Wordy McWord, Duke of Wordonia. Yes. Quite. Couldn't have put it better myself. I would add, however, that the colon and the semicolon are worthy creatures, and deserve inclusion in many more stories than they actually inhabit. The comma, when it's included in a story, can often find itself press-ganged into doing the work of other punctuation marks. Poor wee scone.

In addition to cheering wildly throughout much of this rant, I've also been reduced to gales of such cacaphonous laughter that I'm expecting the imminent arrival of my upstairs neighbours. Cock on a Hot Tin Roof. Indeed.