# Starving Artist , yet again **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 31, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305 "2012-01-31T14:55:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/1 "2012-01-31T14:55:52Z")
Could someone please explain, in simple language, why **Starving Artist** has yet to earn any sanctions for his aggregate behavior in the threads: [It’s time to officially Pit Joe Paterno and the Penn State football program.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=630580) [Pitting ALL those who are Ok with a man watching a child being raped.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=631452) One example out of dozens I could choose from: [Quote=Starving Artist] Still, it would be easy enough for you or anyone else to test. Just squat down about as far relative to your height as Sandusky would have to for his, and try pumping away at a paper towel tube held in front of you. I’m not asking that you report back to me, because a) you likely wouldn’t; and b) the sickos in this thread would accuse me of getting off on it, which of course is utter bullshit substantiated by my eight year, 12,000 post history on this board which has been totally free of skeevy attempts with the board’s female posters. So, go ahead, give it a try. Bet you can’t do it for more than a few seconds before you collapse or your muscles give out. [/Quote] I normally am fairly casual about persons that others may consider unpleasant or troublemaking posters, but I simply cannot understand how this kind of thing is not running afoul of the “no trolling” and “don’t be a jerk” rules. I also wish other posters would find it in themselves to give this crap the cold shulder it deserves, but I guess people just can’t help themselves. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/2 "2012-01-31T15:47:23Z")
I have intensely criticized **Starving Artist** in those threads, but I disagree that he’s said anything deserving sanction. His ideas are repellent, his reasoning is defective, and I wouldn’t let him anywhere near my own (hypothetical) kid, but he hasn’t broken any rules. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/3 "2012-01-31T16:04:36Z")
I dunno. I would have agreed with **Vinyl Turnip** until the last few pages of the thread, in which SA seems to be delighting in posting multiple explicit child-rape scenarios (like the cardboard tube thing) and admitting that people in the thread will likely accuse him of getting off on it. I mean, I’m not saying whether he is or is not getting off on it, but his entire purpose in that thread now seems to be, “Post child-rape scenarios to get people all worked up and outraged.” It seems pretty trollish to me. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/4 "2012-01-31T16:18:35Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I have intensely criticized **Starving Artist** in those threads, but I disagree that he’s said anything deserving sanction. > > His ideas are repellent, his reasoning is defective, and I wouldn’t let him anywhere near my own (hypothetical) kid, but he hasn’t broken any rules. Really? How about this one, where the poster in question drags his peculiar theories about ‘liberals’ into a thread where the political content was basically zero, unit the poster himself brought it up: [Quote=Starving Artist] Actually, that was a misquote. Correctly stated it should be: To tell the truth is self-defeating if you’re a liberal. Given the frequency which other, almost invariably liberal, posters lie about what I’ve said around here, I’m thinking that rather than explaining yet again what I’ve already said, I may just make that quote my de riguer response…sort of like the quarry thing, only more pertinent. ETA: Only trouble is, I’d have to use it practically non-stop. Maybe I could write a macro! [/Quote] Anyway, if everyone else finds him to be fine, harmless entertainment, or (shudder) the sort of beacon of truth he cleaims to be, and the board adminstration agrees with that view, I’ll have no choice but to let the matter drop, and that will be fine with me. However, we’re discussing a poster who posts (at least these days) almost exclusively in the Pit, and for whom nearly every thread every thread he posts to eventually ends in a massive trainwreck. Asking for a mod opinion on how this behavior fits with the stated rules doesn’t seem out of line. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/5 "2012-01-31T16:23:22Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > However, we’re discussing a poster who posts (at least these days) almost exclusively in the Pit, and for whom nearly every thread every thread he posts to eventually ends in a massive trainwreck. Asking for a mod opinion on how this behavior fits with the stated rules doesn’t seem out of line. A lot of very good posters have been hit with the ban-stick for various reasons. SA has never bought anything to the SD table other than the entertainment value of his views and his comedic attempts at reasoning. In the light of these threads that shit is no longer funny. I find it impossible to believe he can be putting these arguments forward with a straight face and suspect he has been trolling us for years. Worthless and quite likely sick troll. Get rid. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/6 "2012-01-31T16:24:31Z")
I have not participated in either thread but I glanced at them. I saw nothing deserving of sanction or against the rules. Very mild by Pit rules. If they start sanctioning people just for having opinions that I don’t like or make me uncomfortable I will move on. The current rules work just fine when implimented correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/7 "2012-01-31T16:29:09Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > A lot of very good posters have been hit with the ban-stick for various reasons. SA has never bought anything to the SD table other than the entertainment value of his views and his comedic attempts at reasoning. > > In the light of these threads that shit is no longer funny. I find it impossible to believe he can be putting these arguments forward with a straight face and suspect he has been trolling us for years. > > Worthless and quite likely sick troll. Get rid. Some people only bring cat pics or fluff to the board. You can argue they bring nothing to the board. Should they be banned? Banning is there for those who break board rules. The ignore feature is there so you don’t have to read anything from those you don’t like. I personally don’t use ignore because my eyeballs do a good enough job of going past those that I don’t care for. BTW is it still a rule that you can only accuse someone of being a troll in the Pit? ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/8 "2012-01-31T16:51:18Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Really? How about this one, where the poster in question drags his peculiar theories about ‘liberals’ into a thread where the political content was basically zero, unit the poster himself brought it up Great. As long as that rule applies to every moronic douchebag who decides to toss a lame-ass political cheap shot for the lulz into CS, I’d be in support of it. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/9 "2012-01-31T16:53:45Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > A lot of very good posters have been hit with the ban-stick for various reasons. Various and sometimes spurious, in my humble opinion. **SA** is one of a handful of posters I personally think the board would be better off without, but I also feel banning should be reserved for the most extreme circumstances. Allowing him room to express his views, noxious as they may be, is ultimately a useful thing. Anyone reading now knows exactly what they’re dealing with, and can respond (or abstain) accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/10 "2012-01-31T17:01:12Z")
I think **SA** is an SDMB treasure. Comedy gold and interactive psychology experiment all rolled into one. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/11 "2012-01-31T17:05:55Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Some people only bring cat pics or fluff to the board. You can argue they bring nothing to the board. Should they be banned? Banning is there for those who break board rules. The ignore feature is there so you don’t have to read anything from those you don’t like. I personally don’t use ignore because my eyeballs do a good enough job of going past those that I don’t care for. > > BTW is it still a rule that you can only accuse someone of being a troll in the Pit? Cats are fine. Graphic details of the mechanics of child rape are something else. Lines have been crossed in those threads. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/12 "2012-01-31T17:17:16Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > Cats are fine. Graphic details of the mechanics of child rape are something else. Lines have been crossed in those threads. Which lines? I have no doubt your lines have been crossed. I would have to go back and see if my lines were crossed. But have the boards lines been crossed? If not then use ignore and move on. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/13 "2012-01-31T17:23:18Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > But have the boards lines been crossed? I think so. People have been banned for a lot less. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/14 "2012-01-31T17:35:29Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > I think so. People have been banned for a lot less. And not banned for a lot more. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/15 "2012-01-31T17:35:40Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > BTW is it still a rule that you can only accuse someone of being a troll in the Pit? On review of the rules, yes, apparently you can’t do that in this forum, so I apologize and will take my lumps without complaint. While I’m at it, I also apologize for screwing up my second link. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/16 "2012-01-31T17:48:17Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Great. As long as that rule applies to every moronic douchebag who decides to toss a lame-ass political cheap shot for the lulz into CS, I’d be in support of it. When political pot shots in CS are reported, they usually get mod notes or warnings, as appropriate. When they are not reported, it is quite possible that the mods are unaware of them. **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/17 "2012-01-31T17:57:37Z")
Even stuff like “Boy that character is dumb” / “Yeah, but George Bush is dumber! LOLZER!!!”? I thought that was acceptable if douchey behavior. If that’s not ok, thanks! I did not know that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/18 "2012-01-31T17:59:33Z")
Nope, not acceptable. Go ahead and report. ETA: That specific example would probably not get a warning, but the poster would be told to knock it off. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/19 "2012-01-31T18:41:41Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I normally am fairly casual about persons that others may consider unpleasant or troublemaking posters, but I simply cannot understand how this kind of thing is not running afoul of the “no trolling” and “don’t be a jerk” rules. > > I also wish other posters would find it in themselves to give this crap the cold shulder it deserves, but I guess people just can’t help themselves. I had never even heard of Starving Artist prior to that pit threat and don’t think I’ve ever interacted with him on this board. I know that a lot of you have been active prolific posters for years and know everyone’s reputation and posting history…but I would guess that the majority of SDMB visitors do not. When I first encountered SA in that pit thread, I noticed that he had “Charter Member” under his name. Rightly or wrongly, I tend to give extra credence to the posts of charter members because I presume they’ve been around for a long time and have been vetted (same with those with the title "Straight Dope Science Advisory Board). In retrospect, that was a mistake in this case but at first glance he had what appeared to be a respectable title that suggested he’d been around for a while, so it wasn’t immediately obvious that he was a troll. Perhaps the title of Charter Member or SDSAB should not garner any respect or credibility, but for infrequent visitors to the board I think that may be a common misconception. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305/20 "2012-01-31T19:06:38Z")
I would think it would be more appropriate to pit Starving Artist … which you are always welcome to do. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starving-artist-yet-again/611305.md?page=2)