Mnemolth

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i] [B]All anyone has to do is glance at TN's sig and know what's up heh. People ask me something and I'll tell them. I don't really have any big secrets per se, I just have things I keep to myself unless asked. [/B][/QUOTE] Really? Hmm....so when was the last time you spanked your monkey and how often do you do it? ;) As for me, my biggest secret is that I have no monkey. I'm not very good with pets. :D

Wow! I got a mention! *is somewhat surprised* I'd say something but alas my compliments are usually tempered by an ounce of criticism and this is an entirely positive thread so I wouldn't wanna derail the mood. ;)

Oh? What do you think its about Kaiba? :)

LM? Lady Macdiaoh? Where is she anyways? :)

This is for those of you sufficiently experienced to appreciate the humour...or not. :D A few pearls of wisdom from an old romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally. [b]First off, to the point directly at hand, on men and women friends:[/b] [i](Harry and Sally are sharing a ride to New York city after graduating from Chicago University. Harry's gf Amanda, is a friend of Sally and she is there to see them off) Harry: You realise of course that we can never be friends. Sally: Why not? Harry: What I'm saying is... and this is not a come-on in any way, shape or form, is that men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way. Sally: That's not true, I have a number of men friends and there's is no sex involved. Harry: No you don't. Sally: Yes I do. Harry: No you don't. Sally: Yes I do. Harry: You only think you do. Sally: You're saying I'm having sex with these men without my knowledge? Harry: No, what I'm saying is they all want to have sex with you. Sally: They do not. Harry: Do too. Sally: They do not. Harry: Do too. Sally: How do you know? Harry: Because no man can be friends with a woman he finds attractive, he always wants to have sex with her. Sally: So you're saying that a man can be friends with a woman he finds unattractive. Harry: Nuh, you pretty much wanna nail'em too. Sally: What if they don't want to have sex with you? Harry: Doesn't matter, because the sex thing is already out there so the friendship is ultimately doomed and that is the end of the story. ----------------- (a few years later, when they bump into each other again) Harry: Would you like to have dinner? (Sally looks over) Harry: Just friends. Sally: I thought you didn't believe men and women could be friends. Harry: When did I say that? Sally: On the ride to New York. Harry: No no no no, I never said that. (Harry pauses, thinks.) Yes, that's right, they can't be friends. Unless both of them are involved with other people then they can. This is an amendment to the earlier rule, if the two people are in relationships, the pressure of possibilty of involvement is lifted. (Pauses) That doesn't work either because what happens then is the person you're involved with can't understand why you need to be friends with the person you're just friends with. Like it means something is missing from their relationship and "why do you have to go outside to get it?". Then when you say, "no no no no, it's not true nothing's missing from the relationship", the person you're involved with then accuses you of being secretly attracted to the person you're just friends with, which we probably are, I mean, come on, who the hell are we kidding, let's face it, which brings us back to the earlier rule before the amendment which is men and women can't be friends, so where does that leave us? Sally: Harry. Harry: What? Sally: Goodbye. Harry: Oh, OK. [/i] [b]On love and sex:[/b] [i](during the road trip to New York, still in the car) Sally: You're wrong. Harry: I'm not wrong, he wants... Sally: You're wrong. Harry: ...he wants her to leave that's why he puts her on the plane. Sally: I don't think she wants to stay. Harry: Of course she wants to stay. Wouldn't you rather be with Humphrey Bogart than the other guy? Sally: I don't want to spend the rest of my life in Casablanca married to a man who runs a bar. I probably sound very snobbish to you but I don't. Harry: You'd rather be in a passionless marriage. Sally: And be the first lady of Czechoslovakia. Harry: Than live with the man you've had the greatest sex of you life with, and just because he owns a bar and that is all he does. Sally: Yes. And so had any woman in her right mind, woman are very practical, even Ingrid Bergman which is why she gets on the plane at the end of the movie. (They pull up to a road side cafe.) Harry: I understand. Sally: What? What? Harry: Nothing. Sally: What? Harry: Forget about it. Sally: For.. What? Forget about what? Harry: It's not important. Sally: No just tell me. Harry: Obviously you haven't had great sex yet. (Turns to waitress) Two please. Waitress:: Right over there. Sally: Yes I have. Harry: No you haven't. Sally: It just so happens that I have had plenty of good sex. (Silence, the whole restaurant looks at Sally. Sally realises what she had done, walks carefully with a tilted head towards the table.) Harry: With whom? Sally: What? Harry: With whom did you have this great sex? Sally: I'm not going to tell you that! Harry: Fine, don't tell me. Sally: Shel Gordon. Harry: Shel? Sheldon? No, no, you didn't have great sex with ... Sheldon. Sally: I did too. Harry: No you didn't. A Sheldon can do your income taxes. If you need a root canal Sheldon's your man, but humping and pumping is not Sheldon's strong suit. It's the name. Do it to me 'Sheldon', you're an animal 'Sheldon', ride me big 'Sheldon'. Doesn't work. [/i] [b]On letting the cat out of the bag:[/b] [i](remember that Harry's gf is a close friend of Sally) Sally: So you're coming on to me! Harry: No I wasn't. What? (Sally is not impressed, jaw drops, wide eyes) Harry: Can't a man say a woman is attractive without it being a come-on? Alright, alright, let's just say just for the sake of argument that it was a come-on. What do you want me to do about it? I take it back, ok? I take it back. Sally: You can't take it back. Harry: Why not? Sally: Because it's already out there. Harry: Oh gees, what are we suppose to do, call the cops? It's already out there. Sally: Just let it lie, ok? [/i] [b]On puppy love:[/b] [i](Harry bumps into Sally a few years after their first meeting on the road trip to New York. They are in an airplane after meeting at the airport where Sally was being sent off by her current boyfriend, Joe who Harry happens to know from University) Harry: Great! And you're with Joe. Well that's great, great. You're together, what, three weeks? Sally: A month, how did you know that? Harry: You take someone to the Airport it's clearly the beginning of a relationship that's why I have never taken anyone to the Airport at the beginning of a relationship. Sally: Why? Harry: Because eventually if things move on and you don't take someone to the Airport, and I never wanted anyone to say to me, "How come you never take me to the Airport anymore?" Sally: It's amazing, you look like a normal person but actually you're the Angel of Death.[/i] [b]On affection:[/b] [i] (later on Harry tells Sally he is going to get married) Harry: Yeah plus you know you just get to a certain point where you get tired of the whole thing. Sally: What "whole thing"? Harry: The whole life-of-a-single-guy thing. You meet someone, you have the safe lunch, you decide you like each other enough to move on to dinner. You go dancing, you do the white-man's over-bite, go back to her place, you have sex and the minute you're finished you know what goes through your mind? How long do I have to lie here and hold her before I can get up and go home. Is thirty seconds enough? Sally: (In disgust) That's what you're thinking? Is that true? Harry: Sure! All men think that. How long do you want to be held afterwards? All night, right? See there's your problem, somewhere between thirty seconds and all night is your problem. Sally: I don't have a problem! Harry: Yeah you do. [/i] SPOILER!! (kinda, but not really, thoug you have been warned :p) . . . . . . . [b]One male ego and female deceit:[/b] [i](one of those classic scenes that defines a generation; long, long before Seinfield ever showed up on the scene) (Harry and Sally at a diner) Sally: So what do you do with these women, you just get up out of bed and leave? Harry: Sure. Sally: Well explain to me how you do it. What do you say? Harry: You'd say you have an early meeting, early haircut or a squash game. Sally: You don't play squash. Harry: They don't know that they just met me. Sally: That's disgusting. Harry: I know, I feel terrible. Sally: You know I'm so glad I never got involved with you. I just would've ended up being some woman you had to get up out of bed and leave at three o'clock in the morning and clean your andirons, and you don't even have a fireplace. Not that I would noticed. Harry: Why are you getting so upset? This is not about you. Sally: Yes it is. You are a human affront to all women and I am a woman. Harry: Hey I don't feel great about this but I don't hear anyone complaining. Sally: Of course not you're out of the door too fast. Harry: I think they have an OK time. Sally: How do you know? Harry: What do you mean how do I know? I know. Sally: Because they... Harry: Yes, because they... Sally: And how do you know that they really... Harry: What are you saying, that they fake orgasm? Sally: It's possible. Harry: Get outta here! Sally: Why? Most women at one time or another have faked it. Harry: Well they haven't faked it with me. Sally: How do you know? Harry: Because I know. Sally: Oh, right, that's right, I forgot, you're a man. Harry: What is that supposed to mean? Sally: Nothing. It's just that all men are sure it never happened to them and that most women at one time or another have done it so you do the math. Harry: You don't think that I could tell the difference? Sally: No. Harry: Get outta here. Sally: Ooo...Oh...Ooo... Harry: Are you OK? Sally: Oh...Oh god...Ooo Oh God...Oh...Oh...Oh...Oh God...Oh yeah right there Oh! Oh...Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes...Oh...Oh...Yes Yes Yes....Oh...Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes...Oh...Oh... Oh... Oh God Oh... Oh... Huh... (Sally finishes, looks at Harry and smiles. Harry looks back, looking a little uneasy) Lady from another table: I'll have what she's having. [/i]

Thursday? A tells the truth & B lies?

Well I liked Stinkfist....not sure if that counts...:)

Imagine you're a teacher: You do this job because you think its important, because you like helping young people achieve their potential. You want to teach, but there are always some social discontent disrupting the class. But you want to help him/her as well. Trouble is they'd much rather spit on you than listen to what you have to say. And if they DO spit on you, you can't hit them or do anything a 'normal' person would do in this situation cos you're the teacher and you have responsibilities. If they cuss you, you can't return the favor no matter how furious you get. Because you see, you are not consider human, you are suppose to be 'perfect', to control your emotions, you are the adult, even if the cussing deeply offends you. And every night you prepare for your classes. You work hard to try to make the lesson fun, interesting and make sure your students learn. But when you get to class, you're usually faced with a rabble who has learning as their last priority not their first. And then, there's school and educational politics. You have to deal with other teachers whose main concern seems to be getting out of school as fast as they can when the bell rings, or climbing the school 'corporate' ladder. You might spend your time working with the difficult children and doing well with them, but others will judge you on statistics and numbers when you're actually dealing with people and their emotions that simply cannot be reduced to figures on a sheet of paper. And every now and then some lobby group wants you to implement new curriculum from teaching about racism to 'industry' job skills. Everyone seems to use schools as some sort of political ground to further their own agendas, and all you want to do is teach these kids the basics to equip them for the life outside. So every day you drive to school and do your job. You smile even when you are sad, because you don't want to let the kids down. You can't show your emotions (unless they are positive) cos you're suppose to be a role model. You have to say the right things or else someone would accuse you of some kind of prejudice. You have to be careful about physical contact or else someone will accuse you of molestation. Always you have to think of others but no one will think of you. Because you're the teacher and somehow you're suppose to accept the unacceptable. The students are suppose to make fun of you cos you're the teacher. You always have to be on your guard and behave properly because you're the teacher and you're suppose to be the role model. And as important as you think your job is, as appreciative as society keeps telling you it is, no doctor or lawyer will look upon you as a peer. You're just a teacher after all. And they pay you as much as their contempt for you will allow. But you don't do this for the prestige, or for the money. You do it for the kids. You love teaching. When you see a child grasp a concept or understand something, and you know it is because of you, then that's your reward, that's what sustains you, that's why you're still doing this. You know you make a difference. And you hope this will be enough to offset all the negatives. At least this is what you keep telling yourself.

Okay, I'd admit its a lame joke...*apologises profusely* 1984, George Orwell. Big Brother sees all and knows all, you can't actually 'log out' and shut off the prying eyes of Big Bro. Okay...*ducks as all manner of vegetables fly his way*..Okay....its even more lame when I explain it, but that's the nature of all jokes! You shoulda thought of that before you asked! :p

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by PiroMunkie [/i] [B][color=indigo]Things are are not real, don't change... [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] Huh?? Are the SIMs real? I would have thought not. If a computer randomly creates 'us' based on a complex set of algorithms (ie no interaction from a 'user'), and drops 'us' in a 'world' made by it, then of course 'we' can interact with the 'world'. But it doesn't make the world 'real'. It doesn't make us 'real'. There is no dirt, no hole, no blood, no trees, no animals, none of these things exist. They are merely constructs of a computer program. The only thing we can be sure of is our consciousness. Whether that is a result of complex computer algorithms, or an evolution based on 'real' physical structures, we KNOW it is there because we think.

The question of our existence or otherwise is a metaphysical concept, not a physical argument. Saying that you affect the world, or the world impacts on you, and therefore you exist is to miss the point. If you dig a hole, you dig a hole, but how do you know the hole is real, and as a consequence how do you know you are real? If you step in the hole you will no doubt fall inside it, but that doesn't make it any more real. Imagine if we were all random constructs of a complex algorithm to inhabit a world 'created' by a computer program. 'We' would have no bodies. The 'hole' would not be 'real' either. Just a metaphysical construct. At the end of the day, this is really more a question of consciouness. Hence, 'I think there I am'. Consciousness is all that matters. It is the only thing that can anchor our existence. For, no matter if we are 'real' or otherwise, we think, and because we think we become 'real'. If we are random constructs of a computer program, we are constructs with a consciousness, regardless of how that is arrived. THAT is what makes us real. Not the fact that we bleed or that we pollute. If we are actual 'real' people, then again, it is our consciouness that makes us 'real', not our physical make up. Well then what about trees, rocks, many (if not all) animals, etc? What of them? The point is to prove our existence. Their existence is still up for debate. And as for the clever turn of phrase, 'I doubt, there I am'. Well, one doubts because one is critical. And to be critical is to think. So it ends up being the same thing really. :)

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by MasterSaiyan [/i] [B]I press the log out button and I'm STILL logged in. I wanna log out! Please tell me why I'm unable to log out. Thanks. [/B][/QUOTE] Did you check the Event Arena? Otakuboards Big Brother II is starting. Pretty self-explanatory to me. ;)

I don't particularly care for it over much. It was ok. But its always sad when your fav program gets cancel, so I feel for ya. :(

Can't quite answer that existentialist question, myself, but I do have an alternative one for all of you. And I'd like you to seriously think about it rather than throw in some dismissive glib comment. And the question: Would you follow the rabbit? For those uninitiated to the Matrix concept, what if someone can conceive and build a machine that is PERFECT in everyway, and when you are hooked up to this machine, you can smell, taste, feel and touch everything, and it is all real. Friend, family, lovers, enemies, all of it. So this is a machine that turns dreams into reality. So would you take the pill and be hooked up, and the machine will take care of all your bodily needs till you die, but you will not notice any of this cos you will be in the dream made by the machine. The point of answering this kind of question is not to punch holes in the scenario, it is to question what reality means to us. You might say, at the end of the day you're still the poor schmuck lying on the bed out of his freaking mind. No, you're not. You're not aware of any of that. Indeed, 'you' are the person living your life in the world created by the machine. You wouldn't take the pill cos its not real? We're going in circles, the point is it IS real to you. Once you've taken the pill you have no previous memories, everything WILL be real. This is not like a drug, cos no drug is 'perfect', there is always a comedown and you always retain your previous memory. I, for one, will be honest, I'd take the pill. And I suspect so would most people. What would you do?

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sere Tuscumbia [/i] [B]Buffy DID die from the bullet you idiot. I've watched the episode, and I'll provide a little something from Television Without Pity to help what brain cells you have get workin'. [/B][/QUOTE] O-kay........ :rolleyes:

Whoaaaaa... there for a sec girl...Buffy did NOT die by Warren's bullet. I haven't seen Season 7, dunno anything about Season 7 AND I DUN WANNA KNOW! But unless something weird goes on in S7, Buffy only died twice. Once at the hand of the Master, the other saving the world from Glory. And just to spice up the discussion a little bit here, is it me, or does the fact that Riley got such a heap of flak from Buffy fans just goes to show that girls like their guys to have the requisite amount of 'bad' in them? 'Nice' guys finish last? Heheheh....just a thought..

[b]WARNING: The following post contains subject matter of an adult nature!![/b] [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Darktoweronline [/i] [B]In Texas, a comic shop manager is serving a six-month obscenity sentence in prison for selling Demon beast and Overfiend to an adult. The product was kept in a box behind the counter so no-one underage saw the material. The seller was an adult, the buyer was an adult, but the store manager is still in prison because the court opinion said (paraphrase): 'comics and cartoons are a form designed to appeal to children. Selling animated adult comics and videos is dealing in pornography designed to be consumed by children.' Because the comic shop was within a few blocks of an elementary school, a man's in jail. That illustrates the problems of cartoons and comics in the US. Almost everyone believes picture books are fit only for the youngest children or mentally handicapped people (it's not the 'smart' character in the movie reading the comics classic Moby Dick.). If people do find 'mature-reader' material in a comic or cartoon they find it obscene. It was only a little while ago that American courts decided that the 'image of a child isn't a child'. Many unedited anime works were illegal in the US a year ago. From 50's comic code trials to the present obscenity laws, a person older than 12 challenges a lot of American history by wearing that Dragon ball or Sailor moon backpack. Takes guts. Dan [/B][/QUOTE] That is truly sad. Now someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me, a couple of clarifications here are in order. This is essentially about obscenity law. A dubious and highly political area of criminal law (though one could say almost all areas of criminal law are political). And so its really about hentai, not just nudity but explicit depictions of sex. The other thing to note is that this targets the store, and the poor shmuck who just happen to be there to ring up the sale. It very difficult to make a case for breaking obscenity laws if you merely 'possess' the offeding material, were not selling it or showing it in public. So all you hentai freaks can relax. Hentai proprietors or those thinking about offloading part of their collections might want to reconsider, at least if you live in Texas. The poor guy didn't go to jail.He was sentenced to 120 days but got probation for $4000, but still, having a class A misdemeanor recorded against his name is no small thing, and being labeled a purveyor of obscenity in the eyes of the law is just plain wrong. You would think that detectives from the Dallas Police Department would have better things to do than to rummage through comic stores looking for comic porn. It is important to note that the guy who was arrested, charged and convicted had NO previous criminal record at all, no prior arrests, and had worked at the store all his adult life. He is hardly a threat to anything, other than perhaps good taste. This kind of thing really p*sses me off. I find it sickening and extremely sad. [url]http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2001-01-04/news.html[/url] Read it for yourself and make up your own minds. POLITICAL SIDENOTE: In the previous Clinton Administration, the Federal government basically backed off on Obscenity Laws. They still existed on the books but the agencies and groups that enforce the laws were slowly dismantled. The porn industry thrived, and today it is a multi-billion dollar industry, and have even gained a small mark of 'respectability'. It is pumped into homes across America on AT&T and many other cable carriers. It is stuffed in many major chain hotels. The Bush Administration, with the strong backing of the Christian Coalition, made a high priority of winding back these gains made by the porn industry. The came 9/11 and everything changed. Almost. The priorities shifted, but a year out from 9/11 and the moral guardians of society are once again trying to impose their will upon us. And for major pornographers like Hustler's Larry Flynt, the good times may come to a full stop. As porn becomes more and more accepted in the 90s, as it drew in the mainstream, it also created niche markets for the small players. So on the fringe of mainstream porn is a host of violent and highly suspect illegal porn. And it is to these that the law enforcement agencies will concentrate to land their initial big victories. That's not such a bad thing, these pornographers can relly be out of control. But then what next? Next they will come for your mainstream porn. And if you think the Internet can stop them, you'd be wrong. A good introduction to this subject matter is Frontline's investigative report 'American Porn'. [url]http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/porn/[/url]

Oh really? *glances at his previous post* And here I was thinking you were dissing me with a not too subtle hint. :bluesweat My my what low self-esteem I must have to be so paranoid...;)

Something for the older teenager... As usual criticisms, comments, praise and insults are welcome, as long as they're intelligible and intelligent. ;) [b]A Love Eternal[/b] There are many things I cannot do, I see you but I cannot touch you, I sense your sadness And as much as I want I cannot hold you, Caress you, comfort you. Encased in the coffin of your black dress I feel your pain and your need, Every beat of your helpless heart Only tightens the noose around your neck. I know the paralyzing palpitations That suffocate you, drown you, exhaust you. And, I can do nothing, For I stand here, Looking upon you without eyes, Listening to you without ears, A silent soul adrift Around you, about you, in you. There are many things I cannot do, Without form, without voice I?m an invisible mute. Yet, weep not for me my dearest, For our love needs no form to give it substance And no voice for it to be heard. Until the Lord brings us together once more, There are many things I cannot do, Racing along the shores of spirits Watching you pass on the river of life. I can only pray your journey is a smooth one, I can only wave and call to you And tell you how much I love you. A love that will survive, A love that will endure, A love eternal.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by PiroMunkie [/i] [B][color=indigo]"A open foe may prove a curse, but a pretended friend is worse."... Benjamin Franklin.[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] Or to put it another way, and I prefer this one, 'Better an honest enemy than a false friend'....and no I didn't get that from some fancy quote book or pseudo-philosophy test, its from ThunderCats....Thunder...Thunder...Thunder...THUNDERCATS ROAR!.... er...sorry...showing my age again...*a dripping laconic smile on his dry lips* A couple of notables from Babylon 5: "There comes a time when you look into the mirror and realize that what you see is all that you will ever be. Then you accept it, or you kill yourself. Or you stop looking into mirrors." - Londo "The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote." - Ambassador Kosh

I agree with most of what Sere said. :D Generally with guys (unless you happen to inhabit the wonderful land of geekdom), you watch Buffy because, well, its..er...yeah...Buffy. :) But to me the hottest babe in Buffy was Willow. She's awesome. No, not the Willow you guys are seeing now, I'm taking about the pre-Tanya Willow, and unlike Sere, I liked her as the 'good' Willow in highschool. There were a couple of eps with her as the Dom Queen evil vamp twin, and I liked her as that too, but I don't think that kind of evil would be interesting in the long term. I think everyone should watch Buffy's first 3 seasons, everything BEFORE they went to university. If you take JUST those 3 seasons, I'd have to say its probably one of the BEST tv series made in the last...say 10 years? Energetic, funny and unbelievably intelligent, its a f*cking joy to watch. Unlike a lot of intelligent shows, it doesn't take itself too seriously so it doesn't disappear up its own rectum so to speak. :) The other thing good about it is its positiveness. Seems to me like a lot of intelligent shows tend to lean to the negative. Sienfield comes to mind. Buffy is just as witty and insightful, but its just more positive about the world, and its actually about something, so its no where near as self-indulgent as Sienfield. Buffy says things about teenange alienation, domestic violence, depression, frienship, love...the usualy stuff...but in such a way its not shoved down your throat. In fact you can almost ignore it if you wish (as indeed most many do). Enough of my rant. Just see it. First three seasons. The rest you can skip. :( I only continue watching cos of the good will from the first 3 seasons.

It has potential tursi, but its a little haphazard. I was a little confused with the first and second pronouns, you seem to switch them. I noticed that when you set up your image, your first line is descriptive, and your second cryptic. I think you over-use that, with the second just too short and curt. Hmm...Maybe an 'And' infront of the 'slowly' would make it flow better. Its good, but it does need more work. Its a little too 'rough' as it is, but hey, that's just my opinion. :) B- :devil: Anyway, here's my little homage to the colour red. :) [b]Red[/b] Red is a white rose Dipped in blood Stained deep and dark But never quite enough. Red is a blind fury A whirlwind of woe A rage beyond words That swallows all. Red is a traffic light That stops us in the night Wakes us from our dreams And leaves us shivering with fright. Red is a Chinese wedding Of beauty, fortune and trust It is youth in Spring, It is the heart afloat on a crush. Red is many a colour Red has many a shade Close your eyes and see What red are you today?

[b]This is just my personal opinion.[/b] I think that Boards belong to the Admins/Mods who run them. If you don't like the way things are run, you can have your input, but at the end of the day, its the staff that makes the decisions. And if you don't like those decisions, then tough. No one is forcing you to stay. If you think you can do better, you can go and create your own Boards. Having said that...I would hope that Admins and Mods alike all want to foster a community spirit and make the Boards the best they can (whatever this means to them). In that vein...I would say this. Mods and, yes, even Admins are human beings. They are prone to the same failings and weaknesses that afflict all human beings. None of them are Gods and none of them are perfect. They can be just as petty and vindictive and an*l as the rest of us. I think everyone that is involved in Boards on the Internet should recognise and acknowledge this fact. This includes Members, Mods and Admins alike. People shouldn't *ss-kiss and Admins/Mods shouldn't be influenced by any *ss-kissing. But all this is easier said than done. After all we're all human. But if we all accept this fact, it makes life not only easier for everyone, it can often make life much more interesting for all concerned. Members should understand that admin and mods are not only responsible for enforcing the 'rules', they are also responsible for ensuring the survival and prosperity of a Board. In particular, Admins have a much greater stake in the success of a Board than your average member. Its their 'baby'. So if they use their discretionary powers in a way you dislike, then maybe you should try to step into their shoes and try to understand where they're coming from. You might not be breaking any 'rules' but if they think you are harming the Boards, then you should understand why they might step in to stop you. Admins and Mods should accept that they are not perfect, and that if they make a mistake, there's no shame in owning up to it. To acknowledge one's transgressions is no a vice, but a virtue, its a sign of strength and not one of weakness. There is often an argument made that if Admins/Mods were to listen too much to Members or to change their minds, it might appear they are acting out of whim, or what's worse, that they might undermine their own authority as it might encourage more Members to dispute their decisions. Chaos and disruptions to the Board ensues. This is true. If you are making too many mistakes, or constantly changing your mind, it does mean something is wrong. But to think you're infallible is also a mistake. The 'rules' exist. But like laws in real life, they do not exist in a vacuum. That's why we have judges, and we don't have computers doing the interpretation of laws. The application and enforcement of 'rules' is not purely a mechanical process. Just because a certain post or behaviour is 'technically' outside the rules does not necessarily make it 'bad' for the Board, just as one that is within the rules doesn't mean its necessarily 'good' for the Boards either. Common sense and good judgement are essential. PS: I've had three threads locked. The first one was because it was supposedly it should have been made under an existing thread. I would disagree cos think they are substantial differences. But I can see how others might not view it that way. Second was because apparently my the nature of my thread was prone to abuse, and when it was locked down there was already abuse happening. Again I disagreed with that decision. My reasons are somewhere in this forum. But I would say I understand that one too. The third thread was locked, because there's some 'official' Awards thing for OtakuBoards and my non-serious and mostly fun thread was locked down cos, as I understand it I was encroaching on the territory of others. The third one I find most difficult to understand. It just seems a little petty to me. But being a newbie and having seen the work James has put into this Board, I didn't kick up a fuss. Its not my place so I defer to his judgement. Besides, I think he's earned it.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Cera [/i] [B] Criticisms are preferable to blind praise. [i]Praise means much more from the mouth that will also criticize when needed.[/i] [/B][/QUOTE] Hmm...you know, the more I see your posts the more I like the way you think. :) On the other hand, some of what you think scare the sh*t out of me. But let's not get into that right now... :D Here's a story for everyone. Comments/criticisms/opinions welcome. I was on this anime Board a while back, and I made this rather long post. I got responses like, 'I like it', 'Its great!', etc. Single line stuff and nothing. Anyways, I replied saying that actually I'd prefer criticism over blind praise, in a fairly diplomatic way but firm, so you would not be under any misapprehension where I stood. Wrong move! :D That basically ended up alienating the entire Board. No one could understand my point, so they all just ended up thinking I was an attention seeking jerk! :blush:

I'm not sure if this has been done before, and even if it has, its probably now time to revise any such opinions anyway. Times change and so do people, and besides there are always newcomers to think about. :) For those of you who are new to this kind of thread, basically a list of categories are posted and you have to choose which one of the OtakuBoards members best fits that description. Copy and paste, then insert the entries is prob the best way to respond. You can only pick ONE OtakuBoards member for each category, And you can't pick ONE member for more than one thing, ie a name should not appear twice for each person posting (well at least try not to). NOTE: Oh, and PLEASE don't take this too seriously, have FUN!! ;) Nominate your OtakuBoard member who is: [list=1] [*]Most Friendly [*]Kindest (nice, generous) [*]Sexiest [*]Wisest (best person to seek advice from) [*]Most Intelligent [*]Most Intellectual (aussie translation: biggest w*nker! :D) [*]Biggest Poser [*]Biggest Pervert [*]Best Mod [*]Most Addicted [*]Funniest [*]Most Intimidating [*]Most Knowledgeable (anime) [/list=1] I'll post my results later. Must get back to study. Enough procrastination.:bawl: