Well, now, I can certainly understand your frustration.

But speaking of frustration, I have been one of the consistent targets of this particular troll.   For some reason (I think I had the audacity to post something he disagreed with once) he has chosen to fasten on me, and almost every thread I post on, he shows up with his usual comments. Ignoring him doesn't work. I've tried. In fact, ignoring him seems to inflame him all the more. So since I can't seem to get him off my tail, I try to turn the whole thing into a running joke. After all, as an entertainer, responding to a persistent heckler with zingers is a time honored sport.

A lesson in Natural History:   it often happens that when you go on a picnic, the enjoyment of the picnic can be spoiled by one or more yellow jackets that appear just about the time you break out the fried chicken and potato salad, buzz around the food and your face, and general make mega-pests of themselves. They can thoroughly spoil a potentially enjoyable day. And their nature is such that they're going to be there, "bugging" you, whether you ignore them or not.

Well, I learned of a method of dealing with the little buggers beggars:   when you go on a picnic, arm yourself with a piece of meat or fish that is way past it and is beginning to smell very ripe. The smellier the better. Then you hang it from a tree limb some distance away (but not too far). The rotten meat or fish is more pungent than the fragrance of the newly purchased bucket of the Colonel's Favorite Recipe, so while you are enjoying your chicken and potato salad, they are busy with the (to them) more appealing diversion you have provided them with, and with the possible exception of an occasional foray, they will leave you pretty much alone.

In a like manner, a number of promising discussions, some musical and some of a political, sociological, or philosophical nature, have been started, only to be infested by one or more cyber-vermin. The threads have ended up being deserted by those who have something worthwhile to contribute and completely taken over by the pea-brained.

Now, I like to think of the accounts of my communications with Cyril and the shots from my vast quiver of zingers as brilliant sallies of wit. But, if you wish, you may think of them as pieces of rotten, smelly fish. But as long as the pests keep buzzing around them, they aren't getting into the fried chicken.

Don Firth (phewy!!)