# A void has been filled: ladies and gentleman, Aldebaran! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 21, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316 "2003-06-21T00:22:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/261 "2003-06-22T08:26:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Petter \* > \*\*I am intrigued by your analysis, **Super Gnat** , and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter. \*\* He doesn’t get a newsletter until after his 1500th post. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/262 "2003-06-22T10:02:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aldebaran \* > Well actually in all it is more then ten if I count the medieval forms with them. > And I certainly don’t count English among the languages I would dare to say that I master. I never studied it to begin with and my vocabulary and knowledge of the grammar is extremely limited. > \ > Do you really want a listing? It is a bit ennoying because people here attacked me already because I wrote four words French With grammer failior included since Dyslexia took over in an unguarded moment. Which is for a linguist always surprizing when he discovers his own mistakes, yet doesn’t see them the moment he makes them. Yes, I really would. I find it fascinating. I know some people who are very skilled with languages, who speak 4-6 fluently, I’ve never met anyone who knows 10+ languages, even online. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I wasn’t annoyed with you posting that sentence in French. As has been noted in this thread and the threads in GD, there are quite a few people on this board who are not native English speakers. Without having any statistics, I would say that half of the regular posters are from the U.S. (many of them do _not_ have English as their first language). The other half seem to be comprised of English speakers (GB, Ireland, Aus. NZ, Canada) at about 60% and the final group is people from other countries who don’t have English as your first language. Now, from my own experience, there is a lot of slack given for us, who don’t have English as a first language. Sometimes, I copy and paste from Word, where I do a spellcheck. At least if it’s a sensitive subject in GD, and I don’t want my skill with languages be an issue. But that’s just me. I know that I regularly make mistakes, yet I’ve not had anyone make any comments about that since I joined this board. My dad is a dyslexic, so I can surely sympathize with you. When I’m tired, I can feel it too - is it ‘diference’ or ‘difference’… or even ‘differance’? Generally, I feel the other posters give a lot of leeway, as long as they understand what I’m saying. IIRC, an agency of the U.N. made a list of languages in the world and reached the conclusion that English was the hardest language in the world to become fluent in, for an adult, learning it as a second language. The sheer amount of words make it extremely difficult, which is kind of ironic, as English now is the _lingua franca_ of the world. So when you say that you don’t master English, Aldebaran, I think that point is moot. The users of this board understand your English perfectly. Judging from the reactions, it’s the thoughts that you express with those words, that are up for debate. So back to my question - I’m really interested in finding out which languages you _do_ master, as you put it. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/263 "2003-06-22T11:11:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mehitabel \* > \*\*Oh yeah, while we’re waiting: Gobear, defending or trying to explain beliefs that you yourself don’t subscribe to is a very classy thing to do and really in the spirit of this Board. A big hug for the fuzzy wuzzy Gobear! 🙂 > \*\* Ditto on that point. If there turns out to be a god and an afterlife and what not, I expect bonus points for all the times I stick up for Catholicism around here. Mary is going to bake me a cake, or some ginger snap cookies 😉 **gobear** , whatever else I think about some of his ideas and fixations on certain issues, is someone who generally has the respect for his peers to see the complex and full position of those who disagree with him, and defend those people’s positions when they are being turned into straw men and battered down. I don’t like to see an adverse position lose because of being poorly represented. I want the adverse position argued perfectly, so that if it loses, I know the position itself has failed and not merely the one(s) advocating it. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/264 "2003-06-22T11:27:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Super Gnat \* > \*\*Did anyone else notice the… oddness… about the time scale here? From 6:20 PM on the 20th to 1:26 AM on the 21st, **Alderbaran** posted pretty much non-stop. (He said at 9: 34 that he had “to get some sleep.”, but continued posting.) After a six-hour break, he posted continually from 7:39 AM on the 21st until 9:26 AM, then from 10:11 AM to 12:15 PM, then from 1:42 PM to 8:41 PM, his last post thus far. (All times Central Time, at GMT -6.) That means that from 6:20 PM on the 20th to 8:41 PM on the 21st, a period of about 22 hours, he was online posting for about 14 solid hours. Let me repeat that: **14 solid hours**. I’m not sure what this means, but I can’t think of a good explanation. \*\* Either he’s Yog-Sothoth or he got no life? Don’t tell me… _It’s Agent Smith!_ ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/265 "2003-06-22T11:34:53Z")
The question burns deeply within me. I must have an answer! Under the flickering light in the library I search endlessly through the tomes of yore and the annals of lore. After three hours of fruitless search, I found what I am seeking for. With trembling fingers I followed the text and with a parched mouth I intone it: > [@](#): > > One by one I studied the well-worn pages, worn only by my own handling, and although I knew all by heart, from the beginning, “When from Carcosa, the Hyades, Hastur, and **Aldebaran** ,” to “Castaigne, Louis de Calvados, born December 19th, 1877,” I read it with an eager rapt attention, pausing to repeat parts of it aloud, and dwelling especially on “Hildred de Calvados, first in succession,” etc., etc. > **[The Litrix Reading Room - Discover what we think about the latest released...](https://litrix.com)** > > Discover what we think about the latest released ebooks, is it really worthy or yet another scam Sear our database to find your ebook and our review The puzzles to this jigsaw is falling together. Could **Aldebaran** be…no, his name is unspeakable! I must not mention it lest I go… H A S T U R! … _Have you seemed the yellow sign?_ ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/266 "2003-06-22T12:24:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aldebaran \* > \*\*Well people, I must say I’m very amused. I really am, because this is entertaining > > … > > I’m so sorry… You failed the test I set up here to see what you make of your silly group attack. You fit the picture I had in mind before I came in to keep you going.\*\* **Aldebaran** , consider this an official warning. We welcome people of all backgrounds, opinionated as they may be. But if you give us the impression that you’re playing a game in order to get your opponents riled up (as can be deduced from the quotes above), you WILL be banned. Watch your step - you’re on thin ice. ---
**Author:** ![Anahita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9a28c/32.png) [@Anahita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anahita)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/267 "2003-06-22T12:26:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\ ***Aldebaran** , consider this an official warning. We welcome people of all backgrounds, opinionated as they may be. But if you give us the impression that you’re playing a game in order to get your opponents riled up (as can be deduced from the quotes above), you WILL be banned. Watch your step - you’re on thin ice. \*\* Yay! My hero has returneth. Please, **Mr Coldfire** , give **banhatten** a run for his money!! ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/268 "2003-06-22T12:43:37Z")
Oh God, is this real? People searching “how long is he online”? See now what a service I provide you for? I keep you occupied with what seems to devellop rapidly as your new hobby: control Aldebaran. Well I think your respective families are going to thank me, because it is very well known that children who get bored and are unattended can end up with very bad company, luring them into very bad and even illegal activities. But seekers, ever considered that computers can be kept running 24/24, that people can have more then one of these things running 24/24 , that there are such things as portables and even tiny tiny computers stored in tools like cell phones and that there is such a thing as wireless internet connection and that it isn’t necessary to be located at this or any other particular website to follow with use of a tiny fraction of your attention what goes on there, and that people can be at differerent locations in a period of 3 days time? I know that sounds puzzling, but try to reflect on it. It will add to your priceless funny interest in my wearabouts and occupations. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/269 "2003-06-22T12:52:08Z")
Coldfire, Ik val hier letterlijk omver. Een nuchtere Nederlander die zich leent tot dit soort kinderachtige, belachelijk onvolwassen “spel” ? U kunt het niet menen. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/270 "2003-06-22T12:56:43Z")
Ah, vergeten: Waar haalt u het mij te bedreigen terwijl u als moderator all deze infantiele posts en persoonlijke aanvallen zou moeten verwijderen. Ik weet niet, maar ik moet hier echt aan het verkeerde adres zijn. Ik dacht dat ik op een website voor volwassenen was terechtgekomen. Kan ik hiervoor en voor de beledigende toon van uw eigen post een woordje uitleg krijgen? Want voor zover ik nu kan vaststellen bent u allesbehalve onpartijdig en hebt u totaal geen zicht op de situatie. Bedankt. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/271 "2003-06-22T12:57:25Z")
Thin ice. Wish I had all of Aldebaran’s gizmos. He’s rich! He’s happily married! He has a beautiful horsie! See y’all later, I have to go to a different location now. I will try to avoid the thousands of Bible-thumping gun-toting fellow Merkuns as I make my way to Times Square to see what’s up on the TKTS board this rainy day. Oh yeah, what category of Protestant are the Black Israelites? They’re the main proselytizers there. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/272 "2003-06-22T12:58:00Z")
The language of choice is English here, **Aldebaran**. And it’s not a game: I stated very clearly that should you give us the impression that you are deliberately getting our membership riled up for shits and giggles, your posting privileges will be revoked. So in short, I’m dead serious. Go forth and debate, but don’t think you can get away with trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/273 "2003-06-22T12:59:58Z")
As for your other Dutch post… translate it to English, and I might respond. There’s no point in speaking Dutch here, Aldebaran. It won’t get you any favours. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/274 "2003-06-22T13:01:23Z")
On other websites where I post, moderators welcome new members instead of encouriging other members to attack them and become paert of that gang while posting “banning threats” to that same new member. I feel so much welcomed here that there are no words to describe it. This is really and example of hospitality and politeness that has immediately be exported and imposed onto the whole world. Are we here on an unknown planet with reversed rulings for every form of decency or are we on planet earth? Kindly inform me about it. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/275 "2003-06-22T13:03:32Z")
Coldfire, If you want to translate my posts, please feel free to do so. I would like an answer on mine if you don’t mind. What kind of website it this, where people get a free ride to attack and denigrate others, while when that other defends himself, he gets threats and insults from the moderator? Thank you for clearing up great confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/276 "2003-06-22T13:04:33Z")
Look here, **Aldebaran**. Actions breed consquence. You don’t step into the house of a host and starts to insult him and to spread lies about him and still expect to be **welcomed**. Look around here. Beside you, which other new members were being attacked? 'tis so strange that there are some people who moan, “Why o why do I have no friend” when they are such jerks themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/277 "2003-06-22T13:05:52Z")
And oh please, be so kind to post the ruling that the only language permitted to use here is English. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/278 "2003-06-22T13:09:36Z")
Lost cause, Well considering the fact that I posted only a few posts and people got all upset and even opened a whole topic to attack and slander me, it makes me wonder their mental stability. The hostility around here is really amazing. People don’t even take the effort to actually start a conversation. No, they go immediately in attack and denigrate mode. If you find such attitudes mature and normal, that is your problem. And by the way: what “house of a host” and what “lies” I spread about him? Sorry? Care to post my “lies”? ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/279 "2003-06-22T13:13:46Z")
Forgot to ask that you also repeat my “insults” to the host… You people have an amazingly vivid imagination. That can be a very good quality but it can also be a very negative one and even one that becomes dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316/280 "2003-06-22T13:15:18Z")
**Aldebaran** , this is the BBQ Pit. It is our forum intended for “flaming”, that is, people duking it out in ways not permitted in other fora. This is why people can attack you here, and get away with it. We have over 30,000 members. Not everyone gets a personal welcome from the staff. Ever so sorry. You have not been insulted by me, nor have you been threatened. You were told what our rules are with regard to “trolling”. Should you not comply and carry on in this vein, your membership here will soon be a thing of the past. You’re free to _defend_ yourself: you’re not free to post for the mere reason of getting angered responses. That’s called trolling, and with statements like _“You failed the test I set up here to see what you make of your silly group attack. You fit the picture I had in mind before I came in to keep you going”_, you make it pretty hard for me to see you in a better light. It’s not that it’s illegal to post in languages other than English per se: there have been threads fully in German, for example. But if you’re trying to argue with me on the boards about my decisions, you WILL do so in English. I simply won’t respond to posts that cannot be understood by 99% of our membership, and 100% of my fellow moderators and administrators. Just deal with it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-void-has-been-filled-ladies-and-gentleman-aldebaran/183316.md?page=15)