July 17, 2003

2:47 PM

I don't come here very much any more [no time; the Chomsky crowd nauseates me trop] but could someone please offer a possible explanation for why Metafilter no longer looks the way it used to on my IE5.0 for Mac? No more Verdana; more clean, uncluttered look....? My cookies were deleted and replaced; customization is as it should be....?
posted by ParisParamus to bugs at 2:47 PM (132 comments total)

no time; the Chomsky crowd nauseates me trop

Funny, I get the same feeling from the neo-con Bush-apologists...
posted by SweetJesus at 2:49 PM on July 17, 2003

You put your left foot out,
You put your left foot in,
You do the Noam Chomsky
On the head of a pin

Forget about your Camel Toe, this's the new summer dance sensation!
posted by y2karl at 2:54 PM on July 17, 2003

Gratuitous flinging of the tired, supposed-to-be-insulting-but-its-not "neo-con" rubric by the same crowd so frequently indignant about being labeled the L-word in 5...4...3...

Oh.

Too late.
posted by dhoyt at 3:03 PM on July 17, 2003

Where does this Chomsky crowd meet? Do they get nametags?

I for one wholeheartedly support PPs right to dispute Chomsky's theory of Stuctural Linguistics.
posted by signal at 3:03 PM on July 17, 2003

My cookies were deleted and replaced; customization is as it should be....?

I don't follow - is that a competence or a performance error?
posted by jamespake at 3:11 PM on July 17, 2003

I don't bother to participate in the self-policing functions of this community, because I've arbitrarily decided that I don't like a portion of you. That said, I do have a technical question I'd like answered..
posted by Hildago at 3:16 PM on July 17, 2003

IE5.0 for Mac is dead. Long live Safari and Camino, among many others.
Unless you're still using OS9.
posted by letitrain at 3:16 PM on July 17, 2003

Gratuitous flinging of the tired, supposed-to-be-insulting-but-its-not "Leftist" rubric by the same crowd so frequently indignant about being labeled the N-C-word in 5...4...3...

Oh.

Been done before.
posted by Jimbob at 3:21 PM on July 17, 2003

Nice one.
posted by dhoyt at 3:28 PM on July 17, 2003

... a possible explanation for why Metafilter no longer looks the way it used ...
Because the scales have been lifted from your eyes?
posted by dg at 3:35 PM on July 17, 2003

Will you bleeding-heart liberals* just answer the man's question?

*'cause that's the only kind of people who use Macs, right?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 3:40 PM on July 17, 2003

Unless you're still using OS9.

OS9 is dead!
posted by rhyax at 3:47 PM on July 17, 2003

The Chomsky crowd is at best two or three semiliterate zealots who bark so loud so often they end up cowering a dozen or so other MetaLambs into submission to their leftist delusions. They do not reflect the political outlook of 17,000 people at all.
Now when the webmaster himself greenlights several highly partisan anti-Bush posts every single day and likens the President and his staff to a "Mafia family", of course he's sending out an appalling political message to thousands of gullible, easily influenced people out there.
Paris, if I were you I wouldn't readjust your browser settings just yet. At least not until the current MeFi content slant is brought to light and dealt with sans double standards or doublespeak.
posted by 111 at 3:58 PM on July 17, 2003

I feel bad for conservatives. will no one give you guys a voice?
posted by mcsweetie at 4:08 PM on July 17, 2003

What Chomskyite was it who said:

If WMDs are not found in Iraq, and in large quantity (or at least objective evidence that they were destroyed), then, in terms of American politics, the war was a sham, and the President should be indicted.

Oh, that's right, it was you.
posted by cell divide at 4:09 PM on July 17, 2003

So it's the WMDs that are affecting the way MetaFilter looks?

I'm gullible and easily influenced btw.
posted by squealy at 4:16 PM on July 17, 2003

I don't come here very much any more

Praise the Lord.
posted by matteo at 4:22 PM on July 17, 2003

Congrats, 111, you have now officially insulted everyone on metafilter!

Anyone wanna start a betting pool on how many hours till his final, gruesome flameout?
posted by signal at 4:25 PM on July 17, 2003

this may be a little off-topic, but I'm measurably smarter than 111.
posted by mcsweetie at 4:36 PM on July 17, 2003

Anyone wanna start a betting pool on how many hours till his final, gruesome flameout?

Let's not, okay?
posted by timeistight at 4:38 PM on July 17, 2003

Now when the webmaster himself greenlights several highly partisan anti-Bush posts every single day and likens the President and his staff to a "Mafia family", of course he's sending out an appalling political message to thousands of gullible, easily influenced people out there.

someone quick! call in the webmaster regulatory board!

At least not until the current MeFi content slant is brought to light and dealt with sans double standards or doublespeak.

brought to light? it's been apparent to a lot of people for a long time. go fix the catholic church. they might appreciate you.
posted by quonsar at 4:41 PM on July 17, 2003

Do we have to get all Lord of the Flies here?
posted by timeistight at 4:47 PM on July 17, 2003

111 - I saw this and was reminded of you.
posted by the fire you left me at 4:50 PM on July 17, 2003

...I'm measurably smarter than 111.

That's the (accidentally) funniest thing you've ever said! Bravo.
posted by dhoyt at 4:55 PM on July 17, 2003

A girl with cotton in her ears
Is shielded from the bell's effect
As if by hidden signal
The people turn to face her
One thousand eyes are staring
They pull away her earplugs
posted by poopy at 5:28 PM on July 17, 2003

Evil midi lurks within tfylm's link. Though it does add to the humour value.

As for 111's ramblings, what exactly is this horrible message being sent to the gullible masses? That you shouldn't follow your leaders blindly? That dissent is a good and welcome part of the democratic process?

Yeah, let's stemp that crap out before it gets a foothold.
posted by Space Coyote at 5:29 PM on July 17, 2003

Look to the sun
See me in psychic pollution
Walking on the moon
How could you dare?
Who do you think you are?
You're insignificant
A small piece, an ism
No more no less
You try to learn the universe
Can't even converse in human verse
posted by signal at 5:33 PM on July 17, 2003

Now when the webmaster himself greenlights several highly partisan anti-Bush posts every single day and likens the President and his staff to a "Mafia family", of course he's sending out an appalling political message to thousands of gullible, easily influenced people out there.

Why the fuck are you here? I'm not trying to play "mock the newbie," but you are obviously a new member. What made you decide to join Matt's communist/atheist propoganda club?
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 5:40 PM on July 17, 2003

LOL Hildago!
posted by rushmc at 5:48 PM on July 17, 2003

Paris, there shouldn't be any reason why your preferences aren't properly being picked up, sorry I don't know what to tell you.

111, I made one comment today based on the information available. I too am tired of the lazy bush-bashing threads, but it seems there are a couple worth saving and talking about today, though I feel like deleting a few of the lame ones.

I delete content-free bush-bashing threads all the time, a recent one about photos of Bush in the white house editing his state of the union speech (as evidence of a conspiracy!) was a total goner and just the type of stupid shit I'd like to rid the site of (these things need substance to stick).
posted by mathowie at 6:11 PM on July 17, 2003

there, I just pruned some of the low-hanging fruit my that my intuition was telling me to delete sooner.
posted by mathowie at 6:14 PM on July 17, 2003

yes Hildago, LOL!!!! HAHA!!!

PP and 111, please find somewhere else to spew your tired monotonous politcal screed. you have no place here.
posted by poopy at 6:16 PM on July 17, 2003

Dear Slaves,

Sheep sheep sheep gullible gullible gullible sheep sheep sheep tautology tautology tautology sheep sheep sheep bitter bitter bitter sheep sheep sheep scorn scorn scorn sheep sheep sheep deride deride deride mishmash farrago predictable autodidacticdickery dock

Insincerely,

Wolfman Uberdude

ps. sheep sheep sheep blah blah woof woof
posted by y2karl at 6:38 PM on July 17, 2003

I'd like it if everyone would find somewhere else to spew their tired monotonous political creeds, poopy.
posted by timeistight at 6:44 PM on July 17, 2003

PP and 111, please find somewhere else to spew your tired monotonous politcal screed. you have no place here.

Poopy, allow me finish your "thought":

Nyaahh, nyaahh, nyaahh, get outta here big mean scary men 111 and PP, and don't come back! LOL!!!!!! And don't even try to re-apply as a member of our club--we're putting up a sign on the treehouse door that says, "No 111s or PPs allowed! Keep out!" You see, this club is only for tolerant open-minded folks who are curious about other cultures and worldviews and promote contrary dissenting views.

So on that note--you don't fit in! So get the fuck out! LOL!!!!!

Is that kind of what you were going for?
posted by dhoyt at 6:55 PM on July 17, 2003

I'm pretty sure everyone here agrees with me. Except, of course, everyone who posts messages.
posted by srboisvert at 6:57 PM on July 17, 2003

huh. call yourselves left wing? in my day we had a 5 year plan, two reeducation classes and a heart-lifting rendition of the red flag before breakfast.
posted by andrew cooke at 7:03 PM on July 17, 2003

I have to say, if PP doesn't want to come here because of the large number of people who disagree with his politics posting in the political threads... what the hell was he here for in the first place? I see a fair few good content posts a day still, and if his only intion in becoming prominent here was to engage in political firefights I have to say, don't let the door hit you on the way out.
posted by Space Coyote at 7:09 PM on July 17, 2003

well, yes dhoyt, that's exactly what i was going for and i'm quite pleased that you were able to see through the magical curtain that is poopy. as an encore, i'm open for a meta-free-for-all.
posted by poopy at 7:11 PM on July 17, 2003

I remember the days when many of the more (for lack of a less useless word) 'rightist' folks here on the 'filter were intelligent, thoughful, articulate and interesting, and even if you disagreed utterly with their political stance, you were forced to at least respect the intellect they brought to bear in their arguments.

Good times, good times.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:34 PM on July 17, 2003

Herder's Tips
by Ts. Orgoo
(from Gobi Business News)

"Herders should change grazing pastures frequently. Signs that livestock have been grazing on one pasture too long include a yellowing of goats' hair and infection by worms and external parasites of animal buttocks. Another signal that it's time to change pastures is when animals limp because their hooves have softened from walking further to feed.

Changing pastures doesn't mean moving far away. In fact, rotating grazing pastures in a circular pattern is effective, and animals become accustomed to this cyclical way of grazing, which can result in more satisfied and higher quality livestock.

Animals should not be allowed to graze wherever they want. It is important to decide where and how they graze. In mountainous areas it is best to herd livestock uphill and along mountain passes in the morning. Once the sun and the day's temperatures reach their peak, animals should be taken back down the slopes.

On a hot summer day it is best to take animals to higher altitude pastures with solid, firm topsoil and allow them to rest in cool, shaded places. The end of summer is when sheep and goats consume the most, and during this time it is best for them to feed on wild onion, wild leek, and feather grasses.

In order to consume fresh and juicy grass, it is best to graze livestock in the morning and evening, when the grass is cooler. At the beginning of summer it is advisable to herd animals in the direction of the wind. This way they will sweat profusely and their skin pores will open up, allowing their skin to breathe. This will contribute to rapid weight gain.

The speed at which livestock are herded in the summer and autumn is also important. If animals need to lie down to rest or turn to face the wind, it is a signal to slow down and disperse the herds.

During late summer and early autumn, herders must bear in mind the importance of salt and water for proper fattening. As soon as the summer heat subsides, animals must be watered twice a day, at sunrise and sunset. Water should come either from a well or a clean stream. Once animals are watered, they should graze nearby the water source and then rest awhile. Never allow animals to drink from small ponds with stagnant water heated by sunlight.

To boost livestock fattening during autumn, graze livestock on pastures with wild leek or wild onion grass for a few days, and then take them to an open, semi-desert area with less but stiffer grass. In late autumn there are still places where one can find good grass, such as in forested areas or deep valleys.

In autumn it is very important to prevent loss of livestock's newly acquired fat layer. Herders should treat animals with particular care and sensitivity. It is wise to graze livestock at lower altitudes in late October and to be settled in the winter pasture and winter shelters by mid-November. It is also useful to occasionally allow livestock to swim in cold water.

It is a good sign when livestock become quiet and habitually go to pasture, graze, and return home. When they return, they will lay down with their heads facing into the wind, and gently grind their jaws as if chewing. They will emit an odor of freshly cut grass.

Well-fattened goats will have thick necks, round bodies, and seemingly shorter legs. They walk more slowly, appear lethargic, drag behind sheep, and graze more quietly than usual.

According to experienced herders, well-fed sheep and goats fill their stomach three times a day and sleep three times a day. The bodies of well-fattened sheep and goats become round, with enlarged backs and tails and curly hair. They prefer to lie down and graze on hillsides."

There. I hope we've all learned something today. Tomorrow, we'll discover how to select the right buck for cashmere breeding.
posted by Opus Dark at 7:39 PM on July 17, 2003

stavros: names? (just out of curiousity to hear another opinio

I generally tend to respect the people who aren't totally sure of themselves all the time. Anytime I spot that I know I'm looking at a hopeless idealogue, and I move on.
posted by Space Coyote at 7:47 PM on July 17, 2003

Hi Matt, yeah, I remember the surreal speech pics thread. It must be hard work running a site as dynamic and successful as MetaFilter. Anyway, people look up to you all the time, so your words and actions are welcome as usual.

It's particularly nice to know it's still you, mathowie, who's running the site. Judging from some comments posted these last few days, it was starting to look as if a coup d'Etat had occurred in MeFi and the junta would start looting the treasury and rounding up dissidents for the firing squad.
posted by 111 at 7:48 PM on July 17, 2003

Gosh.

This certainly was a thread started for the purpose of discussing a technical problem with Metafilter readability.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 8:01 PM on July 17, 2003

I remember the days when many of the more (for lack of a less useless word) 'rightist' folks here on the 'filter were intelligent, thoughful, articulate and interesting...

i don't want to put words in your mouth stav, but are you implying that 111 doesn't match up? from what i've seen 111 has contributed thoughtful discussion inside a community that is obviously (for lack of a less useless word) leftist, only to be continually harrassed for his/her viewpoints.

OTOH, if you were talking about me and my kind, then yes, i agree.
posted by poopy at 8:08 PM on July 17, 2003

We're not leftist, we're just right.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:13 PM on July 17, 2003

correct.
posted by quonsar at 8:38 PM on July 17, 2003

My dearest poopy: you wouldn't know a leftist if he expropriated your house and made you stand in line for 3 hours to buy a loaf of bread, and then hit you on the head with it.
posted by signal at 8:52 PM on July 17, 2003

But would he want to know a leftist by what he sees in MeFi?
/sarcasm
posted by jmd82 at 8:58 PM on July 17, 2003

do y'all wanna set a day where no "lefties" are allowed to post?
posted by mcsweetie at 8:59 PM on July 17, 2003

Do people have to declare themselves lefties first, mcsweetie, or do we keep our ideology to ourselves and just not show up?
posted by Jimbob at 9:06 PM on July 17, 2003

I still miss aaron.
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:07 PM on July 17, 2003

you have to declare it by putting some kind of picture in your profile, like this one:


posted by mcsweetie at 9:29 PM on July 17, 2003

i don't want to put words in your mouth stav, but are you implying that 111 doesn't match up?

Heck, I've never even really noticed 111, to be honest. I wasn't talking about anyone in particular. Just talking percentages.

Half the time I can't keep straight who identifies themselves with which political camp, anyway, which is perhaps the way it should be.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:33 PM on July 17, 2003

stavros:
Were you thinking of MidasMulligan? I usually found him to be both knowledgable and engaging, which ins't so common for people of any political leaning.

Uncle Fes, too. Any others?
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 10:24 PM on July 17, 2003

Honestly, I don't think it's in anyone's best interests to name names.

But, in standard wonderchicken style, since names have already been named, I'm going to immediately backtrack on that and say that I couldn't be happier to see the back of MidasMulligan. It's rare for me to have quite the concentrated loathing for a virtual non-aquaintance that I had for him.

Each to their own, I suppose. Live and let live, alla that.

(On the other hand, I love Fes with a deep, abiding, but strictly platonic love.)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:40 PM on July 17, 2003

Oh yeah, baby, that's abiding!
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 11:14 PM on July 17, 2003

> the Chomsky crowd nauseates me trop

Hold on. You're more or less insulting a bunch of people and then expecting them to do free tech support for you? Smart move.
posted by skallas at 11:55 PM on July 17, 2003

1. Someone rants and raves like a lunatic about the liberal cabal's stranglehold over this particular metaverse. Ad hominem attacks and generalizations about mindless sheep and vacuous semi-intellectuals (mmm, vituperative) fall from the sky like rain, leaving everything in their wake with an odd, musty smell.

2. Those leftist skallywags--nay, those kowtowing, bleeding heart knaves!!--scratch their heads and raise their eyebrows in disbelief, mutter inconsolably to themselves, reminisce about earlier times, and bang furiously on the keyboard in response to said person's attempt to position themselves as the David to our MetaGoliath--that leviathan of ignorant, misinformed opinions so hellbent on pointing out the unimportant errs of the righteous republican guard.

3. Without fail, several people latch on to this new voice of reason, this man for the people. The bloodied and soiled cabal stares incredulously.

4. Several people attempt unsucessfully to hide the feedbag, but it is too late: the feed is all over the yard and the swines and sows are eating in the muck again because it's no fun to use cutlery and chew before you swallow.

5. Everyone secretly has a gay ol' time (except Pat Robertson, who is too busy praying for the death of all who oppose our liberal-slaying Christian overlord) because we live and breathe for these confrontations.

6. I generalize it all into a list, which I print off and pin on the wall beside the hundreds of other such lists I've written and saved in a last-ditch attempt to simplify all of life's mysteries into an easily-digestible format that allows me to spend more time watching television and railing against the wrongs of the world from the comfort of my barca lounger.

7. Sweeping tax cuts and cheesecake for everyone!
posted by The God Complex at 12:14 AM on July 18, 2003

8. ????

9. Profit!!!
posted by dash_slot- at 12:45 AM on July 18, 2003

So, Just how old is Metafilter.
posted by seanyboy at 2:11 AM on July 18, 2003

Can't we just jump straight to profit, and save my poor scrollwheel?
posted by walrus at 4:29 AM on July 18, 2003

you're probably right signal
posted by poopy at 5:57 AM on July 18, 2003

Well, PP, I trust your question has been answered to your satisfaction.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 5:59 AM on July 18, 2003

Well, that does it. I'm taking my soy nuts and my poster of Che Guevara and moving to a place where the masses are already inculcated into a blind adherence to communism and veganism, where the welfare state heaps riches upon the lazy poor and gives absurdly preferential treatment to women and minorities, and where I can give all my money to the government with the assurance that it will all be spent on funding for radically feminist lesbian-themed performance art.
posted by vraxoin at 6:11 AM on July 18, 2003

Yeah, Canada's nice this time of year.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:27 AM on July 18, 2003

vraxoin: how about funding for radically feminist lesbian-themed cybernetic auto-erotic video art?
posted by signal at 6:36 AM on July 18, 2003

I'd love to^. That stuff's beautiful.
posted by dhoyt at 7:02 AM on July 18, 2003

mmmm.....lesbian-themed performance art *urghurghhh*
posted by i_cola at 7:06 AM on July 18, 2003

That is... beautiful. In that "Story of O" 'I shouldn't really be turned on by this' kind of way.
posted by widdershins at 7:31 AM on July 18, 2003

Another bewildering left-wing hegemony hoo-hah... speaking as a member of a political party with the word Socialist in its name, and a former member of organisations with various combinations of the words Revolutionary, Marxist and Communist in their names (hey, we were all fourteen once) it seems to me that folk here wouldn't know left-wing if it bit them on the arse!

Must be another one of those transatlantic separated by a common language problems ; )
posted by jack_mo at 7:39 AM on July 18, 2003

on topic: GET A REAL BROWSER.
posted by quonsar at 7:46 AM on July 18, 2003

quonsar, what, you mean like mozilla? It rocks, by the way.
posted by jonson at 8:48 AM on July 18, 2003

you wouldn't know a leftist if he expropriated your house and made you stand in line for 3 hours to buy a loaf of bread, and then hit you on the head with it.
it seems to me that folk here wouldn't know left-wing if it bit them on the arse!

You know, from card-carrying communists to anti-globalization nuts, lefties all look the same to me.
posted by 111 at 8:55 AM on July 18, 2003

Kind of like how I see superstitious religious sophists, but whatever flips yer dripper, homeboy.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 9:08 AM on July 18, 2003

Metafilter: We're all basically a bunch of moderates (minus a few) who are trying hard to pretend our belief-systems are radically different, and thus exaggerate those differences in conversation to create for ourselves a more righteous, secure identity.

/obvious
posted by dhoyt at 9:26 AM on July 18, 2003

What's the opposite of centrist? That's me.
posted by yerfatma at 9:49 AM on July 18, 2003

What's the opposite of centrist?

Extremist.
posted by timeistight at 10:03 AM on July 18, 2003

You know, from card-carrying communists to anti-globalization nuts, lefties all look the same to me.

That's really too bad. It betrays a contempt for your fellow citizens and eliminates the possibility that there is nuance and difference possible, or that anyone you label as "lefty" could ever say anything of value. You'll find, for instance, if you check out my past writings here that I've been an advocate for small government and free trade in a way that has inspired some serious "lefty" vitriol. Yet I have no doubt that you've chalked me up as another godless communist to just ignore and insult when you feel like it.

I think we can do better with our discourse than that.
posted by norm at 10:26 AM on July 18, 2003

You know, from card-carrying communists to anti-globalization nuts, lefties all look the same to me.

We're all small, old, asian men? Well that's not true....

Oh, and Norm is right on the money.

You would be wise to realize that not everyone who disagrees with you should be demonized. Labeling people as "lefties" or "commies" doesn't advance your argument, and only causes people to stop listening to what you're saying, even if there's some truth or worth to it.

I think you need a hug.
posted by bshort at 10:42 AM on July 18, 2003

What bshort said. The Neo-con Defenders of All Things Duhbya never learn.
posted by turbodog at 11:25 AM on July 18, 2003

You would be wise to realize that not everyone who disagrees with you should be demonized.

Bears repeating.
posted by rushmc at 12:06 PM on July 18, 2003

on topic: GET A REAL BROWSER.

Wow. Could we turn this into a multidimensional flame war?
posted by weston at 12:20 PM on July 18, 2003

Wow. Could we turn this into a multidimensional flame war?

The trouble is the central right-wing idealogue is using a Mac, so everybody's good/evil compass is twirling around and making them dizzy.
posted by Space Coyote at 12:35 PM on July 18, 2003

That was funny! I know it's wrong, but I like it when we argue.
posted by onlyconnect at 1:15 PM on July 18, 2003

Congrats, 111, you have now officially insulted everyone on metafilter!

He hasn't insulted me yet. I feel so neglected.
posted by jonmc at 1:31 PM on July 18, 2003

But you've been away.
posted by timeistight at 1:33 PM on July 18, 2003

Actually, I've been lingering in the background like a pungent pastrami belch.
posted by jonmc at 1:35 PM on July 18, 2003

Are there two 111's, or is he just nuts?

"Now when the webmaster himself greenlights several highly partisan anti-Bush posts every single day and likens the President and his staff to a "Mafia family", of course he's sending out an appalling political message to thousands of gullible, easily influenced people out there."

The next morning,

"Anyway, people look up to you all the time, so your words and actions are welcome as usual."
posted by cedar at 1:39 PM on July 18, 2003

111: At least not until the current MeFi content slant is brought to light and dealt with sans double standards or doublespeak.

and 111, a little later: Hi Matt, yeah, I remember the surreal speech pics thread. It must be hard work running a site as dynamic and successful as MetaFilter. Anyway, people look up to you all the time, so your words and actions are welcome as usual.

Did this make anyone else snort coffee through their nose with uncontrollable laughter? Best fucking bit in the entire thread, tho' Hildago's early salvo was certainly hard to top. My theory is that 111 is actually engaging in an elaborate piece of ongoing performance art. Bravo, sir! Bravo!

On preview: jinx, cedar!
posted by scody at 1:41 PM on July 18, 2003

Actually, I've been lingering in the background like a pungent pastrami belch.

Then I'm glad mathowie deleted my eulogy.
posted by timeistight at 1:42 PM on July 18, 2003

cedar and scody, there was a comment by Matt between the two messages you quote.
posted by 111 at 1:43 PM on July 18, 2003

I see, so the deletion of a couple of ridiculous threads makes up for the sending of an "apalling political message to thousands of gullible, easily influenced people" ?

Guess your not that apalled after all.

We'll discuss your characterization of us as thousand of "gullible and easily influenced people" another time.
posted by cedar at 2:04 PM on July 18, 2003

cedar and scody, there was a comment by Matt between the two messages you quote.

Yes, I understand that. This does not take away -- indeed, I believe it contributes to -- the sheer artistry of the transmission-shredding reversal from sputtering moral outrage ("[mathowie is] sending out an appalling political message to thousands of gullible, easily influenced people out there") to oily obsequiousness ("It's particularly nice to know it's still you, mathowie, who's running the site"). In a word, it was sublime. Can a Macarthur Genius Grant be far behind?
posted by scody at 2:06 PM on July 18, 2003

The trouble is the central right-wing idealogue is using a Mac...
He's just being a loyal dittohead.
posted by wendell at 2:32 PM on July 18, 2003

My theory is that 111 is actually engaging in an elaborate piece of ongoing performance art.

which as yet remains unlicensed from me.
*looks up anathema's cell number*
posted by quonsar at 2:36 PM on July 18, 2003

I haven't seen anything like it since about the 8th grade, but I remember one or puffed-up dorks in school who basically disparaged everyone in class while sucking up to the teacher. Needless to say they had no friends and made themselves very scarce outside of class.
posted by George_Spiggott at 2:40 PM on July 18, 2003

There is a thin line between being an ass and kissing ass.
posted by signal at 3:07 PM on July 18, 2003

I thought we were just chewing the cud here--My baaa'd...
posted by y2karl at 3:16 PM on July 18, 2003

turbodog: do you realize what you just said?
posted by Snyder at 3:39 PM on July 18, 2003

Yes.
posted by turbodog at 3:45 PM on July 18, 2003

So.. what was it?
posted by dash_slot- at 4:27 PM on July 18, 2003

My cookies were deleted and replaced

That's what happens when you use our internet.
posted by haqspan at 4:36 PM on July 18, 2003

I still miss aaron.

Thank you, but my work with the little deaf girls keeps me so busy...
posted by aaron at 4:59 PM on July 18, 2003

Heh. How long do you have to be here to qualify for the advanced "get mentioned, get paged to come to the keyboard" option, anyway?
posted by yhbc at 7:10 PM on July 18, 2003

Thank you, but my work with the little deaf girls keeps me so busy...

First he hooks them on heroin, then he makes the child pornography.
posted by y2karl at 7:18 PM on July 18, 2003

aaron's aim name is "bargler" and that amused me. i have nothing else to add to this thread, fortunately.
posted by bargle at 8:17 PM on July 18, 2003

Snyder: turbodog-- do you realize what you just said?

turbodog: Yes.


I must be terribly, terribly daft. What did turbodog "say"?
posted by trharlan at 12:20 AM on July 19, 2003

*clears throat* mouse over the names
posted by y2karl at 2:38 AM on July 19, 2003

I don't get it... mouse over turbodog's name? And bshort's name? And see their user numbers? And...?
posted by jonson at 7:22 AM on July 19, 2003

Me = confused, too.
posted by stonerose at 9:01 AM on July 19, 2003

I don't get it either. Mouse over which names?
posted by timeistight at 9:41 AM on July 19, 2003

Here is (I think) the whole interchange. I guess (a) "said" was misunderstood to not mean "typed/posted" and (b) I forgot my sarcasm tags.

... You would be wise to realize that not everyone who disagrees with you should be demonized. Labeling people as "lefties" or "commies" doesn't advance your argument, and only causes people to stop listening to what you're saying, even if there's some truth or worth to it. ...
posted by bshort at 10:42 AM PST on July 18

What bshort said. The Neo-con Defenders of All Things Duhbya never learn.
posted by turbodog at 11:25 AM PST on July 18

turbodog: do you realize what you just said?
posted by Snyder at 3:39 PM PST on July 18

Yes.
posted by turbodog at 3:45 PM PST on July 18

So.. what was it?
posted by dash_slot- at 4:27 PM PST on July 18
posted by turbodog at 9:51 AM on July 19, 2003

Clearer... I still don't get y2karl's "mouse over the names" comment, but maybe he's just mouseover mad, and sees giant DHTML title tags where there are none?
posted by jonson at 10:02 AM on July 19, 2003

The two users are 20 places apart--I tawt I smelt a double account. Nevermind.
posted by y2karl at 5:22 PM on July 19, 2003

Were you thinking of MidasMulligan? I usually found him to be both knowledgable and engaging, which ins't so common for people of any political leaning.

MidasMulligan? Seriously? Would you do me a favor and re-read some of his comments? If you find one that doesn't rely on a straw man argument please tell me.
posted by Hildago at 8:47 PM on July 19, 2003

MidasMulligan? Seriously? Would you do me a favor and re-read some of his comments? If you find one that doesn't rely on a straw man argument please tell me.

Hildago:
I already did, and you're right. I could swear there was someone with a name like that with whom I enjoyed productive arguments, but it sure as hell wasn't that guy. For future reference, I rarely know what the hell I'm blathering on about.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 11:32 PM on July 19, 2003

I think MidasMulligan's comments near the end of this thread are quite thoughtful.

"My thinking lately is that both economic and political systems arise out of much deeper systems of social interaction ... out of the way people perceive and interact at the individual level during the course of day to day life. How they perceive, and exchange, and use, power, and value, and status, and honor ... etc., etc., etc. A particular range of beliefs and behaviours is necessary for either economic or political liberalization to happen. With the correct social foundation, both will arise almost naturally. Without it, neither can be sustained."

Certainly more engaging than, "You know, from card-carrying communists to anti-globalization nuts, lefties all look the same to me."
posted by azimuth at 11:47 AM on July 20, 2003

so ParisParamus, are you still proud of this war?
posted by mcsweetie at 8:41 PM on July 20, 2003

McSweetie, I have to know, did that comment just happen to stick in your head?
posted by jonson at 10:12 PM on July 20, 2003

heh, yeah. I tried to imagine how much humanity you'd have to lose before you could say with a straight face that you were proud of a war.
posted by mcsweetie at 12:03 PM on July 21, 2003

Heh, yeah.
posted by turbodog at 12:19 PM on July 21, 2003

Yeah, I remember seeing the comment when it was first made, struck me as memorable too.
posted by jonson at 1:03 PM on July 21, 2003

I seriously think I'm going to start every MeTa thread I make from now on with "I don't come here very much any more [no time; the Chomsky crowd nauseates me trop] but..."
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 4:52 PM on July 21, 2003

oh yeah, what does "nauseates me trop" mean? was he cut off mid-word, or was his trop nauseous?
posted by mcsweetie at 5:14 PM on July 21, 2003

XQUZYPHYR:
But can you work in the word "Communofaggic?" I just think it's perfect!
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 5:15 PM on July 21, 2003

oh yeah, what does "nauseates me trop" mean? was he cut off mid-word, or was his trop nauseous?

I think it was ParisParamus's ham-handed way of trying to sound like he was in, well, Paris... "trop" is French for "too much."

Though interestingly, the whole "Chomsky crowd" as dismissive shorthand for anyone not in PP's political corner is a trope that makes me nauseous.
posted by scody at 6:04 PM on July 21, 2003

God bless your bon mot, Scody, if you were a gay man you'd be Oscar Wilde!
posted by jonson at 8:10 PM on July 21, 2003

Aw shucks, jonson, that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day!
posted by scody at 9:10 PM on July 21, 2003

If I were a gay man, I'd be John Waters. Hey, this game is fun! No more boring road-trips for me.
posted by dgaicun at 6:09 AM on July 22, 2003

All, right, I'll bite... if I was a gay man, I'd either be amberglow or WolfDaddy. That way I could keep my metafilter account.
posted by jonson at 6:58 AM on July 22, 2003

So, paris, does that clear up the browser problem you where having?

Next time you need tech support, you know you can count on us, trop!
posted by signal at 7:49 AM on July 22, 2003