Adding a question mark doesn't make a legit AskMe

November 28, 2004 2:00 PM

I don't care if it is phrased in the form of a question. Using AskMe to get in a second post because you "already shot [your] wad today with a different MeFi front page post and thought this merited a posting" is just not on.
posted by mcwetboy to etiquette/policy at 2:00 PM (73 comments total)

This is why we can't have nice things.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:10 PM on November 28, 2004

"Sorry in advance about the carpet, but I'm afraid I simply can't wait for the bathroom to open up."
posted by monju_bosatsu at 2:11 PM on November 28, 2004

You think the rug pissers did this, dude?
posted by stovenator at 2:17 PM on November 28, 2004

Marqui's "Blogosphere Program" pays bloggers for product placement under the guise of a "social experiment". That reminds me of a funny about the delicious new juice flavor from Fruitopia...

Have you heard the audio from the final two minutes of the 11/30/04 Jeopardy yet? Major spoiler if you didn't hear about it on the news a few weeks ago.

But it was such an important posting, I can see why they had to get them both up there in the same day. God only know how I would have made it through the day without both of those posts. Cripes, bring back the politics if these is all we've got.
posted by milovoo at 2:21 PM on November 28, 2004

The worst thing is he didn't even have the common decency to make an "answering in the form of a question" crack. Would that have been so hard to work in?
posted by aspo at 2:24 PM on November 28, 2004

Okay, can we close the gates against the ravening barbarian hordes now? PLEASE?
posted by keswick at 2:25 PM on November 28, 2004

Ok so I'm having trouble understanding why the final two minutes were noteworthy. Was it a crack at FedEx?
posted by inksyndicate at 2:25 PM on November 28, 2004

Oh no you don't, inksyndicate. We're not picking up discussion of this half-aborted turd of a thread HERE.
posted by scarabic at 2:27 PM on November 28, 2004

Is this where I ask questions now? I don't know whether to make a new Metatalk thread or just post in this one. I'll post here.

Threadless.com has been linked here several times and I was thinking about buying a shirt or two for the hell of it. Problem is the shirts say "do not wash" and I can not find any reference to that on the site. Are they going to fall apart if I wash them?
posted by bargle at 2:33 PM on November 28, 2004

You know, if you're going to post in the wrong section, you could at least do it here and save some time.
posted by sbutler at 2:39 PM on November 28, 2004

[this is bad]
posted by grouse at 2:39 PM on November 28, 2004

Point taken. I actually should have known better having seen others step into similar water in the past. Sorry for AskMeFi post error in judgement.
posted by HifiToaster at 2:49 PM on November 28, 2004

You know, if you're going to post in the wrong section, you could at least do it here and save some time.

I think every MeFi and AskMe post should come with a complimentary MeTa post, with a randomly-generated complaint just to get the ball rolling.
posted by BradNelson at 3:02 PM on November 28, 2004

Yeah, but is it washable?
posted by konolia at 3:14 PM on November 28, 2004

In all the years I've been reading MeFi, that was easily the worst thing I've ever read on the front page. That stink's going to last for days. It's only possible purpose for existing is to be archived as the prime example of what not to post here.

Consider:

- There's actually no question, just a link to someone's blog, and that someone is Kottke, who is linked to death already here.
- The author immediately explains that he knows it's not the right place, but does it anyway, hoping another MeFite will clean up after him.
- As jacquilynne pointed out, its very existence spoils the secret, because Jeopardy ain't exactly overflowing with spoilers.

Congrats, man, you hit the crap post trifecta.
posted by mkultra at 3:35 PM on November 28, 2004

Congrats, man, you hit the crap post trifecta.

It's the PERFECT STORM.
posted by Quartermass at 4:25 PM on November 28, 2004

I've been washing my Threadless tshirts, and they're still good. Well, they get me from A to B.
posted by wilberforce at 4:26 PM on November 28, 2004

Uh, sorry, I thought maybe the reason for its crappiness might have been Meta in nature.
posted by inksyndicate at 4:49 PM on November 28, 2004

You know, Matt coded the one-post-per-day rule for a reason. Respect that.
posted by Vidiot at 4:50 PM on November 28, 2004

Asked and answered! Thanks, HiFiToaster! now get on your knees and ask for forgiveness.
posted by PrinceValium at 5:02 PM on November 28, 2004

Threadless.com has been linked here several times and I was thinking about buying a shirt or two for the hell of it. Problem is the shirts say "do not wash" and I can not find any reference to that on the site. Are they going to fall apart if I wash them?

Yeah, that's just a joke of theirs. I actually emailed them a few months back to make sure - since I still consider the washing machine a mystical being of many mysteries. You can wash the shirts without fear.
posted by kickingtheground at 5:46 PM on November 28, 2004

HifiToaster: GET OUT.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 6:26 PM on November 28, 2004

Wow, that was lame. A bannage is in order.
posted by mathowie at 7:19 PM on November 28, 2004

::draws pitchfork::
posted by Dreamghost at 7:31 PM on November 28, 2004

[cue funky music]
You go, uhhuh, you go, uhhuh,
Matt matt matt matt
uhhuh uhhuh uhhuh
wibbity wibbity wibbity wack!
[/funk]
posted by five fresh fish at 7:32 PM on November 28, 2004

HiFiToaster!
It's your birthday!
posted by quonsar at 7:34 PM on November 28, 2004

HifiToaster: GET OUT.

Easy, hoss. You've been a member all of 10 days. Earn a little cred before you start calling for that...
posted by mkultra at 7:35 PM on November 28, 2004

BURN THE WITCH
posted by naxosaxur at 7:42 PM on November 28, 2004

Personally, I'd be happy to see the back of 75% of them. I cannot remember such a tide of inanity, presumption, and willingness to comment on anything.
posted by adamgreenfield at 7:43 PM on November 28, 2004

i took Optimus Chyme's comment in the "Elaine Benes In Disbelief" sense:

*shoves mkultra backward at the shoulders while shouting GET OUT!*
posted by quonsar at 7:49 PM on November 28, 2004

Is this guy really getting banned? What he did was stupid, but his comments in other threads seemed okay to me.
posted by interrobang at 7:51 PM on November 28, 2004

Banned? Seems pretty harsh to me. It's not like he called for members to be punched in the face or anything.
posted by dobbs at 7:58 PM on November 28, 2004

*calls for dobbs to be punched in the face*
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:13 PM on November 28, 2004

>Is this guy really getting banned?
I read "bannage" as "bandage."

Over-tired me.
posted by philfromhavelock at 8:19 PM on November 28, 2004

I saw that coming, crash.
posted by dobbs at 8:31 PM on November 28, 2004

I've read the blue and green for years, but never ventured into MetaTalk before signing up recently. Is it always this stupid?

I agree with some of the complaints (Joe shouldn't have posted X, Tom shouldn't have asked Y, etc.) -- but do they really warrant individual threads? Couldn't you simply reply to the FPP, "Hey, this was stupid," or answer the AskMe, "Hey, somebody asked this yesterday." The complaints are valid, but are the transgressions so egregious they need to be pored over by community hall monitors?

Molehill --> Mountain. I knew MeFi advertised as a "community weblog," but I didn't realize how similar it could be to LiveJournal.
posted by cribcage at 8:38 PM on November 28, 2004

Couldn't you simply reply to the FPP, "Hey, this was stupid,"

Doh! Lots to learn. That's called "shitting in a thread," and people hate it. Your only option is to bring it here. Of course, people will hate you for that, too, which is why you should only do it when you're really really sure you're right about something being really really wrong.

Which of course no one ever is, hence: this bag of shit we call MetaTalk.
posted by scarabic at 8:42 PM on November 28, 2004

Is it always this stupid?

this isn't EVEN scratching the surface of stupid.
posted by quonsar at 8:48 PM on November 28, 2004

scarabic, by and large, someone will hate any given thing anyone does on here.

I guess that's why I came back: the hatred seemed nice and evenly distributed. It's like climbing into a shower that's just that half-degree too hot.

We all have someone here to sharpen our claws against. It's healthy.
posted by adamgreenfield at 8:50 PM on November 28, 2004

metatalk is a searchable stupidbase that will serve lots and lots of readers over time.
posted by quonsar at 8:53 PM on November 28, 2004

Thats funny, cribcage. I was just over at ask.mefi noticing your well thought out and well-supported answer to the Wi-Fi question.

Thanks for making Ask.mefi better!
posted by vacapinta at 9:00 PM on November 28, 2004

I'm with dobbs and interrobang -- I really, really, really don't agree that this is a bannable offense, Matt. Sure, it was an inappropriate use of AskMe, but come on -- trolls like [names redacted here to keep this thread from veering wildly off-course] have been posting here for ages, shitting all over threads and throwing out the odd threat (not to mention bucket of cocks) without getting banned. Seriously, Hifitoaster is good people. Deleting the thread is sufficient.
posted by scody at 9:53 PM on November 28, 2004

I wouldn't worry, folks. If you've paid attention to the last couple timeouts, it's required a repeated pattern of badness most of the time, not one bonehead play.
posted by scarabic at 10:01 PM on November 28, 2004

Personally, I'd be happy to see the back of 75% of them. I cannot remember such a tide of inanity, presumption, and willingness to comment on anything.

You're just an irredeemable, leaking, pustulating, horrid little anal fissure of a man, aren't you adamgreenfield? Though, true, you're damn good at it. Didn't you solemnly announce your departure from MeFi a while back? There's the door. Buh-bye.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 10:02 PM on November 28, 2004

I've read the blue and green for years, but never ventured into MetaTalk before signing up recently. Is it always this stupid?

The green hasn't existed for years, so that seems unlikely. And if you've been reading this place for so long and haven't ever read Metatalk before now, well, I suggest, nay, I insist†, on THE BANHAMMER!


†not really, but you ought to be slapped with a pants-fish or something. I mean really.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:02 PM on November 28, 2004

It really hasn't been a good day for the n00bs, has it? And while I am seeing cool people pop up here and there, the d00fs are making themselves so damn visible.
posted by scarabic at 10:09 PM on November 28, 2004

this isn't EVEN scratching the surface of stupid.

quonsar speaks wisdom. Dig through the archives, and feel yourself turn unhealthy colors. F'r example, try searching for the word "anniversary."

On the other hand - *low whistle* - it's looking like this thread's gonna turn into a pretty good example too.
posted by furiousthought at 10:09 PM on November 28, 2004

I'd be happy to see the back of 75% of all the active population of this joint, new or not. And I like most of youse.

Between now and the end of the year (at least), there's going to be more noise than normal as the noobs get into the swing of things, ask all the stupid questions, and so on. And the ones for whom it's not all of that are going to lapse into inactivity, or the land of one-post-a-month.

Which, frankly, is as it should be.

The only thing shocking to me about how this week is panning out is that it's shocking to anyone.
posted by chicobangs at 10:19 PM on November 28, 2004

"Couldn't you simply reply to the FPP, "Hey, this was stupid,""

If MetaTalk isn't for letting off steam, and keeping precisely that sort of nonsense from MetaFilter and Ask MetaFiter, then I don't know what it's for.
posted by nthdegx at 10:26 PM on November 28, 2004

"MetaTalk is a discussion area for topics specific to MetaFilter itself, ranging from bug reports to feature requests to questions of content."
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:52 PM on November 28, 2004

So there.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:52 PM on November 28, 2004

*plunges both hands down stavrosthewunderhuhn's trousers and begins rooting around wildly for pantsfish*
posted by loquacious at 11:16 PM on November 28, 2004

Guys, get your hands out of each other's pants and pay attention!

cribcage: It only gets really stupid in the gray when it's used for callouts.

Stupid, but ocassionally amusing.
posted by kamylyon at 11:44 PM on November 28, 2004

Easy, hoss. You've been a member all of 10 days. Earn a little cred before you start calling for that...

I defended the new MeFites in an earlier MeTa thread. Now HiFiToaster makes us all look bad with a shit post in the inappropriate place, put there specifically to get around the one FPP per day rule. Fuck him.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:24 AM on November 29, 2004

Between now and the end of the year (at least), there's going to be more noise than normal as the noobs get into the swing of things, ask all the stupid questions, and so on.

Yes, and we should have some tolerance for it. But at the same time, criticism (even harsh criticism) is necessary, if only due to the size of the recent influx. There is a particular culture here, a particular ettiquette, a (largely unwritten) set of rules. If people aren't called out when they break those rules, this place becomes a Yahoo! group pretty quick.
posted by jpoulos at 7:33 AM on November 29, 2004

ettiquette etiquette
posted by jpoulos at 7:37 AM on November 29, 2004

<aside>Did you know that the American Heritage recognizes netiquette?</aside>
posted by jpoulos at 7:38 AM on November 29, 2004

Okay, can we close the gates against the ravening barbarian hordes now? PLEASE?

Oh, yeah, because an isolated incident here and there by people learning the arcane culture of the site FAR OUTWEIGHS the contributions being made by the new members.
posted by rushmc at 7:45 AM on November 29, 2004

You're just an irredeemable, leaking, pustulating, horrid little anal fissure of a man, aren't you adamgreenfield? Though, true, you're damn good at it. Didn't you solemnly announce your departure from MeFi a while back? There's the door. Buh-bye.

I was drawn back here solely by the one opportunity I enjoy nowhere else, and that is harshing your mellow, toots. Few things satisfy me more than putting the boot in, you know.

And such adjectives! Such impotent geek fury! My ears are sizzling. Have I reached the top tier of your hateshelf yet, up there with good old Migs? Let me know when I get close, hm?

Meanwhile, rushmc, I guess I just don't agree. I haven't seen any contributions yet that outweigh the inanity. I've seen kind of a massive outrush of pent-up posting desire, which has meant a lot of comments on threads that would have gone unremarked a month ago, a high ratio of posts that never need have happened at all, and some knee-tremblingly stupid commentary.

I do not mean to suggest that the new members are all inherently incapable of great posts and insightful comments - nothing of the sort. It's just that, so far, the rush to participate and to be seen as participating has overwhelmed native discretion on the part of a great many of 'em.
posted by adamgreenfield at 7:56 AM on November 29, 2004

I, for one, would like to renew my displeasure at the frequency of "fuck you," "fuck off," and "fuck yourself." The decrease in civility since the election is astounding. If Dick Cheney jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?
posted by PrinceValium at 7:58 AM on November 29, 2004

If Dick Cheney jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?

No, for my work on this planet would then be complete, and I would ascend to the Celestial Throne to spend all of eternity running over pedestrians with farm equipment.
posted by Danelope at 8:20 AM on November 29, 2004

"Bannage" isn't actually a word.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 8:37 AM on November 29, 2004

Meanwhile, banhammer.com is still available.
posted by jpoulos at 8:54 AM on November 29, 2004

"Bannage" isn't actually a word.

It is now.
posted by Mitheral at 9:37 AM on November 29, 2004

I've read the blue and green for years, but never ventured into MetaTalk before signing up recently. Is it always this stupid?

Only when you're here, cribcage.

I, for one, would like to renew my displeasure at the frequency of "fuck you," "fuck off," and "fuck yourself." The decrease in civility since the election is astounding.

I blame Zell Miller.


Whom, by the way, Fuck.
posted by soyjoy at 10:17 AM on November 29, 2004

I, for one, would like to renew my displeasure at the frequency of "fuck you," "fuck off," and "fuck yourself." The decrease in civility since the election is astounding. If Dick Cheney jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?

no, but i would shout "no, YOU fuck off!" for his listening pleasure as he plummeted toward death.
posted by quonsar at 10:21 AM on November 29, 2004

Meanwhile, rushmc, I guess I just don't agree. I haven't seen any contributions yet that outweigh the inanity. I've seen kind of a massive outrush of pent-up posting desire, which has meant a lot of comments on threads that would have gone unremarked a month ago, a high ratio of posts that never need have happened at all, and some knee-tremblingly stupid commentary.

I kind of agree with this. While I welcome an influx of New Blood, and while I'm sure they mean well and some individual posts have been good, this group definitely feels like they collectively suffer from some sort of digital blue balls, desparate to hump anything that catches their eyes here.

I'm sure it'll subside, in time. Mostly, I feel bad for Matt having to (most likely, from what I've seen) spend more time cleaning up this place.
posted by mkultra at 11:01 AM on November 29, 2004

You know how sometimes you just know that commenting is a stupid, senseless thing to do? And so you read through an entire thread alternately nodding and shaking your head? And maybe even find yourself making little clucking noises? And when you get to the end of the thread, even as you are congratulating yourself for your wisdom and restraint, you experience a sort of empty hollow feeling because it's the nth thread you've been sensible about and secretly inside you really, really do want to make some noise and register your very existence?

No? Me either.
posted by idest at 2:41 PM on November 29, 2004

this bag of shit we call MetaTalk.

Not exactly the way I see Metatalk.

I view Metafilter as the big Show, and AskMeFilter as the small community newspaper. Metatalk is the Townhall meeting.

It is attended only by the old farts and people with a real concern for how their community is run. Sometimes it is tedious and trivial. Sometimes it is momentous. Sometimes it is short and sweet-- a meeting about a very specific nuts and bolts problem. Every once in awhile it turns into a social occasion. Sometimes the topic is the sewer system. Sometimes the topic is an annoying neighbor. Sometimes the mayor is petitioned for changes. Very often it is a waste of time, but sometimes it turns into a rumble and the cops have to be called in. It is almost always an ongoing soap opera and a fascinating display of human interaction.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:27 PM on November 29, 2004

you people are tricksy and and will throw sand in my eyes but i will kick you in the nuts.

i bought a couple of threadless shirts. one has a panda kicking some army ass. pandas are some bad motherfucking animals. no way would i wrestle a panda naked. no way.
posted by bargle at 4:50 PM on November 29, 2004

Whoa - this is not my beautiful house! What am I doing here?
posted by freebird at 5:01 PM on November 29, 2004

I love this. I have work, and don't often have time to read Metafilter during the day. Then something like this happens and I'm treated to the "this post has been deleted for various reasons..." page. So, right now, I have no clue what the hell is going on. Which is just the way I prefer Metafilter.

On preview: I hope the rest us n00bs keep using Ask Mefi for actual questions, not crappy posts.
posted by Colloquial Collision at 6:49 PM on November 29, 2004

Secret Life of Gravy: Goddammit, your nephew parked in my space again. What do I have to do, take it up with the aldermen? And when are we going to do something about that big tree that's been overhanging the meeting house since before Curley was mayor?
posted by languagehat at 9:02 AM on November 30, 2004