Maelstrom

Why can't I upvote this ten times?! Anyways... friggin' Adachi.

Happy Birthday, Swims. Do you even swim, bruh? Let's race. don't think I'll let you win just cuz it's your birthday, either

I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.

Hey, is that some sort of communism vs capitalism joke?

I got this for myself but somehow I think it fits Jericho

the internet was kind to me today.

It might even be, Dobby. I know I've seen it somewhere before, but I was thinking mtg, but can't find it.

I dunno what you're going on about- that's classy AF.

I've rarely written to the minimum length requirements. I turn 'em in when I write as much as I need to write, like a boss. But they use the length requirements as a guideline to push you to do more research and write more than a few opinions. With what is required of you, you could easily write several pages. Define what part of the system you are specifically addressing, especially how it functions and what it is intended to do. give examples where it has done its job well. Then define the problematic parts of it and cite examples where it has been bypassed or exploited. List and define alternative solutions one by one, showing how it would overcome the shortcomings of the construct currently in use. Then explain the weaknesses/ new issues that invariable come with it. Then list the solutions in order of preference, saying why the benefits of X surpass the benefits of Y and Z (quantified into solid numbers, if possible), and how the pitfalls of X is the least of 3 evils. ----- The teacher wants a well thought out, comprehensive view into a problem and critical analysis of proposed solutions. Be as objective as possible, with qualitative judgements reserved only for when you can't quantify things for direct comparison. ----- I'm really liking the directives for this essay. Yo, can you get your teacher to email me copies of the essays? I'm really interested to see what your peers come up with. gods, I should get myself into politics or something. Poli-Sci major, here I come.

Another chance at a day in the life of Ikaru.

One of the few, if not only, teen ballads that I actually like.

I suggest the electoral college. You can spend pages defining what it is, when and WHY it was instituted, to include the socio-economic climate of the day and contrast it to the conditions of today. Many people think that the electoral college is an antiquated notion that actually keeps the US from being a true democracy. I'm sure there are loads of books and sources you can draw upon for this subject.

Things I USED to be allergic to: grass 'n other plants pollen cats Now, if there's an effect on me, it's negligible. And my brother grew out of a severe allergy to milk and milk products. Imagine eating pizza without the cheese or not eating ice cream after having been able to, as was the case. I wept for joy when he was finally able to eat things like that again.

Up for grabs

Happy birthday kam, you and your hax fruit too.

Jenna's Theme OCR

But now I don't want to say anything to you now that you have dared me to. Do I look easily influenced? But then I'm posting this, so... oops?

I third the motion to read the Wheel of Time series. Actually I think I just watched the Hercule Poirot stuff. I read a bunch of the Miss Marple ones, her other major character.

Given your list, I would push the Artemis Fowl series. It's a fun, funny series centered around a child genius with a penchant for crime. Cuz you know, it runs in his mafia-like family. He figures out that fairies exist and hatches a scheme to get their gold. It's quite the easy, humorous read, but I had them as audio books for the long trips between home and college. Other than that, I got my other favorites for your perusal. The Darkness series by Harry Turtledove- WWII on magic. Dragons, leviathans, and behemoths, oh my! World War Series by Harry Turtledove- WWII, with invading aliens tossed into the mix. Don't worry, it isn't solved with the War of the Worlds twist. umm... yeah, Turtledove is famous an 'alternate history' writer. Which means he plays around with the What If's. What the South won independence in the civil war? What if you took the main concepts and conflicts in WWII and put them in a parallel fantasy setting (leviathans are subs, dragons instead of jet fighters, etc). What if aliens invaded during WWII? Superior tech wielded by inferior numbers, a species whose only knowledge of war and tactics come from texts about historical events thousands and thousands of years in their past- vs an entire world of human nations already armed and at each others throats? The Farseer Trilogy- follows the bastard of a royal line who inherit a magic akin to telepathy that can connect with and influence other people . But he also inherits another magic, one that is wrongly despised as base and corrupting- the ability to communicate with animals that comes with an awareness of life around him. As a bastard, he's valuable as an expendable member of the royal family but he's also a potential threat to those who would... skip the proper line of succession. Cue the court politics and conflicts with other nations and... yeah, totes one of my favorites of all time. Of all time. Poor Fitz. Mystery? Try anything by Agatha Christie, but a good start would be "And Then There Were None." One of her most famous works. Her series starring the character Hercule Poirot easily rivals any Sherlock Holmes mystery and even had a show on PBS when I was kid that I would catch sometimes. and damn, I wrote too much about books again.