# The locked Singles thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 16, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769 "2005-03-16T05:55:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/21 "2005-03-16T20:58:06Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Some flirting is permissible; a bunch of it in one spot is not. Why not? Seriously…why not? Why is a bunch of flirting any less appropriate than a bunch of people playing with movie titles (as is happening right now in Cafe Society) or complaining about rude questions they’ve been asked (which is going on in a BBQ Pit thread at the moment.) > [@](#): > > Over time the Straight Dope has been pushed to be many things for many people, each wishing this community to be as they see fit. Well, since we’ve got thousands of members at this point, and hundreds of threads in many different forums, I see no reason why it _can’t_ be many things for many people. As long as those things aren’t illegal, don’t hurt anyone, and don’t create a hostile environment for others, what’s the problem? > [@](#): > > Not every request is honored. > > Not every perceived use is appropriate. Fair enough. But there’s usually some sort of non-capricious, logical reason why some uses are appropriate and others are not. In this case, I haven’t yet seen a particularly persuasive explanation for why the single Dopers thread was an inappropriate use of the SDMB. your humble TubaDiva [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/22 "2005-03-16T20:59:50Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > When I was born I was zero years old. > > Everyone I know was born that old, although some were premature babies. > > Some people grew up to enjoy ham, others have never tried it, and there are some that don’t care for it at all. Thanks for this. Laughing is fun. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/23 "2005-03-16T21:12:36Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > To quote from the moderator who closed the thread, The Straight Dope Message Board is not The Personals. > > It should be noted in passing that the Straight Dope’s corporate owner, The Chicago Reader, offers personal ads as one of their services. It would not be a good idea to set up anything that could be construed as being in any sort of competition with them, especially as they charge for their personals service. > > [Chicago Reader Personals](http://www.chicagoreader.com/matches/) > \>[http://www.chicagoreader.com/matches/](http://www.chicagoreader.com/matches/) > > (You always want to keep on the good side of your owner/boss, in any event.) > > your humble TubaDiva To quote from the posters in this thread, The Straight Dope Message Board is not in competition with The Personals. It should be noted in passing that the personal ads’ corporate owner, The Chicago Reader, offers the Straight Dope Message Board as one of their services. It would not be a good idea to set up anything that could be construed as being in any sort of competition with them, especially as they charge for their Message Board. (You always want to keep on the good side of your paying customers, in any event.) disappointed glee ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/24 "2005-03-16T21:59:14Z")
You know, I wish the thread had been left open because a thread full of single Dopers flirting with each other helps keep them from flirting with each other all over IMHO and CS. Yes! Thank you! Keep the furshlugginger “wiggles eyebrows, _winks_” horseshit contained, I say. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/25 "2005-03-16T22:16:07Z")
**glee** –WAG time here, but I bet they make a _lot_ more money off the Personals page than they do off of the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/26 "2005-03-16T22:31:07Z")
Hi! I’m a 36 year old straight white male. I’m a Gemini, 5’11", 180lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes, and my friends tell me I’m attractive. I enjoy books, movies, music, conversation, good wine and food, and long walks along the beach: are you that “special someone” who’d like to walk beside me? ---
**Author:** ![Opinions\_Vary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/858c86/32.png) [@Opinions\_Vary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opinions_Vary)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/27 "2005-03-16T22:56:58Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > Hi! I’m a 36 year old straight white male. I’m a Gemini, 5’11", 180lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes, and my friends tell me I’m attractive. I enjoy books, movies, music, conversation, good wine and food, and long walks along the beach: are you that “special someone” who’d like to walk beside me? Sounds like a personal ad to me…they say that can’t be done here…lol BTW where would we walk…we should probably stay away from Chicago! ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/28 "2005-03-16T23:33:37Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Gosh, I sure hope this isn’t flirting! (Even if it _is_ flirting with someone who looks like a young Audrey Hepburn! 😉 ) I’d hate for this thread to be locked as a flirt thread! > > [sub]Incidentally, **Spiny Norman** could totally kick my arse![/sub] Bah! Young Audrey Hepburn – I wish! And of course it’s flirting. I’d give you a big hug, too, if I could, 'cuz you know I just love you to pieces. And as much as I adore my husband, he could _so_ not kick your arse. That image is almost as funny as me looking like Audrey Hepburn! Well, that is of course unless we’re talking about a [Nerf Machine Gun](http://www.amschwartz.net/jillandthomas/images/misc/tgiving2002-nerf3.jpg) duel. Then he might stand a fighting chance - hehe. Ironically, if this bullshit had been in effect four years ago, I likely would never have even met my wonderful husband, seeing as how the Straight Dope is what brought us together. And more ironic still, today is the 4 year anniversary of the day we met at Amsterdope! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/29 "2005-03-17T00:20:23Z")
> [@](#): > > **TubaDiva** said: > to participate in charitable endeavors, At least once by an admin. > [@](#): > > **Bippy the Beardless** said: > Why the fuck not? What else won’t be allowed in “one spot”? I’m sure they’ll let you know after you’ve crossed the line. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/30 "2005-03-17T00:36:29Z")
So **catsix** hayd? Seriousl **TubaDiva** seemed to be saying you can only flirt in threads where it is not directly appropriate to the OP (you can’t have flirting threads, but some flirting is allowed) which is just plane wackout daft. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/31 "2005-03-17T00:42:11Z")
I have the answer. [http://www.livejournal.com/community/mpsims/](http://www.livejournal.com/community/mpsims/) There you go. A whole LiveJournal community for SDMB members dedicated to post count parties, flirting, and game threads. Knock yourselves out. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/32 "2005-03-17T01:00:41Z")
I think it’s pretty damn sad that we have to set up _another_ board in order for people on _this_ board to get to know each other and flirt a little. Tuba’s excuse makes exactly zero sense. As everyone else has said, a flirt thread is nowhere near being competition with the Reader. Get to work, Mods and Admins, and start shutting down all the threads in Cafe Society, since they must be in competition with any arts or movie articles in the paper… not to mention the social advice threads and the danger they pose to Miss Manners. Also anything that mentions any current events and gives an opinion on them, since we’re probably putting the jobs of the opinion columnists in jeopardy. Oh, and the threads that link to cartoons, too. If we can read Dilbert online, we won’t buy the paper for the comics! :wally ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/33 "2005-03-17T02:32:31Z")
If threads can be closed regardless of the rules in place and without explanation, why have policy at all? Now we can only flirt if we hijack a thread. Makes me wonder if we’ll see yet another moderator who met someone from the boards axed. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/34 "2005-03-17T02:50:20Z")
> [@](#): > > _Antigen said:_ > I think it’s pretty damn sad that we have to set up another board in order for people on this board to get to know each other and flirt a little. Why is it sad? Why must this board be all things to all people? I say they cut back to core. Eliminate MPSIMS and merge BBQ into GB- maybe let OPs tag their threads “flame on” or “flames off”. Merge IMHO & Cafe Society, again maybe let OPs set tags so members can still view on more specific subjects. I don’t know. I guess they’d lose a few older members who mainly like the socializing but it could work out ok. Financially it would be easy, any new member pay double so he would replace two “charter” members. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/35 "2005-03-17T02:53:09Z")
I of course meant: “merge BBQ into GD”- ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/36 "2005-03-17T04:08:29Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Why is it sad? Why must this board be all things to all people? > > I say they cut back to core. Eliminate MPSIMS and merge BBQ into GB- maybe let OPs tag their threads “flame on” or “flames off”. Merge IMHO & Cafe Society, again maybe let OPs set tags so members can still view on more specific subjects. > > I don’t know. I guess they’d lose a few older members who mainly like the socializing but it could work out ok. Financially it would be easy, any new member pay double so he would replace two “charter” members. Just a question for one part: If we’re not eliminating the content specifically to certain forums that go bye bye (like your combination of GD and the BBQ Pit) with exact titles so that people would know what to open or not that they’re interested in, what’s the difference (besides possibly taking away from the Reader’s personals revenue) with a particular thread or two, that has “flirting” or the like \*right as the header" before you ever go any further? Isn’t that basically the same thing, only playing with semantics though? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/37 "2005-03-17T05:20:55Z")
Responding to what the functional differences would be: Flirting wouldn’t be appreciated at all in this world. I said eliminate MPSIMS and I would further say have mods clamp down on flirting in any of the merged forums. I believe excessive flirting and socializing stifles clean debate, as much as excessive flaming. I don’t want to be told to “take it easy on the guy, his mom just died” when debating nuclear policy on a message board. I save that style of debate for staff meetings and community halls. The merged BBQ/GD would be better because most of the good political arguments happen in BBQ, shame not to have them on the same page. I would ban “pitting” of other members. If you can’t respond within the context of the thread where you have the problem, then fuck off and buy a thesaurus. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/38 "2005-03-17T10:14:18Z")
> [@glee](#): > > It should be noted in passing that the personal ads’ corporate owner, The Chicago Reader, offers the Straight Dope Message Board as one of their services. It would not be a good idea to set up anything that could be construed as being in any sort of competition with them, especially as they charge for their Message Board. The problem is that I would never use the personal ads at the Reader, or anywhere else. I wanted to talk specifically to _Dopers_. Not random people in the Personals; a self-selecting group that posts here and not there. So there’s absolutely no competition going on. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/39 "2005-03-17T10:15:28Z")
PS: I know **Tuba** said the above, I didn’t think about what the quote button would do. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769/40 "2005-03-17T13:36:47Z")
> [@glee](#): > > disappointed glee Band name. And word to everything you said. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-locked-singles-thread/294769.md?page=3)