> Heh no I am pure American, which means I am everything and nothing. I
> use that spelling when I want to swear without swearing. Similar to
> the use of "bloody".
>
It's actually supposed to be the other way around hehe. "Ass" is the old
English word for donkey, while "arse" is the reference to one's
buttocks. So describing someone as an "ass" could really be argued to be
quite proper even in heated conversation, as it could be a reference to
their stubborn nature or unwillingness to compromise, while calling
another an "arse" is an unambiguous derogatory linking between them and
a posterior.