When it comes to spelling I am amongst the worst offenders. I'd like to think that there is a difference between a dummy such as myself who knows the difference between no and know but cannot spell either and the individual who does not. Once upon a time I was a graduate student and part of earning my keep was a job as teaching assistant. I found out quickly that despite the Ivy environs I had to cease teaching my assigned subject matter and rather teach rhetoric and logic. While I believe in the 3 "r"s I am just the sort of liberal Tom hates the most. I do believe that learning to express oneself is more important than proper spelling. Then again, I'd bet I am one of the few people participating here who has read many of the original reprints of 17th century American writings. They had a most interesting way of spelling back then. Of course, our cousins across the pond spell color according to it's Norman roots as colour. We Americans had Webster to codify our misspellings. I dislike most e-mail abreviations. "LOL" being the most offensive. Then again there are those who criticize my using words outside the vanacular as if using a word usually associated with studying for the SAT is wrong. I'll give a pass on the occasional misspelling, especially given how rare it is that I write anything with fewer words spelled correctly than not, for a wonderfully turned phrase or a thought expressed well. So Tom, ever heard the phrase, " all that is solid melts into air"?

Alan