Badran

(This ought to make you feel better. I was so flustered by your last message that I posted the following message on my board instead of on your's.)

You get a little agressive when you feel threatened. I am sorry if you are feeling blinded by my brilliance. Instead of seeking to dim it, though, perhaps you could allow your own to shine through.

Perhaps would ought to do a little psychological analysis here. Why would my praise of you cause you to wish to hurt me? (See how I have assumed the upper-hand here?) It's ok, you can talk to me. I'm not sure that I understand what the problem is.

It's ok if you can't handle the praise. I'll back off if that is what you need. (Bam!)

(Or maybe I won't.)

I'm not sure that you are up to it.

I guess that I will just have to wait and see. (See what I did there? That's a challenge.)

Hey! I call it like I see it!

Thanks for the frubal.

Thanks for the British Empire frubal.

What wisdom shines through in establishing your goal to be my soul's mirth, welfare and glee! Let those tears that have well up in your eyes wash away any distraction to your noble cause.

Remember that with each step you take toward fulfilling my every whim, you shed just a bit of that scurvy and worthlessness. Remain steadfast in your quest! I believe in you!

Thanks for the frubal! I would say that you are doing exceedingly well at it, too, my friend.

The pain subsides! Of that ye may be certain. 'Tis now only a slight and fading memory -- as if from a dream, or of a time long ago. The ominous cloud that once cloaked the warmth of the sun and cast a shadow of heavy darkness upon my soul now gives way to a gentle shower of pure and radiant light.

Let thy grief be eased. My pain has ceased. Yes, ceased now! Ceased with your goodly assurance that you will suffer naught on my behalf. Oh, what sweet sound is that! And, more so, my spirit lifts to heavenly heights to hear your joy will be full -- your days and nights, merry. For how could I bear to think it not so? I shall rest well this eve. What may have been a night of torment, now soothingly beckons me and whispers softly these words of bliss "All is well. All is well."

Thanx for the video frubie!

Please, good sir, stay that hand. Sheath thy dagger. Spare thy strong heart to enjoy ever more, ever better moments this life has to offer one so valiant and true. Do not vex me further with such talk. For even to conceive of that which you speak surely bring tears to the eyes of my heart.

I didn't really need anything. It was just a shameless way of getting a reply from you.

My apologies good sir! Please forgive me.

I understand that a big, sword wielding ninja like you really needs to have a mission for that sense of purpose in life. So, if the urge for a quest becomes too strong for you, I could probably use a few things from the market.

I was going to vote for the rose.

But, (and this is purely for selfish reasons) please do not embark on a hazardous quest on my behalf (unless it is actually to save me.) Your willingness to do so is enough.

Now, your response was so sweet, I can hardly find the words or the desire to strike back -- very skillfully done!

"Don't you start analyzing me or i will MASSACRE you!"

I am so glad that I saw this quote from you before I mentioned my analysis of you -- just how incredibly masculine you are -- how ruggedly handsome, passionate, virile, and gentle in a way that comes only from true strength and confidence -- qualities that one can only stand in awe of...but then, I don't want to tick you off by analyzing you. So, I won't.

TRY THAT AGAIN!

(I had just written a really wonderful reply about how awesome you are, and my computer shut down on me before I could post it. I'm serious. It was good.)

Well! So we have resorted to name calling, have we? Don't think I will put up with that forever, Mister! Calling me, sexy!!!

I am going to give you about 6 months to cut that out. Then, I just may get really and I mean, really angry about it.

Thank you, I appreciate that.

Glad you enjoyed the post, and thanks for the frubal

Machiavelli seems to me almost two people. In the Discourses, he advocates for republics. In the Prince, he advocates for principalities -- our equivalent of dictatorships. Which did he himself prefer? Or did he even have a preference? I don't know.

Sometimes I think one of the most important lessons from Machiavelli is also one of the most overlooked -- do good whenever you can get away with it, and do evil only when necessary. I think if people took that lesson much more to heart, they would see they can do more good than they think they can, and they would see they do not need to do as much evil as they feel they must.

The relationship of the individual to society is one of the core issues of history, isn't it? I wish I had a better understanding of it than I do.

Can you come to chat? Shireen, Jeff, and DS are in there along with others.