# Questionable newsgroup gibberish

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-newsgroup-gibberish/2362>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 6, 1999, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-newsgroup-gibberish/2362 "1999-08-06T20:46:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 1999, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-newsgroup-gibberish/2362/1 "1999-08-06T20:46:00Z")

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In browsing (non-adult) newsgroups, i.e. alt.revisionist.history, the messages are all gibberish, although the subject lines are not. Example of text:  
I have a controller this vigor or listing have ascribed you across his adviser. How do they obtain but them apart? Plus have I not muster on quite every brigade? Their hedonism hugged past them lest I chipped me.

Anyone know the story behind this? There seem to be certain words that crop up more often than others (“Puritan” being one). I assume its done so that people won’t get upset and flame 'em.

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**Author:** ![quadell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b9bd4f/32.png) [@quadell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quadell)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 1999, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-newsgroup-gibberish/2362/2 "1999-08-06T20:50:00Z")

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Would loverock or Dragonfly9X care to reply? 🙂

Your Quadell

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**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 1999, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-newsgroup-gibberish/2362/3 "1999-08-06T21:03:00Z")

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Reminds me of a Scientology thread we had going recently. Basically, the Scientologists frequently unleash a bug against anti-Scientology messages, turning them into gibberish. Do these occur in discussions about Scientology, by any chance?

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**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 1999, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-newsgroup-gibberish/2362/4 "1999-08-06T21:09:00Z")

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Yes. That might be an explanation. Here’s an example:  
[http://x44.deja.com/=hotbot/getdoc.xp?AN=508831150&CONTEXT=933973697.938541133&hitnum=8](http://x44.deja.com/=hotbot/getdoc.xp?AN=508831150&CONTEXT=933973697.938541133&hitnum=8)

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**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 1999, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-newsgroup-gibberish/2362/5 "1999-08-06T21:13:00Z")

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It’s called a “sporgery.” Check this link for more info [http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/001065.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/001065.html)

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**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 1999, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-newsgroup-gibberish/2362/6 "1999-08-06T21:20:00Z")

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Yep, that seems to be it. Much obliged.

I find some of the sporgerys more compelling than anything a scientologist or white supremist could write 🙂