# OK, Polycarp, I really can't let this go by...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [May 22, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255 "2008-05-22T15:42:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/21 "2008-05-22T19:31:06Z")
I apologize for reading this thread.
---
### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/22 "2008-05-22T19:33:42Z")
[QUOTE=Loach]
I apologize for reading this thread.
[/QUOTE]
But what was your _reason_?
---
### Author:  [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/23 "2008-05-22T20:03:32Z")
Keep your head up **Polycarp**. I always try to think of **Thomas Moore**. I’ll bet he stumbled every once in a while but he made it.
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### Author:  [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/24 "2008-05-22T20:23:39Z")
One time in Canada I pooped my pants so I did what any normal 10-year-old would do: lie and blame it on his friend. I told a fuming parental unit my buddy’d had to borrow some underpants when he visited. Man, she was merciless to him from then on. Some anger was justified – we had no plumbing, so it was pretty much the same batch of washwater for all our clothes. Of course I would be the one to end up fetching from the spring but it was sure better than her wrath. Luckily she’d discovered the fudgy gruns ahead of time.
Oh this isn’t a confessional?
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/25 "2008-05-22T20:24:23Z")
[QUOTE=Omegaman]
Keep your head up **Polycarp**. I always try to think of **Thomas Moore**. I’ll bet he stumbled every once in a while but he made it.
[/QUOTE]
**Polycarp** ’s an Episcopalian. He’s on the other side of the Thomas More thing. 🙂
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### Author:  [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/26 "2008-05-22T21:03:56Z")
I’m sorry I caused all that cancer.
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### Author:  [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/27 "2008-05-22T21:09:37Z")
[QUOTE=Loach]
I apologize for reading this thread.
[/QUOTE]
I apologize for the apology I’m making in this thread.
---
### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/28 "2008-05-22T21:12:28Z")
One time in third grade, I polluted on Earth Day. Me and my friend decided to have a boat race with our juice boxes. On the count of three, we would both throw them into the river. One…two…three, as my juice box went into the stream. His juice box remained in his conniving little hand. My hands were slippery, so it was especially easy for me to throw the juice box. Anyway, The teacher immediately saw this and went into mild hysterics. To make matters worse, I tried to rat on my friend. I offer the fact that I was tricked not an as an excuse, but as a contributing factor.
I apologize to the Earth for my actions. How can I make amends?
(with love to **Polycarp** )
---
### Author:  [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/29 "2008-05-22T21:21:55Z")
I love guilt.
It’s my favorite emotion. So very useful.
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### Author:  [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/30 "2008-05-22T21:31:58Z")
One time, at band camp, I stuck a flute up my ass. And I don’t play the flute.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/31 "2008-05-22T22:38:26Z")
I _thought_ that flute smelled funny! :mad:
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/32 "2008-05-22T23:30:58Z")
Well, my goodness. If this politeness in a Pit thread :eek: continues, I’ll just have to bring out the tea and crumpets.
Lemon or sugar? And do try the raisin crumpets…they’re divine.
---
### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/33 "2008-05-22T23:39:19Z")
[QUOTE=Omegaman]
Keep your head up **Polycarp**. I always try to think of **Thomas Moore**. I’ll bet he stumbled every once in a while but he made it.
[/QUOTE]
The one who “made it” all the way to the chopping block? **That** Thomas Moore?
Hardly a comfort.
---
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/34 "2008-05-22T23:58:41Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus]
One time in third grade, I polluted on Earth Day. Me and my friend decided to have a boat race with our juice boxes. On the count of three, we would both throw them into the river. One…two…three, as my juice box went into the stream. His juice box remained in his conniving little hand. My hands were slippery, so it was especially easy for me to throw the juice box. Anyway, The teacher immediately saw this and went into mild hysterics. To make matters worse, I tried to rat on my friend. I offer the fact that I was tricked not an as an excuse, but as a contributing factor.
I apologize to the Earth for my actions. How can I make amends?
(with love to **Polycarp** )
[/QUOTE]
That’s the easiest one ever to make amends. I could bore you for many paragraphs and links on how to make amends.
Start by simple things like replace incandescent bulbs with Florescent.
Add water savers to showers and faucets.
When buying appliances, look for a more efficient ones.
Let me know if you want more.
Jim 😉
---
### Author:  [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/35 "2008-05-23T00:07:22Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan]
I apologize for and retract everything I said in the [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=468740&page=1&pp=50) that led me to be Pitted, and gave **Polycarp** the temptation for such a shot.
Regards,
Shodan
[/QUOTE]
No you don’t.
Best to you and all of your loved ones.
Uniquely,
**~Red**
\ ***~~** \*\*CEO
The Arguments Department.\*\* **~~** \*
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### Author:  [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/36 "2008-05-23T01:42:25Z")
[QUOTE=Loach]
I apologize for reading this thread.
[/QUOTE]
I apologize (partially in advance, partially not) for responding to your post.
---
### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/37 "2008-05-23T01:49:01Z")
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena]
Ever since you posted [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9824298&postcount=103), I’ve been trying to figure out what the hell you were getting at, and why your point had to be expressed in such a manner.
[/QUOTE]
What? He said he _doesn’t_ want you to get gang-raped.
-FrL-
[ducking]
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### Author:  [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/38 "2008-05-23T01:49:50Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe]
I was pretty shocked to see that post by **Polycarp**. It seemed very out of character, especially as it was targeted at **Sarahfeena** , who I think of as one of our most thoughtful and least inflammatory conservative posters.
I’m hoping it was just rhetoric that fell really flat, and not the veiled nastiness that it read as.
[/QUOTE]
At the risk of being a spoilsport, I"d like to interrupt all the fun to ask a serious question about the moderating (or rather lack of moderating) that went on during that thread. Since I didn’t report **Polycarp’s** post, and had no way of knowing whether anyone else did, I assumed that no moderator had seen it. Well, actually, I shouldn’t say that I assumed it, to be honest, I didn’t really think about it. But in light of what you are saying here, **Giraffe** , you obviously saw it at one point or another, and I’m curious as to why you didn’t say anything. For one thing, I think **CarnalK** is right that rhetoric is not mutually exclusive with nastiness, and for another, the nastiness was hardly veiled, but in fact was pretty blatant. But even more to the point, it seems to me that **Polycarp** pretty obviously broke an explicit forum rule:
[QUOTE=Giraffe, from the forum rules]
**Do not threaten harm or wish death on another poster**
Do not threaten another poster with physical harm, or wish for their demise. This includes hypothetical statements like “it would make me happy if someone ran you over” or “I hope you say that to [someone prone to stabbing people] and they stab you”.
This does not include statements about non-posters or groups which happen to include posters (e.g. lawyers, redheads, Democrats, Republicans, SUV-owners, etc.) You can wish death on them all you want.
Obligatory caveat for the nitpickers: we’re not stupid, so if you wish death on a group in such a way that you’re clearly directing it at a poster, don’t be surprised if you get warned.
[/QUOTE]
While I suppose I can understand that **Polycarp** has built up enough good will that you might not want jump right in with an official warning for breaking this rule, I certainly think it’s worth putting your mod hat on for a minute to let him know that he stepped out of line. I’ve seen that done for much less. I would really love to know your thought process on this.
---
### Author:  [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/39 "2008-05-23T02:26:47Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp]
You know what, Sarah? Now that I’ve thought about it, I don’t hope you get gang-raped and then have your erstwhile conservative friends saying that you asked for it. But that was my initial emotional reaction to your posts.
[/QUOTE]
How is “I don’t hope you get gang-raped” threatening or wishing harm on another poster?
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### Author:  [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-polycarp-i-really-cant-let-this-go-by/450255/40 "2008-05-23T02:33:46Z")
[QUOTE=zagloba]
How is “I don’t hope you get gang-raped” threatening or wishing harm on another poster?
[/QUOTE]
Because that’s not all he said. He said that he HAD wished harm on me, though he changed his mind. Is it not wishing harm if the wish was in the past tense?
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