# Talking to plants.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [November 6, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330 "2006-11-06T18:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Iamonfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Iamonfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iamonfire)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/21 "2006-11-13T00:20:22Z")
People have been altering my posts. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/22 "2006-11-13T00:40:28Z")
Oh, really? They look the same as they did last time I read them, although I will admit that I didn’t memorize them or anything, as they aren’t really that profound. Plus, a little “edited by X” appears at the bottom of a post if a mod or an admin edits a post. ---
**Author:** ![Iamonfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Iamonfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iamonfire)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/23 "2006-11-13T00:46:09Z")
[QUOTE=Kat] Plus, a little “edited by X” appears at the bottom of a post if a mod or an admin edits a post. [/QUOTE] Yes, and admins can’t change stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/24 "2006-11-13T00:49:46Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] People have been altering my posts. [/QUOTE] I somehow don’t think the moderators or administrators (the only people capable of changing posts - lowly users can’t even change their own posts) would be very likely to do that. Are you really suggesting that? ---
**Author:** ![Iamonfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Iamonfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iamonfire)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/25 "2006-11-13T00:56:28Z")
yes ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/26 "2006-11-13T01:01:29Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] yes [/QUOTE] So, they took out the link? Is that it? Any other changes? Why did you only complain about it after I pointed it out to you the \*second \*time? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/27 "2006-11-13T01:14:11Z")
[QUOTE=Canadjun] I somehow don’t think the moderators or administrators (the only people capable of changing posts - lowly users can’t even change their own posts) would be very likely to do that. Are you really suggesting that? [/QUOTE] That and any time a post is altered, there’s a note saying so at the bottom, which I believe is built into the software. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/28 "2006-11-13T01:22:36Z")
**Iamonfire** –I’m as paranoid as the next guy, even if the next guy is an ex-CIA Agent going through drug withdrawl, but this is too much for even me to swallow. ---
**Author:** ![Iamonfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Iamonfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iamonfire)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/29 "2006-11-13T01:54:49Z")
You guys are gullible. these people want me out ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/30 "2006-11-13T01:55:28Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] People have been altering my posts. [/QUOTE] Sure it wasn’t the cabbages? ---
**Author:** ![Iamonfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Iamonfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iamonfire)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/31 "2006-11-13T02:09:41Z")
Yes I’m sure. They are not connected to my computer. ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/32 "2006-11-13T02:20:39Z")
But wasn’t it your point that they are _psychic_ cabbages? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/33 "2006-11-13T02:53:31Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] People have been altering my posts. [/QUOTE] No one has been altering your posts in this thread. > [@](#): > > You guys are gullible. these people want me out If we wanted you out that bad, you’d be gone already. bibliophage moderator CCC ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/34 "2006-11-13T03:14:36Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] Yes I’m sure. They are not connected to my computer. [/QUOTE] And you think _we’re_ in denial … ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/35 "2006-11-13T04:08:26Z")
No, they can’t. It’s a function of the vB software. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/36 "2006-11-13T04:10:18Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] Yes, and admins can’t change stuff like that. [/QUOTE] No, they can’t. It’s a function of the vB software. And why would they want to? Are you really that paranoid? ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/37 "2006-11-13T05:20:57Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] You guys are gullible. these people want me out [/QUOTE] Well, it’s not paranoia if they’re _really_ out to get you. ---
**Author:** ![Iamonfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Iamonfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iamonfire)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/38 "2006-11-13T08:59:21Z")
^^^at least someone believes me. Thanks Curt, it means a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/39 "2006-11-13T13:21:30Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] So I provide a link to a practising academic whose work has influenced some fairly major texts and you provide a sarcastic remark about a renowned fruitcake? [/quote] So far, after 50 years, since those experiments have not been reliably replicated, your “practising academic” is squarely in the camp of that renowned fruitcake, so I think the comparison is quite apt. > [@](#): > > Hubbard got his tomatoes to grow to 15ft or something daft, Cleve Backster ran experiments that changed peoples perceptions. Big tomatoes don’t prove plants have feelings. Please note that your refs to parapsychology must be tempered with the knowledge that _there is no known parapsychology experiment that can be replicated under proper observing conditions. \*\* None. Nada._\*\* Until one exists, the “science” of parapsychology is unique amoung the sciences in that what it purports to examine hasn’t been found to exist. I am not enough of a biologist to know if plants produce electrical currents that can be detected by a galvanometer (I doubt it, but I could be wrong), but even if they do, it’s a huge leap of fantasy to say that flowing electrical currents represent intelligence, thoughts or human characteristics. If that were the case, both lightning and the wires in my house are pretty deep thinkers. > [@Kat](#): > > No, they can’t. It’s a function of the vB software. [nitpick] Yes they can. vB’s option to automatically tag edits can be turned off and on by admins. [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330/40 "2006-11-13T14:08:35Z")
[QUOTE=Iamonfire] You guys are gullible. these people want me out [/QUOTE] Umm… If they wanted you out, the title under your name would be BANNED rather than Guest by now. :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talking-to-plants/379330.md?page=3)