# Clarification Inside: Clearing the air and revealing PMs **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 17, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452 "2009-09-17T15:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/61 "2009-09-18T15:12:57Z")
> [@Captain\_Awesome](#): > > Let’s try the recap one more time. > > **DudleyGarrett** broke _your_ misunderstanding of plagiarism, you threw hissy fit, he justifiably responded in kind. However, he then made the mistake of cursing a mod, though the mod initially misapplied the rule. The situation would not have arisen without your mistake. **DudleyGarrett** decides to leave, and whilst this is arguably an overreaction, I can understand his doing so. > > So yes, you are the bad guy, or at least you fail to understand joke telling, or plagiarism, or you’re simply an idiot; one of the above. Wrong, dumbass. He broke a long standing board rule, as two different mods have verified. See [Twickster’s clarification](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=532238). It turns out that that particular violation is usually not a warnable offense, but it is, in fact, a rules violation. There was no hissy fit, but I did call him a plagiarist. The situation would not have arisen without his mistake of breaking the rule which he clearly should not have done. Blaming me for his misconduct is spin-doctoring with no basis in reality. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Captain\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/62 "2009-09-18T15:16:33Z")
He was warned for a violation that was not normally warnable, hence the rule _was_ misapplied. And you did misunderstand the concept of plagiarism. Furthermore, I hope whenever you tell a joke in future here, you cite it properly. Harvard system will be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/63 "2009-09-18T15:19:15Z")
> [@Captain\_Awesome](#): > > OK, well I hope whenever you tell a joke in future here, you cite it properly. Harvard system will be fine. More spin doctoring. He did not tell a joke. He cut and pasted a huge ass list of jokes from some other website. There were something like 50 items in the list. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Captain\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/64 "2009-09-18T15:28:02Z")
Sure, he could have linked to another website that had themselves ‘plagiarised’ the list, according to your definition. But is citing a plagiarist’s plagiarism _really_ necessary to tell a joke? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/65 "2009-09-18T15:46:44Z")
> [@Captain\_Awesome](#): > > Sure, he could have linked to another website that had themselves ‘plagiarised’ the list, according to your definition. But is citing a plagiarist’s plagiarism _really_ necessary to tell a joke? In a metaphysical sense? Hell, I don’t know. Under the rules of this board, he is not allowed to cut and paste a wall of text from another website. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/66 "2009-09-18T15:50:46Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Also, if one is shitting platinum ingots there would be no need to clean them since it is platinum and not shit. At no point did **Michael Ellis** indicate that they were **shit covered platinum ingots**. Maybe thats what comes before you figure out how to make gold pressed latinum. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/67 "2009-09-19T00:35:31Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Also, if one is shitting platinum ingots there would be no need to clean them since it is platinum and not shit. At no point did **Michael Ellis** indicate that they were shit covered platinum ingots. Nor was it specified he was shitting ONLY platinum, or only ingots for that matter. Whuch means you might get shit with a platinum center, or vice versa. If he was ill, he might spray the whole inside of the toilet with platinum, er, spew. I imagine it’s really tough to get platinum out from under the rim, espacially after it’s dried. ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/68 "2009-09-19T01:22:06Z")
It was such a tiny tiny tiny little mistake on Dudley Garret’s part. He forgot to link to a site that also had the jokes. Never mind that this list is all over the internet. I don’t think he ever intended for anyone to believe that he wrote the jokes himself. Calling that little mistake **Plagiarism!!!** and then starting a pit thread over another misunderstanding over PMs is a sign that Oakminster takes himself and this board a _little_ too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/69 "2009-09-19T01:40:59Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > Needless to say, this isn’t the message board for me. I’ve asked **TubaDiva** to close my account because I don’t want to be tempted to post here. I certainly need to find something else to occupy my time. Anyway, she politely refused. I’ve always wondered why people say this. If you really want your account closed, create a new account called DudleyGarrett’sSock and post in ATMB saying “Nyahh-nyahh! I’m posting under a sock account.” You’ll be perma-banned so quickly your head will spin. That, or threaten to sue the SDMB unless the mods ban you.\* \ ***WARNING! THIS IS A JOKE! DO _NOT_ FOLLOW THIS ADVICE! DO _NOT_ THREATEN TO SUE! DO NOT EVEN READ THE SENTENCE TO WHICH THE FOOTNOTE WAS ATTACHED! WARNING!** ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/70 "2009-09-19T01:56:40Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > If you wish to say, “The best joke I ever heard is…,” then go for it. No problem. > > If you copy and paste a lengthy list of jokes from someone else’s Web site (and that’s the sole content of your OP), that’s a problem. Jesus Christ, how many junior mods do we need in one - oh, I see you’re an actual mod now. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/71 "2009-09-19T03:11:53Z")
> [@torie](#): > > Calling that little mistake **Plagiarism!!!** Plagiarism isn’t even the main issue. Do you realize how many threads have been closed down because the OP just pasted in something from another site and couldn’t be bothered to comment on it or add anything original? There’s a big, wide Internet out there, and all of us are perfectly capable of finding stuff on our own. The SDMB is about _discussing_ things, learning about things, arguing about things, complaining about things – not about copying things from glurge emails or Facebook pages. > [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Jesus Christ, how many junior mods do we need in one - oh, I see you’re an actual mod now. Never mind. I am? Holy cow! That explains these jackboots 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/72 "2009-09-19T03:19:01Z")
> [@torie](#): > > It was such a tiny tiny tiny little mistake on Dudley Garret’s part. He forgot to link to a site that also had the jokes. Never mind that this list is all over the internet. I don’t think he ever intended for anyone to believe that he wrote the jokes himself. > > Calling that little mistake **Plagiarism!!!** and then starting a pit thread over another misunderstanding over PMs is a sign that Oakminster takes himself and this board a _little_ too seriously. Get over yourself, Bitch. Dudley is responsible for his misconduct, not me. He’s been here more than long enough to know he shouldn’t have done what he did. He’s the one that went in to meltdown mode when his misconduct was identified and sanctioned. Had he not cursed out a mod, he would not have gotten a warning. Had he not cursed me out, he would not have gotten pitted. And despite the repeated denials from certain mouth-breathing rejects in this thread, what he did was plagiarism. Here’s a definition: _pla⋅gia⋅rism_   \*–noun 1. the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work. 2. something used and represented in this manner.\* Found here: [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plagiarism](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plagiarism) Dudley clearly used another person’s work, possibly the work of multiple other persons, with no indication that it was not his own work. That’s plagiarism. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/73 "2009-09-19T03:56:40Z")
Oakminster, listen up. **YOU ARE COMPLETELY FUCKING WRONG ABOUT DUDLEY BEING A PLAGIARIST** Dudley did not, AFAIK, ever try to represent the jokes as his own work. He simply made the mistake of posting them w/o attribution. On the rest of the fucking internet, where there aren’t so many fucking rules that define what people can post, NOBODY would have assumed Dudley wrote the jokes himself. No intent to claim others work as their own = NO PLAGIARISM. Yes, apparently, Dudley shouldn’t have done that. But you are equally to blame for the shit storm by making false accusations of plagiarism. Man up and own your part of it instead of acting like a complete pussy. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/74 "2009-09-19T04:02:47Z")
> [@torie](#): > > It was such a tiny tiny tiny little mistake on Dudley Garret’s part. He forgot to link to a site that also had the jokes. Never mind that this list is all over the internet. I don’t think he ever intended for anyone to believe that he wrote the jokes himself. It seems to me that it was a simple mistake that got blown up into a big shitstorm because Ol’ Oakminster’s craniorectal inversion makes it impossible to see his part in the blow up. > [@](#): > > Calling that little mistake **Plagiarism!!!** and then starting a pit thread over another misunderstanding over PMs is a sign that Oakminster takes himself and this board a _little_ too seriously. Absolutely 100% fucking true. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/75 "2009-09-19T04:16:06Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > Oakminster, listen up. > > **YOU ARE COMPLETELY FUCKING WRONG ABOUT DUDLEY BEING A PLAGIARIST** > > . You screaming it does not make it true. Read the definition again. There is no element of intent. The key points are use and representation. When he failed to attribute the work of others, he represented it as his own. And you’re starting to bore me. Just think of whatever insult you find most offensive, and assume I said it to you. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/76 "2009-09-19T04:20:07Z")
Dudley made a mistake, and it’s unfortunate that he feels he must leave over the repercussions. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/77 "2009-09-19T04:23:01Z")
Well, then, it wasn’t plagiarism, but it was definitely COPYRIGHT VIOLATION/INFRINGMENT. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/78 "2009-09-19T04:28:57Z")
Plagiarism is plagiarism, even if unintentional, and it WAS plagiarism by any reasonable definition. And while Oakminster didn’t need to get all huffy about it, It was Dudley who blew his top and basically committed SDMB suicide. Jesus, what a fucking baby. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/79 "2009-09-19T04:45:40Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > You screaming it does not make it true. Read the definition again. There is no element of intent. The key points are use and representation. When he failed to attribute the work of others, he represented it as his own. > > And you’re starting to bore me. Just think of whatever insult you find most offensive, and assume I said it to you. Use AND representation. Omission is not representation. You’re being intentionally obtuse. And if you’re bored of me, feel free to not respond to my posts. I doubt your massive ego will allow you to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452/80 "2009-09-19T04:45:45Z")
Tell you what. I’ll cop to one count of not being very nice for posting my sarcastic reply in MPSIMS. I am not at all sorry I did it, and it is very likely that I’ll do the same thing again next time I see a similar situation. If not being very nice to a plagiarist makes me a horrible person, then I’m a horrible person. \. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-inside-clearing-the-air-and-revealing-pms/510452.md?page=5)