# “Mundane, Pointless”, as in Beirut? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 5, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370 "2020-08-05T21:46:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/21 "2020-08-06T05:37:20Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > Why can’t we call it “Things I Must Share”? I know this is a discussion, and not a vote, but I do like this suggestion from neliebly. Or, just shorten the current title, “Stuff I Must Share”. At least when I click on the hamburger and get the category listing, “Mundane Point” is the first category. I hadn’t realized that news gets put in the same category, but then I don’t often read by category. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/22 "2020-08-06T05:53:19Z")
My opinion? “News and Stuff” sounds better than “News and Discussion.” “Stuff I Must Share” is a good idea too. Yes, the OP has a point. 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/23 "2020-08-06T06:15:34Z")
Yes, to the idea of a new forum. > [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Personally I’d like to see a News/Current Affairs forum. And yes to this suggested name. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/24 "2020-08-06T06:25:54Z")
One minor argument against changing the names of any of the forums is that newbies might become confused when reading old posts and seeing forums referenced by their old names. The obvious solution in the case of MPSIMS is to come up with a new and better name that has the same initials as the old one. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/25 "2020-08-06T06:32:12Z")
My Post: Stuff I Must Share ETA: I’m all in favour of actually making a new forum. If we could have the stupid Barn one, or the Marketplace, or Thread Games, or Quarantine Zone, we can have this. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/26 "2020-08-06T06:34:51Z")
There’s another reason for a change _now_ to add a new forum added for News/Current Affairs. It’s now possible with the new software to mute a forum if you’re not interested in that part of SDMB. That makes it more important that each forum contains a sensible subset of threads. It has always been odd that MPSIMS contains the silliest stuff AND some of the most serious stuff - dramatic breaking news. I’d like to be able to mute out the silly stuff from my main page, and just go look at MPSIMS occasionally when I have time. I think MPSIMS should stay just as it is for casual bantery type threads, and we should put News/Current Affairs in a new forum. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/27 "2020-08-06T06:37:15Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > because there must have been a good reason they always did it this way before “Must have”? No. “Might have”? Yes. The point is, if you don’t know what the reason was/is, how do you know whether it was a good one, or whether it still applies? This is all a general philosophical point about change, which may be of limited relevance in this particular thread. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/28 "2020-08-06T06:39:03Z")
Doing some searching, I find that there have been threads about re-naming MPSIMS before, but apparently our dear departed TubaDiva was resistant to the idea. > [@Renaming MPSIMS](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renaming-mpsims/250452): > > I’m sure this had been brought up countless times before, but I just have to chime in to say that “Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)” is a terrible title for that forum. Basically, I have to point out that many of the discussions that go on in that forum are far from mundane and/or pointless to a lot of posters. So, I’ll cut right to the chase with my suggestion for a better title for the forum… “Everyday Life” Short, yet concise. While everyday life is full of “mundane, pointless… > [@A modest proposal re MPSIMS](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-proposal-re-mpsims/359968): > > Not every thread started in MPSIMS is mundane or pointless. It’s a forum name that seems ill-suited for the range of themes, thoughts, emotions and stories posted there. To replace “MPSIMS” I propose [gallimaufry](http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2003/12/11.html). Any takers? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/29 "2020-08-06T06:41:25Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The obvious solution in the case of MPSIMS is to come up with a new and better name that has the same initials as the old one. That doesn’t solve the underlying confusing issue that the designated contents of the forum make little sense. It contains the silly bantery threads, and the most serious threads for dramatic breaking news often involving death and destruction. You can’t come up with a name that will make sense to people when the contents of the forum fundamentally make no sense. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/30 "2020-08-06T06:54:24Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > How about “ **Meaningful or Pointless Stuff I Must Share** ” ? I like this suggestion. It describes the contents better, while keeping a similar name and the same acronym. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/31 "2020-08-06T07:01:43Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > How about “ **Meaningful or Pointless Stuff I Must Share** ” ? “Meaningful” and “Pointless” are pretty much antonyms. So it’s a good suggestion in the sense that it’s an accurate description for a forum whose contents are illogical. It’s the “Trivial and Weighty” forum. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/32 "2020-08-06T07:18:33Z")
I would just shorten it to **Stuff I Must Share**. That should be good enough, and encompass everything. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/33 "2020-08-06T08:07:46Z")
“Well, _This_ Happened” ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/34 "2020-08-06T08:09:52Z")
To get creative: _Because Stuff Happens_. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/35 "2020-08-06T10:26:38Z")
> [@Hatchie](#): > > suggestion could well come to be shortened to NewD. Does that help? That would be pronounced “nude.” Does that help? The suggested changes are narrower than the original scope. For example, let’s say I saw an interesting car, or bird at my birdfeeder, and I wanna share. Does a forum called “News And Discussion” seem like the intuitive place for that? If not, where do cars and birds go? People get new pets, and want to share pictures. That’s not “news” and nothing is up for discussion. This would kill all of those threads. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/36 "2020-08-06T16:34:03Z")
The explosion in Beirut was neither mundane nor pointless. Not to put too fine a point on it; your opinions about it however almost certainly are. That’s what the forum title conveys. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/37 "2020-08-06T16:39:22Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > The explosion in Beirut was neither mundane nor pointless. Not to put too fine a point on it; your opinions about it however almost certainly are. But are they humble? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/38 "2020-08-06T16:42:14Z")
I could be wrong, but I think some of the early threads on 9/11 (while it was happening) were in MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/39 "2020-08-06T16:56:33Z")
Some good points being made here. My suggestion of “News and Discussion” as a forum title is admittedly dry and was just meant to prime the pump. I like some of the other ideas. I’m also coming around to favoring starting a whole new section for newsy sorts of topics, and leaving “Mundane Pointless” alone to be what it is. I get that a lot of people like it that way. I just sort of thought, “What, another pigeonhole? Oy vey!” but maybe I’m the one who’s resistant to change. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370/40 "2020-08-06T17:02:22Z")
There’s a lot of members out there, and it would surprise me if there weren’t a few who were merchant seamen or maritime lawyers who might have some relevant insight into how a million and a half dollars worth of ammonium nitrate ends up sitting in a warehouse on a dock for the better part of a decade without someone taking charge of it and trying to turn it into cash, but that’s more of a general question type of thing. Maybe people who actually know something could do a Jeopardy thing over in GQ, and answer the questions that should have been asked, and the folks who just want to natter on about current events could continue to hang out in MPSIMS. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-as-in-beirut/917370.md?page=3)