# Offensive wallpaper?



## Prophet (Jan 19, 2007)

Got into a bit of a disagreement with a friend over this. I don't see anything wrong with it personally. Created it in opposition to all the Flag waving, Spread Eagle, twin tower memorial wallpapers that have been floating around for the last few years. I had recently put it back up on my desktop. When my friend saw it she said I went too far, she doesn't think the tower of babel to twin tower comparison is in good taste. What do you all think?


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## Costello (Jan 19, 2007)

The answer is in the question.

It's a "she". 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nothing to worry about.


(ouch Nicole don't hit me.)


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## GeneralLeoFF (Jan 19, 2007)

If it's pissing people off then yer doing something right.


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## nintendofreak (Jan 19, 2007)

i personally dont see anything wrong with it. Although the "in time.. all towers fall" could be seen as a threat to some... But yet again, its true they will fall eventually, but no one knows when.


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## Azimuth (Jan 19, 2007)

all towers do fall and all great civilizations crumble but you should consider othe ppls beliefs, like maybe they r republican?


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## phoood (Jan 19, 2007)

It's awesome.  But I do see that it could be offensive.

She said you went to far?  You just put it up as wallpaper to your own computer.  Unless you uploaded it... w/e.


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## Farami9 (Jan 19, 2007)

best to be safe and not piss people off....


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## mthrnite (Jan 20, 2007)

If you're trying to draw a parallel, it's a bit thin. The tower of Babel was built to reach heaven. God saw it, and confused the language of the builders, in order to destroy the unity of the people, and in the process scatter them away. The tower didn't actually fall, they just stopped building it.

The trade towers on the other hand, were actively destroyed, and far from scattering people, the incident did a lot, and I mean a lot, to unify Americans... some would say too much. Quite the opposite effect from the Babel thing.

Sure, there are conservative and liberal viewpoints on the aftermath, but I would challenge you to find anyone, of any political stripe here in America, that would say the destruction was a good thing.

So really the two don't relate at all. Unless I'm missing your point, which I could very well be...


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## [M]artin (Jan 20, 2007)

Remind them that you live in America, which in turn means you can slap whatever the hell wallpaper you want onto your desktop.


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## Hitto (Jan 20, 2007)

Perhaps your ladyfriend thought that you were making a parallel between both thus likening an act of god to an act of terrorism, or vice-versa?

Anyway, you'll grow out of it, don't worry about it.


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## Kyoji (Jan 20, 2007)

Likening a massacre to an act of folly is bad taste, yes.


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## spokenrope (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(Farami9 @ Jan 19 2007 said:


> best to be safe and not piss people off....



That's a terrifying thing to hear anybody say.  Just so you know.


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## SynGamer (Jan 20, 2007)

Personally...i find it both sad and welcoming that it took 1000's of people dying to 'unit' our nation.  I live in New York (not the city) but I'm glad the towers were hit.  My heart goes out to the families who lost a loved one, but the attack on the towers reminded us (the U.S.) that we aren't invincible...


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## mthrnite (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(SynGamer @ Jan 19 2007 said:


> Personally...i find it both sad and welcoming that it took 1000's of people dying to 'unit' our nation.Â I live in New York (not the city) but I'm glad the towers were hit.Â My heart goes out to the families who lost a loved one, but the attack on the towers reminded us (the U.S.) that we aren't invincible...


I stand corrected on my earlier point, though I don't agree with you. I don't think we need lessons like that. I think the people who have lost loved ones elsewhere on the planet as a result of our lesson would find it cold comfort that we were the wiser for it.


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## Prophet (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(mthrnite @ Jan 20 2007 said:


> So really the two don't relate at all. Unless I'm missing your point, which I could very well be...



Perhaps I should clarify. I feel that both towers fell for very similar reasons. In the case of Babel man had largely forgotten his own mortality and thought he was worthy of a place aside god. In the case of the Towers much of America had forgotten its mortality and in way had taken its place alongside god. I don't want to go too deep into this but, after the events in the Garden of Eden god unleashed suffering upon man.
Genesis 3

15 And I will put enmity 
between you and the woman, 
and between your offspring [a] and hers; 
he will crush * your head, 
and you will strike his heel." 

16 To the woman he said, 
"I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; 
with pain you will give birth to children. 
Your desire will be for your husband, 
and he will rule over you." 

17 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' 
"Cursed is the ground because of you; 
through painful toil you will eat of it 
all the days of your life. 

18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, 
and you will eat the plants of the field. 

19 By the sweat of your brow 
you will eat your food 
until you return to the ground, 
since from it you were taken; 
for dust you are 
and to dust you will return."

Now let me ask you a couple of questions about us Americans. How many of us work the field or hunt are own food? How many of us even work hard for the money used to buy food? Do we "toil" in the biblical sense? How many women give birth without the use of drugs? And then in many cases parents don't even put any effort into raising their kids, they just feed and water them like some type of potted plant. We have found respite from nearly all of these punishments. Even death is avoided much longer then it once was. We had forgotten what true suffering was, we had forgotten how fragile we are. Two planes reminded us. Maybe not an act of god, but I wouldn't dismiss it as his will.*


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## ABigSmall (Jan 20, 2007)

How merciful of God.


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## .TakaM (Jan 20, 2007)

I dont really care, but I think its a pretty ugly wallpaper


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## spokenrope (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(SynGamer @ Jan 20 2007 said:


> Personally...i find it both sad and welcoming that it took 1000's of people dying to 'unit' our nation.Â I live in New York (not the city) but I'm glad the towers were hit.Â My heart goes out to the families who lost a loved one, but the attack on the towers reminded us (the U.S.) that we aren't invincible...



How you could POSSIBLY say that our country is united is beyond me.  After the initial shock of the attack wore off, people were just as hostile as ever towards each other.


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## hatefull (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(Hitto @ Jan 19 2007 said:


> Anyway, you'll grow out of it, don't worry about it.



I thought the exact same thing when I saw it, to me it comes off as fake, like you're trying to piss people off, for the sake of pissing people off. Also, it looks like shit. My 2 cents.


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## mthrnite (Jan 20, 2007)

@Prophet:
Thanks for the clarification my brother. I do see more in common with the Eden story and Babel than the Trade Center and Babel, but I'll give a go at your questions nonetheless..

*How many of us work the field or hunt are own food?*
Since much of the Bible is allegory, I'd say we still work.. so we still "work the field". I could legitimately ask you what field of work you're in. I think it's tantamount to the same thing. As far as hunting goes, many people still do. I myself hunt for bargains at the market, but I know that's stretching it more than a bit.

*How many of us even work hard for the money used to buy food?*
Easily most of us.

*Do we "toil" in the biblical sense?*
I'd say yes, but I'm not sure what you mean by biblical sense. I'm assuming you mean do we tire our bodies and minds at work.

*How many women give birth without the use of drugs?*
Thankfully that's an option, but I think you'd be surprised at how many do. Have you ever seen a birth? Even with drugs, short of an epidural, it's no picnic. My wife had two, and kept the drugs to the minimum on our first. The second was a breach, so drugs were manditory for the surgery. The recovery from the surgery was yet another not-picnic.
*
And then in many cases parents don't even put any effort into raising their kids, they just feed and water them like some type of potted plant.*
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you don't have kids. Even the easiest ones are the most difficult task you'll ever take on. And I ain't just whistlin' Dixie!

*We have found respite from nearly all of these punishments.*
..and as Martha Stewart says: "That's a _good_ thing"
*
Even death is avoided much longer then it once was.*
I'm gonna go out on another limb here, and guess that you are fairly young. Get past 30 and get back to me on that one.

*We had forgotten what true suffering was, we had forgotten how fragile we are.*
Get past 30 and get back to me on that one too.

*Two planes reminded us. Maybe not an act of god, but I wouldn't dismiss it as his will.*
As an atheist myself, I'd dismiss it pretty quickly. As far as reminding us of our fragility, yes, but at what cost.


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## SynGamer (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(mthrnite @ Jan 19 2007 said:


> QUOTE(SynGamer @ Jan 19 2007 said:
> 
> 
> > Personally...i find it both sad and welcoming that it took 1000's of people dying to 'unit' our nation.Â I live in New York (not the city) but I'm glad the towers were hit.Â My heart goes out to the families who lost a loved one, but the attack on the towers reminded us (the U.S.) that we aren't invincible...
> ...


I feel bad for the families who lost loved ones during the attacks, but my heart also goes out to the lives lost overseas fighting the 'war' on terrorism.  I just don't think if is our (U.S.) responsibility to police the world.


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## SynGamer (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(spokenrope @ Jan 19 2007 said:


> QUOTE(SynGamer @ Jan 20 2007 said:
> 
> 
> > Personally...i find it both sad and welcoming that it took 1000's of people dying to 'unit' our nation.Â I live in New York (not the city) but I'm glad the towers were hit.Â My heart goes out to the families who lost a loved one, but the attack on the towers reminded us (the U.S.) that we aren't invincible...
> ...


Thats the thing, we can't even *stay* united.  We take our freedoms forgranted and it amazes me that people still believe this war propaganda crap over Iraq.  Anyone remember when our first target was Afghanistan?  I don't want to turn this thread into a political post, my opinion;

We deserved it (9/11)
The 'war' in Iraq (and other places) not needed
Do i want it to happen again?  Hell no!

And again, my heart goes out to those who lost their lives and their families...


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## Prophet (Jan 20, 2007)

Looks like shit? Hmm, maybe. But please let’s take into consideration that this is something I made simply to grace my own desktop. Not like I entered it into the county fair expecting to win that coveted first place ribbon that 84 year old Marla Mayes has won five times straight and doesn't seem like she's ever going to die so someone else can get a chance at glory. Miss Mayes  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Back on topic though, I personally love Gustave Dore's work so I like it. I respect your opinions on its aesthetic appeal but I do take exception to being treated as though I'm going through some fad. Saying that I did it to purposely piss people off only makes me feel as though you might be one of the people I offended and as such you're simply writing it off as me trying to anger you, rather then facing the idea that the expressed concept might have some merit. But who's to say? Maybe it is a fad, before this I had a collage of African American figure heads with the words "STOP COONING" stamped in the center of it. I'm black and was just expressing my feelings on the sad state of affairs. The same is true of the towers. I like to turn my computer on and be reminded of something that brings the fire out of me. You know? But if self expression and feeling passionate about the ills of society is a fad then I am guilty. Maybe I'll dye my hair raven black and change my name to Hateful. OH wait, you know what I’ll throw an extra L on it, yeah that’ll make them notice me.

Mthrnite, you’re an intelligent man and I can't say I agree with everything you've said, but admit that some of it may carry weight and as such I intend to think over your ideas for some time. I'll admit I am young, only 19  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But in those years I've done a lot of living and a lot of thinking. When I was 14 my sister abandoned her son and since then my mother and I have cared for him. I wouldn't say I played the role of his father (I wouldn't know how) but I was and still am his primary care giver. I know kids aren't easy, but a lot of people don't really put time into their children. They don't instill values and ideals. They don't cultivate dreams. Of course I can only speak on what I see, and every day I open my eyes to a world of promiscuous daughters and lost sons, all thrown across unevenly paved streets. But it is what it is right? As far as people still toiling goes, I'm not sure if the most ambiguous biblical allegory could be stretched to accommodate the fact that many of us sit in an air conditioned room shuffling papers to make rich men richer.


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## mthrnite (Jan 20, 2007)

Prophet, I'll not dismiss you for your age, you strike me as an intelligent person, and I think I can understand where you're coming from. I'd say strive for understanding yourself, who you are, what your place is. There is time to understand the rest of the world, right now just come to know and tame the fire within you (as hokey as that might sound.) All pain is local, the most empathetic person in the world can't feel a toothache of the person standing next to them. I'm not saying don't try. Understanding our own pain is what makes us human, striving to understand someone elses, is what makes us humane. Your local reality is what's most important right now though, good luck in making a difference there. Do well, and you may make a difference in a much larger sense. Take good care of your nephew, you are more important than you probably know. Above all, never stop assessing yourself.

Sorry about all that "snatch the pebble from my hand and you may leave" stuff... It's late, I'll use that as my excuse, and sign off accordingly.


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## OrR (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(.TakaM @ Jan 20 2007 said:


> I dont really care, but I think its a pretty ugly wallpaper


Exactly... If people are offended by it, it's their own fault.

In fact, I think your sig is much worse, even though it won't quite work if you cut that way. Remember the olde internet motto: "Down, not Across"


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## Psyfira (Jan 20, 2007)

QUOTE(.TakaM @ Jan 20 2007 said:


> I dont really care, but I think its a pretty ugly wallpaper


Exactly! It's one of the ugliest wallpapers I've ever seen. Even if it's not something you'd want in a "country fair" I can't for the life of me understand who'd want to see this lousy half-assed attempt at design on their screen every morning. It's only purpose is to provoke a reaction out of a spectator (and even then that's no excuse for crap graphic design).


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## mthrnite (Jan 20, 2007)

In my opinion (here I go again!)
It's not about the design, though it does have symetry going for it.
It's not even about the specific subject matter.
There lurks something beneath...
Can you see it?
Of course you can, can't you?
Don't tell me it's just me.


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## ydnar64 (Jan 20, 2007)

People who think in an liner method might find this offensive. But people who can see out of the line can see this is nothing bad at all. Me personally i wouldn't put it up, but that's becuase i hate having too much going on my desktop.


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## Prophet (Jan 20, 2007)

All I can say is *Ouch*  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now I know the pain you felt the day you shared this OrR:






Hold me brother, hold me.

But seriously, the responses I've gotten seem in many cases to be very mean spirited. Luckily for you all, I've decided that rather then creating a time machine for the explicit purpose of slamming sledge hammers into the swollen bellies of your pregnant mothers and forcing your fathers to bungee jump with the necessary rope tied to their nads, I will instead refrain and take a page from OrR, "Well, I love it and that's all that's important."

The horse is officially dead.


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## mthrnite (Jan 20, 2007)

STOP!
_Badger time!_




doo doo doo doo
doo doo
doo doo


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## hatefull (Jan 21, 2007)

QUOTE(Prophet @ Jan 20 2007 said:


> Maybe I'll dye my hair raven black and change my name to Hateful. OH wait, you know what I’ll throw an extra L on it, yeah that’ll make them notice me.



Being Puerto Rican, I don't need to dye my hair raven black.  And as far as the name "Hatefull", it's spelled incorrectly on purpose, it's a forum name, Prophet, nothing more. Why would you call me out on that when your avatar has a misspelling(dieing?)?

I know it may seem childish that I actually responded back, and I don't want to start a flame war, I meant what I said in my first post, and you sort of proved it by admitting your age.

Also, I applaud you for being a stand up guy and taking care of your nephew, there aren't many guys that would do that. Now, I'll get back to Gears of War on my big ass t.v.! woo-hoo!


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## Deleted User (Jan 21, 2007)

What did you expect ? You made this wallpaper to get people to react upon seeing it. If you just wanted to make some comparison like this, you could share it verbally with your friends. Making such kind of stuff means that at some point you sat over your computer saying : "hey, I want to look cool and smart, so I will make something that people going into my room will see and act. In the end I will pass in the eyes of everyone as the smart one, even if I don't take for truth all that I've said". It's your problem, your private matters.
But here, you care to show it to us, it the higher step into being an attention needing person. All you could expect was this kind of reactions.
You can't act to pass as a smart boy, you've got to do something for a lot of different reasons, and afterwards, time and people will judge if you are smart. All things done to drive admiration for you will result in this kind of disaster. Because you deserve it ! One day, you'll grow, and understand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



It was a 2cents analysis. Maybe because I'm also an attention whore (yes sorry I know you was going to answer that, I stole it from you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


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## remisser (Jan 21, 2007)

I take offense to the comparison.  One (babel) is a fairy tale, the other is reality.

Also you make it sound like you take offense at women taking drugs to endure childbirth or the human race living longer.  Well OK then son of Adam, you better get rid of the internet because they didn't use those in the bible easier.  "GOD" forbid life should be made easier through science.

Regarding your SWEEPING comment about how "many cases parents don't even put any effort into raising their kids, they just feed and water them like some type of potted plant."  --  you're going to need to learn not to use such generalized views on the world.  Seriously, what the hell are you basing that statement on?  Did you poll 100 families and 80 out of 100 said they don't put any effort in raising children?  Or are you basing this on the news which rarely ever reports the majority of parents who do put effort into raising their kids?  Or, and I think this is the most likely, are you talking out of your ass based on your limited knowledge of the treatment you and your select friends state that you have with your respective parents?  Do you think there weren't as many cases of parental neglect throughout the course of history, Bible Boy?  Well in your SACRED book that you so lovingly refer to more than once in this thread there's a story about a neglectful father named Eli.  Give it a read sometime.

You're an extremely bloviating personality.  You hate to hear this, but (and here's my SWEEPING statement) it tends to be the truth "a lot of kids your age are."  and "You will grow out of it."  You got offended when someone said that earlier, I saw.  Maybe you'll think twice before making sweeping statements like that.

Oh, and the wallpaper looks like feces.  hahaha.


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## nintendofreak (Jan 21, 2007)

QUOTE(Prophet @ Jan 20 2007 said:


> All I can say is *Ouch*Â
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I actually think its nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 OrR's become quite famous on the internet (even if it is for the "ugliest DS" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




And please leave our parents out of this, pick at those who are guilty, not the innocent.


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## Prophet (Jan 21, 2007)

Never said you misspelled Hateful. I took it as a double meaning, not only are you hateful, but you are also hate-filled. Although one could easily dedicate a book of preposterous length to the exploration of such a deep name, I did somehow gleam meaning from it. As far as "dieing" goes, you are 100% right. My bad, I'm from Generation Y, spell-check does half of my work -- sometimes against my better judgment. 



			
				QUOTE said:
			
		

> "hey, I want to look cool and smart, so I will make something that people going into my room will see and act. In the end I will pass in the eyes of everyone as the smart one, even if I don't take for truth all that I've said"



It’s like you live in my heart or something. I recently purchased a JumboTron which I installed outside my home. Its screen is dedicated to showing images to upset onlookers. But even with all the attention I get from the angry mob at my door, it can't compare to the feeling I get when I post something here. It’s like the whole world is watching me, you know? If I could choose to speak in front of the U.N. or the gbatemp audience, I would have to turn Ban Ki-moon down.

It stings me that you think I'm doing all this to appear smart amongst such geniuses such as you all. I am who I appear to be, I wear my monocle and fez only because they are quite comfortable. I can scarcely believe I actually put my pipe down, to even respond to such allegations.

I and many of my friends share a similar world view. We attend the same rallies and such. I don't believe any of them have seen my wallpaper, but I doubt they would find anything wrong with it. We have after all discussed things of similar subject matter. Now the friend that thought the wallpaper was one step too far isn't in this group. Just because she didn't see the world the same way I do, wasn't reason enough to dismiss here thoughts on the matter. So I came here to -- for this reason and this reason alone -- SEE WHAT YOU ALL THOUGHT. I know it’s a progressive idea, to use a forum as a place to speak openly about ideas, but it was time someone pushed the envelope. Seriously, I just wanted to stretch my palette a bit, get a taste of other world views, and see if she was indeed right. I remain very wary about becoming locked into any ideology be it mundane or militant. I didn't mean to offend any of you, I was hoping to in a mature manner, discuss a concept. Maybe the task was too great for a GBA forum and for that I apologize.

P.S. remisser you’re cute. I've seen the inside of a church twice, only reason I bought the bible up was because Babel (the fairytale) is contained within it. If one is to believe in Babel then I feel they should consider the towers may have been a similar act. As far as parenting goes, hard to think anyone could disagree with the fact that good parents are hard to find. None the less that is a view (as I previously stated) that is grounded in the inner city of New York. Your side of the world or borough may look completely different.


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## remisser (Jan 21, 2007)

You're a worthless human being.  I'm not going to put any further thought into responding to you, because you put absolutely no real valid thought behind your posts.


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## Prophet (Jan 21, 2007)

you just bought yourself a page in my journal.


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## 111111111 (Jan 21, 2007)

Whilst I don't like the image as a desktop (I prefer a plain solid colour myself) I like the imagery contained and the message put out by it.

I find that prophets posts in this thread are some of the most forward thinking I've seen on this forum (and pretty much more than on most other forums too) and what he says about parents "Bringing up children by numbers" rings true.

People want the easy way everytime - wether it is giving birth, looking after the children or sending working class children to fight in wars over property that they wish to control.


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## Kyoji (Jan 22, 2007)

QUOTE(Prophet @ Jan 21 2007 said:


> It stings me that you think I'm doing all this to appear smart amongst such geniuses such as you all. I am who I appear to be, I wear my monocle and fez only because they are quite comfortable. I can scarcely believe I actually put my pipe down, to even respond to such allegations.


I might not totally agree with your views, but I've got to applaud your literally musings. Well done, good sir.


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