Thanks for the kind thoughts, Martin--they serve as a reminder of what I was alluding to. My ideas apparently deserve no attention. Be nice to know the history ofthe word, how a common spice became synonymous with apprehensiveness. Mark At 11:54 AM 1/6/2005, you wrote: >Mark wrote > >This is an area I enter gingerly, as it's essentially the same set of >ideas I proposed some time ago and got clobbered by incomprehension for >my troubles.< > >'"I weep for you", the Walrus said, "I truly sympathize"'.... > >"Gingerly" * is* a lovely word, innit? > >cheers >mjay