Mall wrote: "But after the conceptual issue has been conquered, the next step is the collection & evaluation of data to determine if there is empirical support for the theory. That never happened, at least not publicly. People do not like to hear that one of their key theoretical assumptions rests on a very wobbly base at best, but I am absolutely convinced that it does."

Mall: Have you considered the possibility that your "I know something that you don't" routine will begin to grate? Please do me a favor. Tell me what you know: numbers, percentages, everything. Tell me right here. If it goes over my head, it goes over my head. If you don't want to tell me, tell me why you don't want to tell me. Then tell me why you hint at things you won't detail. Since you are one of the smartest and most delightful people to come to this board in a long time, I have high expectations for you. Please put your unit on the table.