Discussion on:

I find that mystifying.

Is this thing on?

Do you mean the trap door which dumps you unexpectedly into the WC, or something else? The former is On.

Is this the cooler or the bog?!

"We're on the side. Bye-bye."

lots of things mystifying. Of course it's on.

Never been invited to the water cooler before (I feel a little bit like Dilbert). Is Chad going to tell us, now, what it was about GWB and the innocent/guilty that informed his first reference thereto? Because otherwise, it looks like all the paper cups are gone, and I left a poker game upstairs to come hang with you guys here......

Not about that discussion though!
Welcome to where the Topic is something we pass by on the interstate!
In here we move freely, to nobody's beat but our own.
It's like anarchy, except without all the rules

Kinda like a road kill skunk, but not as attractive and the odor is worse.

which is a chain of stores catering to pierced and tatooed Gen Y'ers.

The description "Kinda like a road kill skunk, but not as attractive and the odor is worse" sounds about right for Hot Topic as well...

I'm neither pierced nor tattoed, not in Gen Y, and had not heard of Hot Topic until JJ brought it up. But if the shoe fits, don't hesitate to jam it on the appropriate foot.

(maybe this will, as a 'reply'). I think I got shut off on TR for sticking to my guns in a spirited debate......did you have that done, apotheon? Nice........

A. He'd tell you if he did.
B. There's been multiple reports of posts that don't show up since the site upgrade.
C. You'd have received an email if you'd been 'suspended for being a bad boy.'

Assume, much?

There I was, arguing about the duration of the 'security state's' existence, and suddenly nothing I typed would post (on that thread and others) for 2 days......paranoia-food, huh?! I queried TR, but haven't heard back; your insight reassures me. I'll try to be more circumspect in my replies to anyone whose avatar reads 'pro' in future (just to be safe).

Apotheon, that is Chad Perrin (not a secret), is OK, but he's self-percolating (not an insult), so don't worry if it seems he's deliberately not understanding your points - there will be errors of communication. You're also not likely to ever get to agree with him 100% (he raises the bar as you get closer - also not an insult)...
But like I said, he's OK, he has lots of stuff to offer, and doesn't mind sharing. He just doesn't negotiate.
I think this is because he's working on something in his head, and has to keep his thinking locked down until he gets it to where he can relax about it. That's ok with me, I've been there, done that.
So, just be aware of that, and don't get bogged down on the details, nor on anything you don't actually want to argue for a long time, without necessarily getting anywhere.

That's note number 1.

Note number 2, boxfiddler is a doodette.
-Why does that make me think "cadet"? Boxfiddler the Space Doodette Cadet (Dave-ette). That last one was a freebie - as in pod bay doors.

...but he's one of TR's better columnists. I like to think that down in the 'comments' section we're all just folks; it was illustrative to see that as soon as he 'gave up' on me he effortlessly switched to name-calling with santeewelding....smooth!
Notes noted; arigat-to, tomodachi!

Yes. I thought so, too. Although I think he is no longer writing for TR. I think intransigence got him in trouble.

to have started with the same poor thinking or poor post placement which has annoyed me elsewhere.

There should be some kind of gawdammned test.