As far as resorting to rancour is concerned, take a look sat some to the posts of GfS. If you disagree with him about much of anything, he immediately comes back with a string of personal insults.

I don't like it either, 999, because it interferes with rational discourse. But these ginks are not interested in rational discourse, and unfortunately, some people give their baseless ravings credence.

You will note that, when they do abandon civilized behavior, I tend to temper my come-backs and rebutals with humor. It tends to amuse the rational folks here, but really gets up the noses of people like GfS and Sawzaw, because they seem to have had their senses of humor amputated early on.

Don Firth