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May 13, 2009 2:28 PM

What is the mod policy on noting when comments have been removed?

I've seen jessamyn and others say "cleaned up the thread a bit, stop being fuckwads, kthx", etc, but it appears not to happen for one-off offenders. Is it just something you do if you're removing shrapnel left and right?

This comment is clearly referring to a comment now deleted.

No big deal; I know most housekeeping is done under the radar and mentioning every single deletion would clutter up posts pretty quickly, but I was just curious.

posted by disillusioned to etiquette/policy at 2:28 PM (122 comments total)

I get personal, handwritten notes that tied with a silk ribbon and scented with vanilla.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:30 PM on May 13 [7 favorites]

Yeah that was an odd case. The first comment was a sort of "well my opinion is stay the hell out of the tub" comment which set a bad precedent for the direction of the thread. If we remove an early comment in the thread and it's a one-off and we think it will be pretty clear why it was removed, we don't add a note. The notes are usually "hey someone made the same joke already about eamondaly's beard and while we all love him dearly, this is not a good thread to be posting links to his website, thanks" to sort of curtail something we see happening. Often I'll drop a commenter a note saying "hey I removed a comment that you were referring to, want me to edit that part out?" but I was late for a walk in the woods so I didn't.
posted by jessamyn at 2:33 PM on May 13

You've got it about right: we'll leave notes mostly when either the deletion was significant and potentially disorienting, or if there's some sort of ongoing issue that's likely to recur (e.g. something in the framing or topic of the question that's provocative) so as to head off further iterations of the deletable/problematic stuff.

Otherwise, if it's a one-off sort of thing, we'll generally just kill it and leave it at that.

We try to be careful to clean up replies-to-deleted-comments, but sometimes we'll miss one. Beyond that, we may leave up a comment that is partly a reply to a deleted comment and partly a substantive comment in its own right—which is a tricky compromise either way, but if the quotation of the deleted stuff isn't itself too disruptive we'll just hope people can run with the little burp in the flow and be okay.
posted by cortex at 2:34 PM on May 13

Did someone bleed all over eamondaly's beard? He should have stayed out of the hot tub.
posted by SpiffyRob at 2:39 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

I guess making a "what do vampires use for teabags?" joke would be crass. but god, how i miss elementary school, the salad days of my youth.
posted by KokuRyu at 2:41 PM on May 13

Man, KokuRyu just ruined vampires, teabags, elementary school, and salad for me.

Thanks mods, t'was what I thought. Keep up the good work.
posted by disillusioned at 2:45 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

Generally the moderators beg for my permission if they'd like to remove or edit a comment. Occasionally, when feeling particularly indulgent, I grant it.
posted by dersins at 2:47 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

There were two comments ahead of this one that got deleted. I flagged both.

Seriously, if your comment starts with anything even remotely resembling "I have no idea what the answer to your question is, but"....don't leave the comment. Just don't. No one cares.
posted by iconomy at 3:01 PM on May 13 [3 favorites]

I get an owl.
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:06 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

The mods remove comments?
posted by gman at 3:11 PM on May 13

Whatever it is, it's better than the rocker policy.
posted by Eideteker at 3:15 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

The mods remove comments?

Have you ever wondered why we have the ability to flag comments?
posted by iconomy at 3:17 PM on May 13

When I have a comment removed the mods just tell me, "No, you've been drinking. There was never anything posted like that."

BUT I KNOW DIFFERENT.
posted by klangklangston at 3:17 PM on May 13 [4 favorites]

If only the mods were actual mods. That would be, like, groovy.
posted by GuyZero at 3:18 PM on May 13 [4 favorites]

Have you ever wondered why we have the ability to flag comments?

No. Can you explain?
posted by gman at 3:21 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

Have you ever wondered why we have the ability to flag comments?

The warm fuzzy feeling I get is cheaper than booze?
posted by nomisxid at 3:21 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

No, it would be brill, gear and fab. They're not hippies.
posted by klangklangston at 3:22 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

can we close this up?

not because i have a problem, but i do love saying that and then seeing it happen.

klangklangston: can i have some of what you've been drinking? mmm... drinking.
posted by artof.mulata at 3:26 PM on May 13

Have you ever wondered why we have the ability to flag favorite comments?

Please, would someone tell me what favorites are for?
posted by desjardins at 3:29 PM on May 13

I lick my comments. It makes the mods think twice before trying to handle them.
posted by ardgedee at 3:31 PM on May 13 [4 favorites]

Please, would someone tell me what favorites are for?

No idea, but if you press the [+], it expands people's comments. Similar to the [more inside] on the front page.
posted by gman at 3:36 PM on May 13 [10 favorites]

The Mod policy is that Pete and Julie go get Captain Greer while Linc keeps the bad guy in a headlock.
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:49 PM on May 13 [5 favorites]

Have you ever wondered why we have the ability to flag comments?

Please, would someone tell me what favorites are for?

Those features were developed to confuse the people who are just here for the used cars.
posted by amyms at 4:04 PM on May 13

Don't you know? Favorites and Flags is the new Dungeons and Dragons.
posted by P.o.B. at 4:16 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

I also hit [!] when I'm really excited about a comment.
posted by gman at 4:29 PM on May 13

I lick my comments. It makes the mods think twice before trying to handle them.

What a coincidence! I pull most of my comments out of my ass!
posted by loquacious at 4:39 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

Ass comments. Hehe.
posted by loquacious at 4:40 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

They're not hippies.

I've seen pictures of Jessamyn and Cortex. They certainly *look* like hippies to me.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 5:17 PM on May 13

I've met them. They don't smell like hippies.
posted by dersins at 5:23 PM on May 13

Huh? cortex reeks of patchouli.
posted by gman at 5:28 PM on May 13

I dare you to delete my post. Go on, try it.

Don't you think that's a little much?
posted by flatluigi at 5:29 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

I lick my comments. It makes the mods think twice before trying to handle them.

Do they taste like a 9V battery?
posted by qvantamon at 5:29 PM on May 13

I've never owned anything patchouli-smelling in my life. I'm a latter day internet hippie.
posted by cortex at 5:36 PM on May 13

Those features were developed to confuse the people who are just here for the used cars.

Huh? I thought [!] meant "handbrake works", and [+] meant "includes lug wrench".
posted by qvantamon at 5:36 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

> Do they taste like a 9V battery?

No, just bitter.
posted by ardgedee at 5:37 PM on May 13

Ah, MeTa. Since this issue has been fully resolved I'm going to take this time and space to say that the Miracle Whip Zingr ad is distracting the hell out of me. I've got no inherent problem with ads on here, but I dunno . . . Miracle Whip?! Is it just because I'm a mayonnaise man? But look at this picture courtesy of our friends at Wikipedia. Not very appealing. Maybe you disagree. Maybe you like Miracle Whip. I'm not here to play "you're favorite sandwich spread sucks." So here are nearly one thousand recipes which use the stuff. Here is an old Miracle Whip TV ad which proves that the world was better before the development of CGI. And one where a man has a Miracle Whip-related nightmare. And finally, for those Mefites who happen to be on facebook and are social activists, Give Us Back Original Miracle Whip!
posted by barrett caulk at 5:44 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

They certainly *look* like hippies to me.

I have a job! And I showered today.
posted by jessamyn at 5:53 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

I also have a job.
posted by cortex at 6:12 PM on May 13

Note he says nothing about showering.
posted by jessamyn at 6:18 PM on May 13 [4 favorites]

Explaining the joke ruins the joke.
posted by cortex at 6:22 PM on May 13 [3 favorites]

Note he still hasn't.
posted by jessamyn at 6:23 PM on May 13 [6 favorites]

You can't engage in dry humor if you get wet, is all.
posted by cortex at 6:25 PM on May 13 [2 favorites]

Hippie fight!
posted by gman at 6:26 PM on May 13

What is the mod policy on soap?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 6:33 PM on May 13

Dr. Bronner's lavender soap is the official soap of Metafilter moderators. Or, uh, I want it to be.
posted by box at 6:44 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

What is the mod policy on soap?

They take each bar on case by case basis.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:53 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

I vote for Hugo's Naturals soap being the official soap line. Particularly the Mexican Lime and Bergamot!

I buy bars of that stuff just to stick one under my pillow during the day as a sort of weird lumpy sachet. But I guess you could wash with them, too.
posted by winna at 6:58 PM on May 13

I'd just like to note for the record that I didn't shower today.
posted by ook at 7:21 PM on May 13

I also have not showered today. And I'm here to hug you.
posted by loquacious at 7:39 PM on May 13

I'm in the shower right now.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:58 PM on May 13

Mod soap
posted by tellurian at 8:17 PM on May 13 [3 favorites]

What is the mod policy on soap?

They thought Robert Guillaume was the best thing about the show, but were disappointed in the Benson spin-off.
posted by amyms at 8:30 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

"What is the mod policy on soap?"

DELETE! DELETE! O.K.!
posted by Eideteker at 8:35 PM on May 13 [3 favorites]

I see your confusion here: e-cortex reeks of patchouli, meatspace-cortex does not. After you are banned, e-cortex smells of jackboots and hammer polish.
posted by theclaw at 8:58 PM on May 13

If we're talking official Metafilter soap, shouldn't we be asking dejah420, who I believe I read is a soap maker, what she would recommend?
posted by Lynsey at 9:06 PM on May 13

I like patchouli.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:33 PM on May 13

I've never owned anything patchouli-smelling in my life. I'm a latter day internet hippie.

You don't own anything. Hence, you don't own anything that reeks of patchouli.

That's called the hippie loophole.
posted by graventy at 9:35 PM on May 13 [5 favorites]

I am being told that this is now an alphabet thread.
posted by gingerbeer at 10:13 PM on May 13

[comment removed]
posted by ALongDecember at 10:28 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

Is it, though?
seems to me to be a one-letter thread.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 10:29 PM on May 13

It upsets me that leaf cutter bees have chewed a few holes in my patchouli plants.
posted by Burhanistan at 10:30 PM on May 13

I thought you said they were rose bushes. I no longer trust anything you say, burhanistan.
posted by gingerbeer at 10:37 PM on May 13

I did say that! And they really did eat the rose bushes, but just nipped at the patchouli. I am very manly and grow patchouli because I want to make potpourri.
posted by Burhanistan at 10:38 PM on May 13

I thought bugs didn't like smelly herbs?
posted by rtha at 10:54 PM on May 13

Patchouli, real patchoul, smells quite lovely. It is the tacky knock-offs that smell yucky.

If you have not smelled real distilled patchouli oil you are missing out! I still wouldn't wear it myself, but it is a nice potpourri additive.
posted by winna at 11:24 PM on May 13

I long for the edit button - that should be real patchouli.

As an apology for my misspelling, here is a very brave little dog fighting a bored cat!
posted by winna at 11:29 PM on May 13 [1 favorite]

Insects like all kinds of smelly things.
posted by shelleycat at 11:37 PM on May 13

Is that so? Even hippies?
posted by dersins at 11:58 PM on May 13

It seems that many of the posters in this thread are imprisoned by their ego. 250 micrograms apiece should fix that for you.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:15 AM on May 14

If you wanted to smell like hips, you'd do things differently than if you wanted to smell like hippies, or like some particular hippie.
posted by cgc373 at 12:17 AM on May 14

IMO.
posted by cgc373 at 12:18 AM on May 14

I've never owned anything patchouli-smelling in my life. I'm a latter day internet hippie.

Hence, he smells of ozone and motherboards.
posted by msalt at 12:19 AM on May 14

Interesting thread. I like where this is going.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:20 AM on May 14

Iambic pentameter is what's next for alphabet threads. Either that, or iterating the second letter.
posted by qvantamon at 12:51 AM on May 14

Mefites: they want to save the world, but all they do is smoke pot and play frisbee.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:00 AM on May 14

That's a lie. There's usually a Cheerios interlude in-between those two activities.
posted by qvantamon at 1:09 AM on May 14

Ibuprofen is better than pot, by the way
posted by qvantamon at 1:10 AM on May 14

I just wanted to say that nag champa soap is the hippie thing, I think.
It's what I'm about to use. But, don't forget the Dial and the Ivory for the basics..

Ibuprofen better than pot? qvantamon, what are you smoking? (Joke.)

I don't know.
posted by lilywing13 at 1:37 AM on May 14

what are you smoking?

This? It's free-base ibuprofen.

The kids are all calling it 'crock'. Some people say that's because you make it up in one of those slow cooking crockpots. Others say it's because you go through a crock of money when you're on a crock binge. And the guys who are really connected say it's because the whole thing is a crock of shit.

The Summer of Love is over, man. Even Cortex -- remember that guy and how wild he was -- now he's regularly attending DA (donuteaters anonymous) and has got himself some kind of a job. In fact, I hear he's become some kind of snitch for the man, censoring what people write or some such.

The dream is dead, dude. That whole philosophy of everybody needs a hug? CBS is using it to promote some fucking sampler album -- 14 of the cutest, hottest boy-bands -- aimed at the audience of middle aged women and gay men. The whole Metafilter demographic, in fact.

Man, this place has sold out so far, I bet you see that fucking phrase every time you try to post a comment here. Everybody needs a hug indeed.

Fuck hugs! Everybody needs a crock, man. I can let you have two for fifteen dollars?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 3:52 AM on May 14 [2 favorites]

I can let you have two for fifteen dollars?

And that's five bucks less than you'd pay in town, but that offer is specifically for you, man. Because you're old school and we go back. Your user number is under 30,000, so I *know* you were here before they sold out.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 3:55 AM on May 14

After crock, there will be cake.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:20 AM on May 14

Bundt cake!
posted by cgc373 at 4:56 AM on May 14

Cake!
posted by rtha at 5:43 AM on May 14

It is threads like this that make me remember that MeFi can be a really nice place to while away a long afternoon... (Shit, now I sound like a hippy too.)
posted by benzo8 at 5:51 AM on May 14

Universal hate.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:43 AM on May 14

Crock.
posted by cortex at 7:37 AM on May 14

Bundt cake is the worst cake there is. Yes, I do mean that it is worse than Ukrainian dogshit-and-fetus cake.
posted by Mister_A at 8:09 AM on May 14

MYTH! Ukrainian dogshit-and-fetus cake is DELICIOUS if done right, but it's easy to mess it up.
posted by msalt at 8:29 AM on May 14 [1 favorite]

I'm a business hippie.
posted by Divine_Wino at 8:39 AM on May 14

I'm a trigger hippie!
posted by winna at 8:42 AM on May 14 [1 favorite]

Bundt cake is the worst cake there is. Yes, I do mean that it is worse than Ukrainian dogshit-and-fetus cake.

True only if you don't include cheesecake (which you shouldn't because that shit is NOT FUCKING CAKE.)
posted by dame at 9:24 AM on May 14 [2 favorites]

Crabcakes are good.
posted by box at 9:33 AM on May 14

P.o.B. : Favorites and Flags is the new Dungeons and Dragons.

I read that as "Flavorites and Fags, new Dungeons and Dragons" and briefly wondered if VH1 had a new reality show.

Then I realized that they probably weren't that clever.
posted by quin at 10:31 AM on May 14

Bundt cake is the worst cake there is

I thought Bunt Cake was pretty neat, actually. [NOT SUCKUPIST]
posted by dersins at 10:35 AM on May 14

Worst cake ever: urinal cakes.

Not a cake: funnel cakes.
posted by philomathoholic at 12:04 PM on May 14

msalt: "MYTH! Ukrainian dogshit-and-fetus cake is DELICIOUS if done right, but it's easy to mess it up."

I've probably been doing it wrong, but is it human fetus or dog fetus? TIA
posted by philomathoholic at 12:07 PM on May 14

I've probably been doing it wrong, but is it human fetus or dog fetus? TIA

Sorry, secret family recipe. You have to marry my sister to find out.
posted by msalt at 1:11 PM on May 14

Mister_A: Bundt cake is the worst cake there is. Yes, I do mean that it is worse than Ukrainian dogshit-and-fetus cake.

I am appalled at this comment. Little jokes like this reflect not only a deep misunderstanding and even disrespect of other cultures and their traditions, but perpetuates that misunderstanding and disrespect by misrepresent the character of other diverse societies and the unique ways of being that they've developed over their lifetimes.

What I'm trying to say is: don't you know anything about cakes? Bundt cake is just a shape of cake, not a flavor. You can make Ukrainian dogshit-and-fœtus Bundt cakes; I've done it myself at least a dozen times. The only trouble is that fœtus gets relatively gelatinous and soupy when you heat it up, so it's quite difficult to get a Bundt-style Ukrainian dogshit-and-fœtus cake to rise correctly; I've found that the solution is usually just the right amount of flour. Using fresh fœtuses, preferably human, helps as well.
posted by koeselitz at 1:40 PM on May 14 [1 favorite]

I've probably been doing it wrong, but is it human fetus or dog fetus? TIA

And stop calling me Tia.
posted by msalt at 1:42 PM on May 14

Inscrutably, waterboarding showed up back to back in my Recent Activity.
posted by Burhanistan at 1:42 PM on May 14

philomathoholic: I've probably been doing it wrong, but is it human fetus or dog fetus? TIA

msalt: Sorry, secret family recipe. You have to marry my sister to find out.

Heh. That's rich. Yeah, go ahead, marry his sister—they're all hoping to get her married off so that they can have all the Ukrainian dogshit-and-fœtus cake they want again. Things just haven't been the same since Mamma went through menopause and couldn't make 'em every month any more. There are still enough girls at the local high school who don't seem to know about birth control that she manages her prized cake at least every Christmas, and even sometimes on Easter, too; but there's nothing like being able to have it regularly, especially since you can really tell when the fœtus is fresh and hasn't been canned and stored for months on the shelf.
posted by koeselitz at 1:47 PM on May 14

I've got the giggles.
posted by Mister_A at 1:53 PM on May 14

I am removing this from my recent activity. Call me if you need me.
posted by jessamyn at 1:57 PM on May 14 [1 favorite]

Worst cake ever: urinal cakes.

You've got to get up into the Urinal Mountains for the real thing.
posted by Devils Rancher at 2:03 PM on May 14

In this age of freeways and Howard Johnson's, regional favorites like the urinal cake are in danger of becoming homogenized right out of existence.
posted by box at 2:35 PM on May 14 [1 favorite]

Worst cake ever: urinal cakes.

Can't beat a spot of Navy Cake though.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:48 PM on May 14

msalt: "Sorry, secret family recipe. You have to marry my sister to find out."

Well, first I'd want to know why she's not married now. Did a previous husband mysteriously disappear? Is she 13? I just want to know what I'd be getting into for a desert dish.
posted by philomathoholic at 3:36 PM on May 14

I just want to know what I'd be getting into for a desert dish.

Something dry, I'm sure.
posted by dersins at 3:42 PM on May 14 [1 favorite]

Well, first I'd want to know why she's not married now. Did a previous husband mysteriously disappear?

No worry, my friend. We take care of you very good!
posted by msalt at 3:59 PM on May 14

"Worst cake ever: urinal cakes."

Didn't you see Road House?

DON'T EAT THE BIG WHITE MINT
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 5:08 PM on May 14

What the hell is going on here? Is there any discernible pattern?

Anyway, speaking of cakes, klangklangston should let everyone know how he fared.
posted by Burhanistan at 5:20 PM on May 14

I was keeping track of it for a while, but unfortunately, it seemed impossible to get a decent data set—the cakes were inconsistent, and I couldn't control for the amount my fellows urinated (though I tried to pick a sector and stick to it). They also started cleaning the bathroom more, which meant that they'd rotate the cakes.

Then I got fired, which essentially revoked the funding for my ongoing study.

Unfortunately, none of he grad schools I've been looking at have a robust Bathroom Studies department. So I'll be taking a stats class at some community college over the summer and trying to decide what I want to do with my life that isn't urine cake based.
posted by klangklangston at 5:35 PM on May 14 [1 favorite]

What are urine cakes made out of? Is there any fetus in them?
posted by Mister_A at 6:27 PM on May 14

The good kind has fetus. The cheap stuff is mostly placenta and ground up bones from herds slaughtered during the mad cow disease scare.
posted by Burhanistan at 6:30 PM on May 14

The cheap stuff is mostly placenta

Tom Cruise eats it, and suddenly it's perfectly normal to put it in a foetus cake.
posted by qvantamon at 9:11 PM on May 14

Business in front, placenta in the back.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:23 PM on May 14

I didn't shower today and I don't have a job. Which kind of cake do I get?
posted by trip and a half at 4:03 PM on May 15

Heh. Sometimes I forget that I'm reading old threads.
posted by trip and a half at 4:06 PM on May 15

Uh... Black Forest.
posted by box at 4:11 PM on May 15

Thanks, box! But I don't like chocolate so I guess that just makes me a cakeless hippie.
posted by trip and a half at 4:28 PM on May 15

had my first deleted comment today, been on here for 6 years, yay me.

I think it was deleted for perceived lack of utility rather than for being in poor taste. At least that is what I am telling myself to keep from sobbing to myself in the dark corner of the basement, behind the laundry machine, with a pillowcase over my head.
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist at 5:44 PM on May 15

Actually that isn't true, I had an ask me question killed a while back. Damn, i'm good.
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist at 5:45 PM on May 15