I remember reading on an anarchist site about the defences fro that sort of thing… protect yourself with oil, vasaline and stuff. …if you could get away with it. :)
Probably cheating… but in a real situation you'd want to use all the tricks you could.

Derest Punk is such a great anime series. It's crazy and stupid but they actually use logic in story setups and the character's actions make sense. The first episode is crazy, but after that it works out well. And the main protagonist is an amorral little bastard with very little sense of inate honour and no pretense, which is pretty refreshing.

Oh, the latest Quackcast, which comes out tomorrow, features a return of PRINCESS JANUARY from Your Choice ^_^
God that voice is fun, but it rips into your throat.

ozoneocean wrote:

Derest Punk is such a great anime series. It's crazy and stupid but they actually use logic in story setups and the character's actions make sense. The first episode is crazy, but after that it works out well. And the main protagonist is an amorral little bastard with very little sense of inate honour and no pretense, which is pretty refreshing.

Didn't find that title. I did find a title called “Desert Punk” and it looks interesting. I still want to see Space Dandy though. But mostly because I'm trying to figure out why some evil universe conquering emporer sees a dandy guy with tons of hair gel in his hair as the “Key to the Universe”…

LOL!
I'm not checking my spelling at the moment… Very bad of me!
You can watch it here: http://www.dubbedanimeftw.net/anime/desert-punk/
I'm going to try out Space Dandy… It looks like a cross between Space Adventure Cobra and Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo though. I hate Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo so I hope it's more like the former than the latter.

ozoneocean wrote:
LOL!
I'm not checking my spelling at the moment… Very bad of me!
You can watch it here: http://www.dubbedanimeftw.net/anime/desert-punk/
I'm going to try out Space Dandy… It looks like a cross between Space Adventure Cobra and Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo though. I hate Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo so I hope it's more like the former than the latter.

It seems pretty wacky. A dandy guy who owns his own space ship, hunts rare alien specimens for a living… and has a breast fetish… Yep, there's a space restaurant he visits called “Boobies” where he indulges on his admiration for those pods of mammary fat on a female's chest. Doesn't matter how many the female's got (he's almost as bad as Duke Nukem in that way).

For those of you who want to see a video brief on it…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o480GrsQGmo

I don't want to risk corrupting my previous post, so….

Finally found the Mass Effect 3 Citadel scene that I will say is my favorite. Poor Tali ends up poisoning herself…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Gsz7LyvtE

Had an argument with a friend.
It can be quite a shock to find out how they really see you and see just how pathetically superficial that conception of you is…
With people, I give people the benifit of the doubt, in that I don't see anyone as the sum of their parts; I always that what I see is just the surface and there will always be past and expereince hidden bellow there that I'm unaware of.
You interact with the surface person, which is the way they've chosen to represnt themselves, yet always retain the knowledge that there's a lot more to them.

ozoneocean wrote:
Had an argument with a friend.
It can be quite a shock to find out how they really see you and see just how pathetically superficial that conception of you is…
With people, I give people the benifit of the doubt, in that I don't see anyone as the sum of their parts; I always that what I see is just the surface and there will always be past and expereince hidden bellow there that I'm unaware of.
You interact with the surface person, which is the way they've chosen to represnt themselves, yet always retain the knowledge that there's a lot more to them.

That really sucks, Oz. I know some people who seem to be able to put up with endless drama in their lives and even thrive on it, but even small fights with friends/family tend to knock me for a loop. I suspect you might be a bit the same? And a fight that might signal the end of a friendship is a million times worse… :(

Exactly Hippie. Exactly. -_-
In this case I'm just moving on and letting that episode be. Still remaing friends but I will have a little less regard for that person from now on.

Can't sleep… at all. And it looks like one of those 48 hour sleepless marathons again. Even better… I haven't had any coffee at all (because I'm out). Payday is tomorrow, but I'll probably be knocked out the whole day…

Some friendships are like rollercoaster rides. They go high, then they go low… and sometimes leave you feeling sick along the way. I don't keep many friends though… I like my solitude.

Great… my doctor is getting on my case about being married. Something about the adventages of having a spouse force you to stay on your meds, bring up your morale when you're feeling down, letting them inject you with insulin… I can manage the first two, but when I think of her holding that syringe I see nothing but a Yandere who wants to make sure no one else can have you…

Speaking of Yanderes, when I first heard of how the greek god Hades got married (he kidnapped the daughter of the Goddess of Earth and forced her into marriage) I thought he was like other death dieits. Except he's never done anything really evil that I know of. Thanks to the History Channel and TV Tropes I learn that when the wife of Hades notices another woman hitting on him her response was… very violent. Thus lending credence to the idea that Hades' marriage was staged by his wife because the Earth Goddess would never voluntarily let her daughter marry him….

Let's hope the guys out there don't marry a Yandere. If you're wondering why, watch the movie “Fatal Attraction” to see what a Western Yandere is like. In fact, that movie was very popular in Japan and the Western Yandere gained the nickname “bunny boiler” as a result…

Okay… enough with the Yandere stuff… Sweet outside, murderous and axe crazy inside…. X_X

@Lonne- Good analogy with the roller coaster! Very well said.

Your talk of not being able to sleep and the mad-woman type reminds me of the classic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA1oFSMwRDU
Psycho Killer by The Talking Heads ^_^

ozoneocean wrote:
@Lonne- Good analogy with the roller coaster! Very well said.

Your talk of not being able to sleep and the mad-woman type reminds me of the classic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA1oFSMwRDU
Psycho Killer by The Talking Heads ^_^

Yussss
Side note…I've never been sure whether or not he's doing the bad french accent on purpose.
—

A former friend of mine from school (with whom I had a falling-out with back then) added me on facebook a few months ago. I didn't want to hold a grudge so I accepted, but it was pretty clear that she hasn't changed at all since we were in like 10th grade. I couldn't stop myself from hate-reading her facebook page. Now suddenly she seems to have deactivated her account, Huzzah!

—-

This is probably a stupid question, but is “getting coffee” a date? Should I say no to it if I'm not interested in someone?

I am glad you found resolution with your argument, Oz.

When it comes to arguments, I remind myself to tread lightly and pick my battles wisely because my personality can be very intense and can gravitate to either extreme of intense love or intense hate. I can blame it on being a scorpio, when in truth, it is just me being stubborn. I do not just burn bridges, I cremate them. I try not to get into fights anymore because I dislike confrontation. The best comparision for my personality when rubbed the wrong way is that “Killer Rabbit” from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
–
Haha! Sometimes I wait over four to six months before adding certain individuals to my facebook friends list especially if we were “frenemies” in real life.
–
As far as coffee dates, as with anything, it depends on the intention/person/occasion. If you are there to talk business or study, then it is a meeting. If it is just for catch up, then it is casually hip and much cheaper than getting food. I have been on coffee dates that have evolved into more elaborate evening plans including the beach, dinner, movies, and a late night diner–those are the best when you expect a cheap cup of Joe and end up having a great time. It leaves open a window of opportunity for potential future dates!

Good advice on the coffee date thing there Kawaii.
Hippie, if you're not interested I'd decline, in case you get their hopes up :)

As for arguments, I know I can cut deep, not just to the bone but through and out the other side of the body. I can ferret out all weakness and turn it into acid ridicule… And yet I never do, not since early on in highschool. I always hold back and shut off access to that path.
Words can be as bad as physical attacks.

I try to argue with logic and the facts of the situation instead, trying not to hurt the person, just trying to untwist the kink that caused the knot in the relationship instead. ^_^

I don't hold grudges, but will retain reservations about people.

I prefer listening to speaking. When in a conflict use the conflict resolution/Cognitive behaviorial skills. Take a breath, evaluate the stiuation rationally (not the argument, the actual interpersonal exchange) and respond accordingly. Tons of “I” statements, honest expression of feelings and try diffuse the situation. Never, ever say a person “IS” something but that they are “being/acting/behaving” a certain way. Critcize the behavior not the person!

Depending on the person lots of one-liners and jokes work too. Using ridicukous hyperbole is fun in person. So long as you're ready to admit you're exaggerating to make a point. Many things we argue over are silly and actually expression of how we are feeling about things totally unrelated to the subject of the dispute. Simpy saying something like “I see you feel very passionately about this and I only want you to hear my side. It is okay if you disagree, I won't hate you” Works wonders. That and never raising my voice and remaining dead calm. Takes the fire right out of anyone. The louder they scream the less they are saying. There are times when I feel that frustrated that I'll scream, jump up and down and then resume talking in a normal voice.

It's all those years in therapy. I've been brainwashed by mental health professionals, but it works.

My favorite remains a HUGE screaming match full of nasty insults between two people who were in fact in total agreement. I told them to retreat to their two respective corners and think it over … once I managed to stop laughing. Both came back to me later and realized they had been in agreement and had been frustrated over their general situation and not with each other.

I just watched what I have to say is the most painful episode of Mythbusters. In that episode is a myth where women parallel park better than men. Apparently they're really REALLY bad it it. They all got in, but not without bumping/damaging the two cars they had to park between.

For me, parallel parking was the hardest part of driving I had to learn. I only got my license after six attempts and lots of practice, all the demerits coming from parking that way. Here on Guam parallel parking is very important due to many government buildings having only that type of parking (the government sector is a very tight place). I don't get it right all the time, but I have yet to nudge any vehicles…

Coffee dates? I could try that. If I had any prospects that is. :)

ozoneocean wrote:
Good advice on the coffee date thing there Kawaii.
Hippie, if you're not interested I'd decline, in case you get their hopes up :)

Ohhhnooooo
Haha, I had already said yes. I was just having second thoughts when I asked. I'm sure it'll be okay.

—

I am currently trying to slog my way through The Wretched of the Earth. I've been putting it off for ages and I've set myself a deadline of Monday so that I have a reasonable amount of time to write my review on it. According to kindle I'm 63% done.
This makes it sound like I hate the book…I actually don't, and kind of love Franz Fanon. It's just horribly dense.

I have been stateside for the last two weeks vacationing in the nation's capital and taking in the sights and great neoclassical architecture. There is a botanical garden in front of the Capitol that has many species of exotic plants found throughout the world. I saw a cacao tree for the first time!

It has been fun, and my favorite parts of staying at a hotel are the fresh made beds with white linen, new towels daily, free mini shampoo/conditioner/lotion, fresh baked cookies, and free coffee or tea in the lobby. But the toilet paper always seems to inconveniently run out in the middle of the night, so when I ask the front desk people for a new roll, they give me that eyebrow raising look like I am Shits McGee. So I have made a point to dress in my most charming outfit and make the exchange as unawkward as possible. No matter what, it is difficult to look classy when asking for toilet paper.
–
Today I walked into an Apple Store. I seldom go to electronic stores in person because I prefer to buy my electronic merchandise online. It was Friday night so it was packed with high school kids, but I could not help but notice the lingering bad smells of body odor and cheap musk. I did not even make it to the accessory section before I had to run out of the store saying, “I can not take it any longer!” I looked it up online and turns out this is a trend that happens in every Apple Store at one point or another.

“Shits McGee” HAHAHAHAHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! XD

kawaiidaigakusei wrote:
I have been stateside for the last two weeks vacationing in the nation's capital and taking in the sights and great neoclassical architecture. There is a botanical garden in front of the Capitol that has many species of exotic plants found throughout the world. I saw a cacao tree for the first time!

It has been fun, and my favorite parts of staying at a hotel are the fresh made beds with white linen, new towels daily, free mini shampoo/conditioner/lotion, fresh baked cookies, and free coffee or tea in the lobby. But the toilet paper always seems to inconveniently run out in the middle of the night, so when I ask the front desk people for a new roll, they give me that eyebrow raising look like I am Shits McGee. So I have made a point to dress in my most charming outfit and make the exchange as unawkward as possible. No matter what, it is difficult to look classy when asking for toilet paper.
–
Today I walked into an Apple Store. I seldom go to electronic stores in person because I prefer to buy my electronic merchandise online. It was Friday night so it was packed with high school kids, but I could not help but notice the lingering bad smells of body odor and cheap musk. I did not even make it to the accessory section before I had to run out of the store saying, “I can not take it any longer!” I looked it up online and turns out this is a trend that happens in every Apple Store at one point or another.

I guess I've visited electronics stores so much I never even notice it. I never like buying online. I'd have to wait a month to recieve the thing I bought (waited that long for the Spaceballs the Movie DVD I ordered from Amazon). Then again I live on Guam and things come over here by ship rather than by airplane…

And you're right. Looking classy while asking for toilet paper is difficult. However, it's better than not asking, not using the restroom as a result, and having an accident at the worst of times…

Time to try an experiment. I've got these red ants that I've never seen before around here, and they swarmed and bit my feet! So hopefully this works… cooked percolated coffee loaded with tons of sugar. In a bowl… right next to where they are. Time to find out if coffee can really kill insects…

Lonnehart wrote:
Time to try an experiment. I've got these red ants that I've never seen before around here, and they swarmed and bit my feet! So hopefully this works… cooked percolated coffee loaded with tons of sugar. In a bowl… right next to where they are. Time to find out if coffee can really kill insects…

Be careful with those buggers. I was attacked by some red fire ants when I stepped on an entire mound while I was lychee picking in Dongguan in Guangdong Province. In California, I have no problem with ants, but these particular ants were awful. A ton latched onto my foot and after they all stung in unison, my foot felt numb and I could feel some sort of poison rush into my blood. Luckily, I learned you can help decrease the pain by human saliva (haha) or tiger balm. Tea tree oil is supposed to aid in drawing the poison out.

kawaiidaigakusei wrote:

Lonnehart wrote:
Time to try an experiment. I've got these red ants that I've never seen before around here, and they swarmed and bit my feet! So hopefully this works cooked percolated coffee loaded with tons of sugar. In a bowl right next to where they are. Time to find out if coffee can really kill insects

Be careful with those buggers. I was attacked by some red fire ants when I stepped on an entire mound while I was lychee picking in Dongguan in Guangdong Province. In California, I have no problem with ants, but these particular ants were awful. A ton latched onto my foot and after they all stung in unison, my foot felt numb and I could feel some sort of poison rush into my blood. Luckily, I learned you can help decrease the pain by human saliva (haha) or tiger balm. Tea tree oil is supposed to aid in drawing the poison out.

Thing is… I've never seen red biting ants here on Guam until now. And they were pretty aggressive. As to how I know coffee (not coffee grounds which I've heard of) will work? I was reading on a table outside one day and forgot to take the mug inside. When I came to take it back in a few hours later I found it full of coffee grounds. Except those weren't coffee grounds… those were black ants! Hopefully I can buy some sugar tomorrow (I don't usually have any due to switching to a sugar substitute). Hopefully things pan out and I can say I know how to get rid of these red ants.

We have Bull-ants here and other related types such as “jumping-jacks”.
Back when there was styll that mythology and hysteria about army ants, it was bull-ants that stood in as their body doubles- army ants are tiny little things, but the mythology was that they we huge, almost thumb size (40mm), which is how large bull ants can get (not talking about the queens).

These ants are the promitive version of wasps. All ants are I think but bull ants, jacks and such are closer relatives. They have stings that can kill, not from a swarm but from a single ant. (as with most insect deaths though it's generally because the person has a reaction).
They don't tend to swarm much anyway. Bull ants onl hang around is small groups and jacks play alone. The bigger they are the less social they seem to get.

They're endemic to all parts of the bush, it's very scary when you feel that sharp prickle of their spiky legs as they crawl on you… which happens to everyone at one stage or another when they're in the outback. The sting can be mild or extremely painful like a wasp or worse. I do not know what that depends on.

Vid here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDRFTcNW0go
Love his South African accent. ^___^

Oz, those three paragraphs were the most difficult thing to read because I have a phobia of biting insects. I was wincing the entire time while reading with one eye open after looking up “bull ants” on wikipedia and seeing their razor sharp pinchers. I have heard first hand accounts about swarms of stinging sandflies at the beaches in New South Wales, AU, and New Zealand and that there is this potent citronella oil/almond oil repellent that seriously works.

And yes! That South African (Afrikaner/Africanner) accent is definitely one of my favourites in the world.

I just watched that video and this guy must enjoy pain. I can not believe he let the bull ant grip on and bite him twice! Lucky for him, that big Australian fern plant was nearby.

AAAGH! Reading this stuff has me squirming. Last time I popped in, there were some fascinating insights about dating going on. (You know, that variety actually makes this thread awesome).
I often imagine I feel an insect in my hair or on my neck. Always smacking myself on the noggin.

I'm seriously thinking of turning myself in to a research center to find out what chemicals my brain is manufacturing….

I got this idea for a Youtube animation and a 60's animation style Superhero show. Somehow, he accidentally uses an experimental Super Soldier hairspray to try and style his hair to emulate his favorite basketball player and gains superpowers as a result.

With a funky twist of his average body he becomes Wondah Brothah!!! A huge man with large muscles and an even larger Afro hairstyle to match, his only weakness being anything that deflates his Afro. Together with his sidekicks The Mullet Twins and military friends Sergeant Baldie and Commander Crew Cut, Wondah Brothah defends the world from the evil machinations of the malevolent Queen Beehive and her top lieutenant, Miss Frizz and….

Okay… I need to get this brain out of my head. O_O

I'm at the point that stinging insect etc. no longer even phase me. I had to spend a week living out of a brown recluse spider-infested hole in the ground in a god-forsaken portion of Georgia, and now I can just no longer muster up a fear of bugs. Wild pigs on the other hand…

We just got sprayed with OC pepper spray for training in my current Army course. I've been sprayed before under different circumstances, but it's still by far the most vile, evil thing I think anyone has ever done to me on purpose. It's like having a second degree sunburn across your entire face and in your eyes for hours, and you can't wash it off because water only makes it worse. And of course the only way to get it off is to wash your face, repeatedly. Imagine having a thousand tiny burning suns inside your skull and then someone takes a habanero pepper and rubs it all over your skin. That's the approximate sensation this stuff leaves you with. It's got something like 3.5 million times the heat per shot of it than your average jalapeno pepper does. It's one of those things that it gives you such a shot of adrenaline that you won't even remember the next couple of minutes. It's pretty much what I imagine submerging your face into a bowl of pissed off fire ants would feel like. If any of you ever had the notion of joining a violent protest at any point, I would highly advise staying out of pepper spray range. At least beyond 10 meters you're only going to potentially get hit with bean bags and CS tear gas, which are way less horrible and don't last half as long unless you get hit really bad.

Lonne- that sounds like a lot of super funny anime stuff out there :)
Speaking of which, I saw the first episode of Space Dandy the other day! It wasn't bad but I was a little disapointed that after he waxed lyrical about the merits and the marvels of female buttocks and how they were so supiror to other atributes he went to a boob themed bar and all he talked about was boobs. The dirty liar!!! T_T

It was a silly show with good animation. No story or interesting characters yet though, just very silly comedy.
I've started watching Michiko to Hatchin recently. That's an interesting anime- set in Brazil. A lot of serious stuff in it, but a good mix of comedy moments and action too. The art style is gorgeous, very reminiscent of the cover art for the GTA games. The style of the story isn't very typically anime, it's more like an independant film (so far anyway). Reminded me a LOT of Central Station (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Station_%28film%29), in style not story.
It's well done, but a little dark.

I just looked up Michiko to Hatchin and the art really does look spectacular. Although, guessing from the costume design, it looks like it is aimed at a male audience. It looks good, nonetheless. I enjoy anime when it goes deeper than the random gag comedy (which is fine for those times you just want to unwind). But the last series I really took seriously and watched from beginning to end was Welcome to the NHK (2006). I like the loose art style and social commentary on the dangers of a reclusive personality.

@lba- Your super human training course sounds intense. Did you get sprayed in the face with OC pepper spray a third time or is this the same instance from page 35 of this thread? Also, how did the taser exercise go?

lba wrote:
I would highly advise staying out of pepper spray range. At least beyond 10 meters you're only going to potentially get hit with bean bags and CS tear gas, which are way less horrible and don't last half as long unless you get hit really bad.

I missed your post before!
They say that coating yourself with oil based stuff like vasaline is the best protection. Also better for cleaning.
Buuuut you don't want to make yourself too flamable in those situations… D:
There's no way I'd want to test it though! Ow!

kawaiidaigakusei wrote:
I just looked up Michiko to Hatchin and the art really does look spectacular. Although, guessing from the costume design, it looks like it is aimed at a male audience. It looks good, nonetheless. I enjoy anime when it goes deeper than the random gag comedy (which is fine for those times you just want to unwind). But the last series I really took seriously and watched from beginning to end was Welcome to the NHK (2006). I like the loose art style and social commentary on the dangers of a reclusive personality.

I will check out Wlecome to NHK!
As for the art style of Michiko
Another good serious one I've been watching is Ergo Proxy. It can get anoying sureal at times, and I HATE storys told in flashback, but it's reasonably smart with a lovely unified drab colour pallete and great character development and interaction.

Michiko & Hatchin Gets beter and beter :)
Episode 4 was a real downer and after that I didn't know what direction it would go in. 5 was iffy, but was resolved beautifully withnepisode 6 which was fantastic! :D
I highly recomend it.