FYI, typing in all caps has always been interpreted as yelling. Google on "netiquette". Wikipedia has a good article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette

Open minded? Why is it that all "you folks" keep harping on being open minded, as if to imply that we are closed minded?

I argue instead that it is YOU who is failing to be open minded. You are failing to open your mind to logic and reason. But you are unable to realize this through no fault of your own. It's called metacognitive ability.

I recommend you read the following paper:

http://www.apa.org/journals/features/psp7761121.pdf

"Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments"
From the abstract:
People tend to hold overly favorable views of their abilities in many social and intellectual domains. The authors suggest that this overestimation occurs, in part, because people who are unskilled in these domains suffer a dual burden: Not only do these people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it.

Brian