>huh? what's the problem? you can't imagine intellectual and poltical combat
>in a professional association? I gather you were born in fairly recent bleak
>times.
I wasn't born yesterday. And I've been to a few AHA meetings. Even if there was intellectual and political "combat" there, who would notice? I think this discussion bears out that intellectual back and forth takes place over a longer timescale than a winter academic meeting.