The internet is an outlet for many people to "talk tough" without having to face the accused. Stack Overflow (et. al.) is somewhat of an exception with a strong sense of community. Criticisms are usually constructive. However, some users are near belligerent and somewhat "poisonous" to the feel of community. If left unchecked, it could become a contagious problem.
Are there any ideas on how to promote civility?
Example of problem: read the recent activity of the following user: https://stackoverflow.com/users/285587?tab=activity