Best of the best of the current affairs web June 16, 2009 4:05 AM   Subscribe

There've been a few large, out-of-control, not-so-pleasant threads recently. I'd like to point out the recent Iranian election thread as a counter to these. A long, intelligent thread full best-of-web shared links, interesting opinions both from pundits and users, and a generally very successful discourse. It's been an invaluable aggregator (and aggregator of aggregators) for those of us baffled by the amount of information formlessly pouring out of the country. Thanks for making it happen, mefites!
posted by Cantdosleepy to MetaFilter-Related at 4:05 AM (49 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

On the contrary, everyone who posted in that thread is a bastard of the first water, either snivelling apologists for Western imperialism or swivel-eyed fellow-travellers of the crypto-fascist theocracy, and I'd like to offer them all out for a fight now, singly or en masse.
posted by Abiezer at 4:20 AM on June 16, 2009 [8 favorites]


Dn't make me bust out the people's elbow on you, Abie. It happens to be the most electrifying move in sports entertainment.

But yeah, what a thread. Information is flowing from Iran through Twitter, Youtube and Flickr. This election is big news in loads of ways, and I don't have the political knowledge to know what to make of Mousavi, the electoral fraud, or most of that stuff, but in terms of dissemination of information and grass-roots organisation, it looks like those 'LOL #grapes4brekfast' web 2.0 technologies are coming of age. And it's good to have some guides as these things start to happen.
posted by Cantdosleepy at 4:27 AM on June 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


Oh hey, thanks Cantsdosleepy. I knew *something* was going on viz a vee Iran and twitter and the webtubes, but I didn't really know what


and yeah, what is up with the Elevated Grump Levels? It's like everyone in inches away from a knife fight. Um, with words. At a distance.
posted by The Whelk at 4:32 AM on June 16, 2009


It's all true, I admit it, and billysumday did a bang-up job with today's post too.
posted by Abiezer at 4:33 AM on June 16, 2009


MetaFilter: generally very successful discourse
posted by DU at 4:35 AM on June 16, 2009


We're inches away from a knife fight only 'cause we know it's an excellent source of cardio.
posted by shiu mai baby at 4:58 AM on June 16, 2009


Wait... Ahmedinejad is a hipster?

/me tears up Revolutionary Guard Junior Member card
posted by not_on_display at 5:20 AM on June 16, 2009


Wait... Ahmedinejad is a hipster?

Well, have you seen his beard?
posted by The Whelk at 5:21 AM on June 16, 2009 [2 favorites]


Mousavi does have that old-guy-look that a lot of hipsters go for... which makes him a godfathster.*

Now that we've identified what's going all we need is for Bill Murray to go over to Tehran and adjudicate in a contest of Quién Es Más Hip.


* The pain you may have felt reading this is minuscule compared to the damage my psyche took when I wrote
posted by Kattullus at 5:36 AM on June 16, 2009 [3 favorites]


As the person who started the aforementioned thread, I promptly got the fuck out of the way and let much more knowledgeable and astute mefites round it out. I'm glad I did, because I learned a lot.
posted by orville sash at 5:36 AM on June 16, 2009


...and obviously Billysumday's been kicking ass and posting links with his new Iran FPP
posted by Cantdosleepy at 5:57 AM on June 16, 2009


It only takes one asshole to ruin a thread, and I guess our resident assholes were busy elsewhere for this one.
posted by smackfu at 6:05 AM on June 16, 2009


Well, have you seen his beard?

Or his totally ironic Members Only jacket?
posted by chillmost at 6:25 AM on June 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


As my grandmother used to say, "Assholes are like opinions: the more opinions you've got, the less assholes you have to eat."

Wait.

A stitch in my asshole saves the broth. Of opinion. The Broth Of Opinon?

Or was it more like, If I had an asshole for every time I've had an opinion then I'd probably have, like 9 assholes. And no one wants that.

Anyway, point being: Careful now.
posted by Jofus at 6:34 AM on June 16, 2009 [16 favorites]


Oh that's just sour assholes.
posted by The Whelk at 6:39 AM on June 16, 2009


As my grandmother used to say, "Assholes are like opinions: the more opinions you've got, the less assholes you have to eat."

Your grandmother kiss you with that mouth?
posted by jerseygirl at 7:45 AM on June 16, 2009


It only takes one asshole to ruin a thread, and I guess our resident assholes were busy elsewhere for this one.

Oh, man. I'm so embarrassed. I feel like I've let the site down.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:55 AM on June 16, 2009 [4 favorites]


It only takes one asshole to ruin a thread

Nah, that's way too convenient. Seriously. Metafilter seems to be pretty good at shutting down a single smelly voice. The issue is that many of us are latent assoholics, usually well behaved in mixed company, but subject to sudden irrational binging, usually triggered by certain complex issues (the problem of the political right, Pixar's alleged misogyny, hipsterism, George Lucas's inability to make a single decent movie in approaching thirty years, etc) that we wish were simple.
posted by philip-random at 8:17 AM on June 16, 2009


Fixe cela pour vous.

I did say "decent", not "fucking great", and I hope you're not throwing American Graffiti and THX out with the turgid Star Wars bathwater.
posted by philip-random at 8:33 AM on June 16, 2009


There have been a couple of mentions about this, but I'm glad an official MeTa was made. I'm glad I was able to have links and quotes on hand to send my mother when she asked, "What Iran election revolt?"
posted by sweetmarie at 8:43 AM on June 16, 2009


Metafilter seems to be pretty good at shutting down a single smelly voice.

You think? It seems like one contrary voice is enough to get everyone to argue against, vehemently. OTOH, it does indicate there is lots of anger right below the surface that is only suppressed by our general agreement on most issues.
posted by smackfu at 8:47 AM on June 16, 2009


Wait... Ahmedinejad is a hipster?

The election was fixied.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:49 AM on June 16, 2009 [22 favorites]


philip-random: "I hope you're not throwing American Graffiti and THX out with the turgid Star Wars bathwater."

Knife fight!
posted by Joe Beese at 9:20 AM on June 16, 2009


Give me Porky's any day.
posted by Jofus at 9:53 AM on June 16, 2009


Last night I dreamt that metafilter had some sort of nerd Thunderdome. It was like a sub-site that allowed two members to start a post that them and only them may contribute to. Then the member who ended with the most favorites after 24 hours got to keep her or his membership, and the other needed to pony up five more bucks.

I think it was called FuckMe.

Either way I need to spend some time away from the internet.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 10:09 AM on June 16, 2009 [9 favorites]


Item: THX is good, not great. It would be great if the director hadn't decided to go back and digitally "fix" it. As it stands, he ruined the entire legacy of that film by doing so.

I don't understand why the film's 'legacy' is the same thing as the (original) film. Doesn't the original film remain great or not great regardless of what fanfic/mashup any moron comes up with, including the director? I'm not about to think less of the White Album just because I didn't think The Grey Album was hot shit.
posted by shakespeherian at 10:11 AM on June 16, 2009


Christ, what a bucket of cock...waitaminute.

I mean, this is like a GIF of an asshole fucking a chi...an elephant accidentally the whole thingin...all your asshole are belong to...*banging head on floor*

JESUS CHRIST, HOW THE HELL DO I GET OUT OF THIS BACON NO I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY BACON I MEANT TO SAY BOYZONE ARGH NO I MEANT CIRCUMCISED DECLAWED CAT IS WATCHING YOU HIPSTERA *weeping*

*scrawling in own blood on wall HALP AM SUCK IN MEME VORTEX*
posted by scrump at 10:31 AM on June 16, 2009 [6 favorites]


Did we sidebar it already?
posted by Artw at 11:02 AM on June 16, 2009


hope this post doesn't jinx that thread....
posted by caddis at 11:07 AM on June 16, 2009


I see your problem there. You like the Beatles.

Of course he does, because he is not a puppy-kicking bunny-flaying kitten-eviscerating nihilistic pinko cyborg.
posted by FelliniBlank at 11:16 AM on June 16, 2009


Cats are stupid
posted by Artw at 11:27 AM on June 16, 2009


Yes -- great info and discussion on the original thread, and an absolutely terrific, thoughtful, and substantive follow-up post by Billysumday with sources I'd never have found on my own. The level of discussion is exceptionally high. I know sidebar lobbying is sort of gauche, but I'm going to suggest it anyway. Metafilter at its best.
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 11:45 AM on June 16, 2009


hope this post doesn't jinx that thread....

Nah, the thread's already had a MeTa
posted by exogenous at 11:54 AM on June 16, 2009


Nah, the thread's already had a MeTa

... that tripped over itself and fell into a hole. I must say, I kind of liked the root honesty of it: "I feel like continuing a fight with billysumday."

Though it could have used a little more qualification: "But it would be meaningless without a bunch of punch drunk MeFites to bear witness."
posted by philip-random at 12:17 PM on June 16, 2009


Item: I've never been an American Graffiti fan.

Me neither.

Am I the only one who waited the whole damned movie for the graffiti? Where the hell was it? Why is it called that if there's no graffiti? Is there supposed to be implied graffiti? Or is it supposed to be some kind of symbol for how the fifties are a kind of scrawled message on the wall of humanity? If that's the case, well, Mr. Lucas could at least have gone to the trouble of at least working that theme into the stupid movie.

As it was, I was pretty disappointed.
posted by koeselitz at 12:17 PM on June 16, 2009


scrump: *scrawling in own blood on wall HALP AM SUCK IN MEME VORTEX*

Now, see, that would've been a good ending for American Graffiti.
posted by koeselitz at 12:18 PM on June 16, 2009


Jofus: As my grandmother used to say, "Assholes are like opinions: the more opinions you've got, the less assholes you have to eat."

jerseygirl: Your grandmother kiss you with that mouth?

No, she eats assholes. Do try to keep up.
posted by koeselitz at 12:21 PM on June 16, 2009


Grandma always did make the best tossed salads.
posted by shiu mai baby at 12:27 PM on June 16, 2009 [2 favorites]


MetaFilter: it would be meaningless without a bunch bears, drunk on punch.
posted by heyho at 12:36 PM on June 16, 2009


FelliniBlank: Of course he does, because he is not a puppy-kicking bunny-flaying kitten-eviscerating nihilistic pinko cyborg.

You know nothing of my work. How you ever got to teach a course in anything is totally amazing.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:37 PM on June 16, 2009 [3 favorites]


Wait... Ahmedinejad is a hipster?

Have you seen their steampunk nuclear program?
posted by Pollomacho at 12:37 PM on June 16, 2009


MetaFilter: it would be meaningless without a bunch bears, drunk on punch.

MetaFilter: a lot like the Atlanta Pride Festival.

Oh wait, wrong thread.
posted by elfgirl at 12:50 PM on June 16, 2009 [3 favorites]


shakespeherian: I don't understand why the film's 'legacy' is the same thing as the (original) film. Doesn't the original film remain great or not great regardless of what fanfic/mashup any moron comes up with, including the director? I'm not about to think less of the White Album just because I didn't think The Grey Album was hot shit.

You can still easily obtain the White Album. The original version of THX has been supplanted by the new version. I'm pretty sure it was never released on DVD and is now pretty much unavailable.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 1:14 PM on June 16, 2009


Karlos the Jackal: You can still easily obtain the White Album. The original version of THX has been supplanted by the new version. I'm pretty sure it was never released on DVD and is now pretty much unavailable.

I still don't see how this makes the original version any less great. Any number of works of art have been permanently lost through fire, vandalism, etc., but would you say those works are no longer great, only good?
posted by shakespeherian at 1:43 PM on June 16, 2009


You know nothing of my work. How you ever got to teach a course in anything is totally amazing.

Boy, if life were only like this thread.
posted by FelliniBlank at 3:13 PM on June 16, 2009


I just spent FOUR HOURS (literally) reading through the two Iran posts, and now if you'll excuse me, I'm very well educated on the subject and would like to thank the Academy and all of that, but I really need to go and hug a kitten.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 5:48 PM on June 16, 2009


Can I hug grapefruitmoon's kitten?
posted by Phire at 6:33 PM on June 16, 2009


shakespeherian: Any number of works of art have been permanently lost through fire, vandalism, etc., but would you say those works are no longer great, only good?

If some wonderful work of art is destroyed, yeah, I would say it's no longer great. It might still be was great, but if it can't still be is great, who cares?

I'm not sure if we're having an argument about the meaning of the word "legacy" or George Lucas or "what 'art' is" or what anymore.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 6:47 PM on June 16, 2009


Is this the part of the thread where we get to take to the streets while we sing "Eye of the Tiger?"
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:56 PM on June 16, 2009


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