Answering the question that wasn't asked, but should have been.

July 8, 2006 12:20 PM

Dear AskMe: There is a prince in Nigeria who desperately needs my help. What is the best way to transfer $50K to an overseas bank account?
posted by LittleMissCranky to etiquette/policy at 12:20 PM (45 comments total)

send it to me and I'll make sure it gets there... er. is there a point to this, or should we go hunting to find it?
posted by edgeways at 12:21 PM on July 8, 2006

And the point of this post is....?
posted by mathowie at 12:22 PM on July 8, 2006

Member: Actually, this sounds like a common scam. Be very careful.
Original poster: I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR OPINION ON MY SITUATION. ANSWER THE QUESTION.

What is the general consensus on situations like this? In other words, is it acceptable to comment on situations that are included in the question if the question itself seems to be based on a problematic assumption?
posted by LittleMissCranky at 12:22 PM on July 8, 2006

Sorry, slow typing.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 12:23 PM on July 8, 2006

Slower linking.
posted by timeistight at 12:26 PM on July 8, 2006

is it acceptable to comment on situations that are included in the question if the question itself seems to be based on a problematic assumption?

Sure, as long as the comment is thoughtful and helpful, and not antagonistic, judgmental, or "LOL joo stoopid."
posted by Gator at 12:28 PM on July 8, 2006

is it acceptable to comment on situations that are included in the question if the question itself seems to be based on a problematic assumption?

Yes, but do it without snarking and be prepared to leave it alone if your well-intentioned comments do not get the reception that you feel they deserve.
posted by jessamyn at 12:30 PM on July 8, 2006

No link, timeistight. It happens fairly often, and I don't mean this as a callout of any particular member. If you'd like to view my posting history, I'm sure that you can find the inspirational post, but it's not unusual.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 12:31 PM on July 8, 2006

Um, is there supposed to be a link that goes with this?
posted by delmoi at 12:35 PM on July 8, 2006

Well thanks a lot LMC. I don't see anything in your posting history, but as someone of Nigerian decent this post made my day just a little bit more miserable. Go fuck yourself.
posted by delmoi at 12:37 PM on July 8, 2006

This one? The poster asked for advice on eating in conformance with a particular disease and you pretty much accused her of not actually having the disease and of having a shitty doctor. Maybe email would have been a good alternative to derailing the thread?
posted by Saucy Intruder at 12:37 PM on July 8, 2006

Go fuck yourself.⁽¹⁾

Surely you know better, but on the off chance you don't:

The perpetrators of Advance Fee Fraud (AFF), known internationally as "4-1-9" fraud after the section of the Nigerian penal code which addresses fraud schemes, are often very creative and innovative.⁽²⁾

The general class of scam is known as advance fee fraud, but it is popularly known as the Nigerian Letter or a 419 fraud.

If it needs to be said: LittleMissCranky certainly meant nothing against you or people of Nigerian ethnicity. Instead, she was referencing the above type of fraud or at least a variation of it.

I'm interested in knowing the answer to LittleMissCranky's question, regardless of the specific example she gave. It often happens in AskMe that people don't answer the question, but give, presumably, well intentioned advice that does not help the poster. I recently asked for advice on purchasing an air rifle and an air pistol. Many of the answers I received were to buy a traditional firearm. I gently tried to persuade posters to answer my specific question, but people continued to make the same suggestion. Sure, I am likely to find it useful at some point, but very little of that thread was actually immediately helpful in making my purchase. For what it's worth, I found the thread engaging. Furthermore, the value of the thread was out of my hands after I hit post. Thankfully, the participants made the thread valuable, just differently valuable than I had hoped.
posted by sequential at 1:04 PM on July 8, 2006

Wow, you think I actually don't know what a 419 scam is? I do know what is, thank you. I stand by my invective.
posted by delmoi at 1:10 PM on July 8, 2006

What is the general consensus on situations like this?

My opinion is that you've chosen a very good example for arguing in favor of broad-ranging answers. Really good. Suspiciously good. Even maliciously good. What, are you trying to make a point or something? What do you call it when you try to make a general point using the most skewed example you can think of?
posted by scarabic at 1:14 PM on July 8, 2006

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!













HA!
posted by quonsar at 1:14 PM on July 8, 2006

Listen guys, enough with the BS here. Can we please get back to giving me advice about what to do with my gargantuan penis?
posted by SeizeTheDay at 1:21 PM on July 8, 2006

Can we please get back to giving me advice about what to do with my gargantuan penis?

Go fuck yourself?

I dunno, just a possibility. One not available to most.
posted by loquacious at 1:25 PM on July 8, 2006

SeizeTheDay, there are some directors in California who want to talk to you.
posted by Tuwa at 1:26 PM on July 8, 2006

Wow, you think I actually don't know what a 419 scam is? I do know what is, thank you. I stand by my invective.⁽¹⁾

Actually, I just didn't know how much of an asshat you are before I posted.
posted by sequential at 1:27 PM on July 8, 2006

Can we please get back to giving me advice about what to do with my gargantuan penis?

Stay the course, big guy!
posted by Gator at 1:28 PM on July 8, 2006

posted by loquacious at 1:29 PM on July 8, 2006

I stand by my invective.

And your invective stands by you!
posted by scottreynen at 1:43 PM on July 8, 2006

Give it two arms to cling to!
posted by cortex at 1:54 PM on July 8, 2006

posted by puke & cry at 2:00 PM on July 8, 2006

delmoi : "as someone of Nigerian decent this post made my day just a little bit more miserable."

Why?
posted by Bugbread at 2:02 PM on July 8, 2006

wait, is delmoi seriously saying that he resents having someone mention a 419 scam because he lives in nigeria? that has to be a joke.
posted by shmegegge at 2:05 PM on July 8, 2006

I'm still confused about what exactly this thread is about. So here's another animated gif.


posted by loquacious at 2:05 PM on July 8, 2006

posted by puke & cry at 2:07 PM on July 8, 2006

Nobody better mention the IRA! I'm of Irish descent, and that might make my day a little more miserable.
posted by orange swan at 2:27 PM on July 8, 2006

Slavishly limiting answers to the question itself gets pretty silly. If someone asked the following question in AskMe I am sure that a substantial contingent of half-wits would insist that criticizing the motives of the questioner violates policy and that such comments should be deleted. Of course, this once earned me a one week time out, but then I made that comment in AskMe.

I have just invaded Poland and need an efficient method to eradicate a troublesome minority population. Any suggestions?

posted by caddis at 2:49 PM on July 8, 2006

delmoi,you just graduated from "often an ass" to "an ass". Welcome to the big time.
posted by gleuschk at 3:01 PM on July 8, 2006

Of course, this once earned me a one week time out, but then I made that comment in AskMe.

I have just invaded Poland...

You only got a one week time out for starting a world war?
posted by scottreynen at 3:02 PM on July 8, 2006

scottreynen, that was simple, yet masterful, snark.
posted by orange swan at 3:04 PM on July 8, 2006

I like the animated gifs, thank you loquacious, puke and cry.
posted by Meatbomb at 5:11 PM on July 8, 2006

yes, they are truly virtual '.gif'ts of metafiltrian -- nay, Internetrian -- discourse.
posted by Hat Maui at 5:16 PM on July 8, 2006

Why do I get the feeling that a glimpse at the full content of puke and cry's animated .gif folder would be enough to induce madness in a grown man?
posted by kosher_jenny at 5:20 PM on July 8, 2006

Does the fact that I really would like to see it make me an ungrown man or mad?
posted by loquacious at 5:50 PM on July 8, 2006

Or both?
posted by orange swan at 6:04 PM on July 8, 2006

Nah, I made it from this video, flames vs bunnies.
posted by puke & cry at 6:10 PM on July 8, 2006

FORGET THIS NONSENSE. IF NOBODY IN THIS THREAD IS GOING TO HELP ME WIN CANADIAN LOTTERIES, THEN I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE METAFILTER. I WAS PERFECTLY WILLING TO SHARE THE MONEY, BUT I CAN NOW SEE WHERE YOUR INTERESTS LIE!
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:14 PM on July 8, 2006

WHAT MONEY? ALL YOU GET IN THE CANADIAN LOTTERY ARE DONUTS! JUST HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DONUTS DO YOU NEED?
posted by pyramid termite at 6:27 PM on July 8, 2006

IF NOBODY IN THIS THREAD IS GOING TO HELP ME WIN CANADIAN LOTTERIES, THEN I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE METAFILTER.

WAITAMINUTE. DOES YOUR KID HAVE DIABETES?
posted by Gator at 6:44 PM on July 8, 2006

MY NEIGHBOR'S CAT HAS DIABETES -- GO F*%K YOURSELF
posted by brain_drain at 6:46 PM on July 8, 2006

oh, you said gif folder. Yeah, that would make you crazy.


posted by puke & cry at 6:54 PM on July 8, 2006

posted by armage at 7:01 PM on July 8, 2006