# Why didn't these posts in the Pit warrant any mod notice at all? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 28, 2012, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654 "2012-07-28T06:37:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/121 "2012-07-31T01:09:24Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I thinking you’re missing the point, which is to use this opportunity to get rid of the current pointlessly and arbitrarily banned expressions. The fact that comparably offensive statements are peachy, and only (maybe) the literal use of “fuck you” is not, is potentially a lever to pry up that stupid rule once and for all. How? Ed won’t back down–it was debated for months–literally thousands of posts, and that’s where he drew the line. Given that he won’t back down on his naughty words list and given that his word is law and given the fact that he’s only here about once every 3 years, what else can be done except to follow the rules as narrowly and literally as possible. It’s not like GFactor and Miller can _do_ anything about Ed’s rules–they’re as stuck with them as we are. Were I GFactor, I’d suggest that “and variants” meant stuff like “fu ck yo u” or “Fuckyou” where random spaces are the “variants”. But GFactor & Miller probably _can’t_ say something that blatant–they’re Ed’s rules and all of us are stuck with them. There’s a lot of leeway in “and variants” and the narrowest interpretation (spelling. spacing, punctuation) is best. I doubt you’re going to get a better answer: But what we have is about 3 years of modding to back up their interpreting of “and variants” as narrowly as possible and handing down actual warnings let alone bannings as extremely rare and for egregious jerk-like behavior. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/122 "2012-07-31T01:17:19Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I thinking you’re missing the point, which is to use this opportunity to get rid of the current pointlessly and arbitrarily banned expressions. The fact that comparably offensive statements are peachy, and only (maybe) the literal use of “fuck you” is not, is potentially a lever to pry up that stupid rule once and for all. I think you are being naive. If his intention was to complain that the language restrictions were stupid, why didn’t he mention that in his OP? Or in his second post here? Or third? Or fourth? More importantly, why did he report the posts asking for them to get a mod note and only start this thread after they didn’t? He’s claiming it’s not about the insults, but it obviously is. If he was truly against the language restrictions he would have never reported the posts and sought moderator action against fellow posters for a rule he didn’t agree with - he would have gone straight here. Or at the very least mention that’s what he was after before I finally called him on it ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/123 "2012-07-31T01:49:37Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I thinking you’re missing the point, which is to use this opportunity to get rid of the current pointlessly and arbitrarily banned expressions. The fact that comparably offensive statements are peachy, and only (maybe) the literal use of “fuck you” is not, is potentially a lever to pry up that stupid rule once and for all. You’re obviously missing the point, not the majority of posters in this thread. The point of this thread has little to do with an “opportunity to get rid of the current pointlessly and arbitrarily banned expressions.” Keep it on track, or post your own thread. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/124 "2012-07-31T06:31:56Z")
Well, if not to get rid of the stupid rule, to get some consistent behavior or clarification from the mods on what the “and variants” part of the rule means. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/125 "2012-07-31T06:54:32Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > But, given that it’s been made very clear that this isn’t going to happen, the only effect your complaint could possibly have is to encourage even more language restrictions in the Pit. Nah, I don’t think so. I think the likeliest outcomes are either a) a very long shot that the stupid rule will be revisted or, far more likely, b) maintain the status quo. Since we’ve pressed the issue a bit, and even John Mace expressed not quite seeing why the distinction is as it is, but the mods aren’t coming forward to clarify anything, we can draw conclusions from that in itself. But this ends up rather like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”; it’s not entirely satisfying as a resolution from any point of view. Unless you just like vagueness. Fundamentally, trying to restrict offensive language in the Pit is ultimately like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall, which is part of the reason why the rule is so stupid in the first place. If you wanted to eliminate all potential personally offensive language, ultimately the only recourse would be to eliminate the Pit. If that happens, I predict the board would die for real. > [@](#): > > I think that **Gfactor** and **Miller** have done an admirable job, under fairly adverse circumstances, by treading very lightly around the stupid language restrictions and interpreting them as narrowly as possible. I’m starting to be persuaded by you and Fenris. I don’t think I quite share all of your steadfast faith in the mods (as, for example, seen in Samclem’s post above), but maybe you’re right that it’s best to leave it as it is, since it likely won’t get better. As a personal preference, I think clarity is better than vagueness when it comes to rules. C’est la vie. The rule was stupid and stupid it remains, but if revisiting it really is hopeless, than I’ve done nothing worse than waste a little of my time. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/126 "2012-07-31T07:32:31Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > You’re obviously missing the point, not the majority of posters in this thread. The point of this thread has little to do with an “opportunity to get rid of the current pointlessly and arbitrarily banned expressions.” > > Keep it on track, or post your own thread. …the thread has actually been hijacked by a number of posters complaining and whinging and whining about completely unrelated catchphrase used by the OP. Why is Knorf told to keep it on track or post his own thread, but all the attacks on Snowboarder Bo’s catchphrase are ignored? Surely you should be telling them to either start their own thread on the subject or take it to the pit? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/127 "2012-07-31T08:36:53Z")
The catchphrase was the jump-off to the mod insult, which was the jump-off to the thread. That’s not exactly ‘completely unrelated’. That said, I don’t see why Knorf needs to start his own thread. He is all over the place in this thread like everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/128 "2012-07-31T14:46:33Z")
So it seems that the “and variants” is just going to be ignored by the mods. So we can’t say, “you’re a motherfucker” but “go fuck your mother” is perfectly ok in the pit. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/129 "2012-07-31T15:01:20Z")
nm I can’t read today. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/130 "2012-07-31T16:49:51Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > So we can’t say, “you’re a motherfucker” but “go fuck your mother” is perfectly ok in the pit. That’s right. You also can’t say “suck my dick” but you can tell someone to suck the hemorrhoids off your asshole, eat the scabs off a dead donkey’s penis and drink a diarrhea milkshake. It’s a funny world we live in. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/131 "2012-07-31T17:33:25Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > That’s right. You also can’t say “suck my dick” but you can tell someone to suck the hemorrhoids off your asshole, eat the scabs off a dead donkey’s penis and drink a diarrhea milkshake. It’s a funny world we live in. And in countries where those things are considered delicacies, it wouldn’t even be an insult. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/132 "2012-07-31T18:06:49Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > So it seems that the “and variants” is just going to be ignored by the mods. So we can’t say, “you’re a motherfucker” but “go fuck your mother” is perfectly ok in the pit. ~gasp!~ ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/133 "2012-07-31T18:20:04Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > That’s right. You also can’t say “suck my dick” but you can tell someone to suck the hemorrhoids off your asshole, eat the scabs off a dead donkey’s penis and drink a **diarrhea milkshake**. It’s a funny world we live in. Bolding mine. Don’t be gross. Change that to donkey semen milkshake and then we’re good. > **[WATCH: 'Fear Factor' Donkey Semen Stunt Airs On Danish Television](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fear-factor-donkey-semen-stunt-airs-danish-tv_n_1583663)** > > WATCH: 'Fear Factor' Donkey Semen Stunt Airs On Danish Television ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/134 "2012-07-31T22:52:20Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I think maybe you are right. When the phrase originated on the Office, maybe it was funny or clever. I don’t really watch the Office, so I don’t know. I know it made me laugh when I first heard it used as a replacement for ‘LOL’. In it’s [original context as a replacement](http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/go-into-the-quary-and-throw-some) for LOL it truly is chuckle worthy. But if you find it clever in the way Bo is using it, I am perplexed about that. Don’t get me wrong, I realize you have a right to your brand of humor. I am just honestly surprised that our ideas of clever can be so very very different. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I have never, in any sense, used the phrase in any way other than as a substitute for L-O-L. My computer (and phone and iPad) are set up to insert “Let’s go to the quarry and throw stuff down there” whenever I type in that 3 letter phrase. > > The notion that I “go into a thread just to post” those 10 words is ludicrous. If something is funny, I laugh at it. I like to indicate that I found something funny, because it’s a way to let someone know that their attempt at humor was successful, at least to me. > > I’m not sure what could have led you to think that it was ever used to mean anything else, but please feel free to quote my post where it didn’t indicate laughter. Y’know what? This is getting away from the topic of this thread, but you appear to have entirely missed the point of why the original story was funny. The reason that was funny was that the guy had his usual LOL replaced by a _long, stupid and totally non-sequitur phrase_ - and didn’t have the faintest idea how to fix it and kept using it. It isn’t that the phrase itself is funny. It wasn’t even SUPPOSED to be funny in that context. What’s funny is that he kept texting that _ridiculous nonsense_ because he didn’t know how to fix it. He even thought his phone was broken - he didn’t WANT to be texting that phrase. You’re posting stupid unfunny nonsense every time you use it instead of LOL. PRESUMABLY, you know how to stop doing that, since you set it up for yourself. Instead, you’re doing it on purpose. It’s a COMPLETELY different kind of humor from the story in the earlier post, and THAT’s why everybody’s telling you it’s not funny, despite your protestations that it’s exactly the same phrase and you’re using it exactly the same way. You’re not. ---
**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:** [July 31, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/135 "2012-07-31T22:58:16Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > And in countries where those things are considered delicacies, it wouldn’t even be an insult. And in yet other countries you’ll find yourself on the wrong end of a knife. Insults are serious business. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/136 "2012-07-31T23:38:00Z")
Jenaroph nails it. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/137 "2012-08-01T00:00:16Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > That’s right. You also can’t say “suck my dick” but you can tell someone to suck the hemorrhoids off your asshole, eat the scabs off a dead donkey’s penis and drink a diarrhea milkshake. It’s a funny world we live in. > [@VinylTurnip](#): > > And in countries where those things are considered delicacies, it wouldn’t even be an insult. > [@hajario](#): > > And in yet other countries you’ll find yourself on the wrong end of a knife. Insults are serious business. Are you suggesting there are some countries where those things are actual delicacies? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/138 "2012-08-01T00:44:03Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > You’re posting stupid unfunny nonsense every time you use it instead of LOL. Item #1 of why I don’t trust the mods here as much as some seem to. The side issue of Bo’s catchphrase keeps derailing the OP’s question (which, I suppose, has been answered in not having been answered.) I, in pursuing questions pertinent to Bo’s original question, was reprimanded to “post a new thread” by moderator **samclem**. Why is this continuing side debate about Bo’s long since moderator-allowed catch phrase not receiving a comparable admonishment? > [@](#): > > …THAT’s why everybody’s telling you it’s not funny… _Not_ “everyone.” Speak for yourself. Also, it was settled by moderators long ago that Bo’s catchphrase _is permitted_, whether you like it or not. None of the above of course is pertinent to Bo’s OP _in this thread_. The conclusion regarding the OP we can apparently take away is that the mods are going to more or less enforce with some literalness Ed’s Rules for the Pit (i.e regarding specific prohibitions of the words “fuck you,” “go fuck yourself,” and “cunt”), and that we need not concern ourselves overly with further questions about the other language in Ed’s Rule (which I’m quoting anymore) and any implications therein. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/139 "2012-08-01T00:45:30Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > _Not_ “everyone.” Speak for yourself. Also, it was settled by moderators long ago that Bo’s catchphrase _is permitted_, whether you like it or not. So is bitching about his catchphrase, I’m pretty sure. Man, I forgot how funny that original post was until Nzinga linked back to it again. That post still makes me laugh every time I read it. And yet Snowboarder Bo using his catchphrase never has. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654/140 "2012-08-01T02:31:56Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > _Not_ “everyone.” Speak for yourself. Also, it was settled by moderators long ago that Bo’s catchphrase _is permitted_, whether you like it or not. You keep posting this over and over as if we don’t understand that. It’s not even being contested. Bo thread-shat in the pit thread. Worse he thread-shat with his stupid (but allowed!) “catch phrase” that annoys almost everyone. It’s been explained by TPTB that the posts Bo asked about didn’t violate board rules and not many are sympathetic because his catch phrase is as funny as a turd in a punch bowel. Welcome to the party hi-jinx. . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-didnt-these-posts-in-the-pit-warrant-any-mod-notice-at-all/629654.md?page=8)