Hey, it makes more sense than some people around here who hung out for a few YEARS and then exploded…
There’s only so much you can do to keep the idiots out. We have the ability to ban IP ranges, but if those are used by valid members as well, we’d rather not deprive them of their Straight Dope access.
That means that some idiots we tossed out in the past occasionally return. Sometimes a screen name or an e-mail address is a dead giveaway, upon which they’re banned again. If their name and e-mail don’t ring a bell,they behave normally, and pass under the radar for a while. But eventually, they all blow up, and we ban them once more. Why? Because the reason they return is because they feel we treated them wrongly, they want to take “revenge” (if calling someone a slut on a message board constitutes revenge, that is), whatever.
If they saw the error of their ways and were truly sorry, they’d e-mail the staff an appeal for reinstatement. It happens, you know. And some appeals are honoured.
Characters like concrete and RAWisSYDNEY are of another breed, though. They just like to troll message boards. Maybe RiS even feels “victorious” because he managed three months before getting caught. It’s important to note that when he got caught and banned again, it was because of the same behaviour that got him kicked out the first time. And that’s the whole point.
Why can’t Phaedrus come back? Now there was a character.
Speaking of those who can be summoned, there’s always bj0rn.
I hope he didn’t hear that.
Just to hold down the standard speculation, let me comment that I found out from a mutual friend that concrete has found a forum elsewhere where he fits in, apparently no longer trolls, and in addition is dealing with the probably-fatal illness of a close family member, so I rather doubt (though I’ll welcome e-mail corrections from staff) that he’s continuing his little returning-sock escapades at present. There are a number of other troublemakers out there who do those sorts of things, as Coldfire notes.
And, of course, now I can’t stop wondering if Esprix would have nipples on his batsuit. Thank you, MrMyth, for further confusing my sexuality.
You’re nothing compared to Batman.
There. Happy now? 
We aim to confuse. 
Esprix
Dear God man-- what are you doing? Let’s not take crazy risks here- [action movie cliche] I have got only one more day till retirement [/action movie cliche].
Well, he wasn’t banned.
I doubt he’ll come back withour Pldennison here to “bicker” with.
that would be without not withour…
Sheesh, of course it’s ‘mirror’! I thought it was Irish! :smack:
Fucker.
I never said he was banned, I would just enjoy if he came back 
you are weird
OK, I think that this thread is pretty much done now.