And, leaving aside differences with his crackpot beliefs, everyone can see that Tom's very good at defending them. I'm in awe at times to see Tom battling half a dozen people simultaneously, maintaining a dozen arguments on a dozen different threads, almost like somebody playing a dozen games of chess simultaneously. The word "ninja" comes to mind, but whatever the label, Tom does put in a bravura performance as Defender of the Faith and Grand Ayatollah of the RightWing Jihad

When you have truth on your side, it's pretty easy to do what Tom does.

Don: "2+2=5"

TB: "Nope 4"

Robert: "2+2 when equated in the real world with authoritarian manifestations equals 5:

TB: "Nope. Still 4."

Lindy: "2+2 were conspiring together with another unseen puppetmaster and that's why they equal 5. You will deny it because you have not been studying the links and following the trails as I have."

TB: "Cripes. "2+2=4" Always has. Always will."

ET: "Only right wing nut jobs think 2+2=4 because they are defending the status quo"

TB: "Status quo or not 2+2=4"

AZStrummer: "Piss off Tom. I don't even want to hear your or SDAI's answers anymore - I know what you're going to say!"

TB: "Hey why doesn't someone SHOW me how 2+2=5? That's what I've been asking for all this while and get avoidance. If it equals 5 it should be easy to show, shouldn't it? Quit acting like a bunch of Buttmonkeys!"

ER: "Buttmonkey! Buttmonkey!!!? That's it!!! No more Tom! You're like part of a biker gang!"

Marsha: "That was pure eloquence."

Raoul: "Shame! Shame on the US Tom! And you should know that calling ER a Buttmonkey is like saying to Professor Calculus 'Stop acting the Goat!"

FrankC: "I agree with Tom, but don't want to pile on. Oh, and Marsha we already have a Marsha here."

SDAI-Tech1:"Hey 2+2 has always equaled four and I've got a post 4 pages long here to prove it too."

Lindy: "Yeah, 2+2=4 if you attended the infamous Cheney Energy Meetings and are on the payroll. Take off the red, white and blue boxers SDAI!"

Fox: "Ahem"

SDAI-Tech1: "They're briefs actually. And what? Now everyone has problems with my choice of undergarments?

Bowser: "I don't read that one guys posts. No socially redeeming values. Childlike really. 2+2 will always equal 4 for those who are willfully blind and watch as other die from their cozy homes while 5 lies bleeding, intestines pulled out on the battlefield."

TB: "Why do I do this? I provide links, do the math people!"

Alcaray: "Your links are always to authoritarian and biased sources. We want to hear your commentary TB, WHY do YOU think 2+2=4? And don't ignore me - I hate it when people I respect ignore me!"

TB: "I've shown why a hundred times and all I get are the same responses! Why should I do it all over again each time this comes up?"

Yeti: "See TB that's so like you. You refuse to provide the evidence when asked and now the 2+2=4 meme has been discredited by everyone with half a brain, even conservatives are jumping from the 2+2=4 ship. Quit proffering strawmen TB and give us a real argument."

TB: "Cripes squared! Half a brain is right!"

Eric: "Bush should be impeached for fooling the people into believing 2+2=4!"

Lindy: "You said it buster! IMPEACH!"

Scott Evil: "Yes impeach him. CHENEY is the real mastermind and should have FULL Presidential powers! He was the first to talk about 2+2=4 back when he and Rumsfeld were part of that think tank group."

Lindy:"P--- off Scott! Meet me at Flame"

Scott Evil: "This is Flame."

Gbaikie: "Lindy & Bowser are like pets, easily confused and Robert protects them. Robert dresses them up in shirts that say 2+2=5 and enters them in best dressed pet contests."

Lindy: "P--- off Gbaikie!"

Johannes: "If energy leaves the system, what will 2+2 really equal? Let's look at Genesis for the answer."

RL: "&)$($**)!@! Pseudo scieNCE *&%^&@@#!"

Bowser: "Aren't you embarrassed to stay when you've been asked to leave? Probably shouldn't mention anything. Where's the self-dignity?"

Nick: Everyone see why I stay off these other boards?

........and on it goes....

;-)