# How many threads in the cornfield? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 14, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157 "2016-04-14T01:35:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/1 "2016-04-14T01:35:30Z")
As I understand it, when the mods make a post or thread disappear, the thread actually goes into a supersecret forum from which spammers, socks, _et al_ can never escape. After all these years I’d guess that forum has gotten quite large. Does anyone have a count for it, and how that lone forum compares with all the legitimate posts that are still visible? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/2 "2016-04-14T01:37:43Z")
I’ll bet there’s a _ton_ of 2-3 post threads. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/3 "2016-04-14T01:54:34Z")
If you want a factual answer, it is more than 4. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/4 "2016-04-14T02:05:32Z")
That’s the secret… this IS the cornfield, and we’re all in it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/5 "2016-04-14T02:13:39Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I’ll bet there’s a _ton_ of 2-3 post threads. Actually most threads deleted as spam are not moved to the actual cornfield, but remain in an invisible (to non-mods) ghostly fashion in their original forums. We have banned more than 20,000 spammers in the past 10 years. **Marley23** banned more than 8,000 of them, and **engineer\_comp\_geek** and **samclem** more than 3,000 each. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/6 "2016-04-14T02:38:39Z")
Marley needs to get his ass back here and take a swipe at some of these streaming soccer hooligans. He could double his numbers in a month. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/7 "2016-04-14T02:44:58Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually **most** threads deleted as spam are not moved to the actual cornfield, but remain in an invisible (to non-mods) ghostly fashion in their original forums. We have banned more than 20,000 spammers in the past 10 years. **Marley23** banned more than 8,000 of them, and **engineer\_comp\_geek** and **samclem** more than 3,000 each. Is that the difference between “Invalid thread specified” and “you are not authorized to view this page” messages? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/8 "2016-04-14T02:49:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually most threads deleted as spam are not moved to the actual cornfield, but remain in an invisible (to non-mods) ghostly fashion in their original forums. We have banned more than 20,000 spammers in the past 10 years. **Marley23** banned more than 8,000 of them, and **engineer\_comp\_geek** and **samclem** more than 3,000 each. **Marley** banned **everybody**! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/9 "2016-04-14T03:33:32Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually most threads deleted as spam are not moved to the actual cornfield, but remain in an invisible (to non-mods) ghostly fashion in their original forums. We have banned more than 20,000 spammers in the past 10 years. **Marley23** banned more than 8,000 of them, and **engineer\_comp\_geek** and **samclem** more than 3,000 each. OK – _Now_ I am freaking impressed! > [@cochrane](#): > > **Marley** banned **everybody**! 😃 For some reason I’m flashing back on the character of Det. Mick Belker. Bite off one little ear and people never let you forget. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/10 "2016-04-14T03:42:29Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > As I understand it, when the mods make a post or thread disappear, the thread actually goes into a supersecret forum from which spammers, socks, _et al_ can never escape. After all these years I’d guess that forum has gotten quite large. Does anyone have a count for it, and how that lone forum compares with all the legitimate posts that are still visible? **kunilou** , don’t put any more mods at risk by asking them for details about what is in the cornfield. **GlobeDancer** was the last mod to look into the cornfield, but she hasn’t been seen since, and as far as I know all traces of her have been wiped from the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/11 "2016-04-14T04:10:04Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Is that the difference between “Invalid thread specified” and “you are not authorized to view this page” messages? I believe it is. You get the first message on a deleted thread (although mods can still access it). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/12 "2016-04-14T04:11:27Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > **kunilou** , don’t put any more mods at risk by asking them for details about what is in the cornfield. Them three-headed gophers are plum scary. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/13 "2016-04-14T04:55:41Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > OK – _Now_ I am freaking impressed! > > For some reason I’m flashing back on the character of Det. Mick Belker. Bite off one little ear and people never let you forget. 😃 More like, “But do they call me McGregor the fence maker? NO!” ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/14 "2016-04-14T07:16:02Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > **engineer\_comp\_geek** and **samclem** more than 3,000 each. Egads - **engineer\_comp\_geek** hasn’t been moderating all _that_ long. I assume that your friendly streaming spam poster accounts for a lot of these, but none the less, that is a massive number. A few a day. :eek: I also assume (hope) that the need to ban legitimate posters (ie not spammers) doesn’t account for much of this effort. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/15 "2016-04-14T10:00:05Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually most threads deleted as spam are not moved to the actual cornfield, but remain in an invisible (to non-mods) ghostly fashion in their original forums. So you are confirming that there is, indeed, a cornfield? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/16 "2016-04-14T10:59:51Z")
Well, that’s not its actual name, but yes, there is a forum accessible only to mods to which troublesome threads are moved. There’s also another forum only for mods for discussion among them, though I suspect that most such discussion still goes via e-mail. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/17 "2016-04-14T12:39:44Z")
So why the distinction between invisible threads and banished threads? If invisible spammer threads appear ghostly to mods, doesn’t that clutter up the thread list? Or do they sink to the bottom quickly because no one can bump them? ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/18 "2016-04-14T13:06:16Z")
They may appear to mods as a different color or font. That’s what we used to do in a UBB I mod’d for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/19 "2016-04-14T14:07:25Z")
It’s good that that they done that with the threads. Real good. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157/20 "2016-04-14T14:11:27Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > It’s good that that they done that with the threads. Real good. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-threads-in-the-cornfield/752157.md?page=2)