AskMe about this callout April 13, 2004 8:49 AM   Subscribe

Maybe I'm just cranky, but someone has been causing trouble on AskMeFi.
posted by thebabelfish to Etiquette/Policy at 8:49 AM (52 comments total)

I find it ironic that ac doesn't seem to consider his comments part of all the "junk" on AskMeFi "these days."
posted by thebabelfish at 8:50 AM on April 13, 2004


From his userpage: "I'm angry, violent, ignorant, vocal."

Yep. Sounds just about right.
posted by Irontom at 8:50 AM on April 13, 2004


ac is out of line. That said, no offense to BirdD0g, but it really is a stupid question.
posted by BlueTrain at 9:05 AM on April 13, 2004


I'm amazed that the big math. hasn't come up with some automated way of flagging posts or some other distributed moderation technique. Especially now that there's a blue, green, AND grey to moderate. The signal:noise is bound to get out of whack.

I think the question was interesting and would much rather see this kind of post on AskMe than the million variations on "my computer is broken and I can't seem to figure out Google" questions.
posted by maniactown at 9:19 AM on April 13, 2004


yer not cranky. ac is a teenaged (tinge of envy here) asshole. his assholery is well known to #mefi denizens. his assholery is well known to me personally, the king of metafilter assholery. after abusing my cell and forgetting to block his caller id, i "returned his call", prompting him to phone the server owner (#mefi lives on a different server) with complaints of my assholery. someday, ac will make a fine quonsar, but for now, he's really just an apprentice asshole. i'd call the server owner and complain myself, but what the fuck, i'm such an asshole i'm not allowed in AxMe.
posted by quonsar at 9:25 AM on April 13, 2004


But at least you're a funny asshole.
posted by cbrody at 9:32 AM on April 13, 2004


Bragging about one's "assholery" usualy denotes that one has little-to-no other talents to hang their hat on.

And I ought to know...
posted by Dark Messiah at 9:35 AM on April 13, 2004


damn. now i've been outed by Dark Messiah. this day is going downhill fast.
posted by quonsar at 9:53 AM on April 13, 2004


actually - I don't think quonsar's funny at all, nor do we need master assholes or even their apprentices.

but maybe that's just me.
posted by Irontom at 9:56 AM on April 13, 2004


Quick, someone call Mark Burnett and alert him to this next big reality tv opportunity: "The Apprentice Asshole."
posted by onlyconnect at 10:01 AM on April 13, 2004


nor do we need master assholes
but wouldn't we end up full of shit?
posted by andrew cooke at 10:06 AM on April 13, 2004


but wouldn't we end up full of shit?

Everyone's full of shit. The smart ones just accept it.
posted by Dark Messiah at 10:13 AM on April 13, 2004


Everyone's full of shit. The smart ones just accept it.

Right. I forgot the tagline for Gen Xers is: Cynical=Intelligent. Everyone's corrupt man, don't trust anyone.

(Or, in more general terms, because nothing is perfect, I have no faith in anything)
posted by BlueTrain at 10:34 AM on April 13, 2004


This is fascinating. Almost enough to persuade me to go back to college and get that sociology degree.
posted by konolia at 10:49 AM on April 13, 2004


That said, no offense to BirdD0g, but it really is a stupid question


I guess it's not really about the question, it's about the answers. sometimes a very weak question gets interesting answers. the opposite can be true also.
posted by matteo at 11:02 AM on April 13, 2004


it's about the answers.

I have to admit you're right on this count. The ensuing discussion is definitely interesting and worth keeping around.
posted by BlueTrain at 11:13 AM on April 13, 2004


Wow. I don't recall ever seeing ac's name before. Hope I never see it again. Could he have any less tact?
posted by dobbs at 11:25 AM on April 13, 2004


ac just woke up on the wrong side of the padded cell this morning, s'all.
posted by taz at 11:57 AM on April 13, 2004


"I want this turd to get out of ask mefi."

Best. Irony. Ever.
posted by y6y6y6 at 12:02 PM on April 13, 2004


Exactly y6^3.
posted by thebabelfish at 12:42 PM on April 13, 2004


I don't know. Isn't assholiness next to assgodliness?
posted by chicobangs at 12:55 PM on April 13, 2004


Technically, that'd be asscleanliness. Just sayin'...
posted by fvw at 1:04 PM on April 13, 2004


Everyone's full of shit. The smart ones just accept it.

Right. I forgot the tagline for Gen Xers is: Cynical=Intelligent. Everyone's corrupt man, don't trust anyone.

(Or, in more general terms, because nothing is perfect, I have no faith in anything)


It was more a statement to the effect that really we're all self-proclaimed experts here. While there are a bunch of smart people here at MeFi, in the end we're all dorks on computers. And, at one time or another, we're all full of shit; some of us just make it a life-style.

Besides, I'm not cool enough for a retro-TO-THE-MAX title like "gen Xer". Cynical != intelligent, it just usual equates to the truth. If you want, I'll meet you half-way and profess that I am in fact a bitter, often-angsty 20-year-old. But that's as far as I go.

And despite all personal life reasons to the contrary, I still believe in things -- even if they're not perfect. Some days it's harder than others, but it's not like I'm holding sign-ups for my suicide cult. (It's word-of-mouth referal only.)
posted by Dark Messiah at 1:09 PM on April 13, 2004


Jeez.. a meta call-out. Everyone is so serious here.
OK OK, settle down now. Here I come to defend myself.

quonsar has had a grudge against me for a long time, he is biased in this matter. And banned from askmefi, I might add. What right does he even have to say I'm out of line? Look at him, just waiting for any excuse to launch vicious personal attacks against me. I am better than that, quonsar. Fire away, I will not be provoked.

I had just woken up and was feeling rambunctious, I apologize for being so colorfully curseful, etc. However I still stand by my assertion that it was a stupid question. My Starcraft question was a concrete thing I needed help finding, and a kind member showed me to exactly what I needed. This vague, how-do-I-make-alot-of-money-with-no-risk isn't really a valid question. It's impossible, ambiguous and just plain silly.

and dobbs, that really hurt man.
posted by ac at 1:35 PM on April 13, 2004


I've got a right. Never heard of you, and hope you never visit AxMe again, ac.

Since when did exact figures like $14 and $20 amount to "vagueness" or ambiguity? Some of the best AxMe posts have no actual answer, but the pointers on making your own answer are fascinating. Should we bin them?

Oh yes: how, exactly, did your posts help "answer the question"?
posted by bonaldi at 1:49 PM on April 13, 2004


Some of the best AxMe posts have no actual answer, but the pointers on making your own answer are fascinating. Should we bin them?

Yes, because the answer would be contentious in that circumstance, not impossible (like, say, "what's the best way to set up a home theater?"). Asking how to make $1000 out of $14 without doing more than cursory labour seems absurd.

I think the thread was criminally stupid and the response by ac unwarranted, but I'm going to continue to ignore it, as I did up until this moment, and allow all of you to have your confusing fun.
posted by The God Complex at 1:56 PM on April 13, 2004


I am better than that, quonsar. Fire away, I will not be provoked.

*walks away all sagging and viagra-deficient*
posted by quonsar at 2:01 PM on April 13, 2004


I'll be provoked.
posted by namespan at 2:22 PM on April 13, 2004


I thought it was a cool question. others disagree. now what?
posted by mcsweetie at 2:33 PM on April 13, 2004


If you think it was a stupid question, move on to the next one next time, ac.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:41 PM on April 13, 2004


TGC, I don't understand "Yes, because the answer would be contentious in that circumstance". Answers about possibilities are contentious?

I don't think that the goal of making $1,000 out of $14 over the period of a year is impossible or ridiculous. The question itself may be stretching the structure of AskMe a bit, but I found the thread quite interesting. Criminally stupid? I hope your building a real big jailhouse, sheriff.
posted by taz at 2:43 PM on April 13, 2004


Whether it's a poor question or not, the phrase "what the fuck is wrong with you?" plays no part in addressing it. People's simple manners have really gone to shit around here. It's not just ac, though this is as fine an example as any.
posted by scarabic at 2:44 PM on April 13, 2004


p.p.p.s birddog need money? ask for real suggestions not $14 shit. I would have been very glad to help you there.

I had just woken up and was feeling rambunctious,

No; you are an asshole. Someone is looking for suggestions on making money and your (tenth or so)response is that he doesn't have enough money for you to bother with him.
posted by goethean at 2:51 PM on April 13, 2004


I still stand by my assertion that it was a stupid question.

The place for asserting that a question is stupid is the same place where you (or, e.g, everybody else) would assert that an answer is stupid.
posted by coelecanth at 3:25 PM on April 13, 2004


TGC, I don't understand "Yes, because the answer would be contentious in that circumstance". Answers about possibilities are contentious?

I meant in the sense that they're something you could argue over but still give a valid argument for (whether the answer is agreed with would be a matter of debate, but there's still some sort of reasonable answer that can be given). I don't see wildly speculative questions about making 500%+ returns on $14 investments as altogether appropriate for AskMetafilter, especially when you consider that the poster in question made fairly clear it's something he's already considered in a classroom situation and seemed more interested in shooting the shit than anything.

I don't think that the goal of making $1,000 out of $14 over the period of a year is impossible or ridiculous. The question itself may be stretching the structure of AskMe a bit, but I found the thread quite interesting. Criminally stupid? I hope your building a real big jailhouse, sheriff.


Without doing any work because he already has a job? Anyway, I'm perfectly able to find the idea wholly inappropriate and stupid without your consent, and as I made clear I've hardly given it a second though. I just thought I'd chime in to make it known that not everyone thought it was a good thread (it's not much of a community if people just shut up when they don't agree with something, right?;)

Carry on!
posted by The God Complex at 3:34 PM on April 13, 2004


People's simple manners have really gone to shit around here.

Elephant sighted in living room. More news at 11.
posted by SpaceCadet at 3:44 PM on April 13, 2004


I still believe in things -- even if they're not perfect.
Being way older than 20, I can save you many years of pondering, wondering and studying from all angles - there is nothing that is worth believing in and the things that you believe in the most, the ones that you think are rock-solid and that you base your life on, will be the first to crumble to dust when you least expect it. Give up now and save yourself the despair that years of failed expectations will bring you. Expect nothing from anybody or anything and you will never be disappointed.

Oh yeah, the topic. ac, you acted like an arsehole. Your excuse that you had just woken up does not wash and, even if that were the case for the first comment, it does not excuse the rest.
posted by dg at 3:47 PM on April 13, 2004


Just curiously, would anyone who objects to the question have accepted this one more readily?

"I've been accepted to a prestigious summer program. Scholarships have convered my tuition and rooming expenses, but not transportation and meals. I estimate about $2000 for the summer, but I have only $1400 in the bank. What can I do to reach my goal in the next 6 weeks?"
posted by scarabic at 3:54 PM on April 13, 2004


Is there really such a thing as a stupid question? Maybe I should AskMefi....
posted by cbrody at 4:12 PM on April 13, 2004


"What right does he even have to say I'm out of line?"

1) thebabelfish is the one saying you're out of line. Try to keep up Sparky. Just because quonsar enjoys making you look like a dork, that doesn't mean you have to take the bait. Try to understand the purpose of the forum rather than just lashing out.

2) quonsar? This is what you cling to as a method for deflecting blame? Please.

3) If you have such a heartfelt concern for keeping turds out of AskMe then you'd never have made your comments. I think this is much more about you indulging yourself at other's expense. Which, as you know, is something Matt has tried very hard to weed out. Particularly in AskMe.

4) The working business model for AskMe is very broad and very vague. This is by design. I would lobby you that, given this design, it is inevitable we'll *all* find threads which we personally think are "turds". That's the nature of the intersection between this community and that forum. And further, I think you'll agree that if we all whipped out our dicks and perniciously urinated all over posted questions we personally didn't like, pretty much every AskMe thread would be a urine soaked mess.

Now, while I suspect you'll claim to be quite at home in urine soaked messes, I suggest you try to think of others and be a bit less of a selfish pig. Leaving behind a trail of turds, while at the same time decrying the turds you come across, is just lame.

We do not want your turds. Please keep them. We're full up on turds here.
posted by y6y6y6 at 4:20 PM on April 13, 2004


full up on turds here: tagline?

(sorry - couldn't resist)
posted by scarabic at 4:23 PM on April 13, 2004


Go-damn, y6, I'm glad you're back ... you prick.

(I'll be giggling for hours, now.)
posted by Wulfgar! at 5:03 PM on April 13, 2004


Metafilter: getting teenage kicks right through the night

...and disaffected cynical youth is soooooooo last century
posted by inpHilltr8r at 6:28 PM on April 13, 2004


nothing ever happens , and i guess it never will ,
but a young boys passions can make him very ill.

posted by sgt.serenity at 6:48 PM on April 13, 2004


.
posted by mischief at 6:55 PM on April 13, 2004


As I read this thread, I can't help but just crack up.

I love you guys*. MeFi rocks.


Not you, ac.
posted by lazaruslong at 8:07 PM on April 13, 2004


Give up now and save yourself the despair that years of failed expectations will bring you. Expect nothing from anybody or anything and you will never be disappointed.

Your cynical thoughts and ideas interest me. I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Seriously, though, thanks. I just can't miss the chance to drop a mangled Simpsons line.
posted by Dark Messiah at 8:52 PM on April 13, 2004


You are welcome Dark Messiah. I did once think about putting my thoughts on life down in newsletter form, but decided the world already has enough suicidally depressed people, so now I just ramble to myself under my breath.
posted by dg at 1:36 AM on April 14, 2004


[applauding y6^3 heartily.] And chuckling @ space cadet. Will anyone ever think good manners are cool?
posted by yoga at 5:43 AM on April 14, 2004


In retrospect, I should have taken this to metatalk first instead of pissing in the thread. Sorry.
I hereby step back in line.

please dont hurt me I love askmefi

however I still feel strongly that this is an idiotic question. If I was to do it all over again I would write my scathing denouncement in metatalk.
posted by ac at 7:26 AM on April 14, 2004


the world already has enough suicidally depressed people

But only Trent Reznor understands our pain! *attempts to look sombre*
posted by Dark Messiah at 12:36 PM on April 14, 2004


Nobody understands our pain. Nobody.
posted by dg at 11:58 PM on April 14, 2004


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