I see, you’re going to defend your stance, just as last time, in light of people telling you exactly what was wrong. You know, I’m trying to be helpful and all, but it feels like I’m trying to help a tree to not be made of wood.
**
Hey, you knob, you typed “?” What the fuck is eloquent about a question mark? Even if one reads the title alone as the OP “Is this a stupid question?” that does nothing to spark conversation as the answer to that question is either “Yes” or “No.” Neither the title nor the question mark is eloquent nor do they convey any of the thoughts you claim, in the OP of this thread, you wished to express.
**
I’m finding this increasingly difficult to believe, although I have been trying to give you the benefit of the doubt.
**
And you end with a non-apology. You thought it was a fair question? It wasn’t a question, it was punctuation. Maybe you should try having the form and intent of your OPs mesh in the future. If you want your ideas known, make them clear.
Well, there’s the problem right there! You misunderstood the lesson. The point is that five well-selected words will do the job just as well as fifty other words. You have evidently jumped to the conclusion that less words is better and therefore no words is best. Usually, that’s incorrect. But, from what I’ve seen of your blather…er, postings, not only a complete lack of words but also a complete lack of punctuation might well be best.
Finally, here’s a real-life application of a lesson from Star Trek. You may remember the episode in which Kirk and the rest of a landing team get transported to an alternate universe. In their original universe, Spock made the observation that it is easy for civilized people to behave as barbarians, but it is impossible for barbarians to behave as civilized people. Since you are not eloquent, it is impossible for you to recognize that fact.
The evidence has already been shown you and you ignored it many times.
Bullshit. See both your comment and mine below.
See above about the lesson from Star Trek. But in this instance, substitute “brain-dead people” for “barbarians” and “eloquent people” for “civilized.”
NEWS FLASH! This is the Straight Dope Message Board, not the Miss Cleo Message Board. Nobody here can tell what your intentions are. Well, other than the incredibly obvious trolling.
You people do have a habit of ganging up, you know! Xanakis’ question was in the title of the thread, wasn’t it? Okay, so maybe he’s a bit crazy but it’s the crazy ones that make message boards so much fun. Isn’t he also the one who insisted that a dying bird would take one final flight in search of food? In that thread entitled “Why aren’t there thousands of dead birds everywhere?” That was so cute. And these moderators who like closing threads - what pleasure do they get out of it anyway?
Thank you pennylane for your (unexpected) support. I almost blushed when you remembered one of my other (slightly more sensible) threads.
Yes, the question I was posing was contained within the title of the thread - “Is this a stupid question?”. I only posted the “?” in the main body of the post because I thought you had to write something or it wouldnt post.
I didnt want to add any more words to my question because I thought this may detract peoples minds from what was essentially a very simple question.
Basically, I gave as much information out about the subject as I thought people needed. As I have already said, evidently I was wrong about this and should have given a clearer explanation of what I was thinking but this is hindsight - at the time I posted the question I was convinced that that was absolutely the best way to pose it.
Monty:
Thank you for your kind words and your pinpoint accuracy in your assessment of my eloquence. In future, I will strive to be more like you and emulate your Shakespearean level of eloquence.
You are a lesson for us all. I, for one, have learnt so much from you. No really, I mean it, you have taught me so much.
Unless of course your words in the OP of this thread are untrue:
Since your thread title was “Is this a stupid question” and the only info inside the OP was the punctuation, our reasonable interpretation of either would be ‘is the question ‘is this a stupid question’ itself a stupid question’ OR is a punctuation mark alone a stupid question.
Neither seem particularly interesting, debatable or, in fact having any resemblence to the quote I pulled above.
You screwed up by trying to be cute, and have been trying to wriggle out of admitting same since then.
Your choices are thus:
Continue this waffling “I’m really quite correct, you all just weren’t smart enough -or whatever- to figure out that it was really a clever way of starting a thread”
Admit you screwed up and don’t do it again.
or
Drop the issue entirely and just not do it again.
I’d suggest #2 or 3.
Also, in the future, if a mod takes an action that you wonder about, disagree with or whatever, it’s ok, preferred even to email them and ask why , vs. compounding the issue with a pit thread complaining about your thread being locked.
These aren’t the Treasures of the Lost Island ya know, it’s only a thread on a message board.
Hey look, Ive also learnt to use vB code (that makes my argument all the more powerful, right?):
So, you admit you are a lesson then. I can’t wait to see what lesson you have in store for us next, oh great teacher. Please let me be one of the first to hear your great wisdom, oh almighty Lord.
If you’ve got something to actually say then I’ll listen to you but, until then, it’s probably best if you shut up.
Xanakis, your basic problem is that you’re trying very hard to be clever and/or deep, and failing miserably. That was your problem with the “experiment” thread, and that’s your problem here. Very, VERY few people here are impressed by you. Most of us have seen it done many times before, usually by kids between the ages of 12 and 18. It’s sort of like the very sincere poetry that kids of that age tend to write. While the writer thinks that s/he’s expressing things that no one else has ever felt, or expressed half so well, in truth it’s all very old.
Say that again. But this time, say it while you’re looking in a mirror.
Don’t pull any more of these little stunts. You’re on thin ice as it is, any more trick questions and I’ll remove your posting privileges until you grow up.
Wow, I’ve never seen this amount of arrogance in such a clueless hump before.
Maybe you should follow your own advice and shut the fuck up before you make an even bigger fool of yourself.
And pennylane:
If it looks like a gang-up that’s because this is the second time xanakis has pulled this shit (with the same thread title in the Pit) and then proceeds to defend his actions even after it’s been spelled out for him what he did wrong. The rules are not a burden, they are not difficult to understand, nor are they unreasonable.
It’s already been explained here why the question didn’t belong in that forum. Try to keep up, ok?
No, it’s the crazy ones who waste bandwidth with their bullshit they think is cute.
My argument is not with you or any other Mods, at the moment Im arguing with Monty. For the record:
I would like to thank the SDMB for a wonderful time the last coupla weeks, even the insults were funny. I dont mind insults if they’re funny (in fact I quite like them).
the SDMB is, I think, the best message board Ive encountered on the net. You can ask any question that may cross your mind and reasonably expect an answer (of some kind).
if somebody like Monty presents themselves for an argument, I am willing to accomodate them. I quite enjoy a good argument. But only if its a good one where both sides make good points.
people suggested I abandon the xanakis motif but I thought, why bother? xanakis is John in ancient greek which is my real name.
I really am not trying to be clever or deep, im sorry if you got this impression. Im just me, and I say what I think.
I promise I wont ask any more trick questions but, honestly, I didnt think the last one was a trick question, I meant it genuinely.
Can we put all the grad school jokes on hold, im 34.
