old bob

I would too. I checked all the answers and everything was already brought. I have nothing more to say So go on with your story. Write as your heart tells you and don't ask too many questions which should slow down the writing Old bob

I voted "other". I never had this problem .I was always the first to say it, to a person I really loved . For the others, I told them my opinion about love before they had an occasion to say it, and that "closed" the discussion about the subject !

Hi Kevin, As a former "industrial schrink" I tried to "analyse" the background of your poll and the details of your first post here. What kind of experiences you really made with straight males ? What is behind ? fear, need to accenting the differences, lack of confidence ? We are, you and me, very close as it concern our moods, we are "cyclothymics" with a quick alternation between euphoria and depression (Isn't it ?). BTW, please don't be angry with my comments ( ?) For me, friends are friends, gay or straight doesn't matter, it's just random who I meet. To be out of the closet (as a bi) and to be as old as I am has certainly big advantages, I made a lot of friends in the past, more straight than gay, but I must confess that today I'm more open and free with gay friends than with straight ones. Its easier to be accepted . Take it easy and have a good day. Old bob

When I read that, I'm almost happy to live in Europa ! As a former boy scout, I must say I made the same (happy) experiences as Moonwolf . To see what happens in the other countries, I mad some researches on Wiki :

ADSL (100 Mbits/sec) at home +WIFI on my laptop when I'm on the road Old Bob

Me too . From the very early beginnings, my roots go to the 2th century, when my ancestors left the "Holy Land" . But more seriously, I see on my father's side a mix of Ukrainian Jews, formerly Khazars, from the 13th century and of Russian Jews from Latvia. My father's parents met in Dynaburg, fled from Russia to Paris about 1880 and my father is born as a true "Frenchy". On my mother's side, roots go till the 16th century. One of my ancestor was the first "protected Jew" (Schutzjude) of the Duke of Nassau and the family lived in Diez (Rheinland) till Hitler came and you know the rest . Through WWII, every traces or written documents disappeared on both side but fortunately I know enough from the discussions I had as a child with my grandparents to imagine the life of my ancestors and understand where I come from .

Yes it is ! I can prove it . If you will live so long as myself, you will certainly have enough opportunities to check it . And BTW, the contrary is also possible (to be loved by more than one) and even much more frequent .

A dead author is a dead author. His work is done and nobody has a right to continue his work ! If another author want to use a character from dead author for his own story, he has to follow the rules of copyright and ask or negotiate the possibility with the owner of the rights (heirs or editors). These legal rules of Intellectual property (legal concept that includes copyrights) are enough clear for everybody and should be followed.They are also valid for individuals. Old bob

As an old man, my friends are either "long time" friends, mostly in the same age category. or younger people I meet through business or "sport" activities (swimming, jogging). Some of them are openly gay, but my contacts today with the gay community come more from people around my gay son, who is more active as myself. Making new friends is fun, but I don't look if they are gay or not, even if my gaydar works very well (It's a question of experience ).

I just check Ayn Rand in Wikipedia. Interesting !! May I ask you why you choose her philosophy as a moral code (not just to annoy your professors ! ?) and why these reactions of them ? BTW, I will try to find a translation in French or German of her works. Any idea where I could find it ? Thanks in advance. Old Bob

I agree 100 % with Graeme. When I consider the different periods of my life. childhood, college, first years as engineer, businessman, father of 4 children, military service, political engagement, industrial and HR-consultant and now retired, and research the reasons of all the important decisions I had to take, I tried to be faithful to my words, to be honest to myself, and always to be able to look my face in a mirror without trembling. My moral code changed a lot in the last 75 years (mixture of utilitarianism and relativism, though with a light seasoning of divine command) but I always tried to follow my conscience, even when I had to fight, fight to destroy my enemies. I remember a poem from Rudyard Kipling ("if").It resumes very well my position. Let me give it here to you : IF you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!' If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, ' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! Sometimes, I had to show having one moral code and handle without one, but that's life and today I can't remember a decision which I would regret. So I voted "other". And God should forgive me for the wrong consequences of my choices. I stand for them .

Hey Jack, don't forget the remaining of the phrase ! "We have tremendous charisma by which we are drawn into nurturant tutelage and/or grand schemes. We have tremendous power to manipulate others with our phenomenal interpersonal skills and unique salesmanship. We believe in our dreams, and we see us as helpers and enablers" .. And who is the "WE" (till now) ? You, Krista, TL the writing Tiger, Benji and myself. What a group ! . We are the best, and everybody has to listen to us .

U had a russian greadmother, and there it is usual to kiss friends on the cheeks and hug when you meet them, guys or gals. So I do ! .

Hi Fran

Federer has just signed an "image" contract for 160'000'000 bucks a few days before his last appearance . I suppose he doesn't need any more to play as he did before .

First, I don't need an international forum. The forum like now is fun, because it goes through continents and countries, and english is allready an international language (I mean "english" and not what is spoken in the south of USA ). BTW, my mother langages are french and german, I speak english, italian, swissgerman and spoke (lost because no praxis) russian and spanish. Oh, I forget a little bit of Yiddish .

My Type is ENFJ Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging 44% 62% 25% 22%

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HYLAS!!! Have a good one, Old Bob

Hi everybody, Welcome on earth As an happy greatgrandfather for the 3rd time, I'm celebrating the birth this night of IAGO, the son of my granddaughter Yaelle.

Welcome Xeronx, As someone old enough to be your grandfather, I would also insist, as Graeme says, be careful... Enjoy GA, we are a great family, and take care of yourself Old Bob

Nadal is 21 and Federer 26 ! I suppose Federer will stay first one or two years more and after the place will be free for Nadal. Sure Nadal is cute but the smile of Federer is nice, and he is supporting a lot of young people. He established Roger Federer Foundation in 2003 to help disadvantaged people and to promote sports to young people.

Well, I use it daily (remember, born and living in Geneva), but it is awful, and certainly not sexy. Only a frenchcanadian could like it . On the other side, myself, I like to listen to "joual" speaking people (or magoua or chaouin). The mix with frenchised english words is funny, even sexy... (for instance, La Bolduc, Jack Kerouak or Ren

Here a good example of a "sexy" accent from Paris : listen But who today remember Arletty and Louis Jouvet in the movie "H

Just talking about French accents, for which I voted, because I don't want to talk about "foreign" accents . There are so different French types, the accent from North of France, the accent from Provence, the accent from Paris, the accent from South-West, The accent from Alsace, the accent from the deepest part of the Massif central.... Every one is the reflection of the characters of the people living there, and the "sexy" part is only one side of the whole. BTW, your accent is much less important than the way you speak, the words you use.

Hi everybody, I just made a statistic about the participating in forums (see topic about 100’000 posts) and found that about 52 % of the registered members don’t post ! Something should be done to increase the participation, first to investigate why you participate. So this poll (allows users to select more than one choice). Any suggestion to get more members to participate ? And a delayed "Happy New Year" to all