Couldn't I just go to DailyKos if I wanted to read DailyKos? March 23, 2006 9:46 PM   Subscribe

Couldn't I just go to DailyKos if I wanted to read DailyKos?
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood to Etiquette/Policy at 9:46 PM (135 comments total)

Metafilter has a much cleaner, more calming interface than DailyKos.
posted by Jimbob at 9:47 PM on March 23, 2006


Yeah, and you could also just go to BoingBoing, or CNN, or any of the other sites that people take their links from. What's your point?
posted by crunchland at 9:48 PM on March 23, 2006


Dude, blue is so much better than white/orange.
posted by esch at 9:49 PM on March 23, 2006


What's your point?

I think you just made it.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 9:49 PM on March 23, 2006


Daily KOS is probably an OK place to post a corraborating story from, but not the only link.
So would LFG, if just link to the post, without the commentary.
posted by shnoz-gobblin at 9:53 PM on March 23, 2006


Newbie, please don't mention the LGF word. It makes the monkeys in the cage angry.
posted by Jimbob at 10:00 PM on March 23, 2006


Snakes on a plane, man, snakes on a plane.
posted by LarryC at 10:01 PM on March 23, 2006


please don't mention the LGF word.
How do you pronounce "LGF"?
posted by shnoz-gobblin at 10:06 PM on March 23, 2006


Oh, bitch, bitch, bitch...
posted by SweetJesus at 10:07 PM on March 23, 2006


Steve's point is that he's a big whiny unnameable bodily orifice who wants us to read his, um, mind and only link to sites he doesn't know about but does want to read. I can think of, oh man, entire vacant sets of such sites, my mind is literally overflowing with vast shortages of candidates!

Steve - couldn't you just shit in your pants if you need to take a shit?
posted by scarabic at 10:14 PM on March 23, 2006


Couldn't you just not read the FPP if you didn't want to read it?
posted by keswick at 10:16 PM on March 23, 2006


Once I finish printing the internet I'll never need to come to MeFi again. You'll all be obsolete. Suck it haters!
posted by blue_beetle at 10:17 PM on March 23, 2006


Hey, where IS Linnwood, anyway? Texas?
posted by fenriq at 10:23 PM on March 23, 2006


---- pile-on ends here ----

fenriq: No.
posted by neckro23 at 10:26 PM on March 23, 2006


Steve's last four FPPs.

Feb-10-06 at 3:11 PM EST: South Dakota House approves sweeping abortion ban
Jan-24-06 at 10:19 PM EST: Online search engine leader Google Inc. has agreed to censor its results in China
Sep-8-05 at 10:14 AM EST: Louisiana Leads in Army Corps Spending, but Millions Had Nothing to Do With Floods
Jun-27-05 at 9:40 AM EST: The Supreme Court broadly expanded eminent domain in Kelo V. New London

Two observations:
1) If Steve doesn't like what's on the front page, why has he only posted five FPPs in the last year?
2) Since four of those five are newsfilter, with links that tend to support Steve's own political views, why is Steve complaining that others post newsfilter that supports their views?
posted by orthogonality at 10:36 PM on March 23, 2006


So, no one is going to say "Couldn't I just go to Linnwood if I wanted... "?
Okay. I won't either than.

To be honest, I thought the same thing when I saw the FPP. So I skipped it and clicked on the one below it. That one is much better, IMO.
It has boobs.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:37 PM on March 23, 2006


Alvy's hit it.
posted by orthogonality at 10:38 PM on March 23, 2006


Nice argumentum ad hominem orthogonality
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 10:48 PM on March 23, 2006


I'll see your Ad Hominem, and raise you a straw puppet and a personal attack.
posted by shnoz-gobblin at 10:59 PM on March 23, 2006


What's your point?

Oh, I think we all know what his point is. It's the same one he made is his last MeTa thread. And quite a few others, too.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:01 PM on March 23, 2006


Which isn't to say he's wrong, just tiresome.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:01 PM on March 23, 2006


I feel another ban coming on.
posted by puke & cry at 11:12 PM on March 23, 2006


Are you sure it's not just gas?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:15 PM on March 23, 2006


OOhh!! How about you can call someone out, and get them banned, but YOU ALSO get banned durring the same time.
Therefore you would not have the pleasure of posting in an offending thread while your nemisis also can't.

(Oh wait. Wrong thread.)
posted by shnoz-gobblin at 11:17 PM on March 23, 2006


Mocking the ban is a bannable offense.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:21 PM on March 23, 2006


Hey, where IS Linnwood, anyway? Texas?

Yes, Texas has a fever.

And the only treatment is more cowbell.
posted by puke & cry at 11:21 PM on March 23, 2006


Couldn't I just go to [web site name] if I wanted to read [web site name]?
posted by knave at 11:29 PM on March 23, 2006


LaRouche in 08!!1
posted by tweak at 11:31 PM on March 23, 2006


Frankly, I'm looking forward to little Stevie's own continued Front Page Echoes of DrudgeReport. They're easy to shoot down.

Much like his ongoing attempts to stifle viewpoints he's never been able to refute.

~wink~
posted by fold_and_mutilate at 12:03 AM on March 24, 2006


jesus, you guys are worse than scientologists. unqualified adoration of your gods.

~shudder~
posted by tweak at 12:41 AM on March 24, 2006


There are three things I want right now: cheese, cheese and cheese.

~belch~
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:55 AM on March 24, 2006


Is there really no cheese in Korea?
posted by zarah at 1:14 AM on March 24, 2006


nor is there joy in mudville

~weeps~
posted by tweak at 1:20 AM on March 24, 2006


Steve_at, apparently, the metafiltersucks.com domain is available. Or for more specificity, you could register couldntijustgotodailykosifiwantedtoreaddailykos.com and blog about it there, where I'm sure the comments would be more supportive. I would subscribe to your web feed and recommend it to my friends.
posted by gsb at 1:21 AM on March 24, 2006


I love toast. I hate toast.
posted by loquacious at 2:35 AM on March 24, 2006


And waffles. Fuck waffles.
posted by loquacious at 2:35 AM on March 24, 2006


Is there really no cheese in Korea?

Very very little, and what there is (it's getting better) is expensive. In the small city where I live, despite being the #3 international deep water port in Korea, with a relatively large and semipermanent foreign professional population (ie not just itinerant ESL teachers - mostly engineers), it only became possible to buy anything except the petroleum-product plasticwrapped slices that most Koreans think of as 'cheese' about 6 months ago. Then one of the big box stores -- Samsung/Tesco's HomePlus -- arrived, and now I can get Bega cheddar from Australia, which is what I used to eat for my daily bogstandard cheddar when I lived there. Only thing is that a wee 250g package of the stuff runs me about A$9.00.

I use it like freakin' saffron.

You can get the industrial-grade Kraft parmesan, too (not fresh), and nasty domestic mozarella-analogue, and some insanely expensive half-decent bries and havartis and stuff these days, sometimes. She Who Must Be Obeyed keeps my dosages strictly regulated, though.

Seoul and Busan are much better, and the smaller centres are starting to go that way, thanks mostly to the Big Box stores. Ten years ago it was damn near no-go anywhere, though, basically, unless you had an American buddy on base somewhere.

Baby steps.

[/moaning expat]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:40 AM on March 24, 2006


er, [/metachat]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:41 AM on March 24, 2006


This reminds me i have some great links from freerepublic to post to the frontpage...
posted by Dreamghost at 3:17 AM on March 24, 2006


Blimey, stavrosthewonderchicken, as a cheese sybarite, I feel for you. Dare I ask what combination of socio-economic factors cause this Korean cheeselessness? Are cheese imports actively discouraged, or is there just not enough interest in cheese among the Korean population?

Um, as for the topic at hand... meh.
posted by jack_mo at 3:32 AM on March 24, 2006


Personally I didn't like the post much but almost no one flagged it, so it stayed.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:34 AM on March 24, 2006


fpp on why theres no cheese in korea > another dailykos link fpp.

am i rite?
posted by Dreamghost at 4:39 AM on March 24, 2006




raise you a straw puppet and a personal attack.

Tally ho, my minions! Charge! Someone hath posted an offense to mine eyes.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 5:18 AM on March 24, 2006


Oh, sure, space coyote, bring up Godwin. That'll help.
posted by ?! at 5:43 AM on March 24, 2006


Where else are you going to find this multipart interview with Daniel Ellsberg? The next time that somebody posts a multipart interview with an artist (for example), are you going to call that post out as well?
posted by NoMich at 5:57 AM on March 24, 2006


Where else are you going to find this multipart interview with Daniel Ellsberg?

Oh, maybe on Daily Fucking Kos?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:24 AM on March 24, 2006


Think about the snakes, people.
posted by Mid at 6:36 AM on March 24, 2006


Hey pal, if I wanted to see snakes, I'd get on a mutherfuckin' plane.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 6:40 AM on March 24, 2006


I don't read DailyKOS because most of the time it's annoying and shrill, so it's nice that someone who does read the site managed to find something interesting and posted it here.

Why would you click to read the post if he even says upfront that it's from DailyKos?
posted by chunking express at 6:40 AM on March 24, 2006


Couldn't you just not read the FPP if you didn't want to read it?

Apparently not. As far as I can tell, this is a recurring problem here at Metafilter.
posted by chunking express at 6:42 AM on March 24, 2006


It's the mesmerizing blue color; it forces one to read posts against one's will. Convert to a white background and all will be well.
posted by caddis at 6:53 AM on March 24, 2006


Oh, maybe on Daily Fucking Kos?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:24 AM PST on March 24


Some of us don't read DailyKos, but would read certain articles of it if it were interesting enough. Your argument is like asking why we link to anything at all.

Couldn't I just go to antiguanice.com if I wanted to read antiguanice.com?

Couldn't I just go to chnm.gmu.edu/dimenovels/ if I wanted to read chnm.gmu.edu/dimenovels/?

You simply object to DailyKos because it's a left-wing site. Don't be stupid.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 6:55 AM on March 24, 2006


You simply object to DailyKos because it's a left-wing site. Don't be stupid.

Somehow I don't think that's what stavros' objection is.

Anyway, not to bring up the "LGF" thing, but if Steve did submit a post that was nothing but a series of links to LGF interviews, I'm pretty sure there would be a MetaTalk post much like this one -- except it would have about 500 comments instead of 50. And Steve could use all the same defenses -- I posted this for the people who don't read LGF, etc., etc. -- and he still would get his ass chewed up and down by the same people who are defending this post.

Why don't we strip the personalities and politics out of it, and debate the real issue: "Is it appropriate to submit a post that is nothing but a series of links to a single, well-known partisan website?"
posted by pardonyou? at 7:09 AM on March 24, 2006


Steve's right. This site is so much better when it's actually the best of the web.
posted by bshort at 7:16 AM on March 24, 2006


MetaFilter
posted by Roger Dodger at 7:20 AM on March 24, 2006


MetaFilter
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:23 AM on March 24, 2006


You simply object to DailyKos because it's a left-wing site. Don't be stupid.

You, sir, are a drooling cretin, and I wish to crack your skull and eat the delicious goo inside for the nutritional content. This should not disturb you because you clearly aren't using it much, anyway.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:24 AM on March 24, 2006


You, sir, are a drooling cretin, and I wish to crack your skull and eat the delicious goo inside for the nutritional content. This should not disturb you because you clearly aren't using it much, anyway.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:24 AM PST on March 24


I would have said the same thing if it were FreeRepublic and you were bitching about it. If we can only post things from ModerateIndependentVoters.org than it's going to be pretty fucking boring.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:26 AM on March 24, 2006


This didn't get deleted and it's a one-link post to WorldNetDaily. Nor did this NY Post one-link (by PP, no less) get deleted. So let's all chill the fuck out.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:30 AM on March 24, 2006


Why don't we strip the personalities and politics out of it, and debate the real issue: "Is it appropriate to submit a post that is nothing but a series of links to a single, well-known partisan website?"

You're making it sound like the FPP in question is nothing but random links to random posts on Daily Kos. It's a multipart interview with a person of historical note.
If the post was indeed a bunch of unrelated links to Bush=Hitler Daily Kos posts, then yeah, you would have a point, but I don't think it applies to this particular FPP.
posted by NoMich at 7:33 AM on March 24, 2006


NoMich, you mean they're simply objecting to DailyKos because it's a left-wing site?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:41 AM on March 24, 2006


If Steve doesn't like what's on the front page, why has he only posted five FPPs in the last year?

Stop using this argument. It doesn't make any goddam sense.
posted by cortex at 7:45 AM on March 24, 2006


pardonyou? writes "Anyway, not to bring up the 'LGF' thing, but if Steve did submit a post that was nothing but a series of links to LGF interviews, I'm pretty sure there would be a MetaTalk post much like this one -- except it would have about 500 comments instead of 50."


Well, if they were interviews of Joe Republican Dude No One Ever Heard Of, maybe so. But Ellsberg is a major figure in both the history of the Vietnam War, and (because Nixon's people broke into his physchiatrist's office in order to smear him) in the down-fall of the Nixon Administration. As well, the Pentagon Papers case is a landmark in government whistle-blowing that raises a question -- when is releasing classified information without authorization patriotic-- still pertinent today, especially as ironically that may end up being Scooter Libby's excuse for outing Valerie Plame.

So if Steve linked to a series of in-depth interviews exclusively available on LGF, of say, Chuck Colson or Robert Bork comparing the Nixon Administration to the Bush Administration, I sure wouldn't call it out as uninteresting, and neither would any other thinking liberal.
posted by orthogonality at 7:46 AM on March 24, 2006


You're making it sound like the FPP in question is nothing but random links to random posts on Daily Kos. It's a multipart interview with a person of historical note.

NoMich, folks would likely object to a series of links to a multipart story-arc on The Onion, too. Steve politics (actual or perceived) are not the only issue here.
posted by cortex at 7:47 AM on March 24, 2006


...and neither would any other thinking liberal.

But that's not a hell of a lot of assurance sometimes.
posted by cortex at 7:48 AM on March 24, 2006


NO MORE WHINY CRYBABY METATALK POSTS PLZ OK!
posted by rxrfrx at 7:48 AM on March 24, 2006


NoMich, folks would likely object to a series of links to a multipart story-arc on The Onion, too. Steve politics (actual or perceived) are not the only issue here.
posted by cortex at 10:47 AM EST on March 24 [!]

Nobody objected to my multipart Onion (AV Club) FPP, but then again, I have developed a bit of a reputation as a total badass, and so people might be scared of getting a smack down if they disrespect me. Understandable.
posted by ND¢ at 7:56 AM on March 24, 2006


NoMich, you mean they're simply objecting to DailyKos because it's a left-wing site?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 10:41 AM EST on March 24 [!][↑] No other comments.


To be honest, I'm not 100% sure what his problem is with the FPP. It's not a single link to an opinion piece, nor is it a single link to a breaking news story. Hell, it's not even a "Snakes on a Plane for Charlie Sheen because Will Ferrell died from a mushroom overdose" post.
I'll go back to my original question in this thread, where else on the Web are we to find this interview? Personally, you may not like Daniel Ellsberg, or you just might not find him very interesting, but a lot of other folks do. As a result, I'm sure those folks will enjoy this FPP.
posted by NoMich at 8:00 AM on March 24, 2006


Doesn't count, ND|c—AV Club rules.
posted by cortex at 8:16 AM on March 24, 2006


So if Steve linked to a series of in-depth interviews exclusively available on LGF, of say, Chuck Colson or Robert Bork comparing the Nixon Administration to the Bush Administration, I sure wouldn't call it out as uninteresting, and neither would any other thinking liberal.

I don't remotely share your optimism. I think the mere presence of an LGF link would send scores of MeFites into an apopleptic frenzy.

By the way, the point of my post was only to call out hypocricy. On the merits of the issue, my personal take is to err on the side of over-inclusiveness. As many have said, if you don't like a post, they're easy to skip. I would just hope that people would remember that spirit no matter the origin or political nature of the post.
posted by pardonyou? at 8:19 AM on March 24, 2006


Let's not give Steve too hard a time. Perhaps I've been too hard on him as well.

As I understand it, he's in college (I believe I've read some comments indicating he's in high school, but I think Steve has said that's not the case). But in any case, he's too young to remember Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers case from the contemporary news reports, or to recall the light the Pentagon Parers shined on the Vietnam War or the Nixon Administration's conduct.

And isn't Steve a Business major or something? It really isn't surprising that an undergrad student at a US college with no history requirement might never take a class that mentions Ellsberg or the Pentagon Papers -- it's a scandal, but it's not surprising.

Steve may just not know who Ellsberg was or what the Pentagon papers were, and assumed the interviews must just be partisan Bush bashing. Now since the FPP quotes Ellsberg casting aspersions on Democrats as well, you'd think Steve might have given it a second look but -- well, I'm guessing he just saw "DailyKos" and fired off a Meta complaint.
posted by orthogonality at 8:20 AM on March 24, 2006


I think the mere presence of an LGF link would send scores of MeFites into an apopleptic frenzy.

Try it out.
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:26 AM on March 24, 2006


I'm sorry, but "Snakes on a Plane for Charlie Sheen because Will Ferrell died from a mushroom overdose" turns up nothing usable on Google.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:27 AM on March 24, 2006


I'm getting tired of these tax-and-spend, knee-jerk conservatives.
posted by crunchland at 8:27 AM on March 24, 2006


I wish to crack your skull and eat the delicious goo inside for the nutritional content.

Cheese zombie!!!
posted by zarah at 8:41 AM on March 24, 2006


Not being american (but living in america), I avoid US-based news channels and news sites like the plague. The only US-centric news I get is from MetaFilter and the Daily Show, therefore I enjoy an occassion article from the right or left end of the spectrum. I can truthfully say that I've never visited the DailyKOS or that Republic site, except via links on MeFi. So keep em coming (on a plane)!

Haro! Haro!
posted by blue_beetle at 8:50 AM on March 24, 2006


It is worth (re) stateing what others have said. New members are not the problem here.
posted by edgeways at 8:53 AM on March 24, 2006


Couldn't I just go to DailyKos if I wanted to read DailyKos?

Yes, you could. In fact, maybe you should.
posted by signal at 9:10 AM on March 24, 2006


I don't remotely share your optimism. I think the mere presence of an LGF link would send scores of MeFites into an apopleptic frenzy.

Agreed. I am surprised we don't see more of them just for that very reason. Yet, the comparison is hardly valid. Kos is decidedly liberal, but also intelligent. Much of LGF resembles the drunken ramblings of below average IQ conservative losers. A fairer comparison would be Instapundit, Althouse, Captain's Quarters, etc.
posted by caddis at 9:24 AM on March 24, 2006


That's not a fair comparison, caddis. DailyKos runs on Scoop and has a much different approach, it's more user-driven and community based, whereas the sites you cited (ouch, that's some awkward phrasing) are more based around a simple personality. The Yin to Instapundit's Yang, perhaps, would be more of an Atrios or suchlike, in my opinion.

Also, Snapes on A Rake, etc.
posted by tweak at 9:27 AM on March 24, 2006


*are more based around a single personality (heh.. subconscious)
posted by tweak at 9:27 AM on March 24, 2006


orthogonality :: You're an idiot.

Your assumptions about Steve and his background are flawed. Maybe instead of making random statements about someone's background, you could ask them instead?
posted by Stynxno at 9:39 AM on March 24, 2006


As a general rule, links to DailyKos are crappy and our standards should be much higher than them. When people are linking to diaries or Kos political analysis, it is almost always unacceptable as a post because it doesn't rise above the value-less content of op/eds.

This is one is different, I my opinion. This is an exclusive interview about a topic that can't be found everywhere.

While it doesn't do much for me personally, I think it is an acceptable Metafilter post.

I would add though that is an exception to the rule. I think 90%+ of Kos links shouldn't be here especially when they are here to make a partisan point.

This is different though.
posted by dios at 9:43 AM on March 24, 2006


Most of the stories on the front page are written either by kos or by a small set of people designated by kos as front page posters.

Perhaps not a single person, but not the free for all this is LGF.

... and what dios said.
posted by caddis at 9:46 AM on March 24, 2006


Metafilter: While it doesn't do much for me personally, I think it is an acceptable Metafilter post.


That should go on the fucking sidebar.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:49 AM on March 24, 2006


Stynxno writes:
orthogonality :: You're an idiot.

In response to a comment that begins,
Let's not give Steve too hard a time. Perhaps I've been too hard on him as well.

I think we see who's idiotic.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 9:51 AM on March 24, 2006


Seems like an okay post to me. If it were just about one interview, that'd be different. A series of interviews that would likely be of great interest to a good number of mefites qualifies as a decent (probably not great) post. Right-wing, left-wing, whatever.

This would also apply, in my opinion, to linking to something in a major media outlet. Something like a big investigative series, or things like that (if they're available on the web in their entirety) are decent posts, too. A post to a single story from a major outlet, unless it's very unusual, doesn't pass inspection, in my opinion.

I think also that the "best of the web" thing means that especially if a major media outlet puts something on the web that goes beyond their print/broadcast story, like maybe a bunch of interactive stuff, maps, charts, whatever, that would make a good post. There is something particular about the link relating to the web.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 9:56 AM on March 24, 2006


Uh, Kirth, did you read the rest: But in any case, he's too young to remember Ellsberg... and the light the Pentagon Parers shined on the Vietnam War or the Nixon Administration... It really isn't surprising that an undergrad student at a US college with no history requirement might never take a class that mentions Ellsberg or the Pentagon Papers -- it's a scandal, but it's not surprising.

Stynxno: Your assumptions about Steve and his background are flawed. Maybe instead of making random statements about someone's background, you could ask them instead?


Right on.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:06 AM on March 24, 2006


Why yes, Alvy, I did read the rest. It looked to me like Ortho was trying to cut S@L some slack, and his reward was Stynxo calling him an idiot. The part of his continuation that you quoted doesn't support his insult, it just throws an unsupported assertion out.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 10:10 AM on March 24, 2006


The answer to your question, Steve, is yes.
posted by drezdn at 10:12 AM on March 24, 2006


And waffles. Fuck waffles.

What are you, a Nazi? Why do you hate waffles?

Do you even remember joy? Happiness? Warmth?

Regroup. Take stock. Deep breaths. Go have some waffles.
posted by weston at 10:23 AM on March 24, 2006


Good post, bad callout.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:24 AM on March 24, 2006


MetaFilter: a recurring problem here at Metafilter.
posted by OmieWise at 10:26 AM on March 24, 2006


MetaFilter: Couldn't I just whine like a little schoolgirl due for a spanking a little more?
posted by Kickstart70 at 10:34 AM on March 24, 2006


Now this is a shitty FPP.
posted by NoMich at 10:49 AM on March 24, 2006


Alvy Ampersand writes "Uh, Kirth, did you read the rest: ... -- it's a scandal, but it's not surprising."

That may have been infelicitously phrased. I meant it's a scandal that American colleges don't insist all students learn at least the basics of contemporary American history. I was not trying to say it's Steve's fault that he (I'm guessing) doesn't know who Ellsberg is, but rather that it's the fault of an "educational" system that increasingly turns out narrow specialists, whether those be "business students" or "lesbian studies majors".

(Nothing wrong with either subject, and quite a bit useful about both, but a illiberal education also used have as its goal that the student be grounded in a context and could thus function as a member of the polity. That's no longer the case.)


And Styxno's point is, if unkindly in its phrasing, fair enough: Stynxno writes "Maybe instead of making random statements about someone's background, you could ask them instead?"

So I guess. I should ask Steve: Steve, when you made the callout, did you know who Ellsberg is? Did you recall the controversy over the Pentagon Papers?
posted by orthogonality at 10:51 AM on March 24, 2006


I didn't know who Ellsberg was, fwiw. Before my time.
posted by sonofsamiam at 10:59 AM on March 24, 2006


It looked to me like Ortho was trying to cut S@L some slack, and his reward was Stynxo calling him an idiot.

See, I think that may have been what ortho was trying to do, but it's possible that Stynxno picked up on what was, in my opinion, a thick, still-bleeding condecension steak plopped on the platter which was that slack-cutting.

Though, then, I might be reading too hard into that angle, and also taking the general scope of the comment a bit personally as I am too young to know who the hell Ellsburg is (until this thread at least). One of these days I need to read up on Nixon & Friends.
posted by cortex at 11:02 AM on March 24, 2006


(In other words, "I'll go easy on you because you're the victim of circumstances" is not what most people would consider a gracious statement.)
posted by cortex at 11:03 AM on March 24, 2006


Hey Haughey, do you read these circlejerk MeTa threads in their entirety every time they pop up? Because, man, you're not paid enough.
posted by keswick at 11:04 AM on March 24, 2006


Not paid enough? How many people read them all the way through for free?
posted by sonofsamiam at 11:05 AM on March 24, 2006


MetaFilter: a recurring problem here at Metafilter.

Hey, that's my first one of these stupid things. Do I get a merit badge?

I'm always impressed these threads can drag on for 100 comments. I suppose inane stuff like this very comment will do that though.
posted by chunking express at 11:08 AM on March 24, 2006


See, I think that may have been what ortho was trying to do, but it's possible that Stynxno picked up on what was, in my opinion, a thick, still-bleeding condecension steak plopped on the platter which was that slack-cutting.

I didn't think ortho's comment was condescending at all.

Pentagon Papers. Daniel Ellsberg. Watergate.
posted by russilwvong at 11:23 AM on March 24, 2006


What are you, a Nazi? Why do you hate waffles?

This thread has been officially Belgiumed.
posted by loquacious at 11:26 AM on March 24, 2006


I used to like waffles a lot but these days they just strike me the wrong way. The whole waffle thing just seems so... foreign? Archaic? Alien? I see people eating these things and I have this sense of strangeness, like there's something not quite right with the world. The very word, 'waffle'--wtf? It's absurd.

It's a strange world out there, I guess. A damn strange world.
posted by nixerman at 11:52 AM on March 24, 2006


This nonsense about a ban on linking to LGF is pathetic.
LGF - as a linksite - is full of newsfilter. There is only newsfilter there. Now, the threads are different. I no longer read the threads, as there is rarely a sensible argument displayed, and no argument against the dominant meme [arabs, muslims and europeans are evil, democrats constitute the fifth column, Washington is a snake pit].

Why would anyone want to link that on Mefi?
posted by dash_slot- at 12:04 PM on March 24, 2006


cortex writes "One of these days I need to read up on Nixon & Friends."


Less contextual but amusing surreal, you can download the tapes as mp3s. The best ones are where Nixon and his inner circle sit around speculating on who's a Jew. They put an amazing amount of navel-gazing effort into it. In many ways, it's like an audio recording of a MetaTalk call-out.
posted by orthogonality at 12:06 PM on March 24, 2006


O, and Charles, head honcho of L*F, disclaims responsibility for his commenters. He personally never makes direct racist* comments. So the threads he inspires, if they run out of control, are not his fault.

He says.

*As ever, I agree that being anti-Islamist, like being anti-Baptist or anti-Catholic, is not racist. It is anti-ideology, or anti-a-particular-ideology, or something.

[/derail]
posted by dash_slot- at 12:10 PM on March 24, 2006


This is one is different, I my opinion. This is an exclusive interview about a topic that can't be found everywhere.

While it doesn't do much for me personally, I think it is an acceptable Metafilter post.


Thanks for that dios.
posted by dash_slot- at 12:12 PM on March 24, 2006


I didn't pick up any condescension in Ortho's comment, either. What it sounded like to me was "How can anyone so easily dismiss a long interview with so important a historical figure? Maybe it's because he's young . . . " etc. But either way, "you're an idiot" is not a useful thing to say or to read. It's a pointless insult.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:16 PM on March 24, 2006


I actually don't read kos that much, I found the link through some other site, and thought that it was an excellent series of interviews. I agree that a single link to a Kos front page post or a diary would be a shit post. If LGF had an interesting interview with some conservative intellectual, that would also be a decent post.
posted by afu at 12:17 PM on March 24, 2006


I did pick up condescension, s'why I reacted the way I did.
The power of subjectivity in all its glory, I suppose.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:22 PM on March 24, 2006


*puts on waffle-stompers, goes and saves some ants*
posted by loquacious at 12:23 PM on March 24, 2006


Alvy Ampersand writes "I did pick up condescension, s'why I reacted the way I did."


You'll know better when you're older, son.
posted by orthogonality at 12:24 PM on March 24, 2006


*declares hatred and desire for seccession from genetic line, slams bedroom, blasts Pink Floyd*
posted by cortex at 12:31 PM on March 24, 2006


Bedroom door.
posted by cortex at 12:31 PM on March 24, 2006


Where's Steve@? Did he go to DailyKos to read DailyKos?
posted by orthogonality at 1:02 PM on March 24, 2006


more or less, what dios said.

also, we recycle tons of BoingBoing stuff every day and Stevie never whines about that. I wonder why.
posted by matteo at 1:09 PM on March 24, 2006


I read it the same way as cortex and Alvy did.

I'm also remembering many of the similar comments orthogonality has made about Steve and anyone else who doesn't follow his political views in the past. If orthogonality is trying to bury the hatchet now or let water flower under the bridge, making a comment along the lines of "maybe he's too young to understand" is bullshit. It reads as fake to me.

And the reason why it also reads as fake to me is that I know Steve's background, I've had many talks with him about politics and though we disagree, he knows his history.

An idiot is someone who claims to understand that which he has no knowledge of (that's my definition at least). I could forgive ortho if he actually cared about figuring out Steve's background, but he doesn't. If he did, he wouldn't have made those bullshit statements about his age or his education. The backpedaling made by ortho later in the thread supports my point, I believe. Why not ask about Steve's education (and his age if that matters) at first rather than launch into an attack on Steve's imagined background?

So yes, I still feel that othro's an idiot. But that's subjective. Others might think otherwise.
posted by Stynxno at 1:40 PM on March 24, 2006


...and i kept mispelling orthogonality's name (or abbr. of it).

now i feel like an idiot.
posted by Stynxno at 1:41 PM on March 24, 2006


I'm going to callout this callout.
posted by shmegegge at 2:02 PM on March 24, 2006


Stynxno writes "I know Steve's background, I've had many talks with him about politics and though we disagree, he knows his history. "

Just to get this straight, Stynxno, is it your contention is that Steve knew who Ellsburg was and what the Pentagon Parers were when he made this call-out?
posted by orthogonality at 2:03 PM on March 24, 2006


Really, the issue of spelling is othrogonal to the point.

HEY EVERYBODY BEER OVER AT ROLLBIZ'S PLACE
posted by cortex at 2:03 PM on March 24, 2006


*forgets about Kos, heads over to rollbiz's place*
posted by languagehat at 2:19 PM on March 24, 2006


SPRING BREAK!!!1! w0000t!!1!
posted by rocketman at 2:31 PM on March 24, 2006


No ortho, his contention is that you were being a smug dick and doing the "Kids these days, sheesh!" shtick with no justification whatsoever.
But once again, you miss the point.
And by "miss the point", I mean be purposely, tiresomely obtuse in yet another failed attempt to prove some amorphous point.
If I'm wrong and putting words in Stynxno's mouth, everyone's invited to my place for quiche and watered-down Tang.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:08 PM on March 24, 2006


No way. Last time I owed you guys one. But then cortex kept telling everyone he loved them and puked in the popcorn bowl, and languagehat kept hitting on my girlfriend.

If I see either one of you lushes, I'm callin' the cops. For real.
posted by rollbiz at 7:31 PM on March 24, 2006


For the last time, it wasn't my fault. Someone put popcorn in the puke bowl.
posted by cortex at 8:51 PM on March 24, 2006


no, no, no, guys ... it was pukecorn in the pop bowl

damn kids ...
posted by pyramid termite at 9:29 PM on March 24, 2006


Someone put popcorn in the puke bowl.

Someday, God willing...I WILL get to use this line in "morning-after" conversation.
posted by rollbiz at 10:04 PM on March 24, 2006


Damn. It's very, very, very important that you know and recognize the name "Ellsburg". Oh, sure, you may know about the Pentagon Papers in general, but what if there's a test??

And, Ortho, last I checked it was a liberal education that talked about being a knowledgable member of the polity and other such lofty things. An illiberal education would more likely be concerned with things like the right steel to use in a bridge and such. Assuming that category (illiberal) is useful or meaningful, which I don't. If it's meaningful, it's meaningful in the context of politcal science, or lay political science, and means something like fascism.

In any event, the contention that learning about the Pentagon Papers is a necessary component of any university education is just silly.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:53 PM on March 24, 2006


rollbiz, I can't help it if your girlfriend finds it sexy when I talk Russian. Gotta agree about cortex, though; it was a real pain in the ass washing the puke off the popcorn when I got the munchies at 2 AM.
posted by languagehat at 6:09 AM on March 25, 2006


Let's not give orthogonality too hard a time. Perhaps I've been too hard on him as well.

As I understand it, he's an insecure paranoiac fixated on hiding his identity (I believe I've read some comments indicating he has been institutionalized, but I think orthogonality has said that's not the case). But in any case, he's far too imbalanced to handle a rational discussion or to admit when he's wrong.

And isn't orthogonality a geriatric or something? It really isn't surprising that an old man in a US retirement home with no college education might spend his few remaining days being passive aggressive on the Internet -- it's a scandal, but it's not surprising.


See? It's fun. Let's all play.
posted by Krrrlson at 3:00 PM on March 25, 2006


See? It's fun. Let's all play.
posted by Krrrlson at 3:00 PM PST on March 25


I hear Optimus Chyme is a banned member's sockpuppet. Hey, it is fun.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 3:17 PM on March 25, 2006


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