I like stavros. I like copyright infringement.

December 29, 2006 10:08 AM

I like stavros. I like copyright infringement. I like the kind of hard work that goes into a FPP like this. But there's something about this Wii-winning post that doesn't sit well with me. Could you help me put my finger on it?
posted by localhuman to Etiquette/Policy at 10:08 AM (258 comments total)

Did someone declare that the post won the Wii? Unless Terminal Verbosity is now the Metatron, I'm not sure where that's coming from.
posted by cortex at 10:10 AM on December 29, 2006

I think you meant Wiining.
posted by Plutor at 10:12 AM on December 29, 2006

it makes every future music video fpp a double?
posted by pyramid termite at 10:12 AM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

so can we close shop then, i'm almost sure, that stav, has posted the interwebs-tubes in their entirety.
posted by nola at 10:18 AM on December 29, 2006

cortex: Did someone declare that the post won the Wii? Unless Terminal Verbosity is now the Metatron, I'm not sure where that's coming from.

I think localhuman is under the mistaken impression that the number of favorites will determine the win. If that were true, then stav's post would win it, given that, when I looked last, it had 69 favorites. But Matt said that "favorites votes will help steer me and jessamyn to the good stuff, but we'll make the final decisions based on our gut reactions to the best of the best."
posted by koeselitz at 10:21 AM on December 29, 2006

so can we close shop then, i'm almost sure, that stav, has posted the interwebs-tubes in their entirety.

Wait, wait don't close it yet! I'm still looking for the nekkid pics of your mom.
posted by loquacious at 10:22 AM on December 29, 2006

Rest easy, localhuman, that post will be the most favorited post of the month (and one of the five most favorited Blue posts ever), but it is extremely unlikely to win/place/show for post o'the month. Which, I suspect, is totally fine w/stavros, as he's probably posting it more out of the ethos of "hey look at all this coolness" than some crazy "the most links in a post just HAS to win!" kinda philosophy.
posted by jonson at 10:23 AM on December 29, 2006

Personally, I don't know if I think this is cool. I certainly wouldn't have had the boldness to do this kind of thing with MeFi. But I can't really put my finger on it, either; maybe this is going to force a policy about YouTube. I don't think this post was in our best interest, either way, especially considering that a single link to the list would've amounted to the same thing without wasting the bandwidth on acting as a youtube conduit.
posted by koeselitz at 10:28 AM on December 29, 2006

loquacious, check your gmail.
posted by nola at 10:30 AM on December 29, 2006

These favorite bands suck.
posted by hal9k at 10:37 AM on December 29, 2006

Pretty much every video ever made is on Youtube or MetaCafe or Google Video or somewhere, so the way everyone goes apeshit whenever someone compiles a bunch of them and links to them bewilders me. Don't you guys know how to find them yourselves?
posted by iconomy at 10:37 AM on December 29, 2006 [4 favorites]

without wasting the bandwidth on acting as a youtube conduit

How does this use any MetaFilter bandwidth?
posted by freebird at 10:40 AM on December 29, 2006

koeselitz is right, i was under that mistaken impression. good thing to know that mattamyn are the judges rather than the rabble and the roi.

i'm secretly hoping that this post was starvos' critique of the youtube dump and was meant to force a policy change.
posted by localhuman at 10:40 AM on December 29, 2006

wait, i wasn't secretly hoping that. i was openly doing so.
posted by localhuman at 10:41 AM on December 29, 2006

Geez, didn't even look at the front-page part of the post, just at the inside collection of youtube vids.

Yeah, that post breaks the previously stated guideline. Full downloads of entire runs of shows that are copyrighted and available on DVD? It's a pretty clear and easy choice for deletion, and I'm pretty sure that's what mathowie or jessamyn will do when one of them sees it.
posted by koeselitz at 10:45 AM on December 29, 2006

freebird: "How does this use any MetaFilter bandwidth?"

Well, you see, MetaFilter is like a truck. And all of the Internet's tubes pour into it. And occasionally, it overflows, and James Brown dies four times.
posted by Plutor at 10:48 AM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

Wait, wait don't close it yet! I'm still looking for the nekkid pics of your mom.

found one!
posted by pyramid termite at 10:51 AM on December 29, 2006

James Brown dies four times.

IMO, the man's never been funkier.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:51 AM on December 29, 2006

What doesn't sit right about the post for me is that if stavros had put those on a web page and self-linked he would have been in clear violation of the guidelines.

Cramming an entire web page into a post to get around the guidelines should not be encouraged.
posted by tkolar at 10:52 AM on December 29, 2006

freebird: "How does this use any MetaFilter bandwidth?"

Plutor: "Well, you see, MetaFilter is like a truck. And all of the Internet's tubes pour into it. And occasionally, it overflows, and James Brown dies four times."

And right in the middle of the pile in the back of the truck, right underneath the stupid? That's where I am.
posted by koeselitz at 10:53 AM on December 29, 2006

I enjoy taking time out of my busy day and think/worry/metatalk about other peoples FPP's. Sometimes I worry Bevy, Sometimes I worry alot.
posted by hatchetjack at 10:53 AM on December 29, 2006

maybe this is going to force a policy about YouTube

Maybe that's the point. Brilliant post.
posted by rocketman at 10:55 AM on December 29, 2006

It is a lot of bandwidth, though. A page with 11,500 links on it is pretty fucking heavy. If you don't believe me, try going to the link that blasdelf left in that thread without your browser crashing.
posted by koeselitz at 10:57 AM on December 29, 2006

hatchetjack, that's a pretty subtle Stephen King reference. Kudos.
posted by cgc373 at 11:01 AM on December 29, 2006

What doesn't sit right about the post for me is that if stavros had put those on a web page and self-linked he would have been in clear violation of the guidelines.

What are you talking about? Stav got the links most likely from Andre Torrez, who posted them all here. I would have preferred a link to them rather than miles of broken HTML I had to fix this morning.

I read the post by stav as half "wow, there really is a ton of cool shit on youtube" and half "this'll show those youtube linkdumpers".

I'll leave it up because it's a great resource and it's ok to do once in a blue moon.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:08 AM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

mathowie: "I'll leave it up because it's a great resource and it's ok to do once in a blue moon."

So now you're okay with posting downloads of copyrighted materials? That's an interesting change of policy. I understand that the list of vids is probably fine, but doesn't the actual front-page part of the post break your guideline?
posted by koeselitz at 11:12 AM on December 29, 2006

I read the post by stav as half "wow, there really is a ton of cool shit on youtube" and half "this'll show those youtube linkdumpers".

yeah, something like that

So now you're okay with posting downloads of copyrighted materials?

that's ok ... what's not ok is ASKING people how to download them

or something ... or anything ... or ...

as a last resort, you can always claim you were drunk
posted by pyramid termite at 11:18 AM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

"So now you're ok...?" Etc.

When will people accept that there is very little consistency to MeFi rules. There is plenty of healthy pragmatism, which works well for keeping the site on an even keel, but little of the picayune consistency seemingly favored by too many posters.
posted by OmieWise at 11:19 AM on December 29, 2006

... there's something about this Wii-winning post that doesn't sit well with me. Could you help me put my finger on it?

No Jonathan Richman, no Mississippi John Hurt, no Captain Beefheart ?
posted by y2karl at 11:21 AM on December 29, 2006 [2 favorites]

So now you're okay with posting downloads of copyrighted materials?

No, it's not a black and white thing, and it's impossible to be perfectly 100% consistent. It seems like nitpicking to constantly push for clarity on DA RULEZ that we must stick to come hell or high water.

Of course I don't want metafilter to be some place you go to get downloadable stuff. This isn't the piratebay and I never want it to be. I think it's lame to ask about links to bittorrent downloads in ask mefi and we delete those quickly. But a few fan sites collecting tv shows doesn't register as bad as "wher3 can I get tha new photoshop pleaz". Plus, it's from a longtime member that doesn't make a habit of doing this very often, so I'm trusting his judgement that this was cool enough to bend the rules a bit. I've left links up to simpsons and southpark fan sites before with episodes (especially ones that are no longer shown on TV -- and remember shows broadcast freely on tv are different than albums that you have to pay to get all the songs).

It's not a problem to have this post stick around. If it starts to be a problem with more lame ask mefi warez questions or more posts to mefi to downloadable stuff, then I'll do something about it but in the grand scheme of things I think this one post is fairly harmless.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:25 AM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

y2karl shoots . . . he scores!
posted by cgc373 at 11:25 AM on December 29, 2006

Sometimes I worry Bevy, Sometimes I worry alot.

Commas don't separate sentences. And "a lot" is two words.

What are you talking about? Stav got the links most likely from Andre Torrez, who posted them all here.

So this is a double?
posted by timeistight at 11:25 AM on December 29, 2006

I forgot to link the word here to here.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:27 AM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

OmieWise: "When will people accept that there is very little consistency to MeFi rules. There is plenty of healthy pragmatism, which works well for keeping the site on an even keel, but little of the picayune consistency seemingly favored by too many posters."

It's not picayune when it can get whole web sites taken down via the DMCA, and when it's routinely been cited as a reason for deleting posts. Matt can run the site randomly if he wants -- I suspect he doesn't -- but I was genuinely surprised that he'd changed his stance on this. I just wanted to know whether he was making a statement about that issue, or merely allowing a pass on the YouTube vids.
posted by koeselitz at 11:27 AM on December 29, 2006

mathowie wrote...

What are you talking about? Stav got the links most likely from Andre Torrez, who posted them all here. I would have preferred a link to them rather than miles of broken HTML I had to fix this morning.

Well, exactly. Stav effectively posted an entire web page to metafilter rather than just posting a link. And he left you holding the bag for the broken HTML on that web page.

There are plenty of web pages out there that provide similar archives, and Stav should have linked to one of them.
posted by tkolar at 11:28 AM on December 29, 2006

On preview: fair enough.
posted by koeselitz at 11:28 AM on December 29, 2006

Not everything I say is "a statement on policy". I run things pragmatically. It's just links to sites, with the site owners actually hosting the content that are carrying almost all the liability. Links to downloadable new albums are found quickly by music companies and are be the type of thing I'd worry about DMCA takedowns. Some kid in france with small copies of tv shows ripped from a videotape sitting on a server doesn't seem like the type of thing that would result in DMCA takedowns of every site linking to the content/server.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:30 AM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

timeistight, your corrections are correct; and, in addition, the character in the book is called "Bevvie," not "Bevy," but I knew what hatchetjack meant and thought it was a cool nod, so I let it go and went with ac-centuating the positive, y'know?
posted by cgc373 at 11:33 AM on December 29, 2006

koeselitz-
Every time Matt or Jessamyn allows something where something similar was previously deleted, or delete something whose doppelganger was previously allowed, people pop up with a "gotcha," where there is in fact, nothing to get. That demonstrates a picayune consistency that seems more concerned with adherence to specific rules than it is to attempting to understand the site and the general guidelines along which the site is run. You may have been simply curious in your comment (although I was responding to your tone as much as to your question), but the practice is tiresome, juvenile, and, frankly, hostile to the admins.

Also, see #1's comment above.
posted by OmieWise at 11:36 AM on December 29, 2006

on preview--I see you did read Matt's statement. Mine still stands as a general statement, although is now not applicable to your position.
posted by OmieWise at 11:37 AM on December 29, 2006

What are you talking about? Stav got the links most likely from Andre Torrez, who posted them all here. I would have preferred a link to them rather than miles of broken HTML I had to fix this morning.

Not the M.I.A videos, one of which linked to a dance routine set to bjork and one of which linked to a clip from a spanish soap opera or something. So I don't know what's going on there... It seems like he might have just done a search and added links without reading them.
posted by delmoi at 11:41 AM on December 29, 2006

Well, exactly. Stav effectively posted an entire web page to metafilter rather than just posting a link.

What does "an entire web page" mean here? This post had a lot of links. That doesn't mean it is more or less worthy of being an FPP. We use a quality standard here rather than a quantity standard. stav's post was filled with quite a lot of quality thus it seems to be very Metafilter worthy.
posted by aburd at 11:47 AM on December 29, 2006

Links to downloadable new albums are found quickly by music companies and are be the type of thing I'd worry about DMCA takedowns. Some kid in france with small copies of tv shows ripped from a videotape sitting on a server doesn't seem like the type of thing that would result in DMCA takedowns of every site linking to the content/server.

I still don't see where you get this idea. A DMCA takedown notice is just a letter, anyone can send one whenever they feel like it, valid or no. I don't think either of those cases would be valid in either of those cases.
posted by delmoi at 11:48 AM on December 29, 2006

The tricky thing with DMCA takedown requests is, if a large corporation sends one to you, do you really have the time & money to invest in fighting it? Most people don't. They are economically compelled to comply with the request, even if it's not valid.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 12:02 PM on December 29, 2006

I don't much care for the post, filled as it is with evil Youtubiness, but I can't wait for cortex to try to set it to music.

I suggest "We Didn't Start The Fire" as a good starting point.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:10 PM on December 29, 2006

aburd writes...

What does "an entire web page" mean here?

I imagine it's a grey area, but I'd say any post with more than 1000 lines qualifies as its own web page.

stav's post was filled with quite a lot of quality thus it seems to be very Metafilter worthy.

Stav's post had quite a lot of quality, and quite a lot of crap, and quite a lot of "eh." It's undeniably a Meta post, but it's not much of a Filter.
posted by tkolar at 12:14 PM on December 29, 2006

pyramid termite : it makes every future music video fpp a double?

Not ones starting with B, C, E, F, H, I, K, L, N, O, Q, R, T, or U. Those ones are still fair game.
posted by quin at 12:22 PM on December 29, 2006

localhuman, another MeTa thread? You've been around for 3-4 months (or, on that login) and you've already posted five times to MetaTalk with what has been considered by many to be dubious reasons. Also, your YouTube axe-grinding is.. weak. Chilling your MeTa posting finger for a while might be a good idea. People are starting to ignore you outright.
posted by jmhodges at 12:27 PM on December 29, 2006

What tkolar said. Filter, man, filter.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 12:32 PM on December 29, 2006

Folks, the rules are simple.

1) Mattamyn makes the rules, and declares the exceptions. Mattamyn is always right. They may not be correct and consistent (paging Mr. Gödel) but Mattamyn is always right.

2) If Mattamyn is conflicted about something, Matt wins.

The rest of us can either cope, go away, or hold occasional flameouts on meta. Well, actually, there's no exclusive or there, go crazy if you wish.

I should note that you get zero points for callouts, even if you're right about making the callout. So, you know, if you're put off by the fact that Mattamyn won't unlock the pitchfork and torch closet, tough cookies.

As a personal aside, the flameouts recently, mod dirtynumbangelboy's recent efforts over here have been insipid and lacking originality. You can, and should, do better.

If we all learn to cope with this, maybe we'll get the img tag back for NYE. Because nothing would end this year like the img tag.
posted by eriko at 12:39 PM on December 29, 2006 [2 favorites]

I'm pretty surprised mathowie bothered to fix the screwed up html in that list when he could have just deleted it and linked to the list on torrez.
posted by bob sarabia at 12:45 PM on December 29, 2006

jmhodges: localhuman, another MeTa thread?

Buddy, there was gonna be a MeTa thread about this one. Hell, I'm sure Stavros knew that. If you think localhuman's got a problem, wait until he starts a MeTa thread that isn't warranted, and then call him on it. Discussion about these things is not verboten.

eriko: "Folks, the rules are simple."

Who exactly are you talking to? localhuman pointed out a genuinely questionable post; mathowie made a ruling about it; that was it.

Getting pissed off about nonexistent callouts seems to be the new black. Just chill out. The conversation hasn't gone bad yet here.
posted by koeselitz at 12:57 PM on December 29, 2006

eriko: "If we all learn to cope with this, maybe we'll get the img tag back for NYE. Because nothing would end this year like the img tag."

Did you read any of the threads about the img tag at all, or are you just riffing here?
posted by koeselitz at 1:00 PM on December 29, 2006

wasn't there just some court judgement about sites that link to copyrighted stuff being liable too? (that wouldn't affect us, but the primary linkers, i think)
posted by amberglow at 1:02 PM on December 29, 2006

What the fuck is "picayune consistency?"
posted by afu at 1:04 PM on December 29, 2006

James Brown dies four times.

IMO, the man's never been funkier.

Get up! Get on up...
posted by goo at 1:08 PM on December 29, 2006

I don't much care for the post, filled as it is with evil Youtubiness, but I can't wait for cortex to try to set it to music.

No thanks. ASCAP would DMCA my ass into AOHELL.
posted by cortex at 1:11 PM on December 29, 2006

For those following along at home, nola did indeed email me a picture. Of George H. W. Bush. Fully clothed.

If Bush is his mom, who in the heck is his dad? *shudder*
posted by loquacious at 1:12 PM on December 29, 2006

STFU, then.
posted by yhbc at 1:13 PM on December 29, 2006

Okay, that turned out to be a pretty funny, but unintentional, response to loquacious instead of cortex.
posted by yhbc at 1:14 PM on December 29, 2006

What the fuck is "picayune consistency?"

What the New Orleans newspaper was before Katrina stopped their presses on August 29, 2005.
posted by dw at 1:14 PM on December 29, 2006

give this man the goddamned Wii. or an enema.
posted by matteo at 1:17 PM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

Err, I mean the other George W. Bush. The current one. *confused*

I replied with an animated gif which describes things you never want to have happen at a urinal and a jpg of a cat eating waffles in bed, bearing the amusing caption "I'm in ur bed eatin' ur waffles!"
posted by loquacious at 1:18 PM on December 29, 2006

im in yr shower pooin' on yr grlfriend
posted by loquacious at 1:20 PM on December 29, 2006

Please keep us posted.
posted by koeselitz at 1:22 PM on December 29, 2006

Please keep us posted.

Please provide valid credit card information to create an account or sign in, or click here to continue the tour.
posted by loquacious at 1:25 PM on December 29, 2006

Thanks a lot afu, now I won't have the only indexed use of that term...you picayune squatter.
posted by OmieWise at 1:33 PM on December 29, 2006

I would like to complain about blasdelf's incorrect use of my handle in the original blue thread. As these are links to music videos rather than copy-and-pastes of the full text of peace treaties, stav has not "done a Meatbomb" in this instance.
posted by Meatbomb at 1:40 PM on December 29, 2006 [2 favorites]

Frickin' 3 Doors Down?

So many of you have such shitty taste in music that even Baby Jesus is embarrassed. Some of you have moments of decent taste, but then you feel the need to inflict it on the rest of us. Please stop. Now.
posted by bardic at 1:42 PM on December 29, 2006

i didn't want to say it but yeah , dude. 3 doors down, yeah, dude, wtf.
posted by nola at 1:45 PM on December 29, 2006

Hot Carl:Poop::Done a Meatbomb:Poop^Poop
posted by loquacious at 1:46 PM on December 29, 2006

loquacious: "Please provide valid credit card information to create an account or sign in, or click here to continue the tour."

Fuck! It said this site was free!
posted by koeselitz at 1:48 PM on December 29, 2006

Who died and made Mattamyn boss?
posted by The Deej at 1:49 PM on December 29, 2006

Sorry about that Meatbomb – it was an unfair comparison, as you are a master-paster, and stavros appears to be an incompetent. He somehow fucked up so that he only pasted 3400 out of the original 11500 hyperlinks. Seriously, why the fuck wouldn't you just link to the goddamn list?
posted by blasdelf at 1:55 PM on December 29, 2006

Jessamyn is lickity-split with the deletions in that poop thread just in case anyone is feeling mischevious. My answer (see below) didn't last thirty seconds.

The answer is clear, and I think that if you are honest with yourself you will admit that you have known it all along and didn't need us to tell you. First you need to tape record yourself having a wet messy bowel movement (I suggest chili and cheesecake for dinner the night before). Then you need to tell her that you are happy to defecate upon her, but you would be uncomfortable with her watching you. You then blindfold her and lay her down on a tarp upon your bed. You then squat above her and press play on the tape recorder that contains the audio tape of your recent bowel movement. You then take the hidden container of Jell-O pudding that you have made the previous evening and begin to throw the contents all over her, possibly while grunting. You then proceed to make violent love to her while you are both covered in pudding. To cap it off, you take your finger and scoop up some and eat it off your finger while staring at her lasciviously. This will gross her out so much that she won't ever ask you to do it again.
posted by ND¢ at 2:01 PM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

give this man the goddamned Wii

Gods. Now that thread I could put to music.
posted by cortex at 2:01 PM on December 29, 2006

Also we know have a list of people to put up against the wall for when the glorious revolution is to be suppressed without mercy.
posted by blasdelf at 2:02 PM on December 29, 2006

In stavs defense, he said he got the links from some place that obfuscated the links and had ads, probably here. I still think the whole thing should have been deleted though.
posted by bob sarabia at 2:04 PM on December 29, 2006

Jessamyn is lickity-split with the deletions in that poop thread

jessamyn, and many of you, don't know a troll when they see one
posted by pyramid termite at 2:06 PM on December 29, 2006

Dear AskMefi:

There's this website I frequent that I probably enjoy too much. At times, there are lots of smart people linking to and discussing cool things. However, sometimes a poster feels as if he's the only one who knows about youtube. At other times, a dude asks a sincere question about how to handle a girl with a shit-fetish. To be more specific, which gauge of shotgun would be the best to blow my freakin' head off?

tia
posted by bardic at 2:09 PM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

Stavros still hasn't said anything about all this. It'd be interesting to know why he did this; knowing him, he thought about it.
posted by koeselitz at 2:10 PM on December 29, 2006

People favorite posts like this because they can go back to it later and download things they want. People are just confused by the terminology of "favorites" because they think it means people are voting for something they like. They might be. Or they might just be tracking it. People can use it however they like.

Personally, I appreciate the amount of work Stav ol' boy put into the post, but my impression of it was "There are torrents and the like on the internet and you can download stuff--here's a list that includes stuff you hate if you're too lazy to go download the stuff that you want on your own".

But 150+ people disagree with me, and that's okay.
posted by The God Complex at 2:12 PM on December 29, 2006

I've left links up to simpsons and southpark fan sites before with episodes (especially ones that are no longer shown on TV -- and remember shows broadcast freely on tv are different than albums that you have to pay to get all the songs

Well, your call, Matt. I don't care much one way or the other, but I don't think this logic holds a lot of water. DVD sales are a pretty significant factor for TV shows nowadays. And you kind of skipped over the fact that the shows are supported by inline ads when they are played on live TV. Local networks sell ad time again and again to show the same reruns of the Simpsons. I wouldn't consider a TV show fair game just because it's been broadcast once over the airwaves.

I also find it kinda odd that you sometimes crack down but you're willing to let this one slip by. It's so massively huge, which I guess ups the cool factor, but also ups the copyright infringement factor. Seems like a bad candidate for "not a big deal, let's let this one slip," especially as you had to go to the trouble to fix it.

Like I said, I don't have a strong opinion either way. And I know you resist being 100% pinned down on DA RULEZ. But this seems potentially pretty out there to me.
posted by scarabic at 2:12 PM on December 29, 2006

You know who else thought about it?
posted by bardic at 2:13 PM on December 29, 2006

But there's something about this Wii-winning post that doesn't sit well with me. Could you help me put my finger on it?

Maybe it's the thought, "What if everyone did this"?

I already spend too much time on the internet. If there was an fpp like this everyday, I'd never leave.
posted by kisch mokusch at 2:22 PM on December 29, 2006

scarabic, they're just links. I'm not hosting any of it, and the criminality of a link to somewhere else is dubious (ignoring that bittorrent can be written off as "links" to "other servers" which I don't buy). The people in hot water are the ones hosting the content, not the guy on a community forum that says "hey, go look over there".
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:37 PM on December 29, 2006

Never leave? I already need 8 heads, 16 arms and a wearable supercomputing cluster. I can consume the bandwidth allocation of a small nation-state. I've tipped over more servers than digg, slashdot and Fark combined.

That's just what I need. Twenty thousand links to TV reruns and music videos. If I start simultaneously streaming 64 of them at a time - and making allowance for increases in processor speeds and bandwidth capacities - I should be able to return to normal data consumption routines in about three and a half years. Two and a half if I give up 5 places in my folding at home rankings.

However, I might be able to cut that all the way down to a measly six months if I quadruple the number of nodes in my cluster, double the RAM at each node, upgrade to fiber crosslinks and supercool it with liquid helium.

I am currently accepting donations and sponsorships in the form of hardware (see attached PDF for spec), cash, baked goods, sweets and caffeinated beverages, adult-sized diapers, catheter supplies or other in-situ or matched donations.
posted by loquacious at 2:45 PM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

jessamyn, and many of you, don't know a troll when they see one

no fucking shit.

heh.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 2:46 PM on December 29, 2006

Don't ask matthowie, he just works here runs the freakin' site.
posted by bardic at 2:50 PM on December 29, 2006

jessamyn, and many of you, don't know a troll when they see one

Alternative: jessamyn, and many of us, recognize the both the possibility of a troll and the possibility of a credible outlier, and also see the value in giving the benefit of the doubt. Worst case scenario: and asshole sits giggling to himself in the coool glow of his monitor, everybody else's life goes on.
posted by cortex at 2:51 PM on December 29, 2006

This will gross her out so much that she won't ever ask you to do it again.

You haven't met many scat fetishists, have you?

jessamyn, and many of you, don't know a troll when they see one
posted by pyramid termite at 5:06 PM EST on December 29

I think my Irony-O-Meter just redlined.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 3:04 PM on December 29, 2006

Ugh.. I already posted this in the comments to the actual post, but will repost here, as I forgot to check metatalk:

FYI: I've clicked on at least 10 of the video links and were taken to videos of things other than what I clicked on. I've been taken to 2 lonelygirl vids and 1 bumfights vid and some other band other than the link.

I get the idea of your post and appreciate it, but you really posted 11,000 total links there is no way that you could have double checked anything that you are linking to. A bit overkill here....
posted by punkrockrat at 3:04 PM on December 29, 2006

I like corndogs. With spicy deli mustard.
posted by loquacious at 3:04 PM on December 29, 2006

blasdelf : Also we know have a list of people to put up against the wall for when the glorious revolution is to be suppressed without mercy.

I decided not to be a part of that list when I realized that the thread's collection of songs was incomplete, and that Matt had provided me with a handy link to the original. The TV shows would have been cool, but there were being removed from the servers as I was checking them out.
posted by quin at 3:08 PM on December 29, 2006

MetaTalk: You haven't met many scat fetishists, have you?
posted by loquacious at 3:09 PM on December 29, 2006

Stavros still hasn't said anything about all this. It'd be interesting to know why he did this; knowing him, he thought about it.

I was coming here to post almost the same comment, although with added snark. I find it very odd that someone normally so eager to share his thoughts and feelings on Topics of Interest to the Community is just sitting back twiddling his thumbs with a "who, me?" expression. It's possible his internet connection has been experiencing downtime or real life has somehow intervened, but I'm sensing a cat-playing-with-mouse vibe I don't much like. In the immortal words of Marvin Gaye, what's goin' on?
posted by languagehat at 3:24 PM on December 29, 2006

I'm sensing a cat-playing-with-mouse vibe I don't much like. In the immortal words of Marvin Gaye, what's goin' on?

ain't that peculiar?
posted by pyramid termite at 3:28 PM on December 29, 2006

FYI: I've clicked on at least 10 of the video links and were taken to videos of things other than what I clicked on.

Yeah, me too. Although it might be a bit much to expect stav to spend two person days (at minimum) to confirm all the links.
posted by timeistight at 3:32 PM on December 29, 2006

I think you'll find the answer in the titles of the 3 Doors Down songs he linked to. Dangerous Game, Duck and Run, Going Down in Flames, It's Not Me, Kryptonite...

There has to be some reason he included 3 Doors Down. I'm just trying to make some sense of all this.
posted by iconomy at 3:39 PM on December 29, 2006

there's something about this Wii-winning post that doesn't sit well with me. Could you help me put my finger on it?

It would effectively morph the site into something other than what it is if done regularly. Something like that. Obviously a link limit of 10 is needed, similar to the img tag limit of 0.

Actually I liked the images and miss them very much...
posted by scheptech at 3:49 PM on December 29, 2006

What's crazy about all this is that stav essentially took someone else's content, "viewed source" on their page & cut & pasted the entirety of it into his own post. It's a little like HTML plagiarism, even though he acknowledged the source wasn't his. And that's why at 150 "favorites", I don't think stav wins. People are impressed by the 'work' stavros put into this, but that work amounts to -->View-->Source, ctrl-c, ctrl-v, repeat.
posted by jonson at 3:58 PM on December 29, 2006

Except he fucked that up. His post has fewer than 3400 of the original 11500 links. WTF.
posted by blasdelf at 4:10 PM on December 29, 2006

I find it very odd that someone normally so eager to share his thoughts and feelings on Topics of Interest to the Community is just sitting back twiddling his thumbs with a "who, me?" expression

He's in Korea, where it's like 3am next Tuesday.

He seems to operate on opposite time as anyone here, posting when I'm deep asleep and gone for my entire day, so it's not like he's scarce or anything, I think he's just going about his normal day/night schedule.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:23 PM on December 29, 2006

He's in Korea, where it's like 3am next Tuesday.

well, call him up ... i want to know if they really hung saddam tonight
posted by pyramid termite at 4:27 PM on December 29, 2006 [2 favorites]

I was coming here to post almost the same comment, although with added snark. I find it very odd that someone normally so eager to share his thoughts and feelings on Topics of Interest to the Community is just sitting back twiddling his thumbs with a "who, me?" expression.

Dude, I was sleeping. Time zones!

His post has fewer than 3400 of the original 11500 links. WTF.

Yep. I fucked up. As I said in-thread last night, when I asked for admin help.

I would have preferred a link to them rather than miles of broken HTML I had to fix this morning.

Sorry about that, Matt.

And if I'd known that Torrez had the list up at his site, I'd have linked it. He got the list from the same place I did, I presume - a certain community site Andre runs. kokogiak, who is a user here, as well as there, like me and many others, posted the list, which was cleaned up (as I thought I mentioned inthread) from someone who'd posted the full list with ads, in order to try and scam some cash. That original site was a) monetarized and b) down last night from traffic, so not linkable.

As far as why I posted it: I thought it would be fun and useful. I also did think that it would spark a discussion of copyright, but I don't believe that that's a Bad Thing -- just the opposite, in fact.

I'm pleased that it's been left up, and that many people took the post in the spirit in which it was intended -- a fun diversion.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:32 PM on December 29, 2006 [2 favorites]

Also, I'm a little surprised that people in that thread called me 'nimrod' and other unpleasant things. That's not nice.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:36 PM on December 29, 2006

Metafilter: people in that thread called me 'nimrod' and other unpleasant things
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:42 PM on December 29, 2006 [2 favorites]

Also also, by the way, to be clear: I couldn't just link to kokogiak's cleaned-up list without breaking the first rule of the other site -- that one doesn't link to it.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:46 PM on December 29, 2006

MetaTalk: that thread called me 'nimrod'.
posted by loquacious at 4:50 PM on December 29, 2006

Also, I'm a little surprised that people in that thread called me 'nimrod' and other unpleasant things.
posted by y2karl at 4:51 PM on December 29, 2006

I always envisioned you stalking the jungles of the south pacific, your vibrant and elegant plumage stuffed awkardly into your camoflouge hunting attire as you sight down the scope of your USG-50 Ultor Sniper Rifle.

And now you're telling me you're not a nimrod, and my world is spinning and cracking asunder, as if my touchstone has been taken away from me.

Chirp, chirp.
posted by The God Complex at 4:52 PM on December 29, 2006

Well, y2karl, I expect that you think I was engaging in some sort of fuckery in order to cast implied assertions on your previous posts by posting what I did.

Let me assure you: I don't do childish stuff like that. Your music posts were (like all of the posts you've made) of much higher quality, with much better content, and did the 'filter' aspect of Metafilter proud. Post-wise, I am not fit to lick your linky boots.

I do not mean this ironically.

OK?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:55 PM on December 29, 2006

assertions=aspersions.

I still haven't had my coffee this morning.

And now you're telling me you're not a nimrod

I'm not saying that I'm not a nimrod, I'm just taken aback that people would call me one when I thought I was doing them a bit of a service. That's Metafilter all over, though, so no biggy.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:02 PM on December 29, 2006

Is this the thread for souvlaki?
posted by monju_bosatsu at 5:03 PM on December 29, 2006

now there's how to kiss-and-make-up.
posted by mwhybark at 5:08 PM on December 29, 2006

Sorry, I should have been more obvious. The meaning of nimrod is "hunter". The bastardization of it as an insult is a curious one; in fact, when I was seven, I named my "custom" GI Joe (the one that came with a real GI Joe certificate!) Nimrod.

Hence my otherwise puzzling avian sniper imagery.
posted by The God Complex at 5:09 PM on December 29, 2006

You read far too much into my Nelson Muntz amusement at the deer in the headlights sentiment. It was mere schadenfreude--just lighthearted gaiety at not being the target. No one likes being called names. That's why it's more fun when it's someone else.
posted by y2karl at 5:09 PM on December 29, 2006

In fact, perhaps these people were suggesting that you were the nimrod of the nets, catching your exotic prey and caging it in the zoo of Metafilter so us local yokels can take pictures and, if the mood strikes, get drunk and have our arms chewed off.
posted by The God Complex at 5:11 PM on December 29, 2006

nimrod's mother didn't care about him ... she called him a nimrod
posted by pyramid termite at 5:25 PM on December 29, 2006

While aspersions have been cast as a net, let us allow our meta-filter-phors to chatter staccato even as castinets do, and consider the net thus cast as a wider one. Even consided as tubes, tubes may be woven, and we may be caught as silverpike in a fisherman's dinner basket who, all unknowing the game we play, sees only succulent flesh to be devoured. We play these games of representation and inside joke - indeed, what tangled webs we weave - but when we are caught up ourselves, representation becomes Representation, and reference becomes referent. Who then is trolled and who the troll, when seeking sustenance we find only symbols; when making a point about reference, we refer to points other have made and find them sharper than we remember; we make inside jokes and find ourselves the butt.
posted by freebird at 5:26 PM on December 29, 2006

The meaning of nimrod is "hunter".

I did not know that. Thanks for the explanation.

It was mere schadenfreude--just lighthearted gaiety at not being the target.

Okay then.

And: I love me some freebird.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:37 PM on December 29, 2006

Actually, I was confused by the range of possible reference since I remembered:

Nimrod is a robotic supervillain, an enemy of Marvel Comics’ X-Men. [...] Nimrod is a powerful, virtually indestructible descendant of the mutant-hunting Sentinels. His name is taken from the Nimrod described in Genesis 10:8-9 as "a mighty hunter before the Lord." [...]

However, when Nimrod came across a piece of the gigantic Sentinel Master Mold while working on a construction site [...] Nimrod came to their aid, claiming he had evolved as well, and no longer viewed them or mutants as a threat. [...] it had become a mutant as well; thus, to fulfill its prime directive to exterminate mutants, it must self-destruct.
posted by freebird at 5:46 PM on December 29, 2006

Meet my new sockpuppet, HURF DURF POOP.
posted by evilcolonel at 5:56 PM on December 29, 2006

Sorry, stav, shoulda thought about the time zones. Need more coffee. HURF DURF COFFEE!

And it was indeed a most enjoyable post, even with the fuckedupedness.
posted by languagehat at 6:05 PM on December 29, 2006

Stavros, it's no wonder you are a wonder. Classiest chicken ever. And even after being chopped up and put on a sandwich.
posted by The Deej at 6:06 PM on December 29, 2006

In Robert Tressell's classic novel of working class life The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, they call the chargehand Nimrod because he was "a mighty hunter in the face of the Lord," which is from your Bible I do believe.
posted by Abiezer at 6:18 PM on December 29, 2006

that thread is only the second thing ive ever favorited despite the fact that bro forgot to list any bands starting with the letter R

namely my favorite, The Replacements
posted by tsarfan at 6:49 PM on December 29, 2006

I've updated/fixed the post with all the ones I missed last night -- there are now about twice as many music videos linked. It's excessive, I know, but I felt bad about screwing it up.

Still no Replacements (god bless 'em), though, tsarfan.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:27 PM on December 29, 2006

I'm pleased that it's been left up, and that many people took the post in the spirit in which it was intended -- a fun diversion.

Minesweeper is a fun diversion. There's nothing pleasant about youtube bombing the front page.

That said, I love how peoples' skins quickly grow so thin around here.

Some of you like music. We get it. y2karl's youtube bombs grew annoying because they went from niche genres with a bit of context to "Hey guyz I like Jonathan Richman AMIRITE and here's other stuff." Your's was just a complete disaster. It was neat in a trainwreck-my crazy neighbor is building a satellite to speak with god in the backyard kind of way, but that stuff grows tedious fast.

But I'm sorry I called you "nimrod." Honestly, that's what this is all about. I shall report to the Iraqi government for execution toute suite.
posted by bardic at 8:26 PM on December 29, 2006

And Jesus Christ, you could't stop at 3 Doors Down. Now you've got Trans-Siberian Orchestra up? Honestly, that's not fun and witty, that's goddamn sadism. Please stop being such a monumental jerk.
posted by bardic at 8:33 PM on December 29, 2006

Someone? Anyone? Please?

Fine.

*Sigh*

Please stop being such a monumental jerk.
posted by bardic

LOLLERDERBY!1!!1
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:35 PM on December 29, 2006

OK, whatever, bardic. You didn't like the post (or you just don't like me, or both). That's your prerogative.

That said, I love how peoples' skins quickly grow so thin around here.

This I don't understand. You insult me, for no readily discernable reason, I shrug it off good-naturedly, and you start talking about people having thin skins? Seriously, that doesn't make a lick of damn sense.

But, you know, again, whatever.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:35 PM on December 29, 2006

Please stop being such a monumental jerk.

I don't understand you, but I'm starting not to like you very much.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:35 PM on December 29, 2006

It's so hard to be you stavros. But please go back to playing unelected DJ for us.

More to the point, I really doubt you clicked-through every one of your links. Other people are mentioning that they're being taken to different sites than intended. Doesn't that make you feel even a wee little bit irresponsible? You're cutting-n-pasting links without checking them out. Most users would get ripped a new one for doing this, but you have enough cred that it gets a pass. I think that sucks, personally. Not as much as Trans-Siberian Railroad, but still.

And seriously, I've now called you "nimrod" and a "jerk." Ouch. Get over yourself and your objectively shitty taste in music.
posted by bardic at 8:45 PM on December 29, 2006

Seriously Alvy, I appreciate a good crush and all, but I'm spoken for.
posted by bardic at 8:46 PM on December 29, 2006

your objectively shitty taste in music.

Wait, you do understand, having actually read this thread, that I didn't actually create that list myself, right?

No, no, I don't think you do. Oh my.

I think that sucks, personally. Not as much as Trans-Siberian Railroad, but still.

Dude, I've never even heard of Trans-Siberian Railroad. I can only assume there were some videos from them in the list.

I really doubt you clicked-through every one of your links.

Of course I didn't. Duh. Nor did I claim to. And?

Get over yourself

OK. Not sure what that means, exactly, but I'll sure give it a try.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:52 PM on December 29, 2006

Also, if mathowie and/or jessamyn decide to delete the thread after all because bardic's powerfully persuasive arguments have convinced them that I am indeed a big jerky nimrod, that's totally OK with me. It's just a post on a weblog, for goodness sakes.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:55 PM on December 29, 2006

It's just a post on a weblog.

Actually, it's a community weblog. So kindly GYO.

But I love your defense here -- "it's not my shitty taste in music, it's someone else's!"

Delightful. The Nuremberg defense for people for people with no taste and/or soul.
posted by bardic at 9:10 PM on December 29, 2006

I don't feel I have anything to defend against, except your worryingly and inexplicably intense goading.

I really, honestly do not understand why you're so angry about this, and being so unpleasant, despite my best efforts to be nice about it. But obviously if you seriously (hilariously) think my posting all of those links is equivalent to Nazi war crimes, nothing I say is going to make you back off.

What do you want from me? An apology for posting all those links in that thread? I mean, 175 people have favorited it so far, so it seems pretty clear that a lot of folks don't agree with your assessment here, but fine: I'm sorry I posted all those links. It displayed poor judgment on my part -- I should have left well enough alone, and just linked to the TV stuff, or maybe even not posted anything at all.

I will try in future, if I do decide to post things I think people will find amusing, to consider posting them to my own weblog, rather than to Metafilter.

OK? Are we done here?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:21 PM on December 29, 2006

How DARE you post links to stuff people like, stavrosthewonderchicken. And during the holiday season no less. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
posted by mek at 9:28 PM on December 29, 2006

Cock envy?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:39 PM on December 29, 2006

my posting all of those links is equivalent to Nazi war crimes, nothing I say is going to make you back off.

Wow. Yeah. That's what I think. Youtube macht frei.

I'm sorry I posted all those links. It displayed poor judgment on my part -- I should have left well enough alone, and just linked to the TV stuff, or maybe even not posted anything at all.

Actually, that's pretty good. Especially the "poor judgement" part. I can't think of a better phrase.

I will try in future, if I do decide to post things I think people will find amusing, to consider posting them to my own weblog, rather than to Metafilter.

Oh, but here you ruin it, like in 3rd grade when the teacher says make nice and you say "I'm sorry you don't realize what a douchebag you are."

I'm actually greatly amused, both by the initial temerity/idiocy of your post, your tortured explanations and defenses (I'd still like to hear how over 1,000 blind links, by your own admission, is somehow a contribution to our lovely "community"), and mathowie flopping all over the place, not letting the man (a man named "mathowie") bring him down. Believe me, meta is all about the entertainment value as far as I'm concerned. And now you're stavros the defender of populist youtube values, replete with defenders. Seriously, I think that's awesome that you've gotten people to defend 3 Doors Down in the name of WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT!!!

Well played sir. I salute you and your crappy taste in other people's shitty music.
posted by bardic at 9:43 PM on December 29, 2006

BARDIC. SMOKE A BOWL.
posted by loquacious at 9:52 PM on December 29, 2006

also: MetaTalk: I am indeed a big jerky nimrod.
posted by loquacious at 9:52 PM on December 29, 2006

Guh?

Equating my occasional chortles at your expense with some sort of sublimated homosexual attraction stinks of homophobia in a grade 6, ur a fag! sort of way, bardic.

I mean, the only way your statement would get my goat is if I accepted being called gay in the pejorative spirit you intended, as an embarrassing or humiliating label.
Which I don't - obviously, no one should.

I understand, I get het up over petty BS as much as the next guy, but dude, leave the crass prejudices at the door and/or grow a thicker skin. Sorry to get all serious, but it bothers me to see that kind of shit in the real world, let alone here in comparatively more-enlightened MeFiLand.

Of course, most of what I've said is moot if you yourself are gay, in which case you don't come across as an immature bigot so much as a self-loathing sad sack. No walk in the park that, but still preferable to the first option, IMO.

God, it's late.I knew I *Sigh*ed for a reason.
*Sigh*
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:52 PM on December 29, 2006

You're right Alvy Ampersand, this thread proves that I'm a homophobe who needs to get high.

But please, do go on about my presumed sexual identity. That's not creepy or anything.
posted by bardic at 9:57 PM on December 29, 2006

OK. I still don't really know where all this aggro is coming from, or why, but I'm glad you got some amusement out of it, bardic. I did too, so everyone goes away happy.

I salute you and your crappy taste in other people's shitty music.

That's a really weird thing to keep repeating. I still don't understand why you think I know, listen to, or even like any of the music I posted. I'm sure in a community this large, though, there was stuff for pretty much every taste (including 3 Doors Down, who I've never heard of before now). But you have zero data about any music that I might like or dislike (other than the Replacements, about whose overall excellence I agreed with tsarfan upthread), and a couple of favorites over at Metafilter Music, perhaps.

I think that's awesome that you've gotten people to defend 3 Doors Down

You're really freaking out a bit, in a slightly scary way. I hope everything's OK with you in your offline life. Honestly, calm down, accept my apology (which was offered with sincerity), and think about giving it a rest, now, OK?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:59 PM on December 29, 2006

3 Doors Down raped me.
posted by bardic at 10:03 PM on December 29, 2006

Well, that explains a lot, then.

If I could edit those raping bastards out of the post, I would.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:03 PM on December 29, 2006

Me too! I'd edit the holy crotch out of 'em.

Is e'r'ybody cool in here?
posted by cgc373 at 10:05 PM on December 29, 2006

Seriously Alvy, I appreciate a good crush and all, but I'm spoken for.
posted by bardic at 10:46 PM

But please, do go on about my presumed sexual identity. That's not creepy or anything.
posted by bardic at 11:57 PM

Uh, what?

I'm going to have to disagree with loquacious - I don't think drugs would be very beneficial for you right now, or at least not the ones he suggested.

I'm going to have to agree with stavros though, you're kind of just swinging wildly, without any consistency in your comments - not counting your loathing of 3 Doors Down, which is about 5 years too late.

Get some sleep, MeTa will still be here tomorrow.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:10 PM on December 29, 2006

Posting the missing 8100 'music videos' fixed absolutely nothing. Torrez, who runs filepile (where this list originally came from) is hosting the list on his personal site. There is no goddamn reason to continue cutting and pasting this stuff once you've found that out.

That's just excessive. The text of the post is now 1.2 megabytes. WTF, mate?
posted by blasdelf at 10:17 PM on December 29, 2006

jonson writes "it is extremely unlikely to win/place/show for post o'the month. Which, I suspect, is totally fine w/stavros, as he's probably posting it more out of the ethos of 'hey look at all this coolness' than some crazy 'the most links in a post just HAS to win!' kinda philosophy."

Is a NA Wii even useful in Korea?
posted by Mitheral at 10:18 PM on December 29, 2006

you're kind of just [cutting and pasting] wildly, without any consistency in your comments

That describes the wonderchicken's [more inside] ecapade pretty well.
posted by blasdelf at 10:25 PM on December 29, 2006

blasdelf, you posted the same comment in the thread itself, where I responded, so I'll copy my response here:

Posting the missing 8100 'music videos' fixed absolutely nothing.

Well, it made the post complete. And as I explained [edit: here in this thread] while dodging punches from bardic, I didn't know that Andre had also posted the list at his site when I began this post last night, or I would have just linked to it there. Once I'd committed by posting the first part, I felt like I had to finish, and having posted some of it, and since it apparently will escape deletion and be here for-digital-ever, I wanted to make sure it was complete. No harm done that I can see by doing so -- provided the sheer size of the page isn't spiking mathowie's bandwidth bill.

That's just excessive.

Yes, I think you're probably right. Like I said, once I'd jumped off the bridge, though, I felt compelled to finish the job.

Is a NA Wii even useful in Korea?

I don't really need a Wii, although I guess wouldn't turn my nose up at an mp3 player, if the post did make the contest grade. Given the quality of the front page this month, I don't expect that it will. That's fine.

I didn't post to win the contest thingy, anyway. Like I said earlier, I wouldn't have been put out the thread ended up being deleted. If that list of music videos hadn't appeared on my radar now, I wouldn't have made the post now (although I've know about the TV streaming sites for a long time, as that's one of the few ways I can watch those shows here in Korea, if I'm so inclined), and the contest wouldn't have been an issue.

That describes the wonderchicken's [more inside] ecapade pretty well.

Ah, very droll. The main difference being, perhaps, that I was trying to do something nice for folks and have a bit of fun posting the Metafilter thread, while bardic has been attacking and insulting me for reasons of his/her own here.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:35 PM on December 29, 2006

stavros, for what little it's worth, I've got your back. I didn't like your implementation, as it lost much of the content, but I did respect the attempt at making a huge, overarching, louder than life and twice as large kind of link.

My preference at this point would be to have Matt clear the bulk of the slightly flawed content and just post a link to the torrez version, but I suppose that would just confuse people who stumble into the thread a year from now.

But this kind of thing needs to be redressed;

bardic : Actually, it's a community weblog. So kindly GYO.

It is a community weblog, but it's also one where the primary moderator and owner has already spoken on the subject. You may not like it, but the not your call. For better or worse, Matt has allowed it to exist, and that is the end of the argument. You may hate the idea, but when you build a site with 46765 users, your opinion will carry more weight.

But I love your defense here -- "it's not my shitty taste in music, it's someone else's!"

Delightful. The Nuremberg defense for people for people with no taste and/or soul.

bardic, you have made many posts which I have found enlightening and well stated, but this is the weakest argument you could have presented. I mean, if I ignore the obvious godwin, your whole premise is that stavros copied some content that you didn't find compelling. That is now worth calling out? Really man, you are better than that.

I would argue that the bulk of MeFi's posts are people stealing, looting and otherwise garnishing links from other sites. And there is nothing wrong with that. Not everyone has time to read the whole of the web everyday. And you know as well as anyone that, while the links are what Matt cherishes, the discussion is what makes MeFi great. So yeah, stavros post could have been better. But it seems that a lot of people liked it, and as far as I (and I'm betting the admins) care, that is a win.

It's not perfect, and in a couple of months it will probably be useless, but for a few moments stavros' many links were kinda fun. And as far as I'm concerned, that is a worthwihle MeFi post.
posted by quin at 10:38 PM on December 29, 2006

Thanks, quin.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:41 PM on December 29, 2006

I'm with loquacious. bardic, man, seriously. Just smoke a bowl. You're harshing everyone else's mellow.

If you don't smoke, at least go outside. Oxygen would be a big help to your overall situation.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 10:49 PM on December 29, 2006

I had the impression bardic had calmed down, but if we keep telling him over and over to calm down, we'll piss him off again, I think. That's what happens to me when people tell me what to do, anyhow.
posted by cgc373 at 10:52 PM on December 29, 2006

YEEAAARGH! WONDERCHICKEN SMASH!

just kidding
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:53 PM on December 29, 2006

Oh man, I'm always late to the party-crashing. I just like the turn of phrase about harshing someone's mellow.

I'll try to incorporate it into newer threads next time.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 11:02 PM on December 29, 2006

I just think it sucks that people will defend a crap post based on who put it up. And that I'll be attacked by the usual suspects for pointing out the obvious.

Honest question -- if a newish member had put that up, would anyone defend her for it? Bonus question -- which members, specifically, would be the first to ask said user to "eat a bucket of cocks" and/or "please flame-out" on us?

I guess this is the point where discourse just breaks down -- I can't fathom how this FPP wasn't deleted. By his own admission, Stavros put up thousands of blind links. Granted, it was within the post itself, but still -- what utter crapitude and IMO, rudeness. Not clicking through your links to make sure they don't go to a porn site or something?

But I'm glad we've made this all about me. Charming lil' community we have here. Next time I try to make a worthwhile post, I'll remember that it's misplaced effort.
posted by bardic at 11:03 PM on December 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

I'm with bardic on this one, at least in his above comment. Like jonmc's Cheap Trick post, I don't think many people could have avoided moderator editing of their huge comments.
posted by blasdelf at 11:08 PM on December 29, 2006

Well, I guess I probably agree with the idea that this post got special treatment due to its poster's reputation and longstanding goodwill toward the community, in the eyes of said community, as well as in the eyes of the moderators of said community. Maybe it's unfair to privilege some users who've given a lot to the site over the years, and yeah, probably a newer user who'd made an identical post would have taken a different kind of shit for it than stav has taken for doing it. Maybe that new user's identical post would have been deleted. Sure. But I don't see what the big deal is. stavrosthewonderchicken—and jonmc and whoever else you want to include in this privileged club—are privileged users and they've done some work to earn those privileges. They shouldn't be treated the same way newbies are treated, because they're not newbies.

I don't understand what the difficulty is. Is it so dismaying that you can build up a reputation within a community, that you can acquire goodwill and some clout?
posted by cgc373 at 11:13 PM on December 29, 2006

scarabic, they're just links. I'm not hosting any of it, and the criminality of a link to somewhere else is dubious

Okay. I always thought that posting torrent requests in AskMe were deleted in part because they posed some legal-ish risk-by-association, but if they are yanked simply because you "think it's lame," okay.

Of course I don't want metafilter to be some place you go to get downloadable stuff.

Wait... I'm still confused. Not to hammer you with the irrational desire for extreme precision you impute to this community... but dude, you can definitely make more sense than this. Can we post shit to illegal downloadz or not?

It's sounding from what you've said that software downloads are bad but media downloads are okay, which I'm sure you didn't mean and wouldn't want to be quote d on. That POV takes be back to 1997 in the most delightful way but I'm not sure it makes sense today, unless you feel a personal desire to crack down more on software downloads, which of course is your prerogative.

In fact, being entirely capricious about all of this is always your prerogative, as ever :)
posted by scarabic at 11:14 PM on December 29, 2006

They shouldn't be treated the same way newbies are treated, because they're not newbies.

Awesome. Metafilter is now a MMORPG.
posted by bardic at 11:21 PM on December 29, 2006

I can't fathom how this FPP wasn't deleted

Jesus, then let's delete the fucking thing already! I've already said that I don't care. It's been a long goddamn day, and I've wasted it trying to be polite and reasonable while being insulted and belittled, and I'm tired already.

I've just sent an email to mathowie suggesting that he just nuke the thread. Who gives a shit about this enough to insult other people over it, really?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:23 PM on December 29, 2006

Will you still call me Superman?
posted by bardic at 11:24 PM on December 29, 2006

There's definitely wisdom in your opinion, stavros. It's not an Important Issue in terms of defining the site's norms, or anything, but it is interesting when it's not personally offensive.

I'll stop talking about it, though, if it's upsetting anybody any more than usual around here.
posted by cgc373 at 11:25 PM on December 29, 2006

I've wasted most of my day trying to be polite to you, bardic. I'm done. I've asked that the thread be deleted, rather than face feeling like I have to deal with you any more.

Are we finished?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:29 PM on December 29, 2006

Snarky previous quips aside, stavros's post did not deserve deletion or callout. The vehemence and sheer nastiness of some of the subsequent personal attacks and insults do. They were way, way over the top.
posted by y2karl at 11:40 PM on December 29, 2006

y2karl, I think you just feel insulted by proxy by the mass of criticism of the link dump. Your posts at least had some 'Filter' in their 'Meta'. Stav's does not. If matt had edited the huge comments down to the single link, we would not be having this discussion.
posted by blasdelf at 11:51 PM on December 29, 2006

MetaFilter: You're harshing everyone else's mellow.
posted by Duncan at 12:14 AM on December 30, 2006 [2 favorites]

I am totally confused. How did you not expect to get shat upon stav (if I may call you so)? How did you not expect this to cause a shit storm?
?
?
?
Apparently others around here think that you think things out thoroughly.

Still confused.
?
posted by bobobox at 12:19 AM on December 30, 2006

I don't care whether this was a "bad post" or a "good post"
just, er, confused
posted by bobobox at 12:20 AM on December 30, 2006

Stav... nooooo you should not have asked for your post to be deleted. Stand up for it. You are a class act, and I admire your quest for peace, but Matt would have deleted it long ago if he wanted.

No offense to you, bardic, as I enjoy your posts and comments, but this really is a "flag it and move on" situation.

I marked this as a fave to revisit it later. Maybe the links won't be good later but whatever. This is by no means one of my actual favorite posts, but I'd rather spend my time on things I like rather than arguing about posts I don't.

Happy New Year to all.
posted by The Deej at 12:22 AM on December 30, 2006

y2karl, I think you just feel insulted by proxy by the mass of criticism of the link dump

Leave the long distance telepathy to the certified telepaths. The attacks and insults and the way they got nastier and nastier were what was way over the top for me. Which is what I just said.

Snark is one thing, scorched earth another. People who trash other people's tastes to such an extreme do little good for the community part of community weblog.
posted by y2karl at 12:33 AM on December 30, 2006

Yeah, I don't get the level of vitriol. 175 people is a big swag of appreciators.
Mind you, there is some merit to the argument that says that linking to unknown material is a bit against the ethos of Metafilter, although one would doubt that there was a tubgirl at the end of any of those clicks. I was just disappointed that the Van the Man video I chose to watch was a homemade and vacuous accompaniment to a song I like. No biggy. I didn't flag it, I don't hate on it but neither did I save the post. It's altogether too much work to filter the 'filter. But I support its right to live and be a sparkling example of the malleable principles upon which the site is overseen.
posted by peacay at 1:05 AM on December 30, 2006

Awesome. Metafilter is now a MMORPG.

Now?
posted by timeistight at 1:06 AM on December 30, 2006

To sum up:

Bardic still an irredeemable prick.

Stavros not turned into a sandwich after all, still a nice guy.

(Just another day at the office.)
posted by The God Complex at 3:33 AM on December 30, 2006

I am totally confused. How did you not expect to get shat upon stav (if I may call you so)? How did you not expect this to cause a shit storm?
?
?
?
Apparently others around here think that you think things out thoroughly.

Still confused.
?

?
?
?
?
Oh my god why is this happening?
?
?
make it stop
?
?
?
posted by The God Complex at 3:35 AM on December 30, 2006

Well. That's it. I'm fucking leaving this place and going to Florida. I hope you are happy, bardic. All the nuts roll downhill as they say and you've driven me to that place. I might buy some Jeb Bush bumper stickers while I am down there.

Also, this is what happens when you let a Cassadine post to the front page. Where is Luke when you need him???

Okay now I have outed myself as a soap opera watcher, so I'm gonna go bury my head in the sand and hope an ostrich takes me from behind. Oh sweet sweet ostrich love.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 3:46 AM on December 30, 2006

I have to stop ruining Christmas.
posted by bardic at 6:41 AM on December 30, 2006

I've wasted most of my day trying to be polite to you, bardic.

And I seriously don't understand why. What on earth would impel you to spend even five minutes responding to someone who's just being a prick? Ignore him and he'll go away, or at least shut up. You don't need the aggravation, and neither do the rest of us.
posted by languagehat at 6:54 AM on December 30, 2006

Heh. I knew you'd show up.
posted by bardic at 8:19 AM on December 30, 2006

But I'm glad we've made this all about me. Charming lil' community we have here.

We have? Quick reread puts you pretty squarely on the treadmill, and you been unquestionably acting like an ass, bardic.
posted by cortex at 8:37 AM on December 30, 2006

cortex, languagehat, you guys are right. I'm a complete dick for calling out stavrosthewonderchicken's terrible and borderline-illegal FPP.

I forget if it was during 3 Door's Down "Not Enough" video, or The Spin Doctors "Two Princes," or maybe even Garbage's stirring rendition of "Sleep Together," which is actually a dude with underwear on his head, that I forgot the spirit of this place. I just need to open my heart a little wider is all. And my ears.

Snark aside, I really like this place. But it really drives me crazy that certain posters get a pass on being, well, certain posters. I'm happy to know that neither of you will ever have a leg to stand on when it comes to criticizing future posts, either by people whom you do or don't like.
posted by bardic at 8:49 AM on December 30, 2006

No, you're a complete dick for acting like a complete dick. I don't even have reason to think that you're actually, fundamentally, a dick, and I don't presume as much neither, but your act in this thread in particular and elsewhere in a similar vein is unquestionably dickish.

And it has nothing to do with calling out stavros' post, or that it's stavros' post that you're calling out. You can not like it, and have reasonable objections, and make good points, all without inserting that weird insistent thread of assholery. That you didn't is the problem. That stavros being an oldschooler, that "certain posters" justify, somehow, your shitty behavior, is the problem.

I'm happy to know that neither of you will ever have a leg to stand on when it comes to criticizing future posts, either by people whom you do or don't like.

That sort of thing. Yeah. You don't want a real discussion, here. You want to fling shit and have it flinged back. That you have the gall to pretend (or the tunnel vision to genuinely perceive) that this isn't coming back to you because of your own shitty behavior make me worry about the community a hell of a lot more than a weird post full of links to videos.

I'd be genuinely fucking thrilled if you'd reply to this point by point, instead of waving it off or picking one line to snark on. I'd be surprised, too, based on how you've been acting. Surprise me.
posted by cortex at 9:01 AM on December 30, 2006

cortex, I'll respond to you point-by-point once you've critiqued every wonderful link to the 8,000 youtube links that STWC, by his own admission, didn't even look at before he posted them.

But you're right, I'm the problem with metafilter. Me and my 40-odd attempts to do half-decent FPP's. And my snark. I wish I'd never tainted the pure driven discourse that is metafilter with it.

But I'm going for a hike, so please don't let me bump into your high-horse as I exit the door.
posted by bardic at 9:20 AM on December 30, 2006

Maybe on your way out the door, you can grab a bag of dicks. And eat them.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 9:25 AM on December 30, 2006

cortex, I'll respond to you point-by-point once you've critiqued every wonderful link to the 8,000 youtube links

he asked you for a response, not a lifetime commitment
posted by pyramid termite at 9:25 AM on December 30, 2006

Fine. Dodge, dodge, and continue on your way. If you won't fairly acknowledge and contest a criticism, you undermine whatever credibility you imagine you have as a critic, sir.
posted by cortex at 9:29 AM on December 30, 2006

Maybe on your way out the door, you can grab a bag of dicks. And eat them.

Been there. Done that.

he asked you for a response, not a lifetime commitment

Blood-in, blood-out. That said, cortex is probably the only person who wants to hear more from me, myself included. That'll learn me to keep my 'puter on between going to bed and waking up.

I'm just grateful for the community, as usual. You guys are my Oprah and my North Star all rolled into one. And a ball of cobras too. Work those in there somehow.
posted by bardic at 9:29 AM on December 30, 2006

I'm with bardic on this one, however, prickly he may be about it. The post was just genuinely awful. I mean, a shitload of cut-and-paste links to crappy videos on youtube that could just as easily be found via the search box? Moreover, as has been pointed out numerous times and studiously ignored by stav and his defenders, many--maybe most--of the links don't even point to the described videos. If stav weren't a MeFi A-lister, the post would have been nuked long ago.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 9:31 AM on December 30, 2006

Aright, I lied -- one more comment.

cortex, I really don't know what you're on about. I've been engaged in this "real discussion" for far longer than I should have. 1) I like metafilter, always have, 2) STWC's post was annoying, 3) people defended and/or liked it based on personality, with a goodly number liking it for the novelty appeal of being the longest [more inside] ever.

I can live with that. I can call bullshit on it as well.

But you need some time in the spotlight now, I can tell -- so please tell us what was so great about that post. I'm not avoiding anything. I've realized for a while that calling bullshit on certain mefi darlings will lead to acrimony, heartache, and obloquy.

If I'm complaining about anything, it's about said post and some of my concerns. People giving me shit on mefi and/or meta? Honestly, I do care a little bit, but I've come to realize that the most vocal people here (granted, myself included) are really not the ones worth losing sleep over. And that some people are going to react to seeing my name before anything else.
posted by bardic at 9:40 AM on December 30, 2006

1) I like metafilter, always have

I've never denied that. I like it too. We both hang out here. I also never implied anything about your own posts to the blue, and I don't know why you implied as much in your kiss-off.

2) STWC's post was annoying

Being annoyed does not require or justify being a dick.

3) people defended and/or liked it based on personality, with a goodly number liking it for the novelty appeal of being the longest [more inside] ever.

And? There are personalities around. Stavros, you, me, and whole bunch of others. Personality is part of the place. I can understand that you don't like the idea of A Free Pass, and I do get where that's coming from, but I don't think your objection matches your actions.

I've realized for a while that calling bullshit on certain mefi darlings will lead to acrimony, heartache, and obloquy.

And that's been your MO anyway. You're firmly entrenched in this weird, dedicated battle against "certain posters" and "mefi darlings" and such. If you're actively seeking that specific brand of heartache, rock and roll. If you really have a problem with the obloquy and acrimony, reign it in yourself. Like begets like around here, and you well know that.

so please tell us what was so great about that post.

It was weird. I was entertained by the weirdness, the one-offness. I like linkdumps—the reference someone (maybe it was stavros) made to "graze vs. search" is spot on.

Those are the things I kind of like about the post. I don't think I ever used the word "great". I favorited it, too—because it seems like something I could come back to if I was looking for some grazing on a rainy afternoon.

If I'm complaining about anything, it's about said post and some of my concerns.

That's totally cool. Like I said, objections aren't a problem. The problem is you acting like a jerk when you do it. The two aren't inseparable.
posted by cortex at 9:50 AM on December 30, 2006

hey bardic i like that wordpress theme you're using. is that thingy that appears over each link a plugin?
posted by localhuman at 9:54 AM on December 30, 2006

Me and my 40-odd attempts to do half-decent FPP's.

O'Reilly ? Like Bonofilter, ColbertFilter or Sex Pistols Filter ? Or would that be PBsFilter three days after Frontline ran a piece on Tank man or NPRfilter three days after Weekend Edition ran the story on Jahangir Razmi ? Half-decent ? The definiton is being stretched.
posted by y2karl at 10:02 AM on December 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

the links don't even point to the described videos

My mum always said, life is like 11500 YouTube links...
posted by soundofsuburbia at 10:18 AM on December 30, 2006

Jeez man, I don't even care about the quality of the post at all. Nobody deserves to be treated like that.
posted by Bageena at 10:54 AM on December 30, 2006

y2karl, I was just gonna get on you for going through a posters history & nitpicking the quality of their posts (which is always just a lame thing to do, even if the person has been acting like a douchebag), when I clicked on the "O'Reilly" link and saw my first comment and it made me giggle. Man, no one on Earth is as self-amused as me.

So, thanks for that.
posted by jonson at 11:21 AM on December 30, 2006

Holy crap what happened in here?

It's as though one looked backstage and the MST3K characters actually were screaming at each other and really pissed off about what each other thought about some silly movie.
posted by freebird at 11:43 AM on December 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

So far, freebird, it's definitely not been a wendell. Or maybe it has, in the irony-drenched interpretation of the wendell.

Or maybe it's not over yet. *shudder*
posted by cgc373 at 12:56 PM on December 30, 2006

...when I clicked on the "O'Reilly" link and saw my first comment

Had it not have bopped the post out of sight entirely, I would have linked directly to you there.

*holds index finger and thumb one millitmeter apart*

I came about this close but clicked on your comment first.

Nomally, I would agree about the posting history, but when someone writes stuff like

So many of you have such shitty taste in music that even Baby Jesus is embarrassed...

Please stop being such a monumental jerk...

Get over yourself and your objectively shitty taste in music...

Well played sir. I salute you and your crappy taste in other people's shitty music...

one gets curious.

Then I recognized and remembered those NPRFilter and FrontlineFilter posts. And the BonoFilter. As a description, half decent is an extreme stretch for those. Then there is the matter of a whole series of one link, one favorite YouTube music posts from one so outraged by Stavros's multi link, 204 favorites extravaganza. My thought was that Caesar's wife ought to be above suspicion before complaining about how sour are the grapes other people provide.

Complaints about format are legitimate. Personal attacks are not. When called on trash talk, ramping up from red hot to white hot is such a stupid and pointless response. In such cases, the source should be considered.
posted by y2karl at 1:50 PM on December 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

I get the sense that bardic doesn't think any of those pulled quotes were particularly out of line, y2karl. It's as if our shitty taste in music qualifies us as nincompoops who need a little light shined upon us, so we can see our error, and notifying us how shitty said taste is does the job.

Also, if I read bardic aright, he's not attacking us or anybody personally; he's attacking the entitlement certain outsized personalities have on the site, and the unfair standards by which some posters' posts are judged.

Although it might feel to me as if bardic attacked me by picking out a line of my comment and sneering at it, reinterpreting it so now MeFi's a MMORPG, he wasn't attacking me, but attacking my ignorant conflation of MeFi and MMORPGs.
posted by cgc373 at 1:58 PM on December 30, 2006

bardic didn't pull any punches in criticizing a shitty post by stavros. What passes for 'the cabal' tried to slap him around with a bag of dicks for it. Fuck the cabal, that post sucked and you know it.
posted by blasdelf at 2:05 PM on December 30, 2006

Also, if I read bardic aright, he's not attacking us or anybody personally; he's attacking the entitlement certain outsized personalities have on the site, and the unfair standards by which some posters' posts are judged.

More likely he just thinks he should be one of the "big personalities" on Metafilter, and feels slighted that he isn't. I suspect he'd never admit as much, but that's generally how these things shake down in netland. Unfortunately, acting like a complete jerk rarely earns one this sort of distinction. 90% of it is posting a lot. The other 10% is being nice, interesting, or funny (the last being an imperative if one is also a prick).

Of course, I did say that acting like a complete jerk "rarely" leads to the sort of internet fame bardic is foaming at the mouth over. There is another method (seldom executed properly, as it requires flair): act like a complete jerk until everyone notices, and watches your ever move, as you spin closer and closer to being deep sixed from the website of your choice; then, at the last possible moment, change: You see the light! You're an okay guy/girl! Sorry about that everyone! Then it's all chuckles and remember how caustic [insert name] was in the early days? Maybe we should give this new guy a chance!

I wish you luck in your endeavours! Maybe at the ceremony the other Metafilter A-listers will play 3 Doors Down in your honour and everyone will have a good laugh.
posted by The God Complex at 2:26 PM on December 30, 2006

bardic didn't pull any punches in criticizing a shitty post by stavros. What passes for 'the cabal' tried to slap him around with a bag of dicks for it. Fuck the cabal, that post sucked and you know it.

Ah, the sub-sect of Metafilter that views FPP quality as The Holy War™. When a thread they despise isn't deleted, they meet in secret, garbed in dark robes, to howl at the moon, every shred of decency lost to their inhuman thirst for justice.

You people must be great at parties. You know, the type that asks for a gin and tonic, and when someone is nice enough to go make one for them, they can't resist mentioning that they prefer another type of gin, but "it's okay"; the kind of person who has to point out every minor thing they don't like about a meal someone prepares as they attempt, awkwardly, to praise it.

The kind of people who, in short, make Metafilter as consistently entertaining as it is. So, to you, I extend my gratitude in this holiday season. Happy New Years!

/plucks one of Stav's feathers and puts it in his cap.
posted by The God Complex at 2:37 PM on December 30, 2006

blasdelf : What passes for 'the cabal' tried to slap him around with a bag of dicks for it.

There is no cabal. And despite eyewitnesses testimony, it was just a bag of bananas.
posted by quin at 3:02 PM on December 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

Didn't jonson say somebody planned to hang one of those bananas over Texas someplace?
posted by cgc373 at 3:05 PM on December 30, 2006

There's nothing quite like a nice post-Christmas blowout to use up the rest of the holiday angst.

Cleanses the soul, really.
posted by tkolar at 4:15 PM on December 30, 2006

There is no cabal.

that's why we keep having to post links to you tube videos - no cabal
posted by pyramid termite at 4:25 PM on December 30, 2006

Wait, the cabal posts those YouTube links? Or we post them because there isn't a cabal? Or because there is one? What the hell is going on?
posted by cgc373 at 4:34 PM on December 30, 2006

by jmhodges to me: People are starting to ignore you outright. honest question: is jmhodges in the cabal? is he correct in his assessments? should i go away for awhile and maybe hang out with bardic in the asshat den (no offense bardic)?
posted by localhuman at 5:04 PM on December 30, 2006

There is no cabal.

And more to the point, if there were a cabal—which there isn't—it sure as hell wasn't present in this thread.
posted by cortex at 5:06 PM on December 30, 2006

But that tone in your voice, cortex . . . it's . . . denial. I can hear it in your em dashes, man. Admit it! You are the cabal!
posted by cgc373 at 5:14 PM on December 30, 2006

There are no em dashes.
posted by cortex at 5:25 PM on December 30, 2006

[What the sub 10ker's Cabal doesn't realize is that a bunch of us 15kers started our own cabal. It's awesome! We have regular meetings and get catering and shit. They have to slink around in the shadows were we are totally cool with just, like, dim light. You know, late afternoon. And we don't have to wear those heavy robes or anything. Suck it sub 10ker cabal!]

Ahem, I mean: There is no Cabal... Or em dashes.
posted by quin at 5:33 PM on December 30, 2006

Dear Stav,

Thankyou for the Cliff Richard Links,

Love,


Sarge x
posted by sgt.serenity at 5:51 PM on December 30, 2006

so did bardic stop commenting because he got banned or got a timeout? because that's kind of what I'm hoping.
posted by shmegegge at 6:54 PM on December 30, 2006

So who's the cabal guy?
posted by hortense at 7:23 PM on December 30, 2006

so did bardic stop commenting because he got banned or got a timeout?

shhhhhhhhh ... there's questions you don't want to ask or else the cabal ... shhhhhhhh
posted by pyramid termite at 7:33 PM on December 30, 2006

I must be in the cabal, I use a cabal modem and I get a cabal bill every month.
posted by wendell at 7:36 PM on December 30, 2006

I suggested to mathowie via email yesterday that the thread be deleted. We had a brief chat about it; he declined.

If that means I am finally part of the Cabal, all I can say is: it's about fuckin' time. I paid my dues. Now where's my decoder ring, you bastards?

So the thread stays, I guess, egregious, insupportable suckage and all, and bardic and blasdelf can bite my shiny metal ass.


Ahhhh, that feels better.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:38 PM on December 30, 2006

Oh, and Sarge -- you're welcome, my friend. One in every lifetime comes a love like this, amirite?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:40 PM on December 30, 2006

Shine your ass, guv'nor?

I heard the cabal is taking on toady interns this summer.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:42 PM on December 30, 2006

+c
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:42 PM on December 30, 2006

Thankyou for the Cliff Richard Links,

People's Poet, is that you???
posted by jonson at 8:15 PM on December 30, 2006

YES WE HAVE A VIDEO
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:34 PM on December 30, 2006

Don't get me started stav, I'm pretty sure I could keep this going for longer than anyone not named Ben Elton.
posted by jonson at 8:52 PM on December 30, 2006

There is no spoon.
posted by The Deej at 9:05 PM on December 30, 2006

What passes for 'the cabal' tried to slap him around with a bag of dicks for it.

Oh sweet. I was flinging the bag of dicks everywhere, that must mean I passed the Cabal Entrance Exam. YES.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 9:12 PM on December 30, 2006

has anyone seen my living doll anywhere?
posted by shmegegge at 10:16 PM on December 30, 2006

Last time I saw it, Meatbomb was using it, shmegegge.
posted by cgc373 at 11:28 PM on December 30, 2006

Is she in the Glen Ford movie about a cabal ?
posted by hortense at 11:33 PM on December 30, 2006

Thankyou for the Cliff Richard Links

There were Cliff Richard Links???

I was so busy watching Dead can Dance calculating their weird/listenable ratio I missed that.

Thank you.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 11:48 PM on December 30, 2006

Okay, I'll bite your shiny metal ass for you stavros. After all, I'm a fucking passive-agressive shitstain, and also a fuckswizzle or a cheesehostess — AND PROUD.

You tried to get mathowie to do something about it, which mostly exonerates you in my book ('mostly' because I can't understand for the life of me why you pasted it in the first place).
posted by blasdelf at 12:50 AM on December 31, 2006

Is bardic a fuckswizzle or a cheesehostess? He doesn't have to be one or the other, but if he is, I wanna know.

Myself, I am an ambivalent doursmudge, and a sometime insomniac, but never a holder of grudge.
posted by cgc373 at 1:03 AM on December 31, 2006

y2karl, you're a strange guy. I guess this is where I'm supposed to go through your posting history and find the many, many crap FPP's you've done, but given your notoriety most people are aware that you're figuratively bi-polar when it comes to linkage -- some have been excellent, of course, but given that I've pretty much called you on a lot of your bullshit in the past month, you'd never extend me the same courtesy. Hell, I might be one of the few people who prefers your Iraq links to your nice but pedestrian music ones. But please, more of your suspicions. You think I'm a sockpuppet, right? I'd like to hear more about it. Maybe this is the time for you to finally GYOB and round up the Junior Mefi Vendetta Investigation Team. Also, am I "on notice" from you and your buddies now? Will my FPP's be held to a higher standard since I had the unmitigated gall to criticize you or one of your buddies?

I'm also glad this thread hasn't been closed. Please continue letting me know what a pox I am on mefi, and how blind links are really what we need. To stuff that by Stavros' own admission, he didnt care about. There was something approaching passion behind your lamer youtube efforts, and I also get the sense that you at least clicked through your links. Others should feel free to come back to this thread in two weeks and try to tell me that I was wrong in calling out some obvious bullshit.

Oh, and I've got some cock-bags left over. Please, all of you, eat up. It's what the community would want. I've got some tissues somewhere too.
posted by bardic at 1:07 AM on December 31, 2006

I want a tissue! I love tissue.
posted by cgc373 at 1:11 AM on December 31, 2006

Others should feel free to come back to this thread in two weeks and try to tell me that I was wrong in calling out some obvious bullshit.

We could come back every two weeks until the sun supernovas and burns us all to a crisp and you'll still look like a douche bag every single time. It's sad, but not surprising, that you think making some utterly pedantic point about the relevance of a single post on a community weblog with nearly sixty-thousand other posts somehow justifies acting like a self-absorbed jerk. It doesn't.

On the other hand, the fact that you're so damned vociferous about it, coupled with your attempt to martyr yourself, is pretty damned entertaining.
posted by The God Complex at 1:19 AM on December 31, 2006

It's really not martydom The God Complex (hehe). I think I've been fairly consistent here so far, but I'll cop to being "vociferous." It's the only way I can make a point on the gray these days, which is fine. You have to admit the entertainment value has been high in this thread, even if you'll think I'm a "douche" and a "self-absorbed jerk" forever and ever (again, the cognitive dissonance is strong with many here, yourself included). Frankly, I was content to let this all go, having made my points, but y2karl is starting to freak out, and that should be enjoyable for all.
posted by bardic at 1:25 AM on December 31, 2006

You said there were tissues, bardic.

*emo tear*
posted by cgc373 at 1:35 AM on December 31, 2006

Naw man, I said I've got issues. Tissues are next to the cock-buckets, over by my 3 Doors Down poster.
posted by bardic at 1:39 AM on December 31, 2006

Christ, what an asshole.
posted by timeistight at 1:40 AM on December 31, 2006

Do you know, I have only a vague sense of what an "emo tear" might actually be? I am ashamed.

I don't know who 3 Doors Down are, either. I suppose I'll use Wikipedia now. Goodbye, cruel 'Filter!
posted by cgc373 at 1:41 AM on December 31, 2006

Well, the band looks lame to me, but not worth getting het up over. Although they are from Escatawpa, Mississippi, which gives 'em a coupla points right there. Escatawpa, Mississippi, damn. That is a cool-sounding hometown.
posted by cgc373 at 1:49 AM on December 31, 2006

I don't like bardic's hat.
posted by flabdablet at 4:35 AM on December 31, 2006

flabdablet - he put the bucket on his head after he was done eating
posted by pyramid termite at 5:43 AM on December 31, 2006

I think a cool feature would be if we or the Admins of Hope could point a special Star Cannon or Troop of Ninja Ferrets at a thread and *everyone* who'd posted more than, say, twice therein would get a timeout for a few days.

Not just close the thread, you understand. Close a thread with extreme prejudice. This one, for instance, would say:

  251 comments [cauterized]

posted by freebird at 10:31 AM on December 31, 2006

For what it's worth now (i.e. less than nothing) I thought stavros' post was pointless until I started going through the links trying to find the video that least resembled what the link said it would be. Which is not exactly glowing praise for an FPP, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't at least get some entertainment value out of it.

I mean, dude. A Marine imitating a camel spider. WTF?
posted by chrominance at 10:35 AM on December 31, 2006

WTF indeed, chrominance, WTF indeed.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:47 PM on December 31, 2006

I shouldn't be here but I am so I guess my only apt contribution is a redundant:

wtf?
posted by maggieb at 8:42 PM on December 31, 2006

Hey, I like the idea of adding wtf's to threads, in the same spirit as .'s for moments of silence. Moments of wtf seem a-okay to me.
posted by cgc373 at 9:07 PM on December 31, 2006

Agreed cgc373, and while I like the purity of just a clean

wtf?

Perhaps something more stylized for effect:

^wt_f?

Though, that is kind of a pain in the ass to have to type out...
posted by quin at 11:54 PM on December 31, 2006

And apparently Matt has disabled the <big> tag. Learn something new every day.
posted by quin at 11:55 PM on December 31, 2006

It's been gone longer than <IMG>.
posted by blasdelf at 6:23 PM on January 1, 2007

Really? I had no idea. Never tried using it before.

Makes sense though, stacking <small> tags is pretty inoffensive, whereas stacking <big> could be really easily abused.
posted by quin at 6:32 PM on January 1, 2007