Hatrack River Forum: Eddie to the rescue; or, every time you use the hug emoticon, God kills a kitten.

This is topic Eddie to the rescue; or, every time you use the hug emoticon, God kills a kitten. in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

A friend just IMed me, telling me, and I quote:

"Oh my god, some of these threads are frightening me with the overabundance of smilies
Please help
There's got to be a way to fight them."

And so there is.

Clearly, the unnamed woman -- let's call her "Jeni," for hypothetical purposes -- has turned to me for my leadership abilities. And thus, with those selfsame leadership abilities, I declare a ban on obnoxious emoticons. No more Gay Trains. No more Post-Apocalyptic Mutant Hugs. And, god help me, no "online hugs" like "(((Eddie)))."

We hate them. And by we, I mean the people. And by the people, I mean everyone who isn't you. Using these smilies is not clever, it's not sensitive, and a "hug" smilie (or, god help me, hug parenthesis) is NOT an actual hug and it's more than a little pathetic to use it as such.

If our demands are not carried through, we may be forced to go to extreme measures. Such as, yes, requesting that the Cards install new emoticons for every possible use. Mackillian's trademark --I--, for example, will change from the innocent, if freakish, letter it is today into a much more graphic hand gesture unfriendly to children and motorists. Icarus, or "Buns" as he prefers to be called, may demand a ( I ) emoticon, which would quickly destroy whatever "family-friendly" image this forum's been trying to preserve. Conservatives, while already well-represented by the [Monkeys]

emoticon, may very well demand a "paranoid" or "righteous" emoticon. Liberals will, of course, require more hugging emoticons, which will only cause a domino effect.

Myself, while I'm somewhat represented by the [Kiss]

emoticon, will demand more graphic examples of round yellow heads getting it on, to the extent that minors will no longer be allowed to view this forum, and adults risk perversion of their inner child to visit it.

Clearly, something must be done. So from here on out, emoticons are allowed only once per three hundred words. If you have nothing to say but some obnoxious hugging or Dancing Seven-Up Spots emoticons, clearly, you have nothing to say.

And I just know someone -- Scott, probably -- is going to respond to this post with an (((Eddie))). No matter. We will have him executed once we're in power.

Posted by Wussy Actor (Member # 5937) on :

Hear hear.

I do take exception to the "hugging liberals" reference. Don't you know we have a secret handshake?

Posted by Rappin' Ronnie Reagan (Member # 5626) on :

[The Wave]

meh.

Posted by LadyDove (Member # 3000) on :

There, there Eddie. Looks like someone needs a cookie.

Posted by prolixshore (Member # 4496) on :

[Hat]

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

Far be it from me to disappoint you.

(((Eddie)))

In case you didn't get that, (((Lalo))).

Bring it on, Whiteshoes.

Of course, the irony of this is that I have never (()) anyone before.

[ November 17, 2003, 09:55 AM: Message edited by: Scott R ]

Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :

In case it hasn't been posted on the thread with 4 of them in the title, I must point out that (()) looks far more like a part of the female anatomy then a hug.

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

Welcome to the dark side, Eddie. --I--

Posted by Dead_Horse (Member # 3027) on :

[The Wave]

Does this

mean

I don't

have to

pay to

have my cat neutered [Confused]

???

((((((((Eddie)))))))
[Group Hug]

Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :

(((((((((((Lalo))))))))))))

Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

*is totally impressed that LadyDove actually gave Eddie a cookie*

Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :

Thanks, Xavier. I will never be able to look at the hug thread title again.

Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :

I have never had such an urge to use the hug smilie as now. (Please, please, please kill my roommates' cats so I can stop sneezing. Please. They mysteriously appeared while I was in Germany despite my having said many times before that I hate cats and am allergic to them. I refrain from kicking the bastards because my roommate is a blackbelt in tai kwon do and is one of few people I really think could kick my ass, but she won't know if I kill them through hugging people online.)

[Group Hug]

I hate cats. At least, I hate cats that live with me, and am indifferent to cats that live elsewhere.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Oh my gosh! (((((kitten)))))

Good grief people, loosen up. Take some Metamucil. [Wink]

(((((everyone on this thread))))) [Razz]

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

(((((cats)))))

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

I believe that the "new" smilies are decreasing the quality of the boards.

In particular, they KILL The Funny. While the LOTR Cheerleaders and Hug Dispensers* may not understand the importance of that, if The Funny is gone, so will be a very large portion of Hatrack's charm.

(*not those who do or have hugged, but those who's primary purpose is to dispense names surrounded by parentheses.)

Lalo - I got your back, yo.

Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :

Not only do they kill The Funny (which I agree that they do), they're also just flat out distracting. I can't read when there's a bunch of multicolored guys waving and jumping around the page. Trying gives me a headache.

Maybe I'm just turning into an old curmudgeon.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

*razz*

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

You can't tell me you guys don't like THIS smiley! [Evil Laugh]

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

I hope the mod smites you all. Before the smilies, there was wailing and gnashing of teeth because the board was without them. Now that they're here, there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

All of this talk about smilies doesn't address the really important question, anyways, which is, when will we get to have massive .gif/jpeg sigs or little avatars under our names?

Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :

I used 8 frickin' smilies and the damned cats still seem to be alive. I feel ripped off, Eddie. Come kill my roommates' cats.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Yeah, great question Storm. It would be really cool to have a permanent pic under our names.
[Razz]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Smilies!
Give me smilies and nothing but!
A dancing dot I can't shut,
If it's uncut,
and unsubt-le.
[Party]

I've never quibbled
If it wriggled,
[The Wave]

I would be gleeful when others merely giggled.
As the judge remarked the day that he
acquitted my Aunt Hortense,
"To be a smilie
It must be ut-terly without redeeming social importance."

Hug-ging smilies I adore!
Laughing, dancing, perhaps a snore,
I like them more
When they kiss the floor.

(Bring on the [Evil]

s, stained-glass windows, tattoos, anything!
More, more, I'm still not satisfied!)

[Taunt]

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

quote:
You can't tell me you guys don't like THIS smiley!

Don't bet the mortgage on it.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

[Evil Laugh]

<--my other favorite

Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :

Rivka, that was AWESOME! [ROFL]

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

quote:
I hope the mod smites you all. Before the smilies, there was wailing and gnashing of teeth because the board was without them. Now that they're here, there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Stormy, it's not the fact that they're smilies. It's that they're so IN YOUR FACE.

I like this little guy: [Monkeys]

He's kind of cute. But that's because you can only use him in just so many instances, and so he retains his cuteness.

People overuse the colorful ones because... hell, I don't know why they do it. But it does take away from The Funny, which is a bleedin' crime.

EruWhatever - Be a sport and please don't overuse [Razz]

. He's one of the few that doesn't kill The Funny.

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

I agree with what you're saying, Ralphie. [Smile]

Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :

Me too, but I'm still bitter about the lack of advertised cat-death.

Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :

Look Ophelia, you're just going to have to matters into your own hands. You're allergic to cat hair? Then shave the yowling critters. Or set them on fire. You have to be more proactive.

Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :

Different smiles would be okay if any of them fit with the overall theme. Color, sizing, shading and highlighting are all completely different for each smiley. It's annoying. The new smiles just crowd the page and breakup otherwise legible posts.

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

Umm, Ralphie? I uh.

Well, you see, it was dark and foggy out when, erhm.

Okay, so I was trying out my new Red Ryder BB-gun, and it just jumped out at me.

...

Oh, heck, here take this.

*Unstraps backpack, places it in the middle of the thread*

*The fermenting fragrance of fetid Funny floats free in the forum*

Sorry about that.

-Bok

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

quote:
*The fermenting fragrance of fetid Funny floats free in the forum*

Bloody Alliteraffic.

And it's not you killing The Funny, Bok. Never you.

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

You know, in looking over the threads, it's clear that the smilies aren't the problem, it's those DAMN kids! I would say that most of the smilies are being used by the under 18 crowd. [Mad]

Look, kids. We older folks understand you're full of vim and vigor and bouncing off the wall with your suppressed sexual longings. That's cool. We've been there. But look. There are better ways of working this out than burning out our eyeballs with 24 watt smilies.

Ease back on the smilies, yo.(<---Use of 'in terms' to mark me as a person 'down' with the young crowd.) Go into the bathroom and take care of business. Go jog. Put certain poster's e-mail addresses on romantic mailing lists. They'll appreciate the extra mail, I swear. But for the love of Bob, you gots to quit posting so many verdamnt smilies in one post. There are other keys besides the colon and the parentheses. Live a little.

Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :

Stormy is my hero.

Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :

Ain't the use. It's the overuse and misuse. And parenthehugs are still better than aka's pointy-elbow ones.

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

quote:
Stormy is my hero.

Werd.

Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :

quote:
Look Ophelia, you're just going to have to matters into your own hands. You're allergic to cat hair? Then shave the yowling critters. Or set them on fire. You have to be more proactive.

Yeah, see, that's the part where my roommates kill me. Well, the one who actually got them might be amused if I set them on fire, but the other one, who seems to care a lot more about them than their real owner (and who is already giving me the silent treatment because I told her I hate Thanksgiving), would kill me.

Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :

That Stormie's got balls. The proverbial kind. As well as, y'know.
Look, the point is that I agree.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Hey Storm Saxon...

If they had a smiley taking out its teeth while saying "in my day" you could have just used that and saved yourself 150 words or so....

[ November 18, 2003, 12:37 AM: Message edited by: imogen ]

Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :

I'd also like to say that the eight-smiley limit is kind of pointless when there's eight smileyes to every freaking smiley.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

Sorry, Ophelia, you gotta read the fine print. I don't kill your cats -- I'm no monster. God, however, having already practiced on Egyptian children, is ready and willing to slaughter an innocent, fuzzy animal with each emoticon you create. Expect Jesus to break down your door any time now and Uzi the allergy-creating mother****ers back to the Stone Age. Or whenever it was that cats used primitive tools to create new technology.

I hope you're this much closer to understanding why I'm an agnostic, now...

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

The only smiley I heartily dissaprove of are the devil smileys.

It's too easy to claim Evil. Before, you had to work for the Evil. Celia made the [Smile]

smiley into Pure Evil, and that took dedication and work. It was beautiful.

Now, every poster out there thinks they can claim Evil just with a mouse-click. Note to abusers: Wearing clothes with the Porsche logo does NOT make people think you own a Porsche.

[ November 18, 2003, 12:16 PM: Message edited by: katharina ]

Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :

Eddie, you're partially right, but when God kills a kittie, we don't get to choose which kittie gets killed. God chooses which kittie in his own time and for his own reasons, some of which we can't hope to understand.

It's kind of like that spot reduction myth. You can burn calories doing situps and leg lifts all day, but it might not get rid of your love handle. It might get rid of that extra chin roll you've got, though.

Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :

either that, or God is scared of Opheilia's roomates martial prowess too.

Posted by Megachirops (Member # 4325) on :

Misspelling Porsche, it turns out, also does not make people think you own a Porsche.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

Performing your interpretive dance named Porsche also does not make people think you own a Porsche.

Added: It was a quote, but sadly from a non-geeky source.

[ November 18, 2003, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: katharina ]

Posted by Megachirops (Member # 4325) on :

You know how if you delete your own thread-starting post, you delete the whole thread?

How about if, in a similar vein, checking on "Disable Graemlins in this post" in the very first post in a thread disabled them for the entire thread? That way, people who don't like graemlins could at least keep them out of their own threads.

I'm not saying it really could or should be done, but I'm more curious on a theoretical level to know if this would make people happy.

:)

Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :

quote:
If it's uncut,

I sort of figured you'd prefer the ones that were cut.

::hides::

Posted by Megachirops (Member # 4325) on :

::scratches head::

Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :

Poor, naive Icarus.

*pat pat*

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

[Eek!]

They're smilies, you sickos!

[Angst]

Posted by ana kata (Member # 5666) on :

<laughs> Papa Moose, I can't recall ever having hugged you. So I don't know why you should complain about my pointy elbows.

Smilies don't bother me much, but in the name of all that is holy, please stop the dobies! <grins>

Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :

Dobies are funny much more frequently than smilies are.

And while I do enjoy the "angry, flipping you off" smilie, I think the original 11 are more than sufficient when it comes to helping communication.

Well, maybe the muttering one and the head bashing ones should stay. Unfortunately, too many people have overused the head bashing one to the point where it's not really paid any attention.

Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :

quote:
(((((cats)))))

This really disturbed me in light of what Xavier said about the female anatomy.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

It might be worse if it were Richard Gere's world, and (((gerbils))) rather than cats.

Posted by Chaeron (Member # 744) on :

Ok, I have to throw in my 2¢. These smilies are annoying. But by far the worst are the wave and party ones. The hug is a close third. This wouldn't be a problem is people didn't overuse them so wantonly. They have become an eyesore, and I'm sick of them. If we want the board to become more colourful, I think allowing small avatars or sig pics would be a better option. Otherwise, I'm just going to have to sign off with an angry emoticon. And a true one in ASCII.

>_< ..|.
this one's better, Mack, admit it.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

[The Wave]

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

quote:

LEARN COMEDY HERE!!! GENIUS AT WORK!!!

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Thank you, thank you. *bows*
Or was that sarcasm? [Wink]

Posted by Desu (Member # 5941) on :

Smileys are nice, how could there be fooling around on hatrack without them?

I could not post without the wallbash.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

I would have to say this one is my favorite. [Razz]

Or maybe this one. [Evil Laugh]

Hmmmm...or this one. [Big Grin]

Aaaaaannnnd...this one. [Wink]

Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :

quote:
Smileys are nice, how could there be fooling around on hatrack without them?

I think this question proves Ralphie's point that smilies are killing The Funny.

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

Uh huh.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Actually, the one smiley I'd LOVE to see is an angel smiley with a halo. A little bug-eyed green martian face would be kinda cool, too....

Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :

In case you haven't noticed, this is not a Smiley Appreciation Thread.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

I know. I'm "secretly" trying to hijack it...

Posted by Desu (Member # 5941) on :

This thread is for complaining only, get out.

Man do I hate those smileys, they really bother me in a significant way; enough to make me post about how they effect my life in the worst ways imaginable.

Every time I see a smiley being used, it makes me mad deep down inside.

>> Guys, if it were not for smileys then you would have to find other ways of feeling smugly superior to half the people who post here.

[ November 21, 2003, 08:45 PM: Message edited by: Desu ]

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Awww...don't be mad. [Frown]

(technically, that's not a smiley-it's a frowney)

I thought you were working on a paper? Tsk, tsk...

Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

Desu: Right On. [Big Grin]

Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :

[Razz]

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

*thumbs up to Jeni*
[Big Grin]

Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :

::chuckles under breath at Ralphie::

Posted by ahurtado (Member # 5950) on :

I'm new here and a bit slow on the uptake. What's a dobie?

Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :

A thread parody.

For instance:

Original thread title:
A Hatrack T-Shirt

Parody thread title:
A Hatrack T-Smith (which would be all about yours truly)

Word to the wise, don't run amok with dobies. In fact, just sit back and enjoy them.

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :

quote:
How about if, in a similar vein, checking on "Disable Graemlins in this post" in the very first post in a thread disabled them for the entire thread? That way, people who don't like graemlins could at least keep them out of their own threads.

I love that idea Icarus!
I might even just give it the horrible.....the terrifying.... the
[The Wave]

Hah hah!

I like all the old ones, but there are a few of the new ones I like: [Taunt]

. Other than that, the old ones are the ones I use. I don't really use them that often.

Oh, and just for good measure:
[Group Hug]

The only thing missing is the flaming barrel that they look like they're gathered around.

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

quote:
>> Guys, if it were not for smileys then you would have to find other ways of feeling smugly superior to half the people who post here.

I actually don't require smilies for that.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Ooooooh....busted!
*cheers Ralphie*

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

No cheering. You're going to make me start feeling bad for being sarcastic to you, and we can't have that.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

*is shocked*
So it WAS sarcasm?
[Cry]

Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :

[Party]

TeeHee

[ November 22, 2003, 03:11 AM: Message edited by: Frisco ]

Posted by JonnyNotSoBravo (Member # 5715) on :

Eruve Nandiriel wrote:

quote:
Ooooooh....busted!
*cheers Ralphie*

This is seriously poetic irony. Ralphie couldn't avoid the luvin' if she tried...and she has.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

grrr...everybody, stop being sarcastic at me!
[Cry]

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :

Well if God didn't kill enough kittens, what would he be feeding all the dogs that reportedly go to Heaven?

(my theology is based around there *not* being any dogs there when I get to Heaven)

"Come on, people now, smile on your brother
Everybody get together, try to love one another right now."

Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :

GOD DOESN'T KILL KITTENS! GOD IS THE EPITOME OF GOOD! SO ARE KITTENS!

So there.

Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :

BTW Ophelia, your roommate has cats, not kittens, so you're outa luck.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

I don't know, dude. God's a bit of a prick, if you look at his track record. I mean, what was up with the Garden of Eden? God gives us "free will," then denies Adam and Eve any sort of knowledge with which to act upon their free will. Satan set us free by giving us knowledge -- and for the rest of the Bible, the poor dude's lambasted as an evil demon.

Not to mention, God kicks Adam and Eve out of the garden once they learn a little. Heh. Someone has a compensation problem...

Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :

Silly Eddie.

::pat pat::

You go kill your kittens.

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

quote:
This is seriously poetic irony. Ralphie couldn't avoid the luvin' if she tried...and she has.

People keep encouraging my bad behavior.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

[No No]

She's already mean enough.

Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :

She needs Rita.
O Spankmistress, where art thou?

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

Now THAT'S ironic!

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :

Black Mage:

quote:
GOD IS THE EPITOME OF GOOD! SO ARE KITTENS!

I agree with the first part, but not the latter. [Razz]

Lalo:

quote:
I don't know, dude. God's a bit of a prick, if you look at his track record. I mean, what was up with the Garden of Eden? God gives us "free will," then denies Adam and Eve any sort of knowledge with which to act upon their free will. Satan set us free by giving us knowledge -- and for the rest of the Bible, the poor dude's lambasted as an evil demon.

Not to mention, God kicks Adam and Eve out of the garden once they learn a little. Heh. Someone has a compensation problem...

That is easily refuted (even if it's sarcastic), but I don't want to hijack your thread. If you're interested, you could start another thread or email me. [Smile]

Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :

don't be mean to the kitties. ..

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

I think there should simply be a switch that allows you to switch off the smilies.

Or kills anyone who uses them.

either of those two would work.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

(((((kittens)))))
There is something that says "disable graemlins in this post".

Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :

[Eek!]

I think he means switch off all smilies! [Eek!]

I say we host smilie day in this thread. Hi Jack.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Hi Jack! [Wave]

Nice to see you again! [Big Grin]

(((((Jack))))) [Wink]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Ooh, a thread hijack? Where do I sign up?

[Wave]

Jack.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

[Wave]

Rivka

You can sign up right here. [Big Grin]

(((((Jack))))) [Wink]

Tigers rule. [Smile]

Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :

Excuse me, but I'm organizing this.

Oh, and hi again, Jack. How you been lately?

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

You guys, freaking take it to AIM.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Methinks Ralphie didn't read the ramen noodle recipe thread...
[Evil]

Jack

Posted by Jack--Hi (Member # 5951) on :

I never got such a warm welcome on any other forum.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

[Wave]

Hi Jack!

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

*sings* Oh, Raal-phie!

:taunts:

Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :

What do you call it when someone makes an ID for a quick laugh?

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

Rivka - I love you. You are my hizzo. You add a tremendous amount to this forum on a variety of topics and are extremely educational and fair-minded to boot. You have an affinity for fluff, but I forgive you that because you add SO MUCH to this forum that your fluff-orientedness is charming rather than obnoxious. Please don't think my comments are in any way directed at you.

However, for the rest of you - you seriously need to stop taking over threads and turning them into almost real-time-like exchanges. There are instant messaging programs for that, and you don't have to hijack someone else's thread.

Oh, I know - you won't be able to continue upping your post count and making landmark threads every two weeks. But, at the same time, you'll stop making people want to hunt you down and kill you.

I think it's a fair trade.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Someone who has too much time on his hands.

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :

Hear hear!! [Smile]

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to want to associate with a forum that has given itself to hug threads and smilie ejaculations.

Maybe I'll kick my Hatrack habit after all.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Ralphie, I honestly think you are wonderful. Hatrack truly would not be the same without you. And really isn't when you're not around enough. [Frown]

So I'll have to forgive your continued intolerance for "fluff." I live in hope that some day you will understand. (((((Ralphie)))))

*whispers* Come over to the fluffy side! [Big Grin]

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

No leaving allowed Pat, sorry. If you want I'll even start a thread on homosexual abortion just to keep this place on its toes. [Wink]

Hobbes

Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :

Look, Hatrack's like the Mafia. You don't leave. It doesn't work that way.

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

Can I break your kneecaps if the fluff doesn't stop?

To be honest, there just isn't much that calls me to interact with this place anymore. It's probably natural, but i think hatrack is starting to pass me by. I know that sounds extremely codgerish, but there just isn't that call to post anymore. Maybe I'm growing up.

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

Tell you what Pat, if you ever do stop coming here, do you promise to at least linger on greNME (or sakeriver.com)?

Hobbes [Smile]

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

I'm not announcing that I'm leaving or anything. I'm sure I'll always take time to check in every now and then, as long as I have good friends to interact with.

But let's face it: The demographic of Hatrack has shifted dramatically in the past two years from an intellectual community that dabbled in fluff every once in a while to a Fluffy community that dabbles with intellectualism every once in a while.

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

quote:
So I'll have to forgive your continued intolerance for "fluff." I live in hope that some day you will understand. (((((Ralphie)))))

You know, Rivka, it's not the fluff. Like I said, when you get all fluffy it doesn't bother me. I've been known to indulge in fluff from time to time.

I think it comes down to this:

In every relationship people have to put in what they take out, or the other party will eventually become resentful that they are being taxed without any compensation. Fluff has it's place on Hatrack, just like serious debate does, and I appreciate them both for what they are.

Then I see what I can only imagine are kids sign on, give NOTHING to the community in the way of debate, unique perspective, intelligent conversation or even comedic value but rather jump from thread to thread, topic to topic, littering the place with banal smilies*, instant message-like "banter" and basic derailment to talk about what maybe all of three people want to talk about. And it usually comes down to NOTHING.

When the fluff is relegated to a few threads, and it's pretty obvious which threads those are, that's fairly benign and pretty much expected. When people feel they need to make nothing but fluff threads, or WORSE, infect non-fluff threads with their tired campaigns of pro-smilie something somethings, then they are taking away without any intention of giving back.

I'm not a curmudgeon. Good gravy, I barely post anything myself that couldn't be catagorized as fluff in the narrowest terms. But my hope is that I don't simply take from the forums, and that I do my part (like you do, and countless others) to add to it and keep the checking account balanced.

I mean, isn't that the whole point of Ralphie Luv™?

(*which are not even fulfilling their intended purpose, which is to assist people in conveying how they feel or what they mean as we are limited in expression, tone and mannerisms on the net.)

[ November 22, 2003, 10:42 PM: Message edited by: Ralphie ]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Ralphie, I think it comes down to two things.

The first is how we define such things as "giving to the community" and "comedic value." I think you and I may have different perspectives on those.

The second is perhaps frame of reference. You were, I am certain, a lovely, giving teen. You expect others to live up to this model.

I was an obnoxious teen. Plenty of people -- including in fandoms I was a member of back then -- should have squished me like a bug, but tolerated me instead. I figure today's teens (within some limits, and I think we've already established that my idea of those limits is very different than some others') ought not to get squished either. Besides, I kinda think they're cute and entertaining, 'least sometimes. [Dont Know]

Honestly, I find the excess use of smilies SO much less offensive than some of the other nonsense around here. And I simply ignore that.

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :

quote:
Honestly, I find the excess use of smilies SO much less offensive than some of the other nonsense around here. And I simply ignore that.

She didn't mean offensive, she meant annoying and infuriating.

There are a lot of things that smilies are less offensive of here at Hatrack. What specifically do you mean?

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

You know, I'm probably not around here enough anymore to voice my complaints.

I'm glad to know that they are giving back to the community from the perspective of others.

I'll let it go now.

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

I don't think anyone thinks smilies are offensive, just annoying. To me, they represent nothing more than an excuse not to talk, not to express how you really feel.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Ok, allow me to rephrase. There are many things I find more annoying and infuriating than excess smilies.

And if I told you what, I wouldn't be ignoring them, now would I? [Wink]

Seriously, I don't think it would be helpful to complain about them. And in many cases it would also be very hurtful to others.

Anything which bothers me that I consider it useful or necessary to object to, I do.

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

**rolleyes**

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

quote:
But let's face it: The demographic of Hatrack has shifted dramatically in the past two years from an intellectual community that dabbled in fluff every once in a while to a Fluffy community that dabbles with intellectualism every once in a while.

Pat and Toni have it right. I'm very near putting out a petition to OSC and Kristine Card to ask the removal of all but the original emoticons -- the new ones were sweet as a gift, but utterly impractical and fairly dangerous to the health of the forum. Rather like fruitcakes.

If we get rid of the emoticons, we get rid of the fruitcakes that use them. Or at least force them to evolve.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Yeah, rolling eyes at people you disagree with and calling them fruitcakes.

That's the way to go. Absolutely.

[Hail]

Pat

Lalo

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

I try to insert my own style of fluff spiced attempts at intellectualism.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

How, exactly, can we disagree with them? One of the problems people have repeatedly cited throughout this thread is that it's extremely difficult to draw a political position or moral stance from " [The Wave]

."

Or do you think these emoticons aren't being used irresponsibly and for pretty freaking idiotic reasons?

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

I think the thread I started rather makes my feelings on the matter clear.

[The Wave]

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

And I should know which thread you're talking about because there's an emoticon that points the direction, or what?

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Pretty much. [Big Grin]

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

I'm not rolling my eyes because I disagree with you, I'm rolling my eyes for the way you chased Ralphie away. If I have to choose between smilies and Ralphie, I choose Ralphie.

**rollseyes**

Just kidding Ralph.

[ November 22, 2003, 11:55 PM: Message edited by: Pat ]

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

I really hope you aren't talking about this one. Which one were you referring to?

And, out of interest, what purpose did the Gay Train in that last post serve?

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

I chased away Ralphie? [Frown]

I withdraw all my comments. Forget it. This is why I hate getting involved in non-fluff threads around here.

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

You didn't chase me away.

I just realized that the behavior of the people I was referring to did not affect others as it affected me, and so I did not have an arguement.

I find them obnoxious. Other people do not. What more can be said?

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

Read your comments, then read hers.

**searches for a chase ralphie away smilie**

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

Er. What's the reason? And why did you withdraw your comments? All I've asked so far is if you think the emoticon use is abused irresponsibly. Also, which thread you were referring to that clearly espoused your positions.

All I'm looking for is some kind of stance. Are there any real arguments for keeping the emoticons at the expense of Hatrack's intellectual health? Not to mention the loss of Pat and Ralphie and me and several other friends who've mentioned to me just how bored they are as a result of Hatrack's intellectual decline.

If people want pretty smilies and nothing more, I'll be the first to direct them to P-Web. If they want the anti-smiley, they're welcome to Ornery. But what I've always loved about Hatrack is the balance between Funny (from among the many, their queen, Toni) and intellectualism (from among the many, their poisonous fish, Fugu). I hate to see that balance destroyed by idiots who can't express themselves in any better way than obnoxious circular heads. Hatrack deserves better.

[ November 23, 2003, 12:04 AM: Message edited by: Lalo ]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

I have read mine. Quite carefully, both before and after I posted. I try very hard to do that every time I post -- although I don't always succeed.

I also read Ralphie's very carefully. I always do. Her subtlety and wit make that a necessity. [Smile]

Posted by Pat (Member # 879) on :

**agrees with Eddie**

I have been known to utilize the occasional smiley, heck, if the latest mafia game would have been played, I was going to communicate exclusively through smilies. We're not saying eliminate them entirely, I think we are just asking every one to calm down a little with the smiley usage.

[Smile]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:
We're not saying eliminate them entirely, I think we are just asking every one to calm down a little with the smiley usage.

Do you really think that's the message this thread sends? Maybe I'm not the only one who needs to reread parts of this thread.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

So... Do Eddie's questions not deserve responses?

Heh. The act of answering that question might be a paradox.

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :

No. But isn't that a response? [Confused]

Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :

This is more my kind of smiley.

code:

                          oooo$$$$$$$$$$$$oooo
                      oo$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$o
                   oo$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$o         o$   $$ o$
   o $ oo        o$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$o       $$ $$ $$o$
oo $ $ "$      o$$$$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$o       $$$o$$o$
"$$$$$$o$     o$$$$$$$$$      $$$$$$$$$$$      $$$$$$$$$$o    $$$$$$$$
  $$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$$$      $$$$$$$$$$$      $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$$$$$    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$  """$$$
   "$$$""""$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$     "$$$
    $$$   o$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$     "$$$o
   o$$"   $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$       $$$o
   $$$    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$" "$$$$$$ooooo$$$$o
  o$$$oooo$$$$$  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$   o$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
  $$$$$$$$"$$$$   $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$     $$$$""""""""
 """"       $$$$    "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"      o$$$
            "$$$o     """$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$"$$"         $$$
              $$$o          "$$""$$$$$$""""           o$$$
               $$$$o                                o$$$"
                "$$$$o      o$$$$$$o"$$$$o        o$$$$
                  "$$$$$oo     ""$$$$o$$$$$o   o$$$$""
                     ""$$$$$oooo  "$$$o$$$$$$$$$"""
                        ""$$$$$$$oo $$$$$$$$$$
                                """"$$$$$$$$$$$
                                    $$$$$$$$$$$$
                                     $$$$$$$$$$"
                                      "$$$""""

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

Bastard! I tried to post some ascii art on this thread and it wouldn't take. [Mad]

Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :

<hint> [code ] [/code ]

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

Fie on you, PC. I know not of this [code] of which you speak. [Mad]

(And it cost me my burnination points for Fla, although I did get me Christy back.) Teach me this [code], or I will attempt to ineptly burninate the silly state where you live, too. With smilies. And I will siphon the gas from your tank.

quote:
... smilie ejaculations ...

Good grief, Pat, just because Papa Moose is busy with the new baby and all, doesn't mean you can practice all your private perversions all over the board. Do I have to say it for him? Do I? Do I?

Glad this isn't a thread about onanism.

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

And oh, I'm all about the Ralphie-luvin. [Wink]

Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :

You know it's getting bad when I'm getting sick of all the fluff.

Leonide and I were just saying the other day how we only opened about 1 in every 8 threads. Too many people start threads to pick up AIM conversations where they left off. It's one thing for us to have some inside jokes that pop up in the middles of threads (sorry, Kayla)--it's only natural as we get to know each other better--but to have an entire thread devoted to an inside joke you share with two other people from AOL is just annoying.

I like the original smilies. They convey emotions. I can't see why anyone would ever need to do The Wave or get up and dance during a post.

And though it's a great ego boost, we really don't need the "point and laugh", "slap the ground like an ape as a form of showing satisfaction", or "my head fell off" smilies.

We already had an embarassed smilie. We already had a sticking-out-your-tongue smilie. We already had a scared smilie.

The waving, shrugging, hat-tipping, and flipping off smilies are pointless. "Hi.", "I don't know.", "You're welcome.", and "Go suck an egg." are phrases, not emotions.

The devils are watered-down evil. Besides, the devil doesn't smile. The closest he comes is maybe an evil grin.

The kissing, crying, and hugging smilies are just as annoying as real life PDA.

If you speak no evil, hear no evil, and see no evil, please do us the favor of not typing it.

The sleeping smilie is lame. If we start needing a smilie to show every reason we're not posting, this forum's going to get pretty dirty.

The wall-bashing smilie is useful. A shame it's overused (and normally not in the proper instances). The muttering smilie seems to be the only other good thing that came out of the new batch, but I'd be glad to give it up if it meant the others went away, too.

So I plead to all the newbies...please let the fluff become funny again!

Posted by Megachirops (Member # 4325) on :

[Frown]

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

Let me just reiterate: smilies are annoying, except the core smilies that are merely graphical versions of their original ASCII counterparts. And AIM is the mind-killer; Hatrack Chat is just it's red-headed stepchild.

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

Oddly enough, TomD, I know by that statement you have no idea what goes on in hatrack chat. Just last night, for instance, I taught someone the basics of programming in scheme, there was good discussion on becoming involved in local politics, we did medical research, and supported someone who needed help getting motivated to do school work. All in all, a good night's chat.

In fact, hatrack chat bears a striking resemblance to another common kind of chat: real life chat. There's fluff, but there's also plenty of serious discussion.

Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :

Ok, I know the smileys have gotten a BIT eccesive. So, just for you guys I will cut back and use them less. And I'll try to comfine them to the fluff threads.

There, you happy?

(notice I did not use smileys in this post.)

Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :

CT, I'd hate to see you burn my state because you live in this state too.

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

*grin

PC, why the heck have we never met, again?

BTW, you should never underestimate the power of my self-destructiveness. I am in constant flirtation with disaster.

*goes off to wobble in my high-heeled clogs

Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :

I've only been to one WI get-together. I missed the first one due to gaslessness (now THAT's a keeper.) The second was awesome, but you weren't there. We really should have another- but with more alcohol! I demand more consumption of fermented stuff.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

Actually, Fugu, as you know, my name lingered without my consent in Hatrack Chat almost all of yesterday afternoon. True, you did educate someone regarding programming -- but I don't know if you realize just how rare that is. For your one instance of programming, I can provide eons of senseless "role-playing" and meaningless action words (e.g. *stabs fugu*).

It's true, there are some people worth getting to know in Hatrack Chat, and it's fun on rare occasions (hence my constant dropping in and rare participation). But for the vast majority of the time, it's mind-numbing.

Such as when Feyd's in there. Heh.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

"It's true, there are some people worth getting to know in Hatrack Chat..."

Is there anyone worth knowing on Hatrack Chat that I could not also get to know on the forums themselves?

Posted by LadyDove (Member # 3000) on :

:::still doesn't like the phrase "red-headed step child":::

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

Feyd Baron and kwsni, among others. Becky does post occasionally, but the only place where I've even begun to know her is the chat room. There's also Jeni and T_Smith and occasionally the Eddies, though we all post to varying degrees on the forum. And others, of course, but I've either forgotten or don't care about their existences.

Chat could never replace the forum, no. But it's a nice water cooler for a few of us to congregate around and cool off from the forum. Plus, we get to gossip about you, since we know you'll never drop in and catch us doing it.

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

Sarahdipity is also around chat much more than she posts, and saudade doesn't post anymore either.

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :

Well, Tom, you get to know people better through AIM. For instance, though you have 12,000 posts, I never felt like I knew you very well. When I met you, I really had no idea what to expect. There are people I know quite well through the forum alone, because, for some reason, I have had an interaction with them in a thread that was particularly personal. This happens more on AIM, though . . . you can make those short real-time posts that would be so annoying on a thread.

Without AIM or Parachat, most of your fellow posters are simply other voices, whom you might respect or be amused or annoyed by to varying degrees. You might know something about their writing style or pet peeves. But you might not know anything else, personality-wise. I think that with AIM is where most of us make friends.

You've often expressed concern about backbiting on AIM. If this happens, I haven't seen it. Mostly I just see people relating to each other with more casualness than on the forums.

Actually, rather than decry the existence of AIM, I think it could solve a lot of our problems. I would encourage the people who are making lots of posts that communicate little or nothing to just go to AIM instead.

Do I think you would enjoy the chatroom? Honestly, no. I go there every once in a while when I have time to kill, and often there isn't anything there that I can relate to. Like "::stabs so and so::" just isn't the sort of thing I can get into. So I just lurk in the background while I post on Hatrack or do other stuff online. Once in a while, though, we have truly entertaining conversations. I don't get the sense from you that you are willing to invest that much time in something that only pays off once in a long while, though, at least in terms of sitting around the chatroom. That's OK . . . sometimes I just have less of a life that way.

I really enjoyed the few times I was there for Trivial Pursuit, though. And I think AIM has similar promise for real role-playing.

And that brings up another possibility . . . AIM has value apart from Hatrack Chat, which can be hit and miss. I don't think there's anything sinister about seeking out individuals for conversation sometimes rather than issues. There are a handful of Hatrackers I chat with with some frequency, and I just feel like I get to know these people better. For instance, I enjoyed chatting with Christie when you guys came down. (Incidentally, I think she might enjoy the chat room more than you.)

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

I can see the value with AIM, however although I've only been using it for a couple of months I already have a pet peeve:

The overuse of 'lol' ('heh' falls within this same category).

Everytime I managed to get embroiled in a conversation that degenerates to
'lol'
'heh'
'lol lol'
'heh'
'heh'
'lol'
... and other variations on the above theme, I am sorely tempted to scream aloud.

Either that or kick the computer.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Clearly, imogen, you are simply too witty for your own good.

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

. . . but I like heh . . .

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

"I don't think there's anything sinister about seeking out individuals for conversation sometimes rather than issues."

This, I feel, is why God gave us E-mail.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Heh, like all things is fine when used in moderation.

As is lol I guess (though I have a more instinctive dislike of that one. It's not rational, but neither am I).

It's when they are overused to the point where no actual conversation is occuring except an exchange of hehs that I get annoyed.

(Edit: Rivka - witty or petty - take your pick [Smile]

)

[ November 23, 2003, 07:18 PM: Message edited by: imogen ]

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

Email is a very different medium than chat. Your response is like someone saying "why would I have a conversation in person when I can send a letter?"

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

Actually, my reply is almost exactly like someone asking "why would I want to sit for hours in a chat room on the off-chance that someone will say something interesting, running the risk of suddenly being IMed by dozens of people who'll feel I'm being rude if I don't acknowledge their existence to their satisfaction, when I can just ignore people over E-mail?" [Smile]

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

I don't know, Tom. Maybe you're in great demand or just overly sensitive, but at least in my experience, it's not a big deal to ignore people you don't care about.

Also, consider that your rarity makes you a great commodity whenever you can be found. I've seen you in the chat room, count it, once. Of course everyone's going to go bonkers. Make your appearance a more regular thing, and the dimwits eventually ease back and look for a new someone to wait for.

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :

quote:
Of course everyone's going to go bonkers. Make your appearance a more regular thing, and the dimwits eventually ease back and look for a new someone to wait for.

How rude. You're calling all those who participate in Hatrack Chat dimwits? That's what I got from what you said.

Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :

Wait a minute....

God gave us e-mail? Wow... it makes perfect sense now. God really does want us to save on our credit card bills.

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

Does this mean Al Gore is God?

[Eek!]

Hobbes

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

quote:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course everyone's going to go bonkers. Make your appearance a more regular thing, and the dimwits eventually ease back and look for a new someone to wait for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How rude. You're calling all those who participate in Hatrack Chat dimwits? That's what I got from what you said.

Heh. No, Nick. I participate in Hatrack Chat. And while no doubt several people are convinced of my dim wit, I'm nowhere near bright enough to realize my own failure as a bright wit and thus accuse myself of such.

Though I will admit to Tom-lust. And if he made a more regular appearance anywhere, no doubt my flame of passion for his hidden candle of Davidson would dwindle, sputtering, into ashes of disinterest and only flame up again once I realized the existence of Toni's bonfire of luv.

Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :

No, Al Gore is Satan, taking credit for Gods work.

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

Still, Satan's a lot more powerful than I ever thought Al Gore would be. I'm impressed, go Gore!

Hobbes [Smile]

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

Okay, some of us need to read Al Franken's book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them. In it, he goes over how Al Gore does deserve credit for the creation of modern-day Internet. What should've been one of his campaign's greatest strengths was warped into a false accusation of deceit.

Of course, I'm sure you already knew this and there's no point in reminding you that as a senator, Al Gore led the charge for developing the existing military network into a nationwide, worldwide web of information available to everyone in the United States and beyond. Ha ha ha. Taking credit. That's so funny.

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

[Razz]

I was a Gore supporter, but it's still enjoyable to poke fun at him. [Smile]

Hobbes

Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :

::pat pat::

He's in his political voice. Thats ok, Eddie. We still love you.

[Group Hug]

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

Heh. What I just can't figure out, T, is why you picked Al Gore as Satan when you have a whole Bush White House to pick from. Especially when Clinton and Gore did so much for the US, and Bush and Cheney and Rumsfield and Ashcroft have done little more than, charitably speaking, run it into the ground. Again, that's a best-case scenario.

Thank god you have your Brad-Pitt-esque looks, T. You just sit and look pretty, okay?

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

See? A thread about smilies morphed into a serious thread, smilies don't always ruin the political atmosphere. [Smile]

And personally, if you want to talk about running a country into the ground I would pick Regan because he did just so that the Soviets would have to try too where as Bush seems to have some sort of long term plan instead of just seeing who can shovel money into the fire the fastest.

Hobbes [Smile]

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

The only problem being that Bush's long-term plan involves shovelling money to the rich at immense cost to the rest of the country and the country's future. Heh.

Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :

Well, I suppose I could have said that Bill Gates was Satan. But since Al Gores name was up in the air...

And you are right, I do need to read that Al Franken book. It's on my list of things to do, right next to "Homework thats a week behind" and "Get a date."

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

You must be joking. Brad Pitt can't get a date?

Just walk around some Catholic all-girls' school, and keep bending over. Something'll happen sooner or later. Which reminds me, be careful the place isn't next door to an open-air prison, as most all-girls' Catholic schools tend to be.

Posted by Ethics Gradient (Member # 878) on :

Ummm. Eddie, you do know that Al Gore claimed to have invented the Interweb? Think that's where the joke came from.

[Razz]

Anyway, if God gave us email then He is clearly a She and a She who is not only a co-ed lesbian teen who is hot for, well, all of us but happens to run a business that makes enlargement devices for a certain appendage and can help you reduce credit at the same time.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

She is omnipotent!

Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :

quote:
Also, consider that your rarity makes you a great commodity whenever you can be found. I've seen you in the chat room, count it, once. Of course everyone's going to go bonkers. Make your appearance a more regular thing, and the dimwits eventually ease back and look for a new someone to wait for.

I think you've hit on Tom's hidden agenda here, Eddie. We all know he loves the attention and hordes it with a passion.

Posted by Ethics Gradient (Member # 878) on :

Dunno about OMNIpotent, but She is set on making you less IMpotent.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

My mistake, this wasn't the correct thread in which to post that response.

[ November 23, 2003, 11:19 PM: Message edited by: Lalo ]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:
Is it persecution? Is it harassment to ask them to move their very unique threads full of very unique expressions to a different forum, and use Hatrack more as a tool for actual opinions and thought?

Yes.

And if you were a bit less busy rounding up tar and feathers, you might notice you'd replied in a different thread than the post you seem to be replying to.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Rivka I think you've just become my favourite poster.

(edit: which i now realise makes you sound like something I should be sticking on a wall... oh well, you get the general intention )

[ November 23, 2003, 11:16 PM: Message edited by: imogen ]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Did you say you're going to hang me on a wall? *looks uncertain*

Well, ok, but I still get food and stuff, right? And Hatrack access?

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

3 meals a day and a laptop. Plus cookies.

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

Heh. Dammit, EG, I was desperately trying to figure out a way to work impotent into the same post as omnipotent.

And no, Rivka, I fail to see how that's harassment. Unless, of course, one has a very low ability to tolerate criticism or suggestion.

Eh. I've given up on the argument in the other thread -- not that I ever believed I'd be successful, but I hoped maybe people would be willing to move threads of useless emoticons to another forum. No doubt, I've failed. Continue posting threads of emoticons, Rivka. Exercise that intellect.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Yay! I have permission from His Royal Laloness!

[The Wave]

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

Ha ha! You sure do, Rivka!

Gosh, you're funny!