No real content, just more trollish junk June 17, 2004 9:59 PM Subscribe
It might as well have been titled "This is today's senseless bickering thread". No real content, just more trollish junk. Delete please?
Seriously, though: it's interesting, most people probably haven't seen it (I have), and "good" discussion will ensue. The wording sure makes it seem like it's a sly joke, maybe, about these kinds of posts...but then, we've agreed that that's okay, too. So, for those of us for whom the unnacceptability of that post is obvious, is it possible that it very much may not be the case that it's obvious to everyone else? Well, of course not. But I mean, really, is isn't it possible that this is all a lot more subtle than we think?
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 10:11 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 10:11 PM on June 17, 2004
Is it possible that this post is worth a rat's ass? Is that what you're trying to stammer out? :D
posted by scarabic at 10:22 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by scarabic at 10:22 PM on June 17, 2004
"most people probably haven't seen it"
My mom emailed it to me four days ago. It sucked then, too.
posted by NortonDC at 10:23 PM on June 17, 2004
My mom emailed it to me four days ago. It sucked then, too.
posted by NortonDC at 10:23 PM on June 17, 2004
NortonDC nailed it. Move along, nothing to see here.
posted by eddydamascene at 10:27 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by eddydamascene at 10:27 PM on June 17, 2004
If it had been a Postroad FPP, it would have still had the "Fwd:" on it.
posted by PrinceValium at 10:28 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by PrinceValium at 10:28 PM on June 17, 2004
Well, no, not in my opinion is this anything close to being a good post. I think it's a bad post. But it seems to qualify (barely) on each of the supposed characteristics that make a post acceptable. Yah, several of us have seen this everywhere. But it sure seems like the ways this has been argued in the past has been that the standard certainly isn't people who are aware of these kinds of things. It's not even people who, for example, read the news. So, hell. You know that if you had posted in the thread (and we'll see it here tomorrow) that this has appeared everywhere, sure enough twenty people will post and say, hey, I've not seen it before and I think it's great! So, um...well...I'm still tilting at windmills, only a different variety. Contrary to the advice someone emailed me, I still have this hope that there's something we can figure out and solve on MeTa. If the distinction between a good and bad FPP is lost on most people, we can't really convince anyone to stop making bad posts until, you know, there's an agreement on what a bad post is. Is that possible? *tilts at windmill* I think that windmill is mocking me! I shall attack it once! At great length!
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 10:49 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 10:49 PM on June 17, 2004
I still have this hope that there's something we can figure out and solve on MeTa
Man, after that thrashing you took, I give you credit for keep on trucking, or as a wise man put it, "Keep on rocking in the Free World!"
posted by jmd82 at 10:54 PM on June 17, 2004
Man, after that thrashing you took, I give you credit for keep on trucking, or as a wise man put it, "Keep on rocking in the Free World!"
posted by jmd82 at 10:54 PM on June 17, 2004
But I mean, really, is isn't it possible that this is all a lot more subtle than we think?
Yes. There are several things in both lists that are pretty biting and close to home. I for one would love to take a number of people from either end of the spectrum and roast their toes over some of the finer points.
But human nature being what it is, it's far more likely that both lists will simply get longer.
posted by weston at 10:55 PM on June 17, 2004
Yes. There are several things in both lists that are pretty biting and close to home. I for one would love to take a number of people from either end of the spectrum and roast their toes over some of the finer points.
But human nature being what it is, it's far more likely that both lists will simply get longer.
posted by weston at 10:55 PM on June 17, 2004
I just know a discussion will ensue. Trust me, this will all get old one day. But for now, savor and enjoy the sanctimonious slippage.
Translation: I know what I did was wrong, I just don't care.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 11:00 PM on June 17, 2004
Translation: I know what I did was wrong, I just don't care.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 11:00 PM on June 17, 2004
Since we're here, what the hell is this? I'm honestly baffled.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:02 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:02 PM on June 17, 2004
Which message are you referring to, fvw? Crasspastor's or this one?
posted by crunchland at 11:03 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by crunchland at 11:03 PM on June 17, 2004
Stav, it's another news story that I've been aware of for at least a day or so. You? But, again, it's a pretty interesting story. It'll certainly—as is the case with the other post—stoke people's fires for partisan shouting. Which is fun, dammit! (Well, not to me.)
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:05 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:05 PM on June 17, 2004
I'm with stavrostwc and fvw. Not so much for the content, but single linkyness of them. Matt deleted a few posts yesterday on that basis, and maybe he'll delete these too, but if the republican list thread had all kinds of links to political joke sites or whatever, even if only anti-GOP it would have been fine with me. Ditto for the Moore thread. The way it is, they're more like forum posts.
posted by loquax at 11:17 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by loquax at 11:17 PM on June 17, 2004
Yeah, but then the answer is to post those kinds of posts, but throw in some random links that you've just googled. Does that really make it better? I think I can somewhat grok the viewpoint that it would, but it in my opinion it doesn't make it better. It's camouflage.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:21 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:21 PM on June 17, 2004
EB, you're probably right, but at least there's more of a chance that there might be something new or different in one of the googled links. And it shows that there was more to the decision to post than just an impulse.
posted by loquax at 11:28 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by loquax at 11:28 PM on June 17, 2004
*takes a moment to mourn the fact that snarkout no longer posts at Metafilter*
That's how it's fookin' done, son.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:29 PM on June 17, 2004
That's how it's fookin' done, son.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:29 PM on June 17, 2004
You know that if you had posted in the thread (and we'll see it here tomorrow) that this has appeared everywhere, sure enough twenty people will post and say, hey, I've not seen it before and I think it's great!
You're so right about that. I hate it, too, because they're always so outraged about it, as if, by saying "I've seen this before," what you're really implying is "and if you haven't then you're a stupid, uninformed, uncool shit-for-brains with a comb-over."
De-fen-sive. Always.
posted by scarabic at 11:30 PM on June 17, 2004
You're so right about that. I hate it, too, because they're always so outraged about it, as if, by saying "I've seen this before," what you're really implying is "and if you haven't then you're a stupid, uninformed, uncool shit-for-brains with a comb-over."
De-fen-sive. Always.
posted by scarabic at 11:30 PM on June 17, 2004
As for supplementary links, EB, I find that very few stories stay simple if you start Googling their constituent elements. Most of the time a much more rounded post can be made. It's no wonder people flare over these one-link wonders that present a single fact with no balance or context.
posted by scarabic at 11:32 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by scarabic at 11:32 PM on June 17, 2004
It's interesting, most people probably haven't seen it (I have), and "good" discussion will ensue.
When I'd read up to here I actually assumed this was sarcasm. It's INTERESTING? "Rush Limbaugh used painkillers, and the republicans are against legalising recreational drugs"? Yes, I'm sure nobody else had noticed that yet.
crunch: I was talking about crasspastor's post yeah, and the comments which will no doubt consist of the same mouldy tripe as the main post. I'm sorry if I'm a bit grouchy about this but I'm sick to death of seeing every other front page post be a pathetic mudslinging competition under the pretense of american politics by a group of four year olds.
I know I've probably used up my alotment of MeTa posts for this month, so I'll make this request here: Matt, could you please ease up on the light-handed approach a little and at least send a message that "Republicans smell/Democrats have cooties" posts are not "the best of the web"?
posted by fvw at 11:34 PM on June 17, 2004
When I'd read up to here I actually assumed this was sarcasm. It's INTERESTING? "Rush Limbaugh used painkillers, and the republicans are against legalising recreational drugs"? Yes, I'm sure nobody else had noticed that yet.
crunch: I was talking about crasspastor's post yeah, and the comments which will no doubt consist of the same mouldy tripe as the main post. I'm sorry if I'm a bit grouchy about this but I'm sick to death of seeing every other front page post be a pathetic mudslinging competition under the pretense of american politics by a group of four year olds.
I know I've probably used up my alotment of MeTa posts for this month, so I'll make this request here: Matt, could you please ease up on the light-handed approach a little and at least send a message that "Republicans smell/Democrats have cooties" posts are not "the best of the web"?
posted by fvw at 11:34 PM on June 17, 2004
That was a lot better expressed than what I said, scarabic, thanks.
posted by loquax at 11:35 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by loquax at 11:35 PM on June 17, 2004
Very interesting (and "yay!" that Matt deleted it). But that post already had a lot of comments for being in the middle of the night. It would easily have been one of the top commented posts tomorrow. So... ?
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:41 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:41 PM on June 17, 2004
"fenriq's timing is AMAZING!!!!"—scarabicHeh. Maybe we should just go down the list of Yahoo's top stories? *sigh*
But I'm being more critical than I should be. I'm trying to be contrite to a degree and try very hard to understand why these sorts of posts are okay. Or why people think they're okay. Or something.
By the way, when I use the emdash for attribution, which I usually do, does everyone see it properly (between the quote and name)? I stopped typing in the html entity and just doing windows alt-0151, which is for some reason easier for me.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:46 PM on June 17, 2004
EB: may I commend to you a comment I made earlier, about how NewsFilter posts might at least be improved, if they are not to be banned competely?
posted by scarabic at 11:58 PM on June 17, 2004
posted by scarabic at 11:58 PM on June 17, 2004
I'm with you. But I fear your posts in that thread will come back to haunt you. Unless Matt just deletes it, that is.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:03 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:03 AM on June 18, 2004
Yah.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:08 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:08 AM on June 18, 2004
Aw fuck it. I don't strive for a perfectly dignified and consistent posting history. I admire that impulse in you, but it's not my style. I occasionally stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.
posted by scarabic at 12:12 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by scarabic at 12:12 AM on June 18, 2004
Oh well, at least my fish-in-a-barrel fun will live on in the infamy of a deleted thread linked-to from MetaTalk.
posted by Space Coyote at 12:19 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by Space Coyote at 12:19 AM on June 18, 2004
Scarabic, your comment in fenriq's thread was symptomatic of the real problem metafilter faces. Believe it or not, it isn't the threat of newsfilter; no, it's the threat of know-it-alls who, in their undesirable need to dictate to others what metafilter should be, violate the most basic principles of etiquette in an effort to make things "better."
You flat-out refuse to believe even for a second that perhaps the majority of people aren't on your side--hell, even if they are, what is posting childish drivel into people's threads going to do? It makes you look like a pompous ass and I sincerely wonder what it is you think you're going to prove with such behaviour.
It's bad enough that it's basically been what-scarabic-thinks-of-everything-that-happens-on-metafilter week in the grey lately, but I don't think we really need that seeping into the blue, infecting it like some nasty viral infection.
I don't care if the thread was "good" or "bad"--you made out like a verbose Witty in that thread, which is definitely not commendable. Again, I reiterate, what do you expect to accomplish doing that?
posted by The God Complex at 12:49 AM on June 18, 2004
You flat-out refuse to believe even for a second that perhaps the majority of people aren't on your side--hell, even if they are, what is posting childish drivel into people's threads going to do? It makes you look like a pompous ass and I sincerely wonder what it is you think you're going to prove with such behaviour.
It's bad enough that it's basically been what-scarabic-thinks-of-everything-that-happens-on-metafilter week in the grey lately, but I don't think we really need that seeping into the blue, infecting it like some nasty viral infection.
I don't care if the thread was "good" or "bad"--you made out like a verbose Witty in that thread, which is definitely not commendable. Again, I reiterate, what do you expect to accomplish doing that?
posted by The God Complex at 12:49 AM on June 18, 2004
TGC, I'd like to repeat that, unlike scarabic, I recognize that this isn't a self-defining community with self-standards. Matt sets the standards. As we just saw, at least some newsfilter posts don't meet those standards. Did you think that that deleted post was okay? Will you complain to Matt that the majority thinks that post is just fine? I'm positive that the majority would have liked that post and it already had generated tons of comments. So it's not as if this is a democracy, scarabic et al is a minority trying to dictate to the majority what appropriate behavior. You have to aknowledge, at the very least, that scarabic et al are trying to get legitimate standards to be met by people. There can be a difference of opinion as to what those standards are, and there can be a difference of opinion as to whether those standards are correct; but you can't claim that scarabic are trying to hijack MeFi against the majority will. MeFi doesn't belong to the majority, not in this sense. It partly does, of course. But you're making the very strong argument that this is truly and completely a community self-defining site, which it isn't.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:00 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:00 AM on June 18, 2004
You flat-out refuse to believe even for a second that perhaps the majority of people aren't on your side
You know, I will cop to taking a shit in that one thread. I admit it. This is something I almost never do, but after the week we've had, I cracked. Find another example if you can. I'll be surprised.
But I'm really tired of having all these huge, blown-out-of-proportion accusations hurled at me from you. Unless this is to be an open-floodgate, post any shit you want bulletin board, we're going to continue having conversations in the Grey about what works, and what sucks. My participating in those does not make me some proscriptivist asshole. So kindly take a teabag on the chin, doff your all-too-appropriate username, and chill the fuck out.
I'm at the point where I want to see it, with my comments linked, or I don't give a fuck. If you can bring this to me, I will genuinely pay attention. I can take criticism, actually. What I can't take is more shrill, hyperbolic bleating from someone who sounds like they just ran a marathon with cockroaches in their pants, and is hurling his frustrations with 8-12 different people directly in my face.
I mean it. You'd better come right out and make your case with me, or stop buzzing around my head everywhere I go, complaining that I post too much. You're no succinct gentleman yourself, and I'm not about to bow out and stop participating here because you're tired of me, Patrick.
posted by scarabic at 1:09 AM on June 18, 2004
You know, I will cop to taking a shit in that one thread. I admit it. This is something I almost never do, but after the week we've had, I cracked. Find another example if you can. I'll be surprised.
But I'm really tired of having all these huge, blown-out-of-proportion accusations hurled at me from you. Unless this is to be an open-floodgate, post any shit you want bulletin board, we're going to continue having conversations in the Grey about what works, and what sucks. My participating in those does not make me some proscriptivist asshole. So kindly take a teabag on the chin, doff your all-too-appropriate username, and chill the fuck out.
I'm at the point where I want to see it, with my comments linked, or I don't give a fuck. If you can bring this to me, I will genuinely pay attention. I can take criticism, actually. What I can't take is more shrill, hyperbolic bleating from someone who sounds like they just ran a marathon with cockroaches in their pants, and is hurling his frustrations with 8-12 different people directly in my face.
I mean it. You'd better come right out and make your case with me, or stop buzzing around my head everywhere I go, complaining that I post too much. You're no succinct gentleman yourself, and I'm not about to bow out and stop participating here because you're tired of me, Patrick.
posted by scarabic at 1:09 AM on June 18, 2004
I mean, fer fuck's sake, look at this!
The God Complex has posted 9 links and 652 comments to MetaFilter
and 11 threads and 894 comments to MetaTalk
and 2 questions and 111 answers to Ask MetaFilter
scarabic has posted 21 links and 1053 comments to MetaFilter
and 9 threads and 585 comments to MetaTalk
and 43 questions and 581 answers to Ask MetaFilter
You, sir, have posted over 300 more comments in the Grey than I, and I've been here almost a year longer. Your participation in the Grey also outstrips your particpation in the Blue for both posts and comments! I, on the other hand, am at about a 2:1 Blue:Grey ratio.
So piss off!
posted by scarabic at 1:16 AM on June 18, 2004
The God Complex has posted 9 links and 652 comments to MetaFilter
and 11 threads and 894 comments to MetaTalk
and 2 questions and 111 answers to Ask MetaFilter
scarabic has posted 21 links and 1053 comments to MetaFilter
and 9 threads and 585 comments to MetaTalk
and 43 questions and 581 answers to Ask MetaFilter
You, sir, have posted over 300 more comments in the Grey than I, and I've been here almost a year longer. Your participation in the Grey also outstrips your particpation in the Blue for both posts and comments! I, on the other hand, am at about a 2:1 Blue:Grey ratio.
So piss off!
posted by scarabic at 1:16 AM on June 18, 2004
Hey, Scarabic, I'm having bad two-days-ago flashbacks. TGC's being mean to you, but you've been really good to me the last few days and I'd hate to see you get involved in the bloodfest where this seems to be heading.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:24 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:24 AM on June 18, 2004
Aright. He's haunted my footsteps a little bit for the past week or so, and I know you know how that can bug. I've let it go and let it go... I guess I'll let it go again and go to bed.
posted by scarabic at 1:42 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by scarabic at 1:42 AM on June 18, 2004
I definitely know how badly that can bug. :)
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:43 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:43 AM on June 18, 2004
...but I also know how badly things can go when you lose it in response. There's got to be a good way to deal with it. If I think bad on all my customer-relationship days, it's obvious that what the person really wants is for you to take their complaints about your behavior seriously. It well may be that you don't have to agree with them, but just taking it seriously can defuse an escalation.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:44 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:44 AM on June 18, 2004
I hereby jointly nominate scarabic and EB for the First Annual Steven Den Beste Memorial MetaMotorMouth Award. Prize to be announced at a later date.
I mean, crikey! I love you guys (*applies noogies*), but you two really are dominating every conversation in MeTa of late, which, given that the conversations are at least better than one-liners and fart noises, is not entirely a bad thing. But still.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:00 AM on June 18, 2004
I mean, crikey! I love you guys (*applies noogies*), but you two really are dominating every conversation in MeTa of late, which, given that the conversations are at least better than one-liners and fart noises, is not entirely a bad thing. But still.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:00 AM on June 18, 2004
Noted.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:06 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:06 AM on June 18, 2004
Here, I'll post what I just said in trout's ironic thread as Stav so thoughtfully pointed out above:
It's interesting how you can reverse bait and get no qualms, yet as soon as you're truthful about the state of-- Whoops, wrong answer. The truth summed up in 20 bullet points gets yanked. I.E. my "FPP" to what illogical hoops one must jump through to be a Bush apologizing Republican these days.
That's sorry. I suppose Matt would pull a link to a story about all those non-partisan officials that said Bush must go too as this is far too charged an issue. Apparently it's still partisan to call a spade a spade.
And of course, don't get me wrong, I'm not angry in the least. It's just funny. "He sure can down a cheeseburger".
Matt, troutfishing does not mean that. Where's the liberal outrage, you know? How dare anybody make fun of MM's weight? This is cheap, a travesty in fact. Yet you let this post through. . .
Oh well. I wasn't trying to bait anyone. I thought it was an interesting list and I was fully prepared to back it up with comments about how I thought it was different than most lists.
And trout: nice underscoring of irony whether you meant it or not in the way I took it. It worked at least in my mind. ;)
----
Well, it's good to know we're still in "no harm, no foul" territory. . .
posted by crasspastor at 3:20 AM on June 18, 2004
It's interesting how you can reverse bait and get no qualms, yet as soon as you're truthful about the state of-- Whoops, wrong answer. The truth summed up in 20 bullet points gets yanked. I.E. my "FPP" to what illogical hoops one must jump through to be a Bush apologizing Republican these days.
That's sorry. I suppose Matt would pull a link to a story about all those non-partisan officials that said Bush must go too as this is far too charged an issue. Apparently it's still partisan to call a spade a spade.
And of course, don't get me wrong, I'm not angry in the least. It's just funny. "He sure can down a cheeseburger".
Matt, troutfishing does not mean that. Where's the liberal outrage, you know? How dare anybody make fun of MM's weight? This is cheap, a travesty in fact. Yet you let this post through. . .
Oh well. I wasn't trying to bait anyone. I thought it was an interesting list and I was fully prepared to back it up with comments about how I thought it was different than most lists.
And trout: nice underscoring of irony whether you meant it or not in the way I took it. It worked at least in my mind. ;)
----
Well, it's good to know we're still in "no harm, no foul" territory. . .
posted by crasspastor at 3:20 AM on June 18, 2004
scarabic, that was some nasty business you made in fenriq's thread. Did you look at his user page? he doesn't come to MetaTalk; he didn't know that you were all worked up over this issue.
I'm not personally crazy about newsfilter, but I really hate zealotry, and I really hate inquisition tactics. Torture now, ask questions later? I think you're getting out of control.
posted by taz at 5:08 AM on June 18, 2004
I'm not personally crazy about newsfilter, but I really hate zealotry, and I really hate inquisition tactics. Torture now, ask questions later? I think you're getting out of control.
posted by taz at 5:08 AM on June 18, 2004
stavros said it a lot nice than I would have. In fact, so did taz. I hope you two get the point before this community gets more nasty. Read through the three months when Miguel first joined MeFi (specifically MeTa) and you'll know that chattiness, and the type of extreme verbosity displayed by you two, gets underneath people's skin rather quickly.
posted by BlueTrain at 5:48 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by BlueTrain at 5:48 AM on June 18, 2004
It's not the verbosity so much as what verbosity conveys: "Ooo, I've had a thought and must lecture everyone on my thought because everyone is so enthralled."
So fucking tiresome.
Then again, it's still worth coming here to see the snark the blowhards are eliciting.
Also, the deletion of that thread also tragically deleted this, which must be saved for posterity:
Q-Why do the Kennedys cry during sex?
A-Mace.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:18 AM on June 18, 2004
So fucking tiresome.
Then again, it's still worth coming here to see the snark the blowhards are eliciting.
Also, the deletion of that thread also tragically deleted this, which must be saved for posterity:
Q-Why do the Kennedys cry during sex?
A-Mace.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:18 AM on June 18, 2004
Newsfilter: My mom emailed this to me four days ago.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 7:00 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by DrJohnEvans at 7:00 AM on June 18, 2004
"It's not the verbosity so much as what verbosity conveys: 'Ooo, I've had a thought and must lecture everyone on my thought because everyone is so enthralled.'—CunningLinguistYes, that's a typical reaction, and one I've had elsewhere. Doesn't mean the mind-reading is correct, though. And, at least in this case, as it applies to me, it's not.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 7:48 AM on June 18, 2004
i bet none of you has seen this cute
'splish-spash and rub-a-dub-dub see the baby farting bubbles in the tub' thing! FPP, here we come!
posted by quonsar at 7:55 AM on June 18, 2004
'splish-spash and rub-a-dub-dub see the baby farting bubbles in the tub' thing! FPP, here we come!
posted by quonsar at 7:55 AM on June 18, 2004
What CunninglLinghist said here, and dong_resin said in the thread, about the Kennedys joke. Excellent.
posted by soyjoy at 8:33 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by soyjoy at 8:33 AM on June 18, 2004
CunningLighist sounds like the bestest airline ever.
And the Kennedy joke is so not funny!
posted by chicobangs at 9:41 AM on June 18, 2004
And the Kennedy joke is so not funny!
posted by chicobangs at 9:41 AM on June 18, 2004
Okay, yes it is.
posted by chicobangs at 9:42 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by chicobangs at 9:42 AM on June 18, 2004
I love deletion "reasons" that are just belches.
Funny, I preferred the good old days when he came across as a literate and responsible administrator.
Different strokes...
posted by rushmc at 10:03 AM on June 18, 2004
Funny, I preferred the good old days when he came across as a literate and responsible administrator.
Different strokes...
posted by rushmc at 10:03 AM on June 18, 2004
TGC, I'd like to repeat that, unlike scarabic, I recognize that this isn't a self-defining community with self-standards. Matt sets the standards. As we just saw, at least some newsfilter posts don't meet those standards. Did you think that that deleted post was okay? Will you complain to Matt that the majority thinks that post is just fine? I'm positive that the majority would have liked that post and it already had generated tons of comments. So it's not as if this is a democracy, scarabic et al is a minority trying to dictate to the majority what appropriate behavior. You have to aknowledge, at the very least, that scarabic et al are trying to get legitimate standards to be met by people. There can be a difference of opinion as to what those standards are, and there can be a difference of opinion as to whether those standards are correct; but you can't claim that scarabic are trying to hijack MeFi against the majority will. MeFi doesn't belong to the majority, not in this sense. It partly does, of course. But you're making the very strong argument that this is truly and completely a community self-defining site, which it isn't.
Good points. As I said earlier (I believe in a previous thread), I think that things should be done on a case-by-case basis, whereas some speak out against "newsfilter" as an amorphous all-encompassing mass that accepts these "bad" posts into it and has to be defeated entirely. I'd fully support, as I've said many times before, Matt taking a more direct approach to deleting threads. However, he's shown remarkable restraint and deletes usually the most egregious offenders (or if he catches one early he may delete it).
I don't think all the news posts are bad, though; that's probably where we differ.
You know, I will cop to taking a shit in that one thread. I admit it. This is something I almost never do, but after the week we've had, I cracked. Find another example if you can. I'll be surprised.
But I'm really tired of having all these huge, blown-out-of-proportion accusations hurled at me from you. Unless this is to be an open-floodgate, post any shit you want bulletin board, we're going to continue having conversations in the Grey about what works, and what sucks. My participating in those does not make me some proscriptivist asshole. So kindly take a teabag on the chin, doff your all-too-appropriate username, and chill the fuck out.
I'm at the point where I want to see it, with my comments linked, or I don't give a fuck. If you can bring this to me, I will genuinely pay attention. I can take criticism, actually. What I can't take is more shrill, hyperbolic bleating from someone who sounds like they just ran a marathon with cockroaches in their pants, and is hurling his frustrations with 8-12 different people directly in my face.
I mean it. You'd better come right out and make your case with me, or stop buzzing around my head everywhere I go, complaining that I post too much. You're no succinct gentleman yourself, and I'm not about to bow out and stop participating here because you're tired of me, Patrick.
posted by scarabic at 1:09 AM PST on June 18
You're right, of course, in that I reacted a little vehemently to your course of action. You are, however, incorrect in your assumption that I've been in some way hounding or shadowing you throughout metatalk recently. In case you didn't notice, over the past five to seven days you seem to dominant nearly every conversation on metatalk with the same opinion about newsfilter and making metafilter better. I happen to believe that while you may have some valid points, you're overdoing it--and entering that thread to make your comments was just the straw that broke the camel's back. You made your points quite clear in the previous couple threads on this issue (as did I): if people care to read this month's round of metafilter infighting over newsfilter than they can; there isn't much point in continuing it ad nauseum and trying to take things into your own hands and impose it on everyone (in the blue, no less).
The snarkiness probably came from it being nearly 4AM when I posted it, and for that I apologize.
As for the rest of your attack on me, I am going to ignore it, since I fail to see its relevance.
posted by The God Complex at 10:34 AM on June 18, 2004
Good points. As I said earlier (I believe in a previous thread), I think that things should be done on a case-by-case basis, whereas some speak out against "newsfilter" as an amorphous all-encompassing mass that accepts these "bad" posts into it and has to be defeated entirely. I'd fully support, as I've said many times before, Matt taking a more direct approach to deleting threads. However, he's shown remarkable restraint and deletes usually the most egregious offenders (or if he catches one early he may delete it).
I don't think all the news posts are bad, though; that's probably where we differ.
You know, I will cop to taking a shit in that one thread. I admit it. This is something I almost never do, but after the week we've had, I cracked. Find another example if you can. I'll be surprised.
But I'm really tired of having all these huge, blown-out-of-proportion accusations hurled at me from you. Unless this is to be an open-floodgate, post any shit you want bulletin board, we're going to continue having conversations in the Grey about what works, and what sucks. My participating in those does not make me some proscriptivist asshole. So kindly take a teabag on the chin, doff your all-too-appropriate username, and chill the fuck out.
I'm at the point where I want to see it, with my comments linked, or I don't give a fuck. If you can bring this to me, I will genuinely pay attention. I can take criticism, actually. What I can't take is more shrill, hyperbolic bleating from someone who sounds like they just ran a marathon with cockroaches in their pants, and is hurling his frustrations with 8-12 different people directly in my face.
I mean it. You'd better come right out and make your case with me, or stop buzzing around my head everywhere I go, complaining that I post too much. You're no succinct gentleman yourself, and I'm not about to bow out and stop participating here because you're tired of me, Patrick.
posted by scarabic at 1:09 AM PST on June 18
You're right, of course, in that I reacted a little vehemently to your course of action. You are, however, incorrect in your assumption that I've been in some way hounding or shadowing you throughout metatalk recently. In case you didn't notice, over the past five to seven days you seem to dominant nearly every conversation on metatalk with the same opinion about newsfilter and making metafilter better. I happen to believe that while you may have some valid points, you're overdoing it--and entering that thread to make your comments was just the straw that broke the camel's back. You made your points quite clear in the previous couple threads on this issue (as did I): if people care to read this month's round of metafilter infighting over newsfilter than they can; there isn't much point in continuing it ad nauseum and trying to take things into your own hands and impose it on everyone (in the blue, no less).
The snarkiness probably came from it being nearly 4AM when I posted it, and for that I apologize.
As for the rest of your attack on me, I am going to ignore it, since I fail to see its relevance.
posted by The God Complex at 10:34 AM on June 18, 2004
Ha ha, think this post was a joke looking at the blog ads on the site - Stan Matsunaka is ready to beat Marilyn Musgrave this time! During the course of my career in public service, these successes led to formal endorsements by most of our local newspapers and dozens of our local organizations, including a "Republicans for Stan" group.em>
posted by thomcatspike at 10:39 AM on June 18, 2004
posted by thomcatspike at 10:39 AM on June 18, 2004
I happen to believe that while you may have some valid points, you're overdoing it
All right. I'm going to take a break from the Grey then, for a while, and put some energy into the Blue.
I'm not too sure about the charge of dominating this place, though. I may have been talking a lot here, but I don't think I've been excluding other people from talking, nor have I been the one to start these threads. But apparently, talking a lot is bad, especially for two people who seem to have gotten lumped together and judged on their combined volume.
Peace out.
posted by scarabic at 10:54 AM on June 18, 2004
All right. I'm going to take a break from the Grey then, for a while, and put some energy into the Blue.
I'm not too sure about the charge of dominating this place, though. I may have been talking a lot here, but I don't think I've been excluding other people from talking, nor have I been the one to start these threads. But apparently, talking a lot is bad, especially for two people who seem to have gotten lumped together and judged on their combined volume.
Peace out.
posted by scarabic at 10:54 AM on June 18, 2004
I love deletion "reasons" that are just belches.
Funny, I preferred the good old days when he came across as a literate and responsible administrator.
Different strokes...
posted by rushmc at 10:03 AM PST on June 18
For chrissakes, can you please shut the hell up? I am so goddamn sick of you taking cheap shots at Matt whenever you get the chance. Just piss off, again, will you?
posted by lazaruslong at 3:26 PM on June 18, 2004
Funny, I preferred the good old days when he came across as a literate and responsible administrator.
Different strokes...
posted by rushmc at 10:03 AM PST on June 18
For chrissakes, can you please shut the hell up? I am so goddamn sick of you taking cheap shots at Matt whenever you get the chance. Just piss off, again, will you?
posted by lazaruslong at 3:26 PM on June 18, 2004
::tries breathing::
Nope, didn't work. But thanks for your helpful instructions, asshole.
How about this, rushmc? Instead of taking backhanded swipes at people, just go ahead and say what you mean. I can only assume that you mean that Matt is both illiterate and irresponsible. Both couldn't be further from the truth, and it's pretty fucking sad that you are wasting userspace on a site for which you obviously have nothing but contempt. Stop wasting your breath and my time, and go somewhere else to spew. I'm not going to sit here and defend Matt anymore, cause he is obviously more than capable of doing so himself, so just suffice it to say that you reveal your character with every cowardly and condescending word you type.
There, I'm done.
posted by lazaruslong at 5:34 PM on June 18, 2004
Nope, didn't work. But thanks for your helpful instructions, asshole.
How about this, rushmc? Instead of taking backhanded swipes at people, just go ahead and say what you mean. I can only assume that you mean that Matt is both illiterate and irresponsible. Both couldn't be further from the truth, and it's pretty fucking sad that you are wasting userspace on a site for which you obviously have nothing but contempt. Stop wasting your breath and my time, and go somewhere else to spew. I'm not going to sit here and defend Matt anymore, cause he is obviously more than capable of doing so himself, so just suffice it to say that you reveal your character with every cowardly and condescending word you type.
There, I'm done.
posted by lazaruslong at 5:34 PM on June 18, 2004
I'm not too sure about the charge of dominating this place, though.
Trust me on this one.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:20 PM on June 18, 2004
Trust me on this one.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:20 PM on June 18, 2004
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[licks lips]
posted by scarabic at 10:05 PM on June 17, 2004