# Samclem, was it necessary to close this thread? (Weak) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 23, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563 "2005-10-23T21:57:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/21 "2005-10-24T02:51:21Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > what happens if every student come here first for help with their problems? - The Reader\* makes a lot of money from paid memberships? 🙂 I do realize that there is a big gray area there when it comes to homework. Honestly, I must give kudos for making the hard decisions and almost always getting it right, FWIHS. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/22 "2005-10-24T02:53:19Z")
This quote… > [@RFBluesValentine](#): > > I’ve searched the forums, read the posts and links, and it still all looks like gibberish. I keep reading and reading, thinking it’ll make sense if I just read it enough times, but I’m just reading the words without knowing what it means. means they probably wouldn’t have been helped much by Google either, I think. If the OP said: “How do you do these problems?” and had a list of homework questions, that would definitely not be okay. If it said, “We have to write a plain-English description of the concept of logarithms, so please help me understand them,” that would probably not be okay either, but unfortunately, most math teachers don’t discuss concept much either, and present math as a list of algorithms and formulas. Which is exactly why people like the OP get so confused when they try to actually UNDERSTAND math rather than just DO it. Anyway, I agree that the thread should not be closed, although I think the few replies it did get answer the question pretty well, so it doesn’t really matter very much. I still hope it ends up being re-opened, as a matter of precedent and such. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/23 "2005-10-24T03:19:32Z")
Completely absurd closing, and in violation of the _entire concept_ of this board. There are far too many mods around here, and the overwhelming majority of them seem to make one inept decision after another. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/24 "2005-10-24T03:25:38Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > Completely absurd closing, and in violation of the _entire concept_ of this board. > > There are far too many mods around here, and the overwhelming majority of them seem to make one inept decision after another. No, I think that with the recent influx of new mods we’re just seeing a lot of settling in right now. I think the decision was wrong, but it’s an understandable mistake and pit threads like these explaining why are IMO the right way to go about letting new mods get a feel for the right thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/25 "2005-10-24T03:36:38Z")
**Sam** , I was a high school teacher. I would have been delighted for my students to have had _help_ in thinking things through. In matters of grammar, even direct answers would have been acceptable. Sometimes teachers take too much for granted. I remember well that not all introverted, isolated, verbally-inclined fourteen year old girls knew what either _plane_ or _geometry_ meant when signing up for the course in 1957. (I know…I know.) ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/26 "2005-10-24T03:52:53Z")
This may be a first for me. I don’t generally disagree with the mods on thread closings or moves, at least not very much. This particular one isn’t earthshaking, and I can see **samclem** ’s point that there is a line that can be hard to spot in homework help. But I think he was a little over-cautious here. It didn’t look like a call to do specific work, but rather a plea for help in understanding. It seems to me a thread on the general defintion, use, and theory behind something like logarithms is tailor made for this bunch. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/27 "2005-10-24T04:01:36Z")
Just chiming in with the rest of the echo chamber…its good to be on the more popular side for once. 😉 The thread was a call for general knowledge not a request to do some homework. Its similar to a thread I started a few months ago asking for some cites ABOUT Project Management because I was taking a class on it…not asking anyone to do my homework. This is the same thing. Sure, the OP could have looked it up on line…but a lot of times I get more explaination wise out of folks on this board than I do seeing a dry explaination on some web site (or in some text book)…for one thing, if I still don’t get it I can follow up with another question. Definitely disagree with the mod here…something else I normally don’t do. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/28 "2005-10-24T04:22:06Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I am of the opinion that threads which deal with school subjects are amongst the most difficult that I have to deal with. > > I should probably have used another word rather than “homework.” > > If a student needs to understand a concept, then he/she should first seek out help from tutors, Google, etc. I know that may sound against the mission of the Straight Dope, but dammit, what happens if every student come here first for help with their problems? > > The specific thread in question is pretty murky. It’s certainly not homework. But I saw no evidence that the OP tried to find help before coming here. Many GQ’s could be researched on the internet before being asked here (some of which Cecil or the SDSAB’s have answered). For those who prefer not a cookie-cutter answer, this board is the place to ask. Adam ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/29 "2005-10-24T04:36:54Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > The specific thread in question is pretty murky. You’ve a gift for understatement. What did the Cookie monster, or crying for God’s sake, have to do with the price of tea in China? ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/30 "2005-10-24T04:41:54Z")
I’ll just add my name to the petition… We fight ignorance here. If we start shutting down threads just because what the person is asking about happens to be a school subject, then we’ll be out of threads pretty goddamn fast. ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/31 "2005-10-24T04:59:37Z")
I was the first person to reply to the thread and considered pitting the closure of it myself. And for the record, I’m not about to do someone else’s homework on here (it’s hard enough for me to get my _own_ work done, much less someone else’s). ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/32 "2005-10-24T11:51:04Z")
Amazing what a night’s sleep can do. I reopened the thread. My bad. I blew this one. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/33 "2005-10-24T12:03:12Z")
Kudos, **samclem**. Wise is that moderator who knoweth when he bloweth one and taketh action to correct it! ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/34 "2005-10-24T12:04:42Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Wise is that moderator who knoweth when he bloweth one and taketh action to correct it! You’ve been doing too much of that Shakespeare thread… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/35 "2005-10-24T12:05:09Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Amazing what a night’s sleep can do. I reopened the thread. My bad. > > I blew this one. > > **samclem** GQ moderator Oh, sure that’s going to work…faking a reasonable attitude. Good onya. ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/36 "2005-10-24T12:30:39Z")
> [@](#): > > What did the Cookie monster, or crying for God’s sake, have to do with the price of tea in China? The Cookie Monster was in collusion with Big Bird and Gordon to use their fame and wealth to buy up all of the tea in China. In effect, this would have make the price skyrocket. Mr Hooper found out about this and was killed because he knew too much. ---
**Author:** ![CartesianDaemon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@CartesianDaemon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CartesianDaemon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/37 "2005-10-24T12:39:25Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Kudos, **samclem**. > > Wise is that moderator who knoweth when he bloweth one and taketh action to correct it! Someone sig should included “blowethed by Samclem” ;D ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/38 "2005-10-24T15:49:14Z")
:applauds: good call, **samclem**. Classy. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/39 "2005-10-24T18:08:59Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > You’ve been doing too much of that Shakespeare thread… 🙂 Not at all. (Damn, this doublet and hose sore pincheth me! Methinks I have another wedgie.) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563/40 "2005-10-24T18:18:01Z")
Thanks, **samclem**. Good to see the human side to moderators emerge occassionally 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-was-it-necessary-to-close-this-thread-weak/327563.md?page=3)