Yeah, I was hoping for a safari horror story, but the linked thread made up for it 
There’s only one way to fix this; start another pit thread complaining about the rough treatment you’re getting in this one.
Huh. The original pitting of the word “embolden” as a creation of (Charlie Pierce’s moniker) C-plus Augustus isn’t borne out by the dictionary, but the fearful leader’s resort to it might be a fit subject for…nah. Let that, the least part of this kerfuffle, stay dead. Something else interests me, though. The reaction to the referenced thread seemed unusually immediate and hostile and personal, even for a (bad strategy, there, born too late) admittedly weak rant. Perhaps there’s something else that roused so many respected posters to action?
In any event, Bricker’s contribution notwithstanding, in fact Giraffe’s posts didn’t come within shouting distance of criticizing the Original Post rather than the Original Poster. There’s no rule that says otherwise, of course, and it must be (I assume) pretty well established (I assume) that a Moderator can post like just folks, even leaving the “Moderator” title under his name, if s/he wants to, with no obligation to the SDMB to be, well, moderate. Participating in a pile-on while adding no actual facts or reasoning in support is something message board users do the whole world over, and why shouldn’t a Moderator, as long the rules permit it? I don’t run an internet message board, so I don’t know. Nonetheless, there are frequently rules in other venues against simultaneously taking sides and claiming through some title a label implying impartiality. Maybe those rules exist for a reason.
There’s no reason anyone should agree with either of born too late’s Pit threads, and no reason anyone should be polite about it. But Moderators spewing insults in the most volatile forum, even when off-duty (while still showing their badge), strikes me as about as helpful as a fireman running up with a bucket of kerosine.
It’s allowed, of course, and for some T.H. White fans and their like, I suppose, anything not prohibited is compulsory. Nonetheless, to someone who has no stake in this fight, it looks a hell of a lot more like an intentional derailment than it looks like your average everyday trainwreck.
The mod-badge thing I just sort of look at as an earned perk. I think that if they were paid, they shouldn’t post — at least, certainly nothing insulting. Just warnings. And in ATMB. But seeing as how the only thing they get is a little power, let them flaunt it a bit if it’s only in such a subtle way. We all know that the official word is that the badge brings no weight to the post, but we all know better too. It brings a little. But not a lot.
Someone trying to make sense, in a Pit thread? Good god, what is the world encoming to?
Too many of the SDMB Mods are cyberspace equivalents of modern-day Eddie Haskells, little people living in little worlds where a little word beneath their name makes them swell with pride.
Once you realize that, it’s pretty easy to shrug most of the stuff off.
Thank you **Born Too Late ** for your efforts. I missed the first “make a fool of myself” thread - good catch - now more of us have the opportunity to get to know you.
(I was emboldened to write this by the pile on in the original thread.)
P.S. (post script) (please don’t pit me for using P.S.)
The “be kind to animals” sticker on your SUV means all of god’s creatures - including giraffes.
While this is of course true (I also like to shout out “who’s your daddy, Internet?!” whenever I spot my moderator title), I’d just point out that I’d have posted no differently in that thread had I never been chosen for this powerful and glamorous position. In other words, the mod title has not emboldened me, I’m just a dick.
But were you always a dick, or did the you become endickened when you got the title? 
I’m not sure you should be asking people whether or when they got endickened. That’s pretty personal.
Emdickened, dammit. Don’t they have bilabial nasals where you come from?
I thought people usually got endickened before birth (assuming they got endickened at all).
Aw, Liberal, don’t be so hard on Dante, the poor thing might have an embilabial embolism and DIE! :eek:
Yep. Also emfalloped and eventually emvaginated.
<hangs head in shame> I don’t like the way embolden sounds either.
Maybe we are missreading ‘drive by shitter’, a shitter is a valid term for an anus. It would be a way to keep both hands on the wheel while changing gear.
Haven’t looked at the thread in question, but I’ve noticed for quite some time now that Giraffe is a troll dressed up as a mod. It’s nice to have someone else call him on it, regardless of how much of a dipshit they may or may not be.
So here’s a big raspberry to our resident troll-mod: pthpthpthpthphtphthhhh! Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah! Neener neener neener!!!
I’m actually a troll dressed up as Spongebob Squarepants. What can I say, I love that little guy!
Goddamnit, that might be the funniest thing I’ve ever read on this board.
“Poltroons”. Holy shit!
Thanks much, born too late, for creating this thread (and, of course, for emboldening me to respond).
I had missed your earlier thread, and now I’ve had an opportunity to go and read it. It made me chuckle. No, really. I very rarely actually laugh out loud reading a message board, and the last time I ROFLed was when I was a kid and my dad was tickling me. LOL and ROFL are exaggerations. But that other thread actually made me chuckle out loud!
You made a lame, ignorant, poorly-written pitting and you were roundly trounced for it (you do know those two words, right?). Certainly, Giraffe was being a dick. But he was being a very funny dick, and insulting people in a humorous way is what makes the Pit the Pit. His dry wit made the thread sparkle. His response to your OP was like adding ginger ale to an ounce of warm urine (still not drinkable, but it looks better).
Even totally off-topic posts like Chefguy’s hilarious contribution to this thread are a big part of the Pit, and make it more enjoyable than your average bitch-fest.
Let me explain it to you gently, born too late. If you post something wrong in GQ or IMHO, you’ll generally be corrected firmly but without rancor. If you post something wrong in the midst of a vehement OP in the Pit, you’ll be torn to metaphorical shreds by our witty crew of Shredwhackinators ™, and Giraffe is not only a moderator, but a Shredwhackinator Extraordinaire (that’s the rank just above “dick”).
I’m sorry, you got endickened where?
First it was pretending a common word was rare.
Then it was dissing on “maiden” as if it wasn’t real word and tossing off random insults to anyone who would use it.
Then it was attempting to use big words he clearly had no experience with in an attempt to try to get people to think he did know what the fuck he was talking about.
Then he starts a brand new thread to attack a moderator.
Conclusion: The guy’s a natural born troll. Iit’s just a question of whether it’s intentional or if he is just that stupid.