Sorry for the late reply but Katie has already answered the questions posed about the thread anyway. I did hide it by accident, a mistake made by me because I couldn't remember quite how to suspend it, which goes to show how few times we have to take such action. That's a credit to everyone here as differences are usually able to be resolved before it goes too far and gets out of hand.
I agree with Lynn's comments regarding prose vs speech, as humour and sarcasm can easily get lost in print and the reader takes the point made in a completely different manner to what was intended. I think this is particularly true when dealing with individuals from around the world, even if they have a shared language, so we should all be aware of that. For example, the way I deal with the British military here is very different from the way I deal with German nationals, and rightly so, as they are very unlike each other and it is important to approach them in a way they understand and are comfortable with. (Just try walking up to a German in the street and saying, 'Oi mate, got the time?' - a harmless question or an offensive remark?)
Finally, as a reminder to everyone, if you do have a particular point to make to someone that is personal, please use the PM's or email rather than the public forums.
Nikki
Every woman is beautiful, some show it with their faces, others show it with their hearts.