Aspartame: Good Sweetener or Evil Chemical?

I keep getting chain e-mails over and over again that emphasize the evils of aspartame sweeteners that are used to replace sugar in just about everything from sodas to pastries. My favorite Urban legends site, Snopes, has some pretty extensive references on its aspartame page. But then you also have DORway, David Reitz's extensive section on the ill effects of aspartame. Then a friend just sent me this page on using aspartame as a very effective antkiller! Go figure! All I know is that I always get severe headaches whenever I drink anything with aspartame in it; when they slip a diet drink to me at a fast-food place, I can always tell it's a diet drink from the frist sip. Me, I personally hate artificial sweeteners and believe that they can't be good for you. But you can decide for yourself after reading some of these links.