Banishment History

July 7, 2005 8:00 PM

Is there any history of banishment here? And if so, what happened to cause being banned? In all my years of visiting, I have never read about an actual occurance of this.

I did a couple of searches and came up with nothing.
posted by snsranch to etiquette/policy at 8:00 PM (126 comments total)

And no one ever saw snsranch again.
posted by yhbc at 8:04 PM on July 7, 2005

quonsar, insomnyuk, son_of_minya, and many others have been given "timeouts".

Most come back after a week or two, and some never come back at all. I don't know that anyone has ever been banished, per se, since from what I understand, it's possible to beg your username back open, but some people don't come back.

And usually, we're happy about it.
posted by interrobang at 8:08 PM on July 7, 2005

[warning: completely fascinating meltdown threads linked]
posted by interrobang at 8:11 PM on July 7, 2005

I had forgotten how rad that s_o_m flameout was. Thanks for linking that little gem.
posted by eyeballkid at 8:13 PM on July 7, 2005

Well, if the man do drop in, I'm sure he can give you specifics. If there haven't actually been any bannings, that says more for this site (and less) than I would have expected.
posted by dreamsign at 8:14 PM on July 7, 2005

Keyser Soze (I just posted this to the other thread... then I saw this post.)
posted by exlotuseater at 8:15 PM on July 7, 2005

konolia was banned, iirc.

Also, I believe at least one self-linking jackass has been banned (for using the site as personal advertising).
posted by ODiV at 8:16 PM on July 7, 2005

I know quonsar was given at least three timeouts, but I think the actual number is more like six.

ODiV there's been a TON of self-linking idiots banned. I'd guess twenty.
posted by Ryvar at 8:19 PM on July 7, 2005

Billy Maulana was one memorable banhammer-victim for the crime of self-advertisement. As Ryvar says, there have been at least a couple dozen others.
posted by gleuschk at 8:21 PM on July 7, 2005

And wow... wish I had been around for a few of those. And on reflection, I am even more on the side of non-deletion of posts. Not just for entertainment value, but people say ugly things, other people respond intelligently (or not). Is there nothing to be learned from any of this?
posted by dreamsign at 8:24 PM on July 7, 2005

Ah, Maulana was the one I was thinking of. It doesn't surprise me that there's more, I just didn't know of any.

There's a good reason to delete posts like that. These people don't need any more traffic from us.
posted by ODiV at 8:28 PM on July 7, 2005

Lots of people have been banned. In one particularly memorable case, a user was even banned at her own request when she found that she didn't want to participate here any more, but couldn't tear herself away voluntarily, although I can't find the thread now.
posted by dg at 8:30 PM on July 7, 2005

Mickey "nutjob" Suttle had a bunch of names back in the day and was banned repeatedly. I think Matt ended up digging through usernames and finding a bunch he had not even used yet. He's an insane Star Wars fan who just made up shit for his stupid web sites and claimed to know George Lucas personally. I received a death threat once that was either from him or a "fan" and I think most of his fans are also him, so... =)

neu was a self-linking nutjob that got banned and was mostly erased from the site since he/she/it (supposedly a she) was practically stalking Matt afterwards. maybe I shouldn't bring that episode up. =P

RightWinger or whatever his name was.... or did he just leave?

TheJesseHelms, who appears to be back (good).

quonsor has been given multiple time-outs.

bunnyfire. =P

111 who was a much bigger ass than PeePee was finally banned when he started shitting all over AskMe.

there were others i can't think of at the moment (or were listed already).
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 8:45 PM on July 7, 2005

oh...settle. or did he just leave? i was thinking he was banned though.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 8:47 PM on July 7, 2005

In all my years of visiting, I have never read about an actual occurance of this.

Are you kidding? mathowie even banned his first-born child!
posted by timeistight at 9:04 PM on July 7, 2005

Some members get "time outs" and it is announced in the thread.

Other members get "time outs" and their identity is not revealed.
posted by MLIS at 9:04 PM on July 7, 2005

*cough* *cough*

Any excuse to trot it out is a good one.
posted by stet at 9:08 PM on July 7, 2005

Actually, the funniest part about the user who requested bannination was that mathowie refused to ban her at first, but she pushed so hard that he finally gave in out of frustration and banned her. Iam pretty sure it was this user but, unless the MeTa thread in question got deleted, I may be barking up the wrong tree.
posted by dg at 9:15 PM on July 7, 2005

I didn't realize there was such a wealth of historic infamy on the blue. Truly fascinating stuff. Thank you.
posted by snsranch at 9:54 PM on July 7, 2005

ethylene had an amusing run, although her bannination thread seems to have vanished into the ether. My best recollection is that it had something to do with a string of increasingly incomprehensible AskMe questions.

Her somewhat... abstract way of thinking seems to fit in a bit better over at Metachat.
posted by Galvatron at 10:13 PM on July 7, 2005

That 111 guy seems to have been a real tool.

Usually bannination involves having posted a picture of the g**tse guy, or t**girl.
posted by clevershark at 10:21 PM on July 7, 2005

don't forget about login. ; >
posted by amberglow at 10:42 PM on July 7, 2005

Can somebody who has priviledges please add my name "Cryptical Envelopment" to the roll? I made a self link to a U2 mp3 whilst questioning Matt's browser habits. Not so impressive, I know, but worth a mention. And q, watch your ass...

yeah, why not.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 10:52 PM on July 7, 2005

phalkin hasn't been heard from in a while.
posted by tellurian at 10:52 PM on July 7, 2005

dg, you're correct, RWBS was the one who wanted to move on. Here's the thread where she requested, Matt denied, she pushed & Matt consented. Oddly enough, the thread was started by a different user, but soon RWBS became the primary focus.
posted by jonson at 11:15 PM on July 7, 2005

Here's the thread where she requested

Whatever happened to "not visiting the web site anymore"? That's what I did with my Fark account...

I don't get people.
posted by clevershark at 11:22 PM on July 7, 2005

weird. I know a guy who's best friends with insomnyuk in real life. He went crazy there, too...
posted by hototogisu at 11:44 PM on July 7, 2005

I was given a timeout way back when, for a few days. I deserved it.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:09 AM on July 8, 2005

A couple of bans here. One of whom would probably be Real9.
posted by tellurian at 12:11 AM on July 8, 2005

I still want that "Banned for life" logo on a grey t-shirt.

If I don't get one soon I'm going to have to have it tattooed on my back.
posted by loquacious at 4:37 AM on July 8, 2005

There was a Harry Hopkin's Hat who was banned. For making fat jokes, if I remember correctly.
posted by orange swan at 5:15 AM on July 8, 2005

I believe the mcgraw/dfowler accounts were banned as well. There are increasing levels of severity of timeout & banning. Usually someone who is causing trouble gets a timeout of about a week or so. In rare instances of completely breaking the rules [linking to goatse.cx images, crapping in a lot of threads with self-links, FPP meltdowns, I can't think of many other instances] or a few successive timeouts with no real change in behavior, or no asking politely to get it back, some accounts get banned permanently. These people can usually get new accounts and try again with a clean slate [bunnyfire has a new one, Keyser has a new one, for example] and sometimes people know they used to have another account here, sometimes not. In really rare instances -- and I'm trying to recall one but can't -- users are blocked by IP address so whenever they try to load any *.metafilter.com address, they are redirected to plastic.com.
posted by jessamyn at 5:25 AM on July 8, 2005

Also.
posted by dg at 5:31 AM on July 8, 2005

Oh, and orange clock was banned for making a stupid comment about fucking chicobangs' mother and for general noisiness. As I recall it was only supposed to be for a week, but perhaps he just never bothered to come back.
posted by orange swan at 5:41 AM on July 8, 2005

I had a six week MetaVacation once, but it was self-imposed.

STRONGLY suggested, but self-imposed. And no one noticed I was gone. *sniff*
posted by ColdChef at 6:05 AM on July 8, 2005

I noticed, ColdChef. I noticed.



No wait, I didn't.
posted by grouse at 6:35 AM on July 8, 2005

I wept into my pillow every night you were gone. Mainly because you had filled it with sliced onions, but still.
posted by jonmc at 6:36 AM on July 8, 2005

Oh, and orange clock was banned . . .
I miss chicobangs.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 7:12 AM on July 8, 2005

Isn't insomnyuk a model citizen (almost even an elder statesman) over at Sportsfilter now? I always wonder if it's the same guy.
posted by COBRA! at 7:21 AM on July 8, 2005

I miss chicobangs.

Hey, what happened to chicobangs?

This is a great thread. So many memories...
posted by languagehat at 7:25 AM on July 8, 2005

I banned my pants from attending our little chats.
posted by yerfatma at 7:30 AM on July 8, 2005

There was a fantastaic baning of a scientist(?) of neuro-psychology or something for self linking in the blue and threats in the grey.
A real whack job, matt deleted the Meta thread but someone has a mirror of most of it (can't get the name right and my searches are failing).
posted by DBAPaul at 7:32 AM on July 8, 2005

That 111 guy seems to have been a real tool.

111 was Witty's sockpuppet. So yeah.
posted by Mayor Curley at 7:35 AM on July 8, 2005

Hey, what happened to chicobangs?

I can't remember the exact Meta thread where he announced it, but sometime soon after the Drama Queen thread, he had to leave on principle because someone else did or did not get banned, as I recall it. I remember thinking that was a bad principle, and I think so even more now. I miss chicobangs.
posted by soyjoy at 7:39 AM on July 8, 2005

hence my screenname snsranch
posted by banished at 7:49 AM on July 8, 2005

111 was Witty's sockpuppet. So yeah.
posted by Mayor Curley at 7:35 AM PST on July 8 [!]

Is there any evidence for that, or is there a fishhook protruding from my lower lip?
posted by COBRA! at 7:51 AM on July 8, 2005

There was a fantastaic baning of a scientist(?) of neuro-psychology or something

That was neu. I used to have a link to a copy of the thread but it's gone missing. Can anybody provide one so I can relive those joyous moments?
posted by languagehat at 7:54 AM on July 8, 2005

languagehat: Good luck with that. — though I do think he's posted a little since then.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 7:55 AM on July 8, 2005

Is there like a place where these mirrored threads can be tracked, on the MeFi wiki perhaps?
posted by If I Had An Anus at 7:57 AM on July 8, 2005

Is there any evidence for that, or is there a fishhook protruding from my lower lip?

The "exchange" they had where Witty forgot to switch accounts? The "[e-mail]" address he used to display?
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:12 AM on July 8, 2005

The "exchange" they had where Witty forgot to switch accounts? The "[e-mail]" address he used to display?

I missed that. Wild. So Witty's a Morrissey fan.... Wonders never cease.
posted by COBRA! at 8:26 AM on July 8, 2005

Mayor Curley writes "111 was Witty's sockpuppet. So yeah."

Well that explains a few things. Including his apparent obsession with calling people gay.
posted by clevershark at 8:32 AM on July 8, 2005

Can anybody provide one so I can relive those joyous moments?

*cough*
posted by eddydamascene at 8:35 AM on July 8, 2005

I miss chicobangs and mcgraw and dfowler. Especially the last one, even if he was really mcgraw. Does anyone know him/her in real life?
posted by goatdog at 8:37 AM on July 8, 2005

Keep in mind that a few of the more seriously disturbed people we are dredging up were actually pretty scary for Matt. You'd do right by Matt if you let the more deranged sleeping dogs lie.
posted by Mid at 8:50 AM on July 8, 2005

Chicobangs was offended by what orange clock said to him and said he was taking a break from the site. Hopefully he'll be back, because orange clock did get banned.

Oh, and lest we forget - there's bad commie, who deliberately set some kind of record by getting banned in a day or something.
posted by orange swan at 8:58 AM on July 8, 2005

I just got back from an enforced timeout. I didn't notice for quite some time because I hadn't tried to post anything. It did me the world of good. I encourage everyone to try it.
posted by nthdegx at 9:06 AM on July 8, 2005

Also, now that it's ancient history, the banning of Harry Hopkins' Hat was ludicrous.
posted by Mayor Curley at 9:10 AM on July 8, 2005

I have heard rumblings that the shy and retiring u.n.owen was banned after she tried to use MeFi as her own little personal Lending Tree (as a bonus, she manipulated a cool member into actually asking for the money on her behalf).
posted by scody at 9:23 AM on July 8, 2005

But the real question is, what does she think of Morrissey?
posted by COBRA! at 9:26 AM on July 8, 2005

Thanks, IAHAA and eddydamascene! I guess I'd wiped from my memory the SG thread that made chicobangs depart because it was so damn sad. I enjoy seeing the nutballs and shitheels flee, but the good guys should stick around.
posted by languagehat at 9:41 AM on July 8, 2005

A real man would say, "Take a knife, quonsar, and face Minya to the death." If they would not say that, they could at least say, "We'll shock both of you with electiricity until quonsar admits his lies." I would accept either decision.

I think I bowed out of reading that son of minya thread too early when it was fresh. It's filled with some real gems, I keep wanting to come back and quote from it. I swear, nothing beats a good flameout at this place. What is it with the internet for whack jobs? I'm glad I'm completely normal.
posted by OmieWise at 10:01 AM on July 8, 2005

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. This explains why Quonsar is allowed back on, time and time again.
posted by crunchland at 10:12 AM on July 8, 2005

If you expand the scope to a few years, it's really kind of surprising how prominant people come and go. This thread is about banning, but that alone evokes a lot of once very familiar names.

And, um, can I use this opportunity to repeat my contention that no one here is really that important and any of us could disappear and our absence would largely be unnoticed?
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 10:28 AM on July 8, 2005

stet, you got that in a CafePress store yet? Because I want that on a shirt. In fact, I might want to get that tattooed on my ass.
posted by fenriq at 10:29 AM on July 8, 2005

Usually someone who is causing trouble gets a timeout of about a week or so. In rare instances of completely breaking the rules [linking to goatse.cx images...

Hmmm, am I the only one that's managed to get away with that without being banned? /me really is unique...
posted by shepd at 10:38 AM on July 8, 2005

goatdog, mcgraw posts over at metachat from time to time.
posted by gramschmidt at 10:52 AM on July 8, 2005

can I use this opportunity to repeat my contention that no one here is really that important and any of us could disappear and our absence would largely be unnoticed?

I really miss Miguel and I think a lot of us feel that way. I also miss quonsar during his banned periods. Although after the last one he seems not the same anymore.
posted by caddis at 11:48 AM on July 8, 2005

can I use this opportunity to repeat my contention that no one here is really that important and any of us could disappear and our absence would largely be unnoticed?

Do you not see the recurring cries of "I miss X", where X is among {rodii, holgate, Miguel, sylloge, Evanizer...}? They're there, and refute your contention.
posted by gleuschk at 12:06 PM on July 8, 2005

What happened to Miguel?
posted by ODiV at 12:15 PM on July 8, 2005

He took a break. Something about needing to write more and spend less time with MeFi, I believe. Also, towards the end of his tenure he seemed to have a more difficult time dealing with the US-centric nature of the site.
posted by scody at 12:18 PM on July 8, 2005

Also, since now I'm all nostalgic and shit: thirteen, clavdivs, mattpfeff, Neale, iceberg273... too many. I feel old and alone. Who are all you bastards anyway?
posted by gleuschk at 12:18 PM on July 8, 2005

I think I've seen clavdivs around...am too lazy at the moment to confirm this, however. Besides, who the hell are you, ya bastard? ;)
posted by scody at 12:23 PM on July 8, 2005

really miss Miguel and I think a lot of us feel that way. I also miss quonsar during his banned periods. Although after the last one he seems not the same anymore.

I miss Harry Hopkins' Hat.
posted by Mayor Curley at 12:31 PM on July 8, 2005

wendell too, he's around but not nearly as prolific as he used to be it seems.
posted by Mitheral at 12:32 PM on July 8, 2005

Members I personally miss: dong_resin, kafkaesque, goneill, miguelcardoso, clavdius, and, of course, yhbc. Wait, what? He's still here? I'll be fucked.
posted by ColdChef at 12:35 PM on July 8, 2005

I should say...I miss their MetaFilter participation. Oh, and mattpfeff.
posted by ColdChef at 12:40 PM on July 8, 2005

I hesitate to admit that even I miss Miguel. He is and always will be an ass, but compared to some of the noobs and other loudmouths that seem to have filled in his void, at least he had some class and intellect to counteract some of his pomposity and asshattery. These new guys can't hold a candle to him.
posted by crunchland at 1:01 PM on July 8, 2005

He is and always will be an ass, but compared to some of the noobs and other loudmouths that seem to have filled in his void, at least he had some class and intellect to counteract some of his pomposity and asshattery.

I'm pretty convinced-- and Miguel was a big factor in my becoming convinced-- that being an ass or not being an ass doesn't really matter. What matters is if you do it with style.
posted by COBRA! at 1:04 PM on July 8, 2005

Mitheral, wendell is still posting a lot, just in select threads.
posted by kenko at 1:07 PM on July 8, 2005

asianmack was banned for self-linkage (seemed to be the primary reason he joined), and my half-hearted, half-assed defense of him caused bshort to call for my bannination, too. Good times.
posted by me3dia at 1:26 PM on July 8, 2005

I hesitate to admit that even I miss Miguel.
crunchland

Infernal Weather Channel: A massive blizzard has hit Hell today , temporarily quenching the fires of eternal damnation underneath mile high snowdrifts...
posted by y2karl at 1:27 PM on July 8, 2005

I miss Seth.
posted by sic at 1:28 PM on July 8, 2005

HAHAHAHAHA!
posted by sic at 1:28 PM on July 8, 2005

I think I bowed out of reading that son of minya thread too early when it was fresh. It's filled with some real gems, I keep wanting to come back and quote from it. I swear, nothing beats a good flameout at this place.

Yes, seeing quonsar at his meanest and pettiest--now that's entertainment. Watching someone torment a person with obvious mental problems is a real hoot. Yeah, those flameouts are joys to treasure forever.
posted by y2karl at 1:37 PM on July 8, 2005

seeing quonsar at his meanest and pettiest

karl, you greviously underestimate me.
posted by quonsar at 1:53 PM on July 8, 2005

What about that chick who has the egregious self-link to her egregiously republican website?


What happened to Miguel?

Last week, I saw an improv comedy group called "Whatever happed to Miguel?"
posted by Specklet at 1:58 PM on July 8, 2005

karl, you greviously underestimate me.

A talent for meanness or pettiness is not something of which most folks would choose to brag.
posted by y2karl at 2:16 PM on July 8, 2005

I really think Miguel is the exception. And to this new bunch, the ones that weren't long-time lurkers, Miguel isn't anyone special.

Yes, we do miss (some) individual people (some). But excepting perhaps Miguel and quonsar, those that participate heavily here and think of themselves as "personalities" are vastly overestimating how much they are the essence of MetaFilter. And we always get new personalities to replace those who have left.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:23 PM on July 8, 2005

A talent for meanness or pettiness is not something of which most folks would choose to brag.

most folks are in denial.
posted by quonsar at 2:33 PM on July 8, 2005

There were fewer JRun errors when Miguel was around.
posted by timeistight at 2:36 PM on July 8, 2005

That's quite clearly not what you said, EB.

Which is ok, but you should insert (somewhere) in there (something along the lines of) "OK, I was wrong. Here's what I really meant to say."
posted by gleuschk at 2:46 PM on July 8, 2005

Metafilter would be better off without people like Harry Hopkins' Hat.

Hiya gleuschk!
posted by thirteen at 3:08 PM on July 8, 2005

What happened to Miguel?

He came down with mono I think. [rimshot]

(or am I thinking of another Miguel..?)
posted by clevershark at 3:11 PM on July 8, 2005

And, um, can I use this opportunity to repeat my contention that no one here is really that important and any of us could disappear and our absence would largely be unnoticed?

I'd prefer you didn't repeat it, honestly, because believe me when I say that if you disappeared I would notice.

. . . On a less catty note, I also happen to disagree. There are a lot of people around here that I would miss - or wouldn't, as it were - if they left.
posted by Ryvar at 3:14 PM on July 8, 2005

Hiya gleuschk!

I was just going to mention that I've seen thirteen around here now and then.
posted by jessamyn at 3:35 PM on July 8, 2005

I hesitate to admit that even I miss Miguel.

Yeah, me too, strange as it is to realize it.

can I use this opportunity to repeat my contention that no one here is really that important and any of us could disappear and our absence would largely be unnoticed?

EB, the more you keep repeating your point, the less convincing it is. Lots of former posters are well remembered by lots of us who remain. Perhaps underlying your overstated message is "if I go, who will miss me?" (since we are, after all, all of us primarily concerned with ourselves). Rest assured that for good or ill you will be much remembered should you choose to either creep away or flame out noisily (and I personally hope you do neither).
posted by languagehat at 3:43 PM on July 8, 2005

Of course there are people I (and many, many others) would miss, EB, and I honestly can't understand why that seems to escape you somewhat. There are many people here who combine to create the vast majority of my daily MeFi experience -- jon and amberglow and languagehat and quonsar and taz "and you were there, and you, and you too!" /Dorothy Gale , just off the top of my head, but plenty others. I rarely see madamjujujive post these days, for example, and I was wondering about her this morning. Sidhedevil, too.

It's not so much that these people are Self-Proclaimed PERSONALITIES OF MEFI!!!!! or anything. It's more like the folks you see and get to know at work. With a couple of exceptions, I'm not close personal friends outside of work with most of them, but if Andy in IT or Tom in my office or Teresa next door just disappeared one day, my daily life would be poorer for it. And sure, we all move on -- but I have coworkers from 10+ years ago who I think of and miss with some frequency, and I am reasonably sure that I, too, am missed by some of those folks from my past. Why should it be any different here? I've posted for 3 years or something, and if I never saw another post again from quonsar I'd certainly notice it -- and I'd miss him, for a good long time. (on preview: and yes, to concur with languagehat -- I'd miss you too, ya big lug!)
posted by scody at 3:48 PM on July 8, 2005

Hiya thirteen!

*dances like Tevye*

I'm me, scody. Duh.
posted by gleuschk at 4:00 PM on July 8, 2005

omigod, I forgot to mention matteo! How could I forget mio caro matteo?
posted by scody at 4:01 PM on July 8, 2005

While I don't want EB to flame out and leave, because I like the dude, I have to admit that if he did do that, it would probably be fascinating.
posted by kenko at 4:14 PM on July 8, 2005

Another list of these here, in a rare Mefi-focused AskMe. *hangs head in shame*
posted by graventy at 4:38 PM on July 8, 2005

Mitheral, wendell is still posting a lot, just in select threads.
Yes, I certainly would never allow myself to be spotted in a thread like this one.


oops.



I have to admit that if he did do that, it would probably be fascinating.
No, I don't think a total flame-out by EB would be one of his better contributions, just one of his longest.
posted by wendell at 5:12 PM on July 8, 2005

Yeah, move over War and Peace.
posted by y2karl at 6:03 PM on July 8, 2005

I honestly think it will be about a month before most everyone will have mostly forgotten me and my name will rarely, if ever, be mentioned. That will happen sooner or later, it's inevitable. Anyway, this doesn't bother me because this is the first community I've ever been a part of where I purged from myself any desire to fit in or be popular (and yet remained). I still get enjoyment from participating, but my ego and self-esteem are largely disengaged, which has been a relief. There are still a few people whose individual opinions of me matter to me, and I still like a lot, or most, of the people here. But for the most part I don't feel like I have anything to prove or much of anything at stake.

And so, perhaps, it's true that my insistence on my point about disposability is a form of overcompensation--just a different variety than you thought, languagehat. I remind myself that, in the end, no one really gives a shit whether I'm here or not and I think it's been good for me, and my participation, to have internalized that.

I think it's especially relevant in the context of the claim that without the specific group of people that are here, MetaFilter wouldn't be anything like (and presumably not as good) as it is. I think that's not true. There will always be people who serve the functions that the most important personalities here serve. This is true on the small scale as people leave and new people come; but also true on the largest scale where, I think, you could purge the whole membership and something very similar would arise in our place.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:24 PM on July 8, 2005

the claim that without the specific group of people that are here, MetaFilter wouldn't be anything like (and presumably not as good) as it is.

Nobody has claimed this, certainly not in this thread. "I miss X" is not the same as "This community is fundamentally changed by the absence of X".

you could purge the whole membership and something very similar would arise in our place.

This is potentially true, though I would argue that the initial small group of members played a pivotal role in shaping the ethos of this community. Still, it is yet a third statement, completely distinct from your previous two. You've now made three utterly disparate assertions about this topic, each contradicting the other two. It's ok if you're working out what you think as you go along (or asking yourself, Forsterlike, "How can I know what I think until I see what I say?"), but please recognize that this means three-quarters of what you say is unmitigated horseshit, and so we are fully justified in (a) calling you on it, or (b) ignoring it.
posted by gleuschk at 8:03 PM on July 8, 2005

I honestly think it will be about a month before most everyone will have mostly forgotten

oh, damn it, i just lost AGAIN!!
posted by pyramid termite at 9:09 PM on July 8, 2005

"I'm still standing!"

And gleuschk, 3/4 of what everybody says is "unmitigated horseshit", you and me included. To what rigorous standards do you conform your verbalizations?

Threads like this are really stupid. And I don't say that just because I'm an up-and-coming Mefi Personality. But hey, youse folks can heather away if it makes your nipples perky; just admit that the need for a Sneetch Star is a sign of a wretched self. (Hitler is a case in point.)

But do continue. I didn't spend $5 just to get to entertain you guys.

---
y2karl saith: "A talent for meanness or pettiness is not something of which most folks would choose to brag."

It's good you have no such pseudoscruples. As you also said: " Watching someone torment a person with obvious mental problems is a real hoot." I can think of at least one occasion last winter when you did that, hypocrite; in fact you've just illustrated the phenomenon of "S/he with no room to talk never shutting up." Oh but maybe you weren't being "ironic" -- maybe you were choosing to brag.

---
And lastly, Ethereal Bligh said: "[T]his is the first community I've ever been a part of where I purged from myself any desire to fit in or be popular (and yet remained).

It's about my fifth, if you mean just online "communities". But that's been my general take on the planet and our species for a good 20 years -- I carried it online with me. "I bang my own drum; some think it's noise..."
posted by davy at 9:17 PM on July 8, 2005

I have no idea of what you are talking about, Davy. The son_of_minya episode was something else again. And if I went after someone for that long and hard last winter, well, I am a hypocrite of distinction. I don't want to beat up on quonsar--I pretty much agree to half-agree with the sentiments of the pro-quonsar consensus-by-default herein--but that son_of_minya thread wasn't his finest hour. I didn't like it at the time and I was disappointed in him at the time. And for a fact, I found myself wishing I hadn't written those things above. I have certainly had enough of my own such less than finest hours.

I know I can say mean things. It's not something that gives me pride, however, it's not something I wish to cultivate. And I don't believe quonsar would say he feels pride in being mean or petty when he doesn't have his back up. One thing I can remember is that quonsar has on occasion expressed regrets here for things that he wrote that were straightforward and unqualified. I assume everyone with a conscience feels remorse at some point for what they've said or done to others. Which is just about everyone here. I know I've said things to people here and in real life that I wish I had never said. I have a hard time trusting people who claim they have no such regrets.
posted by y2karl at 11:34 PM on July 8, 2005

quonsar can be a dick because, above all else, he is very, very funny.
posted by stet at 12:01 AM on July 9, 2005

By the looks of it that minya fellow was batshit crazy and quite aggressive in the thread himself.

Not as aggressive as neu, obviously, but a lot less would have gone on if minya had just quit for the day instead of going on about how he would give up his right hand...
posted by clevershark at 12:10 AM on July 9, 2005

MetaFilter: insane shit about homosexuality, feminism, jerry lewis, rain man, horse cocks
posted by nthdegx at 1:23 AM on July 9, 2005

Minya was nuttier than squirrel shit, but that sure was a fun thread.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 7:03 AM on July 9, 2005

Metafilter: nuttier than squirrel shit
posted by clevershark at 8:22 AM on July 9, 2005

orange clock was banned

Wow. I missed that. I hated Orange Clock--easily one of the most annoying Mefis ever. He was one of the reasons I took a self-imposed timeout earlier this year. (I also recommend people try this... if they can!)
posted by dobbs at 9:51 AM on July 9, 2005

"Konolia" was never banned. Only Bunnyfire.
posted by konolia at 2:33 PM on July 9, 2005

What are you, Rickey Henderson?
posted by yerfatma at 3:40 PM on July 9, 2005

Hey, let Rickey be Rickey, man.
posted by languagehat at 8:12 PM on July 9, 2005

asianmack got banned for self-linking to his eponymous site.

Also, holy crap I spelled "eponymous" correctly!
posted by delmoi at 12:07 AM on July 10, 2005

Also, I think I guy named "orange clock" got banned for flipping out about Matt advertizing suicide girls
posted by delmoi at 12:07 AM on July 10, 2005

I have heard rumblings that the shy and retiring u.n.owen was banned after she tried to use MeFi as her own little personal Lending Tree (as a bonus, she manipulated a cool member into actually asking for the money on her behalf).

I sent her $30.
posted by delmoi at 12:37 AM on July 10, 2005

Wow, apperantly I was called out two years ago and never noticed. I don't even remember making the comment, but it was probably poorly worded. I certanly don't think women "wake up with sore pussys and not worry about it" very often, if ever.

Weird.
posted by delmoi at 12:56 AM on July 10, 2005

delmoi : "Wow, apperantly I was called out two years ago and never noticed. I don't even remember making the comment, but it was probably poorly worded."

You...you never read that?? That thread took up literally hours of my life.
posted by Bugbread at 9:40 PM on July 10, 2005

No, I had no idea. For a long time I stayed away from MetaTalk because I was afraid it would take up too much of my time.

Turns out I was right.
posted by delmoi at 11:48 PM on July 10, 2005

The neu flameout was intense!
posted by OmieWise at 9:42 AM on July 11, 2005

The life of a [metafilter user] is always intense!
posted by Snyder at 3:00 PM on July 11, 2005