Best answer not highlighted? June 7, 2007 7:30 PM Subscribe
This question is listed as having a best answer, but no answer is highlighted.
Ah, that be a true bug, then! Squash it, ye MeFi gods!
posted by greatgefilte at 7:35 PM on June 7, 2007
posted by greatgefilte at 7:35 PM on June 7, 2007
I remember when gods used to be more decisive.
Don't make me smite you; I know you'll be on top of a mountain soon enough.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:12 PM on June 7, 2007
Don't make me smite you; I know you'll be on top of a mountain soon enough.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:12 PM on June 7, 2007
Yea, I wondering about that too. I was wondering why my cat is always doing this.
posted by snsranch at 8:16 PM on June 7, 2007
posted by snsranch at 8:16 PM on June 7, 2007
That's not a bug, it's the "mods know better than askers what answers their question" feature
/ducks
posted by bonaldi at 8:34 PM on June 7, 2007
/ducks
posted by bonaldi at 8:34 PM on June 7, 2007
I remember when it took more to qualify as a god than being a janitor on a website.
posted by Dave Faris at 8:48 PM on June 7, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Dave Faris at 8:48 PM on June 7, 2007 [1 favorite]
Isn't it kind of weird to delete something the poster marked as best answer?
posted by ORthey at 9:00 PM on June 7, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by ORthey at 9:00 PM on June 7, 2007 [1 favorite]
Like... the Jabbas doing something weird is new?
But I kid!
Put away the banhammer.
posted by The Deej at 9:01 PM on June 7, 2007
But I kid!
Put away the banhammer.
posted by The Deej at 9:01 PM on June 7, 2007
Isn't it kind of weird to delete something the poster marked as best answer?
Not really. Anytime that happens it's usually some throw-away joke answer that the poster thought was funny. This wouldn't be a problem if posters gave further consideration into what they marked as a best answer. Good luck with that though.
posted by puke & cry at 9:12 PM on June 7, 2007
Not really. Anytime that happens it's usually some throw-away joke answer that the poster thought was funny. This wouldn't be a problem if posters gave further consideration into what they marked as a best answer. Good luck with that though.
posted by puke & cry at 9:12 PM on June 7, 2007
Now remember, children: Further consideration means further from something you think is funny and nearer to the important topic of what's flitting through your cat's brain as she follows you into the washroom.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:58 PM on June 7, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:58 PM on June 7, 2007 [1 favorite]
Yeah, a bug I need to fix.
as opposed to the bugs you keep around just for fun?
posted by niles at 10:07 PM on June 7, 2007
as opposed to the bugs you keep around just for fun?
posted by niles at 10:07 PM on June 7, 2007
LOLCATS -- WE B F'CKIN WIT U B-In SO FASCIN8TED 'N HOW u POOP!!!!!!!!!
posted by ericb at 10:30 PM on June 7, 2007
posted by ericb at 10:30 PM on June 7, 2007
Isn't it kind of weird to delete something the poster marked as best answer?
posted by ORthey at 9:00 PM on June 7
When the poster marks some joke as best answer there's a case to be made that the whole question was just a joke. In which case not only should the answer be deleted but perhaps the question too.
posted by vacapinta at 11:18 PM on June 7, 2007
posted by ORthey at 9:00 PM on June 7
When the poster marks some joke as best answer there's a case to be made that the whole question was just a joke. In which case not only should the answer be deleted but perhaps the question too.
posted by vacapinta at 11:18 PM on June 7, 2007
What the hell is with Dave Faris recently?
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:42 PM on June 7, 2007
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:42 PM on June 7, 2007
What the hell is with Dave Faris recently?
Pretty sure this should be in the green.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 12:18 AM on June 8, 2007
Pretty sure this should be in the green.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 12:18 AM on June 8, 2007
What the hell is with Dave Faris recently?
This is purely speculation, and no ill will is directed towards the man himself, but I think Dave Faris has been sore with mathowie ever since cortex snapped up the third mod position. That 'passed over' feeling is a tough one to cope with, and the temptation to criticize those who wield the power one coveted is great indeed. In general. I've felt the same way at my job; I can only imagine what it would be like in this semi-anonymous, informal setting. Again, I am only speculating. Maybe Dave's just on his period. Maybe quonsar's feeding him lines. God only knows, and he's not sayin'.
posted by carsonb at 12:26 AM on June 8, 2007
This is purely speculation, and no ill will is directed towards the man himself, but I think Dave Faris has been sore with mathowie ever since cortex snapped up the third mod position. That 'passed over' feeling is a tough one to cope with, and the temptation to criticize those who wield the power one coveted is great indeed. In general. I've felt the same way at my job; I can only imagine what it would be like in this semi-anonymous, informal setting. Again, I am only speculating. Maybe Dave's just on his period. Maybe quonsar's feeding him lines. God only knows, and he's not sayin'.
posted by carsonb at 12:26 AM on June 8, 2007
cortex didn't really "snap up" the position. I recommended cortex after mathowie offered it to me and I turned him down.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 12:33 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 12:33 AM on June 8, 2007
“but I think Dave Faris has been sore with mathowie ever since cortex snapped up the third mod position.”
I doubt that's the case. On the other hand, I was one of only a few people interviewed for Slate's Fray editor position when its first (and best) editor, Moira Redmond, left Slate. They ended up hiring some just-graduated media-studies dude from some elite university. I was pissed-off and disappointed about it for months and my own interest in participating there was greatly reduced1. And I didn't like the new guy, whom I correctly predicted wouldn't last six months as he used the position as a stepping stone to something better. Where I would have been happy doing that and would probably still be doing it today2.
So, you know, maybe your speculation is right—but only if Matt seriously considered him for the third mod position, which I've never gotten a hint of. Cortex has been around forever and I think Matt and he have known each other personally for a while, just as he's known jessamyn for long time.
1. That's not completely honest. I almost stopped participating on the Fray at all and I shortly quit altogether. I had been one of the first around those parts, though, and was, I think, the eleventh person to get one of those stars. As it grew, it just got smothered in the very worst trolling and other crap that infests web discussion everywhere and so my resentment at not getting the job was partly just the straw that broke the camel's back3.
2. I'd no journalistic experience, which meant just getting the interview was beating the odds. But it was revealing of the journalism mindset when I mentioned that my prior software/web experience meant that I'd be able to do some technical stuff myself when the one (!) programmer allotted to them by Microsoft was backlogged—the managing editor was flummoxed and couldn't imagine how the crossing of the content/technical dividing line could possibly be handled administratively. It seemed like the mere idea boggled his mind. He was a nice and smart guy otherwise, though.
3. Actually, I was partly very enthusiastic about the job because I had a dozen carefully thought out ideas for dealing with the burgeoning difficulties of moderation and reducing the crap. Whether it was my influence, or coincidence, they did go on to implement a few of my suggestions. I'm still a little bitter, though, as I'm certain I could have done a much better job at getting it under control and integrating it into the rest of the magazine and thus keeping it more relevant and enjoyable than it's been. I saw that they've just recently had a major redesign—I'm sure it's too little, too late.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:04 AM on June 8, 2007
I doubt that's the case. On the other hand, I was one of only a few people interviewed for Slate's Fray editor position when its first (and best) editor, Moira Redmond, left Slate. They ended up hiring some just-graduated media-studies dude from some elite university. I was pissed-off and disappointed about it for months and my own interest in participating there was greatly reduced1. And I didn't like the new guy, whom I correctly predicted wouldn't last six months as he used the position as a stepping stone to something better. Where I would have been happy doing that and would probably still be doing it today2.
So, you know, maybe your speculation is right—but only if Matt seriously considered him for the third mod position, which I've never gotten a hint of. Cortex has been around forever and I think Matt and he have known each other personally for a while, just as he's known jessamyn for long time.
1. That's not completely honest. I almost stopped participating on the Fray at all and I shortly quit altogether. I had been one of the first around those parts, though, and was, I think, the eleventh person to get one of those stars. As it grew, it just got smothered in the very worst trolling and other crap that infests web discussion everywhere and so my resentment at not getting the job was partly just the straw that broke the camel's back3.
2. I'd no journalistic experience, which meant just getting the interview was beating the odds. But it was revealing of the journalism mindset when I mentioned that my prior software/web experience meant that I'd be able to do some technical stuff myself when the one (!) programmer allotted to them by Microsoft was backlogged—the managing editor was flummoxed and couldn't imagine how the crossing of the content/technical dividing line could possibly be handled administratively. It seemed like the mere idea boggled his mind. He was a nice and smart guy otherwise, though.
3. Actually, I was partly very enthusiastic about the job because I had a dozen carefully thought out ideas for dealing with the burgeoning difficulties of moderation and reducing the crap. Whether it was my influence, or coincidence, they did go on to implement a few of my suggestions. I'm still a little bitter, though, as I'm certain I could have done a much better job at getting it under control and integrating it into the rest of the magazine and thus keeping it more relevant and enjoyable than it's been. I saw that they've just recently had a major redesign—I'm sure it's too little, too late.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:04 AM on June 8, 2007
So, which one of you do I send my medical history to, and am I supposed to see you every week, or can we just start with every other week? Let me get my insurance card. I hope you take Blue Cross... I personally prefer the Jungian approach, but if you want to jump right into divining motivations like this, I guess I'm ok with that. You're the experts, after all.
posted by Dave Faris at 3:53 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by Dave Faris at 3:53 AM on June 8, 2007
“So, which one of you do I send my medical history to...?”
Me, me! Send it to me!
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:24 AM on June 8, 2007
Me, me! Send it to me!
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:24 AM on June 8, 2007
Dave's cranky pants are two sizes too small. Two sizes too small!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:32 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:32 AM on June 8, 2007
Dave Faris, you're a cranky bastard. Here's a challenge: don't hit the 'enter' key again unless you are saying something postive or complimentary that isn't spiked with underlying vitriol and caustic sarcasm. It's hard to hug a cactus.
posted by peacay at 4:33 AM on June 8, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by peacay at 4:33 AM on June 8, 2007 [1 favorite]
“It's hard to hug a cactus.”
But easy to hug a large cantaloupe.
In my experience, it's moderately difficult to hug most shrubbery; easy to hug bamboo, almost impossible and quite unpleasant to hug a venus flytrap; hard—in more ways than one—to hug a female pornstar because of those enormous fucking inflated tits; easy to hug a puppy; impossible to hug a good idea; and surprisingly easy to cut off the little finger of someone who is very annoying.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:44 AM on June 8, 2007 [1 favorite]
But easy to hug a large cantaloupe.
In my experience, it's moderately difficult to hug most shrubbery; easy to hug bamboo, almost impossible and quite unpleasant to hug a venus flytrap; hard—in more ways than one—to hug a female pornstar because of those enormous fucking inflated tits; easy to hug a puppy; impossible to hug a good idea; and surprisingly easy to cut off the little finger of someone who is very annoying.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:44 AM on June 8, 2007 [1 favorite]
So, which one of you do I send my medical history to
Maybe you should try not seeming like one of the mods of this site killed your favorite puppy. I've been trying to give you the benefit of the doubt since I figure maybe you have some personal or IRL reason for being a constant downer in MetaTalk, but seriously you've been jumping in to threads that have nothing to do with you or even to do policies you've claimed to give a shit about [like double posting, perhaps] and just crapping in them. Then you use other people's head scratching about why you're doing this to be a sarcastic jerk to them. It's making MetaTalk all about you and then you walk off with this "who me?" attitude. No one is making you participate in this web site and if you have something constructive to say about how the site is run or who runs it, I'd appreciate if you'd say something instead of this ongoing thousand cuts routine. People here give a shit about you generally, I don't know why this is how you choose to contribute in MeTa lately.
It's been going on for weeks now, it's toxic and you're usually a better contributor than that, even in MetaTalk. You can keep playing it whatever way you want to -- you can't get banned for being a pill in MetaTalk certainly -- but the SchleppRock routine is getting really tired.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:02 AM on June 8, 2007
Maybe you should try not seeming like one of the mods of this site killed your favorite puppy. I've been trying to give you the benefit of the doubt since I figure maybe you have some personal or IRL reason for being a constant downer in MetaTalk, but seriously you've been jumping in to threads that have nothing to do with you or even to do policies you've claimed to give a shit about [like double posting, perhaps] and just crapping in them. Then you use other people's head scratching about why you're doing this to be a sarcastic jerk to them. It's making MetaTalk all about you and then you walk off with this "who me?" attitude. No one is making you participate in this web site and if you have something constructive to say about how the site is run or who runs it, I'd appreciate if you'd say something instead of this ongoing thousand cuts routine. People here give a shit about you generally, I don't know why this is how you choose to contribute in MeTa lately.
It's been going on for weeks now, it's toxic and you're usually a better contributor than that, even in MetaTalk. You can keep playing it whatever way you want to -- you can't get banned for being a pill in MetaTalk certainly -- but the SchleppRock routine is getting really tired.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:02 AM on June 8, 2007
And that'd be how it's done, by crikey.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:08 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:08 AM on June 8, 2007
Here's a challenge: don't hit the 'enter' key again unless you are saying something postive or complimentary that isn't spiked with underlying vitriol and caustic sarcasm.
So, what? I'll be the one blooming daisy among the rest of the thorns around here?
Look, I admit my message about the mods up above was a little too pointed. I've never been one to kowtow to authority, and I'll take every opportunity to deflate it when it occurs to me. But before you criticize me for all my vitriol and sarcasm, how about you actually look at my posting history?
seriously you've been jumping in to threads that have nothing to do with you
Wait. I didn't think that was a requirement for this open forum. If you're going to use that as an accusation, then you'll need to aim at many more people than me.
I'd really rather not have this turn into another day of pile-ons, but if you insist...
posted by Dave Faris at 5:11 AM on June 8, 2007
So, what? I'll be the one blooming daisy among the rest of the thorns around here?
Look, I admit my message about the mods up above was a little too pointed. I've never been one to kowtow to authority, and I'll take every opportunity to deflate it when it occurs to me. But before you criticize me for all my vitriol and sarcasm, how about you actually look at my posting history?
seriously you've been jumping in to threads that have nothing to do with you
Wait. I didn't think that was a requirement for this open forum. If you're going to use that as an accusation, then you'll need to aim at many more people than me.
I'd really rather not have this turn into another day of pile-ons, but if you insist...
posted by Dave Faris at 5:11 AM on June 8, 2007
“I'd really rather not have this turn into another day of pile-ons, but if you insist...”
I don't know how much influence my entreaty will have, but I think that given there's this stinging rebuke from jessamyn, there is absolutely no need for anyone else to pile-on to Dave Faris, okay? Give the poor guy a break for the rest of this thread.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 5:16 AM on June 8, 2007
I don't know how much influence my entreaty will have, but I think that given there's this stinging rebuke from jessamyn, there is absolutely no need for anyone else to pile-on to Dave Faris, okay? Give the poor guy a break for the rest of this thread.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 5:16 AM on June 8, 2007
I don't know what changed for you Dave, if anything. But if there's something in your life that's making you be so unpleasant here at Metatalk (I don't pay as much attention to the rest of the site, so I don't know), well, I hope whatever it is gets better. Honestly.
I'd rather -- and I think it's clear that most other people who've been here as long as you have would rather -- have the somewhat acerbic but not entirely negative guy back, if he's still around.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:18 AM on June 8, 2007
I'd rather -- and I think it's clear that most other people who've been here as long as you have would rather -- have the somewhat acerbic but not entirely negative guy back, if he's still around.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:18 AM on June 8, 2007
cortex didn't really "snap up" the position. I recommended cortex after mathowie offered it to me and I turned him down.
And I recommended Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America after I decided it wasn't for me.
posted by inigo2 at 5:51 AM on June 8, 2007
And I recommended Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America after I decided it wasn't for me.
posted by inigo2 at 5:51 AM on June 8, 2007
I hope whatever it is gets better. Honestly.
I'd rather -- and I think it's clear that most other people who've been here as long as you have would rather -- have the somewhat acerbic but not entirely negative guy back, if he's still around.
Heartily seconded.
whom I correctly predicted wouldn't last six months
"Who," not "whom." It's the subject of "last."
Isn't it kind of weird to delete something the poster marked as best answer?
Posters mark all kinds of dumb shit as best answer, sometimes completely wrong "answers." This is why when anyone suggests using "best answers" as some kind of metric for effective AskMe participation (or even answered questions) I poke them with a sharp stick.
posted by languagehat at 6:06 AM on June 8, 2007
I'd rather -- and I think it's clear that most other people who've been here as long as you have would rather -- have the somewhat acerbic but not entirely negative guy back, if he's still around.
Heartily seconded.
whom I correctly predicted wouldn't last six months
"Who," not "whom." It's the subject of "last."
Isn't it kind of weird to delete something the poster marked as best answer?
Posters mark all kinds of dumb shit as best answer, sometimes completely wrong "answers." This is why when anyone suggests using "best answers" as some kind of metric for effective AskMe participation (or even answered questions) I poke them with a sharp stick.
posted by languagehat at 6:06 AM on June 8, 2007
“‘Who,’ not ‘whom.’ It's the subject of ‘last.’
Yeah, I figured that out after I posted. Seemed right when I was typing out the sentence. Didn't seem right when I read it.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:09 AM on June 8, 2007
Yeah, I figured that out after I posted. Seemed right when I was typing out the sentence. Didn't seem right when I read it.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:09 AM on June 8, 2007
And I recommended Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America after I decided it wasn't for me.
And I recommended my wife, Morgan Fairchild, whom I've seen naked. Yeah, that's the ticket.
posted by grouse at 6:10 AM on June 8, 2007
And I recommended my wife, Morgan Fairchild, whom I've seen naked. Yeah, that's the ticket.
posted by grouse at 6:10 AM on June 8, 2007
Also, that question is completely inane, so it's not surprising the poster marked a joke as best answer. The only reason I don't call for its deletion as chatfilter is that having it there may deter future identical questions.
Yeah, I figured that out after I posted. Seemed right when I was typing out the sentence. Didn't seem right when I read it.
This is why it's best to avoid "whom" altogether except after prepositions. There's really no need for it.
posted by languagehat at 6:27 AM on June 8, 2007
Yeah, I figured that out after I posted. Seemed right when I was typing out the sentence. Didn't seem right when I read it.
This is why it's best to avoid "whom" altogether except after prepositions. There's really no need for it.
posted by languagehat at 6:27 AM on June 8, 2007
Yeah, a bug I need to fix.
as opposed to the bugs you keep around just for fun?
Or as opposed to ones he's already fixed, or ones that he doesn't see as worth the effort.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:29 AM on June 8, 2007
as opposed to the bugs you keep around just for fun?
Or as opposed to ones he's already fixed, or ones that he doesn't see as worth the effort.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:29 AM on June 8, 2007
On the other hand, this MeTa post led me to one of the more entertaining AskMe posts I've seen in ages. Yay!
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:31 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:31 AM on June 8, 2007
When the poster marks some joke as best answer there's a case to be made that the whole question was just a joke. In which case not only should the answer be deleted but perhaps the question too.
I don't think that's fair, really. There are no requirements about how an asker uses best answers—folks will use it to mark objectively useful answers, or answers they agree with, or funny shit, or their own summaries, or no answers at all or even every answer in a thread, though those first two are the most common.
If the way someone chooses to mark best answers collides with the way we moderate one-liners and such, that's not a big deal, it's just a little counterintuitive. No reason to punish someone for thinking a comment is funny.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:33 AM on June 8, 2007
I don't think that's fair, really. There are no requirements about how an asker uses best answers—folks will use it to mark objectively useful answers, or answers they agree with, or funny shit, or their own summaries, or no answers at all or even every answer in a thread, though those first two are the most common.
If the way someone chooses to mark best answers collides with the way we moderate one-liners and such, that's not a big deal, it's just a little counterintuitive. No reason to punish someone for thinking a comment is funny.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:33 AM on June 8, 2007
Look, I admit my message about the mods up above was a little too pointed. I've never been one to kowtow to authority, and I'll take every opportunity to deflate it when it occurs to me.
But "Squash it, ye MeFi gods!" isn't exactly a kowtow. It sounds more like just a joke to me, and I'm pretty sure it would have sounded like a joke six month or a year ago too, so I don't think it's my incipient janitorial powers going to my head.
It's just really kind of frustrating and noticeable, Dave. Not because you're a dissenting opinion—someone would have to be nuts not to expect that around here—but because it feels like a lot of the jabs are literally for their own sake, without any serious motivation. Just sort of lazy stabs at some effigial Authority, rather than at specific actual problems, and who gives a fuck if some of it gets on the actual people unfortunate enough to be trying to keep the place running.
If you genuinely have a problem with the site even having administrators, or with anybody ever acknowledging that they exist, it seems like a pretty much unbridgeable gap. But short of that, it feels like most of the time lately you're jabbing just because you see any opening at all, and that's pretty mean-spirited bullshit even if it's not exactly against the rules around here.
I wish you'd either state grievances or reel it in some, personally, but do what you gotta do. It's just hard to understand where you're coming from with some of this stuff.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:55 AM on June 8, 2007
But "Squash it, ye MeFi gods!" isn't exactly a kowtow. It sounds more like just a joke to me, and I'm pretty sure it would have sounded like a joke six month or a year ago too, so I don't think it's my incipient janitorial powers going to my head.
It's just really kind of frustrating and noticeable, Dave. Not because you're a dissenting opinion—someone would have to be nuts not to expect that around here—but because it feels like a lot of the jabs are literally for their own sake, without any serious motivation. Just sort of lazy stabs at some effigial Authority, rather than at specific actual problems, and who gives a fuck if some of it gets on the actual people unfortunate enough to be trying to keep the place running.
If you genuinely have a problem with the site even having administrators, or with anybody ever acknowledging that they exist, it seems like a pretty much unbridgeable gap. But short of that, it feels like most of the time lately you're jabbing just because you see any opening at all, and that's pretty mean-spirited bullshit even if it's not exactly against the rules around here.
I wish you'd either state grievances or reel it in some, personally, but do what you gotta do. It's just hard to understand where you're coming from with some of this stuff.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:55 AM on June 8, 2007
there is absolutely no need for anyone else to pile-on to Dave Faris, okay? Give the poor guy a break for the rest of this thread.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:57 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:57 AM on June 8, 2007
Wait, cortex is an admin?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:21 AM on June 8, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:21 AM on June 8, 2007 [1 favorite]
Every "why does my cat ..." ask me is really just a chatfilter about the crazy things cats do. My answer to the question -- I asked my cat and she just stares at me like she doesn't understand the question -- was zapped.
I'm a cat person. I have two of the weirdest cats in the world and I could tell cat stories all day. But EB's answer in the post about cats being relatively late to be domesticated and they are so weird because they are different than people [and dogs] is not an answer either. It is a stab at why cats are weird. I love the cats doing crazy shit youtube videos and the LOLCATS meme. I never get tired of them. But is Ask the venue to chitchat about why cats do X. Other people's cat stories are almost as boring as other people's dog stories or kid stories.
To really answer some of these "why does my cat..." questions, would involve animal psychics or a bonafide cat to answer. Neither of them are credible sources, because if cats could talk and type on computers, they'd lie to us. Because cats like to fuck with humans.
I've had cats in my life since I was born -- there's a story about how when I was a baby the family cat would sleep in the crib with me. Why did he do that? Dad thinks it was because that was the place in the house my parents made sure was warmest in the winter. Mom thinks the cat was jealous of all the attention I was getting.
Why does one of my cats throw her toy mice into her water bowl?
Why to the cats puke up hairballs in the most heavily traveled part of the hallway carpet? Why in the middle of the night when I might step in it on the way to the bathroom?
Why does my cat run into the room with a great sense of urgency only to stop, groom herself for a second, and then slowly go back to her napping spot in the other room?
Why is it for a week a month, Peanut must sleep on my pillow next to my head?
We don't know the answers to these questions and may never know them. It's fun to talk about the crazy shit cats do.
So the best answer that was deleted was an answer just as good as any other in the post.
Perhaps a pony request would be cats.metafilter.com that can ponder such questions. Images could be enabled so people can post pics and videos of their cats being adorable or doing something weird. I would spend all day there. People who don't like cats can skip it.
posted by birdherder at 7:24 AM on June 8, 2007 [2 favorites]
I'm a cat person. I have two of the weirdest cats in the world and I could tell cat stories all day. But EB's answer in the post about cats being relatively late to be domesticated and they are so weird because they are different than people [and dogs] is not an answer either. It is a stab at why cats are weird. I love the cats doing crazy shit youtube videos and the LOLCATS meme. I never get tired of them. But is Ask the venue to chitchat about why cats do X. Other people's cat stories are almost as boring as other people's dog stories or kid stories.
To really answer some of these "why does my cat..." questions, would involve animal psychics or a bonafide cat to answer. Neither of them are credible sources, because if cats could talk and type on computers, they'd lie to us. Because cats like to fuck with humans.
I've had cats in my life since I was born -- there's a story about how when I was a baby the family cat would sleep in the crib with me. Why did he do that? Dad thinks it was because that was the place in the house my parents made sure was warmest in the winter. Mom thinks the cat was jealous of all the attention I was getting.
Why does one of my cats throw her toy mice into her water bowl?
Why to the cats puke up hairballs in the most heavily traveled part of the hallway carpet? Why in the middle of the night when I might step in it on the way to the bathroom?
Why does my cat run into the room with a great sense of urgency only to stop, groom herself for a second, and then slowly go back to her napping spot in the other room?
Why is it for a week a month, Peanut must sleep on my pillow next to my head?
We don't know the answers to these questions and may never know them. It's fun to talk about the crazy shit cats do.
So the best answer that was deleted was an answer just as good as any other in the post.
Perhaps a pony request would be cats.metafilter.com that can ponder such questions. Images could be enabled so people can post pics and videos of their cats being adorable or doing something weird. I would spend all day there. People who don't like cats can skip it.
posted by birdherder at 7:24 AM on June 8, 2007 [2 favorites]
I've never been one to kowtow to authority, and I'll take every opportunity to deflate it when it occurs to me.
Wow, if a website admin is your idea of "authority", maybe you need to set your iconoclastic sights a tad bit higher? Maybe a grade-school yard monitor? The lady who sells stamps?
posted by signal at 7:25 AM on June 8, 2007 [4 favorites]
Wow, if a website admin is your idea of "authority", maybe you need to set your iconoclastic sights a tad bit higher? Maybe a grade-school yard monitor? The lady who sells stamps?
posted by signal at 7:25 AM on June 8, 2007 [4 favorites]
I have to say that I really hate all the cat questions. This may well be because I'm one of those evil non-pet people, and I cannot possibly fathom why people with cats are so amazed by the slightest thing they do. Still other people seem to get off on it, so I just sail quietly by and look for an question about someone complaining about getting too much pussy.
posted by ob at 7:34 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by ob at 7:34 AM on June 8, 2007
I have to say that I really hate all the pussy questions. This may well be because I'm one of those evil non-pussy people, and I cannot possibly fathom why people with pussy are so amazed by the slightest thing they do. Still other people seem to get off on it, so I just sail quietly by and look for a question about someone complaining about getting too many cats.
posted by ND¢ at 7:37 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by ND¢ at 7:37 AM on June 8, 2007
“To really answer some of these ‘why does my cat...’ questions, would involve animal psychics or a bonafide cat to answer.”
Sure, that's certainly true for "some" of those questions. You seem to be claiming it's true for all of those questions. And some of those question can be answered by scientists who study animal behavior, in this case, cat behavior. To claim that we can't "know" the truth of the matter because cats can't tell us the reasons they do what they do, unlike humans, ignores the fact that we can't "know" that when humans tell us why they do the things they do, they are a) being honest, and b) actually know the answer to the question themselves. Almost all commonly proclaimed assertions of what's knowable and what's unknowable invent "obvious" and absolute distinctions that don't actually exist.
“Other people's cat stories are almost as boring as other people's dog stories or kid stories. ”
In my personal experience and observation of others, other people's cat stories are far more interesting than other people's dog stories or kid stories. Admittedly, usually not to people who've never had a cat or to cat-haters.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 7:40 AM on June 8, 2007
Sure, that's certainly true for "some" of those questions. You seem to be claiming it's true for all of those questions. And some of those question can be answered by scientists who study animal behavior, in this case, cat behavior. To claim that we can't "know" the truth of the matter because cats can't tell us the reasons they do what they do, unlike humans, ignores the fact that we can't "know" that when humans tell us why they do the things they do, they are a) being honest, and b) actually know the answer to the question themselves. Almost all commonly proclaimed assertions of what's knowable and what's unknowable invent "obvious" and absolute distinctions that don't actually exist.
“Other people's cat stories are almost as boring as other people's dog stories or kid stories. ”
In my personal experience and observation of others, other people's cat stories are far more interesting than other people's dog stories or kid stories. Admittedly, usually not to people who've never had a cat or to cat-haters.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 7:40 AM on June 8, 2007
I'm a cat owner and I hate all the cat questions too.
posted by languagehat at 7:41 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by languagehat at 7:41 AM on June 8, 2007
God save me from cat, dog, and kid stories, but I've found that the actual cats, dogs, and selected kids are pretty okay to actually spend time around, and the cats make the least noise.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:45 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:45 AM on June 8, 2007
Cats are amused by the phrase 'cat owner.'
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:48 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:48 AM on June 8, 2007
“Cats are amused by the phrase 'cat owner.'”
Oh, come on, you don't know that.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 8:01 AM on June 8, 2007
Oh, come on, you don't know that.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 8:01 AM on June 8, 2007
In my personal experience and observation of others, other people's cat stories are far more interesting than other people's dog stories or kid stories.
I suppose that questions about cats are a scintilla more interesting than dog stories. Having said that, questions about giving one's dog marijuana are interesting. Actually, bollocks, they're not. That's not to say that animal questions can't be interesting. For example, if there were a question about why when one gave one's albino-one-armed-pygmy-chimp acid he started launching his cack around and singing like Paul McCartney from his Wings era, that would be the holy grail of not just animal questions, but AskMe for me.
posted by ob at 8:49 AM on June 8, 2007
I would imagine that such a question would be entitled:
'Did my chimp evolve when I gave him acid?'
posted by ob at 9:03 AM on June 8, 2007
'Did my chimp evolve when I gave him acid?'
posted by ob at 9:03 AM on June 8, 2007
Upon reflection, that sounds so much like a euphemism for something very, very dirty.
posted by ob at 9:04 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by ob at 9:04 AM on June 8, 2007
Kirth Gerson: When you can legally put an animal to death, you own it. This is true whether or not said animal is amused.
posted by ODiV at 9:04 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by ODiV at 9:04 AM on June 8, 2007
Every "why does my cat ..." ask me is really just a chatfilter about the crazy things cats do. My answer to the question -- I asked my cat and she just stares at me like she doesn't understand the question -- was zapped.
I feel your pain berdherder. My comment to the previous "What does my cat think I am? thread was deleted:
"C'est chatfilter, n'est-ce pas?"
It's our own fault. We must learn to sit in our seats, stop writing secret messages, and do our work properly.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:12 AM on June 8, 2007
I feel your pain berdherder. My comment to the previous "What does my cat think I am? thread was deleted:
"C'est chatfilter, n'est-ce pas?"
It's our own fault. We must learn to sit in our seats, stop writing secret messages, and do our work properly.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:12 AM on June 8, 2007
"C'est chatfilter, n'est-ce pas?"
If you think a thread is chatfilter, flag it. Email an admin. Start a metatalk thread, if it's been up for a while and seems somehow notable.
No matter how right you feel you are, "chatfilter" is not an answer and is thread shitting. Please just don't.
When you can legally put an animal to death, you own it.
He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing. The catnip must flow.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:22 AM on June 8, 2007
If you think a thread is chatfilter, flag it. Email an admin. Start a metatalk thread, if it's been up for a while and seems somehow notable.
No matter how right you feel you are, "chatfilter" is not an answer and is thread shitting. Please just don't.
When you can legally put an animal to death, you own it.
He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing. The catnip must flow.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:22 AM on June 8, 2007
You playing in the poker tourny or not, cortex? I haven't gotten an email from you asking for money yet.
posted by ODiV at 9:37 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by ODiV at 9:37 AM on June 8, 2007
I'm sadly undecided so far. I'll try to make up my mind shortly and let you know.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:39 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:39 AM on June 8, 2007
No matter how right you feel you are, "chatfilter" is not an answer and is thread shitting. Please just don't.
It was supposed to be funny. "Chat" is french for cat, fer gawd's sake.
posted by fish tick at 9:45 AM on June 8, 2007
It was supposed to be funny. "Chat" is french for cat, fer gawd's sake.
posted by fish tick at 9:45 AM on June 8, 2007
That's kind of charming then, so pardon my lack of French; but it makes a frying-pan-to-fire transition to throwaway jokey one-liner, so that's no help. (See also "My hovercraft is full of eels" et al in translation questions.)
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:56 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:56 AM on June 8, 2007
One armed albino chimps are much harder to come by than cats, who will totally freak out on lsd (according to my neuropsychopharmacology textbook), but I guess they're less likely to start singing "if we ever get out of here."
Acid doesn't really phase dogs (but mushrooms do). I did not learn this from a textbook.
If it wasn't going to be immediately deleted or called out, I'd totally blow my first AskMe on some acid-pet based question.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 10:06 AM on June 8, 2007
Acid doesn't really phase dogs (but mushrooms do). I did not learn this from a textbook.
If it wasn't going to be immediately deleted or called out, I'd totally blow my first AskMe on some acid-pet based question.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 10:06 AM on June 8, 2007
"Acid doesn't really phase dogs (but mushrooms do)."
I believe you intended to use "faze".
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:16 AM on June 8, 2007
I believe you intended to use "faze".
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:16 AM on June 8, 2007
Oh, come on, you don't know that.
posted by Ethereal Bligh
My expert says it's true. You gonna argue with Garfield?
Kirth Gerson: When you can legally put an animal to death, you own it. This is true whether or not said animal is amused.
posted by ODiV
You may put it to death, but you'll never own its spirit!
posted by Kirth Gerson at 10:50 AM on June 8, 2007
posted by Ethereal Bligh
My expert says it's true. You gonna argue with Garfield?
Kirth Gerson: When you can legally put an animal to death, you own it. This is true whether or not said animal is amused.
posted by ODiV
You may put it to death, but you'll never own its spirit!
posted by Kirth Gerson at 10:50 AM on June 8, 2007
I believe you intended to use "faze".
No verbing for phaser?
posted by solipsophistocracy at 11:35 AM on June 8, 2007
No verbing for phaser?
posted by solipsophistocracy at 11:35 AM on June 8, 2007
Maybe it could be phaseraged it (cf. leverage).
*shudder*
posted by fish tick at 12:01 PM on June 8, 2007
*shudder*
posted by fish tick at 12:01 PM on June 8, 2007
“God save me from cat, dog, and kid stories”—cortex
Just tell me that this recent comment posted to that thread isn't interesting to cat-owner and non-cat-owner alike:
“Unfortunately she has decided to check it out at the worst possible time by running full blown into the bathroom, slamming open the door, hoping up on the toilet edge, almost falling in face first, getting peed on, before finally doing a flip into the bath tub and then shaking it all off. She doesn't seem to mind...”—drgonzo2k2
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:14 PM on June 8, 2007
Just tell me that this recent comment posted to that thread isn't interesting to cat-owner and non-cat-owner alike:
“Unfortunately she has decided to check it out at the worst possible time by running full blown into the bathroom, slamming open the door, hoping up on the toilet edge, almost falling in face first, getting peed on, before finally doing a flip into the bath tub and then shaking it all off. She doesn't seem to mind...”—drgonzo2k2
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:14 PM on June 8, 2007
Why does one of my cats throw her toy mice into her water bowl?
To see if they can swim. Cats are sadistic in this way.
posted by quin at 12:33 PM on June 8, 2007
To see if they can swim. Cats are sadistic in this way.
posted by quin at 12:33 PM on June 8, 2007
That thread proved that there is an apparently limitless pass for CatFilter questions. The poster even referenced the earlier still-open-for-comments, fundamentally identical question. Is the world a better place for now having two open cat-watching-me-shite stories?
Yes, I don't like cats.
posted by meehawl at 12:47 PM on June 8, 2007
Yes, I don't like cats.
posted by meehawl at 12:47 PM on June 8, 2007
CatFilter is funny. It's kind of sweet to see otherwise disputative Mefites going goo-goo ga-ga over freakin' cats.
posted by Methylviolet at 12:52 AM on June 9, 2007
posted by Methylviolet at 12:52 AM on June 9, 2007
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posted by needs more cowbell at 7:34 PM on June 7, 2007