I'm quitting gaia.

[xwhateverxdudex]

Tybarious

if all your worried about is someone doing the dirty work, then why don't you just hire someone to do it. its alot cheaper and easier than kidnapping someone and hidding them.

No Im not military, honor is what I choose even before I became a cadet. Just because the world has abandon honor, doesn't mean I have to.

Plus military is not like what you just describe, that sounds more like conspiracy theoriest and they just as reliable as tabloid. I deal with military ppl on a daily bases and if you can't trust youself or comrads to do their job then someone will die, so they beat that into your head from the beginning. The Military is very regulated, if someone is not doing their job or doing their job then someone will know.

No I don't find it insulting, b/c civilians rarely know what is going on in the military and sometimes the media gets only partial information b/c if they gave out all the info then it could leak to the enemy. What pisses me off is media tries to fill in that info and fail miserably. Which can lead to a negative light being shown on the military when they are trying to protect our soldiers.

Thanks for not taking that personally.
I appologize for that rant, but very little makes me believe anyone at all is any good anymore.
What you have just said is based on experience and logic.
Knowledge is a powerful thing, and obviously you have more in this area then I do, sence you deal with these people daily. So you would know about the trustworthyness of those around you. It's refreshing to talk to someone that doesn't believe that an entire group of people are "corrupt devils" as dramatic as that is. I sometimes forget that that's not possible, and need a reminder every now and then. THX ^.^

It is because you believe so strongly in honour and right that I would like to ask you about your oppinion concerning that one poor military guy though.
He was the one that wrote the story and sent it in. He requested to remain anonymous, So I don't know who it is. Even so I do believe it to be a true account of what happened.
Do you believe you should read his story before you tell me any opinions on this matter?  

[Tybarious]

yes I would like to read it before I commit on it. But before I do I would like to say by just reading his half of the storie, you won't get the full picture of whats going on it. Therapist always want hear both sides of the story before they give advice to a pacitent. Even with both sides, you're not guarenteed to get the full picture, so often times they watch the two to see whats really going on.

Also, just because there is one person that is corrupted doesn't mean everyone is (medaforicly speaking)  

[xwhateverxdudex]

OK then.
Here's the site I should introduce you too.
Yes To Freedom .org
True Story
This will take you right to the right page.

This is a pretty good site, if you want to fight for freedom for personal entertainment.

It explains how the most recent controversy got started and why it is wrong. Anime fans have been placed in a negative light too. All of Japan, in fact, has been put on the same level as criminals.

This is why I choose to be dis-trusting of everyone I meet. The law says "Innocent until proven guiltly" (or is suppose to anyway, even though the government as a whole, doesn't seem to follow that one anymore) - I choose to be suspicious of everyone anyway. To watch my back, in case I don't see something comming.
I follow... "Better safe, then sorry"  

[purpleravenhawk]

xwhateverxdudex

All of Japan, in fact, has been put on the same level as criminals.

Don't you think that's kind of a broad statement? First, you're assuming that all Japanese go in the same category in the first place. Then, you assume that everyone else in the world assumes the same thing. Finally, you act like the downtrodden minority when anime/hentai freaks are in fact a huge group in the U.S. Who exactly are you saying is putting Japan on the same level as criminals? That's an entire country!

As for your "John Smith," I can't say for sure as there isn't enough info in his story to confirm or deny anything, but like Ty said, that's one person's side. I'm among the first to say that government agencies and military groups aren't nearly as good or fair-minded as they pretend to be, but knowing young male anime fans, I can understand how his "innocent collection" could be construed to be something bad. Even if it wasn't hentai and there wasn't any nudity, a majority of pictures based on the types of shows he mentioned are risque or questionable in nature, especially considering that most of the characters are underage and wearing the world's shortest skirts. It's hard to see if you're immersed in it all the time, but the fine line is there.

I'm all for freedom of speech and all that, and I do think his superiors overreacted. His punishment was far too severe, even if there had been real hentai in that folder. BUT he should have known better. In the military, you don't own much, and what you do own, you have to be ready to give up at a moment's notice. (The one thing I learned from my grandfather besides how to be a jackass.)

As a final note, I support a person's right to own any kind of porn they choose, as long as no one was harmed in the making of it. But I do so begrudgingly and only because we cannot pick and choose which freedoms stay and which go. Once a single freedom is picked apart, they'll all start flushing down the toilet. But I maintain that anyone who gets a sexual thrill out of any sort of artistic depiction of children, fully clothed or not, needs psychiatric help. And before anyone mentions the word "art," I do think such pictures can be art, but I know that most of the fans of these pictures do not look at them as art. The difference between art and porn is simply perspective, and most human beings are generally not evolved enough yet to see the art.  

[xwhateverxdudex]

I'm not the one here that's trying to lump all of japan into one group. (not this time ^.^ )

There are enough people that already think that anything from japan is bad. They see one picture and start lobbying the entire country. Or so it seems.

(guess you didn't hear about the mob outside a store in texas - the store sells anime, so the mob was shouting profanities at anyone that came out - japan haters) pitty I couldn't find video proof.

I love how this guy put it. (he's a mangaka)
http://www.tsurupeta.info/content/open-letter-to-cnn-by-nogami-takeshi  

[Iakun]

Thinking badly of the entire country of Japan because of anime is flat out retarded. But I don't blame anyone who thinks ill of the anime industry considering it's saturated with so much crap anime riddled with annoying fanservice.

There's a big cultural gap between the U.S. and Japan. You don't see cartoons here with girls that look like they're 10 years old having half mature boobs bouncing around or upskirt shots. Even if those things are present I'm willing to bet they're not there to titillate like it is in anime. I actually think that's one thing about American cartoons that is BETTER than anime.

As for all the government stuff, no one knows enough to say anything solid on anything I feel. But if anyone thinks there's no possibility to any so called conspiracy theory, you're living in sheeple bliss.

Finally, Dude, although the world says money&power=king, we don't have to fall in line. Sure we need money to survive but it doesn't mean we have to abandon higher aspects of the soul like honor, compassion, love, altruism etc.  

[Tybarious]

Ok, just read it and I can find acouple of things wrong with what he did.

-a workstation computer is owned by the government, meaning that nothing much work is suppose to be on there, files, web browsing, even the thumbdrive you stick in (personal or otherwise.)

-if he was really trying to keep it under the radar, he was doing a bad job of it. workstation computers are monitored (this is true for civilian corporations as well.) it allows the company to make sure its employees are doing their job and not fooling around.

-Child porn is a big issue today and even rumor of someone interested in it is immediately reported and investegated (even if the rumor is false)

Judging by this half of the story, I would say the investegators had little experience with anime (even I find it alittle disturbing how young they look but doing things that does fit their appeared age.) But his sentencing could be worse like he said. Also its not stated and I don't know what the punishment for misuse of government property. But this punishment is not permandent and he can still be promoted. Its no different than getting into a drunken fight in the officers club.

Also the part about him not receiving his stuff back is to be exspected, the government is known for letting things slip thro the cracks or failing to do something it said it would.  

[Iakun]

Oh yeah... about characters looking so young: Anime is cartoon and cartoon really doesn't represent real life. Even if it did there's something a lot of people might not be aware of if they don't live in a city with a huge asian population like I do. Asians very often look a million years younger than they actually are. LOL

What caucasian students in my school were in the 12 grade, many looked like they could be over 20. Many asian students in the 12 grade still looked like they were 13. I'm also pretty sure this is not a case of jumping ahead or failing grades. xp  

[xwhateverxdudex]

Iakun

Thinking badly of the entire country of Japan because of anime is flat out retarded. But I don't blame anyone who thinks ill of the anime industry considering it's saturated with so much crap anime riddled with annoying fanservice.

There's a big cultural gap between the U.S. and Japan. You don't see cartoons here with girls that look like they're 10 years old having half mature boobs bouncing around or upskirt shots. Even if those things are present I'm willing to bet they're not there to titillate like it is in anime. I actually think that's one thing about American cartoons that is BETTER than anime.

As for all the government stuff, no one knows enough to say anything solid on anything I feel. But if anyone thinks there's no possibility to any so called conspiracy theory, you're living in sheeple bliss.

Finally, Dude, although the world says money&power=king, we don't have to fall in line. Sure we need money to survive but it doesn't mean we have to abandon higher aspects of the soul like honor, compassion, love, altruism etc.

True true, I just don't want to be the guy that gets stepped on.

Tybarious

Ok, just read it and I can find acouple of things wrong with what he did.

-a workstation computer is owned by the government, meaning that nothing much work is suppose to be on there, files, web browsing, even the thumbdrive you stick in (personal or otherwise.)

-if he was really trying to keep it under the radar, he was doing a bad job of it. workstation computers are monitored (this is true for civilian corporations as well.) it allows the company to make sure its employees are doing their job and not fooling around.

-Child porn is a big issue today and even rumor of someone interested in it is immediately reported and investegated (even if the rumor is false)

Judging by this half of the story, I would say the investegators had little experience with anime (even I find it alittle disturbing how young they look but doing things that does fit their appeared age.) But his sentencing could be worse like he said. Also its not stated and I don't know what the punishment for misuse of government property. But this punishment is not permandent and he can still be promoted. Its no different than getting into a drunken fight in the officers club.

Also the part about him not receiving his stuff back is to be exspected, the government is known for letting things slip thro the cracks or failing to do something it said it would.

Yeah, he was stupid about what computer he used.
But anyone that doesn't know anime shouldn't be the judge of if he was doing something wrong.
(anime-haters shouldn't be put in charge of judging anime fans, it's not fair to have to court stacked against you - that's my opinion anyway)
I guess the thing that would piss me off the most is that all his hard drives were wiped (even in the ps3).
That's a life time of collection and personal stuff that he'll never get back. That would essentially ruin my life forever.
I get fan-trans of animes (including hentai's) that haven't been brought to america yet through torrent sites, and with Isohunt turned to crap, I'd never be able to get any of that back.
I'd probably loose my mind and go on a murderous rampage ^^;
(exageration or not, if I lost everything like that, I'd probably get so depressed that I'd stop doing anything)

Iakun

Oh yeah... about characters looking so young: Anime is cartoon and cartoon really doesn't represent real life. Even if it did there's something a lot of people might not be aware of if they don't live in a city with a huge asian population like I do. Asians very often look a million years younger than they actually are. LOL

What caucasian students in my school were in the 12 grade, many looked like they could be over 20. Many asian students in the 12 grade still looked like they were 13. I'm also pretty sure this is not a case of jumping ahead or failing grades. xp

WOW, if that's the case. Then that would explain why anime characters always look so young. Because to the creators, that's what people of that age really look like.
O_O
THX man, that explains SOO much ^.^  

[Tybarious]

then you and people like him, are placing too much importance on matrial items (not trying to attack you personally.) Yes it sucks that his info got erased but life goes on.

And yes I can see and know the value of art, I can tell the difference between a beautiful artwork and an half a** attempt. But even if all the painting in the world and all the anime were to all of suddent burn up or otherwise disappear, the world will continue and life will go on.  

[xwhateverxdudex]

(Not personally insulted ^.^ )

I know I put too much value on the stuff I have, but I've spent my entire life collecting what I do have. So to lose it all in an instant like that would crush me.

Some of the stuff I have are my favorate things in the world!
No one would ever be able to recreate it perfectly.
Anything else, as compared to it, is worthless garbage.
It's what interests me.
If everything were to burn up like that, the world would be a drab, colorless, boring place all the time.
Without it, the world would be nothing to me.  

[Iakun]

I sort of know how you feel Dude. I'd cry if I lost my porn and music collection. xd No honestly, I think the only real data loss that would make me cry would be my url bookmarks and my music collection. Too much music that I have just can't be found at this point.

But Ty does have a point. If we did lose all our data what are we gonna do, curl up into the fetal position and die? lol Obviously we'd continue on living.  

[xwhateverxdudex]

Hmm... What would I do?

I might slip into a coma.

Or a depression so deep that I can't do anything but lie there and mumble that I wish I were dead.

Or a murderous rampage to kill everyone that took my stuff from me.

But like you said... "No one can really know what they'd do in any situation until they're actually in it"  

[Iakun]

I didn't say any situation. I said that particularly nasty dilemma type of situation. lol  

[xwhateverxdudex]

For me, this would be a nasty dilemma type of situation.