Mrrzy, you may have hit on it there! Manipulation is a recurring theme in things that I hate. I often describe people I don't like as manipulative, and I often recoil from anything I think may in some way try to manipulate me even if I can't verbalize my feelings. Thanks for the insight.

And kat, I think the origianl "Ugly American" was a very nice man who just happened to be physically ugly. (stretching my memory here.)