Interesting analogy with the straw...but once that bond is broken do you believe the DO can still resurrect that forsaken for example Ishamael and Asmodean.(I know you love Ishy...but base your answer on something more than that.)

Has it said that the DO cant resurect Forsakens if the Black Cord is cut off?????? I think the DO resurects almost who he wants (ive got a theori on the conditions, witch there seeme to be), and that Ishy, and posibly Asmo is back. This is sort of an logicaly explainable hunch (Im not going to explaine it, the logic is kind of odd.....). And I can always say that RJ has said that Ishy will return.

So are you trying to say that the Black Cord does not protect them from going mad? Or possibly it protects the forsaken from the 'speeding' up process of death which might cause madness?

Well, I think I have reason to believe that Rand is NOT going mad. In LoC, one of the Aes Sedai (cant remember which) is talking about novices who crack under the strain. One even jumps out a window because she is convinced she has rediscovered flying. My point? Rand is under a heck of a lot of stress. He has a bunch of nobles that are always trying to undermine him, the forsaken that will try to kill him, and a dead guy that talks to him in his head (I don't think this is a sign of madness, I think it is LTT actually living in his head). So while he may be close to a nervous breakdown, I don't think he is going mad from the taint.

Rand is going mad. He isnt mad yett, but soon hell bee as mad as a nun in a chipendale schow. And this is in adition to all the stress. The taint is there!