# cougar58 has been banned II **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 11, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523 "2014-01-11T17:17:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Laowai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Laowai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laowai)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/61 "2014-01-14T08:05:07Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Newcomer is right. This is your one and only post on this board so far…who the hell are you again? Oh, just a helpful bloke who happened to stumble in here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/62 "2014-01-14T13:50:45Z")
> [@all\_timestamps\_displayed](#): > > How can the pro-pitbull posters say on one hand that the dogs are perfectly safe and controllable, but on the other hand, if someone says to attach the dog’s leash to their neck, he’s telling them to go kill themselves? > > Why would such an action be suicide? I thought the dogs are safe and controllable? Walking around with a noose on your neck and a substantial weight on the other end is a very bad idea. It isn’t telling someone to go hang themself, and I don’t think the remark was directed at specific posters, but if you’Ve got a few warnings on your record it isn’t the right joke to make. Even if your dog is 15 lbs. and calm it could pull you off balance if you let your concentration (and your hand’s grip) slip. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/63 "2014-01-14T14:17:57Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [Here’s **cougar58** calling another poster a “nutter.”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=16997183&highlight=nutter#post16997183) Thanks Marley23. I withdraw my contention that the noose remark was not directed at specific posters. The repetition of the words harness and nutter make it appear specific. I have reported what I feel was an equally serious wish for harm from that thread toward cougar58 – and apologies if it was already dealt with. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/64 "2014-01-14T14:22:15Z")
> [@all\_timestamps\_displayed](#): > > If the dog’s perfectly safe and controllable, then you won’t get hanged, right? So where is the death wish:confused:😕😕 **cougar58** ’s position was that the dog is very dangerous and that the noose thing was appropriate. It shouldn’t take much concentration to figure out what **cougar58** thought was going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/65 "2014-01-14T14:43:36Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > **cougar58** ’s position was that the dog is very dangerous and that the noose thing was appropriate. It shouldn’t take much concentration to figure out what **cougar58** thought was going to happen. It was brilliant. Having completely ignored that thread, I now must read it all. Nothing gets attention like somebody being brought out in front of the forum, and banished for ever. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/66 "2014-01-14T14:56:37Z")
[Don’t forget to start with this one!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=690547) ---
**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:** [January 14, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/67 "2014-01-14T17:25:20Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Have you ever taken your Jew to the vet to get neutered? Equating this to racism has always been the most ridiculous thing. Just don’t. Of course it isn’t racism but the sites do share a mentality. ---
**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:** [January 14, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/68 "2014-01-14T17:42:51Z")
One is fanatically agasint a particular type of animal and the other is fanatically against a particular type of “animal”. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/69 "2014-01-14T18:18:00Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > I have reported what I feel was an equally serious wish for harm from that thread toward cougar58 – and apologies if it was already dealt with. You weren’t the first person to report the “drinking bleach” comment. Normally, that would have been over the line, except in this case, it’s something the [poster actually did.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=709139) ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/70 "2014-01-14T19:20:01Z")
Wrong. I just read the thread, and that is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/71 "2014-01-15T01:58:15Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > You weren’t the first person to report the “drinking bleach” comment. Normally, that would have been over the line, except in this case, it’s something the [poster actually did.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=709139) Apart from a brief reference to using bleach to purify water, cougar58 described taking pains to avoid swallowing the bleach. Using Clorox to self-whiten your teeth is idiotic, but I also can’t say much for the idea that the linked thread excuses someone telling cougar58 to drink bleach. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/72 "2014-01-15T22:02:57Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > They kind of are admitting that they banned her for being annoying. That whole ‘being a jerk’ shit can be stretched to death. I mean, I honestly can’t believe grown folks get bent out of shape about someone WISHING they were dead. Oh, if hopes and wishes were butterfly kisses, beggars would ride. Or some such mixed proverb. Agreed. > [@Skywatcher](#): > > [DogsBite.org](http://DogsBite.org) is a site for fanatics run by a fanatic. Try substituting “Jew” for “Pit Bull” & “dog” and “Stormfront” for “DogsBite”. Would we even be having this discussion? Uh, what? > [@Skywatcher](#): > > Of course it isn’t racism but the sites do share a mentality. Uh, what? > [@Skywatcher](#): > > One is fanatically agasint a particular type of animal and the other is fanatically against a particular type of “animal”. Uh, what? Maybe you missed the announcement, but Jews are human beings while pit bulls are, you know…not. They are dogs. Animals. I know that technically we humans are animals, but I think you are making a very bad comparison. I think the jews on this board (and the world over!) would be pleased to know that you equate them to pit bulls. :dubious: Please, for all of us… Just stop posting this comparison. Ok, as to my opinion on this. I have no dog in this fight (HA!), and I don’t know \*\*cougar58’\*\*s board history, other than what’s been stated in this thread. With that said, I too agree that it is a very weak banning. I don’t understand: 1. the condemnation of her (sorry, don’t know if **cougar58** is male or female, so I’m going to guess female and be consistent in my post), posting in primarily one thread, which happened to be a thread **cougar58** started in the first place. The fact is, regardless of whether or not you agreed with **cougar58’s** position, was she supposed to walk away from that thread, or start other threads, just to make this one thread less noticeable when a search was performed on her user id? It wasn’t like people were not continuing to engage and challenge her in the thread. You all make it sound like she posted random threads in every forum about the evil pit bulls. This is simply not true as far as I can tell. She was actually doing what many people fail to do… She stuck by her position and continued to answer anyone who had anything to say denouncing her position. Isn’t that her right as the thread’s OP? Maybe she had limited time, and felt responsible to continue to try to (in her opinion) educate others about the dangers of pit bulls. I understand the “one-trick-pony” concept, but I don’t think this qualifies. She didn’t clutter the board with pit bull threads. As far as. I can tell, it was kept to two, and just one after she moved from the GD thread. 2). The wishing death complaint. I guess i can see it if I squint and stretch my imagination (and hold my nose)p but that was pretty tame. I too agree that you could read the “noose” line as a “put your money where your mouth is”. If the pit bull doesn’t pull you while you have a noose around your neck, you won’t be choked. How that line is wishing death on someone else is just not registering for me. 3). I don’t know, but I suspect that the pro pit bull folks were complaining long and loud about **cougar58** and her posts. Hitting the “Report post” button may have created more noise than usual, and that would have brought more attention down on the thread. And perhaps the consensus was that this person was a “jerk” and a “one-trick-pony” who would not be missed if banned. 1. as far as I can tell, her comment about poisoning dogs was the only thing that was out of bounds, and that was certainly a warnable offense. However, IMO it doesn’t rise to the level of banning. 2. I am fully aware that the Mods can and do make decisions on posters here on a regular basis. And that’s fine. However, as far as “being a jerk” goes, there are posters here who have long and proud history of “jerkish” behavior that continue to post freely. In conclusion, this banning seems to be just a “get rid of an unpopular poster”, not a banning of any real substance. And that’s a shame. For such a high-browed board, we certainly don’t have much tolerance for unpopular (to the board) viewpoints. I think this is fairly obvious to anyone objectively looking at this situation. **cougar58** was certainly not bothering me, nor was she bothering anyone else that wasn’t engaged in **that one thread**. Is that enough to cancel your ticket here? Apparently so. A pity. I guess the takeaway here is if you are passionate about a topic, and have the desire to stand your ground even if you are the only dissenting voice, make sure you participate in a few other threads. Otherwise, your time here will be brief. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/73 "2014-01-15T23:11:48Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Jews are human beings Not according to those who worship Adolph Hitler! 🙂 > [@](#): > > I think the jews on this board (and the world over!) would be pleased to know that you equate them to pit bulls. You seem to have confused me for some Neo-Nazi nutbar. Dogs are dogs and people are people, except to some there are certain people which are worthless & should not exist whereas according to others there are certain dogs which are worthless & should not exist. I am in neither of those groups. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/74 "2014-01-15T23:27:20Z")
I’m drawing a comparison between the attitude of those of [DogsBite.org](http://DogsBite.org) (i.e.: cougar58) with the attitude of those at Stormfront. Both see a “problem” and, for both groups, their “solution” seems to be eradication. I am emphatically _not_ saying Jews are Pit Bulls, any other breed of dog, or any other animal. Anyone still confused is welcome to Pit me. ---
**Author:** ![Laowai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Laowai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laowai)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/75 "2014-01-16T00:38:20Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Agreed. > > Uh, what? > Uh, what? > > Uh, what? Etc. I strongly suspect the mods knew the Cougar58 ID to be a sock of another, more regular, user and banned it for that reason. Unable to be sure enough to make the accusation, other reasons were given. Cougar58’s behaviour, as I’ve seen it described here, is obvious. A one-track ID. One topic. Nothing else. On and on, over and over again. The main ID remains above the fray with the sock expendable. Used cleverly it can work. The main ID, if known to share in the obsession, will pop in from time to time to elaborate and to add the odd ‘Quite right!’ and ‘Just so!’ Used less intelligently, the owner of the sock will be entirely absent from the thread… most odd given they share in the obsession. These guys have been at it for thirty years. I reckon they know what they’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/76 "2014-01-16T01:02:47Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Dogs are dogs and people are people, except to some there are certain people which are worthless & should not exist whereas according to others there are certain dogs which are worthless & should not exist. I am in neither of those groups. Like I said, you should just stop doing this. It’s ridiculous. And you are wrong, Laowai. They would have just banned cougar if that was the case. And if anyone asked about it they’d just say “If we don’t announce a ban then ask a mod in PM”. They just did it to a 10 year user. ---
**Author:** ![Laowai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Laowai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laowai)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/77 "2014-01-16T01:22:29Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Like I said, you should just stop doing this. It’s ridiculous. > > And you are wrong, Laowai. They would have just banned cougar if that was the case. And if anyone asked about it they’d just say “If we don’t announce a ban then ask a mod in PM”. They just did it to a 10 year user. So this Cougar thang just talked about pit bulls? _For ten years?_ It works the other way as well. An ID begins to lose its reputation and the user wants to clear it out. The new ID plays nice, the old ID is run into the ground. If Cougar58 was posting more generally and then stopped posting on anything bar one topic, it’s just the same thing in reverse. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/78 "2014-01-16T01:46:41Z")
> [@Laowai](#): > > Etc. > > I strongly suspect the mods knew the Cougar58 ID to be a sock of another, more regular, user and banned it for that reason. > . I don’t know. There is no rule that I know of that states that you must partake in multiple threads. Granted, most of us that have been around for a while do, but I don’t know how long **cougar58** has been a member of the board. And if the thread she was replying to was one she opened, then perhaps that was where she felt she would have to spend the time she had… Addressing those people who were addressing her in the Pit thread. She didn’t disappear. She kept answering the bell. I know that upsets people at times, and this board can be a bit tough on a member that doesn’t succumb to the SDMB groupthink. I know I have a limited amount of time, and lately I’ve spent most of it (I’m embarrassed to say) in the Simpsons game thread. Now game threads like that one is a thread that I can see someone joining the board to just participate in that one thread, because they like playing that particular game. Would that be a cause for banning? Of course not. There are a number of game threads that offer tips and advice and people may do a google search and get pointed to this message board. Joining is free, so you join and hang out in one thread. That isn’t exactly terrible, and it isn’t exactly detracting from the quality of the board. As long as the poster stays on topic, they won’t be admonished for being a “one-trick pony”. No, it seems that **cougar58** ’s biggest sin was sticking by her guns and not giving up the fight. When someone is that passionate about an issue (and as far as I have read in this thread, she was basically on her own for the most part defending her position), that annoys the masses. And they complain. The mods have the final say, and i understand that. But unless there is something else that she did that has not been brought to light as of yet, I think the banning was not the best one i’ve seen. Someone mentioned the Mods voted and it was unanimous, so perhaps there are things that i don’t know about. But with what has been presented in this thread, I think it was a bad call. ---
**Author:** ![Laowai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Laowai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laowai)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/79 "2014-01-16T01:59:19Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I don’t know. > > There is no rule that I know of that states that you must partake in multiple threads. Granted, most of us that have been around for a while do, but I don’t know how long **cougar58** has been a member of the board. And if the thread she was replying to was one she opened, then perhaps that was where she felt she would have to spend the time she had… Addressing those people who were addressing her in the Pit thread. She didn’t disappear. She kept answering the bell. I know that upsets people at times, and this board can be a bit tough on a member that doesn’t succumb to the SDMB groupthink. > > I know I have a limited amount of time, and lately I’ve spent most of it (I’m embarrassed to say) in the Simpsons game thread. Now game threads like that one is a thread that I can see someone joining the board to just participate in that one thread, because they like playing that particular game. Would that be a cause for banning? Of course not. > > There are a number of game threads that offer tips and advice and people may do a google search and get pointed to this message board. Joining is free, so you join and hang out in one thread. That isn’t exactly terrible, and it isn’t exactly detracting from the quality of the board. As long as the poster stays on topic, they won’t be admonished for being a “one-trick pony”. > > No, it seems that **cougar58** ’s biggest sin was sticking by her guns and not giving up the fight. When someone is that passionate about an issue (and as far as I have read in this thread, she was basically on her own for the most part defending her position), that annoys the masses. And they complain. > > The mods have the final say, and i understand that. But unless there is something else that she did that has not been brought to light as of yet, I think the banning was not the best one i’ve seen. > > Someone mentioned the Mods voted and it was unanimous, so perhaps there are things that i don’t know about. But with what has been presented in this thread, I think it was a bad call. That wasn’t my contention. I don’t know Cougar58’s history. However, it sounds like someone who was very active on a lot of threads who suddenly decided to limit themselves to just the one. That being the case, particularly if the user was becoming an irritant under that ID and wanted to clear the decks, then it may well be the user created a new ID to post more generally, running the old ID down to deletion. It may be the mods knew that and couldn’t prove it. It may be the mods deleted the user for more general irritation in that scenario, a lesser transgression thus being the ‘last straw’ rather than a single instance of bad behaviour in itself worthy of deletion. To me, the whole description of Cougar58 comes across as a secondary ID, however it’s buttered. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2014, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523/80 "2014-01-16T02:34:27Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > There is no rule that I know of that states that you must partake in multiple threads. There has been a rule, sort of, about not confining the majority of one’s posts to the Pit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cougar58-has-been-banned-ii/678523.md?page=5)