most avatars don't irritate me at all, they add a little bit of extra personality to people's posts. however, i can do just fine without them singing, flashing, dancing, making julienne fries, and taking up more space than they do now. the forums should be faster than they are; large moving avatars hinder that, and i will speak out against any suggestions that slow the site down further. btw, you should make suggestions such as this in the community center, as the sticky at the top of the forum directs.