# Stupid-Ass Straight Dope Thread Titles **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 2, 2003, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501 "2003-08-02T04:25:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/41 "2003-08-06T21:10:15Z")
O.K., I’ll give that one a pass. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/42 "2003-08-06T21:53:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*Actually, with “Definately” the title sums it up pretty neatly, as it was a rant against people misspelling the word. Lame, perhaps, but the title was as descriptive as necessary. \*\* I disagree. It could have just as easily been a misspelling on the part of the person creating the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/43 "2003-08-06T21:58:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*Seriously folks, it’s a thread _title_, not a thread _description_. \*\* I’m sorry that the simple logic of how useful it is to make a descriptive thread title isn’t enough to convince some people. Since simple usefulness isn’t enough to convince you, how about this from a moderator? > [@](#): > > There’s been a rash of extremely unhelpful thread titles lately. With GQ as busy as it is, most people don’t have time to read each and every thread. You do yourself a disservice and your fellow members a discourtesy when you title a thread ambiguously. Please put some thought into a good thread title. It’s from a sticky thread right at the top of GQ. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/44 "2003-08-06T23:54:33Z")
Evil Captor, you are my hero. All the idiots who are defending the crappy, vague thread titles should be strapped to a cattle prod that zaps them for as long as it takes a thread to open on my screen. Then they’d see why it’s a problem. I’ve always felt that mods should close down mystery threads. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/45 "2003-08-07T00:04:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*I disagree. It could have just as easily been a misspelling on the part of the person creating the thread. \*\* But it wasn’t. It was a perfectly descriptive title for that particular rant. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/46 "2003-08-07T00:28:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*But it wasn’t. It was a perfectly descriptive title for that particular rant. \*\* Which you wouldn’t know UNTIL YOU OPENED THE THREAD. That’s the whole point of the title, is to describe the thread so you know what it’s about BEFORE OPENING IT. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/47 "2003-08-07T00:31:26Z")
And it was NOT descriptive. Descriptive would have “It’s not spelled “Definately”!” ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/48 "2003-08-07T01:04:09Z")
Now you’re just being argumentative, Tim. 🙂 “It’s not spelled ‘Definately’” is more descriptive, but that doesn’t mean “Definately” itself is not descriptive. Someone in this thread had the intriguing notion to ignore vague thread titles. Would that we all did that… ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/49 "2003-08-07T01:12:10Z")
ARRRGFGHHHH!!! IT’S NOT DESCRIPTIVE AT ALL!!! AHHHHH!!! Ok, I’ll start ignoring them. Good advice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/50 "2003-08-07T01:21:30Z")
Now watch RevTim begin a new thread called… wait for it… “Nondescriptive!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/51 "2003-08-07T03:24:37Z")
Can somebody explain the thread titles that have two names? example: “Why is there a brown spot on my ass OR my cat has a cocaine addiction”. I just don’t get it and it’s all over this place. Is it supposed to be clever? Am I somehow responsible for choosing the correct one? That seems like a lot of pressure for me, a casual observer. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/52 "2003-08-07T04:05:18Z")
It’s a carryover from chapters of some books, as well as movies. For example: _Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb_. Just alternate titles. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/53 "2003-08-07T06:51:23Z")
2 more: In Great Debates: “Western Culture” In BBQ Pit: “Fools Gold” In both cases, the question comes to mind: “What about it?” ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/54 "2003-08-07T16:10:21Z")
As the OP, I rule that “Definately” is definitely NOT descriptive, simply because there are so many posters here who can’t spell. My first assumption would be along those lines. If I’m making assumptions, it definately ain’t descriptive. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/55 "2003-08-07T16:15:29Z")
Maybe you could assume you don’t need to read it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/56 "2003-08-08T03:11:26Z")
In General Questions we have a new nominee, the thread entitled History We must crush it now or soon we will have threads entitled “Math” and “Social Studies” and “Spanish”. ---
**Author:** ![Henry\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d78d45/32.png) [@Henry\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henry_B)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/57 "2003-08-08T07:10:11Z")
**It is bullshit that something cant be defined with a few words.** Those who can’t, should go back to school. Look at Your papers headlines. Just for fun: - Give me a title-description and I try to do it to a short descriptive title. (And my knowledge of the English language is from books, Collounsbury stories and a 5 day trip to England 1968. But still, I am quite sure I can do it.) So please, let the shit hit the fan (me). 😉 Yes, I mean You, You ignorant fools. Henry ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/58 "2003-08-08T07:31:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Henry B \* > (And my knowledge of the English language is from books, Collounsbury stories and a 5 day trip to England 1968. But still, I am quite sure I can do it.) Eh, that’s not English they’re speaking over there. What the hell is a “lift”, anyway? Lift is a verb. And everyone knows that deep-fried strips of potato are called “fries”.😉 And another thing; when a word ends with an “r”, they leave it off: “Please pass the buttah.” But if it doesn’t end with an “r” they STICK ONE ON: “We went to the zoo to see the Giant Pandar.” And Collounsbury would probably sound more like Colnsbry. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/59 "2003-08-17T05:06:00Z")
Just when I thought I was free, they pull me back in. In “General Questions” we have the following thread title: **What Do You Think This Is?** I think it’s a Stupid-Ass Thread Title, what do YOU think it is? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501/60 "2003-08-17T06:26:42Z")
I just thought to myself: ‘As a Russian once said, “Only God knows what was floating in my soup,”’ and skipped on down the page. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-ass-straight-dope-thread-titles/192501.md?page=4)