Dear TEd Rem:

I said I would give as much Carp as I take.

My apologies. I overstated that.

I will not stoop to the viciousness of some of the leading Carps around here --- which seems to have rubbed off on you in my absence.

In the past, you were content to sit on the sidelines quietly while ASp and Of Troy heaped unprovoked abuse on me week after week, month after month for over 3 months. As you know, I departed to give the Carps an opportunity to clean up their own mess.

I say again, I will give as much Carp as I take. But I am not a real "Carp" so I will continue to distinguish myself as a gentleman.

But there will be no more turn-the-other-cheek Plutarch.

I don't need to resort to obscenities and gratuitous insults and hysterical tirades foaming with hate language to deal with Carpal dog packs defending their sacred Carpal precincts from unwelcome truths.