Good to see you Vince. Someone was just asking about you today, and as I checked the usual haunts I didn't see you ..
The Message. Is what it is all about.
Attacking the messenger, is an ad hominem by definition. It does seem that some folks think name calling is ad hominem. Which is kind of funny, or maybe ironic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_calling
Gratuitous verbal abuse or "name-calling" itself is not an argumentum ad hominem or a logical fallacy.
House of Love
If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are.
~ Gensha