# Manhattan: wake up call or whiny bitch? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 25, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439 "2005-05-25T15:07:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/81 "2005-05-25T18:57:23Z")
Gotta add, **Bricker** , anyone reading your link would get to the point where you admitted you never actually had an argument in the first place. Just so you don’t leave a false impression here, ya know. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/82 "2005-05-25T18:58:06Z")
> [@Orual](#): > > I am the very model of a commie-pinko-liberal. Oh, damn—now I’ve got _that_ tune running through my head . . . ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/83 "2005-05-25T19:02:06Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Since no one, apart from me, was doing anything of the sort, I felt that leaving his posts unanswered would have the effect of miring down the entire debate. **Sampiro** was making some EXECELLENT points; had I responded to him without addressing **Scott\_plaid** , it seemed to me I ran the risk of losing the audience. No, you lose the audience by addressing the incoherence. You’re allowed to pick the fights you want to fight. > [@](#): > > And this goes back to the request that posters criticize the people on their own side when they offer garbage instead of reason… Yet, when this happens, as in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=317431) thread, you choose to ignore that it has happened. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/84 "2005-05-25T19:16:17Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Now, if you were to maintain that the theofacist god-goons are a legitimate segment of the “right”, their absence on these boards might be construed as reflecting a bias, their views are not, by and large, reflected. I will not pretend that I respect their arguments as worthy of debate. Nor will I pretend that their absence is a result of some intellectual bias, the Board is equally disdainful of flat-earthers, and for much the same reason. Well, Lucy, it’s just that you seem to think that everybody to the right of Ted Kennedy is a “theofascist godgoon.” One of the most laughable things about pointy-headed liberal bigots such as yourself is that you make this huge pretense of being open-minded, tolerant and full of good will, when it’s painfully obvious to everyone else that you’re bursting with self-righteous hatred. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/85 "2005-05-25T19:25:11Z")
I’m honestly very torn about this. Manhattan was a doper that I moderately respected. He could express himself intelligently but had a tendency to fall back into snark when pressed. On rare occasions, he was simply a bastard. That side of him I will not miss. As a moderate who skews left occasionally (I blame that on being left handed.), I would hate to see the board descend into raving liberalism. Without Manhattan, the right side of this board is smaller. That I will miss. This may just be because my perspective is skewed since I started posting frequently during an election year, but I felt that the board was starting to quiet down and maybe balance out a bit. To say that now the board is becoming uncomfortable for the right seems a bit silly. This last part I will apologize for in advance. It’s my own personal feelings and it’s a bit harsh. I’m not going to defend it. It’s just my point of view. Quitting the board because of politics? What the fuck is that? That has to be the dumbest goddamn reason that I have heard of in my time on the board. Boo fucking hoo. There are more liberals than conservatives. Cry me a river. I do have respect for Manhattan, but that doesn’t change how I feel about this. He’s a fucking quitter. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/86 "2005-05-25T19:31:40Z")
As I’m rather busy today refining my shrieking harpy act, I’ll just say that **manny** went out like a punk. “Waaaah, the meanies are all pounding on me after I called them doody-heads!” Boo-freakin’-hoo. The only disappointment about **manhattan’s** departure is that it means there’s now more onus on folks like **Bricker, Shodan,** and **Clothahump** to carry the conservative propaganda on the SDMB – which is like losing Yao Ming from your basketball team and getting two asthematic midgets as a substitute. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/87 "2005-05-25T19:38:51Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Oh, damn—now I’ve got _that_ tune running through my head . . . Yeah, but at least (I’m willing to bet) you’ve got it running through _your_ head with the original Gilbert & Sullivan lyrics attached. I, OTOH, am hearing Tom Lehrer singing the names of the entire Periodic Table of Elements to that tune. I blame it on a misspent youth. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/88 "2005-05-25T19:45:54Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yeah, but at least (I’m willing to bet) you’ve got it running through _your_ head with the original Gilbert & Sullivan lyrics attached. > > I, OTOH, am hearing Tom Lehrer singing the names of the entire Periodic Table of Elements to that tune. I blame it on a misspent youth. Dodged the first. Caught by the second. Damn you RT. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/89 "2005-05-25T20:08:07Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > No, you lose the audience by addressing the incoherence. I’d welcome more voices on this. Is it better to respond to an incoherent poster, and pick apart his incoherence, or just let it slide, trusting that the audience isn’t lost? > [@](#): > > Yet, when this happens, as in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=317431) thread, you choose to ignore that it has happened. Very valid criticism. I never returned to the thread, and I should have. I do appreciate when it happens, and maybe _I_ should work on saying that more. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/90 "2005-05-25T20:18:41Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I’ll say what I said in the ATMB thread: I’ve considered this move - just leaving - myself more than once. Don’t, okay? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/91 "2005-05-25T20:24:29Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > You really are being a dumbshit here. Disagreement does not equal beating. I might add, your violent and scatalogical metaphors for message board interactions are really getting out of hand. For me, your response is a perfect example of what’s wrong here. I did not offend you. I wasn’t even thinking of you. You didn’t listen to the point I was making. You’re used to shooting back at me. Just because it’s me. And that “getting out of hand” business — I think what’s getting out of hand is pointless and direct personal jabs like you just posted. I mentioned no one by name except Manny, and that only to defend him. I’m not a dumbshit. I didn’t say that disagreement equals beating. If I speak of the tide of opinion, it doesn’t mean that I equate opinion with the ocean. But what’s sad is that you know that. You do know that. You do. It’ just… what’s the use… Gah. Well. You win. Lib out. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/92 "2005-05-25T20:31:41Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > If I speak of the tide of opinion, it doesn’t mean that I equate opinion with the ocean. You are partly correct; I should not have used the word dumbshit. You consistently and almost without fail choose to use the most scabrous metaphor that springs to your mind at the moment you are writing. That’s just nasty, and it does offend me. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/93 "2005-05-25T20:41:44Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > > [@RTFirefly](#): > > > > Yeah, but at least (I’m willing to bet) you’ve got it running through your head with the original Gilbert & Sullivan lyrics attached. > > > > I, OTOH, am hearing Tom Lehrer singing the names of the entire Periodic Table of Elements to that tune. I blame it on a misspent youth. > > Dodged the first. Caught by the second. Damn you RT. Try skipping to “Vatican Rag” – it’s got a good beat, you can dance to it. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/94 "2005-05-25T20:50:57Z")
I find “Copa Cabana” seems to drive out any earworm (and replace it, of course). ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/95 "2005-05-25T21:00:13Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I’d welcome more voices on this. > > Is it better to respond to an incoherent poster, and pick apart his incoherence, or just let it slide, trusting that the audience isn’t lost? I don’t agree that you lose anything by entering into debates with the likes of **scott\_plaid**. I find those conversations interesting to watch in much the same way it is interesting to watch the Washington Generals play the Harlem Globetrotters. You know from the start who’s going to win, the fun part is the skill with which they do so. On the other hand, I don’t think you need to feel _compelled_ to argue with them. Anyone dumb enough to not see their bullshit for what it is, isn’t smart enough to follow your counter-arguments. Use people like that as a Socratic-style sounding board to get your own points across, but don’t worry that more than a very small minority is going to take them seriously if their posts go unanswered. Plus, if you don’t say anything, someone else will be along shortly to take up the slack. I suspect a lot of people don’t post to those sorts of arguments because one poster has already adequatly covered everything that needs to be said. ---
**Author:** ![Boldface\_Type](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@Boldface\_Type](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boldface_Type)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/96 "2005-05-25T21:02:21Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Manhattan is not a quitter. > > A man who is being beaten by a mob is not a quitter when he stops fighting and runs away. He is smart. And they are cowards. This is not a mob, no-one is being beaten, and we are not fighting. Perspective - it’s not just for art’s sake. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/97 "2005-05-25T21:04:01Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > So I could either get mad, or not even open the threads. A lot of times when I do post in a debate now it’s just a factual sidebar or correction, which people ignore anyhow. LOL!\* The surplus of conservative posters there is one reason I don’t hang out at a board that belongs to, well, I won’t say except that it rhymes with the 21st letter of the alphabet. Since I like all the people there I don’t want to lose respect for them by listening to heartfelt beliefs which I would normally associate with, well, morons. 😃 However, considering where Mr Adams’ column is usually published, alternative newspapers better known for their, uh, _interesting_ classifieds than their adherence to conservative beliefs, I am not surprised that there might be more people here who consider themselves liberal than conservative. - - I swear to God, that is the first time I’ve used “LOL” here in ages and I don’t intend to do it again. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/98 "2005-05-25T21:05:37Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I don’t agree that you lose anything by entering into debates with the likes of **scott\_plaid**. I find those conversations interesting to watch in much the same way it is interesting to watch the Washington Generals play the Harlem Globetrotters. You know from the start who’s going to win, the fun part is the skill with which they do so. Nitpick: there’s one thing **Bricker** might lose, and that’s patience. If he’s having fun, more power to him; but if, **Bricker** , you’re thinking of hanging up the hat because you feel compelled to respond to blowhards, I’d rather you just ignore them. Consider that if you don’t respond, they’re going to claim in later threads that you departed in defeat. And if you do respond, they’re going to claim in later threads that you departed in defeat. You’ve obviously said things I disagree with, and vice versa. But I enjoy your presence: I very rarely see you engage in nastiness, and I frequently learn something from you (despite my objection to your emphasis on process, I acknowledge it as a powerful force in the world, and I’m delighted to learn about its intricacies in US law). Daniel ---
**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:** [May 25, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/99 "2005-05-25T21:07:03Z")
Oh, in answer to the question posed in the thread title, manhattan quit like a whiny bitch and I’m totally jealous that Ed started a thread to announce it because I doubt he would for any of the rest of us were we to whine and run. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439/100 "2005-05-25T21:09:07Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yeah, but at least (I’m willing to bet) you’ve got it running through _your_ head with the original Gilbert & Sullivan lyrics attached. > > I, OTOH, am hearing Tom Lehrer singing the names of the entire Periodic Table of Elements to that tune. I blame it on a misspent youth. :eek: I never knew the two songs used the same music before! :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manhattan-wake-up-call-or-whiny-bitch/305439.md?page=6)