# BrainGlutton, you're one content-free post away from "not being paid attention to" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 24, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320 "2010-02-24T21:51:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/1 "2010-02-24T21:51:47Z")
[Hey man](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=553322), we don’t need a liberal version of December. If you want our opinion on something, give yours instead of only criticizing others posts or waiting for them to fall into a trap where you can make their errors the focus of the post rather than offering substantive analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/2 "2010-02-24T22:29:50Z")
Huh? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/3 "2010-02-24T22:30:29Z")
You may be right, but I’m not seeing this in the example offered. What am I missing? Looks like he just asked an honest question, but was not criticizing. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/4 "2010-02-24T22:37:37Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You may be right, but I’m not seeing this in the example offered. What am I missing? Looks like he just asked an honest question, but was not criticizing. One time in an OP is fine. But a pattern of asking questions without offering your own opinion as to the answers isn’t. And in truth the “criticism” I was alluding to was referring more to other posters who do the same thing, but not only do they habitually only ask questions in the OP, they only come back to criticize the answers and try to trap the respondents. But habitual content-free OPs are bad enough. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/5 "2010-02-24T23:14:12Z")
A few years ago, someone took **BG** to task for his habit of starting threads in GD with a link to some random blog and a “So what do you guys think?” sort of opener. He’s been a lot better since that pitting. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/6 "2010-02-24T23:56:40Z")
I guess one sentence posts with a link to [wikipedia](http://www.wikipedia.org/) is a step up. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/7 "2010-02-25T01:16:28Z")
I think it’s funny that content-free posts are allowed in GD, but not in MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/8 "2010-02-25T01:31:47Z")
I don’t see it as “content-free” as much as “opinion-free”. I’ve started GD threads like that when I don’t know the answer to a question but want to see how opinions could differ on both sides. Of course, the OP is stating that BG is baiting and trapping, and for that we should see a concrete example of him doing that. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/9 "2010-02-25T02:06:08Z")
Hm…I don’t know. The only drive by link part that I’d object too was his post #6, and I don’t know that there is a demonstrable pattern of such things (like some other posters I can think of off the top of my head). While I don’t often agree with BG, and while he can be a bit frustrating at times, I think that he’s gotten a lot better in offering his opinions and detailing what he’s driving at than he used to be. He reads a lot of stuff from blogs and non-mainstream sources, and I think (hope) he is starting the discussions on this board as kind of a reality check. I do exactly the same thing with most of the threads I start…I want to see another view, and to do a reality check on my own positions. -XT ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/10 "2010-02-25T03:15:31Z")
Now, whats all this about “content-free” posts! Oftimes, one simply isn’t content, one is miffed, rankled, perhaps even pissed off! Some of us more than others, to be sure, but there is a whole fuckload of stuff to be discontent about. Winter, for one. The triumph of the insipid and dull Oreo over the vastly superior Hydrox. Don’t let 'em get you down, **BG!** Remember: “I think, therefore I bitch!” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/11 "2010-02-25T03:43:57Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > One time in an OP is fine. But a pattern of asking questions without offering your own opinion as to the answers isn’t. And in truth the “criticism” I was alluding to was referring more to other posters who do the same thing, but not only do they habitually only ask questions in the OP, they only come back to criticize the answers and try to trap the respondents. > > But habitual content-free OPs are bad enough. I am prepared to defend the appropriateness of any post of mine including those intentionally inappropriate, but, really, I’m blanking on what you might be talking about. And I just barely remember **december.** He seems to have gone to the farm upstate shortly after I joined. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/12 "2010-02-25T03:47:46Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > And I just barely remember **december.** He seems to have gone to the farm upstate shortly after I joined. He couldn’t take the competition. d&r ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/13 "2010-02-25T04:12:07Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I am prepared to defend the appropriateness of any post of mine including those intentionally inappropriate, but, really, I’m blanking on what you might be talking about. You are in the habit, much improved it’s true, of offering only links or questions instead of actual commentary. When I click on a link and the entire first post contains no actual opinion or analysis, I often stop reading since I can get as much from reading online news. Furthermore, much of the time the content-free poster only comes back to respond to others posts and not ever provide their own opinion. That thread is no exception, so far. If others are going out on a limb, why not do so yourself? At least you are not trying to bait people or score some obscure point. Now, there’s an easy yet effective solution to provide advance warning that the post I am about to read suffers from carnivorous deficiency. However, while I disagree often with you (or at least what you appear to be implying), you are intelligent enough that you appear capable of this sort of thought and not politically opposed enough to me that this thought would be immediately dismissed by myself if given, so for what little it’s worth, I post here to call you out on this. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/14 "2010-02-25T05:56:17Z")
Oh, big hairy ass deal! How is that functionally different from pointing out some current event and offering: “Resolved: This Bites It!”? You would, of course, be expected to provide the linky-poo in any event, no? Whether one expresses a firm opinion or none at all, so what? If the dopers want to talk about it, they will, if they don’t, not all the correct GD formula in the world will change that. ---
**Author:** ![A.Selene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ec8ea/32.png) [@A.Selene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Selene)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/15 "2010-02-25T15:05:03Z")
Is this a joke pitting? Cause honestly, though I don’t always agree with **BG** , he tends to write well informed and reasonable posts, chock full of content. I particularly liked his series about changes to the voting system. I can’t find exactly the one I am looking for, but here’s a [taste at least.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269169&highlight=voting) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/16 "2010-02-25T16:32:35Z")
If it weren’t for **BG** , I wouldn’t know anything about Michael Lind. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/17 "2010-02-25T21:39:56Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > If it weren’t for **BG** , I wouldn’t know anything about Michael Lind. I accept your heartfelt thanks. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/18 "2010-02-25T21:49:19Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > [Hey man](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=553322), we don’t need a liberal version of December. If you want our opinion on something, give yours instead of only criticizing others posts or waiting for them to fall into a trap where you can make their errors the focus of the post rather than offering substantive analysis. I just now realized you were complaining about, of all things, **the OP** in that thread: > [@](#): > > Iraq’s next parliamentary election is March 7. The “de-Baathification commission,” dominated by [Ahmed Chalabi,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Chalabi) has banned some leading Sunni politicians from the ballot, including [who, in response, has declared his [url=[Saleh al-Mutlaq - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saleh_Muhamed_al-Mutlaq)]National Dialogue Front](]Saleh Mohammed al-Mutlaq,[/url) will boycott the election. Story [here:](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7035621.ece) > > > [@](#): > > > > The Obama Administration has talked of next month’s elections in Iraq as being a transformative event that will put the country on track for a stable future and allow for the withdrawal of US combat troops. That scenario, however, looks increasingly doubtful after one of Iraq’s most prominent Sunni parliamentarians pulled his party out of the national elections and called for a boycott. > > > > Saleh Mutlaq, who was banned from standing as a candidate, said his National Dialogue Front was withdrawing in protest at a “dirty tricks”campaign, thought to be masterminded by Iran and aimed at securing power for a Shia government. > > > > The move is reminiscent of the Sunni boycott in the 2005 parliamentary elections that led to the disenfranchisement of a large part of the population, and is viewed as a major contributor to the sectarian war that followed. > > > > Other Sunni groups have not, so far, joined Mr Mutlaq’s protest, but they, too, have complained about dirty tricks, as have some Shia politicians. > > Issues for debate: > > 1. How will this affect the government’s perceived legitimacy? > > 1.a. Any chance this will, now or in the near future, spark renewed insurgency? > > 1. Is there anything the U.S. can or should do about this? > > 2. How, if at all, will this affect the timetable for withdrawal of Coalition troops? – the which is **just exactly** how a GD thread should be begun and framed. If you disagree on that essential point, **Ludovic,** you are cordially and respectfully invited to gobble my mansack – after, of course, I knock out your teeth with a ballpeen hammer. Let us reason together. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/19 "2010-02-26T00:00:57Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > – the which is **just exactly** how a GD thread should be begun and framed. If you’re Socrates. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainglutton-youre-one-content-free-post-away-from-not-being-paid-attention-to/530320/20 "2010-02-26T02:40:59Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > If you’re Socrates. Or if you have no strong opinion one way or the other, but still think the topic is important and/or interesting, and worthy of debate. Works either way. See [this one,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=553324) for instance. I have absolutely nothing to regret there.