# Is Shodan more retarded lately, or has he maintained a consistent level of retardation all along? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 24, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530 "2012-01-24T20:31:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 26
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/501 "2012-01-28T04:02:25Z")
[QUOTE=Zeriel] And here I thought you were smart, XT. God damnit, chili is meat and chili. What you’re describing is a fine bean stew, I’m sure. [/QUOTE] Good grief…what ever gave you that impression?? :eek: As to chili, it requires beans. EVERYTHING in life (according to my mom, my grandma’s AND most of the rest of my extended family) requires beans. And cheese. And lard. And meat. Oh, and lard. Plus, if I didn’t mention it, more lard… 😉 -XT ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/502 "2012-01-28T04:09:06Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Good grief…what ever gave you that impression?? :eek: As to chili, it requires beans. EVERYTHING in life (according to my mom, my grandma’s AND most of the rest of my extended family) requires beans. And cheese. And lard. And meat. > > Oh, and lard. Plus, if I didn’t mention it, more lard… If you don’t like their chili, maybe your aunt needs to put more lard in. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/503 "2012-01-28T04:17:08Z")
According to ancient family wisdom, you can’t have enough lard…either in the skillet or on the body. Like I said, I might love it (with or without the extra lard), but it just won’t be ‘chili’. 😉 (Actually, full disclosure here…I DON’T like the chili as I’ve had it in Cincinnati. Or some places on the east coast from places like Hard Times. Sorry folks from those parts, but it’s just not to my taste. And ‘chili’ here in New Mexico is also bean-less…it generally means a bowl of chili rojo, perhaps con carne, but not necessarily. It’s not what I grew up with that was called ‘chili’, which is more the California version…we didn’t really have any equivalent that I recall in Mexico where I was born. The only reason I dislike the type from Texas is, well, it’s from Texas…'nuff said. ;)) -XT ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/504 "2012-01-28T04:18:57Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > And here I thought you were smart, XT. God damnit, chili is meat and chili. What you’re describing is a fine bean stew, I’m sure. People that dis Cincinnati chili…have never TRIED Cincinnati chili. Especially on coneys. Really only then. This ain’t your forefather’s 7-11 canned shit-squeezings on a sweaty roller-dog at 4am. Its the shizzle. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/505 "2012-01-28T04:23:51Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > People that dis Cincinnati chili…have never TRIED Cincinnati chili. You may want to rethink this statement. I’ve had it many times in Dayton, despite my pleas. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/506 "2012-01-28T05:32:02Z")
> [@SeldomSeen](#): > > Spoken like a dyed-in-the-wool Texan. Pretty funny, since I’m from PA. > [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > People that dis Cincinnati chili…have never TRIED Cincinnati chili. Hi, I’m Zeriel, I’ve got relatives and friends all over Ohio, and the chili there sucks ass. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/507 "2012-01-28T05:34:25Z")
I like Cincinnati-style chili, but only when I make it at home. The stuff at Skyline et. al. is grotacular. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/508 "2012-01-28T13:26:29Z")
**FoieGrasIsEvil,** I’m wondering where you got your impression of what liberals are about > [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > For instance, I: > > Endorse a STRONG military > Am pro-gun ownership > Am in favor of limited entitlement programs > Want government spending to be constantly watched and cut whenever necessary > I am pro-death penalty (or just pro death in general…there are worse things than dying…like dishonor, lying for a living, etc) > Want strong regulation of corporations that can prey upon people (which in my view was a traditionally held Republican belief, but no more) > Am pro-stimulation of business > Proactive foreign policy (Nixon’s biggest strength and the best of his legacy, IMO) > Protection of American interests, within reason. > Pro nuclear power exploitation I’m a liberal and I endorse a STRONG military, want government spending to be constantly watched and cut whenever necessary, want strong regulation of corporations, am pro stimulation of business, want proactive foreign policy, want protection of American interests, within reason, and am pro nuclear power exploration. I’m not a particularly exceptional liberal in those attitudes, either. > [@](#): > > …“A prick and a square…a father figure if you will…to keep Mommy the Democrat from spending all the money!” This idea that the Republicans were ever better at spending reductions than Democrats is pure fantasy. If you look at the data over the 20th century to the present, it simply is not remotely accurate. > [@](#): > > Which of course is no longer true. Unsustainable wars and debt are the demense of BOTH parties now, and it has to stop somewhere, but the configuration of the Republican Party as it is right now won’t put an end to this shit, it will only increase it. I don’t think the Dems will put the brakes on government spending either, as they seem to believe that spending more will somehow right the ship. Look around the world right now. Austerity measures have failed everywhere they have been tried. For instance, did you know that the economic slump in England has now been going on longer than our own Great Depression of the 1930’s? Check it out here: [The Greater Depression - The New York Times](http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/the-greater-depression/) People who prefer economic stimulus don’t just think it will “somehow” help. They have pretty clear economic models that have 1) been demonstrated in the past to work dramatically well in the real world (e.g. the Great Depression), and 2) have been accurately predicting the outcomes of various aspects of present efforts (see [David Frum: “It’s Time We Republicans Finally Admitted that Paul Krugman Might Be Right”).](http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-10-23/news/30312639_1_paul-krugman-spending-cuts-government-spending) > [@FoieGrasisEvil](#): > > I think we are at a tipping point in many ways, and the outlook isn’t good. Partisan politics are ruining this country and its treasury. It fucking sucks. I’m sorry to partisan all over your sentiment, but it isn’t “partisan politics” that have fucked up our country. We weren’t particularly fucked just 12 short years ago, for example. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/509 "2012-01-28T13:38:38Z")
To that last point, people superciliously dismissing the problem as “Washington” or “partisan politics” in general, without regard to _who’s actually doing it_, are perhaps the biggest part of the problem. They’re enablers. They purport to deplore it, but are actually lazily invoking the false equivalence fallacy. Saying “They all do it” or “Both parties are at fault”, with a dismissive sneer, is both factually false and irresponsibly lazy, just as much as saying or implying that “Compromise is bad” or “The other side is anti-American”. Citizenship in a democracy requires a bit more respect for reality and a bit more actual involvement in the process. Yes, your hands get dirty in the process and yes, you do have to compromise to make any progress. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/510 "2012-01-28T13:39:37Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > I certainly don’t forget about George W. Bush. I was even a volunteer at his second inauguration. With all I know now and given the choices in 2000 and 2004 I would still vote the same way I did. That’s seriously fucked up, man. I mean, seriously fucked up. > [@](#): > > I think Democrats tend to pin too much on Bush. He was not my favorite president and I did have policy disagreements with him - this did not mean that any president at that time wouldn’t have had to deal with 9/11, Iraq, Medicare Part D and a host of other things. A Democratic president had dealt very well with Iraq for the better part of a decade before Bush. Remember? I can quote Dick Cheney’s opinion at the time, if you like. > [@](#): > > And the notion that another president could have prevented 9/11 or contained Iraq without invasion is a fantasy, IMHO. Your HO is simply bullshit. Remember that “the system was blinking red”? Remember how the White House task force on terrorism simply did not meet? Bush appointed Cheney head of that body, but he didn’t even do that until May, 2001, five months into his presidency. They didn’t care. [For instance:](http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/kfiles/b43926.html) > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, Newsweek reported that when senators “sent a copy of draft legislation on counterterrorism and homeland defense to Cheney’s office on July 20,” they were told by Cheney’s top aide “that **it might be another six months** before he would be able to review the material.” [Source: Salon, 9/12/04; White House release, 5/8/01; Washington Post, 1/20/02; Newsweek, 5/27/02] _bolding mine_ This is after being specifically warned by the previous administration about the need to attend to terrorism. It was only 2 months after the Cole bombing that Bush took office, for fuck’s sake. Richard Clarke was present across the transitions, and tells a pretty clear picture of what happened. We’ll never know with any certainty whether another presidential administration would have prevented the 9/11 attacks. We do know with certainty that the administration in office at the time clearly and demonstrably was not paying attention to the matter, in stark contrast to the one that preceded it and in defiance of the larger context of warning signs at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/511 "2012-01-28T14:24:40Z")
But at least they cared about the budget deficit, right? After all, if they didn’t, their deficit-hawk base would have called them on it. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/512 "2012-01-28T14:28:12Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > That’s seriously fucked up, man. Probably the essence of complaints about right-wing thought processes: if were to have a thought experiment in which we posit a) a U.S. economy running a budgetary surplus b) with major terrorist attacks in check, and no foreign wars c) under eight years of a Democratic President followed by d) a U.S. economy running a terrific deficit e) with the biggest terrorist attack in history followed by two foreign wars f) under eight years of a Republican President IOW, the maximum possible difference in economy, terrorism/war, and partisan leadership, would everyone agree that serious leadership issues, going down to the root philosophical level, need to be closely examined (at the very least) with d), e) and f)? The fact that **Mr Moto** and other righties insist that they would vote the same exact way if they had a do-over on 2000 and 2004 (in our little thought experiment) tells me that they will never (since we’ve got the maximum difference operating here) consider having made an error in judgment. These are not reasonable people differing from us on policy issues, and people we need to consult when deciding policy matters. These are fanatics, committed to upholding and defending their side, no matter how erroneous their side can be proven to be. It was a very expensive thought experiment, and kinda rare that all the pieces fell into place so cleanly, but the conclusion (however unlikely) is very clear: righty thinking may safely be ignored. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/513 "2012-01-28T14:44:50Z")
which isn’t to say that righties can’t be discussed and addressed civilly, without all the ad hominems, gotcha points, clever wisecracks known to be factually insubstantial, etc. that posters such as **Shodan** rely on, in his case exclusively. I don’t know **Mr. Moto** and I’m obviously dismissive of his political philosophy, but somehow I think if he and I ever met, we could get along and talk politics for an hour or so civilly and perhaps enjoyably. With an asshat like **Shodan** , it would be under five minutes that I would break something inside my head eye-rolling and would have to excuse myself. ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/514 "2012-01-28T14:55:18Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > And a little more wit, and a lot more self-awareness, and good deal more raw intelligence, and a whole lot more subtlety. > > But your point–that they’re basically equals because they’re both partisans–I approve of, and wish to subcribe to your newsletter. Tastes vary. I disagree with every item above. You have an ideological sympathy… ---
**Author:** ![IdahoMauleMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71c47a/32.png) [@IdahoMauleMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IdahoMauleMan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/515 "2012-01-28T15:00:18Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > This is the kind of crap that caused me to stop posting here. I can handle a tough debate, and I can handle a pitting. But what has been happening recently is that I would post an argument and cite it, and the following exchange would take place: > > Sam: Here’s my argument. \ > Hentor or some other Ankle Biter: “Don’t listen to him! Sam Stone is a liar!” (or as close to saying that as he could get away with without breaking the rules in GD). > Sam: You have evidence of this? > Hentor: here’s a message from 2003 in which your cite didn’t match what you said! And you got smacked down in this thread, and this one, for lying. > Sam: No, I didn’t. Here everyone, here’s a link to the threads in question so you can read them. > Hentor: You’re wrong! Admit you lied!" > > Etc, ad nauseum. The problem with this is that it has _nothing_ to do with the thread or my current argument. It was pure ad-hominem attack. There is a handful of posters on this board that seemed to make it their life’s work to take everything I posted and comb the archives looking for contradictions with something I said years ago, to to build a general case that I should not be listened to regardless of what the current argument I was making happened to be. > > A side effect of this was that I not only had to be sure that my posts were heavily cited, but that the cites had to come from non-partisan sources, and those sources couldn’t be funded by someone who might have an interest, and the cites had to be very explicit in their support of what I was saying and I couldn’t ask people to generalize the point into a larger one, etc. A standard no one else, and certainly no one on the left on this board is ever held to. > I started reporting these ad-hominem attacks when they happened, and that generated a lot of warnings to people, but I hate having to do that. And the bigger problem was that it was getting to the point where my mere entry into a thread would derail it with hijacks as it turned into a “Let’s debate Sam’s character” thread instead. > > Finally, the quality of argumentation around here has declined dramatically. We haven’t just lost the good conservative posters, we’ve lost the good lefties and the good moderates as well. People Like Hellestal and Stranger on a Train don’t post as frequently as they used to, and while they don’t get personally attacked, I’ll bet their other reasons are much like mine - it’s become impossible to have a serious debate here without it being drowned out in partisan noise. > > I’ve tried several times in the recent past to start a serious discussion about libertarian ideas, and even though my OP has begged people to stay on topic and consider the specific ideas up for debate, it usually only takes a couple of posts before someone comes in and says, “Libertarians are just people who have money and don’t care about anyone else” or some other crack like that, then the chorus dives in and hijacks the thread into another libertarian-bashing extravaganza. > > I’ve been trying to get this through people’s heads here for years - you let the bomb throwers run mad on a message board, and they’ll chase away the serious people until all you’ve got left is partisans throwing mud at each other. That’s what’s happening here, and the combination of the deterioration of debate and the constant personal attacks has made it just not worth my time. Well played, Sir. Extremely well played. Only people worth reading or responding to, on this Board, for content: Sam Stone Hellestal Measure For Measure Fotheringay-Phipps MichaelReilly Scylla Shodan and Bricker for entertainment value, in that they create a tinderbox of rage and spew from the usual suspects. Exapno Mapcase for links and data and such, although his constant lecturing about how everyone who disagrees with him is dumb or stupid becomes tiresome. I suspect he’s an academic at a middle-echelon institution somewhere, trying to overcompensate for something. Since everyone above seems to be declining in posting frequency on the juicy topics, the board is definitely going downhill. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/516 "2012-01-28T18:32:11Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > Well played, Sir. Extremely well played. > > Only people worth reading or responding to, on this Board, for content: > > Sam Stone > Hellestal > Measure For Measure > Fotheringay-Phipps > MichaelReilly > Scylla > > Shodan and Bricker for entertainment value, in that they create a tinderbox of rage and spew from the usual suspects. > > Exapno Mapcase for links and data and such, although his constant lecturing about how everyone who disagrees with him is dumb or stupid becomes tiresome. I suspect he’s an academic at a middle-echelon institution somewhere, trying to overcompensate for something. > > Since everyone above seems to be declining in posting frequency on the juicy topics, the board is definitely going downhill. The quoted post above is great for its insight into thought processes of the board ultra-conservative. He knows that Bricker and Shodan are being twats, but he likes it because the people he sees as his enemies are upset at their twattiness. It doesn’t matter that those people are advocating logic, intelligence and rationality. They are on the other side of the fence and the Mauleman hates them. A list of people that meet his criteria for discussion, no one else has anything of value to say. The Mauleman is discerning. If you don’t fluff his ideological gills, you best step aside. And the cherry on top is a sideways dig at stupid academics, with their tiny penises, acting all wise and smart. But they aren’t smarter than Mauleman… no siree. A life of banal ineptitude and willful ignorance makes the Mauleman the equal of any intellectual. His corn-fed, horse-sense, gut-intuition is the equal to any amount of _book-learnin’ gosh-darnit_. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/517 "2012-01-28T19:50:26Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > Shodan and Bricker for entertainment value, in that they create a tinderbox of rage and spew from the usual suspects. Three questions: 1. Based on the above, are you saying that posting just to rile people up is acceptable behavior? 2. Who, in your view, are ‘the Usual Suspects’? Please name any three. 3. If, as often seems the case, **Bricker** and **Shodan** post simply to be a voice of political opposition rather than having a legitimate interest in a subject up for debate, are they not ‘usual suspects’ as well? If not, why not? ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/518 "2012-01-28T20:05:59Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > And the notion that another president could have prevented 9/11 or contained Iraq without invasion is a fantasy, IMHO. > [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > Your HO is simply bullshit. I think it’s a stretch to speculate any president would have prevented 9/11. From the CIA perspective, OBL needed to be taken out for a long time (the 10 years prior to 9/11), and even though Clinton did authorize some action against him, it clearly wasn’t enough. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/519 "2012-01-28T20:11:44Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Based on the above, are you saying that posting just to rile people up is acceptable behavior? No, posting **just** to rile people up is not acceptable. Posting **even though** it riles people up is perfectly acceptable. > [@](#): > > If, as often seems the case, **Bricker** and **Shodan** post simply to be a voice of political opposition rather than having a legitimate interest in a subject up for debate, are they not ‘usual suspects’ as well? If not, why not? Because it is never the case that I post simply to be a voice of opposition rather than having a legitimate interest in a subject. (I don’t believe it is the case for **Bricker** either.) You are making the usual asinine mistake - equating “posting something I don’t like” with trolling. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530/520 "2012-01-28T20:17:58Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No, posting **just** to rile people up is not acceptable. Posting **even though** it riles people up is perfectly acceptable. Because it is never the case that I post simply to be a voice of opposition rather than having a legitimate interest in a subject. (I don’t believe it is the case for **Bricker** either.) > > You are making the usual asinine mistake - equating “posting something I don’t like” with trolling. > > Regards, > Shodan I’ve often thought that Bricker sometimes argues just for the sport of it and to stay in practice. A lot of it is cheap tricks, but he does them quite well. That and he is a wee bit trollish. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shodan-more-retarded-lately-or-has-he-maintained-a-consistent-level-of-retardation-all-along/610530.md?page=27)