# How is it moderators are entitled to insult posters? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 19, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-moderators-are-entitled-to-insult-posters/460605 "2008-08-19T22:22:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-moderators-are-entitled-to-insult-posters/460605/21 "2008-08-21T11:51:13Z")
[QUOTE=Merhouse] The only Google ad at the bottom of this thread as I was reading it is for World of Warcraft. Google DOES know all 🙂 [/QUOTE] I’m getting “Are You Ready for Help?” and “You Can Be Forgiven.” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-moderators-are-entitled-to-insult-posters/460605/22 "2008-08-21T18:45:14Z")
[QUOTE=Leaper] No, he didn’t. The sign read “YIPES!” [/QUOTE] Well there’s the problem. He was _supposed_ to hold up a tiny umbrella. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-moderators-are-entitled-to-insult-posters/460605/23 "2008-08-21T22:22:07Z")
A taught pole loses it’s strength The sharpest sword can’t cut itself A horse has no udders A cow does not whinny Up is down And sideways is straight ahead What result? **rwjefferson** please tell us what color the sun is where you are. Are you able to step on the same piece of water twice? Q: Can moderators insult posters? A: How can they not, if a poster becomes insulted on hearing the reason for his warning? To require otherwise leaves a moderator in a classic conundrum once described by Rinzai: > [@](#): > > Suppose there were a man up a tree. He holds onto a tree branch with his teeth. His hands grasp no branch and his feet do not reach the trunk of the tree. Beneath the tree is someone who asks him: What is the meaning of Bodhidharma coming from the West? If the man does not respond at all, he will fail the questioner’s need. But if he does answer, he will fall to his death. In this situation how should one respond?” What result? Hint: 7 is not the correct answer. They say the Buddha sat before a wall and arose enlightened. I recommend this approach to you. Marley spoke the truth, which is a reflection of reality. You were startled upon seeing your own reflection. Fear not–it’s all dogma. ---
**Author:** ![rwjefferson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a6a055/32.png) [@rwjefferson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rwjefferson)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-moderators-are-entitled-to-insult-posters/460605/24 "2008-08-22T20:46:20Z")
Please forgive. > [@Ed Zotti](#): > > …insults, and purposely inflammatory remarks (i.e., trolling)… troll (def): one who insults and makes purposely inflammatory remarks. one that disregards pleas. > [@](#): > > Could you try making sense…This is the same kind of nonsense…. only lacking the homophobia and anti-Semitism to rise to the level of true crackpotism…Are you purposely dense? moderate (def): to reduce excessiveness. > [@](#): > > All responses in general questions will remain civil and attempt to answer and explain better. [QUOTE=Marley23] I don’t want to make this hostile, **rwjefferson** , but I think you are off-base in criticizing the tone of my post when your previous post (the last in the thread before I closed it) insulted several posters in less ambiguous terms. [/QUOTE] Please forgive my words might hurt the delicate feelings of trolls. Yet please feel free to move this to the Pit if still you feel the need to express hostility. That I might call out troll does not mean that I do not respect the mark, the cloak or the power. [summary by paraphrase] ‘What is gravity really?’ ‘We don’t know.’ ‘If you would please before other comment or question; I seek just simple and honest answer. If pioneering voyagers might lead into headwind…What would confirm better than observation of ships thousands of miles off course as predicted?’ ‘We don’t know.’ ‘Is there no one on this most intelligent board will at least attempt a simple and honest answer?’ ‘We don’t know. ‘What observation would you predict as ship might react by opposing current?’ ‘We don’t know.’ ‘What observation would you predict as airship might react by headwind?’ ‘We don’t know.’ ‘Please answer this simply and honestly or please do not bother answer at all. What observation would you imagine if a spaceship might react by cosmic headwind?’ ‘We don’t know.’ ‘Yet please leave communication still open per chance even one with pity might attempt answer better than spooky warp and dark stuff. ‘We won’t know.’ [/summary by paraphrase] What is the gold standard for purposefully dense? We don’t know. We won’t know. [QUOTE=Gukumatz] GQ is for questions that have actual answers, or at least very close aproximations. [/QUOTE] I readily agree that the [pioneer anomaly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_anomaly#Effect) clearly demonstrates that GR is indeed less than very close approximation to the reality (observation) of gravity. This is exactly what compels my questions for even closer approximation. As always I ask please and only that you might simply offer your best or better answer. Still please understand that I accept ‘I don’t know’ as honest and valid answer. What would you imagine if a ship encountered a totally unexpected ~.5 mph cosmic breeze? Peace rwj ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-moderators-are-entitled-to-insult-posters/460605/25 "2008-08-22T22:54:23Z")
Dude, you are so asking for it. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-moderators-are-entitled-to-insult-posters/460605/26 "2008-08-22T22:56:32Z")
**rwjefferson** You failed to cite the source of your definition of troll. No matter, here is ours: > [@](#): > > Troll – This is general internet usage for “somebody who is posting just to be confrontational or to raise hackles.” See Staff Report: What is a troll?. > **[Beginner's Guide to Glossary of Terms on Straight Dope Message Boards](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298)** > > There are a number of terms commonly used on the Straight Dope Message Boards, that are basically “in-jokes” or references. There are several threads listing such, I have tried to compile them all into one post here. If anyone has additions or... Knock it off. This is an official warning. > [@](#): > > moderate (def): > to reduce excessiveness. Quoting definitions is fun! Especially when they are partial definitions without citations. You fail to note that you are not a moderator. Let me underscore that fact for you too. You are not a moderator on this board. Stop telling other posters what to do. Stop calling them trolls. Stop posting gibberish. And stop your trolling. That’s right, I’m calling you a troll because I am a moderator and it is part of my job to do so. You lack the privilege because you are not a moderator, and need to stop trolling. I hope this distinction is sufficiently clear to you. This is your second warning in less than two weeks. If I have to warn you again, I’ll start a discussion among the staff about your posting privileges. \*\* Gfactor\*\* General Questions Moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-moderators-are-entitled-to-insult-posters/460605.md?page=1)