I'm not Mom's favorite either

November 13, 2008 2:19 PM

I musta pissed someone off...

So yesterday, I notice that my "favorited by others" was 5515, which stuck in my head because, well, I thought, "that's five - five - not five - five, but it'll be all fives 40 favorites from now". And that I had (I think) 107 people linking to me as a contact.

Today I made one of my usual ranting comments, and it quickly got 20 or so favorites, and I got a scattering of favorites for other desultory comments. So imagine my surprise when my "favorited by others" was only 5520, or net plus five, and my contacts from others at 106.

Of course I'm not complaining that someone decided to unaward a favorite or remove a contact -- that's fine.

But it would be nice if this activity could be summarized: "X people unfavorited Y comments of yours in the last Z hours". And on the contacts, it would be nice if that were announced too, if just to know who I pissed off, just like people who add me as a contact are announced on the sidebar.

posted by orthogonality to Feature Requests at 2:19 PM (317 comments total)

Ha! I just saw the same thing. Lost contact, lost favorites. RUH ROH FIRE UP THE MYSTERY MACHINE.
posted by The Straightener at 2:22 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

You my have pissed no one off, sometimes a favorite is just a bookmark, not a vote of "YOU ARE AWESOME!!!
posted by piratebowling at 2:23 PM on November 13, 2008 [6 favorites]

I sometimes wonder if I should setup something that monitors my facebook friends list and then tells me which is the one who dropped me to decrement the total number—but then I think, won't that be even sadder? And saddest would be following up about why they removed me a friend. Maybe it's just one of the rules of the universe that people should be allowed to un-like other people without either worrying too much about it—although that's often not the case.
posted by Non Prosequitur at 2:25 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

But it would be nice if this activity could be summarized: "X people unfavorited Y comments of yours in the last Z hours". And on the contacts, it would be nice if that were announced too, if just to know who I pissed off

Wow, this seems like the worst idea imaginable. No other website does this that I know of and recently someone made an "unfollow" tracker for twitter and it turned the entire twitter universe into 14 year-olds for a few days.

In general for your own sanity, I think it's best not to know or track this stuff so closely. People have a variety of reasons for favoriting or unfavoriting something or adding or removing you as a contact. It may be something you said, it may be something someone else said, it may be them trying to just reduce cruft from their profile, or it could be someone removing everything from their account.

If this type of account activity was closely tracked on mefi, it'd lead to two negative things. One is that people would be hesitant to mark and unmark favorites. It'd suddenly be a feature with tons of baggage, moving from a light "hey I like that and/or want to save it for later" to "hmm, is this good enough to save and share with the entire world tracking me?". The second problem is that the next obvious step becomes you contacting someone and asking them why they unfavorited something or removed you as a contact. For a lot of users here, getting a heated private message from someone asking what your problem with them is could lead to a lot of uncomfortable and odd exchanges.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:26 PM on November 13, 2008 [22 favorites]

Oh no! I don't want to know who hates me.

I would never unfavorite someone's comment just because they said something later that pissed me off. That's just a level of childishness that even I have risen above. But sometimes I unfavorite a post or the answer to a question just because it's not relevant to me any more. If someone posts "Where can I find the best chocolate babka in NYC?" to AskMeFi and I favorite it, then I actually find the best chocolate babka (and if you know where this is please tell me), I might unfavorite the question just to tidy things up.
posted by Evangeline at 2:27 PM on November 13, 2008

Cortex just has more time to unmark all the stuff he doesn't think is funny anymore.

Seriously, noticed some weirdness like this myself over the last few days. Mine goes up, goes down. Sometimes I figure people marked something by accident. Sometimes think it must be banned accounts (those go away?).

I said something stupid in one of the Obama threads that got like 7 in a few hours, then all went away, so figured them favoriting brought it to someone's attention who decided the comment couldn't stand *poof* one less comment, seven less favorites. Couldn't remember the comment, so no way to go back and check if this is right.

I would almost like a tab of "crap you've said that we've deleted," but then I am guessing admins would be inundated by people asking why something was removed.
posted by cjorgensen at 2:27 PM on November 13, 2008

I could be wrong, but it feels as though I have noticed that some back end changes appear to affect favorite totals-- i.e. how deleted posts, questions , and comments (as well as cancelled user accounts) are treated and / or counted in the database.
posted by dersins at 2:28 PM on November 13, 2008

I don't think we track unfavoritings or uncontactings in the db at all; I think we just blow out the row from the appropriate table and it may as well never have existed. I could be wrong about that, but I think that's the case. I'm skeptical whether Matt is gonna feel like putting in extra work to generate an event tracking system for those cases.

And honestly, I see the removal side of the equation as more fraught with potential drama and negative feelings, and less otherwise useful, than the "this favorite exists / this person has added you" functionality we currently have. I can understand the curiosity, but I tend to think of that sort of thing as more of a zen shrug kind of situation than something worthy worrying too much about.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:28 PM on November 13, 2008

Also, every time I add a new favorite, I'll un-favorite a comment and / or post to keep my total at a fixed number.
posted by dersins at 2:29 PM on November 13, 2008

I occasionally weed through my favorites, deleting things I feel I no longer need, to make it eadier to locate what I do. Maybe someone just doesn't find a bug chunk of things you've said that awesome anymore. You can't even tell who it is, so I guess you don't read your favorites that closely.

I very much enjoy knowing who frequently favorites me. What I would like is a way to sort them by user.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:36 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

it was me. your opinions on query execution schemes (e.g. your thoughts on bookmark lookups)are just plain wrong. Wrong for metafilter, wrong for america.
posted by boo_radley at 2:38 PM on November 13, 2008 [10 favorites]

I use the 'favorites' function as a bookmark, and I'll unbookmark things I don't need to reference any more. So it's not whether I like you, it's whether you're still useful to me.
It's not easy being the one to tell you that you're useless.
posted by ardgedee at 2:38 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I actually find the best chocolate babka (and if you know where this is please tell me)

It's at The Royal Bakery. That's their specialty.
posted by CKmtl at 2:39 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

We should change the nomenclature.

Instead of calling them "favorites", we should refer to them as "Internet Popularity Points."

The verb form of this would be "IPP."
posted by jason's_planet at 2:39 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Ambrosia Voyeur writes "I very much enjoy knowing who frequently favorites me. What I would like is a way to sort them by user."

That would be cool too, although I'm pretty sure I know who most often favorites me.
posted by orthogonality at 2:39 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

This happened to me just now also. I thought it was just me and it was someone reacting to me being a an asshat. Did tehloki or some other serial favoriter have an epiphany?
posted by Burhanistan at 2:39 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Maybe someone just doesn't find a bug chunk of things you've said that awesome anymore.

Chut up!
posted by The Straightener at 2:40 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

I never even check my favorites. Maybe I should.

Hmm. Click click.

Holy shit.













I am a god.
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:41 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Wow, this seems like the worst idea imaginable.

Hey, we're not the ones who hired cortex.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:42 PM on November 13, 2008 [4 favorites]

I use favorites like Nixon used his enemies list.
posted by found missing at 2:44 PM on November 13, 2008 [4 favorites]

I swear to god I had 53 contacts before I read this thread. Now I have 52.

Somebody in this thread is a murderer.
posted by Jofus at 2:45 PM on November 13, 2008 [7 favorites]

DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.
posted by The Straightener at 2:49 PM on November 13, 2008 [4 favorites]

twitter universe

Twitverse, surely?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:50 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Sooooo...if it's happening to all of us, then chances are, it's all the same person...

The question then being...

[cue dramatic chimpmunk]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:52 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I know who it is. It is a big favoriter... and I had a mutual contact that isn't there anymore. Not telling who it is, but they are a well known user.
posted by Burhanistan at 2:53 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

it's Obama isn't it.
posted by found missing at 2:54 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Yeah, I know, too. I don't know why, and at first I was kinda like, "holy crap, what did I say? Because...like...really, it could have been so very many things..." but now that it's obviously a room full of people, and said user did not push the big red button, my guess is he just kinda went, "Dude, I have a lot of contacts. And a lot of favorites. Why?" And there ya go.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:56 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Watching their favorite count drop as I hit refresh...
posted by Burhanistan at 2:57 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

kittens for breakfast, that sounds about right. I'd be amused it this fuss was about something I did so he's probably having a smirk right about now.
posted by Burhanistan at 2:58 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

I have ~6 less favorites than i used to this morning. Weird.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:59 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

drjimmy, don't get your nylons in a wad.
posted by Burhanistan at 3:00 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

The Great De-Favoriting of 2008 is upon us, ladies and gentleman. I suggest you take what favorites remain and make for the panic room.
posted by The Straightener at 3:02 PM on November 13, 2008 [6 favorites]

A long time member is cleaning house prior to closing the account. (No, I'm not talking about myself, and I'm not interested in further speculation.) I will miss this person.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:04 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions several score favorites suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.
posted by orthogonality at 3:05 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

IRFH, I enjoy their contributions as well, which is why I tagged them as a contact.
posted by Burhanistan at 3:06 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

I just lost six more!

HALP ME, I'M MEEEEEEELTING!
posted by The Straightener at 3:06 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Every de-favorited comment should then be reassigned as an asshat point.
posted by chillmost at 3:07 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Not only do I expect my favorited-count to never go down, I expect it to accrue interest!
posted by adamrice at 3:09 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

This is like watching my 401k
posted by found missing at 3:09 PM on November 13, 2008 [10 favorites]

NO NO DON'T LEEEEEAVE US
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:10 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

A long time member is cleaning house prior to closing the account. (No, I'm not talking about myself, and I'm not interested in further speculation.) I will miss this person.

Wait...what? Why would this person be bailing out, and why would you go to the trouble of removing contacts before you did?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:11 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I use the favorites as bookmarks because it takes me awhile to work through some of the posts with many links.
posted by bjgeiger at 3:14 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

NO NO DON'T LEEEEEAVE US

TPS, you're just lucky it's not this guy.
posted by dersins at 3:14 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Perish the thought!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:15 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Barack Obama wants to know which screen-names (PDF) you use on the Internet. It seems obvious that someone here is just tidying up a few things in preparation for a Presidential appointment.
posted by milkrate at 3:16 PM on November 13, 2008 [4 favorites]

You know what's fun? Going way back in the archives like '03 or so and finding obscure posts with no favorites. Then favoriting a few comments, and wondering if the favoritees are all like "WTF?"
posted by telstar at 3:16 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

I lost a few, too. I just figured that someone out there has figured out what a loathsome person I am and is punishing me.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:19 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Inside the panic room, circled around a giant pile of favorites that nearly reaches the ceiling.

Straightener: Movement. Signal's clean. Range twenty meters.
Burnhanistan: They found a way in, something we missed.
Orthogonality: We didn't miss anything.
Straightener: 17 meters.
Burnhanistan: Something under the floor, not in the plans.
Straightener: 15 meters.
Orthogonality: Definitely inside the barricades.
Straightener: 13 meters.
Burnhanistan: That's right outside the door! Straightner, kittens for breakfast, get back!
Straightener: Man, this is a big fucking signal!
Orthogonality: How are you doing, kittens? Talk to me!
kittens for breakfast: [welding the door shut] Almost there.
Orthogonality: That's it! Keep it up!
Straightener: 12 meters. 11, 10...
kittens for breakfast: They're right on top of us!
Straightener: 9 meters.
Orthogonality: Remember: short, controlled bursts.
Straightener: 8 meters. 7, 6...
Burnhanistan: They can't be. That's inside the room.
Straightener: It's reading right, man! Look!
Orthogonality: Well then you're not reading it right!
Straightener: 5 meters, man! What the hell?! Oh shit... oh fuck...
posted by The Straightener at 3:19 PM on November 13, 2008 [23 favorites]

I'm missing five, since this morning. A couple hours ago, it was four...

MeFi Detective Squad, activate!
posted by rtha at 3:21 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

It's really going to take a long time for it to get to zero if that's the intention. They might need to take a break and do some Chi ball exercises or something.
posted by Burhanistan at 3:21 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Dude! I totally lost another one. This is strangely exciting! Does that mean he's slowly and methodically deleting every favorite? I kinda figured there had to be a way you could delete them all at once, and that the disappearing favorites mentioned upthread were a joke! That's kind of...pathological, man.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:28 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I have un- favorited things here and there, not because of anything personal but mostly for this.

Faved a link to a very cool (band/site/essay/whatever), then found a better site through that link that was much more comprehensive, bookmarked it, and it rendered the other one a little obsolete.
posted by timsteil at 3:31 PM on November 13, 2008

It's really going to take a long time for it to get to zero if that's the intention.

A really, REALLY long time. Oh, man.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:33 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Eponysterically: get a life, dorks.
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 3:33 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Jesus, he's my biggest favoriter, so this is like the stock market crash (or your biggest customer going bankrupt).

Fortunately, my next biggest is only half his size, and the rest broaden out into a wide (bt not deep) pool favoritors eah providing only a score or fewer favorites, so I'm "diversified" here.

(Data kindly provided by another user's unsolicited mefimail.)

At the present time I don't anticipate needing a Federal favorites bail-out.

This comment contains contains forward-looking statements that are based on management’s expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “believes,” “scheduled,” “estimates” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which include but are not limited to projections of revenues, earnings, segment performance, cash flows, contract awards, aircraft production, deliveries and backlog stability. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict.
posted by orthogonality at 3:34 PM on November 13, 2008 [7 favorites]

Surely someone can hack together a script for Mr./Mrs. X? My heart goes out to their left index finger. I also imagine said person's anger and disaffection rising exponentially as the hours go by.
posted by naju at 3:35 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

left index finger? um, just ignore me.
posted by naju at 3:37 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I think we should all just go to bed and in the morning we can have an early holiday surprise of ZERO favorites under our tree/menorah/kwanzaa thingy/etc.
posted by Burhanistan at 3:38 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

naju writes "I also imagine said person's anger and disaffection rising exponentially as the hours go by."

Eh, it's not an anger thing.
posted by orthogonality at 3:40 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm down 5! FAVOURITE TRANSFUSION STAT!
posted by GuyZero at 3:44 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Everyone relax. It's Raining Florence Henderson is correct. And I will miss that person, too.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:44 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Holy shit, what if it's tekoli? I could lose everything!
posted by GuyZero at 3:45 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Yeah, this place will be lot less fun without him, and (favorites aside), I'm saddened to see him go.

And angry at anyone wo might have prodded him to go.
posted by orthogonality at 3:51 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I lost another one. These are my children. HAVE A HEART!!!
posted by found missing at 3:58 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Why the mysterious reluctance to name the person who is going on, possibly to a happier life (without MetaFilter)? If s/he were named perhaps we could spam her/him with pleas not to leave us. Before s/he deletes MeFiMail.
posted by Cranberry at 3:59 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Here's the problem, Mr. Fuld:

I haven't told anyone this, but I maintain a rule that the favorites I make should be 1/2 of the favorites I receive; as my favorites have increased, I've been able to favorite more, but always staying under 1/2 of the favorites I've gotten.

So your leaving is a lot like Lehman crashing. Fortunately I've gotten a lot of favs for FPPs in last couple of months, which gives me a cushion, but you're going to put me close to that magic 1/2 ratio floor.

And then I'll have to pull my own favorites, and there'll be a ripple effect that could crash the whole market! I won't be able to loan out favorites, and pretty soon no one will even have short-term favorites to make! We'll need a favorites bailout from Treasury! The short-term favorites market will be paralyzed!

You're gonna destroy us all by bursting the Bubble!

So, you moving to Iceland, or what?
posted by orthogonality at 4:03 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

I want the favoritings and unfavoritings to scroll across my screen all day like the notifications on Facebook.

Burhanistan favorited nickyskye's post on LOLcats.

orthogonality unfavorited GuyZero's post on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

kittens for breakfast gifted cortex a pair of pants.
posted by lukemeister at 4:03 PM on November 13, 2008 [7 favorites]

This is going to totally kill my idea to bundle my favorites into a favorites-backed-securities product to sell on the secondary market.
posted by found missing at 4:06 PM on November 13, 2008 [5 favorites]

orthogonality unfavourited a post I haven't even written yet? That fucker.
posted by GuyZero at 4:11 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

If only cortex wasn't too busy at his day job to update the infodump every day, I could do a comparison against the last dump and all of us squares who are outside the cool kids clique would be able to figure out who's got the scorched earth policy. On the other hand, if this person wanted to be so secret about leaving, should they have just left, instead of spending who knows how much time "cleaning house" and essentially touching every single user's profile? "I'M LEAVING GUYS DONT TRY AND STOP ME."
posted by Plutor at 4:12 PM on November 13, 2008 [5 favorites]

On the other hand, if this person wanted to be so secret about leaving, should they have just left, instead of spending who knows how much time "cleaning house" and essentially touching every single user's profile? "I'M LEAVING GUYS DONT TRY AND STOP ME."

The process of cleaning house involves unfavoriting comments and posts, and removing contacts. This is to remove said name from Metafilter. It was to be expected. I knew who was unfavoriting me, and contacted them asking if I might have offended them. That's how I ended up knowing, and would otherwise have never known. This person is not being deliberately teasy, and has some pretty solid reasons for making this decision. I'd advise we respect that decision.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:17 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

It's nothing to worry about, the economy of favorites are sound. Look at the numbers; favorites go up over time. No biggie.

In the meantime, I've spent $5 on a stimulus package to help acquire defaulted favorites.
posted by scabrous at 4:17 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Oddly enough, my favourites seem to have declined...since the start of this thread.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:18 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

The day I decided to stop giving a fuck about favorites was the day I became a happier man.

True story.
posted by Afroblanco at 4:20 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

I actually favorite things I want to remember for the podcast and then unfavorite them after the podcast has been recorded, but I don't go all out and un-contact people. We should call favorites star-bellies or something.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:21 PM on November 13, 2008 [5 favorites]

I haven't told anyone this, but I maintain a rule that the favorites I make should be 1/2 of the favorites I receive; as my favorites have increased, I've been able to favorite more, but always staying under 1/2 of the favorites I've gotten.

OMG! I do this too! But each and every one of my favorites was hard earned, because some of my best material gets no favorites at all. Luckily, I've been in the witty banter business longer than most of you kids have been alive, so I get oodles of real life favorites in meatspace every single day. MetaFilter is not my target demographic.
So there.
posted by Floydd at 4:23 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Favorites are a renewable resource.
posted by Tube at 4:25 PM on November 13, 2008 [4 favorites]

Backing your contacts and favorites out must be like having your MeFi life flash before your eyes. Let's hope that no one is actually leaving. Perhaps just a Brand New Day.™
posted by netbros at 4:28 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

~ Oddly enough, my favourites seem to have declined...since the start of this thread.

Mine too! Steadily throughout the afternoon and evening, actually.
posted by paisley henosis at 4:29 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

These favorites, they do nothing!
posted by YoBananaBoy at 4:33 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I lost a favorite! ONE. HALP.

Seriously, why can't we know who it is?
posted by ninjew at 4:33 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I've never unfavorited a thing.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 4:34 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Matt, I need some help restoring my off-line backup of my favourites.

Because you can restore them, right?

right?
posted by GuyZero at 4:35 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Seriously, why can't we know who it is?

Wait five minutes, I'm sure someone will leak it soon enough.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:39 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Speaking of favorites, anyone know where Hadjiboy has been? I miss him.
posted by pearlybob at 4:40 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

"all of us squares who are outside the cool kids clique would be able to figure out who's got the scorched earth policy."

Can we make it a trivia challenge? The user in question has left before, and come back repeatedly. Additional clues and hints are available at $5, then $25, and finally $100 for the full reveal. Your $100 also earns you the right to have all your favorites replaced by me, provided you can prove that they were at one time favorited by this user.

"This is to remove said name from Metafilter."

Huh? This makes no sense. Their comments will be all over the place. Disabling the account does not delete comment history.
posted by Eideteker at 4:44 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Oh, and said user said nothing to me regarding confidentiality; so I'm not a complete jerk. I figured it out on my own. Making me a smug, arrogant jerk. But not a complete one.
posted by Eideteker at 4:45 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Huh? This makes no sense. Their comments will be all over the place. Disabling the account does not delete comment history.

I reckon deleting comments will be a part of the process ...
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:48 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

what
posted by found missing at 4:50 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Everytime someone unfavourites something - the mods should email you to let you know. Also, have a new section called MetaUnfavourites to flag this stuff up (We can make it turquoise or something).
posted by panboi at 4:51 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Everytime someone unfavourites something - the mods should email you to let you know.

I think a little teardrop or frowny face should appear next to the unfavoriter's name in your "Favorited by" list.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:52 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

"I reckon deleting comments will be a part of the process ..."

Said user is not an admin, nor do I think the admins are in the habit of acquiescing to mass-deletion requests from outgoing users. Unless there's an extenuating legal circumstance.
posted by Eideteker at 4:53 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I reckon deleting comments will be a part of the process ...

That's pretty much a non-starter, honestly.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:54 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Oh, wow. Someone actually sent me $5. So I'll reveal that this user is openly gay. That should narrow it down, some. $25 gets you their initials. And, as always, $100 for the full reveal. And a MetaFilter tote bag!
posted by Eideteker at 4:56 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Someone should do a Hitler in the Bunker spoof - they could use that footage from the recent film, and then instead of rage against the failure of the German people it could be ortho raging about being unfavourited.

Then, once it was posted to YouTube, someone could post that to this thread.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:57 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Said user is not an admin, nor do I think the admins are in the habit of acquiescing to mass-deletion requests from outgoing users. Unless there's an extenuating legal circumstance.

Huh. Good point. OK, now I'm confused ...
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:57 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Then, once it was posted to YouTube, someone could post that to this thread.

To this thread? Hell, it sounds like FPP material to me!
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:58 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

"Huh. Good point. OK, now I'm confused ..."

I'll quote Plutor: "On the other hand, if this person wanted to be so secret about leaving, should they have just left, instead of spending who knows how much time "cleaning house" and essentially touching every single user's profile?"

Seems like a big, dramatic gesture, doesn't it?

Who leaves a space before an ellipsis?
posted by Eideteker at 5:00 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

The verb form of this would be "IPP."

You down wid IPP?


Yeah you know me.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 5:01 PM on November 13, 2008 [4 favorites]

Well, it's not me :P

I actually favorite things I want to remember for the podcast and then unfavorite them after the podcast has been recorded, but I don't go all out and un-contact people. We should call favorites star-bellies or something.

I propose that 'favourites' be renamed to 'strings', as in, that thing where you tie a string around your finger to remember something. Removes all this ridiculous connotation of a value judgement.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:02 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

If favoriting is touching the user, is un favoriting un touching the user?

I've been untouched, and I don't know how I should feel about that.

Do we hold a counseling session for those who have been untouched?
posted by mrzarquon at 5:03 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

(And I have lost 4 today. THIS!!!! SHALL!!!! NOT!!!! STAND!!!!!!)
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 5:04 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Who leaves a space before an ellipsis?

I DO ... from now on.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:04 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Please, take your time and show us on the dolly where the favorite touched you.
posted by found missing at 5:05 PM on November 13, 2008 [4 favorites]

And here I thought there was a leak somewhere.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 5:07 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

This would be the perfect time for someone to take the username "Hank Paulson" and give all of us 700 Billion favorites.
posted by orthogonality at 5:11 PM on November 13, 2008 [5 favorites]

Barack Obama wants to know which screen-names (PDF) you use on the Internet. It seems obvious that someone here is just tidying up a few things in preparation for a Presidential appointment.

He also wants to know anything secret you ever wrote in e-mail or your diary and needs a list (a copy, in fact, is preferred) of every comment you ever made on the Internet. (And people have been telling me this guy understands the thing?)
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 5:12 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

If I lose one more favorite, the puppy dies.
posted by found missing at 5:15 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

More interesting: The user has apparently favorited 9 deleted posts which he cannot unfavorite (or hasn't figured out how to unfavorite yet). I can't wait to see how this plays out!

(no takers on the $25 yet... that means I should probably get back to work on the Novel.)
posted by Eideteker at 5:20 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm down ten or so.

It's made me appreciate the favorites I do have.

Oh, the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon ...
posted by Bookhouse at 5:22 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

This would be the perfect time for someone to take the username "Hank Paulson" and give all of us 700 Billion favorites.

A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about a lot of favorites.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 5:22 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

I don't know whether to be offended that this apparently profligate favoriter never favorited a comment of mine, or psyched that my Relative Number of Favorites ranking* is rising.

*this ranking does not actually exist
posted by donnagirl at 5:28 PM on November 13, 2008

I didn't lose any until I came into this thread....

OMG THIS THREAD UNLEASES THE UNFAVOURITING VIRUS!!!
posted by gomichild at 5:28 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Augh! I lost a favorite.
posted by ryanrs at 5:32 PM on November 13, 2008

So, how many of you went and unfavorited everything by orthogonality after seeing this post? Or was it just me?
posted by Shutter at 5:37 PM on November 13, 2008

on November 13 [+] You hit your favorite limit for the day. [!]

I AM A DIRTY SLUT. BONUS ROUND!
posted by loquacious at 5:37 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Thank you loquacious, but now I've lost ANOTHER ONE. Oh wait, I'm at one less than I had when I made that comment above.. carry the one .. I LOST THREE. PEOPLE I NEED A TOURNIQUET. NEW FAVORITES ARE NOT STEMMING THE LOSSES.
posted by ninjew at 5:38 PM on November 13, 2008

Augh! I lost a favorite.

Medic! MEDIC! We need evac here!

(theme from M*A*S*H plays)
posted by GuyZero at 5:38 PM on November 13, 2008

I'm actually eagerly curious about how many I'll lose. Those damn things get heavy after a while.
posted by loquacious at 5:42 PM on November 13, 2008

loquacious writes "on November 13 [+] You hit your favorite limit for the day. [!]

"I AM A DIRTY SLUT. BONUS ROUND!"

Oh shit, loquacious, really, don't do that. If it's not a complete PITA, can you remove those?
posted by orthogonality at 5:43 PM on November 13, 2008

*sips martini. makes maudlin speech. cracks joke. chases nurse*
posted by jonmc at 5:44 PM on November 13, 2008

*gets shot down on the way back home*
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:47 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

*puts on ugly dress. smokes cigar*
posted by jonmc at 5:49 PM on November 13, 2008

Just no one go and smother a Korean baby, OK?

(WARNING! Spoiler Alert! Too late I guess)

Also...

I AM A DIRTY SLUT. BONUS ROUND!

I don't need your charity!

Well, actually, I do need your charity, but I resent needing your charity. SO TO HELL WITH YOUR CHARITY.

but don't take the favourites away, ok?
posted by GuyZero at 5:50 PM on November 13, 2008

My My, Hey Hey,
Favorites Are Here to Stay,
It's Better to Flame Out Than To Fade Away,
My My, Hey Hey
posted by scabrous at 5:51 PM on November 13, 2008

Out Of The Blue, We Favorited That
They Gave You This But You Wanted That
Once They're Gone They'll Never Come Back
Out Of The Blue, We Favorited That
posted by scabrous at 5:52 PM on November 13, 2008

Just no one go and smother a Korean baby, OK?

*takes advice. pulls down pants. slides on ice*
posted by jonmc at 6:01 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

telstar writes "Going way back in the archives like '03 or so and finding obscure posts with no favorites. Then favoriting a few comments, and wondering if the favoritees are all like "WTF?""

I get a weird tingle everytime this happens.

orthogonality writes "This would be the perfect time for someone to take the username 'Hank Paulson' and give all of us 700 Billion favorites."

At a hundred per day that'll take a while.
posted by Mitheral at 6:03 PM on November 13, 2008

*brushes horse, spouts home-spun wisdom, makes Teddy Roosevelt reference*
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 6:06 PM on November 13, 2008

Oh shit, loquacious, really, don't do that. If it's not a complete PITA, can you remove those?

No. The adaptive framistat multicodec will frangibly segment the vectorized bitstream putting the entabulation accumulator at risk of flux instability and table warping which can eventually lead to system-wide corruption of data integrity and outright failure of the primary and secondary inertial compensator leading to further gross vector instabilities - mainly due to the drastic but required increase in EtOH intake and acetaldehyde processing - which in excess, of course, can lead to total system failure or otherwise endemic instabilities.
posted by loquacious at 6:09 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

So... everyone knows their exact favorite number? Wow.
posted by Tehanu at 6:09 PM on November 13, 2008

Also I am ridiculously, boringly clean for the Obama-Biden application except for my habit of arguing with people online, goddammit. That could be public record if someone submits a FIA request.
posted by Tehanu at 6:11 PM on November 13, 2008

Wow, can't believe this is here.

I actually stepped into MetaTalk to look for an explanation on this. I've been watching the number dwindle, myself, and finally decided something must be up. So ah... what is?
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 6:13 PM on November 13, 2008

I has all you favorite. All your favorite are belong to me. Give me 1,000,000,000 Zimbabwe dollar I buy a falafel and return favorite.
posted by Mister_A at 6:13 PM on November 13, 2008

I heard about that application tonight on TV. "Heard" is the wrong word, I was in a bar and saw it on TV with the sound off, but the captioning was on. The shit I've admitted to on MeFi and Mecha alone would eliminate me and posible get me thrown into a re-education camp.
posted by jonmc at 6:15 PM on November 13, 2008

Hey, there's something on the news about the Large Hadr- *pop*
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 6:16 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

If this is one of those Cabal meta-meta-hey-hey jokes, and some Major Mefite has not actually split, my hide, it will be chapped.

sickafrishin in-crowds mrr mrrr mrrr
posted by everichon at 6:17 PM on November 13, 2008

I'll favorite you if you favorite me.
posted by stavrogin at 6:19 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Not telling who it is, but they are a well known user.

Seriously? Hmm.

Tehloki's profile...
Favorites: 23030

Whew. I swear the horror-show version in my mind had it counting down from 10 like a bomb about to bring total oblivion.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 6:21 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Okay, I know who it is. Should I keep it a secret?
posted by Pronoiac at 6:21 PM on November 13, 2008

stavrogin writes "I'll favorite you if you favorite me."

We must avoid an inflationary spiral.
posted by orthogonality at 6:22 PM on November 13, 2008

Pronoiac: a little late to the Clue party, hmm?
posted by Burhanistan at 6:23 PM on November 13, 2008

You should tell, you teasing teaser.
posted by Mister_A at 6:24 PM on November 13, 2008

Come on people, I know you can't wait to light a blaze, and toast your marshmallows on a big flameout, but let's not turn this into a pile-on like a bunch of cocks.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:30 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

TO: THE MYSTERY RECENTLY DEPARTED WHOM I SHALL NOT NAME
FROM: LOQUACIOUS INDUSTRIES LLC
RE: DEPARTING

Fare thee well. I don't know what you're on about, but be well. I've laughed at your links and comments. I could give a fuck if you're just seeking some attention. It's a freaky fucking full moon and everyone needs a hug sometimes. Good luck and may your path flow like water. Do come back if you care to, etc, and so on.
posted by loquacious at 6:31 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Now that was just totally lacking in subtlety or art. I gave it away upthread to drjimmy11 already. You people.
posted by Burhanistan at 6:31 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

^ was to Horace Rumpole
posted by Burhanistan at 6:31 PM on November 13, 2008

He also wants to know anything secret you ever wrote in e-mail or your diary and needs a list (a copy, in fact, is preferred) of every comment you ever made on the Internet.

Wait...so if I want to work for the Obama Administration, I have to let Barack read my Sailor Moon/Torchwood fanfic?! I...

...Maybe he's a fan?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:32 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

60,000 people clamoring for popularity and not one blabbermouth. Impressive high school we've built here.
posted by scabrous at 6:33 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I don't want to roast anyone, I just want my hard-wired simian curiosity palliated by knowing who the hell is being hinted at in this thread. If someone wants to memail me the answer, so as to avoid a big flamout, I would be much obliged.
posted by everichon at 6:33 PM on November 13, 2008

Dr. Beverley Crusher -- personal log: I was just helping Wesley with his warp bubble integrity project when...
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 6:33 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Actually, that was a cue for someone to say, "He has his reasons, so don't tell anyone. And you'd totally fuck up the teasing, suspenseful tone of the thread." And I wouldn't go OH HEY BLAZECOCK WHAT'S UP DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IT immediately.

Because I can keep a secret too.
posted by Pronoiac at 6:36 PM on November 13, 2008

I'll miss you, BP. Hope things are OK.
posted by jtron at 6:37 PM on November 13, 2008

Reading the comments upthread was interesting with all of them favorited - the "favorites" markings added a sort of laugh track effect.
posted by exogenous at 6:39 PM on November 13, 2008

The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say.

Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.
posted by Sailormom at 6:45 PM on November 13, 2008

.
posted by mandal at 6:47 PM on November 13, 2008

*clears throat*

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I'm beat
and to another give my seat
for that's the only painless feat.

(now with harmony)
Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 6:48 PM on November 13, 2008

I suck at puzzles. Also, to BP: Peace.
posted by everichon at 6:49 PM on November 13, 2008

[btw, that was for all of the fallen favorites, everywhere]

(and in my head it is pronounced pillion.)
posted by mandal at 6:53 PM on November 13, 2008

huh? Is Blazecock Pileon going drama on everyone?
posted by xmutex at 6:53 PM on November 13, 2008

Well, a line from here seems apt at this moment.
posted by Burhanistan at 6:54 PM on November 13, 2008

I just favorited in my pants.
posted by bardic at 7:04 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Me too. I just favorited in bardic's pants. You gotta remeber to lock your doors, dude.
posted by jonmc at 7:12 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I guess it's good to know the answer, anyway.

Cheers, BP.
posted by paisley henosis at 7:12 PM on November 13, 2008

I'm very confused. BP has comments that he made today in other posts. Can everybody quit being so cryptic and explain what is going on?
posted by pearlybob at 7:16 PM on November 13, 2008

What is the point of all this capering and carrying on, exactly? Someone quit? Y'all are being weird and coy about it? A little triumphant maybe?

Feh.
posted by Divine_Wino at 7:18 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

I just spent 30 or so minutes catching up for some reason and I don't think anyone knows anything except he is taking away favorites and contacts.
posted by drjimmy11 at 7:19 PM on November 13, 2008

drjimmy11, that was the line in the movie trailer I posted. "Don't let them bury me! I'm not dead!"
posted by Burhanistan at 7:20 PM on November 13, 2008

Well shit, there goes a big chunk of my favorites, i was close to 4000 :(
posted by empath at 7:22 PM on November 13, 2008

"Me too. I just favorited in bardic's pants. You gotta remeber to lock your doors, dude."

He's in for a surprise when he gets dressed in the morning.
posted by Eideteker at 7:23 PM on November 13, 2008

it may be them trying to just reduce cruft from their profile

How dare you, sir, refer to my sacred favorites as cruft! I've never been so insulted.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:36 PM on November 13, 2008

You hit your favorite limit for the day.

I think there should be an un-favorite limit for the day.
posted by grouse at 7:50 PM on November 13, 2008

there's no favorite limit for my un-days!
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 7:57 PM on November 13, 2008

and my favorite days are unlimited!
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:00 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I keep losing favourites because I apparently haven't a fucking clue about chili.
posted by turgid dahlia at 8:05 PM on November 13, 2008

This would be the perfect time for someone to take the username "Hank Paulson" and give all of us 700 Billion favorites.

As of last infodump there are a bit over 4 million comments and posts.
SockPoppetBots HankPaulson1 through HankPaulson179189504 could favorite them all - no problem - with subscription costs totaling to about 900 million dollars. Every post would also automatically get millions of comments.

It's fair to say.. none of us need pants.
posted by xorry at 8:11 PM on November 13, 2008

I keep losing favourites because I apparently haven't a fucking clue about chili.

Unfortunately, most AskMe's start to go wrong at the word "Vegan." Around my house, chili is sort of a way of disguising the carcass.
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:11 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

this matters?
posted by Stynxno at 8:11 PM on November 13, 2008

Aw, come on guys! I had exactly 666 favorites and now I'm down 10!

WHY ARE YOU PUNISHING ME?!

This is all about me!
posted by dirigibleman at 8:20 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I feel sad every time I lose a favorite, and I often wish for this feature, so I could know which of my precious, precious favorites has been lost to the ravages of time. But if I had it, I'd just obsess even more than I already do about favorites, so it's probably for the best that I don't. Plus, I already feel a tiny stab of guilt every time I unfavorite something I don't need anymore, because I know, somewhere out there is my MeFiGanger, mourning, too, the loss of that favorite.

Though still I must ask, is it so wrong to want to be loved?
posted by jacquilynne at 8:23 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

I noticed that BP un-contacted and un-favorited me too. I thought about sending him a MeMail about it, but decided that would be too stalkerish of me, so I'm glad this thread is here.

BP, if you're reading this, I send you warm wishes and I hope you're okay.
posted by amyms at 8:28 PM on November 13, 2008

Humph. I don't know what's worse, to lose BP favorites or to never have been faved by him in the first place.

No change in fave count. I knew he never really loved me.
*sniffle*
posted by Quietgal at 8:31 PM on November 13, 2008

BP has been adding some favorites this evening too. His most recent favorite:

If WMDs are not found in Iraq, and in large quantity (or at least objective evidence that they were destroyed), then, in terms of American politics, the war was a sham, and the President should be indicted.

But let's wait a bit before concluding this, and not have that conclusion drawn by the paranoid, cultic Left. Much of the premise of WMDs is their portability/stealthyness.
posted to MetaFilter by ParisParamus at 8:57 AM on April 29, 2003 [15 favorites +]

Heh.
posted by grouse at 8:36 PM on November 13, 2008

I deleted all my "favorites". Why? Because favorites are just too non-specific. Sometimes it's a bookmark and sometimes it's "hear hear" and then again sometimes it's just to scratch head and say "this is weird". Which means not too useful for later perusal. Come up with something better than a generic "favorite", guys, now that you're full time!
posted by telstar at 8:41 PM on November 13, 2008

I like to only have 84 favorites at any one time. So each night before I go to bed I remove the same number of favorites that I added that day. I do it in a FIFO order (first in, first out). There are many of us in the 84 club. We are legion.
posted by Manhasset at 8:46 PM on November 13, 2008

In real life, amongst the people that I spend the most time with; my family and my co-workers say, I am often noted for (in addition to my warm humanity, my grace, sense of humor and my good looks) my angry bark, I sometimes blast out a loud expression of incredulity, disappointment and general dissatisfaction. I wish you callow assholes could hear it now.
posted by Divine_Wino at 8:53 PM on November 13, 2008

I'm gonna go remove some favourites right now!
posted by turgid dahlia at 8:54 PM on November 13, 2008

Much of the premise of favorites is their portability/stealthyness.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:57 PM on November 13, 2008

I find a lot of my favorite favorites in others people's favorites. Then I check the favorites of the favorited commenters favorites, and find even more. It's like staring into a fractal spiral GIF.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 9:00 PM on November 13, 2008

I favorited this post for the sole purpose of un-favoriting it.
posted by sanko at 9:02 PM on November 13, 2008

Also, you know what would be good? Negative favourites. I'm pretty sure Metafilter would be the only website that does that.
posted by turgid dahlia at 9:04 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

The whole thing leaves me favorish.
posted by telstar at 9:05 PM on November 13, 2008

Also, you know what would be good? Negative favourites. I'm pretty sure Metafilter would be the only website that does that.

Negative favorites are pretty easy. If anyone disagrees with your comment sufficiently, someone will say so and other people will favorite their comment.
posted by grouse at 9:12 PM on November 13, 2008

I don't think favorites are important at all. It's cool and everything, but my self-worth isn't wrapped up in how many favorites I have, and yours shouldn't either.

orthogonality, I'd appreciate it if you would mark this comment best answer.
posted by infinitewindow at 9:15 PM on November 13, 2008 [6 favorites]

Can't mark best answer in MeTa.
posted by telstar at 9:16 PM on November 13, 2008

Funny, I found this thread right after noticing that I had lost a favorite, and then scouring my "favorited by others" page for discrepancies, hoping to identify the soulless cocksucker who had burned me. Anyone want to favorite this comment to offset the damage?
posted by Curry at 9:40 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

We regret to inform you that We considered, but cannot issue a favorites bailout package.

We shorted all your favorites futures some time ago and are now making a fucking killing.
posted by the Cabal at 9:40 PM on November 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

I mean, for fuck's sake, I coined "Obama faux pas-ma" and got no love for it.
posted by Curry at 9:47 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

A man with a pegleg, hook hand and an eyepatch went to apply to be a pirate.

Interviewer: How did you get that pegleg?

Pirate: Arrr. I got me leg shot off during the first war.

Interviewer: How did you get that hook?

Pirate: I got me hand cut off by a big knife.

Interviewer: What about your eyepatch?

Pirate: It was a rainy afternoon and I looked up into the sky and a bird crapped in me eye.

Interviewer: And that put your eye out?

Pirate: Arrr. No, it was the day after I got me hook.
posted by netbros at 9:48 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

.
posted by klangklangston at 9:59 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

ORTHO WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE?
I went to my profile to find a comment I favorited, thinking "wouldn't it be funny if the same type of thing happened to me?"
BUT IT DID.
I lost THREE FAVORITES all of a sudden today because of you and your jinx of a post! And I have no idea what comment it was that lost them but I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight because of it.

Oh god, am I not being witty enough? Is it time for me to make another graph? Or flow chart?

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 10:06 PM on November 13, 2008

BP! Come back. I've always enjoyed seeing your name...it makes me laugh, along with all the text that usually goes above it. If you end up back here, under another name (which I'm sure won't be as amusing, but oh well) please MeFi Mail me or add me back! Thanks. Take care.
posted by iamkimiam at 10:29 PM on November 13, 2008

New t-shirt slogan : "Stop Unfavoriting"
posted by Afroblanco at 10:30 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

I mean, for fuck's sake, I coined "Obama faux pas-ma" and got no love for it.

Hey! Don't be ungrateful or I'll have to take my favorite away!
posted by Solon and Thanks at 10:52 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Who has the time to go back and count all your favorites on each post? Keeping a running tally must be hell.
posted by troybob at 10:56 PM on November 13, 2008

In general for your own sanity, I think it's best not to know or track this stuff so closely.

Honestly, it's more damaging to my state of mind to know that something is different, but not being able to put my finger on it. Like someone snuck into the house while I was gone and moved all the furniture four inches to the right. I couldn't give a hoot about the interpersonal dynamics or social implications of knowing if someone removed me as a contact or who unfavorited a comment; their mouseclick, their choice.

I eventually figured it out by checking my contacts and seeing who didn't have the reciprocal highlighting anymore. Dagnabbit. Sorry to see him go.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:04 PM on November 13, 2008

:(
posted by batmonkey at 11:11 PM on November 13, 2008

i couldn't just do a dot. it had to be more expressive, in homage
posted by batmonkey at 11:12 PM on November 13, 2008

I'm with Orthagonality - I've been losing favorites at a weird rate today (3 in the last couple hours, at least). Is something weird going on?
posted by Navelgazer at 11:24 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Havent you people ever heard of PEAK FAVORITES?? We're running out of them, and there aren't any more gonna be made. All we have to look forward to now is a long, slow dessiccation of favorites as the user base grows, spreading the favorites ever more thinly, until only a few will have them, cherishing them, and hiding them away, against the time when they become worth more than precious metal.
posted by pjern at 11:51 PM on November 13, 2008 [3 favorites]

Well, I'm just relieved to know it's got nothing to do with Putin looming into American airspace. Where do the favorites go? Oh, it's Alaska!
posted by scody at 12:35 AM on November 14, 2008

Favorites has affected this site in a very negative way. That this thread exists is already proof enough for me, but man, I see it all the time--hell, it's even affected the way I post around here a little.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 12:52 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

wait, are we talking BP here?

root a wallaby, that sucks dingoes balls as bad as EB leaving :(
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:56 AM on November 14, 2008

dead dingoes balls, dammit.

stupid failure to preview.
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:03 AM on November 14, 2008

I figured it out on my own.

I figured it out too. Noticing that BP was no longer one of my BFF's was what clued me in.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the warm embrace that dios got on his return? I'm pretty sure I still had all my favourites prior to that point.

I hope he isn't going. I'm very fond of Blazecock.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:38 AM on November 14, 2008

So... everyone knows their exact favorite number? Wow.

Not at all. However, I've got 4xxx posts, and 2xxx favourites. The xxx in my favourites *was* a number about six lower than the xxx in my posts.

All of a sudden, it drops to about 30 or 40 fewer and I'm a little puzzled. Then I notice that the people linked to me is one fewer than it was yesterday, so I look and see who's gone.

Makes me sad that I didn't show the guy more love.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:44 AM on November 14, 2008

I figured out what was happening when I checked my profile and noticed a precipitous drop in favorites and a lost contact.

I'd advise we respect that decision.

I respect his decision, and I'm sure he has perfectly valid reasons for doing what he's doing, but he's one of my very favorite posters and this bums me out a whole lot.

BP you are hilarious and wonderful and I will miss you.
posted by louche mustachio at 1:52 AM on November 14, 2008

well, more love clearly won't help somebody showing all the signs of passive-aggressive-confirmation-biased-aspergers-borderline-DTMFA-personality-portobello-disorder-blue.

run. run far and fast. and never look back.
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:55 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

well, more love clearly won't help somebody showing all the signs of passive-aggressive-confirmation-biased-aspergers-borderline-DTMFA-personality-portobello-disorder-blue.

Blazecock White is a quiet, self-effacing Metafilter poster. Blazecock Black is a wild, fun-loving party boy. Blazecock White has no idea about Blazecock Black, but Blazecock Black is furious with Blazecock White and wants to kill him.

He begins this process by attempting to obliterate all contact with Blazecock White's friends, and reinforces it by a period of protacted snubbing.

During therapy, a third personality also appears and together they uncover a repressed childhood trauma, in which Blazecock was forced to apologize to his abusive uncle in front of the whole school.

Starring:

Joanne Woodcock as Blazecock
David Wayne as Mrs. Blazecock
Lee J. Cobb as Dr. docpops
Alistair Cooke as The Narrator
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:17 AM on November 14, 2008

Favorites has affected this site in a very negative way. That this thread exists is already proof enough for me, but man, I see it all the time--hell, it's even affected the way I post around here a little.

I favorited this, both sincerely and ironically.

Fuck me, it's getting all Boudrillardy in here.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:04 AM on November 14, 2008

There are diverse plausible hypotheses with respect to this vanishing or disappearance of history. Canetti's expression that "all mankind suddenly left reality" compellingly invokes the speed of liberation a body would require to escape the gravitational pull of a star or a planet. Following this imagery, we could suppose that the acceleration of technology-, event- and media- driven modernity, as well as the speed of other economic, political and sexual exchanges have set loose a tempo of liberation whereby we have become removed from the sphere of reference to the real, to history. We have been "liberated" in every sense of the term, so much so that we have moved beyond a certain space-time, we've left a certain horizon where the real was possible because gravitation was still strong enough for things to reflect on themselves and thereby possess or acquire some sort of duration (duree) and outcome.

A certain type of slowness or deliberation (i.e. a certain speed, but not too much), a certain distance, yet not too much, a certain liberation (the energy of rupture and change), but not too much - all these are necessary for this condensation, for the signifying crystallization of events to take place, one that we call history - this type of coherent unfolding of causes and effects we call the real.

Outside of this gravitational pull which keeps bodies in orbit, all the atoms of meaning lose themselves or self-absolve in space. Every single atom follows its own trajectory towards infinity and dissolves in space. This is precisely what we are living in our present societies occupied with the acceleration of all bodies, all messages, all processes in all possible senses and wherein, via modern media, each event, each narrative, each image gets endowed with the simulation of an infinite trajectory. Every political, historical, cultural fact is invested with a kinetic energy which spreads over its own space and thrusts these facts into a hyperspace where they lose all meaning by way of an inability to attain their meaning. It is useless to turn to science-fiction: from this point on, from the here and now, through our computer science, our circuits and our channels, this particle accelerator has definitively disrupted and broken the referential orbit of things.

With respect to history, the narrative has become impossible since by definition it is the potential re-narrativization of a sequence of meaning. Through the impulse of total diffusion and circulation each event is liberated for itself only - each event becomes atomized and nuclear as it follows its trajectory into the void. In order to diffuse itself ad infinitum, it has to be fragmented like a particle. This is the way it attains a speed of no-return, distancing it from history once and for all. Every cultural, eventual group needs to be fragmented, disarticulated to allow for its entry into the circuits, each language must be absolved into a binary mechanism or device to allow for its circulation to take place - not in our memory, but in the electronic and luminous memory of the computers. There is no human language or speech (langage) that could compete with the speed of light. There is no event that could withstand its own diffusion across the planet. No meaning stands a chance once offered the means of its own acceleration. There is no history that will resist the centrifugal pull of facts or its short-circuiting in real time (in the same order of ideas: no sexuality will resist its own liberation, not a single culture will foreclose its own advancement, no truth will defy its own verification, etc.).

Baudrillard ~ Pataphysics
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:31 AM on November 14, 2008 [4 favorites]

Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:38 AM on November 14, 2008

With respect to this wall, the tearing down has become impossible since by definition it is the potential re-narrativization of a sequence of meaning. Through the impulse of total diffusion and circulation each event is liberated for itself only - each event becomes atomized and nuclear as it follows its trajectory into the void. In order to diffuse itself ad infinitum, it has to be fragmented like a particle. This is the way it attains a speed of no-return, distancing it from history once and for all. Every cultural, eventual group needs to be fragmented, disarticulated to allow for its entry into the circuits, each language must be absolved into a binary mechanism or device to allow for its circulation to take place - not in our memory, but in the electronic and luminous memory of the computers. There is no human language or speech (langage) that could compete with the speed of light. There is no event that could withstand its own diffusion across the planet. No meaning stands a chance once offered the means of its own acceleration. There is no history that will resist the centrifugal pull of facts or its short-circuiting in real time (in the same order of ideas: no sexuality will resist its own liberation, not a single culture will foreclose its own advancement, no truth will defy its own verification, etc.).

*you were the one who summoned the ghost of baudrillard, stavro*
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:13 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Fly me to the moon
Let me sing among those stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:20 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Unicorns and cannonballs,
Palaces and piers,
Trumpets, towers, and tenements,
Wide oceans full of tears,
Flag, rags, ferry boats,
Scimitars and scarves,
Every precious dream and vision
Underneath the stars

You climbed on the ladder
With the wind in your sails
You came like a comet
Blazing your trail
Too high
Too far
Too soon
You saw the whole of the moon!
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:33 AM on November 14, 2008 [2 favorites]

We're on the road and we're gunning for the Buddha
We know his name and he mustn't get away
We're on the road and we're gunning for the Buddha
It would take one shot to blow him away...
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:47 AM on November 14, 2008

And I remain on the far side of crazy
I remain the mortal enemy of man
No hundred dollar cure will save me
Can't stay a boy in no man's land
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:59 AM on November 14, 2008

I just discovered that Baudrillard has his own entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. WTF?
posted by anotherpanacea at 5:10 AM on November 14, 2008

telstar: "You know what's fun? Going way back in the archives like '03 or so and finding obscure posts with no favorites. Then favoriting a few comments, and wondering if the favoritees are all like "WTF?""

Shameless plug: The Greasemonkey script MetaFilter Why Favorited adds search links in your "recent favorites" list to things that were posted a long time ago but were favorited recently.
posted by Plutor at 5:38 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

"huh? Is Blazecock Pileon going drama on everyone?"

No, we're doing quite fine by ourselves, TYVM.

Sadly, BP was never a contact of mine so I had to figure this out the hard way. Which makes me awesome and totally compensates for the huge dent to my ego that losing all these favorites has caused.

And to everyone who MeFimailed me, I have only one thing to say: ACTIIIIING!
posted by Eideteker at 5:51 AM on November 14, 2008

Blazecock giveth, and Blazecock taketh away...
posted by Tube at 6:01 AM on November 14, 2008

Fuck 'em and good riddance. I shan't be shedding any tears over their Drama Queenism. Why should I? Just fuck off, see you later, or not, whatever.
Actually, before I go I'm going to destroy any and all interaction I had with any of you. You were a contact - no more. I favorited your comment - forget it. I have been here before and I shall return as Kali or somesuch.
posted by tellurian at 6:33 AM on November 14, 2008

Man, not only couldn't I figure out who it was, I didn't even know the guy was gay. I suppose the name should have been a clue.
posted by desjardins at 7:16 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

desjardins,

And I never figured out that you're a bunch of plants.
posted by lukemeister at 7:18 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

I noted it, as well. I wondered if I had inadvertently ticked someone off and wished that they had just called me out, sent me a MeMail, whatever. Going through your favorites one by one and (to borrow a Doctorowism) unpublishing them seems like a slow motion suicide. Not that I haven't had the urge to locate and burn all copies of my high school yearbook prior to my glorious death, but c'mon.
posted by adipocere at 7:30 AM on November 14, 2008

If you close your account, you may not want to spend time on the site anymore, but still keep some of the favorites you saved. I makes sense to go through them, see if there are any that you want to save elsewhere (on del,icio.us or something). If you have lots of favorites, it is impossible to do this in one go, so it (again) makes sense to delete the favorites that you either saved elsewhere or don't care about anymore.
posted by davar at 7:40 AM on November 14, 2008

I agree with davar - if I were to leave, I'd go through my favorites to see which ones where bookmarks for something that I want to keep. And with the number of favorites he has, the only reasonable way to do it methodically is to delete ones that have been checked.
posted by nightwood at 7:52 AM on November 14, 2008

First of all, those of you monitoring your favorites so closely that you notice the number change make me sad. There's a big, fabulous world out there guys.


Also, he's adding favorites too, not just deleting. Maybe he's just pruning.
posted by CunningLinguist at 7:54 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

In real life, amongst the people that I spend the most time with; my family and my co-workers say, I am often noted for (in addition to my warm humanity, my grace, sense of humor and my good looks) my angry bark, I sometimes blast out a loud expression of incredulity, disappointment and general dissatisfaction. I wish you callow assholes could hear it now.

IRL I have a tendency to use the facepalm as an expression of exasperated incredulity, since before it became famous online. I think I'll change my profile photograph later. For this thread, and for others, and for THE WORLD.

Favorites has affected this site in a very negative way. That this thread exists is already proof enough for me, but man, I see it all the time--hell, it's even affected the way I post around here a little.

Ain't affected the way I post one bit. But I don't care about the size of my e-peen.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 7:55 AM on November 14, 2008

What's important is that everyone talk about him as much as possible, for as long as possible.
posted by mkultra at 8:01 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

And with the number of favorites he has, the only reasonable way to do it methodically is to delete ones that have been checked.

I'm neither here nor there on it—I'll go on record as thinking it's kind of bizarre, but in a hey, they're yours, do what you want with them sort of way—but bookmarking your current place in the paginated favorites between review sessions would be reasonable too.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:04 AM on November 14, 2008

"Fuck me, it's getting all Boudrillardy in here."

The favorite never happened.
posted by klangklangston at 8:12 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

ceci n'est pas une favorite
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:15 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Oh wait. Blazecock left?
:(
That actually might explain my drop. But more importantly: come back!
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 8:20 AM on November 14, 2008

(shrugs) My favorites number has been going up, and I don't know BP from Adam, so I'm just sitting in the corner with popcorn enjoying the peoplewatching here.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:34 AM on November 14, 2008

Sorry to see you go if it's true, Blazecock.
posted by burnmp3s at 8:36 AM on November 14, 2008

Oh wait. Blazecock left?

Hasn't left yet, but if you'll note the asshat comments attacking him for somehow being dramatic by doing nothing more than deleting some favorites, a process which was publicized by others, you may get an inkling as to why he might want to.
posted by languagehat at 8:38 AM on November 14, 2008 [13 favorites]

This morning I woke up all bleary eyed and confused. I stumbled out of bed into the bathroom and looked in the mirror; my eyes were bloodshot and my face was gaunt. Realizing that something was horribly wrong, I immediately checked my profile, and sure enough, my favorite count had dropped by several dozen.

I steadied myself in my chair and tried to catch my breath. "How could this happen?" I wondered, I'd seen minor losses before, but nothing like this. Had I wronged someone? Was there some kind of server error? In a panic, I checked Metatalk, and now I know it's happening to others as well.

I realize now, that making that deal with the Devil, where my physical health was directly tied to my favorite count, probably wasn't such a good idea, but it's too late. The damage is done.

Damn you Satan! Damn your silver tongue for convincing me that my mojo should be quantified in such a way that I could check it daily. You never told me that this could happen! It's only now that I fully understand why you don't deal with the Devil, the guy is completely untrustworthy.
posted by quin at 8:39 AM on November 14, 2008 [2 favorites]

doing nothing more than deleting some favorites

Or, you know, thousands. At least 3000 in the last day. <7k to go.

What I'm curious about is why a search for "Blazecock Pileon" through the MeFi search engine now turns up nothing. The comments are there, but suddenly he won't come up in a search? Odd. (does come up in the Google variant)
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 8:43 AM on November 14, 2008

As for "attacking", until about 30 comments ago, it was a bunch of people getting together somewhat excitedly to discuss a mystery.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 8:49 AM on November 14, 2008

What I'm curious about is why a search for "Blazecock Pileon" through the MeFi search engine now turns up nothing. The comments are there, but suddenly he won't come up in a search?

1. A search just turned up a preponderance of hits for me, so I think you're probably just doing it wrong. What's your search look like?

2. The search wouldn't turn up comments by a user, regardless, unless that user happened to invoke (or quote someone invoking) their username. So the hits above are all instances of someone using the strings "blazecock" and "pileon" in comment or post text.

All of which is made a little more complicated too by the fact that a lot of times folks have called him "BP" for short.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:08 AM on November 14, 2008

What I'm curious about is why a search for "Blazecock Pileon" through the MeFi search engine now turns up nothing.

Works here.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:09 AM on November 14, 2008

Hasn't left yet, but if you'll note the asshat comments attacking him for somehow being dramatic by doing nothing more than deleting some favorites, a process which was publicized by others, you may get an inkling as to why he might want to.

Yeah cos going into your account and deleting all of your favorites and contacts in some kind of gesture isn't dramatic at all.
posted by xmutex at 9:12 AM on November 14, 2008

Yeah cos going into your account and deleting all of your favorites and contacts in some kind of gesture isn't dramatic at all.

Is it any of your damn business? Most of the people - myself included - were initially curious because something didn't seem quite right with the numbers on our userpages.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:18 AM on November 14, 2008 [3 favorites]

Well, if this is becoming the Blazecock obit thread, although he's still commenting plenty, I liked him and he seemed to like me. I am cheered by the fact that he merely seems to be removing favourites which while odd isn't the end of the world. Keep Blazing, you pile of cocks.
posted by GuyZero at 9:27 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Hmm, does work now, though two attempts earlier today did not. Don't know why that would be, though MeFi's been acting buggy for me in the past couple of days.

On the drama/no drama front, I can think of quieter ways of buggering off than effectively tweaking a few thousand people on the ear while doing so. But I have nothing against BP and wish him well.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:31 AM on November 14, 2008

Is it any of your damn business? Most of the people - myself included - were initially curious because something didn't seem quite right with the numbers on our userpages.

Agreed. I was curious about my declining number of favourites, so I'm happy that the Mystery is Solved. I'm going to make a point of favouriting every Blazecock Pileon comment and post from now on, though.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:42 AM on November 14, 2008

I shan't be shedding any tears over their Drama Queenism.

How soon we forget. Theatrical matriarchism if you please.
posted by WolfDaddy at 9:42 AM on November 14, 2008 [2 favorites]

What's the plan, Beepy?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:50 AM on November 14, 2008

Fuck me, it's getting all Boudrillardy in here.

Boudrillardy? Does that rhyme with foolhardy?

BTW, I've lost another 20-odd since I last posted in this thread. He's still got a ways to go yet...
posted by PeterMcDermott at 10:16 AM on November 14, 2008

I've been thinking about going through my favourites and reducing them to stuff I want bookmarked. That's mostly how I use them anyway though so I don' t have very many.

Good to know that if I decide to do this in future it might be taken as a dramatic action.
posted by ODiV at 10:36 AM on November 14, 2008

I just noticed it on mine right now.

"overhead, without any fuss, the favorites were going out."
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:42 AM on November 14, 2008 [10 favorites]

I think that taking favorites *away* from someone is strange and wicked. It's profoundly wrong, and taking favorites away from people when you're leaving anyway probably means you should be sent to jail.
posted by moxiedoll at 10:51 AM on November 14, 2008

It's profoundly wrong

Drama begets DRAMA!

[SALLY STRUTHERS ENTERS STAGE LEFT]

SALLY: Please, only you can make the hysteria and hyperbole stop.
posted by GuyZero at 11:13 AM on November 14, 2008

"overhead, without any fuss, the favorites were going out."

That's what you get for only giving Matt one name. I mean, how hard was that to enumerate?
posted by GuyZero at 11:14 AM on November 14, 2008

oh, bp, it is like little slivers piercing my heart as each of those sweet little favorites fades into the ether ... *copious weeping* ... so sad to learn that the little figurative kisses that you bestowed on my comments and posts were merely shallow, ethereal little flirtations and not the lifelong commitment I had longed for. Life can be cruel!

But the real blow here, joshing aside, is your departure ... I join the plaintive chorus, "don't go..." We will be less fun, less smart, and less sophisticated if you do. All the best to you, whatever path you choose.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:31 AM on November 14, 2008 [2 favorites]

Am I the only person who always checks their favorite counts? I like to know that people are enjoying my comments. It's a sad thing, I guess, since I'm basically just part of the faceless mass of MeFite posters with sub-1,000 comments, but there it is.
posted by sonic meat machine at 11:48 AM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

I don't check my favorite count, but I do check my Recent Favorites page. I never realized before now that this meant I would only find out when people added favorites, never when they removed them. I think it's a bit healthier that way.
posted by grouse at 11:51 AM on November 14, 2008

Am I the only person who always checks their favorite counts?

What, in this thread, could have lead you anywhere remotely close to this conclusion?
posted by ODiV at 11:57 AM on November 14, 2008

You'll never just be another faceless MeFi poster to me, smm, since your moniker conjures a very vivid KoL association.

sonic meat machine + dope wheels + zombie pineal gland...
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 11:58 AM on November 14, 2008

Well, it seemed mostly like people actually talking about things they've just noticed, etc., ODiV.
posted by sonic meat machine at 12:05 PM on November 14, 2008

I am a god

The first 10k favorites are the hardest by Astro Zombie. Available in bookstores now.
posted by Deathalicious at 12:14 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

sonic meat machine: Ah. I just saw this as a thread full of people obsessing about favourites so I was really confused by your comment.

Aside: is there a greasemonkey to hide all favourite related stuff?
posted by ODiV at 12:23 PM on November 14, 2008

I like dissenting opinions and people with ideas different from mine, even if it does get me all agitated and less-than-cogent from time to time*.

That's why each person who makes an effort to communicate here, each person who offers a nuanced view of the world or shares their struggles or just has a knack for finding interesting stuff matters to me.

So when people who colour the culture here step away, I always mourn a little, because that's one less voice, one less input that helps me see the world more clearly and through more facets than just my own.

When I first started reading MeFi, I took note of all those who posted frequently, particularly intelligently, or at least interestingly. As I've watched so many step away, I see how the ideas and community shift and, compellingly, it stays true to its roots. Testimony to the efforts and guidance of the founder, mods, and those who want this to be a good place for discovery and conversation. But it does shift, and I sometimes wonder what the spectrum of ideas here would be if we still had all of those folks, just like I wonder what it would be like if folks didn't let fear, anxiety, or performance tint their efforts.

For whatever reason this is going on, whatever the result is, this thread gave me a lot to think about in that realm and satisfies the meta-meta urge generously. Very satisfying, and I'm glad the question was asked.

I just hope this isn't at the cost of someone feeling pushed away from a community they otherwise enjoy.

*man, oh, man, do I owe some apologies...
posted by batmonkey at 12:25 PM on November 14, 2008 [3 favorites]

Yeah it is drama because when one wishes to sever ties with an online group, it's pretty easy to go about it in a non-dramatic way. Simply posting less and less and eventually not at all may get a few "whatever happened to.." comments is probably the least dramatic way.

But flameouts, grand "I'm leaving, here's why" posts to MetaTalk, un-friending users en masse, and unfavoriting comments by the THOUSANDS aren't exactly the quietest most undramatic means of going away. It's wanting your departure to be noticed, and noticed by a lot of people.
posted by chimaera at 1:51 PM on November 14, 2008 [2 favorites]

Is he actually leaving? Or is he de-faving for some other reason?
posted by everichon at 2:00 PM on November 14, 2008

There are comments I remember
All my life, though some were flames
Some were snarky, some malarkey,
Some were loooooong, and some were lame.

All those comments had their posters
My contacts and friends, I still can recall,
Some are mods and some are lurkers,
In my life, I faved them all.

Hope you have a nice walk down memory lane, BP.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:03 PM on November 14, 2008 [4 favorites]

Bah, hand-waving about whether this is a dramatic gesture is silly, IMO. Presumably you're hoping to incite a Grant Dramatic Explanation from the person himself?

Add me to the chorus of "I hope this is just a flurry of favoriting maintenance and not pre-Button preparation.
posted by desuetude at 2:04 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

This Is Just to Say

I have deleted
the faves
that were in
my profile

and which
you were probably
saving
for egotism

Forgive me
next is del.icio.us
so sweet
and so cold
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:13 PM on November 14, 2008 [10 favorites]

Oh lie
I thought you were golden
I thought you were wise
Caught you returning
To the house you caught fire
But I know that I was your favorite
And I said Amen
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:19 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

wow, that Neko Case is pretty good! never heard of her before.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:27 PM on November 14, 2008

(apropos of nothing)
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:31 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

I got a favorite back! Now I'm confused.
posted by WolfDaddy at 2:42 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

This thread is scrumpdillyicious.
posted by Balonious Assault at 2:45 PM on November 14, 2008

Likewise, never heard of Holly Throsby. Thanks for the mini music swap.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:46 PM on November 14, 2008

This is today's psycho-social learning experience. Between work tasks, I've been going from this thread to BP's profile, checking to see how many more favourites have dropped, what's been added, and what commentary he's given in the meantime to piece together the picture of his intent.

Pure intrigue.
posted by batmonkey at 3:03 PM on November 14, 2008

oooh, jumped to a video of Holly with Sarah Blasko - also well worth a listen.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:05 PM on November 14, 2008

The Throsby was quite nice, yeah.
posted by everichon at 3:12 PM on November 14, 2008

first saw her supporting Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. good times.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:25 PM on November 14, 2008

I heard about this one guy who was writing three comments in three thread daily, for a total of nine comments a day. His compliance was excellent; nine a day, day in and day out, as each comment was favorited by the same individual. The story is somewhat garbled in the re-telling, as evidently the individual was somehow able to favorite each comment twice, for a total of 18 favorites a day.

Suddenly the favorites stopped.

The guy sat immobile in his chair, staring at his profile, waiting for the favorites to return. They never did. While the coroner pronounced a multi-faceted cause of death, this did not prevent the pundits on Metafilter from arguing loudly over who was really responsible.

Was it the "industry" that created highly addictive favorites in the first place?

Was the guy morally "weak" for needing 18 favorites a day?

Were favorites unjustly demonized, and 18 a day was probably only 6 a day anyway?

Many Mefites were driven to share heart-wrenching anecdotes of how favorites helped them get through hard times, or even saved their very lives.

And maybe the "supplier" of the favorites was really to blame in the first place; not only did he not taper the favorites off slowly, he abruptly severed all human contact with the guy.

Like circumcision and cat declawing, the abrupt cessation of favorites has certainly joined the pantheon of "hot-button" topics here on Metafilter.
posted by Tube at 4:15 PM on November 14, 2008

*meanwhile, inside Metafilter*

Metafilter Control Program
I've got a little challenge for you, Sark --
a new recruit. He's a tough case, but I
want him treated in the usual manner. Train
him for the games... let him hope for a
while... and blow him away.

SARK
You've got it. I've been hopin' you'd send
me somebody with a little moxie ... what
kind of favorite is he?

MCP
He's not any kind of favorite, Sark.
He's a User.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 4:19 PM on November 14, 2008

The guy sat immobile in his chair, staring at his profile, waiting for the favorites to return. They never did. While the coroner pronounced a multi-faceted cause of death, this did not prevent the pundits on Metafilter from arguing loudly over who was really responsible.

Tube! I totally saw that "Behind the Favorites," too! Whatever happened, I think we can all agree that it was...sad. Just. So sad. He had so much to offer, man...so much to give.

(I'm just gonna briefly rationalize my own disappearing-favorites-noticing here -- I check my favorites now and then, not because of the numbers, but to see who [if anyone] has favorited what. There are only a few people on MeFi I know outside of MeFi, so this gives me a better idea of what somebody's like, who seems cool, etc. I've barely posted anything in a week, as I've been too busy scrubbing the internet of my Barney Miller slashfic prior to applying for an Obamajob, so I'd gotten pretty used to the number being where it was. More to the point, I was really very used to my number of contacts being where they were, as I haven't added a contact in like two months or thereabouts. Hence, etc.)
posted by kittens for breakfast at 4:31 PM on November 14, 2008

I think that sometimes, people see things with a lot of favorites, and think to themselves, 'hey, I should favorite that.' But then, later, they change their tunes, because, hey, bandwagon.
posted by box at 7:57 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Have I just noticed fewer awesomely rambly MeTa threads lately, or have we had fewer of them due to the long bout of electionitis?
posted by Tehanu at 8:26 PM on November 14, 2008

Barney Miller slashfic gives a whole new meaning to having a Fish in your pants.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 9:47 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

I think what we all need is a good thread closin'.

But first. SURPRISE MYSTERY VIDEO!
posted by Burhanistan at 10:36 PM on November 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

here's a BETTER SURPRISE MYSTERY VIDEO!
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:19 AM on November 15, 2008 [6 favorites]

this plan has been under way with four hundred years of sheer brilliance, until now.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:48 AM on November 15, 2008

Ubu, that Smith video is...I...hoo, boy.
posted by everichon at 8:17 AM on November 15, 2008

well i don't know if he's leaving or not. but, if so:

blazecock pileon, i will miss you.
posted by CitizenD at 1:05 PM on November 15, 2008 [2 favorites]

but hey! i'm down like 25! shit.
posted by CitizenD at 1:19 PM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

I-I can't bear to even look any more. And I have to admit, I'm holding back on clicking the [+] myself. Things are just too uncertain right now.

Clearly, in order to stabilize this... this, dire situation, mathowie needs to authorize a bailout package of Favorites to be distributed immediately, primarily to me. In turn, I will Favorite some of the posts and comments of others, and thus equilibrium will be achieved.

Favorites liquidity must be restored to encourage Favoriter confidence, or this Stagfavetion could plausibly lead to Favecits, or possibly, yes, my friends, Favecession. I will be putting my Age of Empires campaign on hold immediately and go to Oregon to work this out, so hopefully Number 1 has a couch that folds out and isn't a big baby when it comes to cigarette smoke in the house. Also, my preferred breakfast cereal is Honey Bunches of Oats, so if you can put in a supply of the stuff before I arrive, it would go a long way towards sorting this mess out. I will also need somebody to pick me up at the Greyhound depot. If I leave here in five minutes, I should be there around 3 AM this Thursday. Don't be late.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 6:01 PM on November 15, 2008 [3 favorites]

How many times do we have to go through this?

Trickle down favourites just. don't. work.
posted by ODiV at 6:09 PM on November 15, 2008

... there's been tremendous turmoil in our favorites count... and it is, people are frightened by these events. Our favoriting system, I think, still, the fundamentals of our favorites are strong, but these are very, very difficult times.
posted by taz at 1:15 AM on November 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

It's a bit late, but

I HAD NASSINK TO DO VITH ZIS! I VAS CHUST FOLLOWINK ORDERS!
posted by tehloki at 1:40 AM on November 16, 2008 [5 favorites]

*gives wide-eyed expression, monacle falls off face*

HO-GAAAAAAAN!

*cue canned laugh track*
posted by CitizenD at 9:08 AM on November 16, 2008

So, uh, I have a friend who's thinking about implementing a favorites bailout, working from the infodump. I - uh, he - was wondering if that would be okay. Wants to be sure that that wouldn't be abuse of the infodump. Because I wouldn't want it to go away. He doesn't! Not me. I mean. Yeah.
posted by Pronoiac at 2:18 PM on November 16, 2008

So, I noticed that the number of things I've favorited went down by twelve this weekend without my removing any. Is that somehow connected to what's being discussed here, or were there back-end changes that may have affected things?
posted by dersins at 11:08 AM on November 17, 2008

I don't think we've made any backend tweaks lately, no. It's likely mostly the bubble pop.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:18 PM on November 17, 2008

I hear the mods are having an emergency meeting to discuss granting a few users 500 extra favorites a day to use as a temporary confidence-restoring measure.

Man up, tehoki. It's time for some all-nighters.
posted by Tehanu at 12:29 PM on November 17, 2008

tehloki is the favoriter of last resort.
posted by grouse at 12:36 PM on November 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

I propose Pileout as the name for this phenomena.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 12:42 PM on November 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

Whew... I thought it was my breath travelling through the intertubes that was causing ppl to unfavorite me.
I think I just said too much.
posted by not_on_display at 1:19 PM on November 17, 2008

Update: the lolcats are demanding that the usual bacon of the month packages not be allowed as a part of this favorite pileout. The lolruses are disgruntled but will agree on the condition that not_on_display's breath should be removed from management. And something about bukkit futures that doesn't make sense but I don't think they have to votes to swing that.
posted by Tehanu at 3:37 PM on November 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

My favourites have nearly recovered to pre-crash levels. Thank god this long national nightmare is nearly over.
posted by GuyZero at 5:51 PM on November 18, 2008 [1 favorite]

If the mods actually gave me the extra favorites I've been demanding since favoritegate, I could have fixed this problem in hours.
posted by tehloki at 2:36 PM on November 19, 2008 [3 favorites]

I don't want to see uncompetitive comments bailed out though - if commenters can't compete and generate their own favourites against foreign sites like Fark or SomethingAwful they should be left to fail.
posted by GuyZero at 3:12 PM on November 19, 2008 [1 favorite]