Well, I'm no FOG, but, SDVM is a guy who is of above-average intelligence, generous with his DVM knowledge, frequently trolls, and of course, smokes cigars.
Regarding his IQ though, he is often too clever by half. Regarding his generosity and trolling, the former is probably one of the reasons the latter has been tolerated for so damn long. I myself have been the recipient of this generosity, and find that I struggle between gratitude and personal integrity when it comes to Barry. I'm afraid that as long as I don't speculate about his motives, which are none of my business, I'll continue to struggle.
He is a self-acclaimed atheist, mistakenly thinking he is somehow "without religion". He's about as fundamentalist as anyone I've heard in awhile.
He's pretty damn current on politics though, and would have something to say about viable liberal positions, but his messages get lost in malicious vileness.
BPP supports him unconditionally. Which is a fucking mystery to me. And since BPP is like a cigar encyclopedia (actually, he's more like a cigar search engine), and since he's in the habit of leghumping newbies who agree with or admire him (in a grandfatherly kind of way), then SDVM enjoys some asylum (in a parasitic kind of way).
There's recently been some heated exchanges mainly with these two on one side, and George and CC on the other, with most of the regulars remaining neutral. My respect for the two in the instant though has begun to crack.
Bookmarks