(I was going to develop this more, but given my time restraints, I just decided to throw it out there)
1) Be polite. (Conversations start with a friendly greeting.)
2) Be prepared / think ahead. (If everyone is talking about The Topic, your call should also be about The Topic and you should not be surprised/perplexed if you are asked about The Topic)
3) Authority should be respected, but questioned. (Tom invites you to join his show and Tom is in control of the show, but Tom is not always truthful though.)
4) Shared interests can build strong friendships (see this message board).
5) Death threats are a quick&easy way to end any conversation. (self-explanatory)