Mick - Much as I love your posts and your sensible arguments, Alan has already come out an said he has a 'hidden agenda', making it far from the 'straight forward attempt to address some issues' that you suggest. Just read it in his own words -

There is a hidden agenda to my posting and the answers have almost exactly come out as I expected.

OK, Alan - I mut say that the having us for suckers was a bit OTT and for that I apologise. I do however feel that you have cheated somehow and unless we are all aware what this 'hiden agenda' is I, for one, will feel like I have been taken for a ride.

Come on, man, out with it! You know confession is good for the soul:-)

Cheers

DeG