Issy, ttbn, I owe you guys a mountain of gratitude.
You have both succeeded in finally catching someone out, who shall remain un-named for fear of the 'teachers pets' out there, running to mummy, in spite.
I think the idea of not responding directly but talking about them in the third person, is probably the safest thing to do, at least safe for yourselves anyway.
The thing which is surprising is the childlike attitude they project.
Wanting to have the last word is a very typical trait of an immature person, or child.
Insisting that their views and opinions are always correct.
Unwilling to cede a point, even after many examples have been presented proving conclusively they are wrong.
Deflecting or ignoring a point or question, which if accepted and answered, would conflict with their proposition on the statement in question, so they just deflect or ignore the whole thing.
They refuse to accept that their views are dangerous at times and put lives at risk.
No I suggest not responding to them directly, but speaking of them or their shortcomings in the third person, it will irk them no end, and leave you with the upper hand, and you won't have to endure the proverbial, 'last word'.
Their insecurities are a matter for the mental professionals to study, as I have never encountered a group of people so eager to pat each other on the back, for no good reason, other than they feel insecure because they know their beliefs are those of fairy-tales and bed time stories, but are so deeply invested in them by now, that to come over to the enlightened side of the room, will be too much for them to handle.

Foxy clearly your friend has been here
Monty python may have left some scripts here too
Why do we come,? well some come because they need to insult others, and in the real world everyone walks away from them
Be proud Foxy, long before the usual suspects came here you stood out
Caring for others and long gone posters if still here would never let you go unprotected from the few
Online opinions, not just here, are often powed by the fact no one knows who most are, a form of gutlessness
But if we look, every week,a better poster,one willing to debate without anger arrives
We are on the right track
The monkeys still throw it but in the end that is all they produce

The monkeys still throw it but in the end that is all they produce
Belly,
wrong as usual, the produce is merely flung back at the producer !

Ignoring the 'irrelevants' and the 'deplorables' and getting back on topic and talking sense and not nonsense.
The biggest blockade we have and the biggest problem we have as a nation right now is not the govt's, it never is.
The thing controlling us, and in fact, the world is the banks.
They are preparing to unleash the next GFC, because that's one of their ways of making money.
We are being choked by the bastards, through higher deposit demands for home buyers.
Think about it, currently we have the lowest interest rates in history, the lowest house prices in decades, so it's not these two factors at fault.
It's the greed and avarice of the banks, and of course guided by those who control the banks, one guess who, that has put unrealistic demands on young couples and first home buyers by demanding 20% deposits before they will lend them any money.
This is extortion on a grand scale and the govt is too gutless to do anything about it.
Imagine wanting to buy an average $500,000 house, and suddenly being told you have to front up with $50,000.
Unless you started saving from the first pay, it is nearly impossible to save that much and trying to live in one of the most expensive economies in the world.
If the couple are lucky and they come from middle/upper class families it's possible that both the couples families could give them $25,000 each to get them started, as the deposit, but that is highly unlikely in this economy.
The parents are more than likely cash strapped today, where once upon a time they would have substantial savings to draw on to help their children in situations like this.
I would suggest if the banks actually gave a toss about people, they might consider pulling back finance for investors and speculators and making it easier for young couples to get into their first home.

Dear Belly,

There's nothing which gets the monkey's more riled
than being laughed at and not being taken seriously.
Being ridiculed. Their reactions are something to
behold. All that needs to be done is to sit back
laugh and enjoy their attempts.

Captain GetUp, the
truth crusader, typifies the attempts of these kind of
people to try to get their message across.

He's a guy in a weird superhero suit who will appear
in marginal seats to expose the alleged links between
the organisation GetUp and Labor and the Greens.

What he will say apparently :

"I am Captain GetUp the thruth crusader after 14 years of
secret backroom deals they are finally letting me out of
the office for this election campaign. My mission is to
show the world what clever tricks we use behind the
scenes to increase political correctness and manipulate
voters. At GetUp we really know what is best for you.

Incredible stuff.

One question - how close do you have to be to Captain
GetUp to hear his spiel? Because from a distance - it
could easily just look like an ad for GetUp.

The same as our monkeys - talking to each other. Who else
actually reads their stuff?

Social media had a great time with Captain GetUp:

I am Captain GetUp, the truth seeker.

So, you're from GetUp?

errr, No.

So, why are you called Captain GetUp?

Give me 3 more minutes and I will explain.

ALTRAV,

Yes. The type of person under discussion has been written up by mental health experts regularly. It is pointless to argue with them; they have a condition that is harmful only to themselves, and we don't help by responding to them - although their irritating ways do get a a bit much at times. Someone might come up with a cure one day, and we have enough contrary posters with normal characteristics to deal with and have a bit of fun without the intensive ego thing.