The Return of I/P Filter!

June 4, 2003 10:15 AM

The Return of I/P Filter! And the main link is just a CNN.com story. Can we say Newsfilter? The poster doesn't even try to be objective, rattling on about his "opinion" on (yawn) Bush. And...
posted by Stan Chin to Etiquette/Policy at 10:15 AM (43 comments total)

... There goes my Gold Star!

*runs away*
posted by Stan Chin at 10:17 AM on June 4, 2003

Who is this "Math Owie" guy anyway?
posted by timeistight at 10:39 AM on June 4, 2003

Don't mess with a bull, young man. You'll get the horns.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:46 AM on June 4, 2003

Where've you been Stan? Things have changed since you were last around...
posted by dash_slot- at 10:52 AM on June 4, 2003

I know you posted this in jest Stan, but this is precisely why there are only guidelines on this site instead of hard and fast rules. Sometimes, it is ok to talk about Israel and Palestine. Sometimes, CNN is the best source for a story. Sometimes, it's ok to talk about the current president. Making a rule saying all those are bad because 90% of threads that mention any of those three suck means you lose the chance to have any good ones on those subjects.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:01 AM on June 4, 2003

Incidently, what is the gold star?

And Matt, tut tut. Surely you should have known better? :-)
posted by salmacis at 11:15 AM on June 4, 2003

The thread itself shows that there are a number of people here who prefer war to Bush getting credit for peace.
posted by timeistight at 11:36 AM on June 4, 2003

Actually I was glad mathowie posted that because I hadn't heard anything about it. Thanks, Matt.
posted by Lynsey at 11:53 AM on June 4, 2003

how do you ban the site's administrator?

but of course Stan's right, peace in the Middle East is fucking boring, not nearly as interesting as a Moleskine notebook or a new Apple power cord. also, you know, if you think about it, the "A plane just crashed into the WTC towers" thread was NewsFilter, too -- worthy of deletion, right?

and this handshake -- really boring stuff and unworthy of a thread, too. thank God there was no MetaFilter back then
posted by matteo at 11:54 AM on June 4, 2003

Actually, look at the thread-- I see informed, reasoned opinions, no name calling, and no real trolling. It goes to show that the problem is often in the way things are posted, not always what is posted.
posted by cell divide at 12:17 PM on June 4, 2003

I see informed, reasoned opinions, no name calling, and no real trolling. It goes to show that the problem is often in the way things are posted, not always what is posted.

Good, then I'll stay here to point out how timeistight's comment is trollish astroturf bullshit.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 12:25 PM on June 4, 2003

Okay, sorry, that came out harsher than necessary, but that comment irked me. No one's doing that, timeistight, and you know it. The comment was as annoying to me as the rhetorical "oh, you won't accept that we LIBERATED THE IRAQI PEOPLE just because you don't like Bush" garbage.

The (mind you, civil) debate going on in there is about our cynicism of the roadmap, not our outright dismissing of the plan simply because Bush is president. I think the roadmap plan is faulty and likely to fail not because I hate Bush, but because (tah dah!) I think the roadmap plan is faulty and likely to fail.

I'll give Bush, among others, credit for a peace deal. The conversation currently going on ithough is about how we don't think there's going to be one, not about how we hate George W. Bush.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 12:39 PM on June 4, 2003

XQUZYPHYR and cell divide: I went back and read the thread. It wasn't as quite bad as it seemed at first glance, and it did include fletchmuy's wonderful link, so I'll apologise and withdraw my comment.

I don't get the "astroturf" thing, though.
posted by timeistight at 12:50 PM on June 4, 2003

Missed your second comment, XQUZYPHYR. Look, betting against the long-term success of this is obviously pretty safe, based on history, but it still seems like the best chance for peace since Oslo and perhaps before (Oslo being obviously flawed). I think we have to praise anyone who is working toward an end to this horrible and dangerous conflict.
posted by timeistight at 12:58 PM on June 4, 2003

On a related note, where have all the Metafilterian conservatives gone? And why aren't they in that thread? Did Steve, Paris, Hama & co. sign some sort of nonaggression pact recently?
posted by Ljubljana at 1:38 PM on June 4, 2003

Hey Stan Chin, how did you get that gold star?
posted by The Jesse Helms at 1:47 PM on June 4, 2003

The Gold Star. Which won't stop people from asking.
posted by dhartung at 2:23 PM on June 4, 2003

TJH, did someone put you up to that remark? 'Cos stan wants to keep it quiet...

o... uhmm... wait.... errr...
posted by dash_slot- at 2:23 PM on June 4, 2003

As one of those "Metafilterian conservatives" from back in the day, I'll just say that I don't read MetaFilter much anymore. Reason being: it's too political for me. I may have beleifs, but I don't really care to debate them much with others. I just think whatever I think. When I do come around I hit up anything that's interesting or out of the blue, and keep my nose out of anything that might present conflict. Same reason I'll never bring up religion or politics in a bar.
posted by tomorama at 2:55 PM on June 4, 2003

Final thought: I'm not here to convince anyone of anything.
posted by tomorama at 2:56 PM on June 4, 2003

Hmm. Seems to me Bush was pushed kicking and screaming by Blair, Aznar and the rest of his European allies. Why he's getting credit for it, I have no idea. (Although if he succeeds, I will credit it as the one useful thing he's managed so far.)
posted by salmacis at 3:02 PM on June 4, 2003

Matt, would it make sense to make Stan's star a link to the very thing that earned him the star? Or to an explanation of the star? Or something? Not to mention Shadowbane(?)'s star, same thingy, different namey?
posted by cortex at 3:14 PM on June 4, 2003

fine, no one gets any stars anymore.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 3:15 PM on June 4, 2003

You mean I spent the last month of my life learning to be a PhotoShop guru for nothing?

*pouts*
posted by dg at 3:37 PM on June 4, 2003

And go to your rooms! NOW!

Sheesh, mat, it's just a little teasing. No one takes it seriously, really.

What exactly made you decide that?
posted by dash_slot- at 3:38 PM on June 4, 2003

Uh, ok, you're joking too. Aren't you? (Another goldstar recipient would prove you were...) (",)
posted by dash_slot- at 3:41 PM on June 4, 2003

fine, no one gets any stars anymore.

Well, that's the end of my good behaviour.
posted by timeistight at 3:58 PM on June 4, 2003

Sheesh, mat, it's just a little teasing. No one takes it seriously, really.

It started off as a joke, but after seeing so many "hey, why does that person have a star" comments I realized it was a mistake and I should have limited the joke to just the thread it was in, but then that's more coding and I think the joke is about over.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:04 PM on June 4, 2003

Aww, what at a shame. Ne'er mind, eh.
posted by dash_slot- at 4:22 PM on June 4, 2003

That's OK. I still have my brown starfish. You just can't see it here.
posted by willnot at 4:41 PM on June 4, 2003

A whole lot of gold stars on Metafilter here tonight
But I want y'all to know one thing
This is Matt's house
And when I say whose house, y'all know what time it is

Whose house?
Matt's House!
posted by padraigin at 5:02 PM on June 4, 2003

I think the joke is about over.

Weeell somebody's cranky...

Same reason I'll never bring up religion or politics in a bar.

I don't talk politics or religion in a bar where I live because of the 90% probability of a resulting fist fight. Not that that wouldn't release some tension as well.
posted by Shane at 5:26 PM on June 4, 2003

So only the threat of violence keeps you in line?
posted by timeistight at 6:48 PM on June 4, 2003

The Jesse Helms: Ruining It For Everyone since 1999.
posted by the fire you left me at 7:28 PM on June 4, 2003

The Jesse Helms was only doing as Stan Chin asked.
posted by timeistight at 7:35 PM on June 4, 2003

Everyone brace themselves for about a month of "hey! what happened to stan chin's gold star?" comments.
posted by yhbc at 7:48 PM on June 4, 2003

Hey! What the Fuck Happened to my Gold Star?

This is why I can't have nice things people.
posted by Stan Chin at 11:03 PM on June 4, 2003

Stan Chin - if we can't all have one, we will move the earth to make sure you can't either.
*pokes tongue out*
posted by dg at 11:22 PM on June 4, 2003

... There goes my Gold Star!

*runs away*

... but not fast enough, obviously.
posted by jamespake at 12:26 AM on June 5, 2003

You could probably nip this in the bud right now Matt if you gave everyone gold stars.

"hey what happened to my ..... oh, heck"
posted by jessamyn at 1:31 PM on June 5, 2003

I'd rather have a green clover or a blue diamond.
posted by me3dia at 1:51 PM on June 5, 2003

How about purple whore shoes?
posted by cortex at 3:20 PM on June 5, 2003

Even purple whores need shoes...
posted by i_cola at 9:01 AM on June 6, 2003