# Are SDSAB members given some lee way with breaking the rules? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 24, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352 "2008-10-24T14:47:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/1 "2008-10-24T14:47:13Z")
I think just about anyone would agree freak is a negatively charged word. However in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10353040&postcount=108) thread I was given a warning. Yet **bricker** who called me a freak was not. I just want clarification. Are some posters above the rules or is freak an okay word for Great Debates? Can I, or any other poster, call posters out as freaks in Great Debates? Or is that privileged of only certain favorite members? I’d like clarification from above. Thanks for your time. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/2 "2008-10-24T15:59:23Z")
If anything we hold SDSAB members to a bit of a higher standard. **Tom** can explain the warning, but I’d say **Bricker** wasn’t really calling you a freak for having two middle names. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/3 "2008-10-24T19:32:10Z")
I hope I’m not playing Junior Mod here but the mods are not going to catch everything so if someone calls you a name outside of the pit then YOU need to report the post by clicking on the little red triangle in the upper right hand corner of that post. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/4 "2008-10-25T17:14:56Z")
> [@](#): > > If anything we hold SDSAB members to a bit of a higher standard. Tom can explain the warning, but I’d say Bricker wasn’t really calling you a freak for having two middle names. So just what was he calling me? He clearly knew it was a charged word because of the (). > [@Tahssa](#): > > I hope I’m not playing Junior Mod here but the mods are not going to catch everything so if someone calls you a name outside of the pit then YOU need to report the post by clicking on the little red triangle in the upper right hand corner of that post. You could have asked if I reported the post already. Which I did already two nights ago. The night I came home from work and found that warning infact. Nada came as a result so this thread. I hope you don’t feel too silly now. Well I actually I kinda hope you do. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/5 "2008-10-25T18:32:38Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > So just what was he calling me? He clearly knew it was a charged word because of the (). I’ll bring this thread to **tomndebb** ’s attention so he can answer. If it’d been me moderating there, I would say that “two-middle-name-freak” wasn’t intended as a personal insult because it’s just too silly to take seriously. **Tom** may have a different reason, though. > [@](#): > > Nada came as a result so this thread. I hope you don’t feel too silly now. Well I actually I kinda hope you do. **Tahssa** made an incorrect assumption about the report but was trying to be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/6 "2008-10-25T21:19:15Z")
Maybe the all-cap “YOU” was unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/7 "2008-10-25T21:41:23Z")
Anyone can call me a freak. Because I am. I’m not offended. We freaks need attention, too! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/8 "2008-10-25T22:03:59Z")
One clarification, by the way - you were not given a formal warning, **The Second Stone**. You were told to knock it off, but not officially warned. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/9 "2008-10-26T00:01:05Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > However in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10353040&postcount=108) thread I was given a warning. Yet **bricker** who called me a freak was not. You were not given a Warning–an act that is always accompanied by a note in the post saying that the mod is issuing a Warning. You were told to back away from personal insults. I am not going to pretend that “freak” is an entirely neutral word, but I did not happen to read it as a direct insult so much as an exasperated response using freak in its most technically accurate expression\*. It is entirely possible that I should have spoken sternly to **Bricker** , as well. - (In the U.S., two middle names are sufficiently rare that I suspect that many folks consider them freakish.) ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/10 "2008-10-26T00:50:50Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > One clarification, by the way - you were not given a formal warning, **The Second Stone**. You were told to knock it off, but not officially warned. Why is this post in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/11 "2008-10-26T14:49:43Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Maybe the all-cap “YOU” was unnecessary. That’s kinda what set me off, but my response was a bit unnecessary too. > [@tomndebb](#): > > You were not given a Warning–an act that is always accompanied by a note in the post saying that the mod is issuing a Warning. You were told to back away from personal insults. > > I am not going to pretend that “freak” is an entirely neutral word, but I did not happen to read it as a direct insult so much as an exasperated response using freak in its most technically accurate expression\*. It is entirely possible that I should have spoken sternly to **Bricker** , as well. > > - (In the U.S., two middle names are sufficiently rare that I suspect that many folks consider them freakish.) Sounds like middle road. I’ll meet ya half way and agree with that. Well no warnings, so no worries. Thanks for your time. You too **Marley23** (psst I think you have me confused with someone else!) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/12 "2008-10-26T18:51:35Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Why is this post in this thread? Just a screwup on my part. Obviously I meant **The Tao’s Revenge**. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/13 "2008-10-26T19:18:08Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Just a screwup on my part. Obviously I meant **The Tao’s Revenge**. Easy mistake to make. 🙂 Personally, I always get **The Chao Goes Mu** confused with **Sam Stone.** ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/14 "2008-10-26T19:49:18Z")
I took **Bricker** ’s use of the term in the following sense. > [@](#): > > freak, n, 1 > > d. With qualifying word or phrase: one who shows great enthusiasm for the activity, person, or thing specified, as health freak, train freak, etc.; an aficionado. It’s not opprobrious at all. (Definition from OED) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/15 "2008-10-27T06:00:00Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > You were not given a Warning–an act that is always accompanied by a note in the post saying that the mod is issuing a Warning. This is not true. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/16 "2008-10-27T12:53:16Z")
**The Tao’s Revenge** : I think you’re thin-skinned and you have the rather odd notion that being a freak is something to be ashamed of. Having two middle names is just about the least of the reasons I’m a freak, and ‘freak’ is one of the least offensive things you can call me. I suspect most people feel about the same as I do. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/17 "2008-10-27T13:42:41Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I took **Bricker** ’s use of the term in the following sense. > > It’s not opprobrious at all. > > (Definition from OED) It certainly wasn’t intended as opprobrious; neither was that quite the sense I meant it, either. I simply sought to indicate that having two middle names was a statistical outlier, an odd enough happenstance that very few people shared it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/18 "2008-10-27T14:25:49Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Easy mistake to make. 🙂 > > Personally, I always get **The Chao Goes Mu** confused with **Sam Stone.** I’m not the New Guy anymore. Shouldn’t you be sassing **Invisible Wombat**? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sdsab-members-given-some-lee-way-with-breaking-the-rules/469352/19 "2008-10-27T23:53:03Z")
**Colibri** is probably having trouble finding **Wombat** , seeing as how he’s invisible and all. 😃