I agree with Viv. There is plenty of spirit. We can slug it out, and the
majority of friendships last anyway. That's what friendship means, AFAIAC.
Mika and I have it out, but he was still welcomed here a few months ago, and
we eagerly await his return (as do my ferocious attack dogs!). Bob and I
have had it out many times, but have found the common ground. Strike and I
have disagreed vehemently (with a high level of sarcasm employed) on topics
like OHSA and children diving, but I can't think of anyone more welcome in
my house. John Nitrox and I have had many (mostly off-line), very spirited
discussions on government, but agreed to disagree out of respect for each
other's well-presented and well-informed arguments.

But you can't be friends with everybody. And the first friendships to go are
the ones where two persons stand on opposite sides of the fence in a matter
that at least one of them feels exceptionally strongly about. C'est la vie.

>Nah, bickering by a few, but in general most *do* know what they are
>talking about.  Some are just too dense to register the message when,
>driven to point of frustration, the poster has to be blunt and call a
>spade a spade... and they still don't it ... duh!

100% accurate assessment.

Bjorn