Mesothelioma wesoseeyoulater August 19, 2007 3:37 PM Subscribe
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- frimble
KAPOW
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:45 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:45 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
Self-links in comments have always been OK, haven't they? Was it completely off-topic?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:19 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:19 PM on August 19, 2007
Dammit, band practice, why do you make me miss all the awesome stuff?
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:21 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:21 PM on August 19, 2007
Mesothelioma is the highest paying keyword in adsense as of two months ago. The account was made just for spamming.
posted by IronLizard at 4:23 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by IronLizard at 4:23 PM on August 19, 2007
Self-links in comments on topic, in good faith, and with restraint: totally okay. At times, one of the Very Good Things about mefi, in my humble.
Self-links that violate any of those: not so great, usually gets an email and a watchful eye. Violating multiple is usually a really bad sign. Truly on topic and in good faith but just doing it way too much is usually an over-eager but well-meaning user; the other two tend to be a much worse sign.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:24 PM on August 19, 2007 [2 favorites]
Self-links that violate any of those: not so great, usually gets an email and a watchful eye. Violating multiple is usually a really bad sign. Truly on topic and in good faith but just doing it way too much is usually an over-eager but well-meaning user; the other two tend to be a much worse sign.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:24 PM on August 19, 2007 [2 favorites]
Mesothelioma is the highest paying keyword in adsense as of two months ago. The account was made just for spamming.
But not very many people click on it. What you actually want is the highest payout keyword, which is 'insurance'.
posted by delmoi at 4:30 PM on August 19, 2007
But not very many people click on it. What you actually want is the highest payout keyword, which is 'insurance'.
posted by delmoi at 4:30 PM on August 19, 2007
Yeah sorry we removed them all before people saw them. They were on-topic comments signed with "What is Mesothelioma" in the comment which linked to... I don't even know what it linked to. That was also the guy's username. I don't suspect an honest mistake.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:31 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:31 PM on August 19, 2007
I remember seeing the ExamEar comment, but have no idea what was in it.
posted by grouse at 5:01 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by grouse at 5:01 PM on August 19, 2007
Got here after the comment deletions, and so thought for a few minutes that homunculus was the self-linker, and that he was possibly Karl Rove's dad and/or the possessor of a solid gold cock ring.
posted by pineapple at 5:13 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by pineapple at 5:13 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
The comments all linked to a straight forward little blurb page copy-pasting some Mesoyaddayadda information and featuring, naturally, a pile of google ad boxes. Not even exciting, just straightforward by-the-numbers google spam.
The thing about that game that boggles me is that (a) given that Google reportedly cans adsense accounts like that, and (b) most of the ad links are probably *also* to shady scammer types in some big circle jerk...is anyone actually making money off the deal? Except for maybe Google?
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:34 PM on August 19, 2007
The thing about that game that boggles me is that (a) given that Google reportedly cans adsense accounts like that, and (b) most of the ad links are probably *also* to shady scammer types in some big circle jerk...is anyone actually making money off the deal? Except for maybe Google?
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:34 PM on August 19, 2007
There's probably lots of spam where the spammer doesn't make money, but cause their damage while they still think they are going to.
posted by grouse at 5:39 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by grouse at 5:39 PM on August 19, 2007
You're asking the guy in the $3600 suit about Mesothelioma? C'mon!
posted by SassHat at 5:40 PM on August 19, 2007 [3 favorites]
posted by SassHat at 5:40 PM on August 19, 2007 [3 favorites]
SEE HOT SWAN ACTION AT MY SITE WWW.NAKEDCOLOURFULSWANS.CA!!!!!
posted by orange swan at 6:24 PM on August 19, 2007 [4 favorites]
posted by orange swan at 6:24 PM on August 19, 2007 [4 favorites]
...shady scammer types in some big circle jerk...is anyone actually making money off the deal?
There are more important things in the world than money, cortex. Maybe they just like being a part of a circle jerk?
posted by Meatbomb at 6:32 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
There are more important things in the world than money, cortex. Maybe they just like being a part of a circle jerk?
posted by Meatbomb at 6:32 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
Mesothelioma spam will no longer be a problem once the last remaining asbestos lawsuit is resolved in 2187.
posted by brain_drain at 6:39 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by brain_drain at 6:39 PM on August 19, 2007
Orange Swan, are your models only orange or are they other colours? Cuz, I have a thing for fuschia,
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 6:43 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 6:43 PM on August 19, 2007
Did you bother doing even the most cursory diligence before equating me with a spammer? Even so much as checking my posting history, and seeing that I have one? What's your fucking excuse for shitting on my name and shitting in my fucking thread?
posted by The Confessor at 7:11 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by The Confessor at 7:11 PM on August 19, 2007
What's your fucking excuse for shitting on my name and shitting in my fucking thread?
You did that yourself when you rickrolled your own thread.
posted by grouse at 7:15 PM on August 19, 2007
You did that yourself when you rickrolled your own thread.
posted by grouse at 7:15 PM on August 19, 2007
I just love it when jessamyn wishes someone into the cornfield.
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:16 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:16 PM on August 19, 2007
What's your excuse for calling fandango_matt's sister a whore, The Confessor?
posted by Poolio at 7:16 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by Poolio at 7:16 PM on August 19, 2007
What's your fucking excuse for shitting on my name and shitting in my fucking thread?
Because it looks from here (and from fandango_matt's perspective, too, no doubt) like a bad, bad joke, with no real meat to flesh it out.
When that little voice deep inside you says "I wonder if this is really a good idea", listen to it.
posted by yhbc at 7:17 PM on August 19, 2007
Because it looks from here (and from fandango_matt's perspective, too, no doubt) like a bad, bad joke, with no real meat to flesh it out.
When that little voice deep inside you says "I wonder if this is really a good idea", listen to it.
posted by yhbc at 7:17 PM on August 19, 2007
Woah! Testosterone poisoning - call 911!
So, it was a pretty mediocre set of links, possibly deletable, but not offensive. So what if the OP was inspired by the discussion of the spammer? I hate how commentors act like such fucking buzzards sometimes when they don't like a post.
On the other hand, WTF with the comment about fandango_matt?
posted by serazin at 7:19 PM on August 19, 2007
So, it was a pretty mediocre set of links, possibly deletable, but not offensive. So what if the OP was inspired by the discussion of the spammer? I hate how commentors act like such fucking buzzards sometimes when they don't like a post.
On the other hand, WTF with the comment about fandango_matt?
posted by serazin at 7:19 PM on August 19, 2007
You've got to be kidding, Confessor. Are you seriously trying to get us to believe it was a coincidence you put together a throwaway post about mesowhatever right now? It was a lame post done for lame reasons and should be deleted, with a timeout for good luck.
posted by mediareport at 7:19 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by mediareport at 7:19 PM on August 19, 2007
I hate how commentors act like such fucking buzzards sometimes when they don't like a post.
serazin, I usually agree about buzzards and not liking posts, but if you can't see that grudge or knockoff joke posts should be discouraged here, I don't know what to say.
posted by mediareport at 7:20 PM on August 19, 2007
serazin, I usually agree about buzzards and not liking posts, but if you can't see that grudge or knockoff joke posts should be discouraged here, I don't know what to say.
posted by mediareport at 7:20 PM on August 19, 2007
When that little voice deep inside you says "I wonder if this is really a good idea", listen to it.
If I'd have listened to that voice, I'd never gotten that cockring from Karl Rove's dad. I see your point.
posted by ColdChef at 7:20 PM on August 19, 2007 [4 favorites]
If I'd have listened to that voice, I'd never gotten that cockring from Karl Rove's dad. I see your point.
posted by ColdChef at 7:20 PM on August 19, 2007 [4 favorites]
Would this be a bad time to put up that comprehensive FPP on Mesopotamia that I've been working on for weeks now?
(And damn, that one on the Mesozoic Era was all ready to go, too...)
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:23 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
(And damn, that one on the Mesozoic Era was all ready to go, too...)
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:23 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
Poolio
You'll notice that I only did so after he shat in my thread.
When he impugned the quality of my post, I felt it was fair to reciprocate in kind.
posted by The Confessor at 7:23 PM on August 19, 2007
You'll notice that I only did so after he shat in my thread.
When he impugned the quality of my post, I felt it was fair to reciprocate in kind.
posted by The Confessor at 7:23 PM on August 19, 2007
So, to recap:
Google-spammer is called out in MeTa for a bunch of posts that self-link at the end.
The Confessor is inspired by the subject matter to look up more information. Suitably touched, the Confessor creates an FPP.
evilcolonel begins drinking a delicious, frosty beer.
Several users, particularly fandango_matt, smell a rat and suspect Confessor of a bad joke.
The Confessor becomes indignant.
evilcolonel finishes first delicious, frosty beer. Opens another.
posted by evilcolonel at 7:23 PM on August 19, 2007
Google-spammer is called out in MeTa for a bunch of posts that self-link at the end.
The Confessor is inspired by the subject matter to look up more information. Suitably touched, the Confessor creates an FPP.
evilcolonel begins drinking a delicious, frosty beer.
Several users, particularly fandango_matt, smell a rat and suspect Confessor of a bad joke.
The Confessor becomes indignant.
evilcolonel finishes first delicious, frosty beer. Opens another.
posted by evilcolonel at 7:23 PM on August 19, 2007
When he impugned the quality of my post, I felt it was fair to reciprocate in kind.
Granted, I haven't been a member here for very long, but I wouldn't think that making personal attacks against a commenter's family member is fair under any circumstances.
posted by Poolio at 7:27 PM on August 19, 2007
Granted, I haven't been a member here for very long, but I wouldn't think that making personal attacks against a commenter's family member is fair under any circumstances.
posted by Poolio at 7:27 PM on August 19, 2007
Deleted, deleted it is already.
Righteous indignation; set aside.
Torches; extinguish.
Grudges; smoulder with burning, burning hate. (hey, there are some things even deletion can't cure).
posted by yhbc at 7:30 PM on August 19, 2007
Righteous indignation; set aside.
Torches; extinguish.
Grudges; smoulder with burning, burning hate. (hey, there are some things even deletion can't cure).
posted by yhbc at 7:30 PM on August 19, 2007
Seconding Poolio. That shit's just dumb, childish and out of line, and shouldn't be tolerated.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:31 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:31 PM on August 19, 2007
Grudges; smoulder with burning, burning hate.
A hunka hunka burnin' HATE!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:32 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
A hunka hunka burnin' HATE!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:32 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
Protip- Posts don't need 'defending'. If a post is good it will stand on its own merits, and intelligent people will draw their own conclusions. If you jump in and try to "rescue" a post you made that isn't going as you thought it should, you've already lost, and you can only make things worse.
posted by Rhomboid at 7:37 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Rhomboid at 7:37 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
You'll notice that I only did so after he shat in my thread.
More like throwing an old banana peel on a compost heap, I think. You were waaaaay fucking out of line on all counts, bub.
/Resumes policy of non-MeTa intervention.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:38 PM on August 19, 2007
More like throwing an old banana peel on a compost heap, I think. You were waaaaay fucking out of line on all counts, bub.
/Resumes policy of non-MeTa intervention.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:38 PM on August 19, 2007
You'll notice that I only did so after he shat in my thread.
You can use that crap as an excuse when he shits on YOUR sister. Otherwise, you're just being a defensive asshole.
posted by IronLizard at 7:42 PM on August 19, 2007
You can use that crap as an excuse when he shits on YOUR sister. Otherwise, you're just being a defensive asshole.
posted by IronLizard at 7:42 PM on August 19, 2007
Other than that bullshit, you should have let the post stand, cortex. But only because it might make Matt a ton of cash.
posted by IronLizard at 7:43 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by IronLizard at 7:43 PM on August 19, 2007
You know, to the people who don't live in MetaTalk, none of this makes any sense.
Where the genesis of the idea came from is irrelevant.
It was a post on the front page about mesothelioma. It wasn't great, but it was far superior to many posts that survive here day in and day out. And, I might add, superior to some of the posts even by the rabble calling for execution.
For 90% of MeFi readers, they would have never known, nor cared, where that post came from. It might have interested them, it might not, life would have gone on.
I think it would do a lot of good for some of you, especially the admins, to take a walk outside of the gray now and then.
From those not in the "clique" over here, it seems petty and ridiculous.
And for the record, both my mom and my sister are whores. And much better whores than any of yours, I might add.
Now I'm going to go make a front page post about the frequency of mother-daughter prostitution, and see if it gets deleted.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:49 PM on August 19, 2007 [2 favorites]
Where the genesis of the idea came from is irrelevant.
It was a post on the front page about mesothelioma. It wasn't great, but it was far superior to many posts that survive here day in and day out. And, I might add, superior to some of the posts even by the rabble calling for execution.
For 90% of MeFi readers, they would have never known, nor cared, where that post came from. It might have interested them, it might not, life would have gone on.
I think it would do a lot of good for some of you, especially the admins, to take a walk outside of the gray now and then.
From those not in the "clique" over here, it seems petty and ridiculous.
And for the record, both my mom and my sister are whores. And much better whores than any of yours, I might add.
Now I'm going to go make a front page post about the frequency of mother-daughter prostitution, and see if it gets deleted.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:49 PM on August 19, 2007 [2 favorites]
I took the "your sister is a whore thing" as a current events joke.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:49 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:49 PM on August 19, 2007 [1 favorite]
I should have been more clear that I am talking about Confessor's deleted thread, not the obvious spammer.
But, I figure all of you here are already so invested in this it was abundantly clear.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:50 PM on August 19, 2007
But, I figure all of you here are already so invested in this it was abundantly clear.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:50 PM on August 19, 2007
Mesothelioma Mesothelioma Mesothelioma, huzzah!
mesothelioma tra la la la
whoa la la la ah tra la la
mesothelioma oola malla walla dalla
trauma la la la
posted by pyramid termite at 7:54 PM on August 19, 2007
mesothelioma tra la la la
whoa la la la ah tra la la
mesothelioma oola malla walla dalla
trauma la la la
posted by pyramid termite at 7:54 PM on August 19, 2007
Your sister sounds like a lot of fun, fandango_matt :)
posted by Poolio at 7:55 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by Poolio at 7:55 PM on August 19, 2007
There could be an interesting post about Mesothelioma, if someone did the research.
posted by delmoi at 7:56 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by delmoi at 7:56 PM on August 19, 2007
you should totally talk to that Poolio guy. I heard he likes you!
My e-mail address is in my profile... I can add my PayPal account info if necessary.
posted by Poolio at 8:03 PM on August 19, 2007
My e-mail address is in my profile... I can add my PayPal account info if necessary.
posted by Poolio at 8:03 PM on August 19, 2007
poolio, just post your credit card info here and someone will make sure you get fucked
posted by pyramid termite at 8:06 PM on August 19, 2007 [8 favorites]
posted by pyramid termite at 8:06 PM on August 19, 2007 [8 favorites]
poolio, just post your credit card info here and someone will make sure you get fucked
golf clap
posted by Poolio at 8:07 PM on August 19, 2007
golf clap
posted by Poolio at 8:07 PM on August 19, 2007
"What if someone calls my momma a whore?"
You can shit on their FPP.
posted by Poolio at 8:10 PM on August 19, 2007
You can shit on their FPP.
posted by Poolio at 8:10 PM on August 19, 2007
No discussion of asbestos would be complete without a link to Cheney.
posted by Poolio at 8:12 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by Poolio at 8:12 PM on August 19, 2007
Honestly?
I don't feel like even attempting to defend my conduct here or in the other thread; it was completely indefensible. I just don't react well to criticism, especially when I feel it is unwarranted.
And I felt that the general criticism of the post content was fundamentally unwarranted. Yes, it was a stunt post in that my focus on the subject was prompted by its appearance in this MeTa thread, but the curiosity was genuine, as was my desire to provide a genuine answer to the question posed by the spammer.
And yes, I did overuse secondary sources for my post, but I wasn't aware of any prohibition of that practice; I've never seen any complaints about people doing it before. It wasn't a single-link YouTube post, and it established a reasonable narrative.
Burhanistan
That's exactly what I encountered, and pretty much why my post, which I spent about an hour on, was still so devoid of primary source material. There were just so damned many overly-dry government reports and two-bit shysters.
posted by The Confessor at 8:25 PM on August 19, 2007
I don't feel like even attempting to defend my conduct here or in the other thread; it was completely indefensible. I just don't react well to criticism, especially when I feel it is unwarranted.
And I felt that the general criticism of the post content was fundamentally unwarranted. Yes, it was a stunt post in that my focus on the subject was prompted by its appearance in this MeTa thread, but the curiosity was genuine, as was my desire to provide a genuine answer to the question posed by the spammer.
And yes, I did overuse secondary sources for my post, but I wasn't aware of any prohibition of that practice; I've never seen any complaints about people doing it before. It wasn't a single-link YouTube post, and it established a reasonable narrative.
Burhanistan
That's exactly what I encountered, and pretty much why my post, which I spent about an hour on, was still so devoid of primary source material. There were just so damned many overly-dry government reports and two-bit shysters.
posted by The Confessor at 8:25 PM on August 19, 2007
Stunt posts have to be really incredibly awesome for them to stand. It almost never happens. Just a historical FYI.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:36 PM on August 19, 2007
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:36 PM on August 19, 2007
Jessamyn: So, stunt posts must contain, like, the best of the web, or whatever? Who'dve thunk.
how do you spell "who'd've?" who-would-have. damnit.
posted by dismas at 8:40 PM on August 19, 2007
how do you spell "who'd've?" who-would-have. damnit.
posted by dismas at 8:40 PM on August 19, 2007
My e-mail address is in my profile... I can add my PayPal account info if necessary.
Poolio, no paypal account needed, just leave $250 on the dresser, that's the way it's done around here.
posted by salvia at 8:40 PM on August 19, 2007
Poolio, no paypal account needed, just leave $250 on the dresser, that's the way it's done around here.
posted by salvia at 8:40 PM on August 19, 2007
Yes, we're very critical of front-page posts here. That's why making one that won't be ridiculed and deleted requires effort, research, a thick skin for well-deserved criticism, and more than a cursory reading of Wikipedia.
You know, all the dick-swinging in this thread aside, if there's one thing I hate about Metafilter some days, it's that paragraph I just quoted.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:48 PM on August 19, 2007 [5 favorites]
You know, all the dick-swinging in this thread aside, if there's one thing I hate about Metafilter some days, it's that paragraph I just quoted.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:48 PM on August 19, 2007 [5 favorites]
What jess said. Make stunt posts at your own risk, and wear plenty of sunscreen.
And, just for completeness' sake, previously on metafilter. RIP, Mr. McQueen.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:05 PM on August 19, 2007
And, just for completeness' sake, previously on metafilter. RIP, Mr. McQueen.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:05 PM on August 19, 2007
From those not in the "clique" over here, it seems petty and ridiculous.
I think you're wrong, and that the deletion of a post that was essentially nothing but Wikipedia and IMDB links will be easily understood by any Mefite able to rub two neurons together. "Clique" or not.
posted by mediareport at 10:43 PM on August 19, 2007
I think you're wrong, and that the deletion of a post that was essentially nothing but Wikipedia and IMDB links will be easily understood by any Mefite able to rub two neurons together. "Clique" or not.
posted by mediareport at 10:43 PM on August 19, 2007
Stunt posts have to be really incredibly awesome for them to stand. It almost never happens.
Whale day comes to mind.
Here's the thing. There are two kinds of threads on the blue that really work.
One is the isn't this cool/funny/amazing/amusing/outrageous (but watch the last one, please!). Many of these are SLYT, or flash games, or some goofy person doing something outRAGEOUS!
Then there's the "Here's something that you should really know more about". These should only be written by people who actually have done more than 30 minute research on the thing, and ideally have advanced knowledge on the subject.
In all honesty, I was a bit worried about my Koshari post from a few months back because a lot of the links -- particularly to the ingredients -- were basically just google hits. I think what made it work was that even if I wasn't hip to all the pieces, I was hip to the "glue" of the post -- the overall topic. I'd eaten koshary loads, I knew what the ingredients were and how they were prepared, I knew the significance that koshary had as a food to the Egyptian populace.
So if you wanted to make the Mesothelioma post, you'd have to do more than cursory research. You'd want to actually read up on it, find the *best* articles on it (secondary sources are fine, but Wikipedia, while the best encyclopedia of the web, is not *the* best of the web). A couple of scholarly articles, a posting from a government website, and maybe a blog or two from someone living with Mesothelioma would have made that post stunt-deletion proof. Heck, you might even point out how people are making money off of Mesothelioma online, including this probably (didn't bother to read it, as this is NOT an FPP) interesting article confession from a former Mesothelioma spammer.
See? Better already. Just work a little harder on google, and think how you can vary the content beyond a simple link to Wikipedia.
posted by Deathalicious at 3:21 AM on August 20, 2007 [2 favorites]
Whale day comes to mind.
Here's the thing. There are two kinds of threads on the blue that really work.
One is the isn't this cool/funny/amazing/amusing/outrageous (but watch the last one, please!). Many of these are SLYT, or flash games, or some goofy person doing something outRAGEOUS!
Then there's the "Here's something that you should really know more about". These should only be written by people who actually have done more than 30 minute research on the thing, and ideally have advanced knowledge on the subject.
In all honesty, I was a bit worried about my Koshari post from a few months back because a lot of the links -- particularly to the ingredients -- were basically just google hits. I think what made it work was that even if I wasn't hip to all the pieces, I was hip to the "glue" of the post -- the overall topic. I'd eaten koshary loads, I knew what the ingredients were and how they were prepared, I knew the significance that koshary had as a food to the Egyptian populace.
So if you wanted to make the Mesothelioma post, you'd have to do more than cursory research. You'd want to actually read up on it, find the *best* articles on it (secondary sources are fine, but Wikipedia, while the best encyclopedia of the web, is not *the* best of the web). A couple of scholarly articles, a posting from a government website, and maybe a blog or two from someone living with Mesothelioma would have made that post stunt-deletion proof. Heck, you might even point out how people are making money off of Mesothelioma online, including this probably (didn't bother to read it, as this is NOT an FPP) interesting article confession from a former Mesothelioma spammer.
See? Better already. Just work a little harder on google, and think how you can vary the content beyond a simple link to Wikipedia.
posted by Deathalicious at 3:21 AM on August 20, 2007 [2 favorites]
By the way, there are a few people out there (I think jonson might be one of them) that consistently make really awesome and appreciated FPPs. I would really welcome a page that's not at all tongue in cheek that traces the development of a FPP, from "Hey this would be a nice idea" to gathering of the relevant websites to composing the post. Really, some FPPs have moved people and informed people incredibly, and I would like nearly all FPPs to be like that. Basically, I would love to come here and have mind orgasms or something. Right now that happens once ever 20 posts or so, sometimes less.
I want more posts that make me say, "Wow, this is important and interesting and makes me wish I could devote an entire day to reading everything this person has put together."
Can we please have more of that?
One suggestion I have: a lot of people here have been to college, and possibly gone on for a masters/PhD. I'd love to read articles stemming from their personal knowledge sets. Maybe they can go back to a research paper they wrote that they thought they did a good job on, look up some relevant links and tie it together with the conclusions from their papers.
I'm more than willing to try it out myself. Keep your eyes peeled I'll try to have something up on bottom-up information sharing in the next week or so.
posted by Deathalicious at 3:34 AM on August 20, 2007
I want more posts that make me say, "Wow, this is important and interesting and makes me wish I could devote an entire day to reading everything this person has put together."
Can we please have more of that?
One suggestion I have: a lot of people here have been to college, and possibly gone on for a masters/PhD. I'd love to read articles stemming from their personal knowledge sets. Maybe they can go back to a research paper they wrote that they thought they did a good job on, look up some relevant links and tie it together with the conclusions from their papers.
I'm more than willing to try it out myself. Keep your eyes peeled I'll try to have something up on bottom-up information sharing in the next week or so.
posted by Deathalicious at 3:34 AM on August 20, 2007
My father had a brother...
You mean your uncle?
My father had a brother who's brother was my father!
posted by furtive at 4:03 AM on August 20, 2007
You mean your uncle?
My father had a brother who's brother was my father!
posted by furtive at 4:03 AM on August 20, 2007
I'll try to have something up on bottom-up information sharing in the next week or so.
I think anything on bottom-up sharing is bound to be super popular 'round these parts.
posted by taz at 6:52 AM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
I think anything on bottom-up sharing is bound to be super popular 'round these parts.
posted by taz at 6:52 AM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
Only for the liquor.
Wait a sec, man, all that trouble and you're gonna go with drunk psotting? Come on! Get righteous!
posted by carsonb at 7:04 AM on August 20, 2007
Wait a sec, man, all that trouble and you're gonna go with drunk psotting? Come on! Get righteous!
posted by carsonb at 7:04 AM on August 20, 2007
I must have misunderstood the thread progression; given what I understood of it, I crafted my post as an insinuation that alcohol is a frequent vice on my father's side of the family. Although oddly enough given that history, my own father turned out to be a teetotaler.
posted by The Confessor at 7:27 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by The Confessor at 7:27 AM on August 20, 2007
I think you're wrong, and that the deletion of a post that was essentially nothing but Wikipedia and IMDB links will be easily understood by any Mefite able to rub two neurons together. "Clique" or not.
posted by mediareport at 12:43 AM on August 20
Well, I think you're wrong, except I can demonstrate you are wrong by locating dozens of posts, just in the last few months, that were "essentially nothing but Wikipedia and IMDB links". If you allow YouTube, it could possibly number in the hundreds.
The vast majority of MeFi users do not participate in MetaTalk. I would guess that somewhere around 90% of users would have thought nothing about the post.
Also, if it had been one of the "clique" who made the post, it would have been smirked at, and there would have been subtle in-jokes all along the thread, making veiled references to the tempest in the teapot that only a tiny minority of MeFites even knew anything about.
But it most certainly would not have been deleted. No way, no how. It would have been a wink and a nod, and a knowing smile.
The short of the matter is that if this post had been made without the spammer incident, it would have stood, and never been questioned, except for the people who always complain about every thread. But no more than normal.
But, because it was not one of the "cool kids" and he was dipping his unwelcome toe in the MeTa waters... well, that simply won't do.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:37 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by mediareport at 12:43 AM on August 20
Well, I think you're wrong, except I can demonstrate you are wrong by locating dozens of posts, just in the last few months, that were "essentially nothing but Wikipedia and IMDB links". If you allow YouTube, it could possibly number in the hundreds.
The vast majority of MeFi users do not participate in MetaTalk. I would guess that somewhere around 90% of users would have thought nothing about the post.
Also, if it had been one of the "clique" who made the post, it would have been smirked at, and there would have been subtle in-jokes all along the thread, making veiled references to the tempest in the teapot that only a tiny minority of MeFites even knew anything about.
But it most certainly would not have been deleted. No way, no how. It would have been a wink and a nod, and a knowing smile.
The short of the matter is that if this post had been made without the spammer incident, it would have stood, and never been questioned, except for the people who always complain about every thread. But no more than normal.
But, because it was not one of the "cool kids" and he was dipping his unwelcome toe in the MeTa waters... well, that simply won't do.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:37 AM on August 20, 2007
I think you've got kind of a weird model of the interaction between Metatalk snark and administrative decisions. Stunt posts make messes and often get deleted because of that, unless they're just really great posts. The "other things like it didn't get deleted" argument doesn't hold up because (a) not everything that could be deleted is, for a wide variety of reasons, and (b) the other things like it weren't posted in highly conspicuous circumstances.
Deathalicious put together some good evidence that a better post could be made on this, with more care; and practically speaking, it could be done a week from now instead of yesterday, so that any sense of stuntiness or raw nerves from the spammer/Metatalk thing has evaporated.
When we had the askme about concealed carry a few months back, the poster had the good sense to hold off for several days because of the weird context of the Virginia Tech shooting that re-raised the question in his mind. Even then, it was a bumpy thread, but if he'd asked it as soon as it had occurred to him it would've been a nightmare, even though he was asking a reasonable question in good faith.
This doesn't need to be reframed in some stretch of a wink-nod-smile theory wherein Matt suddenly likes to encourage cliqueiness; it was a meh post that was incontrivertibly stunty in context. Those generally get deleted, and it doesn't matter who posted 'em.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:22 AM on August 20, 2007
Deathalicious put together some good evidence that a better post could be made on this, with more care; and practically speaking, it could be done a week from now instead of yesterday, so that any sense of stuntiness or raw nerves from the spammer/Metatalk thing has evaporated.
When we had the askme about concealed carry a few months back, the poster had the good sense to hold off for several days because of the weird context of the Virginia Tech shooting that re-raised the question in his mind. Even then, it was a bumpy thread, but if he'd asked it as soon as it had occurred to him it would've been a nightmare, even though he was asking a reasonable question in good faith.
This doesn't need to be reframed in some stretch of a wink-nod-smile theory wherein Matt suddenly likes to encourage cliqueiness; it was a meh post that was incontrivertibly stunty in context. Those generally get deleted, and it doesn't matter who posted 'em.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:22 AM on August 20, 2007
cortex: I understand what you're saying, and appreciate your response.
But, from your description it seems likely the post probably would not have been deleted based on quality issues alone.
I guess my point is... it was deleted BECAUSE it was a "stunt post" (which perhaps I don't fully understand the definition of), but 90% of MeFi readership would have never known it was a stunt post.
So, it appears to be capricious to those who aren't regulars on MetaTalk.
That's all I was getting at.
At any rate I know the admins' job is thankless and sometimes pointless. As I said above, I appreciate you taking the time to address my comments, and I do understand the reasoning better. But I thought you might appreciate the perspective from joe average user.
posted by Ynoxas at 9:54 AM on August 20, 2007
But, from your description it seems likely the post probably would not have been deleted based on quality issues alone.
I guess my point is... it was deleted BECAUSE it was a "stunt post" (which perhaps I don't fully understand the definition of), but 90% of MeFi readership would have never known it was a stunt post.
So, it appears to be capricious to those who aren't regulars on MetaTalk.
That's all I was getting at.
At any rate I know the admins' job is thankless and sometimes pointless. As I said above, I appreciate you taking the time to address my comments, and I do understand the reasoning better. But I thought you might appreciate the perspective from joe average user.
posted by Ynoxas at 9:54 AM on August 20, 2007
It wasn't a single-link YouTube post, and it established a reasonable narrative.
There is nothing categorically bad about single link YouTube posts. Some single link YouTube posts are great; some aren't; most of them are far better than your post. Stop using "single-link YouTube" as a synonym for "bad."
posted by Kwine at 10:03 AM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
There is nothing categorically bad about single link YouTube posts. Some single link YouTube posts are great; some aren't; most of them are far better than your post. Stop using "single-link YouTube" as a synonym for "bad."
posted by Kwine at 10:03 AM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I hear you, Ynoxas. I don't worry too much about the deletion seeming capricious to the average casual reader, because the deletion will also be totally invisible to the average casual reader. It's possible that a small chunk of people will see the post on the front page in one blink and not in the next and wonder a little, but anyone who actually read the comments inside the thread, or the deletion reason, would have a pretty good indication that there's something odd going on besides random deletion.
Balancing act, basically. We could make the deletion seem less puzzling to anybody who happens to be paying attention to the post but doesn't know what's going on in the larger arc of things—but that'd essentially require that we use more blinking lights specifically to call attention to stuntery, which doesn't really seem like an improvement. As it is, there's a link to this thread in the second comment of the thread; it'd be hard to make the connection any clearer.
As for Metatalk itself being a strange and confouding place, heck yeah, but that's just the nature of the beast.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:13 AM on August 20, 2007
Balancing act, basically. We could make the deletion seem less puzzling to anybody who happens to be paying attention to the post but doesn't know what's going on in the larger arc of things—but that'd essentially require that we use more blinking lights specifically to call attention to stuntery, which doesn't really seem like an improvement. As it is, there's a link to this thread in the second comment of the thread; it'd be hard to make the connection any clearer.
As for Metatalk itself being a strange and confouding place, heck yeah, but that's just the nature of the beast.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:13 AM on August 20, 2007
Wikipedia has a rule that I've always liked which is "do not disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point" If you make a post to MeFi that is more of a wink/nod to some Metatalk thread than it is a good post, that point alone will weigh in on the side of deletion. Random non-MeTa insiders will just think it's a lame "what is this doing here" post and MeTa insiders will split, usually, between thinking it's awesome and thinking it's annoying.
Whale Day was a weird anomaly and while it was fun and amusing it did become a bit of an admin problem because people posted all sorts of nonsense, everyone was flagging everything, and we had to have a little admin summit to figure out what to do for the rest of Whale Day, whether to just delete nothing whale-related or still try to draw some quality line in the sand someplace.
Despite using Wikipedia links to illustrate this comment, Wikipedia links rarely make for good MeFi posts except as backgrounders and definitions.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:14 AM on August 20, 2007
Whale Day was a weird anomaly and while it was fun and amusing it did become a bit of an admin problem because people posted all sorts of nonsense, everyone was flagging everything, and we had to have a little admin summit to figure out what to do for the rest of Whale Day, whether to just delete nothing whale-related or still try to draw some quality line in the sand someplace.
Despite using Wikipedia links to illustrate this comment, Wikipedia links rarely make for good MeFi posts except as backgrounders and definitions.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:14 AM on August 20, 2007
>Stunt posts have to be really incredibly awesome for them to stand.
>Wait.... good threads are a stunt now?
Socrates is not a cat.
Also, I haven't even a whisper of a clue what the heck Whale Day is or was. Ah well.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:08 PM on August 20, 2007
>Wait.... good threads are a stunt now?
Socrates is not a cat.
Also, I haven't even a whisper of a clue what the heck Whale Day is or was. Ah well.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:08 PM on August 20, 2007
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posted by jessamyn (staff) at 3:41 PM on August 19, 2007