# I would like clarification of a rule
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [June 16, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894 "2006-06-16T03:12:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/1 "2006-06-16T03:12:52Z")
My question really revolves around the use of the Putz smiley.
In this [post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7492494&postcount=112) , Frank says that the use of the Putz smiley is forbidden outside of The Pit. Is that true? If so, since when has this been a rule? I’ve looked and can’t find anything to verify that statement.
Now, I did see [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4370655&postcount=2) in the rules sticky in GD.It says that the putz smiley can’t be used in GD with the caveat that it can’t be directed at a fellow poster. Seems like a fair rule but it isn’t a total ban on using the smiley.
So is the use of the putz smiley forbidden outside of The Pit? Or does the limit of not directing it at other posters hold sway? Can I use it if I am calling myself a putz or somebody who isn’t a poster on these boards?
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/2 "2006-06-16T03:16:38Z")
I’ve used the putz smiley outside of the pit! Either referring to myself or something off boards. I’m surprised.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/3 "2006-06-16T03:40:11Z")
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> So is the use of the putz smiley forbidden outside of The Pit? Or does the limit of not directing it at other posters hold sway? Can I use it if I am calling myself a putz or somebody who isn’t a poster on these boards?
I worded my sentence poorly.
**Anaamika** nailed it. The smiley may not be used _against other posters_ outside the Pit. If you want to use it against yourself, George Bush, or Howard Dean, feel free. Just don’t be, umm… ambiguous.
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### Author:  [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/4 "2006-06-16T08:22:51Z")
Why on earth is the smiley even considered an insult? It’s winking. I can’t think of one instance in my life where someone winked at me while calling me a name and I took the name seriously.
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/5 "2006-06-16T08:40:15Z")
It’s the word in the balloon; to some, “putz” is an insult.
“Putz” is one of those multi-purpose words, it means different things to different people.
Probably the most widely known application is in the vulgar sense, where it equates to penis. Putz = dick.
It’s also used to refer to someone as a dolt, a fool. 'That simple putz!"
And it’s a verb, as in “to putz around,” to mess around with no real purpose, to waste time, again, to be foolish.
We originally had the putz smiley as a remembrance of a tagline and someone who, in retrospect, turned out to be more and less than what we knew. This is another reason some people find it useful as an insult.
For all of these reasons, context and placement pertains. That’s why the rule.
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### Author:  [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/6 "2006-06-16T15:55:19Z")
Why don’t we retire the smiley then? Or at least remove the putz ballon? It might eliminate the occasional confusion.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/7 "2006-06-16T16:21:32Z")
> [@CaveMike](#):
>
> Or at least remove the putz ballon? It might eliminate the occasional confusion.
Without the “putz” balloon, it wouldn’t be a “putz,” now would it? Without the putz, it’s just a winky.
Personally, I would prefer to consolidate two little-used smileys, and have the “happy Jewish man” saying “putz”. 🙂
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/8 "2006-06-16T16:43:53Z")
Top five losers to the “putz” smiley:
1. The “Don Rickles” smiley
2. The “Sam Kinison” smiley
3. The “George Carlin” smiley
4. The “Lenny Bruce” smiley
…and…the number 1 rejected smiley…
1. The “Andrew Dice Clay” smiley
YSMV
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/9 "2006-06-16T16:45:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#):
>
> Without the “putz” balloon, it wouldn’t be a “putz,” now would it? Without the putz, it’s just a winky.
>
> Personally, I would prefer to consolidate two little-used smileys, and have the “happy Jewish man” saying “putz”. 🙂
Ooo, brilliant. I second this. How come you never brought this up in the smiley threads before? This is _genius_.
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### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/10 "2006-06-16T16:58:45Z")
> [@fetus](#):
>
> Why on earth is the smiley even considered an insult? It’s winking. I can’t think of one instance in my life where someone winked at me while calling me a name and I took the name seriously.
Mostly because of the irritating tendency of posters to apparently not notice the winking and try to use it as an insult.
Rolleyes is the one that enrages me; I don’t get why that one’s allowed outside the pit.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/11 "2006-06-16T18:12:15Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Why don’t we retire the smiley then? Or at least remove the putz ballon? It might eliminate the occasional confusion.
I think the proper solution woud be to leave the smiley active, but to remove the button in the reply window to automatically add it. That way, it’d remain in old threads, so as not to break the context, but most folks would stop using it in new posts, and eventually, folks would more or less forget about it.
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/12 "2006-06-16T18:25:49Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> I think the proper solution woud be to leave the smiley active, but to remove the button in the reply window to automatically add it. That way, it’d remain in old threads, so as not to break the context, but most folks would stop using it in new posts, and eventually, folks would more or less forget about it.
In this scenario, could it still be used by typing : wally?
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/13 "2006-06-16T18:36:57Z")
> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> Ooo, brilliant. I second this. How come you never brought this up in the smiley threads before? This is _genius_.
Thank you. However, previous to just a few minutes ago, I have spent an extremely limited time thinking about either the “putz” or the “happy orthodox Jewish man.”
;j :wally ;j :wally ;j :wally ;j :wally ;j :wally ;j :wally ;j :wally OY!
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### Author:  [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2006, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/14 "2006-06-16T19:29:09Z")
> [@Colibri](#):
>
> Personally, I would prefer to consolidate two little-used smileys, and have the “happy Jewish man” saying “putz”. 🙂
A happy putz smiley then?
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2006, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/15 "2006-06-17T06:58:28Z")
> [@Gfactor](#):
>
> A happy putz smiley then?
There is only a small percentile who enjoys a putzing gentile! ;j
(Has the score of Spamalot)
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/16 "2006-06-17T16:15:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> I think the proper solution woud be to leave the smiley active, but to remove the button in the reply window to automatically add it. That way, it’d remain in old threads, so as not to break the context, but most folks would stop using it in new posts, and eventually, folks would more or less forget about it.
Great idea!
We need a “Yecchhh” emoticon.
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### Author:  [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/17 "2006-06-17T16:30:15Z")
> [@Excalibre](#):
>
> Mostly because of the irritating tendency of posters to apparently not notice the winking and try to use it as an insult.
>
> Rolleyes is the one that enrages me; I don’t get why that one’s allowed outside the pit.
You can roll your eyes at an idea, but you can’t call an idea a putz.
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### Author:  [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2006, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/18 "2006-06-17T18:51:48Z")
Enraged by a mere smiley? Not a good sign. :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/19 "2006-06-19T16:56:37Z")
When is the Dope going to have a "Vote upon the Emoticon??
I think the time is ripe.
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### Author:  [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-like-clarification-of-a-rule/360894/20 "2006-06-20T22:07:06Z")
Yes, many posters are enraged–
It seems they’ve got a gripe.
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