. [B]Heavy Heavy Low Low[/B]: crazy, almost on par with [B]Number 12 Looks Like You[/B], and the greatest grindcore band ever, [B]Ed Gein[/B]. I honestly cannot stand the [B]Blood Brothers[/B]. The vocals are so grating and terrible. And they aren't even good musicians. The side project [B]Neon Blonde[/B], is just basically the same thing as the Blood Brothers, but if someone else can convince me otherwise, I will stand by my opinion. [B]Lightning Bolt, Volta do Mar, Unwed Sailor, Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You, Russian Circles, Unique Chique, The Digital Kill, Tristeza, The Locust, Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, Oxes, Tower of Rome, Sparrows Swarm and Sing, Mega Mega, Karma With a K, Iron and Wine, Holy Roman Empire, Dance Club Massacre, TheVison TheGuilt, Savant of String, Refused, Left Over Crack, Team Sleep, Captain Beyond.[/B] Some instrumental, some grindcore, some other obscure ****, I dunno. Pick and choose, they are all good in my eyes. :^D I will also shamelessly promote my band, The Para-medics, as well. [URL=http://www.myspace.com/musicforthehardofhearing]LISTEN![/URL][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Well, regardless of how it was mixed, I like it. It's different compared to alot of metal I listen to. Now I'm going to do some shameless self-promotion for my band too. [URL=http://www.myspace.com/musicforthehardofhearing]The Para-medics[/URL] Influences: The Mars Volta, Yes, King Crimson, Volta do Mar, Frank Zappa, Maps & Atlases, John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Liquid Tension Experiment, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Oxes, Led Zeppelin, Unwed Sailor, Rush, Pink Floyd, Number 12 Looks Like You, The Locust, The Who, The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus, Deftones, At the Drive-In, Through the Eyes of the Dead, High Rise, Lightning Bolt, and others. Music genre: instrumental progressive-rock. Not exactly everyones cup of tea, but whatever. We have our three-song demo on there now. The recordings aren't perfect, but like Boo said, nothing is perfect the first time. There are some audible mistakes, off-time stuff and sloppy solos, but it sounds very good for a demo. Everything was done in two or three takes and in about 3 hours. It was so fun. I had the time of my life doing that. I would gladly accept all of your friend requests on MySpace if you like it, which I hope you do. We put alot of work into that little demo and it paid off. So please, turn it to 11 and enjoy. :animesmil[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=Bloody-Chi] Berzerker-ya like screaming noice then this is for ya'n some more :animeswea [/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Wow, didn't expect this one. If anyone else has heard the [B]Beserker[/B], they know how [U]insanely[/U] fast the drummers' blast beats are. It's a constant torrent of br00talness all over your face! You can't handle the [B]Beserker[/B]. [I]No one[/I] can handle the [B]Beserker[/B].[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1][B]Maps & Atlases. [/B] Oh. My. God. [URL=www.myspace.com/mapsandatlases]Here is some linkage to their MySpace[/URL]. Holy god, they are amazing. The guitar is so spazzy and the drummer is wicked fast. The vocals are either love/hate, but to me, it compliments the music perfectly. Another one of my favorites is [B]Frank Zappa[/B]. Everything the man has done is jeenyus. From his silly-yet-great songs like "Dont Eat that Yellow Snow" and "Tryin' to Grow a Chin" and all of the instrumental songs on [I]Hot Rats[/I], this man was one helluva geetar player and his band was top notch. Download "The Black Page" to hear the greatest drum solo ever by Terry Bozzio, or anyone for that matter. [I]Amputechture[/I], the new [B]Mars Volta[/B] album, is so good. I just can't put it better terms. It's just so good.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Well, I know [B]Mastodon[/B] isn't death metal, but it's progressive metal. Their riffs and time signatures are really complex. I just wish their screaming was better. I think if they were an instrumental band, they would be amazing. Another crazy tech/grind band is the [B]Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza[/B], and yes, that is their name. The riffs are so technical and impossible to play, let alone understand, that they deserve more credit than they get.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1][I]Amputechture[/I] by the [B]Mars Volta[/B]. Yeah. Tical, you'd better have this by now, or I will slap you.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Who [I]didn't[/I] spot this one from a mile away? I'm suprised it wasn't a snake. Crikey, indeed.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]I am on the fence. My all-time, not disputible favorite band is the [B]Beatles[/B], but, as stated in my avatar, signature, and profile, I am pretty obsessed with the [B]Mars Volta[/B] too. The way I see it, old rock has to be respected because it pioneered what music sounds like today. But new rock is making it better by putting their own spin and sound to it, forever changing the face of music. They both are good and bad in their own ways. However much you hate one or the other, you must respect rock and roll itself, or it will kick you in the balls. :animecry: As for labelling music, do what I do. "Good" or "Bad". BTW, King Crimson= awesome. [/SIZE] [/COLOR]

[QUOTE=Momiji Love][COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana]Well, this is interesting. I just got "Spin" magazine in the mail, and it has an article called "25 Best Live Bands Now". What they have listed 25-1 are: [B]The Mars Volta[/B] They all have a small paragrah about why they are so good, and a "Best Moment" from one of their concerts.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Did it say "[B]Best Moment[/B]: Everything"? Cuz that is what I expect when I go and see them. Oh wait, it is true. Everything about the [B]Mars Volta[/B] is amazing. :animesmil [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Green][SIZE=1]Haris woke up in the morning nervous and tired. He got barely any sleep because today, he was to go to the courtyard of the Mage General. The remaining troops that weren't already out in the desert were to meet there. He got up from his bed and walked over to his uniform, folded tidily on the desk in his room. He quickly put it on and combed his hair neatly. Seeing himself in the mirror dressed as a member of the Malroy army gave him a sense of pride. He was revered as anything sepcial in his childhood, so seeing himself like this was almost a blessing to him. He smiled. Haris walked back to his bed and sat on the edge. [B]"Dasia..."[/B] Haris stirred his wife. [B]"Hey...Dasia. Can you wake up?"[/B] His wife slowly opened her eyes. [B]"Wh-what? Oh, ok. Just give me a second, I'll cook you breakfast. Hang on..." [/B] Dasia rubbed her eyes and slowly plodded towards her dresser. She threw off her nightgown and was dressed and ready for the day in a few seconds. Haris got up and grabbed his wife by her hips. She put her arm around him, while he gave her a kiss on her forehead. The tears welled in her eyes. [B]"You know how much I hate you right?"[/B] She smiled and giggled a bit when she said that, along with Haris. He didn't say anything, he just walked out of the room and into the kitchen. Sitting at the table, his dog Artie came up and sniffed his hand. [B]"What?"[/B] He patted the dog on his head. Artie was a black labrador with deep blue eyes. Artie laid down on the floor and rolled on his back. Haris scratched his belly with his foot. [B]"You don't want me to go either?" [/B] The dog licked his jaws and stood up. Haris got close to his face and scratched his chin. Artie licked Haris's face and walked away. [B]"What would you like?"[/B] Daisa was standing in the door to the kitchen. Haris admired his wife while she stood there. Dasia was a beautiful woman. Her hair was a dark red, which contrasted well with her dark green eyes. Her face was slim and dotted with some freckles, but no other blemish lay on her milky white skin. Her body was slim and perfectly proportioned. Haris smiles everytime he sees, let alone thinks of her. [B]"Uh... I'm not really that hungry."[/B] Haris looked down at the kitchen table and yawned. [B]"Can I fix you eggs or something?"[/B] Haris looked up again and nodded, smiling. [B]"Good, 'cause I'm not letting you leave hungry. You'll get a headache and throw up in that ungodly heat."[/B] Aside from being beautiful, she waws a perfect match for Haris. She was a serious person, which contrasted with Haris and his normally goofy attitude, but he always wanted a woman like that. He was an assertive person, she was more passive. In no way was she a weak woman, but she would let things slide more than Haris. He always thought about how different life would be withou her. [B]"In the four years we've been married, has it ever mattered to you what I do for a living?"[/B] Dasia was at the stove now, stirring the yolk, obviously tired. [B]"Not really, why?"[/B] Haris stared at the table, unable to justify his question immediatly. [B]"I...just don't, please, think less of me if I kill someone, because I'll lose it."[/B] He was about to cry, his lip quivering from his heartfelt confession. [B]"No. I couldn't. I could never think less of you, regardless of your actions. I may not agree, but it wouldn't affect the love I have for you. When I said I hated you, it was a joke. I don't mean it..."[/B] She walked up beside him and flung her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. Haris started to cry. [B]"I don't even know why I joined up with that goddamn army. I hate being separated from you..." [/B] Dasia kissed him again. [B]"If we want a family, we need the money. If it means making sacrifices, we need to do whatever we can. It is a big deal, if you get hurt, but it's for our own good. I hate the fact of you leaving too, but what else are we gonna do? You were making chump change at that quarry."[/B] Haris wiped his eyes, red from crying. Dasia started to cry along with him. [B] "I love you."[/B] Haris kissed his wife. Then, his face went sour as he sniffed the air. [B]"Uh-oh..."[/B] [B]"The eggs!" [/B] The skillet was on fire now. Dasia grabbed some water and threw it on the fire. [B]"My god..." [/B] She started cracking up. The eggs were black and almost dust. [B]"Let me see..."[/B] Haris groaned, playfully. [B]"Do I still gotta eat 'em?"[/B] Dasia laughed even harder. Haris had put on a puppy dog face. [B]"No, we're not [I]that[/I] poor."[/B] She opened up a window and scraped the remanents of the eggs into the grass. [B] "I'll just pick something up in the city."[/B] Dasia nodded. Haris gathered up all his things. [B]"So you'll be on your way?"[/B] [B]"...yeah."[/B] Haris kissed his wife good-bye. She teared up as they kissed. [B] "Good-bye..."[/B] Haris walked out of the door and started off towards the city. He thought about why he was being ordered to the Mage General's tower. If this was his notice that he would be in battle soon, it would be heartbreaking to his wife. He knew he was going to see battle, but he didn't know when. Haris feard the worst as the sun beat down on the ground with his every step. He held his breath...[/SIZE][/COLOR] [SIZE=1][CENTER]---[/CENTER][/SIZE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1] ...finally finished. Hope it is ok.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]So I guess you didn't really have any worthwhile opinion to contribute then? How about instead of just ridiculing what everyone else said, you try making a few of your own points? I guess that'd be about as pointless as knocking what everyone else said in the first place, though. The entire point of these topics is for an exchange of ideas on the given issue. After all of this arguing, I now know why people are in favor of this bill, as opposed to a week ago when I was in the dark about that. If you don't care for it, kindly hit the "back" button.[/size][/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]So I guess you didn't read the rest of the thread. I already contributed my opinion. And you can read it, so [I]you[/I] kindly hit the "back" button. This is a useless thread. I want it closed so you don't start any more fights. It's for your own good.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Green][SIZE=1][B]Name[/B]: Duncan Gyspakista [B]Gender[/B]: Male [B]Age[/B]: 35 [B]Race[/B]: Human [B]Alliance[/B]: Guild of Supernatural Defense [B]Physical Description[/B]: [edit soon] [B]Weapons[/B]: An [URL=http://www.cashenblades.com/rapier.jpg]Italian-made silver rapier [/URL] and a [URL=http://www.ows-ammo.com/catalog/images/bpshotgun.jpg]12 gauge shotgun[/URL]. [B]Abilities[/B]: Combat-wise, Duncan usually prefers swordplay, but a nice shooter can't be beat. Outside of battle, he is an interrogation expert. [B]Personality[/B]: Duncan is a strong willed man. Never flinching in the face of opposition, he can be a great asset on any battlefield. Duncan passionately believes in what he believes in, which can make him seem very stubborn and close-minded. He also is very charming, and can easily persuade those around him. [B]Biography[/B]: Duncan Hathford Gyspakista was born in Liverpool, England, on January 16, 1975 to his mother, Elena, and his father Milovosh. Both of Duncan?s parents were Czechoslovakian immigrants who arrived in Liverpool in mid 1972. Duncan?s childhood was nice, but not easy-going. He was an only child, but he had to share space in a two bedroom apartment with his aunt Visra and her two children. Duncan?s mother and father barely made enough to get by, but what little they had was spent on Duncan. He was always smart and well educated, was fed well, and kept many friends while attending school. But his relationship with his mother and father was hard since they were always working. He didn?t see them too often, which would cause problems later. His aunt Visra would babysit him while his parents worked. This was not good on Duncan. She neglected him in favor of her children and when she did acknowledge him, she would craft terrible lies and stories about his mother. Visra was related Milovosh and never liked his wife. Duncan also was beaten by one of Visra?s boyfriends, uprooting her from the household. Duncan confessed all she told him, and this prompted a loving and caring relationship with his parents. When Duncan graduated high school, he enrolled at the London Police Academy and passed with flying colors. The department decided to put his natural charm to good use and placed him as the top interrogator of the force. But what drew Duncan to the GSD was a tragedy. His father was murdered by a vampire. He asked Duncan if he could investigate a strange man following him around. The man turned out to be a vampire named Raw. When Duncan was escorting his father home one night, the vampire entered his home and killed Milovosh. This devastated Duncan. He instantly put out an investigation on the man. Higher-ups recommended him to the GSD and he was hired. Duncan was taught about vampires and became a very good swordsman. Upon entering the GSD, he set the ultimate goal: to find the man who took his father?s life.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[quote name='Papa Smurf']I can't believe what I'm reading in this thread. Ice cream parlor examples? AIDS analogies? Points that amount to little more than someone getting their panties in a twist because they're morality police dweebs? "Get a job"?[/quote] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Yep, the gang is all here.[/SIZE][/COLOR] [QUOTE]How is any of that relevant? lol. Sure, maybe in the sick, twisted, perverse, irrational, and utterly demented state of mind of the people suggesting those counterarguments...they make sense...but realistically, everything there is missing the point entirely: And the point is that this legislation, while having noble goals where those goals are mildly discernible, is ultimately clumsy and misguided. Talking about bandwidth is totally irrelevant here, because from what I can tell, the legislation doesn't give two shats about bandwidth conservation, just how it doesn't give two shats about job searches, just how it doesn't give two shats about some fuzzy economic-based example regarding ice cream parlors in a city All this legislation "cares" about is "protecting" children from questionable and elicit activities, and the means and methods with which it is attempting to achieve that goal are trite and asinine, just like the shatstorm we saw over government-sanctioned 'net porn bans. Just like the shatstorm we see whenever the government decides that certain reading materials should be deemed inappropriate for youngsters, even when there's nothing wrong with those materials when they're taught correctly. It's just like a bunch of wacko Atheists suing public schools to take "One nation under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance. Just like when a bunch of wacko Christian fundamentalists tried to bring hellfire and brimstone down on a teacher in California for something completely innocuous or misinterpreted. It doesn't take brilliance to see the stupid and absurd pattern going on here. It's the same knee-jerk reaction that we saw when Dogma or Last Temptation of Christ was released. It's the same knee-jerk reaction when South Park ridiculed Tom Cruise's downright and mind-numbingly stupid "belief" system. The (despicable) trend today is summed up rather succinctly: "Something is questionable? BAN IT." And no matter how anyone may try to argue for that rationale...they can't, because it's a stupid rationale to begin with. Don't get me wrong. Protecting kids is important. But for the love of all that is holy and unholy...protect kids intelligently. A library blocking websites themselves? Fine. The government making a law to make it a national requirement, just because a few boneheaded teenagers were stupid enough to fall for some craptacular internet lure? Pardon the language, but are you ****ing kidding me? Get with the ****ing program, people. Pull your head out of your rectums and take one long, strong, healthy whiff of reality. Clean the **** out of your ears and eyes, and start thinking with your head. You know what that is. It's that lump that should be three feet above your ***.[/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Did you just say something that can hurt anothers feelings? Did you just speak without regards to everybody else's moral codes and attitudes? Did you just mention facts tinged with the pungent odor of "reality" that may rip away the fragile little fantasy land where everyone's opinions matter? And you call yourself an American?! Why I'd never! This far into the thread, I vote Papa Smurfs' post the sanest. Boo-hoo, they're banning MySpace in libraries and school. Wah, you don't like the term "second-class" when dealing with people without internet. Cry yourself to sleep because you're ice-cream analogy sucked, and so did the rebuttle to it. Honestly, it's [I]MySpace[/I]. You guys argue like Congress is allowing the apocalypse to happen. It's not an excersise of power. There is no conspiracy, so take off your tinfoil helmet. It has nothing to do with AIDS, ice cream or Net cafes, so stop using lame examples. The government is wasting their time, so let them. I'm sure George W. Bush isn't an OtakuBoards member reading this thread and all your asenine posts, so stop fighting about it. All in favor of closing this useless thread to prevent further conflict, say 'Aye'.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=Charles] But, I really did feel bad for the journalists who had to cover those things. I can just imagine braving huge crowds all day and working through the nights to cover everything. Personally I loved how crazy E3 time was but for journalists it had to be hellish.[/QUOTE] [COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Swimming your way through seas of crappy games, false promises, airheaded execs and sweaty fanboys can't be good. Those had to be some tight deadlines, too. I will miss E3. I always loved reading and watching about it. They booth decorations and all that hype...whoo-eee, you could cut it with a knife! I didn't realise until this year that only journalists and industry employees were allowed in. I thought it was just a "buy a ticket, get in, go crazy" type-thing, and I've always wanted to go to play demos. But alas...I am a lowly busboy at Bennigans, not a journalist or programmer or whatever. Edit: Does anyone know why Nintendo didn't participate in TGS? [/SIZE][/COLOR]