Kay~
Aww damnit.
What US figure do you think is most despicable, living and dead?
Laconic: I dunno.
Regular: There's a whole lot of US figures I despise, but none of them stand out overmuch (and before you ask, I tend to think of Dubya as more stupid than evil). Saint Ronnie is high on that list, though... well, there's definitely one. Theodore Roosevelt. Fuck his Roosevelt Corollary and his domineering bullshit in Latin America. But mostly I hate him because even though some other presidents have done awful things and been appropriately demonized for it (Andrew Jackson), Theodore Roosevelt still gets a free pass from history enthusiasts in the States for being so badass, complete with gushing praises and everything. It's sickening.
What US figure do you think is bestest, living and dead?
Laconic: Myself.
Regular: I really like FDR, but I'm afraid that this is going to have to go to Emperor Norton I. So awesome.
Have you made plans to have sloppy makeouts in front of the Focus on the Family
HQ with a ladyfriend of your choice yet?
Laconic: Once K4U answers my phone calls, it's a date. ^_^v
What US figure gets far too much positive attention, living et al?
Laconic: Theodore Roosevelt and Saint Ronnie.
Regular: See above for Roosevelt, but the right's fanaticism about Ronald Reagan drives me batty. I read his adopted son's column, Michael Reagan's columns, whenever I want to be angry and throw things at the wall.
What US Figure do you think is most unjustly portayed, Dead and yet to be dead?
Laconic: MLK, Jr.
Regular: "Unjustly" doesn't mean wrong in this sense, but it is definitely incomplete. Martin Luther King is portrayed as this great saint of equal rights and respect and peace, and he was all of those. But he was also a labor organizer, an agitator who turned the words of his attackers back on them to expose their hypocrisy, and all other kinds of good stuff that we don't see in the sanitized version of history we hear every Black History Month.
What do you think of the Great Man Theory of history? =D?
Laconic: >:<
Regular: I disdain the exclusive use of that approach, as well as its inherent sexism. That said, there are lots of things to be learned from it regardless. I think it's actually kind of cool to learn about people who show through their actions the strength of individuals to succeed against the tide of the universe by sheer force of personality. But focusing on that theory alone is a really good way to be myopic in your approach to history.
What do you believe was the cause of the Bronze Age Collapse?
Laconic: A mix of various.
Regular: There's never one cause for anything. As I recall, I found natural disasters that led to mass migrations the most credible mix of theories, but that's just me.
Which question, asked so far, have you least wanted to answer?
Regular: In the entire thread so far? Probably what my greatest failure is. In this set of questions? Which US figure is the most despicable, since I get the impression that Roosevelt has a lot of apologists everywhere on the internet, enamoured of his exploits.
:suwakoban:
Any favourite Pixiv artist or work of art you like? Like IzumiNitro / Colonel aki etc ?
Laconic:
tag subscriptions:artistsRegular: For artists that are not there and have only recently come to my attention, that would be
Dinosaurus Gede and
Sherry Lai because oh god great art + history comics = my crack cocaine. And Archlich, because he's Archlich.
Ibara Kasen, is that just another twin-bun girls to please fans in your eyes or an interesting character?
Laconic: Why pick one?
Regular: Her character seems interesting so far! I remember being actually put off by how well her design set off some of my fetishes (particularly bandages, of course), but after reading WaHH chapters, she actually seems like a pretty interesting dudette. Can't wait 'till chapter 6 is scanlated.
You are Shiki Eiki and several MotK members are in front of you for judgement. Judge them.
Regular: Guilty as sin. All of them.
Laconic: Except Lloyd.
Moe~Any instruments you play? Or love to listen to?
Laconic: Not anymore, and most of them.
Regular: I used to play the piano, but have long since dropped the habit (though my hands still remember some of the songs I used to play, which is a little bit weird.) Piano is still a favourite to listen to, however, and... hmm, I can't think of any instruments I actively dislike hearing.
Why do you use Kunrei-shiki?
Laconic: I don't.
Regular: I don't care about the differences between Kunrei-shiki and Hepburn and whatnot. I use a separate system altogether. It is called the "Whatever Looks or Sounds Coolest" system. Which is why it's Aya Syameimaru, Shikieiki Yamaxanadu, Sanae Kotiya, Momizi Inubashiri, and Fujiwara no Mokou. There is no consistency other than they all look cooler in my eyes that way.
Also, Hepburn accidentally tends to trigger some weird irrational anger I have against the hard 'ch' sound that you see in, say, Kochiya. I hate the hard 'ch' sound. Hate hate hate. It also makes weekly
chur
ch services really awkward sometimes.
If you could live your life again, what would you do different?
Laconic: Get away from people who tried to make me feel guilty about things that were not my fault.
Regular: I have an enormous, highly confusing, internally inconsistent guilt complex that surfaces
now and again okay, okay, it surfaces pretty often. That said, I can't help but think that even though it's detrimental and has led to so many needless horrors and self-hatred in my life, that it has still helped shaped who I am, warts and all.
Even so, I wouldn't wish this on anyone I loved. If there was some way to avoid this tragic flaw with a repeat of my life, I would do everything in my power to find it.
If you had the chance would you grasp the power to rule the world? Why?
Laconic: Yes.
Regular: It's interesting, because it's so contradictory to my beliefs and hypocritical to my political stances, but I get along really well with the idea of absolute power. For all my love of collectivism and my rejection of excessive personal liberty, too... well, individualists always do just fine in tyrannies, as long as they get to be the tyrants.
But as much as I love the idea, I have the same obection to it as I do the notion that I, being so young and ignorant and hasty and short-sighted, get to claim absolute power over people much smarter, wiser, more benevolent, and more devoted workers than I. It's surreal. Yoko Nakajima's actions as King of Kei in Twelve Kingdoms, though, have made me think of a good middle way: use that power only to protect your people's peace and happiness. Quite a difficult mandate for a mere mortal, but it's a challenge I'd gladly take on.
Dunno if it was asked before, but what special ability you'd like to have?
Laconic: Does immortality count?
Regular: Immortality. And if it doesn't count, then super speed. You don't need strength when you've got the power of inertia!
What non-special ability you'd like to have?
Laconic: Peerless swordmanship.
Regular: I have explained my reasons for the love of swords to Zengar in this thread already~
You said what you don't like about me, so anything good or general impression? ITT everyone is insecure with themselves. :V
Laconic: You have some crazy theories.
Regular: That's a good thing! People who don't have crazy theories are boring. I also like how you reject logic, to be honest. It's not the only way to analyze or learn, after all.
While I like the taste of it in icecreams and other sweets, I actually don't like the strawberry fruit. What do you think? :V
Laconic: That just means more for me.
What should be my next question?
Laconic: "Who are you tsundere for?"
How much is too much?
Laconic: Testing my patience means it's too much.
Regular: I have a lot of patience, and running out of it tends to be a sign that I've been pushed waaaaaaay too far.
Night or day, and why?
Laconic: Night.
Regular: My skewed sleep cycles tend to make me awake at night more often than not. I like the coolness of night better. The day is for exploring, the night is for relaxing.
What's the craziest outfit you've ever worn, and why were you wearing it?
Laconic: Aya cosplay.
Regular: While it's not extravagantly crazy, wearing full Aya cosplay while hopping on the bus to go to an anime convention gets you absolutely hilarious stares from everyone there. Best thing in the world.
What is the biological difference between a crow and a raven?
Regular: In practice-- crows are ravens, but not all ravens are crows. Crows are smaller than most other ravens.
Laconic: Utsuho has bigger boobs.
What's your preferred breakfast?
Laconic: Cereal and fruit.
Regular: Cereal with milk, in point of fact. Cereal is one of only two things that makes milk tolerable, the other being chocolate milk powder. Otherwise, it tastes like slimy water.
Are the things that got you into Touhou the same ones that got you into Sakura Taisen?
Laconic: Yes, mostly.
Regular: Both of them have stacks and stacks of music to their name, and a bunch of good art. But Sakura Taisen's good things are almost all official, whereas in Touhou, good art is on the side of the fandom and good music is split between ZUN's works and fan compositions.
What are your thoughts on fanservice in anime and other works? Is it ever necessary or well-done in your opinion?
Laconic: Not needed.
Regular: I define "fanservice" as sexualization that is completely irrelevant to the story proper, so all of it is by definition unnecessary. If it contributes to the plot, it shouldn't called "fanservice" in the first place-- that usually falls under characterization.
You suddenly have the opportunity to be an archaeologist! Where would you want to explore first, and what would you hope to find? In the case that you do find something, what would you do with it?
Laconic: Hmm, good questions~
Regular: I would pick a random cenote in the Yucat?n, since you can basically grab one at random and find cool stuff down there. All the imperishable things the Maya tossed down as sacrifice to their gods have stayed there, and escaped the looting of the Spanish. I hope to find something gold, since that doesn't rust in water, hopefully something that talked a whole lot about their history. And if I succeeded, I would hand it over to a museum so they could translate it and put it to good use.
Scenario: You are grocery shopping in the middle of winter. In the corner of your eye, you happen to see a worried-looking young parent and his/her obviously sick-looking child stuffing small food items and childrens' medicine in their jackets, unable to afford them. What do you do?
Regular: Follow them through the store, from a distance. If they get caught, then I would run up to them and the person who caught them (probably a rent-a-cop) and promise to pay off everything the parent has taken, then do so. Even if they don't get caught, after they leave the store, I'd catch up to them outside and ask them if they needed help, and if they would allow me to help out, since I know a lot of charities and churches around here that would be more than glad to do just that.
Oh great, ninja post.
'sallright, I hate Koishi. BV
Laconic: Nobody is perfect.
I think it's mostly because we have enough evidence to say that he wasn't the first European (hell, some think that the Chinese may have beat him here) to arrive in the Americas.
Laconic: Fair enough.
Regular: I always did like the less Eurocentric term "encounter", either way.
What do you think of fighting games, both with and without Ryougi Shiki in their rosters? :3
Laconic: Like most other games, they do not hold my interest.
Regular: This is almost certainly because they do not have Ryougi Shiki in their rosters. All fighting games would be several times more awesome with added Ryougi Shiki. MBAC managed to pull it off, though, because they still had someone as sufficiently awesome as V. Akiha on their roster.
