# Please reconsider closing Reza thread on "wit brain" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 18, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686 "2014-05-18T19:18:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/1 "2014-05-18T19:18:15Z")
I would respectfully request a reconsideration of the closing of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=723605) thread regarding the term “wit brain” and the ban on Reza posting threads about usage in English, due to the fact that he is tutoring students and thus this is homework. I don’t agree that this is “homework.” I agree with **IvoryTowerDenizen** that these threads are interesting, and that they are rather seeking “some help in understanding English peculiarities, of which there are legion.” Not homework at all. Please reconsider this sweeping ban and the thread closure. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/2 "2014-05-18T19:32:02Z")
It appeared to me that Reza was fighting ignorance, not writing a term paper and not exposing the board to liability. If the latter is a concern, perhaps a move to IMHO might be for the best. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/3 "2014-05-18T19:35:36Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I would respectfully request a reconsideration of the closing of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=723605) thread regarding the term “wit brain” and the ban on Reza posting threads about usage in English, due to the fact that he is tutoring students and thus this is homework. > > I don’t agree that this is “homework.” I agree with **IvoryTowerDenizen** that these threads are interesting, and that they are rather seeking “some help in understanding English peculiarities, of which there are legion.” Not homework at all. Please reconsider this sweeping ban and the thread closure. > > Thanks. Seconded. Everyone was playing nicely, having an interesting discussion. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/4 "2014-05-18T19:35:52Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I don’t agree that this is “homework.” I agree with **IvoryTowerDenizen** that these threads are interesting, and that they are rather seeking “some help in understanding English peculiarities, of which there are legion.” I agree. **Reza** doesn’t pose such a question out of laziness. Rather, this is one of the few arenas where potentially obscure language can be surveyed in a fruitful manner. In fact, it’s more like due diligence, akin to checking a corpus. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/5 "2014-05-18T19:37:24Z")
Came here to post the same thread. **Reza** is not absuing the board anymore than anyone who posts about something they’re not sure of is. If I’m doing a statistical analysis of some data and ask for some advice setting up an Excel spreadsheet to help me, am I getting help with a professional, off board project? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/6 "2014-05-18T19:43:00Z")
Since the phrase ‘wit brain’ doesn’t seem to exist it seems perfectly reasonable to come here to look for an explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/7 "2014-05-18T19:48:44Z")
I’m glad this thread was posted - I’m of the same mind as the others - it as very interesting and in my opinion wasn’t a violation as they’re (the rules) intended. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/8 "2014-05-18T19:56:55Z")
I was wondering about witbier (German wheat beer) possibly leading to wit brain. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/9 "2014-05-18T20:02:05Z")
My guess is the vocabulary list or whatever it was included something like “wit/brain” - i.e. they were asking about two words that are loosely synonymous in some uses. If a poster asks questions that lead to interesting discussions who cares about why they are asking them anyway? I can see limiting legal and medical advice to opinion forums for liability reasons but homework questions? Why does it matter if someone seeks a factual answer to a question because of a scholastic or professional interest in the subject? Are we only to ask factual questions that are born out of idle curiosity? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/10 "2014-05-18T20:15:01Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Came here to post the same thread. **Reza** is not absuing the board anymore than anyone who posts about something they’re not sure of is. If I’m doing a statistical analysis of some data and ask for some advice setting up an Excel spreadsheet to help me, am I getting help with a professional, off board project? Asking for homework \*help \*is permissible. Asking someone to do your homework for you is not. Thus, it is fine to ask for clarification of a particular point in the subject you didn’t quite follow. That is not what \*\*Reza \*\*did. He’s charging someone else to do their homework for them, and asking us to do part of it for him. Closing it is absolutely appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/11 "2014-05-18T20:17:34Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I don’t agree that this is “homework.” I agree with **IvoryTowerDenizen** that these threads are interesting, and that they are rather seeking “some help in understanding English peculiarities, of which there are legion.” Not homework at all. Please reconsider this sweeping ban and the thread closure. Well, not his homework, but someone else’s homework, which he was being paid to do for them. > [@What is wit Brain?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wit-brain/688623/30): > > Actually, not a friend but a client. lol > > I charged them reasonably to do their assignment. It was a list of 10 words. > The words were asked to be defined and explained in two lines for each word with some examples, and also their translation into Farsi. (including typing, took me almost two hours to finish and email them). > > He said that he was studying Insurance Management. Presumably their teacher (Not English teacher but a teacher of their other subjects) was angry at their bad English, so he gave them lots of English activities and assignment. > > Thanks. As I said in the thread in question, I believe this part of the Registration Agreement is relevant: > [@](#): > > The board is not intended to furnish you with a forum for promoting your personal agenda. We reserve the right to ask you to limit postings on a particular topic, or to refrain from posting on such topics altogether. **Please do not ask other members to do your homework or provide input for your article, paper, or other off-board project.** We may waive this rule if you obtain prior permission from a moderator or administrator. Aside from the homework aspect, **Reza** is using the board for his personal commercial benefit. It’s not just one thread, it’s a large number of the threads he’s started. This is also not what the board is supposed to be for. I sent a message about this issue to the rest of the moderation staff before I saw this thread. If the consensus is that **Reza’s** activities are within the rules, I’ll be happy to reopen the thread. I have not had any feedback as of yet, however. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/12 "2014-05-18T20:20:52Z")
So if one of my students comes to me with a question from another class I’m stumped by, something I’ve never heard of before, and knowing there are doctors, immunologists and other biologists on this board, I can’t start a thread asking to see if anyone is familiar with the topic? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/13 "2014-05-18T20:26:33Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > So if one of my students comes to me with a question from another class I’m stumped by, something I’ve never heard of before, and knowing there are doctors, immunologists and other biologists on this board, I can’t start a thread asking to see if anyone is familiar with the topic? Are they paying you directly for that specific piece of information? Otherwise it’s not the same situation. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/14 "2014-05-18T20:28:36Z")
I’m glad to see this thread. I feel a little guilty because it appears that it was my queries to Reza that led to the closing of that thread. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/15 "2014-05-18T20:28:49Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > -Snip- > > I sent a message about this issue to the rest of the moderation staff before I saw this thread. If the consensus is that **Reza’s** activities are within the rules, I’ll be happy to reopen the thread. I have not had any feedback as of yet, however. Thanks, Colibri. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/16 "2014-05-18T20:28:58Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Are they paying you directly for that specific piece of information? Otherwise it’s not the same situation. Close enough to me- what if I was a tutor in the department, instead of a professor? And yes, part of my salary goes to meeting with and supporting students in my department. So I do get paid to talk to students who need help if they want to see me. IOW, he’s not trying to get us to do the homework, but to educate himself on a topic he’s confused by to acquire knowledge to bring back to his client. He’s still doing the work, not us. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/17 "2014-05-18T20:37:44Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > IOW, he’s not trying to get us to do the homework, but to educate himself on a topic he’s confused by to acquire knowledge to bring back to his client. He’s still doing the work, not us. In the thread in question, **Reza** started by stating > [@Reza](#): > > I need the definition, alternative spelling and one or two sentence example of Wit-brain. He’s plainly asking the Board members to do the work. And, he get’s paid to do this. Commercial venture to me. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/18 "2014-05-18T20:40:48Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > In the thread in question, **Reza** started by stating > > He’s plainly asking the Board members to do the work. And, he get’s paid to do this. Commercial venture to me. In this post (Bolding mine) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17385488&postcount=27](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17385488&postcount=27) he clarified: > [@](#): > > Thanks for your time and comments. > Reza is a he. Reza is too old to have homework assignment. Reza is an English tutor and translator in his own country, he comes here regularly to talk over English questions with others, since nearly all the people here are a native to English language. > The guy who asked me the question said that these words were given to him from their university teacher. \*\*I looked up through 10 dictionaries and also on internet and I couldn’t find any answer. Then I came here to make sure that we have no such word / expression. \*\* He clearly comes here to acquire knowledge about specific English grammar and idioms to inform the work he does. If that’s against the rules, then I think many of us skirt or cross the line. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/19 "2014-05-18T20:48:18Z")
It looks to me like there’s no problem with the information itself that **Reza** is asking about. The problem isn’t the information itself, but why he’s asking for it. Us doing a poster’s homework for them is bad enough. Us doing homework for a third party because a poster is getting paid to do it for them is way over the line. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686/20 "2014-05-18T20:59:04Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It looks to me like there’s no problem with the information itself that **Reza** is asking about. The problem isn’t the information itself, but why he’s asking for it. Us doing a poster’s homework for them is bad enough. Us doing homework for a third party because a poster is getting paid to do it for them is way over the line. The commercial aspect is the most significant aspect for me, as well as the large proportion of such posts, especially recently. At least 27 of his 62 threads started are on usage and grammar, which include a large majority of the threads he’s started in the past year. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-reconsider-closing-reza-thread-on-wit-brain/688686.md?page=2)