"I do wonder if this lack of insight is the cause of some of the moderation we have seen."

I'm sure it has, Raggy.... but Jeri's comment "The world is not British" is relevant. To those who are NOT British, the game of trading insults is not always clear.... and even less so in print. I have said as much at times for 10 years. Of course some from this side of the pond "talk shite" at times, but the 'flavor' is different when it is a dozen posts long than when it is just a nasty remark or two. The mods can keep up with simple bad temper and foulness occasionally, but ongoing oneupmanship to prove YOU are just as witty as He is can be very hard to interpret.... AND it sometimes leads to genuine rancor when someone steps over the line.

I 'think' the new rule, while a nuisance for a few, ought to tone down the totally gratuitous blather to something the mods can handle... in in the long run, MUCH less censorship.