Hi Chuck, Harvey, EnViroNetrs, <We don't have to agree whether Kerry was a hero or a villain in the Viet Nam War Swift Boat episode. But I think that you will agree that the art of the Smear has been used as a tactical political weapon by some very inferior candidates to win elections.> Harvey, I agree, yet not with the word inferior candidates. Thomas Jefferson (Number 3) hired a smear publicity person that smeared John Adams. John Adams was a firebrand, with a temper, and later in life letters between the two older men showed that Adams was right where Jefferson's team had smeared him on items like Adams not starting a war as sign of weakness rather than smarts. <We don't have to agree on Al Gore's honesty. But perhaps we may agree that "Global Warming Swindle" argument is being used to smear him.> I don't remember seeing, and for sure not hearing, the term "GW Swindle" anyplace so I will keep looking. It's not his honesty or dis-honesty (as Chuck wrote) that bothers me so much. It is Al's hype and over the top showing of the information and how he politicizes his act now as Dems vs GOP. On thinking about his movie, and testimony I guess I would have to agree with Chuck that some of his information and hype can be darn dishonest. Gee can I be a politican since I agree with both of you. Any babies for me to kiss. The problem with his hype is: (sustained performance to match the hype). Think the shepard boy story of saying Wolf Wolf too many times. In (performance vs expectation) drawn on an axes system one learns that performance should always beat expectations (the 4th quadrant). When it does the customer, client, whomever is pleased and wants to buy or have more. The 1st quadrant is acceptable yet not as good as the 4th. When performance falls below expectation the customer is dissatisfied first a smidgen and the in Quadrant 4 completely and will move on. What is interesting is that the absolute level of performance isn't too important. Which means a poor performer can gain more clients. It is the relationship between the two that is the important human factor. Anway, I think Al and others are raising expectations so high it's going to be difficult to have weather to match. Yours in Engineering, MA/NY DDave