>> Hang on, doesn't Damocles have a patent on that?
<Super-pedantry-mode> Actually, Damocles was a courtier of Dionysius II of Syracuse, who made a habit of praising the king and his great fortune to excess. To demonstrate to Damocles that kingship had its downside, he ordered that they switch seats at a banquet, and had the sword suspended above Damocles by a single strand of horse hair </Super-pedantry-mode>