Personal attacks like the one kiwi guest made just now on Doug R are extremely irritating. They are doubly so when they come from someone "on side". They are the equivalent of a foul by a member of your own team.

Most web discussions I've seen, away from the Mudcat, seem to be like that most of the time, and they tend to be dominated by loudmouthed and offensive right wing bigots. I value the opportunity on the Mudcat to be able to argue out things at times with someone like Doug, who while right wing, and holding a range of views with which I disagree isn't as a rule loudmouthed or offensive. Posts like that by kiwi guest would seem calculated to try to push the Mudcat in a direction I am sure most of us would hate to see it go.