# Witch hunts on the SDMB
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [February 28, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324 "2005-02-28T18:53:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Zero\_Gravitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zero_Gravitas)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/41 "2005-02-28T22:20:10Z")
> [@pseudotriton ruber ruber](#):
>
> You wouldn’t happen to remember your previous posting name, would you, ZG?
Yes, I do - in fact, I had two. I changed my handle (legitimately) and then due to the Summer of our Missed Content, it was changed back to my original handle. I actually can’t remember the second handle I had, but all the posts made with it are gone now anyway.
I’d post who I was, I have nothing to hide, but there was some speculation going on and I’m interested in seeing if anyone figures it out.
---
### Author:  [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/42 "2005-02-28T22:25:10Z")
> [@Zero Gravitas](#):
>
> I don’t see how it’s any more unlikely that I’d take an interest than anyone else. I’ve lurked here for around two years, I’m guessing. I did post here a long time ago (starting in 2000), but I stopped coming for a while, and when I reconsidered posting again, I could not log on and the email address associated with the username was no longer valid since it was an old work address.
For one so well-informed about minute details about long-vanished posters, you seem strangely unaware of the long-established rule against having more than one user-name, which is in itself a potentially bannable offence. Ban **ZG**! Ban the witch!
---
### Author:  [@Zero\_Gravitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zero_Gravitas)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/43 "2005-02-28T22:30:21Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#):
>
> For one so well-informed about minute details about long-vanished posters, you seem strangely unaware of the long-established rule against having more than one user-name, which is in itself a potentially bannable offence. Ban **ZG**! Ban the witch!
I don’t ‘have’ the old username. I don’t even have a way of verifying my identity so I could reclaim it. Plenty of posters have returned with new usernames after losing old ones without being banned, as long as they are clear about the reasons for re-subscribing. If a mod emails me, I’ll gladly tell them what my old handle was.
You sure are obsessed with me getting banned, though. Did I hurt one of your felching partners?
---
### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/44 "2005-02-28T22:51:11Z")
Bah. This is so easy to figure out. Which of our fellow Dopers weighs the same as a duck?
---
### Author:  [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/45 "2005-02-28T22:52:18Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#):
>
> OK, I’ll concede that “Witch Hunt” probably isn’t the best description, since it does imply a mob-mentality.
That’s a reasonable response to my somewhat rudely made point, and doesn’t come off as crazy at all. Given the implications of your username, I feel you’re misrepresenting yourself and request that ask to be banned. 😉
---
### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/46 "2005-02-28T23:23:50Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#):
>
> OK, I’ll concede that “Witch Hunt” probably isn’t the best description, since it does imply a mob-mentality. I’m not trying to say that everyone is arming themselves with pitchforks and torches.
Why not?
[Principal Skinner]
There’s no justice like angry mob justice.
[/PS]
---
### Author:  [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/47 "2005-02-28T23:36:23Z")
> [@Zero Gravitas](#):
>
> You sure are obsessed with me getting banned, though. Did I hurt one of your felching partners?
A strange accusation for one who began his recent illustrious run in the Pit by heading up a post “Why hasn’t Poster X been banned?” Let’s just say I don’t like tro…glodytes who come in here flinging mud at others and then disingenously denying it.
---
### Author:  [@Zero\_Gravitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zero_Gravitas)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/48 "2005-02-28T23:47:55Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#):
>
> A strange accusation for one who began his recent illustrious run in the Pit by heading up a post “Why hasn’t Poster X been banned?” Let’s just say I don’t like tro…glodytes who come in here flinging mud at others and then disingenously denying it.
The thread title was ‘Is lying a banning offense?’.
My response was not ‘Why hasn’t Poster X been banned?’, but ‘Is Poster X banned yet?’, which was in a response to another post categorizing the kinds of lies people tell here, and was meant to highlight the fact that other posters have been caught in lies and were not banned.
I also stated I did not have any personal interest in getting Ilsa banned…I was merely pointing out that other posters have been caught, it’s been brought up before, and they were not banned…so the implied answer to the OP was ‘No’. Aside from the entertainment value of when they are caught, I couldn’t care less about people lying about themselves, and personally I think they should only be banned if they were lying about professional credentials that they used to back up their statements.
I understand that when someone hears something they don’t like about someone they care deeply about, they often interpret it as an attack on said person. Ilsa was an example, not a ‘victim’.
---
### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/49 "2005-02-28T23:50:03Z")
Fuck off, Kermit.
---
### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/50 "2005-02-28T23:56:40Z")
I’m safe. I only lie though clever misdirection.
---
### Author:  [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/51 "2005-03-01T00:13:42Z")
> [@furt](#):
>
> I get left out of _everything_. ☹
>
> I’ll email a list of lies I’ve told on the SDMB if someone agrees to start a thread pitting me for them.
My address is in my profile.
---
### Author:  [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/52 "2005-03-01T00:42:25Z")
This is so cool! I can post anything here on page 2 and no one can see it!
Muah-hah-hah-hah-haaaaaaa!
---
### Author:  [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/53 "2005-03-01T00:43:58Z")
Well, so much for that bug.
Pease disregard above evil laugh.
---
### Author:  [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/54 "2005-03-01T00:57:29Z")
> [@andros](#):
>
> Well, so much for that bug.
>
> Pease disregard above evil laugh.
Oh good, I was thinking the error was my computer.
---
### Author:  [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/55 "2005-03-01T01:18:48Z")
> [@Zero Gravitas](#):
>
> I don’t ‘have’ the old username. I don’t even have a way of verifying my identity so I could reclaim it. Plenty of posters have returned with new usernames after losing old ones without being banned, as long as they are clear about the reasons for re-subscribing. If a mod emails me, I’ll gladly tell them what my old handle was.
>
> You sure are obsessed with me getting banned, though. Did I hurt one of your felching partners?
No, that’s not the way it works. You email an admin with your problem and get the OK to start posting under a new username FIRST. Since you have two active usersnames, AND you have already had your free trial period, I’m banning this name.
Lynn
For the Straight Dope
---
### Author:  [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/56 "2005-03-01T01:42:48Z")
Man, what a great post count to be banned at, though.
---
### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/57 "2005-03-01T02:16:06Z")
> [@5 time champ](#):
>
> Yeah, but what would really be terrible if we found that **QtM** is faking his vast Lord of the Rings knowledge
No worries - he’s not.
I even bought ‘Shadow of the Past’ (by Tolkien’s son) to check Qadgop’s claim that Aragorn was previously a hobbit named Trotter who wore wooden shoes.
He **was** that short.
That **was** the name before Strider.
**Clop**!
---
### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/58 "2005-03-01T02:50:49Z")
> [@glee](#):
>
> No worries - he’s not.
> I even bought ‘Shadow of the Past’ (by Tolkien’s son) to check Qadgop’s claim that Aragorn was previously a hobbit named Trotter who wore wooden shoes.
>
> He **was** that short.
> That **was** the name before Strider.
> **Clop**!
And in one draft, Trotter had wooden feet! Sauron had chopped off his original feet.
Thanks for defending me, **glee**! Question my medical credentials? No sweat! My patients do that daily when I refuse to give them the pain pills they want. But question my JRRT uber-geekiness, and I _will_ pout! 😃
---
### Author:  [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/59 "2005-03-01T03:07:26Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#):
>
> … I’m banning this name.
>
> Lynn
> For the Straight Dope
Um, can I have it if he won’t be using it? You know. Reuse, renew, recycle and all that.
---
### Author:  [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324/60 "2005-03-01T03:10:12Z")
> [@Excalibre](#):
>
> Just kidding, Lib. You know I love you.
Or **Do** you? :dubious:
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324.md?page=2)
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witch-hunts-on-the-sdmb/292324.md?page=4)