# Joke threads in the pit/self pitting **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 25, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198 "2009-07-25T04:21:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/1 "2009-07-25T04:21:18Z")
-I seem to see more of these lately without intervention. Are they acceptable now? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/2 "2009-07-25T14:22:31Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > -I seem to see more of these lately without intervention. Are they acceptable now? Have you reported the ones you see? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/3 "2009-07-25T14:33:07Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Have you reported the ones you see? Would you like me to ? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/4 "2009-07-25T14:52:26Z")
Absolutely. Please do. I’m the only active moderator in the Pit right now. If you see something, please don’t assume I’ve looked at it and approved. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/5 "2009-07-25T14:59:55Z")
I see you’ve already moved the thread that I had in mind. So I’ll assume the answer to my question is no. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/6 "2009-07-25T15:06:35Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > I see you’ve already moved the thread that I had in mind. > > So I’ll assume the answer to my question is no. 😃 The answer is basically, “no.” If a thread gets reported for not belonging in the Pit, I’ll probably move it. I closed one the other day because it didn’t really fit in MPSIMS, either. If you see more, please report them. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/7 "2009-07-25T17:47:23Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > I see you’ve already moved the thread that I had in mind. > > So I’ll assume the answer to my question is no. I’ll presume you had in mind the **Boyo Jim** joke thread originally opened in the Pit. But why was **Mighty Girl** ’s post moved? The only rule I can suss out is Pit threads must be directed to other board members directly (as in “I pit Kimmy\_Gibbler”) or indirectly, by pitting groups known to be represented on the board (as in “I pit urban-dwelling gun control advocates”). Pittings directed to strangers to the board (as in “I pit this woman I ran into today at the medical clinic who does not belong to this board”) go into MPSIMS. So I put it to **Gfactor** : Is this a correct formulation of the rule? I’d like to think this is a little less vague than a mere ban on “joke threads.” ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/8 "2009-07-25T21:01:18Z")
Here is the text of the rule: > [@](#): > > Rants should be suitable for the Pit > > Cutesy, “I Pit puppies for being sooo cute!” non-Pittings are not welcome here. Put them in MPSIMS. Rants which are genuine but simply too tepid or mundane for the Pit will be moved or closed as we see fit. Lastly, rants about personal trauma that are expected to generate mostly supportive, sympathetic responses will likely be moved to MPSIMS. This is not a commentary on the seriousness of said life events, merely on the best forum for that type of thread. > **[Revised Forum Rules for the BBQ Pit: read this before posting](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=507985)** > > The BBQ Pit is the forum for rants about the outside world or quarrels between posters - often the first turns into the second. Although the standards of discourse are looser than in the other forums, the Pit is NOT a free-for-all - you don’t have to... ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/9 "2009-07-25T21:08:46Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > So I put it to **Gfactor** : Is this a correct formulation of the rule? I’d like to think this is a little less vague than a mere ban on “joke threads.” Nope. That was one of my many screwups. I moved it back. Gfactor Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/10 "2009-07-25T21:43:03Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Nope. That was one of my many screwups. I moved it back. > > Gfactor > Moderator Oh, that’s kind of regrettable. It strikes me as a good rule the more I think about it. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joke-threads-in-the-pit-self-pitting/504198/11 "2009-08-01T23:09:48Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > Oh, that’s kind of regrettable. It strikes me as a good rule the more I think about it. It would, but people enjoy the egregious use of profanity in those type of threads. Heck, I think it’s often more appropriate against non-Dopers.