# WTF? Otto was just banned by Ed. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 10, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971 "2008-09-10T18:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 26
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/501 "2008-09-11T04:26:57Z")
> [@Draconis](#): > > I’ve been reading and enjoying the Cecil columns for many years, and the board is more of a side interest for me. I have to agree whole heartedly with the sentiment that such immature, whiney behaviour from the writer has greatly reduced my enjoyment of the columns. Although I know that Cecil is a fictional character, I now feel that he is simply the product of a loser trying to be cool. Not me. He makes me hot when he gets disciplinarian. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/502 "2008-09-11T04:29:28Z")
> [@Library\_Boy](#): > > Well, the sheer number of posters who have revealed themselves to be total complaining douchbags who are never satisfied by anything has made me slightly nauseous. Hope you are leaving, that might make it better. Can’t we all just get along? and [Give Peace A Chance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-NRriHlLUk) - (John Lennon on YouTube) ---
**Author:** ![Library\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@Library\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Library_Boy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/503 "2008-09-11T04:56:59Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Can’t we all just get along? > > and > > [Give Peace A Chance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-NRriHlLUk) - (John Lennon on YouTube) No. Damn hippies. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2008, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/504 "2008-09-11T04:58:25Z")
> [@Library\_Boy](#): > > No. Damn hippies. Actually the first one, I was quoting Rodney King. I don’t know if he was quoting someone else or not. But that was his exact phrase. The second one, guilty as charged. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/505 "2008-09-11T05:12:53Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > An apology. It starts with “I’m sorry.” > [@Time out, everybody](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/1): > > I’m sorry I behaved rashly earlier. He ended with it, rather than started with it, but then he did start by admitting he needed to cool down and had overreacted. It’s good enough for me, I guess. I understand his frustration and while I think his losing it like that was inappropriate no matter how pissed he was, I’m not gonna continue to harp on it. He’s backed down and I’d rather things cool off than continue to simmer for days. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/506 "2008-09-11T05:15:10Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > In addition to his five (!) warnings in 2005, he also received varying numbers of warnings in 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008. He has consistently violated the “don’t be a jerk” rule on the board. I find it very hard to believe that he wasn’t intentionally “poking the bear with a stick” when **Ed** announced a new rule and **Otto** immediately questioned him on it. I wonder how many people who are giving neutral interpretations of **Otto’s** post in ATMB saw his [post right after that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10178421&postcount=35). Given that context I’m finding it very unlikely **Otto’s** post in ATMB was an honest question instead of yet another dig at the staff, thinly disguised as a question. From where I’m sitting neither side is blameless in this and a round of genuine apologies from all involved parties to all involved parties would not go amiss. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Hawkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@Hawkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkins)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/507 "2008-09-11T05:24:44Z")
I think it’s high time Ed found a _real_ job. Maybe as a towel boy in a Turkish whorehouse. He sure as hell can’t run a message board, which ain’t exactly rocket surgery. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/508 "2008-09-11T05:24:52Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Only took 400+ posts in this thread for something to happen. > > I’m so impressed. > > -Joe Reading between the lines and extrapolating from the paucity of mods or admins participating in this thread, I think it is entirely possible that **Ed** heard from a lot of people on this topic. I would guess at some heated and vigourous emails zinging back and forth behind the scenes today. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/509 "2008-09-11T05:27:49Z")
Now that we have **Otto** unbanned, can we get back to discussing whether we get ponies, unicorns or pegasus’? That’s a lot more fun. ---
**Author:** ![Library\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@Library\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Library_Boy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/510 "2008-09-11T05:30:44Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Actually the first one, I was quoting Rodney King. I don’t know if he was quoting someone else or not. But that was his exact phrase. > > The second one, guilty as charged. I know, but “Damn crack-addict-speeding-ex-con-police-brutality-victim and hippies” didn’t, you know, sing. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2008, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/511 "2008-09-11T05:36:13Z")
> [@Library\_Boy](#): > > I know, but “Damn crack-addict-speeding-ex-con-police-brutality-victim and hippies” didn’t, you know, sing. 😃 I don’t know, it might with a punk beat. [QUOTE=Antinor01] Now that we have Otto unbanned, can we get back to discussing whether we get ponies, unicorns or pegasus’? That’s a lot more fun. [/QUOTE] How about a compromise, a small pegacorn? ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/512 "2008-09-11T08:57:06Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > It’s a day late and 300 posts short, but it shoulda been: “Nobody expect the Bannish Inquisition.” Yes, that’s it! The SDMB always prevails! ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/513 "2008-09-11T09:11:29Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > It’s possible **Otto** got on \*\*Ed’\*\*s last nerve. It’s possible **Ed** just snapped. But this is not the **Ed** we know, and there’s something strange going on. I think we all know where this is going… “And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids!” That, or Ed’s a Skrull. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/514 "2008-09-11T09:28:50Z")
One thing to say: Sarah Palin is a stone-cold milf. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/515 "2008-09-11T10:00:43Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > I’m flattered, and thank _you_ again for your initial sponsorship. Incidentally, I haven’t seen you around that much lately; have you cut back your posting or have we just not been crossing paths that much? (I have this feeling of déjà vu as though I’ve asked this question before, but can’t remember when or where) I got a little too sick to post much, but I’m feeling a bit better now. Sponsoring you was a privilege. As I recall, at the time we were in disagreement over interpretations of metaphysical and epistemic necessity and possibility, but your arguments were so beautifully crafted and so well delivered that, even though you never convinced me of your point of view, you did convince me of your genius and good character. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/516 "2008-09-11T10:26:22Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Now that we have **Otto** unbanned, can we get back to discussing whether we get ponies, unicorns or pegasus’? That’s a lot more fun. [He still looks banned to me.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?userid=4245) Was he unbanned and re-banned? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/517 "2008-09-11T10:53:08Z")
> [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](#): > > [He still looks banned to me.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?userid=4245) Was he unbanned and re-banned? Several posters have referenced this post from Ed – [Time out, everybody - About This Message Board - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=482772) ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/518 "2008-09-11T11:11:04Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Several posters have referenced this post from Ed – [Time out, everybody - About This Message Board - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=482772) Yeah, Ed talked there like he was un-banning **Otto** , but [Otto’s profile](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?userid=4245)still lists him as banned. So don’t break out the confetti just yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/519 "2008-09-11T11:21:42Z")
> [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](#): > > Yeah, Ed talked there like he was un-banning **Otto** , but [Otto’s profile](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?userid=4245)still lists him as banned. So don’t break out the confetti just yet. He said the bans were suspensions through the weekend, so everything’s in line with the information we’ve been given. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/520 "2008-09-11T11:27:38Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I believe **Otto’s** question was snarky because it was in a thread that was about people being rude to the staff – and not a general thread about people being rude to the staff, it was a thread in response to specific rudeness that occurred very recently. Instead of posting about people being rude to the staff, or asking for clarification about the situation, or (my personal favorite) simply **not posting anything at all** , he posted about the staff being rude. I’ve always found it very annoying and childish when people try to flip things around like that. It was neither the time nor place to chime in with insinuations about the staff being rude, and based on his posting history, I feel pretty confident it wasn’t an innocent, hypothetical question but rather a jab that expressed his opinion of the staff. Aaand the goal posts move again. I didn’t ask how it was snarky. I asked what rude remark he made. Perhaps you could reference his post and highlight the rude remark. Specifically. [QUOTE=Sophistry and Illusion] Yeah, Ed talked there like he was un-banning Otto, but Otto’s profile still lists him as banned. So don’t break out the confetti just yet. [/QUOTE] My guess is that changing the word “BANNED” in his profile is pretty low priority right now, given everything else that is going on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971.md?page=27)