>>i believe "their" is listed as singular in the oxford dictionary these days. i did read that it should be avoided in formal writing but it's okay in conversation somewhere (which sounded odd at the time).<<
My Oxford Dictionary is too old to check this out, but I think I've heard the same story that the 'authorities' are starting to accept this usage.
As for 'it should be avoided in formal writing but it's okay in conversation', this is how language evolves. Speech is living and 'realtime' - writing of its very nature is slower and lags behind. So an innovation or evolution is accepted orally first and in writing later.
I suspect the web may be changing this balance - you only need to look at what is acceptable punctuation / grammar in email / discussion board versus traditional standards for writing letters to see how the pressure on writing to be 'realtime' too is changing it.
Your lack of capitals is a case in point. No problem whatsoever to me on this board, but if you'd put it in a formal letter (or even a formal email) I'd probably react differently. Formal communication is more considered and polished and its rules just change much more slowly.
