Walsingham

Why did I immediately begin humming that song about "Go greased lightning"?

The who what now?

This is neat. It's turning into a regular dogfight up there.

Repressing... i.... urge... to murder. Killing Drizzt the first time was a labour of love. Giving me the chance to kill him AND all his geeky friends was sweet of the programmers. Having his even geekier mates take his stuff off me a second time was just embarassing. It was one of those occasions where I woud have preferred to be in a pen and paper rpg. Because I'd have EATEN that stupid bloody elf and see if they could resurrect him after THAT. And used his skull asa chamberpot. That way even if they did somehow succeed he'd always know that I'd pooped in his braincase.

*gasp* A fellow Brit running Vista? You must have sold us out to some wealthy foreign power, you devil. How did you get so rich?

Beer foamy. Hey Meta, what say we get him arrested at heathrow? "Yes, that's the man, officer. He turned me into a newt!"

Cme on, Meta you know me well enough to know when I say Army I mean the Army. Not the Forces. And yeah, Cant, I didn't mean to do the man down. helicoptering in the Falklands was hardly light duties. The casualty list tells you that. I was simply talking about an Army example.

I hate to say it, but most US Army tribunals hand down pretty minor sentences. However, in this case I think firing squad would be more appropriate. I shouldn't think his fellow marines would mind in the least. In fact you'd get a parcel of volunteers. The whole case made me sick.

Not in my opinion. It's been my observation that folks as enjoy that theory cease doing so as soon as the inevitable meeting occurs 'twixt them and someone mightier than they are. But your friend *is* the bully you so despise. He does the exact same thing as a bully, enforce his will upon the weaker based purely on his narrow definitions. I know what you mean. And one day I may try and fix him... once we tackle all the regular bullies.

Prince Andrew was a helicopter pilot

It's a lie! He says that then starts blubbing like a toddler!

Don't forget to drink our far superior beer when you get to London.

Like hurlshot I too have experience of actually teaching kids and perhaps this is why I agree with him. It's the difference between being in prison and being a prison guard. Firstly a really expert bully can subdue not just a class of fifty, but can (by franchising and various other methods) extend that fear over groups of up to 2000 kids. I've seen this in action. Certainly part of the equation is to have individual targets defend themselves when attacked. This is the equivalent of the 'armed village' concept . But unless you intend for every person passing trhough the school to spend time buffing up when they are really are there to study then you need to dismantle the bullying apparat. I could go on all day (and there's no guaranteeing I won't) about the process of dismantling a bully. But suffice to say that I have done so on at least one occasion without so much as a cracked knuckle. Unfortunately the methods I used were far too devious for the UK - a number of lies and misinformation were used - and would almost certainly have got me fired if I'd done so in the UK. However, the bullies themselves were by the end beginning to engage in class, and had more or less quit their shenanigans. This approach does not preclude toughening up the kids en route. But it is my belief that a stable secure foundation is the best environment in which to do that. As for net bullying being somehow evidence of a feeble victim I think you're misunderstanding the power of psychological warfare. Female bullying typically takes ONLY this form, but can still result in cripplingly low self-esteem, drug use, attempted suicide etc etc. This is particularly true of teenagers, who are usually extremely plastic in their attitudes towards themselves. They're trying to work out who they are and where they fit into life. If they spend five years being told they're scum and deserve to be abused, where do you THINK they will end up? However, like I say, you should really be asking yourself why bullies should enjoy the luxury of bullying, rather than why their victims should have the luxury of state defence.

Oh crabsticks. I thought we were playing something like canteen chess.

True. I confess I was being mendacious. I love that word.

I'm sure Meta will know which ancient philosopher we're mimicking!

I liked Viconia, and BG2 made me see Drow in a completely different light. I _DO_ recall Drizzt from BG1, and I tell you it was literally hatred at first sight. I spent more than 24 hours before I killed him. I din't even know if it was possible, but I stuck at it.

I haven't used any mods for it at all, and I'v eplayed BG1 through completely 3 times. Maybe I should mod up?

Got you, you swine! Stand still while I deploy this entirely fantastical planet destroying superlaser.

Not in my opinion. It's been my observation that folks as enjoy that theory cease doing so as soon as the inevitable meeting occurs 'twixt them and someone mightier than they are.

You say that like the two things might be unconnected!

Another thing that scared me was reading Hard Times, the John Constantine graphic novel. I sincerely can't think of many things more dreadful than going to a US federal penitentiary. Well, excepting maybe another country's penitentiaries.

I thought we were playing a different game. If it's this one then I'm in.

Volo, what you're talking about is great if you reckon we should live like apes! I was taught that a strong man doesn't just watch his own back. He stands up for others. I agree that bullies exist, and part of fighting them is getting tough. But equally some people find it hard to deal. My question is not "What right have people to expect to be defended?" My question is "What right do people have to bully?" You think Big Jimmy should be permitted to beat down and terrify someone just because they can? The converse argument a friend of mine uses is simply that if he sees anyone hurting someone just because they are able, then he goes and hurts THEM because he is able.

The US has (in theory) nearly two months worth of crude stockpiled, last time I checked. Definitely at least one month's worth.