But he added that during the "reasonably pointed discussion," they also told the Commissioner, "our job is not to discriminate against the taxpayers."

At the time, this approach raised a few eyebrows, but only later did it actually attract pointed academic discussion.

"I suppose you could say we had a pointed discussion," Brandark agreed with a crooked smile, and nodded to the ominously stained cloth sack lashed to one of the equipment sleds.

He is a veteran of the often pointed e-mail discussions in which Mr. Gates's closest advisers engage when discussing strategic visions - and turf wars.

Lawmakers at Wednesday's meeting said there was pointed discussion of Social Security.

In recent months, for example, a Yahoo message board on Startec Global Communications in Potomac, Md., has been the site of a pointed discussion by people who claim to be employees or former employees.

After pointed discussions in Moscow with Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, Mr. Rumyantsev suggested for the first time that Russia was prepared to take into account "political factors" before deepening its assistance to Iran.

"We've got to get the Orb back from Ctuchik, and I've been meaning to have a rather pointed discussion with the magician of the Murgos for a long, long time, now."

After some pointed discussions about genies and bottles and a consultation with Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Caputo relents.

It seems that Wyndham officials have already had pointed discussions with the private company that owns the Wyndham Checkers and operates it as a franchisee.