for the laugh!

I have also used, and seen, many of these techniques here @ astronomy.net. If only I had a dime for every time a couple of physics experts around here have called me "Fatty fat doo doo head" (or something equivalent)...

I loved the, "Above all, you must get the last word" advice. Some of us really seem to rely on that technique!

An "advanced" maneuver based on this principle is the "I'll give you the last word" tool (aka, the "Bill O'Reilly BS line #16"). That maneuver, I think, can be quite duplicitous: not always, but often it seems to come with an ulterior motive -- to convey a sense that the speaker is not only in charge of who gets the last word, but that he is so very magnanimous, fair and righteous that he can excessively oblige his opponent without risk of losing any ground.

Of course, that's just my opinion. I'll let you guys have the last word.