And there you have it!

Actually, ake, jacqui.c has summed it up pretty well, but maybe I could add a bit.

I can't speak for Martin Gibson (hell, he can hardly speak for himself without larding his discourse with the juicier vocabulary of the ancient Anglo-Saxons), but as for me, the apparent hostility is merely a vehicle for sallies of wit and humor. I go my own way, and if Marty wishes to follow me around (as he does several others) and make his usual puerile remarks (see examples above), I can at least counterbalance the disgust he leaves in his wake (like the slime trail of the common garden slug) by attempting to give those who follow these exchanges a smile or a chuckle. This is hardly my main mission in life (as Marty likes to think), it is mere recreation, and provides an occasional break from my more serious writing.

Be of good cheer. If you don't enjoy the exchanges, then the logical thing to do is to just skip them.

Don Firth