Contest Winners! January 2, 2007 2:20 PM   Subscribe

Winners of the December best-of post contest...and the envelope please...
posted by mathowie (staff) to MetaFilter-Related at 2:20 PM (104 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite

1st place: Auf Der Walz
Perfect post for MeFi. It's about something few have ever heard of, but it tells the story with a mix of history and culture that moves readers to follow the links and dig deeper into it. You get something from simply reading the post and you get even more after reading the linked sites.

2nd place: Drawer Geeks
We all love art and comics around here and this post was up pretty much everyone's alley. madamjujujive did a good intro and pointed out some of the gems from past themes. If you had only 2 minutes, you could get a lot of enjoyment by simply scanning the linked highlights, but if you checked out the rest of the site you could spend another hour enjoying the funny pictures.

3rd place: The Noka Chocolates debunking
Proving not every great post to MeFi has to be a wikipedia entry, this one is short and sweet, and was posted to MeFi days before I saw it anywhere else (a week before BoingBoing, day before digg). The meat of the post is an amazing ten page expose that rivals the kind of investigative journalism you see at major newspapers, and it was just some random food blogger on a mission to find the truth.


Overall, there were a lot of great posts to choose from and it was hard to narrow them down to just these three (jessamyn and I both had 4-5 others we could have put in the top three). All three were chosen from our memory of great posts, but I was happy to see there is probably consensus among the membership since all three were in the top ten most favorited posts for December. I will admit this contest didn't go as well as the August one, but I think we all benefited on the first one since it was a daily thing anyone could win, it was promoted more on the site, and people tend to have a lot of free time in the summer months. Still, I'm happy with how everything turned out and thank everyone for playing along. I'll be emailing the winners to get their contact info to send the prizes.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:20 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


All three of those were excellent posts. I applaud your choices.
posted by maryh at 2:23 PM on January 2, 2007


I think this went better than the summer contest; it seemed like there was less youtube-ish fluff.
posted by Mister_A at 2:24 PM on January 2, 2007


Woot. Well done all!
posted by loquacious at 2:25 PM on January 2, 2007


Woo hoo!

What were the prizes, again?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 2:26 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


Wii, nano, shuffle.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:27 PM on January 2, 2007


A tiny little dance!
posted by cortex at 2:29 PM on January 2, 2007


"Wii, nano, shuffle"

What is... the title to the 2020 Robin Williams bio-pic for 1000, Alex?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:30 PM on January 2, 2007 [8 favorites]


Congrats to the winners!
posted by amyms at 2:31 PM on January 2, 2007


oh crap, the winner is in Australia. Would a US-region Wii even work at their voltage and with the games locally? Or should I pick up a Japanese version or something?

Any nintendo nerds in Oz here that could answer that?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:34 PM on January 2, 2007


kudos
posted by bukvich at 2:37 PM on January 2, 2007


Congrats to all the winners, great stuff found by all!
posted by jonson at 2:39 PM on January 2, 2007


I would like to start by thanking my good friends at Diebold for helping me to win the competition.

Secondly, thanks Matt and Jess for the win and thank you to all who enjoyed my post. When I wrote it up, I honestly didn't have the competition in mind and so I wasn't even trying to win. I had just found some cool stuff on my travels around the interwebs and decided it was interesting enough to generate some discussion.

Thirdly, Matt, it gets worse. I already own a Wii. I would be happy to trade prizes (but not places) for the nano or if you like, you can cut me a cheque (the latter of which I even hate suggesting because it sounds so whoreish). I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Well, thanks again everyone. Happy new year! And remember kids... don't do drugs!
posted by Effigy2000 at 2:41 PM on January 2, 2007


No woriies - Whoreish is in this year.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:42 PM on January 2, 2007


Congrats to the winners!
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:45 PM on January 2, 2007


Congrats everyone!
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:48 PM on January 2, 2007


Nice work you three!
posted by ikkyu2 at 2:50 PM on January 2, 2007


Congratulations! These contests are good for Metafilter, a big thanks to Matt and Jess for making it happen.
posted by LarryC at 2:54 PM on January 2, 2007


Those probably would have been in my top 5, too. mathowie and jessamyn, maybe you should make a page with all of the "also in consideration" posts, for the edification of the community? A sort of Best of Mefi, December edition.
posted by muddgirl at 2:55 PM on January 2, 2007


oh crap, the winner is in Australia. Would a US-region Wii even work at their voltage and with the games locally? Or should I pick up a Japanese version or something?

Did you check the archives before asking?
posted by cillit bang at 2:59 PM on January 2, 2007 [9 favorites]


Hey matt, is there a chance to pull a "carrot in the fishing line" stunt and tell people that you are thinking of having another contest for January and February to keep people trying? I really think the posts all through December were really good.
posted by micayetoca at 3:00 PM on January 2, 2007


No woriies - Whoreish is in this year.

Time Magazine did pick you as Person of the Year.

And by you I mean me, by which I mean where's my Wii?
posted by loquacious at 3:13 PM on January 2, 2007


Way to go winners! I thought December's posts were in general excellent.
posted by nickyskye at 3:13 PM on January 2, 2007


Did you check the archives before asking?

Snap.
posted by Pacheco at 3:18 PM on January 2, 2007


Good posts. Seriously sophisticated idea though, it's the height of taste don't you know.
posted by econous at 3:20 PM on January 2, 2007


I wanted to post a witty and urbane reply that graciously accepted my prize and bestowed appropriate honors on all the people that read my post and enjoyed it, but I find myself frozen in fear with the knowledge that I've already peakedand everything I do this year and possibly for the rest of time will be downhill.

Also, since I got my first iPod (in the form of a Shuffle, no less) for Christmas this year, can I take my prize in the form of Noka chocolates?
posted by hindmost at 3:20 PM on January 2, 2007


good picks. well done.

i loved that noka chocolate post. i was hoping it would win.
posted by 3.2.3 at 3:25 PM on January 2, 2007


Thanks for running the contest Matt and Jess.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:27 PM on January 2, 2007


Can't those of you who already have Prize X, just (graciously) accept the prize and give it to someone else? (or sell it or exchange it?)

Those are the prizes, dammit! Take them or decline them (Note: Matt may disagree with this ultimatum)
posted by vacapinta at 3:27 PM on January 2, 2007


I'm sending cash to effigy. hindmost, if you want that instead, just respond to the email I sent to your profile email.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 3:30 PM on January 2, 2007


This is great because I missed 2/3 of the winners.
posted by furtive at 3:51 PM on January 2, 2007


I read them all but didn't comment in any of them, which I think helped them all tremendously.

Note to future contestants: My silence in your thread can be purchased.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 3:57 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


Nicely done, everyone. Congratulations to the winners!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:58 PM on January 2, 2007


If you won and already have the prize, perhaps pick someone else to be the next winner?

err, how commie of me.
posted by loquacious at 4:00 PM on January 2, 2007


Great choices! Congratulations to all of you.

(Also, someday please give madamjujujive a Lifetime Achievement Award, complete with banquet, tiara, sash, running mascara -- the whole megillah.)
posted by melissa may at 4:03 PM on January 2, 2007


Congratulations, I hope the voting process involved many bottles of red wine and flung fur!

mr_crash_davis, do you have a rate sheet for non-commenting? Or is it on a per-thread basis?
posted by fenriq at 4:21 PM on January 2, 2007


Wowie - how exciting! Thank you both, mathowie and jessamyn. And thanks to all the well wishers here, I really dig hanging out with y'all - I certainly get more than I give.

I never win anything so I am quite tickled. Of course, this probably now uses up all my megabucks luck, damn. But actually, when I go down that path of considering the issue of luck, it leads me to thinking that here's a guy who really needs some music in his life right about now. If I find out his address, mathowie, would you mind sending this prize to him from metafilter instead?
posted by madamjujujive at 4:22 PM on January 2, 2007 [7 favorites]


... wow, on preview, the tiara idea does sound appealing tho...
posted by madamjujujive at 4:25 PM on January 2, 2007


You are pure class, mjjj. Or rich.

Either way, I kiss you!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:26 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


Lovely sentiment, madamj. Extra karma points for you today!
posted by Sweetie Darling at 4:26 PM on January 2, 2007


Very gracious, m. jujujive.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:32 PM on January 2, 2007


You, madam, are a class act.
posted by timeistight at 4:42 PM on January 2, 2007


Yeah, sure mjjj, if you can get an address for logboy, I'll send him one.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:53 PM on January 2, 2007


I bet Logboy's gonna love the tiara.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 5:00 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


Excellent selections. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all.
posted by maggieb at 5:04 PM on January 2, 2007


Nice, congrats.
posted by Smedleyman at 5:17 PM on January 2, 2007


Congratulations all!

(including Matt and Jess who made excellent picks)
posted by caddis at 6:01 PM on January 2, 2007


congrats! loved the chocolate post, especially.
posted by The Deej at 6:01 PM on January 2, 2007


How typical is it that all three winners had Matt change the prize in some way?

though mjjj's thought is very nice
posted by Mid at 6:05 PM on January 2, 2007


By continuing to post crap, I have effectively removed myself from the running. I'd like to say "You're Welcome" to all the winners, because had I actually posted something worth viewing, I might have won. I would have personally thanked the academy, and then all my adoring fans (Hi Barb!) and, of course, my mom.
posted by blue_beetle at 6:16 PM on January 2, 2007


I'd like to thank blue_beetle's Mom too.
posted by ND¢ at 6:20 PM on January 2, 2007


Great job. Over priced choc was THE best.
posted by petersn1 at 6:29 PM on January 2, 2007


yay! finally the list was released. Congrats to the winners :)

*hides jealousy*
posted by divabat at 6:48 PM on January 2, 2007


Congrats! I definitely think the posts picked were deserving. Maybe as an added bonus the winner could get Stan Chin's gold star?
posted by drezdn at 6:53 PM on January 2, 2007


Man, that chocolate thread was a trainwreck. Good post though.
posted by smackfu at 7:25 PM on January 2, 2007


drezdn, someone else got a gold star after Stan Chin - I don't remember who it was, but I think it was shortly afterwards that Matt decided to revoke the stars for fear of star inflation (or something).

Yeah, and congrats to the winners and thanks to Matt and Jess for putting up with all of us!
posted by yhbc at 7:31 PM on January 2, 2007


Those little stars look awfully weird when viewing the site in Plain Mode.

Other than that, HOORAY FOR AWESOMENESS!
posted by grapefruitmoon at 7:34 PM on January 2, 2007


The legend of the gold star is basically correct, it was decommissioned as discreetly as it was given because people wouldn't shut up about it.

I'd like to think that it lies in wait for the coming ages of Metafilter. Perhaps in the future, some scraggly old man with a gaunt demeanor of a wonderchicken will tell great arthurian tales of the good old days and holy artifacts like the gold star, a time before the internet was taken over by... eh, I don't know... Mormons.
posted by Stan Chin at 7:58 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


... and I just noticed that the gold stars have been given out. The Mormons have taken over already, the end times are surely near.
posted by Stan Chin at 8:07 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


...damn mormons.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:07 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


Hey, as long as Ken Jennings is higher up in the hierarchy than Orson Scott Card, the Mormons will be just fine with me.
posted by wendell at 8:12 PM on January 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


But wait, no one consulted the metatron. Harumpf.

Excellent choices, humble leaders. Congratulations winners of already-owned prizes!
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 8:13 PM on January 2, 2007


Well done, everyone! (Esp. mjjj!)
posted by Lynsey at 8:28 PM on January 2, 2007


Man, those posts really do remind one of precisely what makes this site great. Rock. The Fuck. Out.
posted by shmegegge at 8:51 PM on January 2, 2007


What he↑ said.
posted by rob511 at 9:29 PM on January 2, 2007


Well done you three stars. They were all great. And thanks for doing the contest Matt.
posted by peacay at 9:30 PM on January 2, 2007


Man, if I'd known there'd be STARS I would have tried harder. Yes, harder than posting a new post on 28 of the 31 days in the month. Oh, I can try harder. Don't test me.
posted by jonson at 9:43 PM on January 2, 2007 [16 favorites]


There jonson, you're special too.

As it is powered by your magic, it will only appear once in that fleeting comment, never to be diluted to other comments again.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:53 PM on January 2, 2007


Excellent choices. Congrats to the winners!
posted by LeeJay at 11:09 PM on January 2, 2007


Great contest, great posts, great job everyone!

As far as I'm concerned, you're all winners!
Well, except for all the losers. You know who you are.

And three cheers for mjjj! Seriously, someone figure out how to extract and bottle that lady's grace and classiness, we'll make a mint.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:24 PM on January 2, 2007


All excellent choices. Good judging on this one. I should have favorited #1 but wasn't thinking about the contest at the time.

I thought December went very well, overall... the volume wasn't as high as some months, but the quality tended to be excellent.

None of the other sites I read regularly had a ton of great stuff, either... sort of a slow month, I guess. MeFi was much more interesting than the competition.
posted by Malor at 12:40 AM on January 3, 2007


My God, it's full of stars!
posted by team lowkey at 12:46 AM on January 3, 2007


You know... furilladoh... those stars are so so fresh that they could be the totality of future prizes. Specially since everyone seems to already have what they got. I would work for a star, but not for a nano. My schoolin has learnt me so well.
posted by team lowkey at 12:54 AM on January 3, 2007


Horray !
posted by elpapacito at 2:46 AM on January 3, 2007


Nice one - congrats to all, that's a trio of fine posts!
posted by jack_mo at 4:13 AM on January 3, 2007


Man, a spinning star!! I may never leave this thread, just sit here watching it rotate in its majesty...
posted by jonson at 6:43 AM on January 3, 2007


Congrats to all the winners!

I think January should be a contest for the best/messiest metatalk callout. There's already a few good contestants.
posted by slimepuppy at 7:00 AM on January 3, 2007


I don't think we need any encouragement.
posted by blasdelf at 7:18 AM on January 3, 2007


I have an email to madamjujujive in my "drafts" folder praising her for the link to the photogravure site she posted at the beginning of December, then she posted that community site for creative neologisms and that was so cool I was going to add a note about how my father would jump out of his grave to join that club. Then she had three or four more cool posts toward the end of the month. Madam, you are just awesome. Another Cuba Libre from the cabana boy.

The Noka Chocolate investigation was journalistically gripping, I read all 12 parts straight through. Well-deserved award.

The Auf der Walz post was the best type of Metafilter post, a sharing of a neat-o cultural tradition most of us probably hadn't heard of.

Excellent choices.
posted by planetkyoto at 7:26 AM on January 3, 2007


Great stuff, guys. Hip hip horay. I woulda missed that chocolate post too, if not for this highlighting... (Ever feel like there needs to be a metametafilter?)
posted by klangklangston at 9:28 AM on January 3, 2007


wow, all three posts were things i completely missed and now that i look at them, they don't really interest me. damn im out of the loop. . .

obviously a lot of people liked them, so just be careful with your tv, Effigy2k.
posted by j-urb at 9:51 AM on January 3, 2007


drawer geeks is pretty good though,
posted by j-urb at 9:55 AM on January 3, 2007


I already have mjjj listed as a muse in my contacts. I wish we had a "double-muse" or "hero" option. Congrats to the winners, and thanks for continuing to be a class act, madamjujujive. You had me at the ivories.
(updated link, nsfw or for those who can't appreciate the classics)
posted by whatnot at 4:06 PM on January 3, 2007


It would be nice if there were an easy way to look at all the winners of all the contests.
posted by Listener at 4:32 PM on January 3, 2007


I'm just proud that the contest finally inspired me to write a post good enough that none of the Freeloader Constant even called for its deletion.

It was a busy month on the front page, for sure, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, after having not been around too much all fall. I actually learn things here, which is rare for the web, these days. Cheers to the winners!
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:04 PM on January 3, 2007


(Ever feel like there needs to be a metametafilter?)

Wouldn't that be a Metafilterfilter?
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:05 PM on January 3, 2007


(Ever feel like there needs to be a metametafilter?)

Yup. Metametafilter.

Wouldn't that be a Metafilterfilter?

Yup. Metafilterfilter.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:18 PM on January 3, 2007


Ohh, fi-dolla n00bs exposed.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:32 PM on January 3, 2007


Not at all. I just remembered having the exact same exchange with someone a long time ago, and was amused when a search brought back so many instances of it. The archives are rich with goodness.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:35 PM on January 3, 2007


The archives are rich with goodness.

As shown yesterday, by the re-run of the "How to dispose of the body" AskMe. That was seriously good shit.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:44 PM on January 3, 2007


... a gold star(!), a tiara, a kiss from the illustrious wonderchicken, extra karma, a cuba libre from my cabana boy, a piano stripper - *swoons* - does life get any better than this?

By the way, in my own excitement, I neglected to congratualte the other winners - I really loved the posts from both Effigy2000 and hindmost- congrats! And I was also cheering on many othr posts, including those from mediareport, OmieWise, Astro Zombie, homunculus, jonson, nickyskye, divabat, plep, tsarfan, y2karl, quonsar and Brandon Blatcher. Thanks to all!
posted by madamjujujive at 9:30 PM on January 3, 2007


Congratulations, all.

And MJJ? You are without a doubt the most graceful, classy, wise, and thoughtful--in all sense of the word--person I think it has ever been my misfortune to not meet in person.

Kudos to you, m'lady, kudos.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 4:27 AM on January 4, 2007


What he said.
posted by languagehat at 6:14 AM on January 4, 2007


Congratulations everybody and keep it up!
posted by asok at 7:50 AM on January 4, 2007


Hey, that Noka Post needs to be updated. In the last few days there have been some pretty interesting fireworks, up to and including this thrice-updated b.s. from a p.r. firm that has been astroturfing forums.

Anyway, good stuff all around. Well worth a Wii
posted by wah at 9:22 AM on January 4, 2007


Hey, that Noka Post needs to be updated.

Thread's still open, go for it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:23 AM on January 4, 2007


The Noka poster gets a friggin Wii for a link to a food blog I already posted?
posted by rxrfrx at 6:04 PM on January 4, 2007


rxrfrx writes "The Noka poster gets a friggin Wii for a link to a food blog I already posted?"

Yes, actually. Or no. No Wii for he. Ipod I think.
You should have waited for the Noka post in December. God hates you.
posted by peacay at 8:35 PM on January 4, 2007


Now if they post a review of sour grapes....
posted by smackfu at 8:43 PM on January 4, 2007


The Noka poster gets a friggin Wii for a link to a food blog I already posted?
posted by rxrfrx at 9:04 PM EST on January 4


The Dallas Food Blog = nice post
The specific Noka Post = iPod Shuffle
posted by caddis at 10:01 PM on January 4, 2007


Loved the Noka post. Thought maybe that was just me. Great choices.
posted by xammerboy at 12:34 PM on January 8, 2007


I would just like to say thanks for that Noka post - for the article itself and the ongoing drama which I will continue to follow and google like crazy. As always, you are all helping me to waste countless hours on the net, and sadly I love it.
posted by batgrlHG at 9:19 PM on January 8, 2007


MJJJ, I bow before your awesomeness.
posted by vronsky at 1:59 PM on January 9, 2007


Congratulations guys!!
posted by autoverzekering at 9:02 AM on January 15, 2007


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