# Sailor is an annoying moron **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 31, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927 "2009-01-31T23:19:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/21 "2009-02-01T02:30:55Z")
> [@BrightNShiny](#): > > I started the rolleyes because I found your initial response to be rude and snotty. Oh noes, a poster was rude and snotty in the Pit. Heaven forfend! Perhaps you’re too sensitive for the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/22 "2009-02-01T02:32:44Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I’ll stake my reputation against yours any day, Sport. What the fuck is this, junior high? ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/23 "2009-02-01T02:34:24Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Oh noes, a poster was rude and snotty in the Pit. Heaven forfend! > > Perhaps you’re too sensitive for the internet. Perhaps you need to read better. I read his post in **Great Debates** to be snotty and rude. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/24 "2009-02-01T02:35:50Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > What the fuck is this, junior high? No, it’s the Internet. Fuck off if you don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/25 "2009-02-01T02:37:00Z")
> [@BrightNShiny](#): > > I already posted the quotes in that thread. There were posters arguing for the elimination of the USPS. I’m beginning to see **sailor** ’s point. If would be helpful if you at least pointed to which posts you mean. Do you mean the posts you pointed out in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10768392&postcount=73)? Because those had to do with privatization, which I’m distinguishing with elimination here. If you’re not making that distinction, perhaps you can point that out. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > Several people in the thread mentioned email as an alternative to postal delivery. I was just pointing out that we’re still aways from full email penetration. Again, it would be helpful to know which people. You’re making the argument that someone else doesn’t have a point, but you’re not willing to post the evidence for it? And you’re making us guess which evidence you’re basing your point on? Do you mean this post by sailor himself? > [@Cutting postal service by a day or two: So what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-postal-service-by-a-day-or-two-so-what/483504/45): > > Mail used to serve for fast communications which today are done by phone or email. There was a time when London had five deliveries daily and when I was a kid in Madrid there were three daily deliveries all week and only one on Sundays. > > But times change and mail usage will decrease as it is replaced by email. I believe the next step will be just to subcontract it out to someone like FedEx. In this, **sailor** talks about decreasing physical mail delivery, not eliminating it. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > This, I think, is a weird way to interpret my comments. I’m quite well aware that eliminating the postal service does not mean eliminating the physical delivery of mail. You couldn’t eliminate physical delivery anyway, unless you are planning on outlawing UPS, Fedex, and people walking across the street to hand their neighbor an invitation. Privitization is an elimination of the USPS, and no that doesn’t mean elimination of physical delivery, and there’s absolutely no reason to paint me as thinking that anyone had advocated for elimination of physical delivery. OK, well at least we know that’s not what you meant. > [@Cutting postal service by a day or two: So what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-postal-service-by-a-day-or-two-so-what/483504/55): > > All the statistics I’ve seen place US internet usage at between 70-80% of the population. Get back to me when internet usage approaches 99% of the US population, and I’ll consider eliminating the US postal service. Until then, it’s a non-starter for me. Why does internet usage have to get to 99% of the population before you would consider privatizing the US postal service? That doesn’t seem to follow. > [@Cutting postal service by a day or two: So what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-postal-service-by-a-day-or-two-so-what/483504/55): > > No where in my post did I talk about elimination of physical mail delivery. This is something you are reading into my posts. Because as noted above, privatizing the mail system wouldn’t seem to have anything to do with the internet usage of the population. . . especially 99% usage, which seems to have no significance whatsoever. It only makes a smidgen of sense if you’re thinking that internet usage would eliminate the need for the postal service. Otherwise, why are the two even related at all? > [@Cutting postal service by a day or two: So what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-postal-service-by-a-day-or-two-so-what/483504/55): > > Other people started the sidetrack, I just merely commented on it, and then went on to post my view on the OP’s topic in the same post. Your comments were very black/white given the topic of the conversation up until the time. It’s possible (probable) that someone misunderstood them, but it doesn’t make them snotty and rude for having done so given your lack of trying to show them their error. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/26 "2009-02-01T02:57:49Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > It’s good no one is considering eliminating the USPS quite yet then. (Obviously refers to those who are in a position to eliminate it.) > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > No, that doesn’t obviously refer only to those who are in a position to eliminate it. Your assumption that it does is what started this mess. Well, that is what I meant when I wrote it and for me it is clear that it would be silly for anyone to post “I am considering closing down the USPS” because they are in no position to do it. To me the meaning is clear but I understand misunderstandings happen and have misunderstood posts myself. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > I started the rolleyes because I found your initial response to be rude and snotty. > > If you didn’t intend your initial response to be rude and snotty, then I accept your apology and I apologize for my rolleyes as well. There was no offense meant whatsoever and I am sorry if it sounded that way. It was just a quick note written without second thought. I do not recall having any exchanges with you, good or bad, and I would have no reason to be rude or snotty to you. I apologise if it came across that way. E.T.A: A simple comment in the original thread mentioning that my comment seemed unnecessarily harsh would have received the same prompt apology. Maybe we can avoid misunderstandings in the future. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/27 "2009-02-01T03:16:06Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > I’m beginning to see **sailor** ’s point. If would be helpful if you at least pointed to which posts you mean. > Do you mean the posts you pointed out in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10768392&postcount=73)? Because those had to do with privatization, which I’m distinguishing with elimination here. If you’re not making that distinction, perhaps you can point that out. We already have privatized mail delivery in the US, right? You can send your mail via UPS of FedEx if you want to. I assumed people who were talking about privatizing the USPS were proposing eliminating the government-owned postal delivery monopoly. Now, I guess, I’m beginning to see that it might have been a mistaken assumption. Perhaps they meant turning the USPS into a privately owned, well-regulated monopoly, like most utilities. I suppose that’s possible, but that’s not what I usually take it to mean when people advocate “privitization.” That to me means that people are advocating making the USPS a privately owned, perhaps publicly traded, company that is no different from UPS or FedEx. Which means it’s subjected to bankruptcy, buyouts, downsizing, and all the other things that come with privitization. At that point, you’ve eliminated the USPS as a gov’t owned monopoly, so I don’t see what this distinction is between privitization and elimination. If you are privatizing the USPS, then aren’t you eliminating the government’s monopoly on postal delivery? I certainly wasn’t using the word “eliminate” to mean going out and smashing all of the USPS trucks and throwing them in a hole somewhere, anymore than I took **sailor** ’s use of the word “rid” to mean that. But whether you sell off the USPS as a whole, or in bits and parts, you clearly won’t have the same thing that you have now. > [@](#): > > Again, it would be helpful to know which people. You’re making the argument that someone else doesn’t have a point, but you’re not willing to post the evidence for it? In my OP in this thread, I did post **sailor** ’s reference to eliminating the postal service. And I posted two references to elimination which neither you nor **sailor** seem to accept as references in GD. But here are some more: > [@Cutting postal service by a day or two: So what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-postal-service-by-a-day-or-two-so-what/483504/44): > > If there’s one thing I don’t want the Private Sector doing, it’s delivering the mail (FedEx and UPS don’t count; they’re Parcel Delivery and Couriers.) There are some things that really should be the Government’s responsibility and, IMHO, the Post Office is one of them. (Post #44) > [@Cutting postal service by a day or two: So what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-postal-service-by-a-day-or-two-so-what/483504/51): > > Privatizing is a joke. There are routes ,especially rural, that would be unprofitable. A private company would find a way to weasel out of them. Then they would cut wages and try to hire illegals . > UPS is a private mail company that was formed to pick off the most profitable deliveries. They are not there to supply a service. Our mail service in America is pretty good. If it was privatized we would regret it. Then of course ,if we privatized ,the companies would be bought up until there was a monopoly.Can you imagine how powerful that company would be? How many times do corporations have to exploit us before we figure out they are not interested in fair wages and treating their workers well? (post #51) Now that I understand that you are using the word elimination in a different sense than I am, well, I guess that’s beside the point. > [@](#): > > Why does internet usage have to get to 99% of the population before you would consider privatizing the US postal service? That doesn’t seem to follow. > > Because as noted above, privatizing the mail system wouldn’t seem to have anything to do with the internet usage of the population. . . especially 99% usage, which seems to have no significance whatsoever. It only makes a smidgen of sense if you’re thinking that internet usage would eliminate the need for the postal service. Otherwise, why are the two even related at all? I didn’t want to hijack the thread completely. I can lay out my reasoning for it. But the main issue I have is that a number of government and private organizations aren’t set up to handle electronic transactions yet, and these transactions have to be conducted physically. Right now, the government guarantees that those transactions can be conducted at a fairly low price through its postal delivery monopoly. It’s possible that a competitive market could provide the same services for physical delivery, but particularly for rural and less-developed areas, competition might not be able to push price down to an affordable level. However, if private companies have to compete with email, then that injects a whole new level or price competition into the picture for rural and less-developed areas. In short, until the government and private sector are better able to handle electornic transactions, I want a guarantee of low-price mail delivery to every place in the US. If I have to subsidize it, so be it. > [@](#): > > Your comments were very black/white given the topic of the conversation up until the time. It’s possible (probable) that someone misunderstood them, but it doesn’t make them snotty and rude for having done so given your lack of trying to show them their error. I don’t want to rehash this, since **sailor** and I have already exchanged apologies. I don’t know what the point of this comment is. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/28 "2009-02-01T03:23:36Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > Well, that is what I meant when I wrote it and for me it is clear that it would be silly for anyone to post “I am considering closing down the USPS” because they are in no position to do it. To me the meaning is clear but I understand misunderstandings happen and have misunderstood posts myself. > There was no offense meant whatsoever and I am sorry if it sounded that way. It was just a quick note written without second thought. I do not recall having any exchanges with you, good or bad, and I would have no reason to be rude or snotty to you. I apologise if it came across that way. > > E.T.A: A simple comment in the original thread mentioning that my comment seemed unnecessarily harsh would have received the same prompt apology. Maybe we can avoid misunderstandings in the future. Ok. Well, I agree that I could have behaved better. I suppose a mod can close this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/29 "2009-02-01T03:33:35Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > What the fuck is this, junior high? You got a problem with that, tiger? Tell you what, buckaroo, if you don’t like it, leave it. Is that clear, buddy? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/30 "2009-02-01T03:34:31Z")
I’m not your buddy, Pal! ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/31 "2009-02-01T03:53:54Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > No, it’s the Internet. Fuck off if you don’t like it. What the hell does that mean? That because it’s the internet, boasting about how you have a better reputation than someone else is cool once again, just like when we were twelve? Awesome. Go on with your dick waving contest, then. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/32 "2009-02-01T04:01:41Z")
No, it means I don’t give a shit what you think. I’m tired of shrews like you and **wring** injecting your sanctimonious tongue-wagging into any admittedly petty bickering that happens to get your undies in a bunch. If I feel like blowing off a little steam, I don’t need some battleaxe flouncing in to lecture me about it. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/33 "2009-02-01T04:18:35Z")
WTH? What does \*\*wring \*\*have to do with anything? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/34 "2009-02-01T04:24:19Z")
I know you can read; I’ve seen you do it. So, I’ll let you go ahead and do that again and report back. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/35 "2009-02-01T04:25:22Z")
> [@BrightNShiny](#): > > I assumed people who were talking about privatizing the USPS were proposing eliminating the government-owned postal delivery monopoly. Now, I guess, I’m beginning to see that it might have been a mistaken assumption. Perhaps they meant turning the USPS into a privately owned, well-regulated monopoly, like most utilities. Bingo! That’s certainly one interpretation that people may have been considering. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > At that point, you’ve eliminated the USPS as a gov’t owned monopoly, so I don’t see what this distinction is between privitization and elimination. If you are privatizing the USPS, then aren’t you eliminating the government’s monopoly on postal delivery? I’m not sure how you’re using the word monopoly here. You’d have to be more explicit. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > But whether you sell off the USPS as a whole, or in bits and parts, you clearly won’t have the same thing that you have now. And thus the use of the term ‘elimination’ of the USPS. . .as it stands now. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > Now that I understand that you are using the word elimination in a different sense than I am, well, I guess that’s beside the point. I think it’s the whole point. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > I didn’t want to hijack the thread completely. This thread? This is your thread. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > I can lay out my reasoning for it. But the main issue I have is that a number of government and private organizations aren’t set up to handle electronic transactions yet, and these transactions have to be conducted physically. Right now, the government guarantees that those transactions can be conducted at a fairly low price through its postal delivery monopoly. It’s possible that a competitive market could provide the same services for physical delivery, but particularly for rural and less-developed areas, competition might not be able to push price down to an affordable level. However, if private companies have to compete with email, then that injects a whole new level or price competition into the picture for rural and less-developed areas. In short, until the government and private sector are better able to handle electornic transactions, I want a guarantee of low-price mail delivery to every place in the US. If I have to subsidize it, so be it. Your theory above shows a tenuous connection between e-mail and delivery of physical mail. There are underlying assumptions here that have not been spelled out explicitly anywhere. They’d have to be much more fleshed out for this to have any meaning. And condensing it down to a sentence clearly didn’t have meaning at all. > [@BrightNShiny](#): > > I don’t want to rehash this, since **sailor** and I have already exchanged apologies. I don’t know what the point of this comment is. I don’t know what the point of this thread is, but you’re right: I don’t want to rehash it, so we best just wait for a mod to close this down. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/36 "2009-02-01T05:26:43Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Oh noes, a poster was rude and snotty in the Pit. Heaven forfend! > > Perhaps you’re too sensitive for the internet. Well color me surprised and dip me in flour…I fuckin’ _agree_ w/ **CS**. The End is near. As for the “reputation referendum” I don’t think I’ve had a beef with any of the parties, so I’ll just vote for myself instead. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/37 "2009-02-01T06:26:54Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I’ll stake my reputation against yours any day, Sport. … Aren’t you a law-talking guy, Q.E.D? I could use some help with an analysis of constitutional requirements. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/38 "2009-02-01T10:44:08Z")
Another county heard from here in why **sailor** is being pitted. It is my fervent hope that mail service is kept sacrosanct, but I think it’s a bit early to panic. This whole thread seems like a waste of… something. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/39 "2009-02-01T11:29:30Z")
Not to mention the fact that the OP’s original post was itself rather snotty and condescending. “Get back to me… and I’ll consider…”. Jesus, talk about annoying. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927/40 "2009-02-01T11:48:11Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Not to mention the fact that the OP’s original post was itself rather snotty and condescending. “Get back to me… and I’ll consider…”. Jesus, talk about annoying. If you consider me annoying, I’ll take that as a badge of honor, since I find your posts to be rather stupid in general. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sailor-is-an-annoying-moron/483927.md?page=3)