Ah, yet another Lego set to buy for my niece. She's 5 now and after enduring years of endless chatter about princesses and sparkles and crap like that, she's into Lego and castles and superheroes — stuff I can help with. She also loves those My Little Pony things, but I'll let my siblings buy that junk for her.

That is hardcore. I wouldn't go so far as to ban people who start comments with "Um." Perhaps a middle ground — hitting them over the head with a sack full of doorknobs, for example.

Why would I care if you find me sexy? I'm sure you understand I do not.

He's already got a job — he's Vice Chair of the same company. Typically, CEOs his age don't give up those jobs, they have them taken away. His decision is noteworthy because it is so rare.

Yeah, I'm annoyed by it. You don't really need to understand it.

Can't see this catching on as a trend, but it is his life, he should do as he pleases.

I assume she said something because she meant it. Why else would someone say something? But the context in which I was using the word intimacy does not cover those other activities. She may have been including those activities, but she also meant sex. That much is obvious.

"Brian doesn't get any intimacy whatsoever."

No, my reference to your please was to poke fun at the idea that if someone puts please before asking for something — including telling someone to shut up about something — that it has more validity to it.

I'm aware of the Fermi Paradox. I don't doubt the existence of life on some other planet. I find the notion that such life has visited our planet to be absurd since there is absolutely no evidence of such visitation. Ever.

then she slapped him for some reason

If I had a soul mate it was my first dog. I miss him so much to this day.

So I guess the reason the "soulmates" belief is so common is that it is a particularly secular/commercialized superstition.

Speak for yourself.

Have you told this person he could do a lot better? He might like to know if he doesn't already.

That's what I thought, too. Belief in a soul mate is a superstition. And not a particularly helpful one either.

My reaction, too. It's disappointing. The world is filled with ridiculous superstitions. The notion of a "soul mate" is among the silliest of those superstitions.

The fact that people actually believe in "soul mates" is a tribute to humanity's ability/addiction to believing in a world unseen.

After 45 years it would be remarkable if she had not changed.