# I protest! **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 24, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085 "2015-07-24T18:13:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/81 "2015-07-25T06:14:22Z")
**SA** you got a mod note for a thread you were on, which is a slightly different thing than expecting the membership to have absorbed the collective wisdom of the mods through the ether. I did know about this restriction, to save someone the time of researching which threads I’ve been on, but this is silly. Start a sticky for “new and unusual rules for the membership”. Put stuff like “Buckeyes” and “paper towels” on it. Then we can be held accountable. I’ll ask again, and maybe the mod squad can jump in, what else do we need to know about? Who else is under the SDMB version of witness protection? ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/82 "2015-07-25T12:03:40Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Going on record here as someone who knows all about the thing with SA and the tube-which-shall-not-be-named, and had no idea that there was a rule about it. I’m more someone who has read about the “tube-which-shall-not-be-named” being referred in a thread or 3, had no real idea what that meant and wished the Mod who (on whatever thread I read about the TWSNBN) would have linked to the Original No-No thread or to a compilation of “Heated Topics and No Referring Back To Threads [even if it the reference might make it look like you are cool or someone who has been around for years or decades]”. And that’s after spending a couple years reading the as far back threads as I could on all boards (skipping many threads that looked boring, had few posts, or were from Subject things that did not interest me). I kind of miss a.f.c.a … fewer in-jokes/memes due to the impermanence/propagation/archiving of email/USENET. Hmm, I miss my ISP offering USENET. (I think I stopped at 2010 on here… if I get bored again I will go back and start up that year and read interesting discussions once more. I promise to not Zombie a thread unless I have some Oh So Important info to share.) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/83 "2015-07-25T12:36:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Meh. On a message board, _no one knows what sex you are_, even tho we are all fat white dudes with neckbeards posting in our Mom’s basement.😛 So you, a long-time, frequent poster, referred to another poster in a manner that could be taken as insulting, because you were unaware of a fact that’s been common knowledge on this message board for a very long time? Hey, mistakes happen. Tell you what, we’ll let you off with a warning this time. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/84 "2015-07-25T14:28:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > True- _but every poster that knows enough about SA to launch a snarky personal attack mentioning the tube_ should know about it. Where do you get stuff like this from? I know something about the association of cylindrical, cardboard objects with the poster in question, but I didn’t know there was any rule about it in terms of what the rest of us are allowed to do. I know **SA** is a notoriously disliked poster here, but I usually skip over his posts and don’t really know much about him. TL;DR: I’m on the side of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/85 "2015-07-25T15:59:35Z")
Wouldn’t it be easier, going forward, if there are rules like this, to include them in the rules thread, so that people will actually know what they are? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/86 "2015-07-25T16:32:48Z")
That’ll be fun for new posters. “I’m not supposed to mention _WHAT_?” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/87 "2015-07-25T16:40:01Z")
Not to mention the possibilities of differentiation. “But toilet paper tubes are okay?” “Duh, yeah! What are we, Japanese or something?” ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/88 "2015-07-25T16:54:08Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > That’ll be fun for new posters. > > “I’m not supposed to mention _WHAT_?” :eek: I’m beginning to like the idea of a poster’s ignominy being captured for the rest of the board’s life in the rules. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/89 "2015-07-25T16:58:57Z")
Until this thread I didn’t know anything about whatever is being discussed in it. I still don’t really know what is against some unstated rule. Not that it matters much, since I rarely try to insult another member. But these special taboo subjects/mentions are sort of fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/90 "2015-07-25T18:39:18Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > That’ll be fun for new posters. > > “I’m not supposed to mention _WHAT_?” :eek: Better than “Here’s this special rule that we made in some thread a few years ago that you’re supposed to remember even if you didn’t see the rule.” ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/91 "2015-07-25T19:03:02Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Going on record here as someone who knows all about the thing with SA and the tube-which-shall-not-be-named, and had no idea that there was a rule about it. Same. The idea that everyone that knows about the tube should automatically know about the rule is insane. The outdoor that expires that view project don’t hold it though and are just white knighting. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/92 "2015-07-25T19:32:24Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > That’ll be fun for new posters. > > “I’m not supposed to mention _WHAT_?” :eek: How would they know to snark on SA about paper towel tubes? Like I said, it not like a innocent mention of them for a craft project is gonna get you a warning. The chance a newbie would just happen to mention SA, paper tubes, & rape in the same post is nil. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/93 "2015-07-25T19:37:21Z")
Frankly, I don’t feel that a specific rule needs to be invoked. The Tube Posting incident is pretty clearly Pit material, and bringing it up in any conversation outside the Pit as a rebuttal, counterpoint, comment on or response to **Starving Artist** ’s participation in a thread is jerkish behavior, IMHO. And yes, anyone who has any background knowledge about the incident _should_ be able to figure that out. Please note that this is coming from a Doper who has no love for **Starving Artist**. Not that that fact should give my opinion greater weight; I just want it clear that I didn’t post it as knee-jerk moderator support. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/94 "2015-07-25T20:07:07Z")
I didn’t read the Paterno thread, but did know about the rule, even though I don’t know why it’s a rule. Do I win a prize? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/95 "2015-07-25T20:12:17Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > It’s not necessarily true that someone would know about the rule even if he were aware of the controversy. Now I’m wondering if we’re not supposed to bring up the topic of sheep around a certain other poster. Nope. I doubt I can’t be too specific, but I got reamed out via PM for arguing that the same rules should apply to such mentions. In fact, I was wrong for pointing out the non-SA related one had even happened. So I know for damned sure it’s just a special rule for **Starving Artist**. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/96 "2015-07-25T20:26:11Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > FWIW, I got a warning recently for violating a mod note I didn’t see. ‘Ignorance of the law is no excuse’ is pretty much the answer I got in my protest thread, so even if we stretch credulity and assume **RNATB** really didn’t know about it, he’s been around her long enough and active in enough forums that he should have known about it. As it put to me, there’s no point if issuing mod notes and warnings if a person can avoid them simply by claiming not to have known about them. This is an inaccurate characterization of what happened. You tried to argue that you hadn’t seen it _even though you admitted to reading the mod note in question_. You argued that you didn’t think it applied to you, so you skipped a sentence. It was also made in the same thread in which you were currently posting. You are being disingenuous in comparing it to a mod note made in another thread at least a year ago. For someone who didn’t ask for the rule, you sure are keen on getting it enforced, whether it’s fair or not. EDIT: Also, I forgot to point out that what I said in my previous post was not about someone bringing up something from _my_ posting history. And I obviously meant “I doubt I can.” I rephrased and missed that when editing. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/97 "2015-07-25T21:11:15Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > As someone said upthread, anyone who’s been around the board long enough to know to use the paper towel tube thing as an insult or as a way to goad me should know very well the subject has been declared off limits outside the Pit or the Paterno thread. There was much discussion of it in this forum and a lot of mod notes were given out in the various forums for a period of several months and sporadically since then. It strains credulity that a frequent and prolific poster like **RNATB** has never heard of it before. > [@DrDeth](#): > > True- _but every poster that knows enough about SA to launch a snarky personal attack mentioning the tube_ should know about it. Seriously? > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Same. > > The idea that everyone that knows about the tube should automatically know about the rule is insane. The outdoor that expires that view project don’t hold it though and are just white knighting. Right. The paper towel thing went will beyond the original thread. Obviously, since they apparently made a rule against mentioning it. The rule itself? The OP’s warning was the first I’d ever heard about it. That one didn’t become widely known. How many threads has it been mentioned in? To expect it to be as widely known makes no logical sense whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/98 "2015-07-25T21:13:22Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I didn’t read the Paterno thread, but did know about the rule, even though I don’t know why it’s a rule. Do I win a prize? You do. But it’s [this](http://tinyurl.com/p9lfz27). ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/99 "2015-07-25T21:34:04Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I’m beginning to like the idea of a poster’s ignominy being captured for the rest of the board’s life in the rules. That’s the whole point of us not being able to edit our posts, isn’t it? So if we make an ass of ourselves, we have to live with it. It’s one of the best things about this board, I think. I don’t mind there being a rule that says discussions of the Paper-Towel Tube Incident have to be in the pit, but a) that rule has to be posted publicly, just like every other rule b) that rule shouldn’t be an insta-Warning, especially when the rule hasn’t been formalized. It should follow the normal rule process of mod notes, first. I was involved in the Incident when it went down and I only heard about the moratorium in the last month or so, when it got mentioned here in passing. If it’s a Warnable offense - and I’m not convinced it ought to be - then it needs to be handled like all other Warnable offenses. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085/100 "2015-07-25T22:46:30Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Going on record here as someone who knows all about the thing with SA and the tube-which-shall-not-be-named, and had no idea that there was a rule about it. > [@White SIFL](#): > > Same here. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Where do you get stuff like this from? I know something about the association of cylindrical, cardboard objects with the poster in question, but I didn’t know there was any rule about it in terms of what the rest of us are allowed to do. I know **SA** is a notoriously disliked poster here, but I usually skip over his posts and don’t really know much about him. > > TL;DR: I’m on the side of the OP. > [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Wouldn’t it be easier, going forward, if there are rules like this, to include them in the rules thread, so that people will actually know what they are? Please add me to this list. I knew that **SA** had made some goofy reference to paper towel tubes in that series of threads, but I had no idea that it is a warnable offence to refer to it now. I also strongly urge, in the interests of Board fairness, that if this is a rule, it should be posted on the stickies. How on earth is it fair to have a secret rule, breach of which triggers a warning?!? And, does this secret rule also apply to sheep and a certain Mod? I really need to know! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-protest/726085.md?page=6)