(02-11-2026 04:06 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:03 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:02 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 03:27 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 03:23 PM)VA49er Wrote:  Some folks take this place way too seriously.

With a few exceptions to debate specific points, almost everything else I post is sarcasm, or attempts at humor.

Nobody here is changing his mind about politics. Many of us are well down the road already, and our views are well settled and well documented.

So are you saying you are only here to troll, not to engage in legitimate debate?

Dude.

Honest question, because sarcasm and "attempts at humor" on political forums almost always end up resulting in a negative response from the other side... AKA trolling them. Let's all be better and start making substantive responses or don't respond at all.

Well, you don't know me very well, then. I go through life trying to be happy and funny, and entertain folks. It's not my fault if they have different views from me and don't see the humor, but I'm sure as hell not trying to troll anybody.

You don't think I make substantive responses? And most of all, don't tell me how to post. That sounds arrogant and condescending to many of us.

(02-11-2026 04:12 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:09 PM)TripleA Wrote:  You cannot be serious. One can be sarcastic and funny (or try to be) without trolling.

I engage in debate here. That doesn't mean I'm changing my mind about much. Do you think most people here are changing their minds? No.

Not to mention, I'm almost 80 years old now. I'm not exactly still trying to figure out how I feel about things.

We have a LOT of people who don't engage in debate or discussion here but try to lob out sarcastic and funny digs at others, specifically people with differing viewpoints. That is my point...

I appreciate that you generally are here interacting and backing up your points (although I do question some of the tweets you post, but that's neither here nor there). I just think a lot of people need to think "does this add to the discourse?" before they hit the post reply button. Clearly I'm not the only one.

So you think that's what I do?

(02-11-2026 04:13 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:06 PM)mlb Wrote:  Honest question, because sarcasm and "attempts at humor" on political forums almost always end up resulting in a negative response from the other side... AKA trolling them. Let's all be better and start making substantive responses or don't respond at all.

We get that you have some perceived power on this message board and can ban us at your discretion. You've made that perfectly clear. Somehow you think that makes you superior to us. It doesn't. This is just another place on the internet.

You can make a veiled threat to Andy in public but tell us we can't question mods in public. Seems real fair.

Veiled threat? I have talked to him privately and got nowhere. I was told to just kick him out, I resisted. He told me to ban him permanently, I stepped back trying to coach him into not posting things that are not only over the line here but could bring legal repercussions against him.

What is my "perceived power" or where I feel I am better than you? I have very rarely banned anyone from this site. You've seen the viewpoint of one of the level headed conservatives on this site. This board is a **** show because of people trolling others and wanting to censor others. I have never censored, I've told people to stop making personal attacks and threats and stick to the topic. I've gotten nowhere, clearly. This board has a terrible reputation among people who are on both sides of the aisle, with the level headed people who post on this site avoiding it like the plague. Take a step back and see what the moderators have asked.

If people want an echo chamber, then go to reddit or create your own board and find the political persuation you prefer.

I was talking about TripleA, not andybible, try to keep up.

And yes, I hate to break it to you, but you can be very condescending. If I'm breaking a rule fine, but don't talk down to me because we disagree.

And no this doesn't have anything to do with moderation. It's man to man talk.

(02-11-2026 04:18 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:06 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:03 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:02 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 03:27 PM)TripleA Wrote:   With a few exceptions to debate specific points, almost everything else I post is sarcasm, or attempts at humor.

Nobody here is changing his mind about politics. Many of us are well down the road already, and our views are well settled and well documented.

So are you saying you are only here to troll, not to engage in legitimate debate?

Dude.

Honest question, because sarcasm and "attempts at humor" on political forums almost always end up resulting in a negative response from the other side... AKA trolling them. Let's all be better and start making substantive responses or don't respond at all.

Well, you don't know me very well, then. I go through life trying to be happy and funny, and entertain folks. It's not my fault if they have different views from me and don't see the humor, but I'm sure as hell not trying to troll anybody.

You don't think I make substantive responses? And most of all, don't tell me how to post. That sounds arrogant and condescending to many of us.

Read my next post under that. I said that you are generally very good about discussing topics and not trying to troll. I see a lot of others on both sides to post things just to create drama. That is not the point of this board and never was.

I'm sorry if you took it as an accusation towards you, it wasn't. It was more about the message and me pointing out that too many people on this board aren't here to legitimately add to the discourse but instead to rage bait (AKA trolling) people of different viewpoints. It has gotten old to a lot of us.

(02-11-2026 04:20 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:13 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:06 PM)mlb Wrote:  Honest question, because sarcasm and "attempts at humor" on political forums almost always end up resulting in a negative response from the other side... AKA trolling them. Let's all be better and start making substantive responses or don't respond at all.

We get that you have some perceived power on this message board and can ban us at your discretion. You've made that perfectly clear. Somehow you think that makes you superior to us. It doesn't. This is just another place on the internet.

You can make a veiled threat to Andy in public but tell us we can't question mods in public. Seems real fair.

Veiled threat? I have talked to him privately and got nowhere. I was told to just kick him out, I resisted. He told me to ban him permanently, I stepped back trying to coach him into not posting things that are not only over the line here but could bring legal repercussions against him.

What is my "perceived power" or where I feel I am better than you? I have very rarely banned anyone from this site. You've seen the viewpoint of one of the level headed conservatives on this site. This board is a **** show because of people trolling others and wanting to censor others. I have never censored, I've told people to stop making personal attacks and threats and stick to the topic. I've gotten nowhere, clearly. This board has a terrible reputation among people who are on both sides of the aisle, with the level headed people who post on this site avoiding it like the plague. Take a step back and see what the moderators have asked.

If people want an echo chamber, then go to reddit or create your own board and find the political persuation you prefer.

Good grief. You're talking about AndyBible. BTF was talking about me.

(02-11-2026 04:23 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  I was talking about TripleA, not andybible, try to keep up.

And yes, I hate to break it to you, but you can be very condescending. If I'm breaking a rule fine, but don't talk down to me because we disagree.

Don't make personal attacks, dox, or threaten people (not saying you've done any of those personally, I'm just making a generality here) and I won't have anything to say. Sarcasm does not translate well over text, I think we all know that. Again, let's all of us be better.

(02-11-2026 04:26 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Good grief. You're talking about AndyBible. BTF was talking about me.

Clearly I got lost thinking he was talking about the other Andy. My bad.

I'm here if someone needs me.

(02-11-2026 04:28 PM)andybible1995 Wrote:  I'm here if someone needs me.

And I'm glad you are back. I appreciate your service and your point of view, I just don't want you to cross over the line.

(02-11-2026 04:27 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:26 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Good grief. You're talking about AndyBible. BTF was talking about me.

Clearly I got lost thinking he was talking about the other Andy. My bad.

I'm glad, b/c I thought you had temporarily lost your freaking mind.

Glad to know you really haven't.

(02-11-2026 04:27 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:26 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Good grief. You're talking about AndyBible. BTF was talking about me.

Clearly I got lost thinking he was talking about the other Andy. My bad.

this is where nicknames help ... AAA or trips vs. AndyB ... makes it sooooo much easier ... if I didn't like 'em, it'd be battery boy vs. the bibbler ...

@stink #zeroConfusion

nice to see you back, AndyB!

(02-11-2026 04:20 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:13 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:06 PM)mlb Wrote:  Honest question, because sarcasm and "attempts at humor" on political forums almost always end up resulting in a negative response from the other side... AKA trolling them. Let's all be better and start making substantive responses or don't respond at all.

We get that you have some perceived power on this message board and can ban us at your discretion. You've made that perfectly clear. Somehow you think that makes you superior to us. It doesn't. This is just another place on the internet.

You can make a veiled threat to Andy in public but tell us we can't question mods in public. Seems real fair.

Veiled threat? I have talked to him privately and got nowhere. I was told to just kick him out, I resisted. He told me to ban him permanently, I stepped back trying to coach him into not posting things that are not only over the line here but could bring legal repercussions against him.

What is my "perceived power" or where I feel I am better than you? I have very rarely banned anyone from this site. You've seen the viewpoint of one of the level headed conservatives on this site. This board is a **** show because of people trolling others and wanting to censor others. I have never censored, I've told people to stop making personal attacks and threats and stick to the topic. I've gotten nowhere, clearly. This board has a terrible reputation among people who are on both sides of the aisle, with the level headed people who post on this site avoiding it like the plague. Take a step back and see what the moderators have asked.

If people want an echo chamber, then go to reddit or create your own board and find the political persuation you prefer.

I believe what tweaked TripleA's response is the idea that humor should not be part of a post or a debate. Debate has always had clever gotcha moments and they are not insults, but part of the process of argumentation.

Calling someone a vile name or insinuating they have a lifestyle which they either don't have or have never openly discussed absolutely should cease.

Posters have a right to their privacy, and they have a right to feel they can speak their minds. What nobody has is the right to attempt to harangue anyone from the site. If someone says to another poster something which if said to them in person might provoke a fight, then they know it was wrong and that their time here will not endure.

But if I receive a zinger, I usually rep the poster and in the comment section print "Touche!" After all arguing is a verbal fencing match, but in fencing you are not seeking the death of your opponent, just more touches for the point.

We all know what bad behavior is. If it makes us recoil it is bad. If it incites anger it is bad. If it bullies it is bad. But if in the course of argumentation somebody leaves room for a pun against their position, or a quip which changes the direction of the discussion, that is just a well played discussion. Puns and quips aren't personal unless the one that leaves the opening lets it bother them.

Political forums like politics are not for the thin skinned, but neither are message boards for verbal assaults.

There is a place for humor, but that related to the position or topic and not personally directed at the poster.

As usual, JR words things better than me.

(02-11-2026 04:35 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:27 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:26 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Good grief. You're talking about AndyBible. BTF was talking about me.

Clearly I got lost thinking he was talking about the other Andy. My bad.

this is where nicknames help ... AAA or trips vs. AndyB ... makes it sooooo much easier ... if I didn't like 'em, it'd be battery boy vs. the bibbler ...

@stink #zeroConfusion

nice to see you back, AndyB!

From this point, I am changing my user name to:

"Hewhohaslearneditallbutisnowjusttryingtorememberit"

(02-11-2026 04:42 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:35 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:27 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:26 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Good grief. You're talking about AndyBible. BTF was talking about me.

Clearly I got lost thinking he was talking about the other Andy. My bad.

this is where nicknames help ... AAA or trips vs. AndyB ... makes it sooooo much easier ... if I didn't like 'em, it'd be battery boy vs. the bibbler ...

@stink #zeroConfusion

nice to see you back, AndyB!

From this point, I am changing my user name to:

"Hewhohaslearneditallbutisnowjusttryingtorememberit"

#hhh

(02-11-2026 04:37 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:20 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:13 PM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:06 PM)mlb Wrote:  Honest question, because sarcasm and "attempts at humor" on political forums almost always end up resulting in a negative response from the other side... AKA trolling them. Let's all be better and start making substantive responses or don't respond at all.

We get that you have some perceived power on this message board and can ban us at your discretion. You've made that perfectly clear. Somehow you think that makes you superior to us. It doesn't. This is just another place on the internet.

You can make a veiled threat to Andy in public but tell us we can't question mods in public. Seems real fair.

Veiled threat? I have talked to him privately and got nowhere. I was told to just kick him out, I resisted. He told me to ban him permanently, I stepped back trying to coach him into not posting things that are not only over the line here but could bring legal repercussions against him.

What is my "perceived power" or where I feel I am better than you? I have very rarely banned anyone from this site. You've seen the viewpoint of one of the level headed conservatives on this site. This board is a **** show because of people trolling others and wanting to censor others. I have never censored, I've told people to stop making personal attacks and threats and stick to the topic. I've gotten nowhere, clearly. This board has a terrible reputation among people who are on both sides of the aisle, with the level headed people who post on this site avoiding it like the plague. Take a step back and see what the moderators have asked.

If people want an echo chamber, then go to reddit or create your own board and find the political persuation you prefer.

I believe what tweaked TripleA's response is the idea that humor should not be part of a post or a debate. Debate has always had clever gotcha moments and they are not insults, but part of the process of argumentation.

Calling someone a vile name or insinuating they have a lifestyle which they either don't have or have never openly discussed absolutely should cease.

Posters have a right to their privacy, and they have a right to feel they can speak their minds. What nobody has is the right to attempt to harangue anyone from the site. If someone says to another poster something which if said to them in person might provoke a fight, then they know it was wrong and that their time here will not endure.

But if I receive a zinger, I usually rep the poster and in the comment section print "Touche!" After all arguing is a verbal fencing match, but in fencing you are not seeking the death of your opponent, just more touches for the point.

We all know what bad behavior is. If it makes us recoil it is bad. If it incites anger it is bad. If it bullies it is bad. But if in the course of argumentation somebody leaves room for a pun against their position, or a quip which changes the direction of the discussion, that is just a well played discussion. Puns and quips aren't personal unless the one that leaves the opening lets it bother them.

Political forums like politics are not for the thin skinned, but neither are message boards for verbal assaults.

There is a place for humor, but that related to the position or topic and not personally directed at the poster.

You nailed it, JR. Thank you.

I am back to being calm and trying to sling puns and quips that back up my points. Or sometimes miss and fall off a cliff. :)

(02-11-2026 04:42 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:35 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:27 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:26 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Good grief. You're talking about AndyBible. BTF was talking about me.

Clearly I got lost thinking he was talking about the other Andy. My bad.

this is where nicknames help ... AAA or trips vs. AndyB ... makes it sooooo much easier ... if I didn't like 'em, it'd be battery boy vs. the bibbler ...

@stink #zeroConfusion

nice to see you back, AndyB!

From this point, I am changing my user name to:

"Hewhohaslearneditallbutisnowjusttryingtorememberit"

I'll just refer to you as "The Poster Formally Known as Triple A". You can pal around with Cat Stevens here and Prince in the afterlife.

(02-11-2026 04:43 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:42 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:35 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:27 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(02-11-2026 04:26 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Good grief. You're talking about AndyBible. BTF was talking about me.

Clearly I got lost thinking he was talking about the other Andy. My bad.

this is where nicknames help ... AAA or trips vs. AndyB ... makes it sooooo much easier ... if I didn't like 'em, it'd be battery boy vs. the bibbler ...

@stink #zeroConfusion

nice to see you back, AndyB!

From this point, I am changing my user name to:

"Hewhohaslearneditallbutisnowjusttryingtorememberit"

#hhh

I actually was trying to think of a shortcut for that. "HWH" was as far as I got. HHH is good. Or TripleH.

Ha, sounds almost like my current user name.