# Please Explain To Me..... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 14, 2001, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272 "2001-08-14T21:43:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/1 "2001-08-14T21:43:59Z")
I know that sometimes I can be as thick as a brick. The thread is gone, Noblelord is gone I’m sure. But why would dopers post to a thread that they know beyond a shadow of a doubt is a sock puppet playing games??? Is it something about hitting that reply buttom that they just can’t resist?? Is it the ‘na na na na’ I know you are a sock puppet? Is it the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat when they post to a thread that 3,000 other dopers already know is trash? What happened to conventry on this board? It sure saved a lot of time and effort on everyone, but is seldom used any more. Maybe we should get back into that practice. Yes I opened the thread, but quickly discovered what was going on. It was a catchy title. But seems it was a major discovery for some, they actually posted to the thread. Get real people. Leave the trolls and sock puppets alone. Don’t post to their threads, it’s what makes them come back time and time again. Let’s fight a little ignorance here. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/2 "2001-08-14T22:00:10Z")
Speaking for myself, I posted not to engage the troll, but because I laughed out loud at the comic absurdity of the post and thought it deserved a quip. ---
**Author:** ![magdalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@magdalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magdalene)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/3 "2001-08-14T22:20:05Z")
:hanging head: Yes’m. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/4 "2001-08-14T22:51:05Z")
…of course I didn’t mean to violate some rule or common practice by doing so. I’ll ignore the next incarnation. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/5 "2001-08-14T23:28:46Z")
And now you’ve just made me literally aflame with curiosity. I always miss the fun stuff. jarbabyj cock tease ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/6 "2001-08-14T23:30:35Z")
Me too, me too! What the hell happened?! ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/7 "2001-08-14T23:32:57Z")
I’m guessing that [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=81857) is talking abouth the same thing, but it’s more cryptic than this one. ---
**Author:** ![Lux\_Fiat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lux\_Fiat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lux_Fiat)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/8 "2001-08-15T00:22:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultress \* > What happened to conventry on this board? It sure saved a lot of time and effort on everyone, but is seldom used any more. Maybe we should get back into that practice. Jeez, I haven’t heard anyone refer to sending a troll to coventry in ages. Good call. Also, this question has been burning in my mind for almost exactly two years, now: whence comes the expression “sending someone to coventry?” I mean, I know what it means, that was easy enoug to pick up from context. I never figured out its origin, though. ---
**Author:** ![Pnuk\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Pnuk\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pnuk_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/9 "2001-08-15T09:59:08Z")
The phrase, IIRC comes from a WWII saying. hang on. I was wrong, here we [go](http://www.word-detective.com/112700.html). These ar just suggestions… > [@](#): > > As for “to send to Coventry,” there are two common theories, neither of which, unfortunately, can be verified. The first traces the phrase to the English Civil War, which began in 1642 and pitted the Royalist forces of King Charles I against the Parliamentarian armies of Oliver Cromwell. Coventry, a Parliamentarian stronghold, is said to have been used to house hundreds of Royalist prisoners captured by Cromwell’s forces. A Royalist in Coventry would, no doubt, have been very unpopular, so “to be sent to Coventry” came to be a popular saying meaning “to be ostracized.” It has also been suggested that Coventry was used as a place of execution during the same period, in which case “to be sent to Coventry” signaled a fate somewhat worse than having no one to talk to. > > Another theory holds that the townsfolk of Coventry disliked soldiers so much that to be posted to the garrison there was a guarantee of social isolation, and thus much feared by soldiers. Which is nice. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/10 "2001-08-15T10:08:46Z")
Have you _been_ to Coventry…? pan ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/11 "2001-08-15T10:17:19Z")
Never been to conventry myself, but I’ve sent a few people as have quite a few of the ‘older’ dopers. It’s simply stating to the poster that he’s disrupting the board, posting ignorance and basically just causing trouble. At that point he is ignored and no one posts to his treads any more. I think the last one was Freak Freely, a poster that was easily distinguished as a real nutcase. He finally admitted such and left the board, of course not before he spewed forth quite a tall tale that sent most of the dopers off the deep end. It’s easy to spot and doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize when a poster is just yanking the chain. Conventry is just an easy way to either straighten a poster out so that he becomes a decent citizen of The Dope, or he leaves if he’s truly not a real doper because he stops getting the attention that he craves. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/12 "2001-08-15T10:30:50Z")
No… I mean have you been to _Coventry_? The city in England. Built almost entirely out of concrete. Noone who has been to that armpit of a place would _ever_ question the origin of the phrase! pan ---
**Author:** ![John487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@John487](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John487)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/13 "2001-08-15T12:46:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultress \* > I know that sometimes I can be as thick as a brick. The thread is gone, Noblelord is gone I’m sure. But why would dopers post to a thread that they know beyond a shadow of a doubt is a sock puppet playing games??? Because they’re bored? who cares? > [@](#): > > Is it something about hitting that reply buttom that they just can’t resist?? Is it the ‘na na na na’ I know you are a sock puppet? Is it the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat when they post to a thread that 3,000 other dopers already know is trash? do u really care about it that much?? 😉 cause i don’t. > [@](#): > > What happened to conventry on this board? um, things change… > [@](#): > > It sure saved a lot of time and effort on everyone, but is seldom used any more. Maybe we should get back into that practice. maybe you should ignore disruptors instead of posting a thread about them and contributing to the problem. > [@](#): > > Yes I opened the thread, but quickly discovered what was going on. It was a catchy title. you’re so perceptive. > [@](#): > > Leave the trolls and sock puppets alone. Don’t post to their threads, it’s what makes them come back time and time again. Let’s fight a little ignorance here. yet you start a thread about them, kettle pot? go ahead and give them more attention. your message is ok tho, however your deliverery is on the _hershey highway_ > [@](#): > > Never been to conventry myself, but I’ve sent a few people as have quite a few of the ‘older’ dopers. uh things change, people who moan on about the ways of the past don’t seem to grow beyond them. :wally [sub]please don’t send me to your imaginary coventry, i beg youuuuu, after all I want to be cool and hang with your implied posse of losers :D[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/14 "2001-08-15T12:55:43Z")
5…4…3…2… ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/15 "2001-08-15T12:59:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kabbes \* > \*\*No… I mean have you been to _Coventry_? The city in England. Built almost entirely out of concrete. > > Noone who has been to that armpit of a place would _ever_ question the origin of the phrase! > > pan \*\* When I was travelling to the East Midlands in May, riding with the consultant I hired, I saw a sign saying “Coventry” that reminded me of this (I don’t think we were near the city, I just saw a sign). I asked her if she had heard of the term “sent to Coventry”. She claimed that it was a term from the 1800’s, and had entered usage because of a notable event where several people who had offended the town and were shunned eventually grew so depressed they all killed themselves. At least, that was her take on it from an anecdotal point of view. ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/16 "2001-08-15T13:05:28Z")
Well **John487** there’s always one smart ass in the crowd. Welcome to the board. The thread wasn’t started about any one particular poster or thread, merely made as an observation but since a thread had been started it was a good example. Maybe you should have lurked a little more on the board before you started posting. ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/17 "2001-08-15T13:10:24Z")
And hey, **John** evidently you care since you took the time to read the thread and post. Call the kettle black? ---
**Author:** ![John487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@John487](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John487)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/18 "2001-08-15T13:16:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultress \* > \*\*And hey, **John** evidently you care since you took the time to read the thread and post. Call the kettle black? \*\* weel. you did have a vague attention-getting title, (cough) how was i supposed to know what the thread was about until i had read it. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/19 "2001-08-15T16:21:39Z")
Damn, hasn’t that bill banning “pot, kettle, black” comments made it out of conference committee yet? As for the OP, I don’t know why people feed obvious trolls and sock puppets. I think most people view it as a chance to get off a witty insult with no fear of repercussion. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272/20 "2001-08-15T17:14:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Damn, hasn’t that bill banning “pot, kettle, black” comments made it out of conference committee yet? I don’t mind the “p,k,b” so long as _:: cough ::_ certain poster(s) remember that one is either the pot _or_ the kettle but never the “kettle pot,” whatever that is. If \*:: cough :: \* certain poster(s)could grasp that _and_ remember that the shift key is our friend, the Board will be a shinier, happier place. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-to-me/76272.md?page=2)