A couple of things still aren't being addressed honestly, though.

Nastiness against another poster, including personal attacks on them, is still a double standard offense. If you engage in such nasties but management likes you, you won't suffer the consequence of being banned, or at least threatened with it. If management doesn't like you, you will be blocked.

Second, as has been pointed out by several members now, there are plenty of instances of management personally attacking members they don't like, and getting very nasty towards them. Shambles is the poster child for this, but he isn't the only one.

Third, nastiness and personal attacks are not only tolerated when they are against anon posters, but encouraged, by both members and management alike. As long as that continues, you will have number four...

Right now, the worst nasty/personal attack problems regarding non-member posting is spam, not anon guests pissing people off with provocative opinions and namecalling. The worst of the nasties/personal attacks in the last couple of years have been coming from members, not guests. As to why this level of nastiness and animosity is growing, see #3 above. Once you allow and encourage people to be nasty and mean to one group, it is impossible to stop it from spilling over into the forum at large.

And finally, catspaw. He is as guilty of offensiveness, personal attacks, nastiness, etc. as has been Martin Gibson and Clinton Hammond. Difference is, he is a Mudcat Royal--an insider, a clone.