How to respond to thread-jacking?

[Westernskies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst What is the exact age range for a Cougar?

It depends. With sufficient prey, some of them can live for decades in urban or suburban habitat.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst What is the exact age range for a Cougar?

35 years, but some are still out there Mercury Cougar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyounge1956 I'm disappointed that "More Pension Woes" has been shut down. My original question got completely swamped by an off-topic argument that consumed between 2/3 and 3/4 of the thread. I tried early in the diversion of the thread to get it back on track with a humorous remark, then yesterday used the "report thread" button to ask the moderators to take action (relocate and rename the hijacked thread and put the original question and the very relevant link that was added Tuesday night into its own new thread). That request either never got through or was turned down, the OT argument started up again, and now the thread is closed before there was much chance to discuss the info in the links from Governance magazine. I've looked at some and they are exactly the sort of info I was trying to get. Is there anything I could/should have done as the OP to keep the thread on topic? Was the "report thread" button the wrong way to contact the mods about this? In this situation, is it appropriate for non-mods to ask people whose OT comments are taking over, to start their own thread? Is it OK for me to start a new thread on the same topic as my original question and/or the Governance links?

At this point there are ~41 replies to your original question and I count ~20 as off-topic. I guess a 50% ratio is going to be the norm for this site (and this thread is still fairly short)

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan At this point there are ~41 replies to your original question and I count ~20 as off-topic. I guess a 50% ratio is going to be the norm for this site (and this thread is still fairly short)

I think this thread begs for OT responses though.

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westernskies My SIL "needs" 23K right away, but it falls outside my 4% SWR. Should I sell the motorhome?

I think I have started a new board meme.

My [insert desperate relation here] needs $23K immediately for [insert pointless need here], should I [insert drastic wealth damaging action here]?

Although, as usual, the responses were very helpful to let me work through the thought process.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUEGO I think this thread begs for OT responses though.

Very true, but I think it is typical of what goes on. Someone throws out an OT post and off we go.... It's very amusing looking on from the outside, for example I was interested in watching the public pension thread and eventually we ended up at the ash cloud from the Fffffing volcano in Iceland

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbbamI I like bacon.

I do too, but Chevys are better than Fords.

[Purron]

Know what's worse than having your thread hijacked? Few or no replies. Happened to me more that once and I always think "well, that went over like a lead balloon".

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purron Know what's worse than having your thread hijacked? Few or no replies. Happened to me more that once and I always think "well, that went over like a lead balloon".

I know - been there and done that

My solution to being ignored and feeling like a voice in the wilderness was to become a moderator

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purron Know what's worse than having your thread hijacked? Few or no replies. Happened to me more that once and I always think "well, that went over like a lead balloon".

That's why I hardly ever start a thread! What I think is really really interesting doesn't seem to strike others as so. So I'm happy being a follower.

I do try to make at least one pertinent post to a thread before going down comedy lane or throwing in a new idea (both of which no one finds interesting either! Who says the Internet isn't like real life).

[Westernskies]

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Originally Posted by Alan I know - been there and done that My solution to being ignored and feeling like a voice in the wilderness was to become a moderator

Where do I sign up?

[ziggy29]

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Originally Posted by Amethyst What is the exact age range for a Cougar?

Usually about 10-20 years younger than they are....

[NW-Bound]

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Originally Posted by FIREdreamer Well, I like this board with all its off-topic tangential departures. It's more like a real life, casual conversation between friends. I regularly visit the bogleheads' forums but gosh, they are so serious over there and the moderation is so stringent that it makes for a dry, boring, and repetitive read. No thank you.

This is the only forum I frequent (too much actually), leave alone post, but regarding the aforementioned forum, it does not surprise me. With all due respect to Mr. Bogle, I don't think I have seen him smile in TV interviews. Contrast that with Buffett. The latter quite often sent reporters away giggling, and the media would repeat his crack jokes for days. Both are wise, but I prefer wise AND funny.

[Westernskies]

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Originally Posted by ziggy29 http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ork&page=rules

Post deleted. Sorry no one got the joke- which was a poke at how the pension thread got hijacked.

[HsiaoChu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 I do too, but Chevys are better than Fords.

What is so nice here is that the moderators don't seem to have this mistaken idea that they too have to follow some rule about thread maintenance. In this way they are like the PA state Police. The Pa State police, and probably most other police, float through stop signs, drive whatever speed they want, put on their sirens if they want to go through a red light, and have no problem with tail-gating other drivers. Heaven forbid if you should do any of those activities in the visual sight of the PA state police. Its apparently the option of power.

[HsiaoChu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan I know - been there and done that My solution to being ignored and feeling like a voice in the wilderness was to become a moderator

Yeah, and when i tried to add one of the moderators(not you Alan) to my ignore list, I was denied this option.

I FELT LIKE I'D BEEN SMITED BY A SYSTEM WITH GOD LIKE POWERS: kind of just like everyday life.

Z

[HsiaoChu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB 35 years, but some are still out there Mercury Cougar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nice photo, but I like the ones with a pretty young lady who is dressed like a cougar, rather than a cougar which probably thinks its a pretty young model. I have a great Snow Leopard background for my mac with a very very fetching young woman who isn't really a Snow leopard(I'm using MAC system, 10.6.3: Snow Leopard), but is dressed like one for those things she is wearing anyways.

Z