There seems to be a bit of confusion over my use of the nickname “Skippy” in the forum, and I would like to take a moment to clear things up.
When I was growing up, there was a mentally defective (as in stupid and bat-shit crazy) boy who lived in my neighborhood. Everyone, including his family, called him Skippy. I have no idea why, nor did I ever bother to ask. He was not Australian. Skippy was a booger eater (usually his own, but he wasn't always that particular) and often peed his pants (when he remembered to wear pants) in public. He once brought a snowman sculpture made from his own poop, a handful of raisins and two pencils to Show-and-Tell. Skippy was not very bright and did not do well in school, dropping out when he was of legal age to do so…in the 9th grade, which he had repeated…twice.
As he grew older, his favorite hobbies were terrorizing the elderly, stealing mail and torturing neighborhood pets. At age 21, he was imprisoned for having unlawful carnal knowledge of a local farmer’s sheep…in broad daylight. Four months into serving his sentence, Skippy died as a result of his cell-mate stuffing him into an industrial clothes washing machine and running him through two rinse cycles. (On a positive note, mourners at his funeral commented that it was the cleanest they had ever seen him, but that a bit of fabric softener would have helped with the wrinkles and static-cling.)
As a tribute to him, I and most of the people I grew up with began to refer to any idiot we encountered as “Skippy”…just to keep his memory alive. And because Skippy just feels like the perfect thing to call your average moron.

I understand that “Skippy” is a nickname that the people of Australia use for each other, but was not aware of this until very recently. If they had ever met the Skippy I grew up with, they would stop insulting each other in that fashion.
So, if I happen to call you Skippy in the forum, rest assured that I am not referring to where you live…nor am I trying to insult the good folk of the Land Down Under (most of whom, I have been informed, are rather fine people…and I have never been given cause to doubt that.). I am calling you a booger-eating, sheep-shagging moron.

Thank you for your time…