# We seem to be missing another poster (Stranger\_on\_a\_Train) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 7, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438 "2026-01-07T16:32:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/1 "2026-01-07T16:32:12Z")
@Stranger_On_A_Train hasn’t posted since November 5. Does anyone know if he’s okay? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/2 "2026-01-07T16:36:15Z")
Am wondering if [this](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519) thread has anything to do with it. I wish he would come back, though. I learned a lot from his posts on various engineering & science related subjects. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/3 "2026-01-07T16:41:10Z")
He left in an apparent snit after starting this thread: > [@What is your problem, Chronos?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519): > > Continuing the discussion from [If something is "dropped" from ISS altitude, do we need to worry about it burning up on re-entry](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-something-is-dropped-from-iss-altitude-do-we-need-to-worry-about-it-burning-up-on-re-entry/1024514/5): What exactly is your fucking problem with me, and your endless attempts to try to ‘correct’ me on things that I’m not wrong about? It’s an obnoxious, antagonistic, and frankly kind of a weird obsession with you. So what is the issue? Did I steal your parking spot? Take the last doughnut in the breakroom? Leave the toilet seat up? What is your malfunction? Stra… I hope he gets over it and comes back. As I said in the linked thread, I greatly value his contributions to the board, and the board has been a lesser place without him. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/4 "2026-01-07T16:58:16Z")
I also hope he comes back. And that he’s all right. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/5 "2026-01-07T17:36:12Z")
> [@robby](#): > > I hope he gets over it and comes back. Quite. He is evidently quite knowledgeable, and often helpful. Though he does occasionally get a bit verbose and suffers from a bit of ‘expert overreach’ syndrome. Still, he seems a decent fellow overall. ---
**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/6 "2026-01-07T17:44:08Z")
He has taken these self-imposed sabbaticals before when he has felt disrespected, and has always come back. I imagine he will again this time. If not, oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/7 "2026-01-07T17:54:12Z")
I hope he comes back ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/8 "2026-01-07T18:39:56Z")
Same. I hope he comes back. If the feud is an ongoing issue, maybe the two posters can put each other on their respective ignore lists. The rest of us still appreciate their posts. Come back, @Stranger_On_A_Train! ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/9 "2026-01-07T18:42:07Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > If the feud is an ongoing issue, maybe the two posters can put each other on their respective ignore lists. The rest of us still appreciate their posts. The other poster is a mod, so Stranger couldn’t put them on ignore. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/10 "2026-01-07T19:35:05Z")
Well, you CAN ignore someone’s posts even if they aren’t on your ignore list. All you have to do is **not** reply and click out of the thread. Duh. 🤦🏽‍♂️ ---
**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:** [January 7, 2026, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/11 "2026-01-07T19:46:17Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > If the feud is an ongoing issue, maybe the two posters can put each other on their respective ignore lists. The rest of us still appreciate their posts. If it was a fued it was one sided. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/12 "2026-01-07T19:54:39Z")
Way to let a dispute die down. Cue continued argument in 3, 2, 1… ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/13 "2026-01-07T20:23:42Z")
@Stranger_On_A_Train is my hero. He threw that water fountain through the window and made his escape from this madhouse. If only I could be that brave. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/14 "2026-01-07T20:33:05Z")
Wrong movie. ---
**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:** [January 7, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/15 "2026-01-07T20:46:40Z")
@Stranger_On_A_Train saved the world from nuclear annihilation by playing tic tac toe with a sentient computer. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/16 "2026-01-07T21:00:54Z")
True. But after each sabbatical and eventual return his participation has shrunk. There is a level below which there’s just no point in coming back. Is he there yet? No way to know. As a separate matter, what we can tell of his attitude to the rest of the world has been deteriorating. Not happy about climate change, especially not happy about the USA turning into a Russian dominated neo-Nazi shithole with drug-addled musk as the _primer inter pares_ of the newgen oligarchs, etc. Most of the rest of us, certainly including me, aren’t real happy about that stuff either. But he was taking it real hard, with very dire predictions. He may have decided to just chuck it all and quit being online. I would not greatly blame him. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/17 "2026-01-07T21:11:52Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > @Stranger_On_A_Train saved the world from nuclear annihilation by playing tic tac toe with a sentient computer. If there were any SDMB member who was most likely to do this, it would be him. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/18 "2026-01-07T21:27:16Z")
> [@robby](#): > > He left in an apparent snit after starting this thread: Comments like this are probably the reason why he hasn’t been back. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/19 "2026-01-07T22:07:13Z")
> [@MagicEyes](#): > > > [@robby](#): > > > > He left in an apparent snit after starting this thread: > > Comments like this are probably the reason why he hasn’t been back. I sincerely hope not. It wasn’t intended to be pejorative—though perhaps a bit too blunt. But read the linked thread above and tell me how you would characterize his departure. In any event, I am one who has been consistent in expressing my appreciation for his contributions to the board and I hope he does in fact come back. ---
**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:** [January 7, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438/20 "2026-01-07T22:39:35Z")
> [@MagicEyes](#): > > Comments like this are probably the reason why he hasn’t been back. Then he shouldn’t have started a Pit thread when the consensus thinks he was in the wrong. That’s when you take your lumps and either apologize or agree to disagree. No one attacked him out of the blue. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-seem-to-be-missing-another-poster-stranger-on-a-train/1026438.md?page=2)