# The Straight Dope, Long As You Toe The Line **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 4, 2001, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594 "2001-09-04T00:40:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clare\_Ashworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Clare\_Ashworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clare_Ashworth)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/1 "2001-09-04T00:40:01Z")
Nostradamus advises me ‘not to question a decision by a moderator’, because ‘I will lose’. Are they such fascists? I would have preferred to think not. Other message boards I’ve contributed to only chuck you off if you’re offensive or abusive to others - not for disagreeing with the moderator! ultrafilter: I don’t ‘want to flirt’. My little verbal dalliance with Wishbone was purely incidental, and the fact that you’ve made so much of it says more about you than about anyone else. Grow up. Manhattan The Moderator: You resent that I’ve not ‘studied the threads’? What is it you fear I will do again? Impugn (yes, that is a word) your dignity? I have never met a moderator who was such a control freak as you are. You seem absolutely unable to handle anyone expressing an opinion different from your own. I imagine you are either very young, or very immature. If you are neither, then may the Gods help you. You’ll chuck me off, now, won’t you? Because you can. For telling the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/2 "2001-09-04T00:41:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Clare Ashworth \* > \*\*You’ll chuck me off, now, won’t you? Because you can. > For telling the truth. \*\* Or for posting in the wrong forum… ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/3 "2001-09-04T00:43:00Z")
Moving this to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/4 "2001-09-04T00:46:08Z")
ATTENTION NEWBIES: You would be taken more seriously if it weren’t for people like the OP. That is all. Esprix ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/5 "2001-09-04T00:49:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Clare Ashworth \* > \*\*Nostradamus advises me ‘not to question a decision by a moderator’, because ‘I will lose’. > Are they such fascists? I would have preferred to think not. > Other message boards I’ve contributed to only chuck you off if you’re offensive or abusive to others - not for disagreeing with the moderator! > \*\* **Nostardamus** said not to _attack_ a decision by a moderator. You certainly can question a decision. Either way, they make the rules here. If you don’t like it, go the fuck away. Start your own forum where you make the rules…or don’t. Just leave. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/6 "2001-09-04T00:52:28Z")
It’s not disagreeing with a Mod which causes a problem, it’s not accepting that at times the resolution of the disagreement may not go the way you hoped. I’ve not seen anyone booted for disputing a call, but rather for not letting it drop after disputing it. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/7 "2001-09-04T00:55:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Clare Ashworth \* > **Are they such fascists?** And loving every minute of it, baby. Especially **manny**. How do you know you tell the truth, anyway? What moderators have you slept with already? I don’t recall you. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/8 "2001-09-04T00:59:27Z")
Well, **Coldfire** , if you’re looking for someone to sleep with a moderator…(pats pillow in a suggestive manner) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/9 "2001-09-04T01:01:35Z")
Okay, in [this now-locked thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=85183), Clare Ashworth posted: > [@](#): > > Or does GQ have a hidden agenda to which I’m not party? in apparent reference to [_this_ now-locked thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=85135), which began with Clare Ashworth’s original post: > [@](#): > > Smooooooch to you, too, Wishbone! > > But now DrMatrix has bounced us out of that thread. I can’t think what we all did! > Maybe our names are not on the list, so we’re not coming in… > > C. which itself referred to [yet another locked GQ thread begun by Clare Ashworth](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=85081), which seems to have been either looking for a different GQ thread C.A. could no longer find, or possibly looking for a particular SDMB poster C.A. could no longer find. There is no “hidden agenda” here. The agenda is stated in black-and-white right out on the [main SDMB page](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/index.php), where General Questions is described thusly: > [@](#): > > Got a factual question for the Teeming Millions (and possibly Cecil) to consider? Post it here. We actually _have_ a place for flirting and random thoughts and silly stuff. It’s called [MPSIMS](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=4), which has the not-at-all-hidden agenda of > [@](#): > > Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share. For general chatter, great thoughts, etc. (Actually, if all you want to do is flirt with one specific poster, you should probably just get that person’s e-mail address, or send them instant messages, or fly across country and stand outside of their house at 4:00 A.M. and sing love songs and find out where they work and go there too and announce that if they tell you to go away you’ll have no choice but to kill yourself.) C’mon, people. This ain’t rocket science here. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/10 "2001-09-04T01:02:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Clare Ashworth \* > **ultrafilter: I don’t ‘want to flirt’. My little verbal dalliance with Wishbone was purely incidental, and the fact that you’ve made so much of it says more about you than about anyone else. Grow up.** But then you started a new thread to complain about the moderator’s action in GQ. This was after you opened two other threads that were closed. You asked what was up, and I attempted to explain. I don’t care if you flirt with wishbone, just post in the right forum. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/11 "2001-09-04T01:05:01Z")
Wow! Three closed threads in 13 posts. Is that a record? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/12 "2001-09-04T01:08:35Z")
Unknown as to being a record. What’s xanakis’ time-countdown of posts to closed threads? & Clare: are you sure you want to follow that pattern? ---
**Author:** ![Slip\_Mahoney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Slip\_Mahoney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slip_Mahoney)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/13 "2001-09-04T01:08:39Z")
Jeezus H. Murphy. Is there no end to these whiners? Read the phucking FAQs, **Clare!** Even I understood them. There’s hardly any big words at all. And if you’re not happy with the fascist, communist, goose stepping, tyrannical, power tripping, Anti-Christ moderators, you’re free to phuck off. Hope you had a nice weekend. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/14 "2001-09-04T01:09:05Z")
Jesus, didn’t I just see this thread last week? And the week before that? and the week before that? Wait, let me go down the checklist: Whining? Check Use of totalitarian political metaphor for board moderation? Check Offering oneself for martyrdom? Check Just not fucking getting it? Check Yup. I’ve been in this thread before. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/15 "2001-09-04T01:18:22Z")
I don’t know how else to tell you. Read [the forum discriptions](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/). That is the hidden agenda. You will not get far on this board, if you don’t learn. You will not get far anywhere, if you don’t learn how to behave where you are. Every area of the world has its own set of rule. This area of the world has rules. We have few rules; they are all based upon the Prime Directive “Don’t be a jerk.” > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*\*Clare Ashworth \*\* > Grow up. Heed your own advice. If you want to contribute, you will be welcome; if you just want chat, go to chat. If you just want to whine, GQ is not the place to do that. * * * Virtually yours, **DrMatrix** — It’s really not that complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/16 "2001-09-04T01:47:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CrankyAsAnOldMan \* > \*\*Just not fucking getting it? Check > \*\* I’ll thank you to leave my personal life out of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Clare\_Ashworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Clare\_Ashworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clare_Ashworth)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/17 "2001-09-04T02:08:26Z")
All right guys, I give in! You win. I will be good from now on, and try to behave nyself. Is that all right? Clare. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/18 "2001-09-04T02:22:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Clare Ashworth \* > \*\*All right guys, I give in! > You win. I will be good from now on, and try to behave nyself. Is that all right? > \*\* Posting in the wrong forum _again_? That comment was way to nice for the Pit. You didn’t even say “fuck”! 😃 A belated welcome to the boards, **Clare**. You’ve pissed a few people off already, but I’m sure they’ll forget about that. Have fun, and don’t call the mods Nazis. They are Stalinists, and get really upset if you don’t get it right. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/19 "2001-09-04T02:23:09Z")
Clare is my new favorite poster simply for employing Guadere’s Law in One. {golf clap} ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594/20 "2001-09-04T04:33:33Z")
First of all, **Batty** , you invoked Gaudere’s Law and got the Law wrong. Gaudere’s law is the mizspelllink/gremmer thing. Second, I believe the correct law is Goodwin’s Law – the probability of invoking a comparison to a fascist regime goes to one with the length of an Internet debate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-long-as-you-toe-the-line/79594.md?page=2)