They came around 0.8.2 I believe, maybe a little after.
Been discussed on here in at least two threads (possibly more, but my memory is giving only a couple right now).
As has been stated, their presence coincides with that spider having visited recently - probably in the past fifteen minutes (as is the case for members).
I haven't tried, but perhaps the word filter would work on them - allowing you to disappear or format as you prefer?
From: 99% of gargoyles look like (MR_BASTARD)20 Aug 2009 20:31
It's not a Goethe moment for Mr. M. There is a certain flexibility about the term cul depending on how it's used. It means 'end' as in cul-de-sac and it could be used in expressions to mean cunt - just not as often as con.
By the way, my French isn't especially good, I just have plenty of French nephews and nieces so my exposure to swearing in French is quite high.
I was reasonably confident of my ground, cuntwise, largely as a consequence of a charismatic, liberal and rugby-addicted French teacher in secondary school. He knew and was happy to share with his students a wide vocabulary of pardon-my-French epithets that he had picked up on the touchline.
From: 99% of gargoyles look like (MR_BASTARD)21 Aug 2009 09:45