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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 09/10/2006 : 14:06:04
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I've noticed that occasionally my replies to threads in these fora are the final ones. For some time, I've smugly believed that this proves my comments were the definitive ones, and simply could not be topped, debated, or ridiculed. (Perhaps, privately, some of you have felt similarly about your own "last words.")
But another explanation has recently occurred to me. Could it be that having the last word simply means readers are thinking of the following?:
1. "I don't even know where to start in correcting this guy."
2. "I think it's best to ignore this idiot."
3. "This last guy's taken the thread so OT, the topic's irredeemable."
4. "That last posting was so logically contradictory, it added up to nothing. There is no possible reply."
5. "Well, that's (HalfMooner/Whoever) for you. Maybe he'll get the hint and go away if nobody replies."
6. "It's less cruel to ignore him, than to highlight his stupidity."
Anybody have additional "last word" interpretations? Whoever has the last posting, wins.
[Edit: Typo.]
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 09/10/2006 16:09:13
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 14:17:34 [Permalink]
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Well, when that has happened to me I have considered the possibility that I just bored everyone to death...
It happens often too…
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 15:52:14 [Permalink]
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Many years ago, dozens of the regular members of the Straight Dope Message Board were engaged in a "Thread Killer" contest. If I remember correctly, it consisted of taking the ratio of the number of threads a member participated in to the number of threads in which they had the last post. Of course, they had to put a time limit on things (last post in the thread for, say, three months) because the original contest had people ressurecting long-dead threads willy-nilly just to eliminate other members' "Thread Killer" status. I believe single-post threads were not included in any tallies.
As for other "last word" interpretations...
7. Kil said it, I believe it, that settles it.
8. While technically there's something incorrect about that post, I've got to go reply to Mozina again, instead. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 16:41:58 [Permalink]
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| I'm sure it is for different reasons. I've seen threads end when one person's mind is changed about something and they say so. I've seen threads descend into nonsense and the resulting frustration and insults. But most of the time I guess that people just get bored with a topic. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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McQ
Skeptic Friend
USA
258 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 17:43:59 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by HalfMooner
I've noticed that occasionally my replies to threads in these fora are the final ones. For some time, I've smugly believed that this proves my comments were the definitive ones, and simply could not be topped, debated, or ridiculed. (Perhaps, privately, some of you have felt similarly about your own "last words.")
But another explanation has recently occurred to me. Could it be that having the last word simply means readers are thinking of the following?:
1. "I don't even know where to start in correcting this guy."
2. "I think it's best to ignore this idiot."
3. "This last guy's taken the thread so OT, the topic's irredeemable."
4. "That last posting was so logically contradictory, it added up to nothing. There is no possible reply."
5. "Well, that's (HalfMooner/Whoever) for you. Maybe he'll get the hint and go away if nobody replies."
6. "It's less cruel to ignore him, than to highlight his stupidity."
Anybody have additional "last word" interpretations? Whoever has the last posting, wins.
[Edit: Typo.]
Yes. |
Elvis didn't do no drugs!
--Penn Gillette |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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JohnOAS
SFN Regular
Australia
800 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 20:05:48 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
There's no room for rationality in this contest, marf.
Had you not replied to say so, and also abused your power to delete McQ's post, it may have been possible to illustrate this point by letting marf's post stand as the last. Now what're we gonna do?
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John's just this guy, you know. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 20:12:59 [Permalink]
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| "We" are going to take a shocked tone as "we" say, "I still see McQ's post in its entirety." Or perhaps you meant that I abused my power by failing to delete it? |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 02:51:04 [Permalink]
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Shit! McQ wins hands down, and I didn't even get a chance to wax eloquent. There is no rebuttal to agreement, is there?
TANJ!!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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JohnOAS
SFN Regular
Australia
800 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 17:31:26 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
"We" are going to take a shocked tone as "we" say, "I still see McQ's post in its entirety." Or perhaps you meant that I abused my power by failing to delete it?
I admit my phrasing was rather poor, I shall attempt to illustrate my original meaning in two ways, firstly, using points:
Had you:
1. not replied to say so, and
2. also abused your power to delete McQ's post,
it may have been possible to illustrate this point by letting marf's post stand as the last. Now what're we gonna do?
And secondly, using parenthesis to eliminate the possibility of the "not" being applied where it was not intended:
Had you (not replied to say so), and also (abused your power to delete McQ's post), it may have been possible to illustrate this point by letting marf's post stand as the last. Now what're we gonna do?
When are people going to start reading what I meant, instead of what I wrote? Sheesh.
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John's just this guy, you know. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2006 : 19:21:28 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
There is no rebuttal to agreement, is there?
There can be.
But only from a third party... 
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2006 : 02:33:14 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
Which third? 
The Greens or the Libertarians, your choice. 
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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