Darrin O'Brien is not amused

So we're letting this stay? It's been there a few hours - I'm just wondering if something changed with policies here.

Are comments like that okay now? Or is Cortex the Killer waiting on a new plasma rifle shipment? I'm not the only one that noticed. Perhaps this comment is some really funny in-joke that I'm just missing out on?

posted by cashman to etiquette/policy at 10:05 AM (87 comments total)

Didn't see it in the flag queue, but deleted (for reference, it was something about calling canadian/vermonters "snow niggahs").
posted by mathowie at 10:11 AM on February 28 [1 favorite]

Eh, flatlanders are always jealous about how shitty their scenery is. Vermont is sorry your fall is only 1 week and very, very ugly. Don't hate.
posted by absalom at 10:13 AM on February 28 [1 favorite]

Thankya sir.
posted by cashman at 10:13 AM on February 28

We don't even get a week. : (
posted by misha at 10:14 AM on February 28

that comment was pretty awesome.
posted by shmegegge at 10:14 AM on February 28

Vermont is sorry your fall is only 1 week and very, very ugly

Shows what you know! Thanks to greenhouse gasses, our fall lasts from september through february! My winter was 2 days long and it's already spring!
posted by shmegegge at 10:15 AM on February 28 [1 favorite]

Ooo. I still have that page loaded with the forbidden comment. I feel all illegal 'n' shit.
posted by telstar at 10:18 AM on February 28 [1 favorite]

So what cold weather related slurs are allowed? Can we still call people iceholes?
posted by burnmp3s at 10:23 AM on February 28

Why do you think it's appropriate to be so passive-aggressive in your questions to mods? I didn't read the comment, although it sounds egregious, but this callout sucks shit.
posted by OmieWise at 10:28 AM on February 28

Because it could have been some joke that I missed. I wasn't trying to be passive aggressive about it - sometimes comments that look sketchy are references to an actual comment that was made elsewhere, so that it serves as a commentary on that mindset. I didn't know if that was what was going on or not. Huronbob wondered too, so that's when I posted.
posted by cashman at 10:32 AM on February 28

Oh, I guess that makes more sense, but I still think the wording could have been better. There are many callouts that follow a general, "Have the rules changed, or are you all unethical assholes?" template, and they drive me nuts. If yours was not one of those, it wasn't.

Regardless, I, of course, should have been more restrained in my criticism. Sorry. But do as I say, dammit, and not as I do.
posted by OmieWise at 10:35 AM on February 28

Ooo. I still have that page loaded with the forbidden comment. I feel all illegal 'n' shit.

A real badass move would be to paste it here.

A real bad~~ass~~ move would be to paste it here.

FTFM.
posted by dersins at 10:36 AM on February 28

Per this callout, I will be on the utmost vigilance for the phrase "snow niggahz" in any and all discourse taking place on the pure and unsoiled intertubeness.
posted by telstar at 10:42 AM on February 28

Thank you telstar. You know, the price of comment freedom is eternal vigilance.
posted by cashman at 10:49 AM on February 28

The offending comment can still be viewed at the deleted comments site.
posted by brain_drain at 10:50 AM on February 28 [12 favorites]

For posterity:

---

CHESTER A. ARTHUR was born in Vermont, but rumors suggested it was Canada

Snow niggahs representin'!

---

I wasn't entirely sure what to make of it either; it struck me more as weirdly bizarre than anything, but I know nothing about Vermont/Canadian humor, or really anything about the user who made the comment, so I was kind of curious what the deal was and if there was some sort of explanation forthcoming..

Or is Cortex the Killer waiting on a new plasma rifle shipment?

I was in a dayjob meeting for most of the last hour, which is like a plasma rifle supply chain delay except without any of the cool parts.
posted by cortex at 10:53 AM on February 28

To be precise, it looks more like you used a gravity gun to pick up the comment in the other thread and drop it in this one.
posted by brain_drain at 10:56 AM on February 28

Ok, contest time. We all know from numero uno's comment here that the horrible, eye-burning verboten comment in question contained the phrase "snow niggahs". I will give everyone a huge head start by telling y'all that the deleted comment had exactly ONE other word. Can you guess that word? First one with the right answer wins a trip to deleted thread.

On preview: contest cancelled. Snow niggahs representin' again.
posted by telstar at 11:00 AM on February 28

Is caddis a true Mefite?
posted by KokuRyu at 11:12 AM on February 28

Now that we've solved that little problem:

PLEASE DON'T LET HERMITOSIS DIE!!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:15 AM on February 28 [1 favorite]

"So we're letting this stay?"

And just who are you, the mouse in Matt's pocket?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:26 AM on February 28

Note: I have no actual knowledge of any pocket rodents, Matt's or otherwise
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:26 AM on February 28

"PLEASE DON'T LET HERMITOSIS DIE!!"

Wow, with that many votes to go I could probably kill him with my sock puppets alone.

Note: I have no actual knowledge of any ~~pocket rodents, Matt's~~ sock puppets, mine or otherwise
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:28 AM on February 28

If dude teeters at 499, I'm pushing him over the edge just to have done with it.
posted by cortex at 11:32 AM on February 28

I removed my favorite from hermitosis' comment. Which is not something I do very often.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:34 AM on February 28

If dude teeters at 499, I'm pushing him over the edge just to have done with it.

All I can say is, you'd better bury me deep.
posted by hermitosis at 11:35 AM on February 28

Now that we've solved that little problem:

PLEASE DON'T LET HERMITOSIS DIE!!

I think the solution for hermitosis is to only look at that post on the "Popular" page, where (at least for me) it shows only "72 users marked this as a favorite". Wierd.
posted by inigo2 at 11:37 AM on February 28

You know that thing about how if someone closes their account and then regrets it and asks us nicely we'll re-open it?

You know that other thing about exceptions that prove rules?

This is the peanut-butter-meets-chocolate of juxtapositional schadenfruede, is pretty much what I'm saying here.
posted by cortex at 11:38 AM on February 28 [5 favorites]

Sorry about that. I was too busy living in THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON EARTH to pay attention to that. The "snow niggahs" quote is probably supposed to be doubly funny because of the general racial makeup of Vermont (nearly entirely caucasian, though we have francophone and anglophone flavors) but it falls a little flat here.

cashman: asking if "the rules have changed" is sort of a dopey trope that doesn't go over really well here. Just ask your question and save the handwaving for... the Rose Bowl parade? If you really want to freak out about something, doing it over email is also an option.
posted by jessamyn at 11:41 AM on February 28

This is the peanut-butter-meets-chocolate of juxtapositional schadenfruede

That has to be on the next t-shirt you all produce.
posted by cashman at 11:42 AM on February 28 [1 favorite]

"snow niggahs representin'" is gonna be my tramp stamp. (And I'm not technically female.)
posted by telstar at 11:43 AM on February 28

This is the peanut-butter-meets-chocolate of juxtapositional schadenfruede, is pretty much what I'm saying here.

I have no idea what you're talking about, cortex. Do you have to like peanut butter to get what you're saying here?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:45 AM on February 28 [1 favorite]

I like it when people use the word "ultimatum." When I hear it, I think "ultimate tomato." Because when you give someone an ultimatum, it's kinda like you're throwing a tomato at them. But not just any tomato - you're throwing The Ultimate Tomato. All big and red and exploding in your face.
posted by Afroblanco at 11:46 AM on February 28

asking if "the rules have changed" is sort of a dopey trope that doesn't go over really well here.

Sorry about that. I really wasn't trying to be all dramatic about it. My bad.
posted by cashman at 11:46 AM on February 28

juxtapositional schadenfreude

Worst band name EVAR. The Dopey Tropes, on the other hand, is great.
posted by languagehat at 11:54 AM on February 28 [4 favorites]

I ain't saying he's a snow digger. But he ain't messing with no broke Vermonters.
posted by dw at 11:55 AM on February 28 [4 favorites]

Jessamyn The Today Show was in Vermont the other day and I looked for you but didn't see you. Were you in the back? Is Matt Lauer cute in person?
posted by ND¢ at 12:00 PM on February 28

You know that thing about how if someone closes their account and then regrets it and asks us nicely we'll re-open it?

Ominous! First of all, if it came to that, I have no qualms about taking all y'all onto Judge Judy. I can just imagine Matt standing at the defendent podium trying to explain to Judy what a community weblog is while cortex and jessamyn hang back in the adjacent chairs looking totally irritated.

I was thinking that if the 500 wasn't maintained, if it ever dipped back down, that I would be resurrected until people caught on and remedied the situation. But if I have to pester the mods each time that happens, then it doesn't seem right. So I don't blame you if I am out for keeps.
posted by hermitosis at 12:01 PM on February 28

He's at 492!
posted by agregoli at 12:01 PM on February 28

493!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:03 PM on February 28

So who's going to post the new MetaTalk thread about it when it hits 500?
posted by burnmp3s at 12:04 PM on February 28

It's a roller coaster of emotions!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:06 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]

So who's going to post the new MetaTalk thread about it when it hits 500?

snow niggahs at your service!

/dead horse
posted by telstar at 12:08 PM on February 28

494!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:09 PM on February 28

So who's going to post the new MetaTalk thread about it when it hits 500?

Not me. But as soon as he disables his account, I'll remove my favorite from the comment. I would encourage others to do the same.
posted by dersins at 12:11 PM on February 28

No, 493! You are in my power hermitosis now, muwhahahahahahaa!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:13 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]

I'm here! I don't normally read MetaTalk, bug came here because I was curious as to why my comment was expunged.

So here's the genesis. I live in Vancouver, which has, as most of you know, attracted a great number of "runaway" film productions from major studios. I read in a local magazine, it must be four or five years ago, that the Americans coming up here referred to us as "Snow Niggers." (Polite/euphemistic spelling not used here as that was how it was reported.)

I thought this was funny, and, obviously, have remembered it although it's not a term I've used since.

Now comes the post about the "extraterritorial" presidential candidates. I was delighted to learn that one candidate was uncovered as being "Canadian." It seemed natural to me to make a joke-like-thing comparing being revealed as an outsider in one arena with being an outsider in another, linking the two with the "snow niggah" term, which I love.

Which I have, since, appropriated from the man. And do not dare use it unless you are part of my snow crew.

All you haytahs out there: it's a Canadian thing; you wouldn't understand.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 12:18 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]

Ah, so it was an in-joke! You might have done well to have linked to something somewhat explanatory. Thanks for the explanation.
posted by cashman at 12:22 PM on February 28

*scratchy radio voice*

"snow niggahs representin'" is a phrase that will go down....in INFAMY!
posted by telstar at 12:24 PM on February 28

it's a ~~Canadian~~Vancouver thing

And you people don't even have a real winter.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:25 PM on February 28

Didn't see it in the flag queue, but deleted (for reference, it was something about calling canadian/vermonters "snow niggahs").

I get it now, #1: You thought it was some kind of 'racist' dig at Vermonters or Canadians. Nope, just racial pride from a real snow denizen.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 12:26 PM on February 28

shmegegge : Shows what you know! Thanks to greenhouse gasses, our fall lasts from september through february! My winter was 2 days long and it's already spring!

Allow me for a moment to describe to you the hell on earth that has been Wisconsin for the last month or so. It goes like this: -10º, 5 inches of snow, -15º, 8 inches of snow, 2º (-20 with windchill), 15 inches of snow.

Take this theme and stretch it out over the last five weeks and you have a fair description of the nightmare that is this winter.

I only mention this so that when I tell you that I ~~hate~~ envy you, you will understand why.
posted by quin at 12:28 PM on February 28

Dylan to interviewer circa 1965:

"I mean hey man, are all these people payin' me to be a snow niggah?"
posted by telstar at 12:29 PM on February 28

Martin Luther King:

"that one day, ALL snow niggahs will be judged on the content of their character."
posted by telstar at 12:30 PM on February 28

Just four to go, people. My finger's getting really tired from hitting F5 on hermitosis' comment.
posted by middleclasstool at 12:31 PM on February 28

Ronald Wilson Reagan:

"Snow niggahs are not the solution. The problem is snow niggahs."
posted by telstar at 12:32 PM on February 28

Not me. But as soon as he disables his account, I'll remove my favorite from the comment. I would encourage others to do the same.

But then hermitosis will never learn a valuable lesson about responsibility! you're chipping away at the moral structure of the internet!
posted by dubold at 12:33 PM on February 28

And you people don't even have a real winter.

Can't argue with that, but I was raised in the East (the Canadian "projects"). And don't be saying "you people": we're people, same as you.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 12:34 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]

Barry Goldwater:

"I would remind you that extremism in the defense of snow niggahs is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of snow niggahs is no virtue."
posted by telstar at 12:35 PM on February 28

Nope, just racial pride from a real snow denizen.

By "snow", I think you mean "grey skies, rain, and 'ohhh it's only going up to 10C today, it's so NIPPY lately!!'"
posted by CKmtl at 12:36 PM on February 28

seriously. Chicago is getting all the same snow, but at least we get melts between them. More snow tonight. WEE!
posted by garlic at 12:36 PM on February 28

Tim Leary:

"Tune in, turn on, snow niggah."
posted by telstar at 12:37 PM on February 28

By "snow", I think you mean "grey skies, rain, and 'ohhh it's only going up to 10C today, it's so NIPPY lately!!'"

Oh! Will you people please stop making fun of me because I live in Vancouver!
posted by Turtles all the way down at 12:38 PM on February 28

jessamyn: Now, now, let's not give in to hyperbole. Vermont is not the most beautiful place on Earth, it's simply the most beautiful place in the lower 48.
posted by absalom at 12:38 PM on February 28

Adolph Hitler:

Mein Snow Niggah
posted by telstar at 12:38 PM on February 28

"If dude teeters at 499, I'm pushing him over the edge just to have done with it."

OK, I gave him #499.

GO GET 'IM, CORTIE
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:39 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]

Joseph Stalin:

"Death of one snow niggah is a tradgedy. Death of one million snow niggahs is a statistic."
posted by telstar at 12:39 PM on February 28

Turtles: Nope, just racial pride from a real snow denizen.

As Alvy pointed out, Vancouverites are straight-up frontin' on this snow shit. Ya'll ain't even got winter tires on your rides! I ain't never heard of none of them Vancouver punks shovelling of they roof.
posted by ssg at 12:40 PM on February 28

Mao:

"Let a thousand snow niggahs bloom!"
posted by telstar at 12:40 PM on February 28

TPS beat him to it!

*puts on tinted goggles, waits for asplosion*
posted by middleclasstool at 12:40 PM on February 28

I DONE DID IT

AND I HAVE THE SCREENSHOTS TO PROVE IT
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:41 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]

(that was in re: crash's comment, not the Chairman)
posted by middleclasstool at 12:41 PM on February 28

George W. Bush:

"Ahm the snow niggah here...and I've decided Don Rumsfeld stays."
posted by telstar at 12:42 PM on February 28

Oh, good god. Please don't tell me I've started a MeFi meme.

Is this something you'd have to be a snow niggah to understand?
posted by Turtles all the way down at 12:43 PM on February 28

I'm really surprised no one's made an "a-licky boom-boom down" joke yet.
posted by middleclasstool at 12:43 PM on February 28

I DONE DID IT

I will remember this amazing moment for the rest of my life.
posted by burnmp3s at 12:44 PM on February 28

John McCain:

"hundred years war? No, I meant, hundred SNOW NIGGAHS war."
posted by telstar at 12:44 PM on February 28

I want the time back that I spent reading this thread.
posted by oaf at 12:44 PM on February 28

I'm seeing 500.... no wait, it has gone back to 498.
posted by saucysault at 12:46 PM on February 28

The Ultimatum got up to 500 a few minutes ago, then it dropped down to 499, then 498. It's oddly compelling.
posted by EarBucket at 12:46 PM on February 28

We need a ruling from the judges here...I'm saying hittin' the mark's hittin' the mark.
posted by middleclasstool at 12:47 PM on February 28

telstar, venturing well into weird territory now.

TPS beat him to it!

You wound me; my intent was never to jump on the bandwagon, but rather to concede, in the unlikely event of a bandwagon itself long-stalled at exactly 499, to cast my favorite in with the lot I was otherwise pointedly avoiding, lest the drama extend itself indefinitely.

I'm really surprised no one's made an "a-licky boom-boom down" joke yet.

Heh.
posted by cortex at 12:47 PM on February 28

Darrin O'Brien is not amused February 28, 2008 10:05 AM Subscribe

Darrin O'Brien is not amused
February 28, 2008 10:05 AM Subscribe