September 4, 2002

1:31 PM

What would happen to Metafilter if Matt (heaven forbid) were to get hit by a bus or something? Is there a contingency plan in place? I could have just emailed Matt about this, but I thought some other people might also be interested in the answer.
posted by internook to MetaFilter-related at 1:31 PM (46 comments total)

EEk! You know, in Tudor England, it was high treason to speculate on the death of the monarch.

Off to Tyburn with you!

But I have wondered the same thing... Is MetaFilter in the will?
posted by evanizer at 1:49 PM on September 4, 2002

Don't put all your eggs in one basket Matt. We need clones and brains...   b r a i n s
posted by holloway at 1:51 PM on September 4, 2002

Other trusted people have the admin login and passwords to the server and site, and are kept on ice, several miles below the Nevada desert, in a temp. controlled facility. If I were to pass on, they'd be relived of their nitrogen-infused ziplock containers and be put into motion.
posted by mathowie at 2:05 PM on September 4, 2002

Matt? I'm cold and naked down here. Can I come up to the holodeck now?

P.S. This ziplock bag is chaffing me big-time.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 2:12 PM on September 4, 2002

*whew*
posted by ColdChef at 2:14 PM on September 4, 2002

Well, okay then. Glad to hear there's a well-thought-out contingency plan in place. Is it Ted Williams or Walt Disney that's going to be the new admin, though? It would help to know in advance, so we could begin stockpiling acceptable posts for either contingency (hitting statistics, yes; animation and theme parks, no - that sort of thing).
posted by yhbc at 2:15 PM on September 4, 2002

The chances of Matt being hit by a bus are extremely remote. He's much more likely to be savaged by rabid weasels or gang-pantsed by a tribe of wandering banana slugs.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:17 PM on September 4, 2002

Don't worry, Cheney is in charge already

President Haughey spends all his time in the gym, or in Crawford, TX
posted by matteo at 2:21 PM on September 4, 2002

I think we'd have to find another bus.
posted by websavvy at 2:24 PM on September 4, 2002

Other trusted people have the admin login and passwords to the server and site, and are kept on ice, several miles below the Nevada desert

Is...it...Steven?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 2:26 PM on September 4, 2002

And why do we always say "hit by a bus?" Are people getting runt over in our major metros this much?
posted by ColdChef at 2:29 PM on September 4, 2002

I already told you: it's suburban drivers, man.
posted by mcwetboy at 2:37 PM on September 4, 2002

Who would haul bus's ass to Meta? Would it be deleted? By whom?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 2:57 PM on September 4, 2002

Yeah but what if something happens to the Internet? What if all the governments of the world successfully shut the Internet down? Do we have a contingency to keep Metafilter running? THAT's the concern that keeps me up at night.
posted by ZachsMind at 3:50 PM on September 4, 2002

We'd keep it going on Etch-a-Sketches and Magna-Doodles across the world, Zach.
posted by Kafkaesque at 4:02 PM on September 4, 2002

"Are people getting runt over in our major metros this much?"

Yes.
posted by majick at 4:06 PM on September 4, 2002

I, for one, welcome our new cryogenically frozen overlords.
posted by Stan Chin at 4:09 PM on September 4, 2002

As for the busses, ColdChef, see exhibit A. In New York City, at least, the various busses are pretty much the scariest things on four [or more] wheels. They care little for pedestrians crossing with the light. And they have been known to hit the occasional person.
posted by Songdog at 4:26 PM on September 4, 2002

Forget the MagnaDoodles, Kaf. I got a shitload of Krylon and some tin cans and string.

The revolution has begun.....mwahahahaha..
posted by jonmc at 4:36 PM on September 4, 2002

Congratulation, Stan Chin, on being the very first person to ever use that "welcome our new overlords" phrase since it was cursed by Shadowkeeper.

Long live the meme. It's funny every time.
posted by timeistight at 4:38 PM on September 4, 2002

What if all the governments of the world successfully shut the Internet down?

back to fidonet.

(which would have the wonderful effect of ridding us of all you bastard aol users as well. what's that you say? it's not 1994? ah well...)
posted by fishfucker at 5:07 PM on September 4, 2002

Actually, timeistight, I used it two days ago, not that I'm bragging or anything.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:17 PM on September 4, 2002

matt and i have covered this thoroughly. welcome to quonsarfilter.
posted by quonsar at 5:38 PM on September 4, 2002

Way I see it is, within a few short years of the death of Brian Epstein (the Beatles Svengali), the band split, the hippy revolution mouldered in the grave and Paul never made a decent record ever again.

Anyway, I wouldn't want to tempt providence (as I used to say, before I was baptised an Atheist), by talking about a real person's demise... but at least I'd get my life back. (",)
posted by dash_slot- at 5:57 PM on September 4, 2002

ciderwoman also used that quote over on MeFi earlier today.
posted by Songdog at 6:27 PM on September 4, 2002

Actually, timeistight, I used it two days ago, not that I'm bragging or anything.

ciderwoman also used that quote over on MeFi earlier today.

I'm so glad. Every time I come across it, it cracks me up again.

posted by timeistight at 6:41 PM on September 4, 2002

My cat's breath smells like cat food!
posted by Hildago at 7:19 PM on September 4, 2002

Metafilter: Say hello to your newest overlord.

Damn, I've wanted to do that for a long time.
posted by slipperywhenwet at 8:02 PM on September 4, 2002

[offtopic]
Can somebody who's hipper and more clued in to the kids of taoday than I trace out a meme-etymology of the 'cat's breath smells like catfood' thingo for me? I've been curious for a while....
[/offtopic]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:13 PM on September 4, 2002

stavros: It's a Simpsons quote. Ralph, I believe.

posted by slipperywhenwet at 8:23 PM on September 4, 2002

offtopic? I thought that was the topic.
posted by timeistight at 8:27 PM on September 4, 2002

*smacks forehead*

Of course! Dumb of me not to remember. Thanks, sww.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:32 PM on September 4, 2002

Is...it...Steven?

Miguel, Steven's in San Diego. He only occasionally visits Las Vegas for gambling and lap-dancing away his patent royalties.

If anyone is first in line to deal with a Matt-less MeFi, I say it's the guy who can set his Chinese on top of it.
posted by dhartung at 8:39 PM on September 4, 2002

mattless.metafilter.com/mattless.mefi
posted by quonsar at 8:50 PM on September 4, 2002

Just to clarify - your concern here is, Godforbid Matt die because his death would be an inconvenience for your online activities?

So just to make sure his death doesn't in any way interupt your web surfing, you want him to clarify that someone else, someone who likely would be close enough to him to have things like passwords and access, would, while in the midst of mourning someone they love, stop in here all day and police for trolls and make sure everything is running to the user's satisfaction?

I hope you are kidding, and I missed the joke, because if you are not, that is pretty fucking cold.

The website is never more important than the person that built it.
posted by sperare at 9:20 PM on September 4, 2002

Nonsense.
posted by rushmc at 9:47 PM on September 4, 2002

I'm with rush. What's Matt done for me lately?
posted by slipperywhenwet at 10:36 PM on September 4, 2002

sperare, you are a party pooper. Actually, this just popped into my head with little thought or foresight. No cold intentions, but no real concern for what would happen to MeFi if Matt where pushing up daisys. Just curiosity.
posted by internook at 2:46 AM on September 5, 2002

"The website is never more important than the person that built it"

I would submit that there are many things/ideas in the world that become more important than their creators: the US Constitution, powered flight, the incandescent bulb, calculus, etc. I would also probably put Metafilter in the same category.

I like Matt (or rather, his work, since I don't know him) and wish him long and healthy life. But, I am one who is gratified to know that this place would proabably continue without him in the event of a tragedy.
posted by Irontom at 6:20 AM on September 5, 2002

why do we always say "hit by a bus?"

Because the phrase has more finality about it than "hit by a bicycle".
posted by walrus at 8:41 AM on September 5, 2002

I prefer "run over by a Mack truck."
posted by timeistight at 8:53 AM on September 5, 2002

Let's push the probability envelope with "Struck and killed by frozen urine jettisoned from a passing 747".
posted by Kafkaesque at 8:56 AM on September 5, 2002

I think there's a money-making opportunity here, though probably not a new one. A trusted escrow service which holds your passwords and vital info. It sends you an email once a week. If you do not respond, the service calls your key phone numbers. If you do not respond to those calls, or they are told of your passing, then they roll out your emergency plans: a mailing list is activated to notify your Internet-only friends, your estate is notified that digital power of attorney has passed to the escrow service, various real-world executors with tech savvy are contacted so that they can assume admin power, and your other will and wishes, where they pertain to technology, are executed.
posted by Mo Nickels at 9:01 AM on September 5, 2002

"Beresith, as it may, Ramsay MacDonald will die."

posted by neustile at 9:23 AM on September 5, 2002

Mo Nickels: check out dead man's switch.
posted by neustile at 9:26 AM on September 5, 2002

> service which holds your passwords and vital info
I would like to hax0r such a service. Please subscribe me to your newsletter.
posted by holloway at 2:20 PM on September 5, 2002