# 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:** 31
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/601 "2008-09-12T00:37:15Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > while we’re still interested. Too late. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/602 "2008-09-12T01:38:56Z")
What the FREAK, Ed? I hope you gave Otto a refund… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/603 "2008-09-12T01:42:16Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > What the FREAK, Ed? > > I hope you gave Otto a refund… Re-read a few pages back, or read the “time out” thread in ABTM-it’s been changed to a weekend suspension. ---
**Author:** ![Zhen\_ka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zhen\_ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zhen_ka)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/604 "2008-09-12T01:50:21Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > You should change your name to Nostradamus. Word. Ps. Only a punk bitch would use prison as their cite on a lame message board. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/605 "2008-09-12T02:39:37Z")
The restaurant analogy was never very good. The convention one was much better, though a bit inaccessible. I would liken this board to a sporting event. The lurkers are the audience, the posters are the athletes, the mods are the refs, and Ed is the commissioner. Advertisers pay for the audience, who is watching the athletes. Not one thin dime of advertising is brought in by the commissioner or the refs. They can and do enforce certain conduct rules in order to prevent _losing_ ad revenue, but they do not generate any of it at all. I find **Arnold** ’s persistent claim that the mods provide content to be an excellent insight into the misguided, overblown ego of the staff. Nobody goes to watch the refs. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/606 "2008-09-12T02:53:23Z")
Bring Otto back, kick Omegaman out. Or lose them both, it’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/607 "2008-09-12T03:54:50Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Bring Otto back, kick Omegaman out. > > Or lose them both, it’s all good. **Omegaman** is batshit insane, but he is funny on occasion. **Otto** isn’t. I’m about half sorry Ed recanted that particular banning. The excuse was really, VERY bad, but I wouldn’t miss Otto. It should have been handled with a couple of quick applications of the Don’t-Be-A-Jerk rule, instead of how it was. I would miss (just a little) Omegaman-when-he gets-a-drinkin’-style posts. He’s an ass, but he’s a funny ass. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/608 "2008-09-12T04:30:50Z")
> [@Omegaman](#): > > Bitch, please. You’ve made your self a pussy all by yourself. Would you care to call me out, little boy? > > Make **you’re** move, bitch. > > Easy to start a new thread, Huh? > > You know, why would I waste my time with your little bitch ass. Fuck, I’m the bitch for even responding to your punk ass.:smack: > [@Omegaman](#): > > Fuck, **your** sadder than I am. Wow. Just wow. Not only did you fuck up the “you’re”, but you came right back with a fucked up “your”. I know the English language is a tough one, but put a little effort in will ya? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/609 "2008-09-12T04:38:06Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > The lurkers are the audience, **the posters are the athletes** , the mods are the refs, and Ed is the commissioner. Can I be Manny Ramirez? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/610 "2008-09-12T04:44:59Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Can I be Manny Ramirez? No, you haven’t got the hair. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/611 "2008-09-12T04:51:48Z")
Michael Jordan? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/612 "2008-09-12T05:05:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Michael Jordan? 😃 Only if he grows a beard. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/613 "2008-09-12T05:11:56Z")
Better analogy: The board is like a porno movie. The lurkers are the audience. The posters are the stars (I’m Long Dong Silver). The mods are ticket-takers and janitorial staff, while Ed Zotti is the manager of the grubby, disreputable theater where the movie is shown. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/614 "2008-09-12T05:26:31Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Better analogy: The board is like a porno movie. The lurkers are the audience. The posters are the stars (I’m Long Dong Silver). The mods are ticket-takers and janitorial staff, while Ed Zotti is the manager of the grubby, disreputable theater where the movie is shown. Who are the fluffers? Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/615 "2008-09-12T05:28:37Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Who are the fluffers? > > Enjoy, > Steven The charter members? 😃 ---
**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 12, 2008, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/616 "2008-09-12T05:40:21Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > The charter members? 😃 No way, man. The newbs are the fluffers. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/617 "2008-09-12T05:44:27Z")
I joined before P2P, but let my membership expire. ☹ Am I now relegated to ATM porn? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/618 "2008-09-12T05:56:37Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Advertisers pay for the audience, who is watching the athletes. Not one thin dime of advertising is brought in by the commissioner or the refs. They can and do enforce certain conduct rules in order to prevent _losing_ ad revenue, but they do not generate any of it at all. > > I find **Arnold** ’s persistent claim that the mods provide content to be an excellent insight into the misguided, overblown ego of the staff. > . The idea that you are in some way equivalent to an athlete at a sporting venue gives an excellent insight into your own overblown ego. This is a message board, it has conversations that people can read. The closest analogy I’ve ever seen is that it’s like a party at someone’s house. Sure the guests all provide “content” in the form of conversations but they are here because the host allows them to be here. The host used to charge a door fee to cover expenses but has recently gone to hanging banners around the place. This has bought many people back who really like the place but not so much that it stops them whining, and not so much that they could spare the $7/year when there was the door charge. Ultimately the host is free to kick anyone out. They can do it whenever they like, and for any reason, or no reason. You on the other hand are free to go somewhere else. After all, as it is you who provide the content, any place you go to will be just as interesting as here. Don’t forget also, that the primary content of this site are the SD columns and staff reports. THAT is the content, THAT is why people originally came here. To suggest that the staff provide no content is being blind to what this place is. How much worthwhile content do you actually provide **Ellis Dee**? What about you **JayJay** , how much do you personally provide that is meaningful and worthwhile and contributes to attracting people to this place? ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/619 "2008-09-12T07:02:02Z")
[quote=“1920s Style “Death Ray”, post:618, topic:462971”] Don’t forget also, that the primary content of this site are the SD columns and staff reports. THAT is the content, THAT is why people originally came here. To suggest that the staff provide no content is being blind to what this place is. How much worthwhile content do you actually provide **Ellis Dee**? What about you **JayJay** , how much do you personally provide that is meaningful and worthwhile and… [/QUOTE] The primary content to this message board seems to be the stuff posted to this message board. “What if LOTR was written by?”, “The Horror of Blimps”, etc… I can’t claim that **Ellis Dee** or **JayJay** have drawn any number of new members, but they both have provided enjoyable content for me to read and stick around for. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/620 "2008-09-12T12:24:53Z")
[quote=“1920s Style “Death Ray”, post:618, topic:462971”] The idea that you are in some way equivalent to an athlete at a sporting venue gives an excellent insight into your own overblown ego. [/quote] And the fact that you honestly seem to believe that we, the members, don’t actually provide desirable content gives an excellent insight into your lack of self-esteem. > [@](#): > > Don’t forget also, that the primary content of this site are the SD columns and staff reports. THAT is the content, THAT is why people originally came here. To suggest that the staff provide no content is being blind to what this place is. PRIMARY?! Are you serious? I visit ATMB occasionally, usually when something’s going wrong so I can see what’s up, but I NEVER visit the next two fora. There’s rarely anything there that I even really care about. I haven’t read an actual Straight Dope column in years if it wasn’t linked as an answer to a GQ. I only come here for the member fora: GQ, GD, CS, TGR, MPSIMS, IMHO, and the BBQ Pit. That’s it. If the first three fora on the forum list is the primary reason people come here, why do the member fora outnumber those both in number of fora and number of posts? The Straight Dope column could go into permanent reruns (if it hasn’t already…I wouldn’t know one way or the other) and it wouldn’t affect my reading here at the board one bit. > [@](#): > > How much worthwhile content do you actually provide **Ellis Dee**? What about you **JayJay** , how much do you personally provide that is meaningful and worthwhile and contributes to attracting people to this place? I know I’ve read and enjoyed posts by **Ellis Dee** , and by many, many members (including some mods and admins…in non-SD column-related fora). Modesty prevents me from claiming any value to my contributions. Doesn’t mean they don’t exist, just that I’m not the best judge of whether they’re good. And as I’ve said before, more people come here because of the “What If Someone Else Wrote the LOTR?” thread, for **Scylla** ’s humor threads (blimps and groundhogs, etc.), for a new thread by **lieu** about his cow-orkers’ toilet habits, to check up on how **TokyoWife** ’s pregnancy is going, to talk about a knitting project or a sewing project or the latest episode of the Amazing Race or to schedule a Dopefest…the columns are the thinnest of the pedestals that this board rests on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971.md?page=32)