On very, very rare occasions, I employ a tactic utilized by Professor Kingsfield in the pilot episode of “The Paper Chase.” In that episode, young student Mr. Hart proves so inept, so worthless, that Kingsfield “shrouds” him. Akin to “shunning” in certain societies, it means that the person is effectively dead. He will never be called upon or acknowledged or responded to in any way. Far more effective than taking steps to shut someone up, it allows them to shout into the wind as much as they wish. I consider it a far more elegant solution than censorship.
Peterdavid.net officially shrouds Dee and his/her various personalities. Dee, who gives conservatives a bad name, is dead to this board. As far as I am concerned, he/she/it no longer exists.
I invite others to follow my lead or not, as they see fit.
PAD
• 
Hum…
Who’s Dee?
I’ve heard of this person… but for some reason I never get to see a post…
They must be pretty obnoxious, but unfortunately (or fortunately) my brain sorta shuts down when it sees moronic attitude in action…
Travis
Hmm, any chance you’ll unshroud Dee like Professor Kingsfield did Hart? Maybe Dee will end up a wonderful student of your work, or we can always set up a snowbound dinner for the two of you. 🙂
I miss that show. I’ve got them somewhere on VHS, I really need to find a good way to move them to DVD.
Who?
I haven’t seen on of Dee’s posts either, but it sounds like a fun tactic. As to transfering Paper Chase to DVD, heck, just wait a month or so, and it’s likely to be released with all kinds of extras and remastered film and everything – every other show is being released nowadays, so why not that one?
Peter,
I applaud your move. As a conservative, i was ashamed & embarrased about Dee’s coments & even apologize for them (i don’t know why i felt the need to apologize, but i did). I too will join in shrouding him.
Joe V.
Man, I used to love watching Paper Chase. 🙂
Are we discussing the Shroud?
Y’know, despite the fact that the character was a warmed over combination of Batman and Daredevil, I always kind of liked him.
Maybe the Shroud could be revived in Pad’s next Marvel series, kind of as a fromage.
David
“Maybe the Shroud could be revived in Pad’s next Marvel series, kind of as a fromage.”
Even as puns go, that one was just cheesy.
YAY!
Very good. But it won’t work.
On many Usenet forums I have passed out warnings “not to feed the troll” to anyone. It doesn’t matter. The trolls aren’t bothered by the fact that people aren’t responding to them. They can’t conduct rational discussions anyway; that’s why they’re trolls. They simply want to be a case of Athlete’s Foot/Jock Itch/That Yellow Guy That Makes Your Toenails Fall Apart.
Of course, this isn’t Usenet. It’s a private forum. It would be possible to arrange registration and banning. (One advantage of which would be that my personal data would actually be remembered by the system, which this “personal info” nonesense doesn’t do.)
All it takes is for this one loser to find a second loser to come in and start their own private conversations with each other. This process, which could be called “double teaming” but which is more closely related to a sexual process I am too polite to describe, can effectively clog up any public forum.
I keep telling you guys. The only certain way to end the problem is to end the troll. Go to his house. Bash in his computer with a baseball bat, then bash in his hollow head. I’d do it for you, but my vacation time is all accounted for this year. Get his address to me next year and I’ll see if my frequent flyer miles can take care of the expense.
My vacation time is all done too, other wise i too would be happy to bash heads.
Joe V.
Actually, it can be an effective technique – if applied completely.
At the San Diego Union-Tribune forums (where I occasionally participate as Irish Wolf), the software gives each member the ability to Ignore up to 5 other posters. This function is complete – you don’t see their posts, you don’t see whether or not they’ve posted recently, you can’t receive Private Messages from them, you can’t even check their profiles. So far, only three people have bought the permanent ban from me (two for being blatantly stupid on repeated occasions, and one for referring to my daughter as a “mongrel”).
If we apply this technique properly to certain posters here who shall remain nameless, they will doubtless grow frustrated over the complete lack of any indication that anyone else has paid them the least attention, and go try to brew up trouble at Ralph Nader’s website or something (or better yet, over at Ellison Webderland – I’d pay to see that!). 🙂
He/she gives conservatives a bad name? Didn’t know that was possible! Just kidding. It is always embarrassing when someone acts like that and calls them self a conservative. He/she is no conservative…conservative-loony perhaps..
Any close-minded person who has to resort to religion-bashing and a foul mouth in order to present a defense of one’s opinion has no place in any reasonable discussion.
“Shunning” is done in Amish society.
West Point cadets “shroud” others they feel have dishonored them.
Some folks just are not capable of participating in civilized debate.
Just who were we talking about again?
Hot Ðámņ!!
“Shrouded”
The word used to describe John Housemans practice in The Paper Chase has eluded me for YEARS!!
Try as I might I could not remember.
Pad you broke the curse.
Now on to solving my next great mystery: Women.
Salutations
Mitch
Great idea Peter!
Thomas… Bashing computers AND heads?!? You MUST be a conservative like Joe V.
Us liberals would just tax Dee to death. 🙂
Classy move.
So PAD, when are you finally going to post your thoughts about the season finale of Alias? I want to know your thoughts!
James from Dallas
I remember the shrouding sequence even after all these years. Great stuff.
Sadly though, can you imagine a professor getting away with such a thing in 2004,especially at a law school?
No doubt he’d promptly be sued for intentional infliction of emotional distress, anti-anglo bias, or criminal indifference to Hart’s self-esteem.
Kingsfield would have to issue a formal written apology (in English and Latin) and attend mandatory sensitivity training before being allowed to return to the classroom under the supervision of a court-appointed monitor.
On the flip side, how great would it be if, in David Mamet’s play “Oleanna,” the Professor just shrouded his tormenter at the start of Act Two?
It would be a shorter play, but way funnier.
Um, Peter? What did Shana and or Gwen! do to deserve this? Just consider that Hart dated Kingsfield’s daughter…:-)
Peter:
I like the concept so much that I am going to put it into practice in my own life.
Riding the MTA is akin to a trip into Dante’s Inferno. Every day I encounter someone worthy of SHROUDING.
Regards:
Warren S. Jones III
Like the shrouding idea ,your a better man than me PAD,i would just as soon tell you know who’s Mom.:)
Mitch when you solve the mystery of women ,please share with the rest of us.LOL:)
I have no clue either and could use some help.
Gotta admit when i first read the title of the post i thought was about the Shroud of Turin for some reason which could have started another heated thread.
As for the Shrouded person …..
We shall speak of them no more.PTUI!!!
Deano: “Mitch when you solve the mystery of women ,please share with the rest of us.LOL:)”
You got it, Deano.
I do have a couple of leads, but I fear that some of them will simply refer me to a Cyndi Lauper song.
Here’s to complexity!
Salutations,
Mitch
I wonder what future evolutions of the term “shrouding” will be in terms of it on the Internet. I keep thinking of it being as popular as “owned” (sorry, to put it into it’s most recent accepted form would be “pwned”). The 1337 dictionary might define it as:
Shrouding (v): To actively ignore an individual or entity no matter how big their flames may be.
See also: Shroud, Ding, 5hroud3d, 5|-|r0\_/d1|\|6
Example: D33 got 5hroud3d!!!!!shift1!!
I saw an example of “shrouding” or shunning in an episode of the new (CBS) Twilight Zone a few years back. I think it was called “Invisible Man” (not sure) I am sure the actor who currently plays Tru’s father played an arrogant, malcontent that was marked with a something like a flesh colored horn on above his eyebrows and for a year no one could acknowledged him, speak to him or help him in any way.
Sci-fiction aside PAD’s idea of shrouding Dee and people like him/her is the best way with dealing with people like them.
In some extreme cases it’s the only way.
I would add that only if the person REALLY shows signs of rehabilitation, the door remains open to accept them into the ‘fold’.
Last I saw being an áššhølë wasn’t a crime.
Yes, and so much more effective than actually defending your position, right?
“Last I saw being an áššhølë wasn’t a crime.”
(Ok, here’s where I try to be funny…)
Yes, but being an áššhølë is a skill and to maintain a level of excelence one must practice constantly.
Alright. I’m done. Let me have it.
Salutations,
Mitch
I didn’t see that episode of twilight zone, but it put me in mind of the Buffy show where the girl turns invisible because no one pays attention to her. At the end she’s carted off to some secret government place to be used by them as an agent or something. So, PAD, watch your back. After he/she turns transparent you may be first on the list! 😉
Final thought:
There’s an old saying Spanish saying made famous by (of all things) a politician that goes: La verdad convence, no grita.
Without getting too lost in translation: Truth convinces, it doesn’t yell.
If a person resorts to ‘yelling’ or being an áššhølë to prove his or her point in an otherwise civil discussion (IMHO) that person already lost the argument.
Ciao
Eli Benwhatever,
As has been proven, there isn’t any reason to make an attempt at rationally defend your position with that guy because all he’s out to do is wantenly flame everyone and who tries. He doesn’t have any arguments to make other than racist insults and the all-caps button on his keyboard.
Acree,
Being an áššhølë isn’t a crime until you start being one on my lawn, then it becomes an asswhoopin’.
Mitch,
I don’t think I did much better.
“All it takes is for this one loser to find a second loser to come in and start their own private conversations with each other. This process, which could be called “double teaming” but which is more closely related to a sexual process I am too polite to describe, can effectively clog up any public forum.”
There is a difference here, though. This forum’s been around long enough that I have a fairly good idea of all the personalities involved. And even the people who are guaranteed to say “black” if I say “white” were repulsed by this individual.
So if a “second loser” shows up, I will simply operate on the assumption that it’s the first loser and they are automatically shrouded in my eyes. If I’m wrong and it really is another individual…small loss.
PAD
Actually, I don’t feel the Shrouded Insane Poster With Four Names gives conservatives a bad name. I feel the Shrouded Insane Poster With Four Names gives the human race a bad name.
Wait…
Who was i talking about again?
Oh, well, couldn’t have been anyone important:)
This thread brings back memories of PAPER CHASE. I used to love the tv show about law school until I experienced the real thing. The last episode of the series dealing with graduation was so unrealistic. Most law students at the time that they graduate are not concerned about jobs as much as studying for the Bar. The Bar exam is a long (two to three days) test that you have to pass before practicing law. The tv series finale only mentioned the Bar exam once or twice, and only in passing.
One interesting thing is that I did have a Professor that was similiar in attitude to Kingsfield, but he was a liberal. The Professor’s big claim to fame was that he defeated the “evil” Bork before the Supreme Court.
Agreed, Mr. David: Small Loss. If someone is so blantantly and crudely rude as to make you mistake them for that “shrouded” individual, then they diserve the same treatment, anyway.
Well, I thought we should have made him/her take the Walk of a Thousand Four-Siders, but shrouding will have to do.
Posted by J. Alexander: “The Professor’s big claim to fame was that he defeated the “evil” Bork before the Supreme Court.”
You can’t hurt Bork. But Bork can hurt you!
(Sorry. Couldn’t resist.)
ping arcee FYI
The episode of TZ that you’re refering to was titled ” To See The Invisible Man”. It originally aired January 31, 1986 and was the second story in season 1 episode 16. It was adapted by Steven Barnes from the story by Robert Silverberg and produced by Harlen Ellison (How’s that for a talent pool?). About a year ago it was posted on alt.binaries.multimedia.scifi, so bootleg copies of it do exsist. Unfortunatly, this series will probably not be released on DVD for quite some time due to the numerous copyright problems.
Breck:
“Acree,
Being an áššhølë isn’t a crime until you start being one on my lawn, then it becomes an asswhoopin’.
Mitch,
I don’t think I did much better.”
Perhaps not, but neither of us claimed to be comedians. Well, there was the ‘incident’ in 1996 that got me shrouded while I was practicing being an áššhølë on someones lawn shortly before an asswhoopin’, but the charges were recently dropped and I’m allowed to travel out of state again.
Long story.
Salutations,
Mitch
J Alexander: I used to love the tv show about law school until I experienced the real thing. The last episode of the series dealing with graduation was so unrealistic. Most law students at the time that they graduate are not concerned about jobs as much as studying for the Bar.
Well, I used to love computer movies until I went into the computer industry. I went from loving War Games when I was in high school to hating Sneakers when I got out of college (computer encryption is based on binary math, not language dámņìŧ!). A few years of exposure to real computers does wonders.
TV is not a reflection of reality – unless you think looking in a murky pond is a good reflection.
You know, I read the Reagan threads and I literally was continually amazed at the continual worsening of the tone by “Dee” and all his variations.
Most of the people I’ve encounted at this blog have been deeply intelligent, funny, but above all, respectful human beings. I may disagree with some of the more conservative viewpoints represented, but I’ll just add that I deeply respect anyone who’s willing to bring his/her opinions to the table and debate ideas intelligently and respectfully. By and large, that hasn’t been a problem at this site.
As for “Dee,” well…consider him/her/it shrouded as far as I’m concerned.
Dee? Dee who?
🙂
“All it takes is for this one loser to find a second loser to come in and start their own private conversations with each other.”
What PAD said, (besides, we all know that Dee’s friends are imaginary.) 🙂
An interesting idea for handling the neanderthal. Who says tv isn’t educational?
So… What was that cro-magnon’s name again?
Someone brought up the subject of having to register. That way, if someone got out of line, they could be banned.
I am against this for one reason: That would make this board so much closer to being like the John Byrne board.
“An interesting idea for handling the neanderthal….so what was that cro-magnon’s name again?”
Aaron, are you trying to remind us of the “death curse” from Jean M. Auel’s Earth’s Children series? That would likely be fictional history’s very first occurence of “shrouding.”
Maybe the jerks can start their own weblog and go there to shout obscenities at each other. They can disagree ’til their heads explode from rage. Of course, then the poor families have all that mess to clean up.
Hey Peter, Tony Soprano did the same thing to his mother after she tried to wack him and then he was full of guilt when she died for real and had to go into therapy. Are you sure you aren’t setting yourself up for an unending shame-spiral with this one, man? Better be careful. Sure we’re fans but we can’t be therapists at the same time, dude.
I don’t know where I was going with this. I apologize. There was a joke in there somewhere. Somebody find it, please.
Can’t talk now – shunning.
oops, I mean shrouding.
Ya know, if it wasn’t for ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Kids in the Hall’, some of us just wouldn’t be able to communicate to others.
Okay, back to shrouding.
“Are you sure you aren’t setting yourself up for an unending shame-spiral with this one, man?”
Absolutely, 100% sure.
PAD
Good move, PAD (and, I’m assuming, Glenn).
Dee destroyed any chance of reasonable conversation on some threads. I don’t mind heated conversation with the conservatives on the board- heck, I enjoy it. I’m not omniscient, so I don’t know everything. I might actually learn something from some of the righties here. But there’s a difference between spirited discussion and…whatever the hëll Dee was doing.