Hey! TomnDeb! Hey!

[elucidator]

I object! No fair!

@tomndebb

I’ve got to agree with those who have responded to you. I can see the potential for a coherent argument somewhere behind your comments, but you are not actually making it and your use of belittling phrases, (that do not even seem to have cultural history or even alliteration to support them), are simply driving this thread toward a Pit Lite rant.

= = =

Mind you, the majority of the posts in this thread appear to be pretty content free, but more thought and fewer insults might turn this into an interesting discussion.
[ /Modding ]

Now, just a damned minute here! Where do you get off with this?

My contempt for “free market” bullshit is long-standing and I make no bones about it, but…and this is an important “but”…belittling a premise or a political dogma is not the same as insulting someone directly. If I wanted to do that, I think the record clearly shows that I am entirely capable. In the Pit! Where it belongs!

But my answer to Msmith’s offering was disrespectful of the position offered, and, so far as I know, thats considered legit, no? Its not a personal insult unless direct reference is made to the person, best as I know.

And yet this escaped your notice?

@xtisme

…with a sad little Yoda smile And that, my young padawan, is why you fail…

WTF? That is a direct personal reference, but that gets a pass? Howcum?

And how is it that the content of the thread is somehow my responsibility, when I didn’t even post until the second page? Which you seem to acknowledge somewhat back-handedly with the “Mind you…” part, but hey! Don’t do it in the first place, you won’t have to take half of it back.

You got a problem with my personality, take a number, get in line. You want a good scrap, I’m yer huckleberry, I’ll give as good as I get and go down swinging.

And none of that would matter if it weren’t for this:

…[/Modding]

You got a beef with me, let 'er rip, you probably already know I’m not much for backing down. But leave the Hat off, OK?

(You know, I’m not sure I’m doing this right, I’m assuming this goes in ATMB, but if it belongs in the Pit, fine…)

[Frank]

I think I speak for all of us (except, I suppose, tomndebb) when I say:

Link?

[elucidator]

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=561752&page=2

[Rand_Rover]

Aren’t you a little old to be acting like such a whiny little bitch?

[tomndebb]

@elucidator

Now, just a damned minute here! Where do you get off with this?

The “Free Market Mouseketeers” was not a direct personal insult, (so you received no Warning), but it was a general insult to a group of posters in a post that was little more than a toss away wisecrack.

It also occurred on a separate page of the thread and I had not seen xtisme’s “padawan” crack.

Having seen it, I agree that it was also inflammatory.

[tomndebb]

Rand Rover, you are definitely out of line for ATMB.

Knock it off.

[ /Moderating ]

[elucidator]

@tomndebb

The “Free Market Mouseketeers” was not a direct personal insult, (so you received no Warning), but it was a general insult to a group of posters in a post that was little more than a toss away wisecrack…

Pretty darned PG rated for an insult, don’t you think? And if you slapped down every group reference in GD that was less than respectful, you wouldn’t have time for anything else.

Your “toss away wisecrack” comment might apply if I hadn’t prefaced that with my reasoning. I think that business interests have too much influence,and they offer “free market” cant as though it were the accepted wisdom of the ages, when it is no such thing.

That I prefer to couch my points with humor does not necessarily mean I haven’t got a point. I do it for the same reason my dog licks his balls, because I can and because I like it. Either way, I don’t see how that falls under your jurisdiction.

You don’t like my style, I could care, but not with the Hat on.

…It also occurred on a separate page of the thread and I had not seen xtisme’s “padawan” crack.

Having seen it, I agree that it was also inflammatory.

Oh, it was “also inflammatory”. “Free Market Mouseketeers” is inflammatory? Look, I can see enforcing a degree of propriety, but you want me to knit doilys?

[XT]

@elucidator

Pretty darned PG rated for an insult, don’t you think

I suppose insults are in the eyes of the beholder…or the eyes of those insulted. I thought it was over the top, but obviously YMMV. I think the Mods have taken a mainly hands off approach to you (for whatever reasons), so you are used to slinging around insults thinly (or not) veiled by supposed humor. I’ve certainly been spanked (many times) for less (though, in honestly, I’ve gotten away with more from time to time as well). I think this stings you more because you’ve gotten away with so much for so long and you aren’t used to it.

What I find ironic is that you obviously took exception to what I said, but decided to come after Tom for basically doing his job, instead of, well, taking exception to me.

@tomndebb

Having seen it, I agree that it was also inflammatory.

Again, it’s all in the eyes of the beholder. Was it inflammatory? Certainly…it was supposed to be. But it wasn’t INSULTING (at least I didn’t intend it to be insulting). Inflammatory remarks are what GD is all about. On this subject many of us are in diametrically opposed positions. I suppose that a better way would have been just to say ‘Here are all the reasons you are wrong about what you are saying there’, but I felt most of the posters points I was responding to there had already been dealt (by more knowledgeable posters than I) with both in this thread and in the myriad other threads that have come up on this same subject ad nauseam. Plus, I thought it was funny, and a humorous way of making the same point without all that work stuff involved in actually making a meaningful post on what I felt was a ridiculous point. I did go back later and at least loosely explain WHY I thought it was a silly point, FWIW.

Had you given me a Mod warning for it I would have disagreed with you, but I wouldn’t have called you out here in ATMB…I’d have taken it like a man, as I have other mod warnings you guys have handed out to me (many deserved, all things considered). Frankly, I think you guys have always let 'luci get away with murder because he coaches his replies in a veneer of humor (and because he’s fairly popular…hell, even I like him).

Hell, you didn’t even issue him a formal warning…just warned him that he was crossing the line. I thought it was entirely appropriate in his case, and was a refreshing change.

Anyway, that’s really all I had to say here. I think 'luci is just a bit wounded because he doesn’t seem to rate the same level of scrutiny as, well anyone, and he’s feeling a bit ill used for it. ETA: Spare the rod, spoil the 'luci and all that…

-XT

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

@xtisme

Spare the rod, spoil the 'luci and all that…

On the one hand, I figure I should save my inspiration of “righty tighty, lefty 'luci” for an occasion where it fits perfectly. On the other occasion, I’m sure it’s not original, and anyway probably I’ll forget it after this second glass of wine, so I’m just putting it out there for general usage.

[Miller]

@elucidator

Oh, it was “also inflammatory”. “Free Market Mouseketeers” is inflammatory? Look, I can see enforcing a degree of propriety, but you want me to knit doilys?

I believe tom is referring to xtisme’s post, and not yours, there.

[magellan01]

@elucidator

That I prefer to couch my points with humor does not necessarily mean I haven’t got a point. I do it for the same reason my dog licks his balls, because I can…

Not half as well as you think you can, my friend. Not half as well. But you seem like a pretty astute guy, I’d like to see what you can offer without the clown shoes and low expectations you put out there with your name before one word is typed.

[elucidator]

You don’t have to read a word, podnuh. Not one. I’ll get over it.

[Zoe]

magellan0101, part of your post doesn’t make much sense to me.

I think I understand that you think that elucidator is not humorous. You have a right to your opinion. Some of us may enjoy the full intent of his humor, some may not find it funny at all, and, others may may perceive it, as you say, “half as well.” Wit isn’t always communicated.

You and I agree that elucidator is a "a pretty astute guy. Yet you say this:

I’d like to see what you can offer without the clown shoes and low expectations you put out there with your name before one word is typed.

How do you know what his expectations are? Why do you see his expectations as low? You have admitted that he is astute. Maybe his expectations (whatever they are) can be considered “astute.” Why do you try to insult him by describing him as wearing “clown shoes” before he even types anything beyond his name?

If your post was not meant to put down his sense of humor and his “expectations” in ATMB, then I have misunderstood. It really read as a personal insult.

[magellan01]

@Zoe

magellan0101, part of your post doesn’t make much sense to me.

I think I understand that you think that elucidator is not humorous. You have a right to your opinion. Some of us may enjoy the full intent of his humor, some may not find it funny at all, and, others may may perceive it, as you say, “half as well.” Wit isn’t always communicated.

You and I agree that elucidator is a "a pretty astute guy. Yet you say this:

How do you know what his expectations are? Why do you see his expectations as low? You have admitted that he is astute. Maybe his expectations (whatever they are) can be considered “astute.” Why do you try to insult him by describing him as wearing “clown shoes” before he even types anything beyond his name?

If your post was not meant to put down his sense of humor and his “expectations” in ATMB, then I have misunderstood. It really read as a personal insult.

I’m making two points: 1) that this humor he thinks he’s good at, he ain’t nearly so good at it as he thinks. Not that I don’t think he’s funny at times. But just by virtue of trying to be funny so often he hurts his batting average. 2) I do think he’s probably a pretty astute guy. I wonder how valuable his contributions would be if he served up some arguments without trying to be funny. I seriously think that he often does himself an injustice by leading with his clown shoes. Which at this point, has just about become synonymous with seeing his name at the start of a post.

Oh, and I wasn’t referring to his expectations, but those of readers, like me. Right off the bat you expect a range of barely funny to a good joke, maybe even really funny at times, but with zero expectation that he’ll move the debate itself.

[VinylTurnip]

And here I thought you were denigrating his ball-licking skills.

[Cheshire_Human]

@VinylTurnip

And here I thought you were denigrating his ball-licking skills.

No! Those are excellent. Just watch:

[Actual video of elucidator licking his balls]
:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p

[elucidator]

We all know why you took yoga classes. You’re not fooling anybody.

[elucidator]

@VinylTurnip

And here I thought you were denigrating his ball-licking skills.

I still have the letters, Vinny. And the, ah, “candid” photos. Just sayin’, is all.

[Zoe]

Mr. Turnip: And here I thought you were denigrating his ball-licking skills.

“That dog’ll bite you!” (old Southern admonition)

[XT]

I always thought it was some variant of ‘if you can’t lick with the big dogs get off the porch…’

-XT