Dead thread. October 21, 2010 9:20 AM Subscribe
Forget-me-not: I thought this was actually pretty interesting.
I don't really get why this post was deleted on the basis of being "grim". That seems like a pretty weak reason if you ask me. I learned a few things from that post. It wasn't just a single link to "is she dead yet", and even that's kind of cute, if a little 'grim' for an opening link.
Can someone explain to me why it was an inappropriate post for Mefi?
I don't really get why this post was deleted on the basis of being "grim". That seems like a pretty weak reason if you ask me. I learned a few things from that post. It wasn't just a single link to "is she dead yet", and even that's kind of cute, if a little 'grim' for an opening link.
Can someone explain to me why it was an inappropriate post for Mefi?
Sure it is, we just wait until the person is really dead first.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:24 AM on October 21, 2010 [16 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:24 AM on October 21, 2010 [16 favorites]
The deleted thread blog could save a lot of time by just linking to MetaTalk.
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:24 AM on October 21, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:24 AM on October 21, 2010 [5 favorites]
Yeah, the linked first site is fucking creepy. We killed threads like this around the time Reagan died if I'm remembering correctly.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:24 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:24 AM on October 21, 2010
Building a post around "is this contentious figure dead yet" is a really questionable move, yeah. I don't know acb's motives and don't assume they were bad—feels mostly like "let's chatter about UK politics" if I had to guess—but as a post subject and a lead link, yes, it's awfully grim and got flagged hard and fast.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:25 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:25 AM on October 21, 2010
1. Tasteless website.
2. Two-year-old Guardian article.
3. Morons yammering on Twitter.
4. Pathetic Class War losers planning pathetic Class War loser party.
5. A current article.
1 for 5.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 9:28 AM on October 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
2. Two-year-old Guardian article.
3. Morons yammering on Twitter.
4. Pathetic Class War losers planning pathetic Class War loser party.
5. A current article.
1 for 5.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 9:28 AM on October 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
Yeah there's a line between "oh isn't this curious" and "fuck thatcher and I hope she died amirite" and I don't know what the OP's motive was but it sure seems like a lot of people read it as the second type of post.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:28 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:28 AM on October 21, 2010
I guess I'm just surprised that it got flagged hard and fast.
I suppose most people actually click on the first link first? I don't, in fact, it was the last one I checked out, because it was sort of obvious what it was about. I suspect the people who flagged it only read the first link... perhaps it was a poor choice, but I really feel like there were redeeming qualities to the post otherwise. Maybe that's just me though...
posted by sunshinesky at 9:29 AM on October 21, 2010
I suppose most people actually click on the first link first? I don't, in fact, it was the last one I checked out, because it was sort of obvious what it was about. I suspect the people who flagged it only read the first link... perhaps it was a poor choice, but I really feel like there were redeeming qualities to the post otherwise. Maybe that's just me though...
posted by sunshinesky at 9:29 AM on October 21, 2010
I suppose most people actually click on the first link first?
The name on the thread was 'Is Thatcher dead yet?'
posted by shakespeherian at 9:32 AM on October 21, 2010
The name on the thread was 'Is Thatcher dead yet?'
posted by shakespeherian at 9:32 AM on October 21, 2010
1. Tasteless website.
2. Two-year-old Guardian article.
3. Morons yammering on Twitter.
4. Pathetic Class War losers planning pathetic Class War loser party.
5. A current article.
1 for 5.
See, for me that was a 2/5 which is good enough. The age of that particular article didn't make it any less pertinent.
posted by sunshinesky at 9:32 AM on October 21, 2010
2. Two-year-old Guardian article.
3. Morons yammering on Twitter.
4. Pathetic Class War losers planning pathetic Class War loser party.
5. A current article.
1 for 5.
See, for me that was a 2/5 which is good enough. The age of that particular article didn't make it any less pertinent.
posted by sunshinesky at 9:32 AM on October 21, 2010
That link was weird and mean and I'm glad it's not on the front page of MetaFilter anymore. And yes, I read the rest of the links and yes, some of the comments (especially mippy's) were very insightful. But that wasn't a good post for the site.
posted by mintcake! at 9:33 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by mintcake! at 9:33 AM on October 21, 2010
i thought it was lame - aside from the question of whether it's proper to celebrate someone's death, this was an fpp about
1 - something that hasn't happened yet
2 - something that hasn't been shown to be likely to happen any time in the near future
3 - rather shallow people blogging and twitting shallowly about something that hasn't happened yet and hasn't been shown to be likely to happen any time in the near future
posted by pyramid termite at 9:34 AM on October 21, 2010
1 - something that hasn't happened yet
2 - something that hasn't been shown to be likely to happen any time in the near future
3 - rather shallow people blogging and twitting shallowly about something that hasn't happened yet and hasn't been shown to be likely to happen any time in the near future
posted by pyramid termite at 9:34 AM on October 21, 2010
Hehe, well I've been told. I just didn't find it all that inappropriate, but I'm obviously in the minority.
posted by sunshinesky at 9:37 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by sunshinesky at 9:37 AM on October 21, 2010
Wasn't there an actual post in there somewhere about why people wish Thatcher dead? I mean, the thread went into the shitter quite quickly, but that doesn't mean it's not a talking point. Perhaps reframing it in that context would be better.
posted by randomination at 9:41 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by randomination at 9:41 AM on October 21, 2010
The fact that there may be a talking point in it doesn't mean it would be a good post for MetaFilter. I can't see any post in which the talking point is "why people want So-and-So dead" being a good post for MetaFilter.
posted by Gator at 9:43 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by Gator at 9:43 AM on October 21, 2010
'I get distressed by people not wishing Thatcher dead. It's just unnecessary, thoughtless and insensitive toward her victims.'
posted by knapah at 9:44 AM on October 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by knapah at 9:44 AM on October 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
Abe Vigoda approves of this deletion.
posted by schmod at 9:48 AM on October 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by schmod at 9:48 AM on October 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
So is tasteless out? Just so I can flex my flag finger...
posted by londonmark at 9:56 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by londonmark at 9:56 AM on October 21, 2010
I suppose most people actually click on the first link first?
Yes.
posted by John Cohen at 9:58 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yes.
posted by John Cohen at 9:58 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Wasn't there an actual post in there somewhere about why people wish Thatcher dead?
So what?
posted by John Cohen at 9:59 AM on October 21, 2010
So what?
posted by John Cohen at 9:59 AM on October 21, 2010
If that post was allowed to stay, then presumably the mods would have to stop deleting 'TONY B LIAR IS A NU LIE BORE WAR CRIMINAL AMIRITE*' posts.
*yes, Iraq was wrong, but the minimum wage? Banning fox-hunting? The NI peace process? And yet you talk about him as though he's Baron Greenback.
posted by mippy at 10:00 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
*yes, Iraq was wrong, but the minimum wage? Banning fox-hunting? The NI peace process? And yet you talk about him as though he's Baron Greenback.
posted by mippy at 10:00 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
'I get distressed by people not wishing Thatcher dead. It's just unnecessary, thoughtless and insensitive toward her victims.'
Ha, ha. Got any other wry tweets to share?
posted by John Cohen at 10:01 AM on October 21, 2010
Ha, ha. Got any other wry tweets to share?
posted by John Cohen at 10:01 AM on October 21, 2010
And yet you talk about him as though he's Baron Greenback.
That's sort of because a lot of people are dead.
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 10:06 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
That's sort of because a lot of people are dead.
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 10:06 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
this has nothing to do with anything, but i'd thought i'd share
man eats underwear to beat breathalyzer
posted by pyramid termite at 10:06 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
man eats underwear to beat breathalyzer
posted by pyramid termite at 10:06 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
That's sort of because a lot of people are dead.
Yes, but nobody's referring to Churchill, say, in the same way.
Although my dad did firmly believe Nelson Mandela was a terrorist...
posted by mippy at 10:10 AM on October 21, 2010
Yes, but nobody's referring to Churchill, say, in the same way.
Although my dad did firmly believe Nelson Mandela was a terrorist...
posted by mippy at 10:10 AM on October 21, 2010
The eighties won't really be over until some loving mother innocently calls her daughter Margaret.
posted by scruss at 10:10 AM on October 21, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by scruss at 10:10 AM on October 21, 2010 [4 favorites]
I just want a place to find songs like Stand Down Margaret by the Beat. The top google result is a Facebook group that's been derailed by some Tory ponce all concerned about Maggie's legacy being properly represented.
posted by klangklangston at 10:12 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by klangklangston at 10:12 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
So is tasteless out? Just so I can flex my flag finger...
Tasteless is neither in or out in abstract. If you see something you think is flagworthy on account of its tastelessness, flag it. That's about as far as it goes.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:18 AM on October 21, 2010
Tasteless is neither in or out in abstract. If you see something you think is flagworthy on account of its tastelessness, flag it. That's about as far as it goes.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:18 AM on October 21, 2010
I suspect the people who flagged it only read the first link...
Read the whole post hoping to find something other than just "Famous politician will die someday!" Didn't. Flagged.
posted by sonika at 10:19 AM on October 21, 2010
Read the whole post hoping to find something other than just "Famous politician will die someday!" Didn't. Flagged.
posted by sonika at 10:19 AM on October 21, 2010
See, for me that was a 2/5 which is good enough....
Since when is 40% a passing grade? What is this place, an American...
Out of respect for my parents, both public school teachers, I'm not even going to finish that joke. Even though my retired dad would probably laugh at it, if not make it himself.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:38 AM on October 21, 2010
Since when is 40% a passing grade? What is this place, an American...
Out of respect for my parents, both public school teachers, I'm not even going to finish that joke. Even though my retired dad would probably laugh at it, if not make it himself.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:38 AM on October 21, 2010
Cortex: if, i may ask, why was my comment deleted, or was the FFP killed before my comment got through, not complaining, if censored, which i would accept, why for saying "worst FFP in months"
i think this type of FFP drains to much time from admin. (an e-mail perhaps would be better but that would be another button to click:)
thanks.
posted by clavdivs at 10:40 AM on October 21, 2010
i think this type of FFP drains to much time from admin. (an e-mail perhaps would be better but that would be another button to click:)
thanks.
posted by clavdivs at 10:40 AM on October 21, 2010
Pathetic Class War losers planning pathetic Class War loser party.
Can you clarify this? Do you mean they lost the class war (to Thatcher and her minions?) or do you mean they are losers for phrasing this as a class war?
posted by biffa at 10:42 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
Can you clarify this? Do you mean they lost the class war (to Thatcher and her minions?) or do you mean they are losers for phrasing this as a class war?
posted by biffa at 10:42 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
Since when is 40% a passing grade?
It would get you a third class honours degree in a UK university.
posted by biffa at 10:43 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
It would get you a third class honours degree in a UK university.
posted by biffa at 10:43 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
If* and when Thatcher dies I'm hoping for a big Channel Four special with David Mitchell, Charlie Brooker, etc dancing gleefully on her grave.
* I am not denying the possibility of her perpetuating a terrifying un-life in the vein of Deathlok
posted by jtron at 10:50 AM on October 21, 2010
* I am not denying the possibility of her perpetuating a terrifying un-life in the vein of Deathlok
posted by jtron at 10:50 AM on October 21, 2010
Read the whole post hoping to find something other than just "Famous politician will die someday!" Didn't.
I thought the point of the post was more that lots of people are actively looking forward to celebrating her death (though it would've been nice to have something substantial about that particular phenomenon to back up the Twitter hashtag, the joke site, and the 6-year-old Class War party announcement). The contrast between that and the official plans to give her the highly unusual honour of a state funeral is interesting and unusual enough to merit a Metafilter post, in my opinion. I don't have any strong objection to this deletion, but there was more to the post than just "Famous politician will die someday!"
posted by twirlip at 10:51 AM on October 21, 2010
I thought the point of the post was more that lots of people are actively looking forward to celebrating her death (though it would've been nice to have something substantial about that particular phenomenon to back up the Twitter hashtag, the joke site, and the 6-year-old Class War party announcement). The contrast between that and the official plans to give her the highly unusual honour of a state funeral is interesting and unusual enough to merit a Metafilter post, in my opinion. I don't have any strong objection to this deletion, but there was more to the post than just "Famous politician will die someday!"
posted by twirlip at 10:51 AM on October 21, 2010
Cortex: if, i may ask, why was my comment deleted, or was the FFP killed before my comment got through, not complaining, if censored, which i would accept, why for saying "worst FFP in months"
Comments that are literally just "this post sucks" really don't do anything but litter up threads. For threads that need deleting, flagging is the way to go. For threads that don't need deleting, that sort of thing is just derailing chaff. The phrase "threadshitting" gets used a lot to describe precisely that sort of thing.
I killed the post first, I think Jess may have made a partial cleanup pass after the fact but it's not a huge priority for us if we're killing a thread anyway. But it's very much the sort of thing we will and often do delete.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:52 AM on October 21, 2010
Comments that are literally just "this post sucks" really don't do anything but litter up threads. For threads that need deleting, flagging is the way to go. For threads that don't need deleting, that sort of thing is just derailing chaff. The phrase "threadshitting" gets used a lot to describe precisely that sort of thing.
I killed the post first, I think Jess may have made a partial cleanup pass after the fact but it's not a huge priority for us if we're killing a thread anyway. But it's very much the sort of thing we will and often do delete.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:52 AM on October 21, 2010
I really don't understand the squeamishness about celebrating someone's death. There are people whose death can reasonably be regarded as a good thing, and it isn't unreasonable to celebrate good things.
I imagine there'll be a few glasses raised in the USA when Osama goes, for example, and I would fully understand that. And I will certainly be celebrating with friends when that foul, inhuman despoiler Thatcher finally croaks.
posted by Decani at 10:58 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I imagine there'll be a few glasses raised in the USA when Osama goes, for example, and I would fully understand that. And I will certainly be celebrating with friends when that foul, inhuman despoiler Thatcher finally croaks.
posted by Decani at 10:58 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Can someone explain to me why it was an inappropriate post for Mefi?
SHE AIN'T DEAD YET!
I just want a place to find songs like Stand Down Margaret by the Beat.
Here's a list of a dozen or so (caution: pop-ups). Includes 'Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher' by Elton John. I wonder if he sang this at Rush's wedding?
posted by octobersurprise at 11:02 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
SHE AIN'T DEAD YET!
I just want a place to find songs like Stand Down Margaret by the Beat.
Here's a list of a dozen or so (caution: pop-ups). Includes 'Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher' by Elton John. I wonder if he sang this at Rush's wedding?
Can you hear it in the distance
Can you sense it far away
Is it old Rudolph the reindeer
Is it Santa on his sleigh
It's heading up to Easington
It's coming down the Tyne
Oh it's bloody Maggie Thatcher
And Michael Heseltine
posted by octobersurprise at 11:02 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
i did litter. but the litter bin was emptied.
thanks cortex.
posted by clavdivs at 11:08 AM on October 21, 2010
thanks cortex.
posted by clavdivs at 11:08 AM on October 21, 2010
I really don't understand the squeamishness about celebrating someone's death. There are people whose death can reasonably be regarded as a good thing, and it isn't unreasonable to celebrate good things.
Well, every person can decide for themselves how they feel about (a) celebrating the death of unlikeable people in general and (b) celebrating any specific person's death, and I've got no general argument for or against finding either case reasonable.
But for one, squeamishness about it (which is maybe not the best catchall description of the range of reactions people have—for me, it gives me pause but I don't feel squeamish, I just don't personally think it's a great mental space to be in) doesn't necessarily stand entirely opposed to understanding the reasoning or motivation for it or finding it in some ways reasonable.
More to the point, though, what's reasonable for a person to think or feel is not really something that maps isomorphically to what makes a good basis for a post to Metafilter. This post not being a great idea isn't a condemnation of anyone who dislikes Thatcher or would be happier about a world without one or another person in it, it's just not a great post for the front page of this site.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:12 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, every person can decide for themselves how they feel about (a) celebrating the death of unlikeable people in general and (b) celebrating any specific person's death, and I've got no general argument for or against finding either case reasonable.
But for one, squeamishness about it (which is maybe not the best catchall description of the range of reactions people have—for me, it gives me pause but I don't feel squeamish, I just don't personally think it's a great mental space to be in) doesn't necessarily stand entirely opposed to understanding the reasoning or motivation for it or finding it in some ways reasonable.
More to the point, though, what's reasonable for a person to think or feel is not really something that maps isomorphically to what makes a good basis for a post to Metafilter. This post not being a great idea isn't a condemnation of anyone who dislikes Thatcher or would be happier about a world without one or another person in it, it's just not a great post for the front page of this site.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:12 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
So just for the record, a question for the mods:
If this post: "For all your Abe Vigoda needs" were made today, it wouldn't survive? Or is this a different case because Thatcher is a controversial figure?
posted by zarq at 11:12 AM on October 21, 2010
If this post: "For all your Abe Vigoda needs" were made today, it wouldn't survive? Or is this a different case because Thatcher is a controversial figure?
posted by zarq at 11:12 AM on October 21, 2010
The real reason is that if we can't have an inline image of the "bring out yer dead" cart, there's no point.
I can't take him like that -- it's against regulations.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 11:12 AM on October 21, 2010
I can't take him like that -- it's against regulations.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 11:12 AM on October 21, 2010
I feel happy! I feel happy!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:13 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:13 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
The "Is Abe Vigoda Dead?" thing was a weird ur-meme; I think it may have already been a little old by the time that post got made in 2004, though I can't swear by that timeline. But in any case I think it'd be a pretty thin post out of context these days, but we're in the land of counterfactuals: would it be a thin post if there was a weird active meme cresting behind it in a non-ghoulish way? So it's a bit too what-if to say.
I will say that my impression of the whole Abe Vigoda Is Still Alive meme when it was in its heyday was, degree of unavoidable making-a-joke-of-old-age-and-ergo-statistically-impending-death patina aside, more of a "oh man Abe Vigoda is kind of awesome and I didn't really know he wasn't dead" thing than a "piss on his grave for his sociopolitical sins" thing, which is a pretty big material difference in tone.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:19 AM on October 21, 2010
I will say that my impression of the whole Abe Vigoda Is Still Alive meme when it was in its heyday was, degree of unavoidable making-a-joke-of-old-age-and-ergo-statistically-impending-death patina aside, more of a "oh man Abe Vigoda is kind of awesome and I didn't really know he wasn't dead" thing than a "piss on his grave for his sociopolitical sins" thing, which is a pretty big material difference in tone.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:19 AM on October 21, 2010
would it be a thin post if there was a weird active meme cresting behind it in a non-ghoulish way? So it's a bit too what-if to say.
Here's one whose tone is far more ghoulish but wasn't part of a larger overall meme at the time: the Terry Schiavo Firefox plugin post also survived: A new killer app.
That said, I do understand what you're saying.
posted by zarq at 11:24 AM on October 21, 2010
Here's one whose tone is far more ghoulish but wasn't part of a larger overall meme at the time: the Terry Schiavo Firefox plugin post also survived: A new killer app.
That said, I do understand what you're saying.
posted by zarq at 11:24 AM on October 21, 2010
I'm gonna give you a firm "I would delete that today" answer on that one, yeah. Woof. For what it's worth, it did get flagged some at the time.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:27 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:27 AM on October 21, 2010
OK. Was surprised to find it. I'm kinda amazed it survived, tbh.
posted by zarq at 11:32 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by zarq at 11:32 AM on October 21, 2010
You know, it's all well and good to wish a politician death late in life and long after leaving office, but it's nothing compared to actually having the stones to assassinate them while they're in office and doing harm.
Quit it with the mealy-mouthed whining, and get out there and DO something.
posted by Eideteker at 12:25 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Quit it with the mealy-mouthed whining, and get out there and DO something.
posted by Eideteker at 12:25 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
If this post: "For all your Abe Vigoda needs" were made today, it wouldn't survive? Or is this a different case because Thatcher is a controversial figure?
That post was from a while ago and there were many fewer people waiting to dance on Abe Vigoda's grave. Comparing 2004-era MeFi with 2010-era MeFi isn't really a useful basis for comparison, plus we sort of hate to play the "Well why was THIS one okay then huh?" game.
Make your post, try to make it good. Accept that some will get deleted.
Eideteker, are you being jerkish on purpose or is your appropriate-meter in need of adjustment lately?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:40 PM on October 21, 2010
That post was from a while ago and there were many fewer people waiting to dance on Abe Vigoda's grave. Comparing 2004-era MeFi with 2010-era MeFi isn't really a useful basis for comparison, plus we sort of hate to play the "Well why was THIS one okay then huh?" game.
Make your post, try to make it good. Accept that some will get deleted.
Eideteker, are you being jerkish on purpose or is your appropriate-meter in need of adjustment lately?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:40 PM on October 21, 2010
Hyperbole for comedic effect? That's SOP for me. Are you saying I'm actually imploring people to get out there and kill politicians rather than working within the system(s) to change things? D=
I can unpack that more, if you'd like. There seems to be a certain class of people who rejoice when someone dies. Maybe it's someone they don't like/didn't like when they were in power. Maybe they worked actively within the system to oppose that person, maybe not. Maybe they were too young at the time. Either way, it's still not classy to wish death on someone. What's worse is it's weaselly (no, not Weasley). It's the kind of "I lost, but you'll get yours!" lazy consolation that rarely keeps one warm at night. So yes, I'm imploring people to get out there and change stuff, but the assassination thing is ridiculously hyperbolic and (I thought obviously) not meant to be taken seriously.
Does that make sense? I am not trying to engage in "do not do this here" behavior. I'm sorry if I'm approaching that line, but I'm trying to do it thoughtfully and yes, humorously. If that gets me flagged, take the comment down with my apologies. I'm just trying to make a point, not divert all attention to me. (*looks at length of comment*oops! But it was a good-faith explanation to show I'm not trying to abuse the site.)
posted by Eideteker at 12:51 PM on October 21, 2010
I can unpack that more, if you'd like. There seems to be a certain class of people who rejoice when someone dies. Maybe it's someone they don't like/didn't like when they were in power. Maybe they worked actively within the system to oppose that person, maybe not. Maybe they were too young at the time. Either way, it's still not classy to wish death on someone. What's worse is it's weaselly (no, not Weasley). It's the kind of "I lost, but you'll get yours!" lazy consolation that rarely keeps one warm at night. So yes, I'm imploring people to get out there and change stuff, but the assassination thing is ridiculously hyperbolic and (I thought obviously) not meant to be taken seriously.
Does that make sense? I am not trying to engage in "do not do this here" behavior. I'm sorry if I'm approaching that line, but I'm trying to do it thoughtfully and yes, humorously. If that gets me flagged, take the comment down with my apologies. I'm just trying to make a point, not divert all attention to me. (*looks at length of comment*oops! But it was a good-faith explanation to show I'm not trying to abuse the site.)
posted by Eideteker at 12:51 PM on October 21, 2010
IOW, I thought my original comment was a pithier and more effective way of making the point than all of that ^ rambling which no one will read.
posted by Eideteker at 12:52 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by Eideteker at 12:52 PM on October 21, 2010
Once again, we learn that jokey comments do not read to other people the way they sounded in our heads.
posted by languagehat at 1:13 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by languagehat at 1:13 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
May I just declare my undying love for languagehat here, or do I need to start another MetaTalk thread for that?
posted by bardophile at 1:18 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by bardophile at 1:18 PM on October 21, 2010
Comparing 2004-era MeFi with 2010-era MeFi isn't really a useful basis for comparison,
It kinda is for me. I specifically asked if the posts would survive if they were made today. The reasons behind why posts are deleted have changed a bit over the years. It's interesting!
Also, I had two (three?) posts deleted in September. Obviously, I don't always get why a post survives. So it's nice to be able to understand more.
...plus we sort of hate to play the "Well why was THIS one okay then huh?" game.
I'm absolutely not trying to play 'Gotcha Mod.' Seriously.
posted by zarq at 1:18 PM on October 21, 2010
It kinda is for me. I specifically asked if the posts would survive if they were made today. The reasons behind why posts are deleted have changed a bit over the years. It's interesting!
Also, I had two (three?) posts deleted in September. Obviously, I don't always get why a post survives. So it's nice to be able to understand more.
...plus we sort of hate to play the "Well why was THIS one okay then huh?" game.
I'm absolutely not trying to play 'Gotcha Mod.' Seriously.
posted by zarq at 1:18 PM on October 21, 2010
klangklangston: "I just want a place to find songs like Stand Down Margaret by the Beat. The top google result is a Facebook group that's been derailed by some Tory ponce all concerned about Maggie's legacy being properly represented"
I prefer Elvis Costello's "Tramp the Dirt Down". Great song.
posted by Cogito at 1:39 PM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
I prefer Elvis Costello's "Tramp the Dirt Down". Great song.
posted by Cogito at 1:39 PM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
I don't know what the OP's motive was but it sure seems like a lot of people read it as the second type of post.
You could conceivably put together a decent MeFi post about the cultural phenomenon that is, twenty years after her departure from office, the continued intense desire of many British people* to celebrate when Thatcher dies, and the almost giddy response in those parts to every report of her health. I think it'd be a stretch, but things like this short post comparing the reaction in Little Havana to news of Castro's health show that people have had time to analyse those visceral emotions over the past couple of decades.
That particular post wasn't really it.
* Yeah, count me in. I have my reasons.
posted by holgate at 1:43 PM on October 21, 2010
You could conceivably put together a decent MeFi post about the cultural phenomenon that is, twenty years after her departure from office, the continued intense desire of many British people* to celebrate when Thatcher dies, and the almost giddy response in those parts to every report of her health. I think it'd be a stretch, but things like this short post comparing the reaction in Little Havana to news of Castro's health show that people have had time to analyse those visceral emotions over the past couple of decades.
That particular post wasn't really it.
* Yeah, count me in. I have my reasons.
posted by holgate at 1:43 PM on October 21, 2010
I just want a place to find songs like Stand Down Margaret by the Beat
The Jazz Butcher - "Sixteen Years" (lyrics and MP3 clip here)
posted by Lexica at 1:51 PM on October 21, 2010
The Jazz Butcher - "Sixteen Years" (lyrics and MP3 clip here)
posted by Lexica at 1:51 PM on October 21, 2010
It is tasteless to celebrate somebody else's death. But it's also worth noting that there are people whose greatest contribution to the world is their leaving of it.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:52 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:52 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I had a second part to that, but I forgot to add it:
It's worth noting that if only so we can remind ourselves not to be among their company.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:53 PM on October 21, 2010
It's worth noting that if only so we can remind ourselves not to be among their company.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:53 PM on October 21, 2010
You can't know that for certain. I have yet to die, and I plan to steer clear of it.
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:01 PM on October 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:01 PM on October 21, 2010 [3 favorites]
Coming late to this... I thought it was an odd deletion too, but I suspect this has much to do with the mods and the objectors not being British. (Which is fine; it's an American site.) The question of "whether you'll celebrate when Thatcher dies" has been a staple of British comedy, pub discussion, etc, for decades; it's knitted into a massive swath of leftwing culture, not some weird ghoulish thing that acb just thought up. And it's timely: Thatcher has been sick in hospital this week, the very week that her ideological successors are (IMHO and the opinion of many) executing plans to finish the Thatcher project in ways she never managed to, with the biggest rollback of the British state and social safety net since the 1920s.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 3:10 PM on October 21, 2010 [11 favorites]
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 3:10 PM on October 21, 2010 [11 favorites]
I wouldn't be surprised if there's some cultural nuance to this, I certainly don't spend much time or energy thinking about Thatcher and was a bit young to really be paying any attention when she was in power in any case.
But to be clear, I'd have just as much a problem with the exact same thing done for e.g. Cheney, and am pretty sure I've deleted at least one post that was pretty much window dressing on a Reminder That Cheney Might Die At Some Point sort of thing.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:14 PM on October 21, 2010
But to be clear, I'd have just as much a problem with the exact same thing done for e.g. Cheney, and am pretty sure I've deleted at least one post that was pretty much window dressing on a Reminder That Cheney Might Die At Some Point sort of thing.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:14 PM on October 21, 2010
you could pin it to board, if alive, set it free.
your welcome.
and if you know what a golden comma is, and do not know what to do with it, set it free.
posted by clavdivs at 3:33 PM on October 21, 2010
your welcome.
and if you know what a golden comma is, and do not know what to do with it, set it free.
posted by clavdivs at 3:33 PM on October 21, 2010
The Golden Comma award: ITT Mackay Radio San Francisco / KFS issued an annual
award called the "Golden Comma" given annually to the worst ship operator.
CONGRATS!
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:36 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
award called the "Golden Comma" given annually to the worst ship operator.
CONGRATS!
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:36 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
*note to self: do not mess with Astro Zombie, ever.
(you found my third back-up analogy)
posted by clavdivs at 3:45 PM on October 21, 2010
(you found my third back-up analogy)
posted by clavdivs at 3:45 PM on October 21, 2010
I recently bought got round to buying a CD with the Blow Monkeys "Day after You" to make sure I had a copy against Thatcher's death.
Regarding her death, I have long felt there is an argument for dividing up get body and selling to the highest bidders, those who want to give her a state funeral can, those who want to piss on her grave can dig their own and get to micturation - let the market decide.
posted by biffa at 4:27 PM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
Regarding her death, I have long felt there is an argument for dividing up get body and selling to the highest bidders, those who want to give her a state funeral can, those who want to piss on her grave can dig their own and get to micturation - let the market decide.
posted by biffa at 4:27 PM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
4. Pathetic Class War losers planning pathetic Class War loser party.
I was with ya until you outed yourself as the Enemy.
posted by joe lisboa at 4:38 PM on October 21, 2010 [4 favorites]
I was with ya until you outed yourself as the Enemy.
posted by joe lisboa at 4:38 PM on October 21, 2010 [4 favorites]
Reminder That Cheney Might Die At Some Point sort of thing.
That's just ludicrous! Cheney will never die in the sense that we know it. After his mortal body ceases to function, his head - which will naturally have been preserved by the great armies of darkness - will simply be reattached to a new host body.
I may or may not have been watching too much Fringe.
posted by sonika at 4:39 PM on October 21, 2010
That's just ludicrous! Cheney will never die in the sense that we know it. After his mortal body ceases to function, his head - which will naturally have been preserved by the great armies of darkness - will simply be reattached to a new host body.
I may or may not have been watching too much Fringe.
posted by sonika at 4:39 PM on October 21, 2010
I'll give you a golden comma...
posted by 1000monkeys at 4:41 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by 1000monkeys at 4:41 PM on October 21, 2010
Dylan, of course, said it years before any of us even knew who she was, himself included.
As for the accusations of poor taste -- yeah, I guess I buy it. But the flip of it is, this is a woman who more or less manufactured a war to prove she was as tough as any boy politician. I realize that's a simplification, but you can say the same for blaming the likes of Bush-Cheney-etc and their enthusiastic part in making Iraq the bottomless pit it continues to be.
Bottom line: Maggie profited politically from deaths of roughly a thousand people. May she rest in peace if such is possible. But fuck her memory.
posted by philip-random at 4:48 PM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
As for the accusations of poor taste -- yeah, I guess I buy it. But the flip of it is, this is a woman who more or less manufactured a war to prove she was as tough as any boy politician. I realize that's a simplification, but you can say the same for blaming the likes of Bush-Cheney-etc and their enthusiastic part in making Iraq the bottomless pit it continues to be.
Bottom line: Maggie profited politically from deaths of roughly a thousand people. May she rest in peace if such is possible. But fuck her memory.
posted by philip-random at 4:48 PM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
My friends Wife has a bottle of champagne she's going to open when Tatcher dies. I think she's had it for years and years now.
posted by chunking express at 4:54 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by chunking express at 4:54 PM on October 21, 2010
Bottom line: Maggie profited politically from deaths of roughly a thousand people. May she rest in peace if such is possible. But fuck her memory.
Damnatio memoriae? It worked for the Romans.
posted by 1000monkeys at 4:59 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Damnatio memoriae? It worked for the Romans.
posted by 1000monkeys at 4:59 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
"Once again, we learn that jokey comments do not read to other people the way they sounded in our heads."
SLYT.
posted by Eideteker at 5:18 PM on October 21, 2010
SLYT.
posted by Eideteker at 5:18 PM on October 21, 2010
I really don't think a Golden Comma is as impressive as a Golden Pen is.
posted by Wolfdog at 5:31 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Wolfdog at 5:31 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
The icky thing is, at reagans' funeral, those close-ups of her, holding back tears, it affected me.
posted by clavdivs at 5:45 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by clavdivs at 5:45 PM on October 21, 2010
The icky thing is, at reagans' funeral, those close-ups of her, holding back tears, it affected me.
they're all actors.
posted by philip-random at 5:55 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
they're all actors.
posted by philip-random at 5:55 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
4. Pathetic Class War losers planning pathetic Class War loser party.
Can you clarify this? Do you mean they lost the class war (to Thatcher and her minions?) or do you mean they are losers for phrasing this as a class war?
I was with ya until you outed yourself as the Enemy.
I think CEL was referring to the members of the specific group "Class War" and their party guests as pathetic losers. Not to "losers of the class war" in the abstract. /hugs
posted by gubo at 6:10 PM on October 21, 2010
Can you clarify this? Do you mean they lost the class war (to Thatcher and her minions?) or do you mean they are losers for phrasing this as a class war?
I was with ya until you outed yourself as the Enemy.
I think CEL was referring to the members of the specific group "Class War" and their party guests as pathetic losers. Not to "losers of the class war" in the abstract. /hugs
posted by gubo at 6:10 PM on October 21, 2010
none of us are getting out of here alive.
Sez you. I'm going to live forever or die trying.
I'd have just as much a problem with the exact same thing done for e.g. Cheney,
I can't pretend that every person's death diminishes me. Maybe some people can; I'm not that evolved. But if Cheney died and his obituary to be announced on the blue, I doubt that I would bother to cheer him on from there because that would be dull and pointless, not funny, not clever, not interesting. I dislike Dick too much to want to make a public announcement of something I would rather savor privately with comrades. Still, you know, each to his own. Undoubtedly, some people will celebrate when Obama kicks it (maybe some people right here on Metafilter!); some people may even celebrate when I'm gone, who knows? Poor taste doesn't lie in thinking or feeling the wrong thing, merely expressing it at the wrong time or place.
In the case of Thatcher, what's interesting is a whole culture made out of waiting for Thatcher to kick off. It's been a serious part of British culture for a decade or two in a way that, say, waiting for Cheney's death (or even waiting for Reagan's death) is (was) completely absent from culture in the States.
posted by octobersurprise at 6:38 PM on October 21, 2010
Sez you. I'm going to live forever or die trying.
I'd have just as much a problem with the exact same thing done for e.g. Cheney,
I can't pretend that every person's death diminishes me. Maybe some people can; I'm not that evolved. But if Cheney died and his obituary to be announced on the blue, I doubt that I would bother to cheer him on from there because that would be dull and pointless, not funny, not clever, not interesting. I dislike Dick too much to want to make a public announcement of something I would rather savor privately with comrades. Still, you know, each to his own. Undoubtedly, some people will celebrate when Obama kicks it (maybe some people right here on Metafilter!); some people may even celebrate when I'm gone, who knows? Poor taste doesn't lie in thinking or feeling the wrong thing, merely expressing it at the wrong time or place.
In the case of Thatcher, what's interesting is a whole culture made out of waiting for Thatcher to kick off. It's been a serious part of British culture for a decade or two in a way that, say, waiting for Cheney's death (or even waiting for Reagan's death) is (was) completely absent from culture in the States.
posted by octobersurprise at 6:38 PM on October 21, 2010
The absurd and awful irony about all this hand wringing over wishing Thatcher dead is that her death will finally put an end to at least a decade of torture worse than her worst enemies would have had the stomach to inflict upon her:
The former Conservative prime minister got confused between Bosnia and the Falklands during a conversation about the war in the former Yugoslavia, Ms Thatcher writes.
"I almost fell off my chair. Watching her struggle with her words and her memory, I couldn't believe it," she says.
"She was in her 75th year but I had always thought of her as ageless, timeless and 100% cast-iron damage-proof."
posted by jamjam at 6:42 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
The former Conservative prime minister got confused between Bosnia and the Falklands during a conversation about the war in the former Yugoslavia, Ms Thatcher writes.
"I almost fell off my chair. Watching her struggle with her words and her memory, I couldn't believe it," she says.
"She was in her 75th year but I had always thought of her as ageless, timeless and 100% cast-iron damage-proof."
posted by jamjam at 6:42 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I don't quite get why this got deleted, but the various Strom Thurmund and Jerry Falwell etc. posts got a pass. They were just as awful, maybe worse, and people who said "Hey, can we tone it down?" essentially got told to shut up.
Just sayin'.
posted by GilloD at 7:28 PM on October 21, 2010
Just sayin'.
posted by GilloD at 7:28 PM on October 21, 2010
"She was in her 75th year but I had always thought of her as ageless, timeless and 100% cast-iron damage-proof."
She's 68 but she says she's 54
posted by bunglin jones at 7:36 PM on October 21, 2010
She's 68 but she says she's 54
posted by bunglin jones at 7:36 PM on October 21, 2010
I'm not sure that the original thread is necessary. But I do think that when someone dies who has brought misery to literally millions of people, and others seek to commemorate them, it is only right that we be reminded of their true contributions. You may call it tasteless, but I think it is more tasteless to lionize those who have done evil in their lives.
posted by grouse at 9:53 PM on October 21, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by grouse at 9:53 PM on October 21, 2010 [4 favorites]
But to be clear, I'd have just as much a problem with the exact same thing done for e.g. Cheney
I'd agree, but this is Dick Cheney we are talking about.
posted by mlis at 10:47 PM on October 21, 2010
I'd agree, but this is Dick Cheney we are talking about.
posted by mlis at 10:47 PM on October 21, 2010
Kind of pointless at this stage, but I really wish deletion reasons were treated with more professionalism and detachment and if possible, attached explanations from the mods. "This is pretty damn grim" helps nobody.
I may be still smarting from once having an AskMe question deleted with just "this isn't really what AskMe is for". That turned out all right, but, surely you can see that's unhelpful? If the reason for deletion is in any FAQ or guidelines, then link to it. If it isn't, then maybe the guidelines need review.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 5:54 PM on October 24, 2010
I may be still smarting from once having an AskMe question deleted with just "this isn't really what AskMe is for". That turned out all right, but, surely you can see that's unhelpful? If the reason for deletion is in any FAQ or guidelines, then link to it. If it isn't, then maybe the guidelines need review.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 5:54 PM on October 24, 2010
Actually if you change the display theme to the white background you get much more professional deletion reasons, try it
posted by jtron at 6:37 AM on October 25, 2010
posted by jtron at 6:37 AM on October 25, 2010
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posted by empath at 9:23 AM on October 21, 2010