“I’m not much of a writer but I ran across some quotes from John Blumenthal. He has written a couple of movies and 8 books in addition to being a columnist. I hope you don’t mind if I include some snippets from an article he wrote.

“The reason I hate emoticons is that they're just plain infantile and so are the people who use them. If you're trying to communicate humor or happiness or sadness, you don't need to express yourself with a conglomeration of sideways parentheses, ampersands and colons. Use your words.  Hieroglyphics are no longer necessary. If you're being funny, happy or sad, that should be apparent from the comment that precedes the emoticon. 

And if there's no writing involved, just an emoticon, you're basically a simpleton with nothing to say. Or just plain lazy.  

Here's one of my favorites: The emoticon of a little face with its tongue sticking out. My goodness, that's sooooo clever. If you're an eight year old. Welcome to the third grade.  

Interestingly, men don't use emoticons very much. Maybe not at all. At least I've never seen one at the end of a sentence written by a man. Teenage girls and women seem to be the main culprits. Maybe there's an emoticon gene. But if you're a woman over twenty-five and you're using emoticons, you probably should have your endorphin level checked.

Okay, now here's the challenge. Put on your thinking emoticon caps (is there an oxymoron in there somewhere?) and let's see who can make the most creative emoticon. Be sure to tell us exactly what the hel_l the stupid thing stands for. The winner gets the coveted "I'm- A Five -Year- Old Award."     

So you're agreeing with a man whose opinion pretty much exposes him as a misogynist [emoticon use = infantile, simpleton; female = more emoticon use; ergo, female = infantile, simpleton]. No big surprises there, somehow- a pretty consistent trend in your posts that you objectify women. Was wondering how long it would take for some angle like that to come up in this thread of yours.

I'd like an emoticon where I could show marky my arse cheeks as a reply to his last post.

what you mean that thing moving around in your avatar isnt your arse? whoops nearly forgot

I'd like an emoticon where I could show marky my arse cheeks as a reply to his last post.

You want to reply to my point by exposing your arse cheeks? Way too much information for me!

Its not suppose to be a pleasant thing. Ohh and its certainly not an 'offer' either, don't flatter yourself marky

I'd like an emoticon where I could show marky my arse cheeks as a reply to his last post.

what you mean that thing moving around in your avatar isnt your arse! whoops nearly forgot

Well, they are not unsimilar, both can wink at you, both make noises and both have hair.

Females use smileys more than males. I have read surveys from 65% to 82% more frequently.

Also it is interesting to note that when men and women share a forum it is not the female that changes but the male. That is, the males start using more smileys.

Blumenthal wrote for Playboy for 8 years so what can you expect. He even wrote jokes for Groucho Marx.

You throw around words like, misogynist pretty easily.

I thought his piece humorous.

It has been a long time since anyone has called my a misogynist. Good thing I didn’t title the post “real men don’t use smiley’s” or I would have been homophobic too.

I guess you have to call em like you see em but at least I didn’t post anything sexual in this thread. Which I am sure was a disappointment to all those who were expecting me to be consistent.

It has been a long time since anyone has called my a misogynist.

It's not the first thing that springs to mind

I'd like an emoticon where I could show marky my arse cheeks as a reply to his last post.

what you mean that thing moving around in your avatar isnt your arse! whoops nearly forgot

Well, they are not unsimilar, both can wink at you, both make noises and both have hair.

Three posts in a very short time period about your bottom sounds suspiciously like an obsession. Especially in this thread which has nothing to do with sex. Naked buttocks, flatulence and pubic hair. No, no way to graphic for me.

Also it is interesting to note that when men and women share a forum it is not the female that changes but the male. That is, the males start using more smileys.

Women are always to blame.

....I learnt that on Thaivisa.

".....But if you're a woman over twenty-five and you're using emoticons, you probably should have your endorphin level checked......"

Endorphin level? What have endorphins got to do with female maturity???

I'd like an emoticon where I could show marky my arse cheeks as a reply to his last post.

what you mean that thing moving around in your avatar isnt your arse! whoops nearly forgot

Well, they are not unsimilar, both can wink at you, both make noises and both have hair.

opinions are like <deleted>, everyone's got one but not everyone wants to be exposed to yours. Something to bear in mind Mark?

One of the reasons I posted about smileys was the absence of sex in the topic. I post a lot of topics with no reference to sex but they seem to get lost in the psyches of the readers who only seem to see the salacious. I hope you have enjoyed the opportunity to read and post about a subject that has other than sexual references.

Yeah, yeah.........

opinions are like <deleted>, everyone's got one but not everyone wants to be exposed to yours. Something to bear in mind Mark?

The University of Chicago awarded Kurt Vonnegut his masters for writing Kat’s Cradle. One of the points the book brings up is the necessity of persecution to the functioning of religion.

On Thai Visa there are posters who are so degenerate that they allow the upstanding moral and correct posters to differentiate themselves from these horrible people.

If everyone was goody two shoes, cutesy, smiley loving, Alice in wonderland’s you would have to invent me to raise yourselves up to the plateau you deserve.

Think of the work I am saving you.

If I wasn’t here where would you go in heaven? Me being around automatically pushes you up a couple of notches.

There is obviously a butt fetish here reading the amount of butt posts recently, who would you refer to if it wasn’t me?

Count your blessings.

"News Flash"

From our man in the field

Graffiti also spotted on side-door of Bedlam reads "Smilies Rule. OK."

And if smilies are good enough for the cosmos then.....

Neverdie

This Blumenthal guy was talking about the 'emoticons' developed on the typewriter (he's probably over 50 and a Yank - so not up with anything developed this century)

So what you need is:

(_l_) or maybe (__l__) if you are broad of beam.

[ If you've just been for a #2 you might prefer (_o_) ]

( . ) ( . )

Cheers guys, you learn something new every day.

Neverdie

This Blumenthal guy was talking about the 'emoticons' developed on the typewriter (he's probably over 50 and a Yank - so not up with anything developed this century)

So what you need is:

(_l_) or maybe (__l__) if you are broad of beam.

[ If you've just been for a #2 you might prefer (_o_) ]

LOL @ Humpy B Bear .

Mee twas thinking marky has been around a bit, so (_O_)

This Blumenthal guy was talking about the 'emoticons' developed on the typewriter (he's probably over 50 and a Yank - so not up with anything developed this century)

or even last century.

Smilies have been around since the 60's / 70's, Woodstock and all that "be nice" stuff.

ND I agree with you, it's about time we had a bit of an influx of new blood in the emoticon group. The current lot are getting past their use by date, maybe that's Mark's problem.

Vote!

^Now ya talkin sbk. Perhaps we could also have a 'special range' of emoticons just for bedlam. FOR EXAMPLE, an emoticon of a big penis . Thats the one I want to use in this thread

SBK, My vote is for KISS MY @SS emoticon

I like the "flogging a dead horse". Kissing ass could be usefull too.

Surely "angry housewife with rolling pin" wouldn't get much use here!

I'll order the "bla bla bla" one if it comes in a larger size.

Yes?no

Thank you

Spank

OldMan

PartyGirl

CryBaby

NicePic

Laugh1

Shock

Excited

Excited horny

Chef

Ganja

Thinking

YMCA

Chilli

Females use smileys more than males. I have read surveys from 65% to 82% more frequently.

Also it is interesting to note that when men and women share a forum it is not the female that changes but the male. That is, the males start using more smileys.

Blumenthal wrote for Playboy for 8 years so what can you expect. He even wrote jokes for Groucho Marx.

YOU'RE the poster, not him! YOU'RE the one who chose to quote that particular selection! :)

It may be true that females use more smileys- however, I don't think the surveys you're referring to show any evidence that this means they are 'infantile' or 'retarded' (which, by the way, if we were being all PC, is not really an acceptable term anymore for people with mental challenges- heh heh heh).

So your choice of the selection can only be because you agree....

You throw around words like, misogynist pretty easily.

Almost as easily as smileys!

I thought his piece humorous.

It has been a long time since anyone has called my a misogynist. Good thing I didn’t title the post “real men don’t use smiley’s” or I would have been homophobic too.

It has been an even longer time, I bet, since I've found jokes of the style 'boy, ain't women dumber'n us men?' amusing- in fact, I'm not quite sure I ever thought they were amusing (searching back to my brief girl-fearing phase in the 5th grade- nope, not even then)- and nah, that wouldn't have been sufficient evidence for homophobia- more like relic of the late seventies:

Gosh, and there i was thinking i was a goody two shoes,cutesy, smiley, loving Alice in Wonderland. Whose rabbit ran out of batteries.

Where do you guys get the fun smilies?

Moonrakers

I saw the same smiles here but they were up side down.

I may have photos somewhere.

Moonrakers

I saw the same smiles here but they were up side down.

I may have photos somewhere.

Patsy - have you tried using your laptop with the keyboard BELOW the screen?

You can even read the print faster that way.

Now go back to the ciggies and wine.