# Be afraid, be very afraid **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 19, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750 "2010-12-19T20:56:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/1 "2010-12-19T20:56:22Z")
to disagree with a moderator when he is NOT acting as a moderator, nor is he issuing official warnings. In this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=589867), \*\*Czarcasm \*\* busts in and informs me that my request to have all personal remarks hijacking in the OP belong in a Pit thread should result in MY starting a Pit thread that I have zero interest in starting. I respond to him telling him that I don’t take requests to start Pit threads unless I’m so inclined–next thing I know, I’ve **Ellen Cherry** telling me that the next time I ignore a moderator instruction, I will get an official warning. But I also have a PM from **Ellen Cherry** waiting for me, telling me that I already have gotten an official warning for ignoring an instruction from a mod. 1. **Czarcasm** in no way was acting as a Mod. He didn’t say he was acting as a mod, and his “instructions” in no way indicated any actions I was to take, other than an officious and ridiculous order to go start a thread. I wasn’t aware (and still am not) that Mods can order you to start threads of any type nor that you are obliged to follow such orders. If that isn’t an imperative I’m obliged to follow (and how could it possibly be?) then I’m free to refuse to follow it, and to inform Czarcasm that I don’t take orders on starting threads. 2. If **Ellen Cherry** tells me that I WILL get a warning if I do something, and I have done nothing except log in between the time she issues that warning and I open my PMs, how did I earn the warning? By doing nothing? By doing nothing in an obnoxious manner? Listen, I’ll stop posting here any time the atmosphere stinks too badly for me to breathe, but could you folks at least TRY to make a little sense as to when you’re posting as Mods, when you’re just being posters, when you’re issuing official warnings and when you’re just busting chops? Thanks so much. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/2 "2010-12-19T21:12:09Z")
**Czarcasm** should have been a little more explicit that he was acting as a Mod in that thread but that it mitigated by the fact that you were being a twat in that thread in the first place. **Ellen** shouldn’t have spanked you for ignoring a Mod instruction but that is mitigated by your acting like a prick and telling _anyone_ to essentially fuck off when they say, “hey, take the hijacks somewhere else.” ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/3 "2010-12-19T21:33:43Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I’ll stop posting here any time the atmosphere stinks too badly for me to breathe Oddly enough, I’ll predict things will clear right up once that happens. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/4 "2010-12-19T21:45:40Z")
Agree with **Munch**. Give it a fucking break already. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/5 "2010-12-19T21:59:00Z")
1.) A moderator told you to stop hijacking the thread. That you need him to have a little disclaimer saying that he’s acting as a mod is stupid and earns you a rolleye smiley: :rolleyes: 2.) **Ellen** didn’t say that continued mouthing off _would_ earn you a warning, she said that mouthing off _has_ earned you a warning: " Subsequent mouthing off earns you an official warning." Notice that her post is titled “Moderator Warning”. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/6 "2010-12-19T22:01:46Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I also have a PM from **Ellen Cherry** waiting for me, telling me that I already have gotten an official warning for ignoring an instruction from a mod. You sure that wasn’t a reference to your behavior being a violation of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13151345)? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/7 "2010-12-19T22:43:02Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > you were being a twat in that thread in the first place. Please avoid this sort of personal attack in ATMB. No warning issued. **Gfactor** ATMB Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/8 "2010-12-19T23:03:03Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > In this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=589867), \*\*Czarcasm \*\* busts in and informs me that my request to have all personal remarks hijacking in the OP belong in a Pit thread should result in MY starting a Pit thread that I have zero interest in starting. You’re not required to start a Pit thread if you don’t feel like it; you are required to stop threadshitting. I don’t see what’s so difficult to understand. In fairness, **Czarcasm** should have noted that he was acting as a mod. I expect he’s out of practice. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/9 "2010-12-19T23:26:53Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Please avoid this sort of personal attack in ATMB. No warning issued. > > **Gfactor** > ATMB Moderator Geez, you can’t even defend the Mods around here without getting spanked. 🙂 In seriousness, I apologize for that. It was out of place. ---
**Author:** ![padabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@padabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/padabe)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/10 "2010-12-19T23:42:14Z")
You seem kinda angry lately, **prr**. Well. Angri_er_. I tend to refrain from suggesting that posters should try to work out whatever issues may be going on in their personal lives, or that they would benefit from some time away from the boards (as part of a more general what-does-it-all-mean personal reflection), because it strikes me as the height of pretension and really very condescending, even when it’s offered with the best of intentions. But… yeah. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/11 "2010-12-19T23:54:54Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > You’re not required to start a Pit thread if you don’t feel like it; you are required to stop threadshitting. I don’t see what’s so difficult to understand. > > In fairness, **Czarcasm** should have noted that he was acting as a mod. I expect he’s out of practice. I wasn’t threadshitting at all. The OP asked if she was nuts. Was the only acceptable answer, “No, sweethart, you’re fine. Everyone has conversations with their cats”? She asked if she was nuts, in my opinion she was, and that’s what I was trying to steer the conversation back to, instead of my lovable personality. For trying to PREVENT the thread from being hijacked, and suggesting an appropriate place to discuss my cat-hating personality (the Pit), I’m threadshitting? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/12 "2010-12-20T00:00:12Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > You sure that wasn’t a reference to your behavior being a violation of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13151345)? Quite sure. She wrote me: ## "Reason: Failure to follow a moderator’s instructions pseudotriton ruber ruber, I am issuing you a warning for failure to heed a moderator’s instruction to stop threashitting. [sic]" There is no way I was instructed to stop threadshitting (which I wasn’t doing anyway)–\*\*Czarcasm \*\*ordered me to start a Pit thread–he said nothing at all about threadshitting, and he wasn’t acting as a moderator anyway. If you people can’t give me an instruction to follow, and can’t be troubled to identify yourself as Moderators when you’re issuing official rulings, then you deserve all the misbehavior you get and then some. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/13 "2010-12-20T00:01:41Z")
In fairness, I think **PRR** has a point here. \*\* Czarcasm\*\* did not indicate that he was acting as a mod, nor did he issue an unambiguous instruction: > [@Do you ever tell your pets about the first time you saw them?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-tell-your-pets-about-the-first-time-you-saw-them/564703/23): > > Yeah, you’ve made your point of view pretty evident. > Perhaps _you_ should start a Pit thread about pet owners. **PRR** responds: > [@Do you ever tell your pets about the first time you saw them?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-tell-your-pets-about-the-first-time-you-saw-them/564703/25): > > I’ll start what I fucken well feel like starting, kay? The next mod post is **Ellen Cherry** ’s: > [@Do you ever tell your pets about the first time you saw them?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-tell-your-pets-about-the-first-time-you-saw-them/564703/27): > > **pseudotriton ruber ruber** , you were given a moderator instruction to stop threadshitting; if you felt the need to continue you were told to take it to the pit. Subsequent mouthing off earns you an official warning. > > **Ellen Cherry > IMHO Moderator** Sorry, but this warning can’t stand. It’s based on a violation of a non-existent moderator instruction. Perhaps it could have been issued on other grounds, but as issued, it’s bogus. It is not fair for a poster to have to guess whether a mod is acting as a mod or not, and if so, whether an enforceable “instruction” has been given. Those things should be made explicit. Bad call by **Ellen Cherry,** and the warning should be retracted. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/14 "2010-12-20T00:03:21Z")
Nah, if anything the justification should be changed, but jerkish threadshitting of that sort is perfectly fine for drawing a warning. Telling another poster to go fellate a cat is, one might think, somewhat past the bounds of polite behavior. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/15 "2010-12-20T00:04:47Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I wasn’t threadshitting at all. The OP asked if she was nuts. Was the only acceptable answer, “No, sweethart, you’re fine. Everyone has conversations with their cats”? . What do you say when your girlfriend asks you if those pants make her ass look big? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/16 "2010-12-20T00:05:53Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > You’re not required to start a Pit thread if you don’t feel like it; you are required to stop threadshitting. I don’t see what’s so difficult to understand. > > In fairness, **Czarcasm** should have noted that he was acting as a mod. I expect he’s out of practice. To start with, I saw nothing to suggest that \*\*Czarcasm \*\* issued an instruction or indicated a displeasure with **PRR’s** previous posting. There certainly was a suggestion to start a pit thread which **PRR** very impolitely rejected. There is nothing to suggest that a moderator warning to stop threadshitting had occured. I thought his language was a little Pitty, but a subsequent poster got no warning for that. I’m throwing a red flag. I’m hoping **Ellen** goes to the booth on this call. One more point. Anytime I feel one of my threads are getting shitted, should I report it ? Actually, a good number of threads seem to get derailed by threadshitters but up till now I didn’t realize that there might be a rule against it. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/17 "2010-12-20T00:07:05Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Nah, if anything the justification should be changed, but jerkish threadshitting of that sort is perfectly fine for drawing a warning. Telling another poster to go fellate a cat is, one might think, somewhat past the bounds of polite behavior. I wrote that fellating a cat was crazy behavior, and that I disapprove of it. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/18 "2010-12-20T00:10:08Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I wasn’t threadshitting at all. The OP asked if she was nuts. Was the only acceptable answer, “No, sweethart, you’re fine. Everyone has conversations with their cats”? She asked if she was nuts, in my opinion she was, and that’s what I was trying to steer the conversation back to, instead of my lovable personality. For trying to PREVENT the thread from being hijacked, and suggesting an appropriate place to discuss my cat-hating personality (the Pit), I’m threadshitting? I don’t think so. Oh, please. Someone doing a dissertation on message board threadshitting would use your posts in that thread as the core of their thesis. Disagreeing with the OP had nothing to do with it: you or anyone could have come in and posted “um, I’ve never done that, it sounds kind of nutty, actually” and no one would have blinked. That’s not what you did. You came in, mocked the OP for talking to her cats, got into a fight with **DianaG** , reposted your mockery of people who talk to their cats a second time in response to **faithfool** ’s post, then told **Czarcasm** to fuck off when he suggested you take your show elsewhere. I think based on your history you have not always been treated perfectly equally by the mods in all cases, but to play wounded innocent in this case is just laughable. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/19 "2010-12-20T00:12:22Z")
> [@Do you ever tell your pets about the first time you saw them?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-tell-your-pets-about-the-first-time-you-saw-them/564703/8): > > I never have before, but I just gathered them up and told each of them their life stories, mostly to annoy **prr** , whose “people who love their pets are crazy” shit is getting tiresome. > [@Do you ever tell your pets about the first time you saw them?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-tell-your-pets-about-the-first-time-you-saw-them/564703/11): > > BTW, **Diana** , I also think people who go down on their pets are a little nutso. > > If you’re still determined to annoy me, please practice safe sex. Mmm hmmm. Certainly not telling another poster to go blow a cat. Nopers. Nuh unh. Scout’s honor. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750/20 "2010-12-20T00:18:25Z")
Wow. **PRR** got warned in a thread about talking to pets. That is impressive in itself. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/564750.md?page=2)