# What were you THINKING? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532 "2023-10-13T19:36:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 267
**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:** [August 8, 2025, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5623 "2025-08-08T16:12:49Z")
With a side order of **Stranger** is relatively more pessimistic by nature and **Strangelove** more optimistic. So depending on whether the tread is trying to bolster support for some idea or to pooh pooh it, who’s fighting from their more favorable ground alternates. But we’re better for having both of them around as much as we do. Zero complaints from me. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5624 "2025-08-08T16:20:09Z")
I tend to agree with your assessment, both are very knowledgeable, but **Stranger** to a very high degree. I do feel he is too pessimistic on Fusion which appears to be finally be really moving now, but as he is adjacent to the field and I’m just a retired programmer and not Science or Engineering, I would never attempt to argue with him on it. ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5625 "2025-08-08T17:04:23Z")
Strangelove is the MAGA Musk one right? ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5626 "2025-08-08T17:25:07Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > > [@What\_Exit](#): > > > > Myself, please notice the lack of the word “Moderating” and the lack of color. > > Look for the Post-It yellow. 🙂 If he’s not responding as a moderator perhaps he should flag the pit mod instead. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5627 "2025-08-08T17:25:45Z")
Genrally Pro-Musk Tech, but not MAGA to the best of my knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5628 "2025-08-08T17:54:03Z")
> [@chela](#): > > If he’s not responding as a moderator perhaps he should flag the pit mod instead. Flag me to do what, exactly? Post his personal opinion for him? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5629 "2025-08-08T18:05:35Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But we’re better for having both of them around as much as we do. Zero complaints from me. This fully sums up my feelings on both of the posters, though since I’m **also** a pessimist by nature, I’m normally more sympathetic with Stranger’s POV rather than Strangelove. And I’ve very glad that the back and forth this time was largely hostility free, which isn’t always the case for such interactions when they are going deep into a subject. Kudos. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5630 "2025-08-08T19:04:55Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Like you say, both are knowledgeable, but in an argument between them, my money is usually on Stranger. **Stranger** is always confident, generally very well informed, and usually but not always right. I recall in particular one run-in I had with him in a thread about different energy sources for vehicles and he made some comment (possibly in connection with hydrogen power) saying, as near as I can recall, that water vapour was not exactly benign and could have an effect on climate. When I explained that this was a common misconception and that wasn’t how the hydrological cycle works in the context of climate, wow – the reaction was unexpectedly hostile, and he accused me of “stalking” him! ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5631 "2025-08-08T19:19:50Z")
So anyone is free to instruct aka jr mod other posters on how to behave in a thread? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5632 "2025-08-08T19:21:55Z")
Gosh, Wesley\_Clark really is hitting all the high points in the top couple of GD threads - race realism, Islamophobia, homophobia - all in JAQing terms, of course . Gosh, if he hadn’t so strongly proclaimed his left credentials, I’d be [suspicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406) \s ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5633 "2025-08-08T19:24:27Z")
> [@chela](#): > > So anyone is free to instruct aka jr mod other posters on how to behave in a thread? In the Pit? Yeah, in the Pit, anyone is allowed to tell another poster to shut up and piss off if they want. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5634 "2025-08-08T19:28:17Z")
Did a mod just get accused of Jr Modding because of a post that started with “please”??? What’s this place coming to, what with the mods jackboots being replaced with comfy slippers? ---
**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:** [August 8, 2025, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5635 "2025-08-08T19:29:50Z")
Well, you have to take into account that chela is a moron and every of their posts is drive-by useless garbage. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5636 "2025-08-08T19:32:47Z")
You noticed that too? ---
**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:** [August 8, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5637 "2025-08-08T19:35:36Z")
Yeah, I’m that sharp. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5638 "2025-08-08T19:45:13Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Well, you have to take into account that chela is a moron and every of their posts is drive-by useless garbage. Not to junior mod, but aren’t you supposed to flag Miller so he can post your opinion for you? ---
**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:** [August 8, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5639 "2025-08-08T19:52:47Z")
Now you’ve done it, you put us all in an endless mod-junior mod-poster loop. This will break the Pit and lead to a singularity. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5640 "2025-08-08T19:56:44Z")
[![](https://i.imgflip.com/a2l13s.jpg) ](https://i.imgflip.com/a2l13s.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5641 "2025-08-08T20:02:13Z")
I love it when when the board gets meta. We’re through the looking glass folks… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5642 "2025-08-08T21:02:40Z")
Could you please dial back the stupid a little, it seems to have gone to 11. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=266) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=268)