"It's helpful to get any of that contentiousness and competitiveness behind you, " he says.

FORBES: Election 2008

Again, to be fair, the lack of novelty does not negate the contentiousness of the issues.

BBC: First minister's questions

In fact, she has often worn her contentiousness and blunt approach, when negotiating, on her sleeve.

FORBES: General H. Norman Schwarzkopf: Negotiator and Military Man

Given the contentiousness of the big disputes, they should start with modest matters and small first steps.

ECONOMIST: India and Pakistan: A willow branch | The

The contentiousness between the team and its ex-star reached its peak on Feb. 5, 2008, during a game at the Coliseum between the Islanders and the Anaheim Ducks.

WSJ: NHL: New York Islanders Cut Pat LaFontaine Out of the Picture

But Rangel's retelling underscores the contentiousness of his tax ideas.

FORBES: A Taxing Mission

Since then, driven by the broad reach of cable news channels and websites on both sides of the political fence, the contentiousness has escalated by an order of magnitude.

FORBES: Pawlenty versus Bachmann

Yes: it is encouraging when truth seeks the light, wherever it may be, but beyond Penn State, 2011 was marked by a dreary onslaught of scandals, contentiousness, lockouts and litigation.

WSJ: Jason Gay: Scandals, Lockouts and Crazy Comebacks in 2011

Contentiousness runs in the family.

FORBES: The Salinas Touch