i don't know about the other thread, still being a newbie, and there's too many too read them all. i'd never catch up
i've been having a read of his book though, and its pretty easy going. there's some interesting arguments in it and it seems to be relatively well reasearched and thought out.
there are a few deficiencies in his theory though, i think, but i'm by no means an expert on any of it.
sarah
p.s. i sympathise with the feeling though. we used to call it 'the numbskull factor' because it felt like someone had sapped all the ability to think and function coherently out of your head. Jane Goodall had much the same effect when she came to speak at UCLAN!