One would assume he's reading his own thread.
So you can forgo being polite based on assumption?
FOG724: Most people understand the difference between "speaking" about another person versus asking another what his own take is on a position taken by Mr. Hammer?
Let me try an example to explain this to you:
To XXX: "FOG724 IS A LEFTIST TROLL!"
versus
To YYY: "DO YOU AGREE WITH FOG724'S POSITION ON THIS?"
In the first case I should ping FOG724. The second case is irrelevant in re a ping.