It ain't me February 12, 2009 1:54 PM   Subscribe

This thread achieves orbit. That is all.
posted by telstar to MetaFilter-Related at 1:54 PM (171 comments total)

?
posted by dawson at 1:55 PM on February 12, 2009


Can you please

1. explain what you are talking about?

thanks.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:56 PM on February 12, 2009 [22 favorites]


Yes, see number 1 above.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:57 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


I'm confused. Do you mean that as a compliment?
posted by jason's_planet at 1:59 PM on February 12, 2009


Clearly that isn't all when no one knows what on earth you're talking about.
posted by ob at 2:00 PM on February 12, 2009


Can someone get him to explain this in a memail and then post the contents here?
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 2:01 PM on February 12, 2009 [5 favorites]


The best stuff gets deleted? Go to deleted thread for shit that these assholes simply cannot handle?
posted by dawson at 2:01 PM on February 12, 2009


I'd like to see what #2 is on jessamyn's list.
posted by boo_radley at 2:03 PM on February 12, 2009 [3 favorites]


Tater.
posted by fixedgear at 2:04 PM on February 12, 2009 [6 favorites]


All I see is numerous reminders of why I don't generally get involved in law-enforcement threads.
posted by jonmc at 2:05 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Eponysterical?
posted by padraigin at 2:05 PM on February 12, 2009 [3 favorites]


Don't mess with telstar.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:08 PM on February 12, 2009


I'd like to see what #2 is on jessamyn's list.

Ew, jessamyn. Ew. Wash your hands!
posted by Sys Rq at 2:10 PM on February 12, 2009


Also, I would like to know:

2. what you are talking about?

and

3. talking; you're doing it: why?
posted by GuyZero at 2:11 PM on February 12, 2009 [4 favorites]


2. What's up with tater prices?
posted by mesh gear fox at 2:12 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


I'm pretty sure the OP meant to say something along the lines of: A 12-year-old girl was beat up by the cops for no reason and you're joking about pancakes?
posted by Sys Rq at 2:13 PM on February 12, 2009


...I was joking about waffles.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 2:17 PM on February 12, 2009 [2 favorites]


4. Profit
posted by desjardins at 2:17 PM on February 12, 2009


I thought you were talking about this thread.
posted by Floydd at 2:24 PM on February 12, 2009


5. what
posted by languagehat at 2:24 PM on February 12, 2009 [2 favorites]


"Dance of the New MetaFilter Server", as performed by Die Königlichen Meatbomb Handpuppet Ballet. In the last act it is revealed what telstar is talking about.
posted by Meatbomb at 2:24 PM on February 12, 2009 [2 favorites]


Ok, so having read the thread, it's a flamewar about the moral turpitude of police officers. If that's all it takes to achieve orbit, Oakland should be like Super Dimension Fortress Macross.
posted by GuyZero at 2:24 PM on February 12, 2009 [4 favorites]


"Telstar" is such a great song, though. ♫ dee-de-de-de-deee
posted by soundofsuburbia at 2:27 PM on February 12, 2009


It has cameras.
posted by inigo2 at 2:27 PM on February 12, 2009


6. the
posted by SpiffyRob at 2:28 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Yes, see number 1 above.

OMG, Jessamyn has seized control!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:30 PM on February 12, 2009 [4 favorites]


7. this monkey's gone to heaven
posted by Dumsnill at 2:31 PM on February 12, 2009 [8 favorites]


Oh, my - that is an arresting thread.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:31 PM on February 12, 2009


2. What's up with tater prices?

$20SAIT
posted by dersins at 2:32 PM on February 12, 2009


OMG, Jessamyn has seized control!

[B BLATCHER WRESTLES WITH JESSAMYN IN TOILET STALL]

B BLATCHER: Who does number two work for?

TOM ARNOLD: You tell that turd who's boss!

B BLATCHER: Who... does... number... two... work... for?

TOM ARNOLD: Hey buddy, light a match or something!
posted by GuyZero at 2:32 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


All I see is numerous reminders of why I don't generally get involved in law-enforcement threads.

Me, too. I'm done with them. I'm just going to accept that, with all the good that comes from MeFi, there's an incredibly high level of insane jackassery. Lots of young, urban, white professionals with dumbass Marxist streaks doing impressions of Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, only with considerably less intellectual firepower.

"Fuck the pigs?" Whatever you say, Field Marshal Cinque. Now code my HTML.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:33 PM on February 12, 2009 [35 favorites]


$20SAIT

Twenty dollars, same as in TATER.
posted by cashman at 2:35 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


8. Use the word "orbit" in a sentence.
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 2:36 PM on February 12, 2009


8. nine
posted by ardgedee at 2:36 PM on February 12, 2009


CPB: While I know some people here fairly well who have made critical comments about the police who don't meet that stereotype at all (just to be fair), I have to say that rings hilariously true.
posted by jonmc at 2:38 PM on February 12, 2009


"hey, nice belt"
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:42 PM on February 12, 2009


"Use the word "orbit" in a sentence."

If you try to fuck a grizzly bear, you're going to get clawed orbit.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 2:44 PM on February 12, 2009 [22 favorites]


9. If you ain't gettin' bags, stay the fuck from police.
posted by box at 2:44 PM on February 12, 2009


Don't fuck the pigs. They're not worthy.
posted by Sys Rq at 2:46 PM on February 12, 2009


Metafilter's been on acid lately.
posted by gman at 2:46 PM on February 12, 2009


Message : my friend show me, i show metafilter. why no?
posted by Damn That Television at 2:49 PM on February 12, 2009 [4 favorites]


OMG, Jessamyn has seized control!

Has anyone seen cortex?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:50 PM on February 12, 2009


No, I can't find him anywhere.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:53 PM on February 12, 2009 [9 favorites]


Lots of young, urban, white professionals with dumbass Marxist streaks doing impressions of Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, only with considerably less intellectual firepower.

If I could favorite this a million times, I would suffer the RSI gladly.
posted by GeekAnimator at 2:55 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


100. I don't know how to count.
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:59 PM on February 12, 2009 [2 favorites]


"Fuck the pigs?"

I think you're looking for the food porn thread, upstream.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:00 PM on February 12, 2009


I made the best comment of all in that thread.
posted by Pastabagel at 3:04 PM on February 12, 2009


1. cut an hole in the box
posted by ALongDecember at 3:07 PM on February 12, 2009


I thought good will hunting was a movie about a dead guy who had hidden his last will and testament and his family had to figure out where it was. But, then, I though K-9 was a sequel to K2.
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:12 PM on February 12, 2009


I'm just going to accept that, with all the good that comes from MeFi, there's an incredibly high level of insane jackassery. Lots of young, urban, white professionals with dumbass Marxist streaks doing impressions of Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, only with considerably less intellectual firepower.

On the other hand, that thread showed us the usual handful of worthless assholes who went out of their way to defend the indefensible.

Whether this is due to a complete lacks of basic morality or an intellectually empty desire to be provocative, who knows. Either way, it is pretty ugly behavior. As much as dumbass Marxism doesn't reflect well on the site, neither is siding with the authorities.

Because of these folks, it is perhaps worth noting that "Mefi doesn't do $XYZ well" is, nine times out of ten, about the specific person who has a strong opinion about $XYZ, and not so much about the site, its members, or $XYZ itself.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:14 PM on February 12, 2009 [24 favorites]


This thread achieves orbit.

19. Around what celestial body, plz?
posted by terranova at 3:15 PM on February 12, 2009


I'm just going to accept that, with all the good that comes from MeFi, there's an incredibly high level of insane jackassery. Lots of young, urban, white professionals with dumbass Marxist streaks doing impressions of Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, only with considerably less intellectual firepower.

Well said.
posted by Bookhouse at 3:17 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


What's brown and rhymes with Snoop?

Dr. Dre.
posted by ORthey at 3:18 PM on February 12, 2009 [45 favorites]


This thread achieves orbit.

And promptly smashes into a defunct Russian military satellite.
posted by fixedgear at 3:19 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


On the other hand, that thread showed us the usual handful of worthless assholes who went out of their way to defend the indefensible.

Pileon, I wouldn't deny that either, but there's the rub, it's the loud knee jerkers who drown out any sane conversation, and make you want to throw up your hands and say to hell with everything. And as I mentioned at the end of the thread itself, rarely do threads about incidents of police misconduct remain about the incident itself, they generally become referendums about policing itself, with the loudest and most obnoxious on either side dominating.
posted by jonmc at 3:22 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]

Yes, see number 1 above.
posted by mathowie at 1:57 PM on February 12 [+] [!]
Just. Buh?
posted by Pronoiac at 3:24 PM on February 12, 2009


17. Orange
posted by ardgedee at 3:25 PM on February 12, 2009


' "Mefi doesn't do $XYZ well" is, nine times out of ten, about the specific person who has a strong opinion'

As an overweight, lolChristian with a declawed cat, I must respectfully disagree.
posted by klarck at 3:27 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


I have word that (putting hand up to earpiece), yes, I have just achieved orbit as well!

(meaning I have a pack of orbit gum next to me. That is all.)
posted by not_on_display at 3:28 PM on February 12, 2009


(my cat isn't really declawed)
posted by klarck at 3:28 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


8. Eight! I forget what eight was for.
posted by pompomtom at 3:29 PM on February 12, 2009 [11 favorites]


Ooh, I'm not much of a Christian, but I sure would like to be a lolChristian. It sounds fun!
posted by Ms. Saint at 3:35 PM on February 12, 2009


Maybe telstar means "This thread requires Orbitz," a gum that will make your breath fresh even if you've been forced to swallow a lot of crap.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:36 PM on February 12, 2009


The song Telstar was #1 in the U.S. the week I was born.

That's all I got.
posted by marxchivist at 3:39 PM on February 12, 2009


lolChristians.
posted by Bookhouse at 3:39 PM on February 12, 2009


Joey Michaels: Orbitz
posted by desjardins at 3:40 PM on February 12, 2009


it's the loud knee jerkers who drown out any sane conversation

It's difficult to picture a "sane conversation" about Texas cops beating up a 12-year-old girl to the point of hospitalization. That is likely a failure of my imagination. Can one really be that emotionally stunted? Possibly, sadly.

Maybe the thread is cathartic in some way for those who participate. Perhaps some commenters have personally experienced mistreatment at the hands of abusive public officials, and their experience colors the timbre of their response. Participation is why we have a comment field below every post, and that includes a post about a 12-year-old girl being beaten by police.

I suspect anyone in that grouping who dares express an opinion that does not support police officers would probably qualify as a "knee jerker", in this thread, which makes it hard to tell anyone apart. A "sane conversation" doesn't exist when everyone is colored with the same brush.

One solution is to get rid of the comment field for all posts, so as to eliminate the potential for "Marxist", non-reactionary, non-patriotic or other non-acceptable responses that are offensive to the minority who cannot cope.

Or, perhaps, those who don't like thinking about the subject matter should probably not participate: whether that's about beating up a 12-year-old girl to the point of hospitalization, or about any other subject matter on Metafilter that is distasteful to them personally.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:49 PM on February 12, 2009 [4 favorites]


Seems clear to me: The metamoderation in the thread, which is most naturally and correctly visualized as a pair of hands gently encircling the commentary, fingers interlocked, proved unable to contain the explosive discussion, and was propelled into orbit (specifically, of course, a sub synchronous orbit, but I don't think accuracy in this is essential).
posted by ~ at 3:55 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


1. cut an hole in the box

WHERE ARE ALL THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
posted by zinfandel at 3:56 PM on February 12, 2009


This thread achieves orbit. That is all.

That really was all, apparently.
posted by netbros at 4:00 PM on February 12, 2009


That is likely a failure of my imagination. Can one really be that emotionally stunted?

If you can't see the forest for the trees, and separate out the "fuck the pigs" vitriol from the sane conversation, "emotionally" isn't the word you're looking for.

The one you're looking for starts with an "M" and ends with "aturity."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:03 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


I thought it was a pretty decent conversation, all hyperbole aside. There was a bit of over the top rhetoric, but I don't think that in this particular case it was completely unwarranted. It was an emotional conversation, but I think everyone was relatively restrained.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 4:09 PM on February 12, 2009


Lately, Metafilter has been like Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman. Hard to tell if it is putting me on, or in a psychic death spiral
posted by found missing at 4:09 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Clearly he is referring to The O-Force, a superhuman mutant team in the Marvel Universe.
posted by Brocktoon at 4:12 PM on February 12, 2009


It's difficult to picture a "sane conversation" about Texas cops beating up a 12-year-old girl to the point of hospitalization. That is likely a failure of my imagination.

Except that 99% of the conversation in that thread wasn't about the incident at hand, just generalized cop-hating.

I suspect anyone in that grouping who dares express an opinion that does not support police officers would probably qualify as a "knee jerker", in this thread,

Also, don't attribute opinions to me that I don't hold, thanks. And don't equate criticism with being silenced or found 'non-acceptable.'
posted by jonmc at 4:12 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Hey, wow, I'm cool. I'm going to go on MetaTalk and make a vague reference to a post - a vague reference that doesn't make sense to anyone, and then while everyone gets together to try to puzzle out what I meant, I'm going to just.. you know.. disappear.

Fuck you!

Seriously.

You're an asshole.
posted by kbanas at 4:20 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Dude, you could always just not flag it and move on.
posted by GuyZero at 4:22 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Brocktoon, you're confused. You're thinking of Liefeld's O-Face™.
posted by Pronoiac at 4:22 PM on February 12, 2009


I think that's an excellent thread, featuring some long comments by Smedleyman with brilliant discussions of whats wrong with police departments and how to fix them, a really informative comment by dios about suing government entities despite sovereign immunity at the state and federal level, great stuff from Mastercheddar about growing up in an extended family with a tradition of service as law officers, and a link to a local newspaper account of the case which talked about police officers in uniform packing the girl's trail in hopes of intimidating the jury (in the comments section of the article), with one of the jurors in the case then coming forward in thread to say that tactic had backfired and to counter what looked like a deliberate campaign of misinformation about how the jury had voted, launched by supporters of the police.

All capped off by what may be the most effective piece of thread-inspired direct political action carried out by a Mefite that I've ever heard of anyway, when Dejah420 canceled an event she had scheduled for Galveston (still reeling from Ike), costing the Galveston economy thousands and thousands of dollars, and telling everyone from the mayor to the hotel clerk exactly why she did it.

Really should be side-barred.
posted by jamjam at 4:27 PM on February 12, 2009 [5 favorites]


Except that 99% of the conversation in that thread wasn't about the incident at hand, just generalized cop-hating.

Pretty much. I went to that thread because I got a PM to answer a specific question. After I read the question, I then read a dozen or so comments and noticed a pattern. As I said in the thread, there was an excess of histrionics. And that seems to be increasingly common. I guess I missed the memo that offers prizes to whomever can take the title of Most Outraged.

What is unfortunate is that we all know there are bright people here. And there are bright people who are capable of critical thinking. People who, in other circumstances, would take nothing at face value and apply their critical thinking to consider various viewpoints and factual interpretations.

But some people--too many people--in that thread read a very factually vague and self-evidently one sided interpretation of the facts, accepted it at face value, and immediately when into default Outraged Mode. Rather than engaging in a dialogue of what may have occurred, what is likely, how we could have ended up there, what avenues are available to fix the problems, or whether the sources were accurate or comprehensive, we had people just firing from the hip based on little more than a reading of the post and assumptions.

And when some people displayed critical thinking skills and wanted to examine the issue deeper, they get called names, have their motivations questions, or be accused of not being capable of basic human sentiments.

It's a shame. It's sad to think we have people who would sacrifice critical thinking in order to make an argument based on nothing but emotion and outrage.
posted by dios at 4:33 PM on February 12, 2009 [3 favorites]


Why can't us men think of these things ? lol.
posted by The Whelk at 4:56 PM on February 12, 2009


Really should be side-barred.

Too much chaff in that wheat.
posted by smackfu at 5:03 PM on February 12, 2009


Blazecock Pileon said: "On the other hand, that thread showed us the usual handful of worthless assholes who went out of their way to defend the indefensible.

Whether this is due to a complete lacks of basic morality or an intellectually empty desire to be provocative, who knows. Either way, it is pretty ugly behavior. As much as dumbass Marxism doesn't reflect well on the site, neither is siding with the authorities.
"

I KNOW RIGHT.

Also, BP, thanks for jumping in there and taking the time to be a responsible voice of reason, someone to help model a higher standard of discourse for all those "worthless assholes."

Oh, wait. Never mind.
posted by pineapple at 5:05 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Oh, wait. Never mind.

Oh, please. It's one person's comment on bullshit macho posturing in Texas. Grow up.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:09 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


*shrugs*

Oh, well. We now return to our regularly scheduled same old shit.
posted by jonmc at 5:14 PM on February 12, 2009


That's exactly my point, BP. You're sure full of drive-by bullshit in thread that doesn't help the conversation along... AND also full of opinions on how all those people giving a modicum of thought to their comments are worthless assholes doing it wrong.

Maybe next time: more thought, less drive-by?

Or, here's an idea: same drive-by, less pious bitching in MetaTalk.
posted by pineapple at 5:18 PM on February 12, 2009


Or, here's an idea: same drive-by, less pious bitching in MetaTalk.

I couldn't convince you to interpret it any other way, so I'll just wish you well, and no hard feelings.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:33 PM on February 12, 2009


"I suspect anyone in that grouping who dares express an opinion that does not support police officers would probably qualify as a "knee jerker", in this thread, which makes it hard to tell anyone apart. A "sane conversation" doesn't exist when everyone is colored with the same brush."

C'mon, dude. I rolled my eyes a bit at Cool Papa Bell up there, but, y'know, I'm a youngish (how long can I claim that? Do I have to give it up when I hit 30?) white guy with a pretty big Marxist streak (big enough to realize that there was precious little Marxism in there) and a spiritual affinity towards Bobby Seale (though I like reading about Fred Hampton more). Even I had to drop out of that thread due to the rampant bullshit. Folks like, say, Sonotohito (I think that's how to spell it) really do get caught up in the crusade, and there was far more bile from him on people being insufficiently outraged than I saw from pro-cops posters. I know it rankled you a bit, but it really wasn't a right-wing fascist free-for-all there, and I'd recalibrate my left/right sensors if I thought it was.
posted by klangklangston at 5:40 PM on February 12, 2009


Or, here's an idea: same drive-by, less pious bitching in MetaTalk.

For everyone? I can get behind that.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:42 PM on February 12, 2009 [2 favorites]


I'm a youngish (how long can I claim that?

Have you passed a pretty young girl on the street in revealing clothes and instead of thinking 'hubba-hubba,' thought 'Your mother let you wear that?' ? If so you are now old. Welcome.

FWIW, I don't think CPB is as irked with Marxism per se as he is with the yuppie socialist Walter-Mitty posturing, is all.
posted by jonmc at 5:44 PM on February 12, 2009 [5 favorites]


It's sad to think we have people who would sacrifice critical thinking in order to make an argument based on nothing but emotion and outrage.

All I've got left is emotion and outrage. It's been a rough year, and it's only february.
posted by nola at 5:46 PM on February 12, 2009


Are we done here yet?
posted by turgid dahlia at 5:47 PM on February 12, 2009


You got some place to be?
posted by nola at 5:48 PM on February 12, 2009


They had Iron City Beer at the grocery today. What a cheap regional brew from Pittsburgh is doing in the cooler of a Key Food in Queens is beyond me, but we've had flukes like that before; once it was some Stuckey's salted pecans, which were great, but never seen again.
posted by jonmc at 5:51 PM on February 12, 2009


Iron City is tasty, btw, if that helps any of you in your quest for truth.
posted by jonmc at 5:52 PM on February 12, 2009


FWIW, I don't think CPB is as irked with Marxism per se as he is with the yuppie socialist Walter-Mitty posturing, is all.

What he said.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:53 PM on February 12, 2009


You got some place to be?

Well, we get these threads fairly frequently, and all they ever end up being is "You're an asshole!" vs. "No you are!" and on top of that it was a nothing thread to begin with and, y'know, I just had some noodles, they were okay.
posted by turgid dahlia at 5:55 PM on February 12, 2009


Actual stance on different matters aside, I find it highly irritating that a lot of MeFi threads that could otherwise be wonderful havens of logical discourse end up being a rehashing of overgeneralization about the subject at hand. It's still useful, even if it's the fifth or seventh thread about Religion or Obama or whatnot, because something new always pops up, and it's still interesting to see the interplay between members / the overall dynamic.

I actually found that thread fairly interesting (and it definitely could've been worse), but I wish it hadn't gotten derailed so early on with the good-cop bad-cop discussion. And I'm sure I'm guilty of outrage-filter, too, but it would've been so much more interesting - as someone mentioned upthread - to see an actual analysis of the current situation, the one that spurred the debate.
posted by Phire at 6:17 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


You're an asshole!
posted by everichon at 6:22 PM on February 12, 2009


Blazecock Pileon said: "I couldn't convince you to interpret it any other way

The drive-by, or the pious bitching? If the former, I suspect you probably think it's more about a Texas-hate hard-on than it actually is. Across the board, I find irrelevant Texas jabs to be tiresome, low-hanging fru... nope, already run out of give-a-shit, again, just read this and assume that I repeated the most articulate parts here.

I just thought it was a little cheap of you to both contribute nothing to the actual discussion and rail on those who did participate albeit while saying things you didn't care for.

so I'll just wish you well, and no hard feelings.

Cheers, amigo. See you at the MeFi Treehugging Libtard Club meeting next week. They're distributing the jackets!!!
posted by pineapple at 6:42 PM on February 12, 2009


Actual stance on different matters aside, I find it highly irritating that a lot of MeFi threads that could otherwise be wonderful havens of logical discourse end up being a rehashing of overgeneralization about the subject at hand.

Welcome to the human condition. MetaFilter is truly the best of all possible worlds.
posted by KokuRyu at 6:43 PM on February 12, 2009


Across the board, I find irrelevant Texas jabs to be tiresome, low-hanging fru...

I believe in that jabs about Texas are called taters.
posted by KokuRyu at 6:44 PM on February 12, 2009 [2 favorites]


And as I mentioned at the end of the thread itself, rarely do threads about incidents of police misconduct remain about the incident itself, they generally become referendums about policing itself

And what's wrong with that? Look, if a PROBLEM keeps arising with regards to a profession and the system it operates in, wouldn't it be wise to step back and look at the profession or system as a whole, instead of assuming a priori that they are perfect, and there must be some other mysterious reason why this problem keeps coming up?
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 6:46 PM on February 12, 2009 [3 favorites]


I just thought it was a little cheap of you to both contribute nothing to the actual discussion and rail on those who did participate albeit while saying things you didn't care for.

Your interpretation is uncharitable and incorrect. See you at the next libtard meeting.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:56 PM on February 12, 2009


I had noodles too. In seafood laksa. The noodles were better than okay, but the prawn tails had been removed.
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:57 PM on February 12, 2009


You're an asshole!

That's what your mom said!

Wait...
posted by turgid dahlia at 6:57 PM on February 12, 2009


I find it highly irritating that a lot of MeFi threads that could otherwise be wonderful havens of logical discourse end up being a rehashing of overgeneralization about the subject at hand.

Welcome to the human condition. MetaFilter is truly the best of all possible worlds.

But there's plenty of topics that MetaFilter does well. Cops just ain't one of them.
posted by Bookhouse at 7:17 PM on February 12, 2009


You'll have a hell of a hangover, but other than this thread, you'll be fine.
posted by dawson at 7:28 PM on February 12, 2009


but the prawn tails had been removed.

Bollocks. I reckon you just wimped out on my dare.

(I went all the way to Malaysia the other year, and didn't get around to having a laksa. Think I'll regret there until I go back...)
posted by pompomtom at 7:29 PM on February 12, 2009


So, did you hear about that guy who was tasered by the cops but still sent to prison? While on a 2 year stint, he was raped.

According to rumours, he was also circumcised.

Israel.
posted by purephase at 7:33 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


What I just learned is that I'm going to have to stay out of cop threads on the apparent danger of being exposed to The Wire spoilers. I'm not coming back in here either so you just do your worst, I'm still on season one.
posted by nanojath at 7:33 PM on February 12, 2009


They're handing out jackets? I'm there! (If this Nor'easter of a shitstorm doesn't delay me.)
posted by P.o.B. at 7:38 PM on February 12, 2009


Bunk is a Cylon.
posted by turgid dahlia at 7:50 PM on February 12, 2009 [2 favorites]


Sorry, what's this about the Black Panthers and Karl Marx? Jeez. An outrageous story gets posted on Metafilter and people are outraged. I don't think this has anything to do with "intellectual firepower" or whatever you called it. It's about knee-jerk reactions, just like those police evidently had.
posted by Hoopo at 8:07 PM on February 12, 2009


Are we talking about prison rape yet?
posted by CRM114 at 8:20 PM on February 12, 2009


I was glad for the information, disappointed that no matter what other angle someone brought up, the thread kept veering back to the "Cops Rule" vs. "Cops Drool" arguments, which are sometimes both shouty and boring, and sad that people are canceling events and plans in Galveston because of this because I don't think it will "teach" GPD anything, it will just hurt already hurting local businesses.

As an aside, am relieved I'm not the only one flummoxed by taters in orbit.
posted by *s at 8:27 PM on February 12, 2009


I liked Metafilter back when it was self policing.
posted by nola at 8:35 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Sorry, what's this about the Black Panthers and Karl Marx?

First post from the original thread:
Fucking pigs.
posted by Brother Dysk at 6:46 AM on February 10 [28 favorites +] [!]


While they didn't invent the term, the popular usage of "pigs" as a pejorative for police really gained traction from its usage by the Black Panthers. Here, watch a movie. Here, read some testimony.

The widespread usage was then co-opted by wealthy white Bay Area student hippies (just like many other black-to-white transitions of popular culture), and continues its slow burn through the population today.

dumb fuckers use the term and don't even know where it comes from.

As for armchair, wannabe Marxists, I think that's pretty clear around here.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:36 PM on February 12, 2009


Just having Karl Marx over for dinner once doesn't make me a Marxist CPB. *spits tobacco juice*
posted by nola at 8:42 PM on February 12, 2009


If the girl is sent to prison, I wonder if she'll be raped?
posted by UbuRoivas at 8:42 PM on February 12, 2009


taters in orbit.

Taters In Orbit would be a great band name. Seriously, for like a surf guitar/western swing fusion outfit, maybe.
posted by jonmc at 8:44 PM on February 12, 2009


Knee jerk is knee.
posted by klangklangston at 8:51 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


Just having Karl Marx over for dinner once doesn't make me a Marxist CPB.

And I presume RED wine was served at this dinner????

;-)
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:57 PM on February 12, 2009


19. Around what celestial body, plz?

uranus
posted by pyramid termite at 8:58 PM on February 12, 2009


And I presume RED wine was served at this dinner????
No just a tall glass of paint striper and pirozhki.
posted by nola at 9:03 PM on February 12, 2009


I don't know, by the end of that thread I felt like I knew less than at the start. How come commenters in half the links referred to four cops, and the rest said three? Where did the 'two weeks in hospital' come from? Is that in any way consistent with '$8000 in hospital bills' (I thought that was what it cost you to have a cold!)? Where did the figure of $8000 come from anyway? Where can I read the bit of the trial where a neighbour testifies that the cops were in uniform and already knew Dymond and her family, or something like that?

At least one side in this case must be straight out lying, and I have no way of knowing which, so I'm just not really going to care about it.
posted by jacalata at 9:16 PM on February 12, 2009


Merely a compliment. Sorry, I just got a leetle carried away.
posted by telstar at 9:22 PM on February 12, 2009


So I guess the point of this thread was to spread the stupid, mostly pointless argument around. Because that's certainly what's happened.
posted by Caduceus at 9:24 PM on February 12, 2009


Metafilter: stupid, mostly pointless
posted by telstar at 9:48 PM on February 12, 2009


Hey!
posted by Meta Filter at 10:19 PM on February 12, 2009 [5 favorites]


posted by Meta Filter at 1:19 AM on February 13 [+] [!]

This idea, it is less funny than you think.
posted by killdevil at 10:26 PM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


"Fuck the pigs?" Whatever you say, Field Marshal Cinque. Now code my HTML.

If I could sidebar this I would. And by that I mean if I had the access rights, because obviously I'm a young urban HTML coder who is, in fact, capable of sidebarring it. If I had the access.
posted by empyrean at 10:38 PM on February 12, 2009


Hey Gang!
posted by Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory at 10:40 PM on February 12, 2009


So you've come back, have you? I heard you were with Fark now.
posted by Meta Filter at 11:01 PM on February 12, 2009


G.I.F.T, thanks for that acronym friendly handle.
posted by telstar at 11:14 PM on February 12, 2009


Just when you thought it was safe to come back to MetaTalk...

I'M BACK!
posted by shitstorm at 11:17 PM on February 12, 2009


it's more about a Texas-hate hard-on
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:07 AM on February 13, 2009 [1 favorite]


I learned the "cops = pigs" thing from Wayne's World.
posted by minifigs at 4:16 AM on February 13, 2009


MEMO TO TELSTAR: "That is all" is lame, unnecessary, and wrong in all contexts--especially here, given the 140+ variations on buh? following. NEVER USE AGAIN.
posted by kittyprecious at 5:16 AM on February 13, 2009


This thread achieves Orbitz.
posted by Dr-Baa at 5:38 AM on February 13, 2009 [2 favorites]


Rather than engaging in a dialogue of what may have occurred, what is likely, how we could have ended up there, what avenues are available to fix the problems, or whether the sources were accurate or comprehensive, we had people just firing from the hip based on little more than a reading of the post and assumptions

Oh, please. There was never any possibility of "dialogue" in that stupid thread and the "fuck the pigs" bullshit wasn't worse than your own prissy histrionics, there was just more of it. But if you'll stop being such a bed wetter, I'll mail you a "Most Outraged over the Outrage" sticker and you can put it right next to the one that says "I support the police."

the popular usage of "pigs" as a pejorative for police

I'm campaigning to replace this sophmoric phrase with "porkulus." Who's with me?
posted by octobersurprise at 6:08 AM on February 13, 2009 [1 favorite]


The media never does law enforcement any favors anyway. I'm not commenting on the case in question because I was not there and do not know the details.

Speaking from experience, however, the media will rarely show the suspect attempting to strangle the officer with his own mic cord and then attempt to stab him with a pen. No, they will not show that. They will only show the officer bouncing the suspect's face off the pavement followed by a knee strike, seemingly "unprovoked."

I have learned that whatever the media says about an incident with the police, there's a whole chunk of information that is left out.
posted by C17H19NO3 at 9:12 AM on February 13, 2009


The late suck.com on the late product Orbitz (and some reports on entertainingly quaint gosh-wow public interactions with the Internet, circa 1996)
posted by ardgedee at 10:05 AM on February 13, 2009


I loved that weird Orbitz drink and was so sad when it left. Now I wonder what, precisely, I was thinking at the time.

Many years ago while riding in the backseat of my mom's car with my brother and stepbrother we saw a police car behind us. We started up a chant along the lines of "Go home, pigs!" I was just out of toddler-hood - right around 4yrs old. Mom, suddenly realising little kids actually do absorb what they hear from the adults around them and might then take that learning out into the real world when it's least convenient for said adults, started shushing us and yelled at us to never, ever, ever call cops "pigs", "fuzz", or any other derogatory term. Particularly not when in their presence, no matter how tempting it may be, and no matter how many times we hear it from other people. When we started to argue, she made the point that while there are some bad cops, most are people just like those in our huge extended family, which also included officers of the law from various agencies, and would we want other kids calling our family members such names? Point made, point taken. I'm not claiming perfect adherence, but it sure changed how the group of us watched the news at night.

This thing that happened in Galveston is heinous and wrong. We'd planned on Mardi Gras in Galveston and otherwise being part of supporting their return to life, but this changes those plans. I'll follow the good example set by Dejah420 in making that clear to Galveston officials.
posted by batmonkey at 10:52 AM on February 13, 2009


Is it possible to be an armchair Marxist while sitting in an Aeron?
posted by box at 11:17 AM on February 13, 2009


I knew a few people who were just adamantly, faithfully supportive of Orbitz when it was around. All I can figure is that at its core it's the same fundamental process involved in becoming a faithful scotch drinker, except for the part where your hard-to-like-at-first beverage of choice is an awful, horrid snot-balloons-in-sugar-water aberration.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:35 AM on February 13, 2009 [1 favorite]


I could never get past those fucking commercials.
posted by box at 11:53 AM on February 13, 2009


oh hey, so telstar's drunk posting! sweet. is this now an open thread to talk about whatever we want?

because i want to talk about the latest Battlestar Galactica episode. fucking Gaita.
posted by shmegegge at 11:53 AM on February 13, 2009


shmegegge, you can't do it like that, we are busy talking about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi right now. WAIT YOUR FUCKING TURN!!!
posted by Meatbomb at 11:56 AM on February 13, 2009


I've found that aloe juice (the kind in the giant green bottles you get at your local Korean or Japanese market) provides a drinking sensation not unlike Orbitz.
posted by Dr-Baa at 12:03 PM on February 13, 2009


Huey Lewis?
posted by Brak at 12:19 PM on February 13, 2009


"Speaking from experience, however, the media will rarely show the suspect attempting to strangle the officer with his own mic cord and then attempt to stab him with a pen. No, they will not show that. They will only show the officer bouncing the suspect's face off the pavement followed by a knee strike, seemingly "unprovoked.""

Do they not have the show Cops where you are? Or America's Most Wanted? Or World's Deadliest Police Chases?

There's a mountain of media with fawningly sycophantic portrayals of the police.
posted by klangklangston at 12:22 PM on February 13, 2009


whatever happened to dewey and looie lewis?
posted by pyramid termite at 12:24 PM on February 13, 2009


shmegegge, you can't do it like that, we are busy talking about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi right now. WAIT YOUR FUCKING TURN!!!

Do you think the Cylons will wait their fucking turn?! HUH?! DO YOU?!
posted by shmegegge at 12:28 PM on February 13, 2009


They will if it's a turn-based tactics/strategy game based in the BSG universe and styled after X-Com.

So someone get the fuck on that.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:32 PM on February 13, 2009 [1 favorite]


BGS the Board Game.

Not styled after X-Com, but some players are secretly Cylons, and working against the rest of the players. Don't know more about it than that.
posted by Caduceus at 1:09 PM on February 13, 2009


someone told me that there was a run on nylons at k-mart today
posted by pyramid termite at 1:10 PM on February 13, 2009


I misread that as "a nun-based tactics/strategy game based in the BSG universe and styled after X-Com". To which I can only say HELL YES.
posted by scrump at 1:14 PM on February 13, 2009


I misread that as "a nun-based tactics/strategy game based in the BSG universe and styled after X-Com". To which I can only say HELL YES.

No, no, for nun based tactics you want Warhammer 40K.
posted by Caduceus at 1:19 PM on February 13, 2009


A Marxist streak?
posted by jefeweiss at 1:29 PM on February 13, 2009


I liked Metafilter back when it was self policing.

Yeah, but we'd all have to be issued tasers now to keep that going. And you know how that would end....


with tasered taters
posted by never used baby shoes at 2:43 PM on February 13, 2009 [1 favorite]


don't tate me bro
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:59 PM on February 13, 2009 [1 favorite]


tots!
posted by mwhybark at 3:16 PM on February 13, 2009


While I'm thinking about it, I thought this "all police are evil" topic was a nice match for the "all lawyers are evil and I'm glad they're getting fired" topic. I'm looking forward to the "all judges are evil," "all security guards are evil" and "all juries are evil (and stupid)" topics that should appear to party with they were figures in Matisse's The Dance.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:06 PM on February 13, 2009


Iron City is tasty, btw, if that helps any of you in your quest for truth.

I grew up 45 minutes away from Pittsburgh and I've never had an Iron City. Shame, really. Yuengling, now, I've had and like. Rolling Rock makes my face hurt.

Seriously.
posted by adamdschneider at 5:31 PM on February 13, 2009


I'm looking forward to the "all judges are evil,"

Pretty sure we just had this one.
posted by fixedgear at 5:54 PM on February 13, 2009


Yuengling>>IC. Unless you want to shit green, then IC is the drink of choice, now that I can't find Oly anymore.
posted by Mister_A at 7:23 PM on February 13, 2009


Just imagine that the comma after green is a dash.
posted by Mister_A at 7:24 PM on February 13, 2009


So can we discuss the latest episode here? Cause I gotta say ...


I.

WAS.

RIGHT.


Also, God is a leggy older blonde with a drinking problem? YES.


Starbuck, meet Princess Osma. You have a lot in common I think.
posted by The Whelk at 8:14 PM on February 13, 2009


After reading all of the above, I can only throw up my hands in dismay and groan. Do we now have to define "orbit" as well as "tater"? Linguistics is getting to be a full time job here.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:52 AM on February 14, 2009




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