Pink Tank Snafu

January 10, 2004 1:45 AM

What's the appropriate response when someone loses their cool for no apparent reason? You guessed it, Postroad loses his grip in a post about a pink tank. I know the dude's got a history of derailing, trolling etc, which this community moderately tolerates. But this was a post about painting a tank freakin' pink. When is it time to say STFU?
posted by will to etiquette/policy at 1:45 AM (34 comments total)

Ignore and move on. Works every time, though we rarely seem to implement the strategy.
posted by PrinceValium at 1:56 AM on January 10, 2004

It looks like a case of Posting Under Influence. We should send the pink army in.

Justice rides a tank and wears lip gloss.
posted by sebas at 2:00 AM on January 10, 2004

Sure, the comment was nearly illegible and largely incoherent, but it didn't seem to have much effect on the thread and it was only the one thing (it's not like he posted ten times in a row screaming obscenities at people).

When is it time to say STFU?

My advice would be whenever you feel like it, although I'd recommend holding off as much as possible. That said, if you want to do it, we don't really need to come to a group consensus and collectively shout it from the rooftops, do we? Not that I'm against a little shouting down from on high or anything (don't kick me out!).
posted by The God Complex at 2:24 AM on January 10, 2004

You're losing your cool for no apparent reason will. I think it's time... Nah, I'll refrain, since you inspired me to go click the link which was a good 'un. Cheers for that.
posted by Onanist at 4:43 AM on January 10, 2004

Postroad gets dumped on a lot, but he rarely deserves it, I think. I find his take cockeyed but mainly benign, if sometimes a bit unintelligible, as in this case.

I'm uncertain what you find so offensive about the comment you link to, will.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:05 AM on January 10, 2004

Seems to be another case of making assumptions about the tone of the comment...
posted by nthdegx at 5:26 AM on January 10, 2004

postroad is a lot better than he used to be (back in the dark ages of ip posts). not sure what kind of defense that is, but this `outburst' seems pretty mild to me. maybe i'm missing something - what did you find so offensive about it?
posted by andrew cooke at 5:38 AM on January 10, 2004

Considering how off the FPP itself was, postie's comment seems appropriate.
Therefore I will say it, STFU will!
posted by mischief at 6:18 AM on January 10, 2004

If you check the link, and scroll down almost to the bottom, you will find the exact quote that postroad mentioned. The exact quote!

This MetaTalk post is a complete waste of time.
posted by hama7 at 7:23 AM on January 10, 2004

someone pointed this out in another metatalk thread:

Postroad has posted 312 links and 2714 comments to MetaFilter
and no threads and no comments to MetaTalk
posted by mcsweetie at 7:59 AM on January 10, 2004

It looks like a case of Posting Under Influence

That thought occurred to me as well.

it didn't seem to have much effect on the thread

That struck me as well, and I was quite proud of the other commenters.

If you check the link, and scroll down almost to the bottom, you will find the exact quote that postroad mentioned... This MetaTalk post is a complete waste of time.

I have to agree with hama7.
posted by languagehat at 8:35 AM on January 10, 2004

If hama7's right (*faints*) and it's simply a case of plagiarism, that means two things:

1) There are two postroads, and

2) What do we do about stolen comments? Anything?
posted by Space Coyote at 8:55 AM on January 10, 2004

Well, you know the [surgically enhanced] Bust of the Web is his area of expertise. Maybe the women were too clothed, maybe their payloads weren't up to snuff.

It's not like he keeps offering antique links re the, ahem, so-called "bio-warfare trailers" in WMD related threads when now even David Kay admits they were hydrogen generators for Iraqi artillery balloons, though. Now that's chutzpah.
posted by y2karl at 9:16 AM on January 10, 2004

Has nobody else done a 'Find (in this page)'?

The text you entered cannot be found in this page....The text you entered cannot be found in this page....The text you entered cannot be found in this page....The text you entered you entered cannot be found in this page

Nice Red herring Hama7.
posted by dash_slot- at 9:23 AM on January 10, 2004

Not so--He may be WRONG WRONG WRONG on WMDs but he's right on this one.
posted by y2karl at 9:39 AM on January 10, 2004

dash, hama7 is correct - there is a comment "I wanted to steal it and send it to Palestine!" and presumably after that, these are comments from Postroad on that remark.

If you can ignore punctuation and spelling and get into his stream-of-consciousness style, Postroad is usually deciperherable. Whether you agree with his sentiments may be another story, but he is hardly the only cryptic writer we have.

will, maybe you are reading more into his comment than is actually there? I didn't see anything particularly offensive about it.

on preview, y2karl beat me to it!
posted by madamjujujive at 9:40 AM on January 10, 2004

all aboard
posted by clavdivs at 9:47 AM on January 10, 2004

?
posted by Witty at 10:16 AM on January 10, 2004

Whether you agree with his sentiments may be another story, but he is hardly the only cryptic writer we have.

He's not even runner up for the Mr. John Q. Incomprehensible title here.
posted by y2karl at 11:06 AM on January 10, 2004

The answer to the question is January 10, 2004, 1:45 AM.
posted by yonderboy at 11:12 AM on January 10, 2004

My hovercraft is full of eels.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 11:39 AM on January 10, 2004

None of the above.
posted by y2karl at 12:08 PM on January 10, 2004

Please Fondle My Buttocks.
posted by jonmc at 12:09 PM on January 10, 2004

I blame Persian dualism.
posted by languagehat at 12:41 PM on January 10, 2004

even David Kay admits they were hydrogen generators for Iraqi artillery balloons, though. Now that's chutzpah.

(perhaps these guys where "involved")

The Quail Decoy
posted by clavdivs at 1:18 PM on January 10, 2004

The worst crime seems to be near nonsensical rambling. Drunk, high, or something else perhaps or just that kind of style. Is there some other issue that suggests it should be more offensive than it is?
posted by rudyfink at 1:39 PM on January 10, 2004

None of the above is hereby retracted.
posted by y2karl at 1:54 PM on January 10, 2004

i just like saying     +++ NO CARRIER
posted by quonsar at 4:11 PM on January 10, 2004

I will not buy this record, it is scratched.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:44 PM on January 10, 2004

I'm sorry sir, this car is full.
posted by clavdivs at 5:37 PM on January 10, 2004

Then let me off here, for the love of god!
posted by languagehat at 6:00 PM on January 10, 2004

I've posted things drunk before. Seriously though, by having a Metalk post on this will only serve his/her purpose, like there ever was one in the first place.
posted by Keyser Soze at 4:25 AM on January 11, 2004

I will not buy this record, it is scratched.

ROTFL
posted by rushmc at 10:13 AM on January 11, 2004

Another case of "Whaa! I don't like what he says!"
posted by drstrangelove at 8:30 AM on January 25, 2004