# Is the "Shopping channel snark" experiment a failure? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 27, 2015, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982 "2015-01-27T04:54:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/21 "2015-01-27T18:45:46Z")
**Honey** , here’s the main issue from my point of view… Have you ever been a squid or goat wrangler? Have you ever had to keep them prepared for a mass initiation at a moment’s warning? When was the last time you had to clean the goat pen? Or for that matter, put on goggles and breath through a hose while you’re cleaning out the squid tank while they’re squirting ink in your face just to piss you off? Frankly, I’m beginning to miss the AOL SD days when we just had the scorpion pit. Especially Snowball, she had hell of a sense of humor. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/22 "2015-01-27T18:50:28Z")
They see ads. It’s a revenue thingie. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/23 "2015-01-27T20:10:15Z")
> [@LouLou7](#): > > And a lot of the posters on this board are very_single minded_ in their posting interests. Seconding this - I very rarely post outside the mini-rants threads, but would prefer that to not be a mod-able offense. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/24 "2015-01-27T21:08:25Z")
I don’t see how the thread could be considered an experiment, but it has certainly tuned into a psychological experiment. It’s utterly fascinating that they’re still bothering you enough to start a thread abbout them. ---
**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:** [January 27, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/25 "2015-01-27T22:08:27Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > They see ads. It’s a revenue thingie. I first read this as, “It’s a revenge thingie.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/26 "2015-01-27T23:21:19Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > **Is the “Shopping channel snark” experiment a failure?** A) It’s an experiment? In what way? Says who? B) No, Straight Dope Chicago was a failed experiment - Ed has already announced the impeding death of the forum. (The Barn House was less an experiment and more a pet project. Not quite the same thing, but same result.) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/27 "2015-01-27T23:46:09Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > A) It’s an experiment? In what way? Says who? Along the same lines, “an unprecedented move” to allow people to join the site and post in threads? Uh, am I doing something wrong here? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/28 "2015-01-27T23:54:09Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > I have had several of the new posters tell me how interesting they find this board, so I think you’ll see more posts from some of them in the future. Don’t we normally want new members/guests to hang back a little, to get the lay of the land? > > It would have been worse if all those new members came here, and immediately started creating several new threads, and began posting all over every forum. Give them time to see how things work here. (grumpily) Okay. :mad: Actually, I like you people and look forward to more coming over and also spreading out, but having a thread for you (and me–you’ll notice I’ve posted several times) is different, and different scares me. 😉 > [@running\_coach](#): > > Except they’re too polite. It’s like they’re Canadian or something. And there’s this. I expect a bit more bite from professional snarkers, even Canadian ones, like **Bryan Ekers**. Tell us how you REALLY feel. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/29 "2015-01-27T23:58:48Z")
The experiment was to see if they could manage to post without getting banned _en masse_, like on their other board. When we let them in they may have been huddled masses yearning to breathe free, but they were also damaged goods. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/30 "2015-01-28T00:00:40Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > (grumpily) Okay. :mad: > > Actually, I like you people and look forward to more coming over and also spreading out, but having a thread for you (and me–you’ll notice I’ve posted several times) is different, and different scares me. 😉 Huh, I was guessing you were an employee or stockholder in one of the Shopping Channel companies and were cheezed off about the snark. That would have been more fun. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2015, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/31 "2015-01-28T00:16:05Z")
At least it wasn’t an entire forum full of people who want to discuss global warming. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/32 "2015-01-28T00:49:34Z")
Speaking of that, **FX** … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/33 "2015-01-28T02:48:42Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > The experiment was to see if they could manage to post without getting banned _en masse_, like on their other board. When we let them in they may have been huddled masses yearning to breathe free, but they were also damaged goods. 😃 IIRC they were NOT banned en masse. I think a popular thread got locked, and since the forum they were on was truly draconian as far as moderation, they decided to find someplace else to snark. ETA: I know you were kind of joking about them being “damaged goods,” but if you had any experience with the board from whence they came, that wouldn’t have even occurred to you. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/34 "2015-01-28T04:02:13Z")
“Kind of joking?” ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/35 "2015-01-28T04:15:19Z")
Perhaps I need to put smilies and winkies and such all over everything I post. I did that for years but grew tired of it. For gosh sakes, I’m rarely entirely serious and this thread, where I’m complaining about special treatment of some very nice people? It’s like kicking puppies, and I thought my over the top OP was obviously not intended entirely seriously. However, and there is always a however, whatever I say, I am not entirely comfortable with their “special treatment,” as I see it. But if nobody else is I’m good with that, as long as we keep the RV crowd out. A board must have its standards. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/36 "2015-01-28T06:43:41Z")
Nobody’s getting special treatment – what the hell is wrong with you? “Standards”? This is a board where people come and spill the most outrageous TMI possible. It’s not possible to have “standards” around here. Get over yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/37 "2015-01-28T07:14:47Z")
The OP is giving me a total nerd attack over here. I can’t help think of that DS9 episode wherein those refugees came from the gamma quadrant looking for sanctuary. They soon come to the conclusion that Bajor was destine to be their new home. But alas, the Bajoran government tells them to go pound sand because they don’t want to bare the burden of responsibility. Then the head refugee lady says: “We coulda helped you out man! we’re fucking farmers! We could’a made your dead lands thrive again. C’ya fuckers!” Kira realizing her mistake weeps. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2015, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/38 "2015-01-28T07:35:00Z")
Special treatment would only be if they were allowed to open more than one thread on the subject. That’s when the rule about only posting in one topic becomes relevant. If the rule were as you state, the people who only played Mafia would have been kicked out, too. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/39 "2015-01-28T12:59:45Z")
I propose an experiment: Somebody open a **Pit** thread on the **OP** and let the “refugees” snark on him! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982/40 "2015-01-28T13:39:27Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > All right, we’ll give them some space but we don’t want the Irish! > > 😉 I rish you hadn’t said that. :mad: 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-shopping-channel-snark-experiment-a-failure/710982.md?page=3)