Cantousent

...And how am I to take this comment? Actually, it's simply not true. I've spent quite a bit on education. That's not the point, though, is it? If you haven't made such comments, then rest assured I did not include you in my statement. To be fair to mkreku, I've heard a lot worse from folks.

Educational? I remember seeing Bowling for Columbine. It was a mildly entertaining film, but education should be about finding the truth. Michael Moore has nothing to do with the truth. One fellow here cites Noam Chomsky

Good luck with the music, Mr. Teatime. I always like hearing about successes from folks I know. It's too bad you're not more interested in academics but reading, playing music, and enjoying life is probably more important than academics. (It's not more important than searching for truth and wisdom, whatever those may be.) I, for one, found the website quite easy to read as of 1:01 am, PDT, on June 25. The colors are subdued, it's true. Nevertheless, I agree with your assessment that the content is more important than the colors, fonts, or other extraneous considerations. Like I said, good luck.

Well, Caesar was a great general and propagandist, that's for sure. Politically, he was savvy. He had the public eating out of his hands. He just didn't have what it took to go all the way: a heart of complete stone. If he only felt the same way about the Romans as he did the Gauls, it would have been quite different. It's just that he owed a lot of his success to the light touch of his earlier political career. The Republic was far better at fighting wars. The empire was far better at being, well, an empire. It

Well, it's the socialist vs. capitalist debate. Other than the fact that socialists are misguided or downright crazy, what does this have to do with counter-factual history? You guys want to argue about capitalism and socialism, create your own f***ing thread. Take it private messages. Call each other at home. Do something else, because this was an interesting thread until the empire debate reared up and led everyone to the path of socialist frenzy. ...And Caesar just wasn't the fellow who was going to kill off thousands of Romans in some sort of slaughter. Hell, he spared a sizeable number of the people he fought on the field of battle and put them in vaunted positions such as consul. His leniency is the very reason he ended up bleeding away his life at the theater. That's the reason Augustus was so willing to off opponents, he saw what happened to a light touch.

Perhaps irrelevant is the wrong word. I think it serves a purpose for a variety of reasons. It encourages strong arguments in a discussion, if nothing else. The only point I'm making is that counter-factual history is a weak argument for explaining why events happened. It's a great tool for examining what might have happened and then isolating specific factors in the event.

The thing that strikes me is how deft Augustus really was. He wasn't much of a leader for killing people indiscriminantly. He had no problems having people killed, but he spared people if there weren't some compelling reason to kill them. Caesar's boy clearly had to go, but ol' Marcus' family was spared. I think counter-factual history is interesting but entirely irrelevant in understanding events. We can only understand history based on what actually happened rather than what we think might have happened. Of course, that's only one thought about history. I'll tell you one thing, however, hindsight is far from 20/20. A good example is this... have you ever played a strategy computer game? Now, the variables in a computer game are far less than those from real life. Save something like Civilization and play 20 turns. Then go back and make those changes that you think will improve your game. It just doesn't always work out the way hindsight says it will.

I disagree with the assessment that there would have been a proscription later under Caesar. First of all, it would have made more sense for him to follow such a course of action upon entering Italy and then Rome. His "invasion" was largely bloodless. Second of all, he let the very people who murdered him live. As a matter of fact, the Consulship was ratained as were the forms of Republican government. Of course, the Senate outlive the Empire, even as a sort of city council. There was a much worse proscription under Octavian and Marc Antony than under Sulla at any rate. Cicero didn't die of old age in his sleep. Sulla had hundreds killed, Octavian had thousands killed and Caesar spared vast numbers of people. It was a lesson hard learned for Octavian. As a matter of fact, Caesar was far by and large gentle with his opponents. Well, maybe not with all those dead or enslaved Gauls. *shrug*

Ah well, can't blame a guy for trying. I suppose I should feel ashamed for the very attempt! I really should.

Back to your cage, Krazikatt. ...And my cat is smarter than yours. However, if you have a picture of yourself playing strip poker, I'd like to see it. Hopefully, however, you're losing.

You swine hearted wretches. There's no getting the thread back at all! Oh, here, let me give a revised list of those whom I'd like to meet. All of you just so's I could spank a little sense into you. :angry: ...And volourn, if you're a woman, you should shave your beard more often. You look like an Iraqi Imam.

The whole thing looks staged if you ask me. We all know Sawyer'd be under the table if he drank over half a six pack. ...And the cigarette isn't lit.

Good God, you crazies have ruined my thread. RUINED IT!

d'oh, I can't even remember that, StillLife. I try to be patient and such, but sometimes I'll catch on to a quick phrase or sentence and lose my temper and then who knows what the hell I'll end up saying. What's stupid is I'll virtually always feel guilty after the fact. Heh, well, if we ever meet in person (unfortunately, that's pretty doubtful) I'll buy you a beer as a belated apology. I just don't want other folks to see a trend and start making up times when I was meanspirited to them.

"If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, you'd better make an ugly woman your wife. From my personal point of view, get an ugly girl to marry you." I think those are the lyrics. How about this idea, marry someone you love.

I could have sworn you were a guy with a beard, Vol. Of course, that wouldn't necessarily prevent us from dating. I'd have to search my soul and consult my wife before a final decision. ...And stop giving out your address on the internet. Some day some crazy is going to attack you or something, you (just for kumquat!) doofus!

Dammit, this isn't a dating service. B)

...ye wounds me deeply, Eldar...ye dunna see me makin' fun o' the fact that ye got yer name from dirt-eatin', tree-huggin' puswa elves, does ya???...unluved, I is... ...WHO LUVS YA, BABY!!... I was agreeing with you, you doofus.

...we'd all be lifers, lad...the sooner ye admits it the better... ...WHO LUVS YA, BABY!!... In Sarge speak: Aye, tha' be ta truth ye've spoken.

Just read Diary of a Madman and you've got Vis' writing under your belt.

Vis... Vis... Vis... I shake my head.

I find it disturbing how many people say they'd like to meet someone in order to do them harm. Don't you folks want to meet people because you like them?

Comedy. I don't know if my wife would let me go in that case. Honey, I'm going to hooters to buy a video game... do you mind?

Oh, I see what you were saying now. Yes, you have to be careful with alcohol, definitely. It's a shame, but it's true. Dammit, reality rears its ugly head! B)

I see E3 as quite different. First of all, E3 is an industry wide event where whatever attention the company receives is diluted by the sheer number of events and parties. Second of all, the major component is to sell tickets to the event which the participants will then turn in for the actual game itself. It will be a way for Obsidian to make extra money and, one would assume, the fans would be happy to pay. I know very well about the Fallout parties, but this idea entails something rather different. So, if it's been done before, and in some ways it has, then that just reinforces my point that it's a viable option for the company. I'm just trying to suggest a way of doing something that has been done but in a way that might be an additional money maker. If the fans like it, then they'll pay. If not, then they won't. It's really as simple as that. As for alcohol... *shrug*. If it's a big concern, then don't serve it. Suggesting that my idea is somehow a rip off of E3 is just ridiculous.