# QED's points are nearly always but never universally pointless **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 25, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696 "2008-07-25T03:23:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/1 "2008-07-25T03:23:13Z")
In GD I posted an old saying about how if you’re playing poker and you can’t figure out who the sucker is, than it’s you. In post #7 of [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10036923#post10036923) thread QED responded: “And like nearly all old sayings they are occasionally true, but never universally so.” Nearly all are never universally true? **REALLLY?** Thank you. Thank you for being there. Thank you for being **that guy** who’s out there… watching… waiting… Because I had forgotten. But you are to the obvious what Batman is to crime. ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/2 "2008-07-25T03:43:39Z")
But was Batman prepared? ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/3 "2008-07-25T03:45:41Z")
But, but . . . if it’s a _point_, how can it be _pointless_??? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/4 "2008-07-25T03:52:51Z")
I think he makes some valid points and is obviously a pretty smart guy, but his “perrenial ensconsement in the highest intellectual ivory tower” act is pretty fucking wearisome. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/5 "2008-07-25T03:56:36Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] I think he makes some valid points and is obviously a pretty smart guy, but his “perrenial ensconsement in the highest intellectual ivory tower” act is pretty fucking wearisome. [/QUOTE] I think pitting him over snitty little bullshit is also getting wearisome. There is an ignore function. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/6 "2008-07-25T04:12:50Z")
How did you reduce this… [QUOTE=QED] “And like nearly all old sayings they are occasionally true, but never universally so.” [/QUOTE] to this? [QUOTE=Scylla] Nearly all are never universally true? [/QUOTE] I don’t think your quote illuminated your point at all and neither does this one, [QUOTE=Scylla] But you are to the obvious what Batman is to crime. [/QUOTE] What are you on about here? I think you’re trying to suggest that **QED** is just pointing out the obvious but I’m not sure…IMHO you’re analogizing needs work. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/7 "2008-07-25T04:19:20Z")
A penis made of razor blades. Remember that. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/8 "2008-07-25T04:25:20Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] A penis made of razor blades. Remember that. [/QUOTE] Umm, dude, how can I forget it? Yeesh… ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/9 "2008-07-25T04:38:21Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] if you’re playing poker and you can’t figure out who the sucker is, **than** it’s you. [/QUOTE] THEN! _Then_ it’s you! . . . 😉 hehehe . . . ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/10 "2008-07-25T05:50:01Z")
He he… you said “poke her” he he… ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/11 "2008-07-25T10:29:46Z")
[QUOTE=HongKongFooey] How did you reduce this… to this? [/QUOTE] Um, I think he snipped a bit off the start, and a bit out of the middle, and then moved a word to the end to make it scan better, all without fundamentally altering the meaning of the bit pertaining to the universal truthiness (or otherwise) of old sayings. But then I never did study english grammer at school, so I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/12 "2008-07-25T12:14:31Z")
So that’s how he got to 20,000 posts. ---
**Author:** ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/13 "2008-07-25T12:34:31Z")
[Linda Richman]This thread is making me a little verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves. I’ll give you a topic: Great Debates is neither great nor debates. Discuss.[/LR] See what I did here? The trick to posting is to never try to make any sort of point. Keeps you out of trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/14 "2008-07-25T12:43:38Z")
[QUOTE=Borborygmi] [Linda Richman]This thread is making me a little verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves. I’ll give you a topic: Great Debates is neither great nor debates. Discuss.[/LR] [/QUOTE] What so great about the barrier reef? What’s so fine about art? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/15 "2008-07-25T15:36:28Z")
And you can’t lead a dead horse anywhere. (Dragging isn’t leading.) Just saying… ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/16 "2008-07-25T15:46:09Z")
[QUOTE=Turek] What so great about the barrier reef? What’s so fine about art? [/QUOTE] I’m still wondering why they named the President’s plane after Michael Jordan’s sneakers. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/17 "2008-07-25T17:00:59Z")
It would appear that **Scylla** has discovered the secret identity of that brave and heroic cape-clad protector of bulletin boards! I speak of course of none other than **Captain Obvious** , the protector of generally understood things. Now we will all have to stand by QEDs side when he is not in his heroic garb, to protect him from the perfidious Doctor Patent Nonsense! Gather! Gather I say, and help protect our hero, so that he may go to Starbucks in peace like an ordinary man, as he so richly deserves for the service he gives us in his other guise! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/18 "2008-07-25T17:44:33Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] It would appear that **Scylla** has discovered the secret identity of that brave and heroic cape-clad protector of bulletin boards! I speak of course of none other than **Captain Obvious** , the protector of generally understood things. [/QUOTE] Funny, I thought that was my job. It is what Moto stands for. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/19 "2008-07-25T17:52:04Z")
[QUOTE=slaphead] Um, I think he snipped a bit off the start, and a bit out of the middle, and then moved a word to the end to make it scan better, all without fundamentally altering the meaning of the bit pertaining to the universal truthiness (or otherwise) of old sayings. But then I never did study english grammer at school, so I could be wrong. [/QUOTE] Nor spelling nor capitalization, I see. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696/20 "2008-07-25T20:49:14Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] Funny, I thought that was my job. It is what Moto stands for. [/QUOTE] Huh, I thought you were a classic rock instrumental by the Bel Airs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qeds-points-are-nearly-always-but-never-universally-pointless/457696.md?page=2)