"The Great Messiah saw fit to wipe out my telephone line and fry my router on Jan 3"

I did wonder.... maybe he/she/it heard you trash talking to one of its poor, defenseless little creations? ☺


", my back's aching but my temper, as ever, is sweet.* This is not real life."

As ever, hmm? Do warn me if it ever turns sour... it can't be a pretty sight.

and.... I dunno about you, but not being face-to-face in the same room with someone doesn't detract from my feeling that there is a real person behind all posts. Turing may have wondered, but I never even wonder if I am talking to a program. (It helps that I have met in 'real life', a hundred or more people from Mudcat.... including 30+ from the UK and several that I have 'issues' with. I still interact with them politely, if formally)