I learned to combat this with 3 simple questions:

1. What kind of job do you do? (Or study)
2. Where do you live?
3. Do you have any kids, dog,...

Be interrested in their answers and add some simple follow-up questions that show you are listening. Add some content of your own as a follow-up.

Posing that first question can be a bit weird, but the rest is as simple as it sounds.

Choose your own appearance.

It's often cheaper to buy fastfood than healthy food

That's a lot of Trons

Michel finally came through on his promise.

...for the snake of being silly, you mean.

If you can avond the problem and the consequence successfully, would that not be the solution?

Talk to you boss, talk to your hr rep., make a proposition to openly talk about workforce manners in group without pinpointing at anyone specifically. Look for another desk. Work in a meeting room from time to time. Buy noise canceling headphones. Punch him in the face or quite your job.

Argument are not won or lost. You either learn, or teach during an argument/discussion. Else you are is a "word fight", were both parties think they won, but they both lost.

Read a book

Same here, Snatch. Gotta hate them f*cking pickies

The Brits did not learn from their last open vote I see.