Repetitive Repetition January 10, 2008 9:53 AM   Subscribe

In the sidebar it says "Recent Past Meetups". Isn't that a case of an unnecessary word? Wouldn't "Recent Meetups" be just as accurate?

From my understanding of the english language, "recent" always means "in the past". Removing the word "past" would save on bandwidth, eliminate clutter, and quite possibly solve world hunger.
posted by blue_beetle to MetaFilter Gatherings at 9:53 AM (56 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

We called it "recent past meetups" to differentiate it from the full past meetups page that goes back showing many meetup threads. "recent" in this case means just in the past couple weeks.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:00 AM on January 10, 2008


Your post says "In the sidebar it says 'Recent Past Meetups'." Isn't that a case of an unnecessary word or two? Wouldn't "The sidebar says 'Recent Past Meetups' " be just as accurate?
posted by dersins at 10:00 AM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]


I think we should also have a "Recent Pluperfect Meetups" page, for meetups that recently had been going to have happened.
posted by burnmp3s at 10:03 AM on January 10, 2008 [28 favorites]


I took out the word "past".
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:04 AM on January 10, 2008


I have a formal request: would everyone please use as few words as possible in all of their comments and FPP's? I am having trouble reading metafilter on my cell phone.
posted by tehloki at 10:04 AM on January 10, 2008 [2 favorites]


K
posted by Brockles at 10:07 AM on January 10, 2008 [3 favorites]


I don't know what this is about, but I agree with the orginal poster.
posted by blue_beetle at 10:10 AM on January 10, 2008 [3 favorites]


The word "recent" derives from "Reese scent," which means you smell of peanuts and chocolate. Fact!
posted by Abiezer at 10:23 AM on January 10, 2008 [3 favorites]


Is the world hungry, or is the set of what the world constitutes hungry, or is a subset of the world's components hungry? Nevermind whether deleting an unnecessary word can somehow induce nourishment; I am simply asking that we enforce semantic rigor.
posted by ardgedee at 10:23 AM on January 10, 2008


tehloki, do you do all your mass-favoriting from your cell phone as well? You are one slick cat!
posted by iamkimiam at 10:30 AM on January 10, 2008


tehloki is suk; i ban
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:40 AM on January 10, 2008 [2 favorites]


I think we should also have a "Recent Pluperfect Meetups" page, for meetups that recently had been going to have happened.

Sounds like you're talking about the future perfect, not the pluperfect.
posted by dersins at 10:40 AM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]


blue beetle, the first definition in your link is:

' being new in a time not long past; "recent graduates"; "a recent addition to the house"; "recent buds on the apple trees" '


This means you are wrong and we can now mock your name, comments, honor, education, writing style, political affiliation and sexual prowess for the rest of the day. Thank you!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:45 AM on January 10, 2008


I am of the opinion that blue beetle's political affiliation and sexual prowess for the rest of the day is woefully unimpressive.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:47 AM on January 10, 2008


Sadly, I too hold that opinion.
posted by blue_beetle at 10:48 AM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]


I ask trepidly: What say Mefi on recent future perfect meetup links? Are they appropriate for the scene?
posted by grateful at 10:53 AM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]


If we mocked every minor improvement that went on around here... we'd be doing about as much mocking as we already are
posted by 0xFCAF at 10:54 AM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]


I'm so glad we've got six months to discuss this.
posted by chrismear at 11:01 AM on January 10, 2008 [3 favorites]


I'm so glad we've got six months to discuss this.

Oh. Huh. Lifehack.

Well, see you in July.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:06 AM on January 10, 2008


I would mock blue_beetle for the rest of the day, but I discovered in the recent past that we hail from the same town. I stand with him in solidarity. Together we shall form the department of redundancy department.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:16 AM on January 10, 2008


Grammar police
Arrest this man
He talks in "pasts"
He fudges his English
He's like a detuned podcast, oh
posted by katillathehun at 11:27 AM on January 10, 2008 [2 favorites]


never used baby shoes: If it helps, I'm an Oilers fan.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:37 AM on January 10, 2008


This is what you get
This is what you got
This is what you will have gotten
When you meeeeeessss with teeeeeense
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:41 AM on January 10, 2008 [6 favorites]


Shouldn't it be meetsup?
posted by Armitage Shanks at 11:59 AM on January 10, 2008 [2 favorites]


Is this the last post or is can we still flog this dead horse?
posted by Mister_A at 12:05 PM on January 10, 2008


I meant comment, not post.
posted by Mister_A at 12:05 PM on January 10, 2008


You is can if you are do hurry.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 12:15 PM on January 10, 2008


never used baby shoes: If it helps, I'm an Oilers fan.

Then, sir, I mock you. Repeatedly and repetitively.
posted by never used baby shoes at 12:28 PM on January 10, 2008


You can tell the quality of a poster by the quality of his mock.
posted by carsonb at 12:41 PM on January 10, 2008


Actually, I just like saying mock.

Mock mock
mock mock
mock mock!
posted by carsonb at 12:46 PM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]


*pours out a blorty on the curb*
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:52 PM on January 10, 2008


Smock smock smock smock!
posted by ooga_booga at 1:28 PM on January 10, 2008


quonsar is an afterthought, blasphemy 'round these parts I know, but Hobbes is first in my mind there.
"WHAT ON EARTH IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
*pegs cortex with the ball*
HA! I'm in the corollary zone! If I catch the reference, cortex has to bend over and hold still!
posted by carsonb at 1:30 PM on January 10, 2008


Your post says "In the sidebar it says 'Recent Past Meetups'." Isn't that a case of an unnecessary word or two? Wouldn't "The sidebar says 'Recent Past Meetups' " be just as accurate? (dersins)

The sidebar doesn't say anything, unless your Internet is more talkative than mine.
posted by Rock Steady at 1:42 PM on January 10, 2008


Well, neither does "it," whatever "it" is.

Unless you have a text-to-speech browser plugin, of course.
posted by dersins at 1:53 PM on January 10, 2008


Sometimes I wish my Internet would just shut the hell up.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:54 PM on January 10, 2008


cortex- you knew it was dangerous when you took the job.
posted by Cranberry at 2:10 PM on January 10, 2008


Gd knws tht wld ht t ncnvnnc thlk (Grtngs! Hv y tn rt td?), bt nyn wh rds MF n thr cll phn hs sm rl sl srchng t d. Mr vrbst, pls. h, nd brng bck nln mgs.
posted by maudlin at 2:13 PM on January 10, 2008


Matt told me sweet, sweet lies. A snake, a salesman, a devil with an iPhone.

I look over the field of broken promises and dream of simpler days: when flagging meant quiet satisfaction, not squinting and cursing; when flameouts meant entertainiment, not babysitting; when yelling at people was unimpeachable, not unprofessional. O halcyon youth, o surrendered innocence!

I am George Bailey, at the bridge, and Clarence has been delayed indefinitely.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:18 PM on January 10, 2008


A whine of posters.

Astro Zombie writes "San Diego is German for 'A Whale's Frozen Vagina.'" You're so wise. You're like a total waste of internets. It's not like they're making any more of them, you know.
posted by never used baby shoes at 2:31 PM on January 10, 2008


Stay classy, baby shoes.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 3:11 PM on January 10, 2008


Just to be clear, Armitage, that was a mashup generated from MarkovFilter, which I think both carsonb and cortex used in this thread as well. I posted this particular one because it actually looks like a semi-coherent flame, which was probably a mistake.
posted by never used baby shoes at 3:49 PM on January 10, 2008


Heh. And I thought you were just being weird. That is a shade too coherent.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:50 PM on January 10, 2008


When I'm being weird, no one understands me and nothing is coherent. And my wife rolls her eyes and sighs heavily.
posted by never used baby shoes at 3:53 PM on January 10, 2008


Wait a minute. My sidebar just says "Recent Meetups"...
posted by Bort at 4:00 PM on January 10, 2008


My sidebar is serving gin.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 4:02 PM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]


My sidebar has been drinking, not me.
posted by heresiarch at 4:15 PM on January 10, 2008 [2 favorites]


Sometimes I wish my Internet would just shut the hell up.

Try unsubscribing from Google.
posted by ersatz at 4:49 PM on January 10, 2008 [1 favorite]


If we changed it to "decent past meetups," we'd have to exclude meetups where e'eryone gets all nekkid!
posted by ORthey at 5:30 PM on January 10, 2008


Recent Metups
posted by Skorgu at 5:42 PM on January 10, 2008


Can anyone get partially nekkid? I mean, isn't nekkid an absolute state? If you're nekkid, you're nekkid, is what I'm sayin'.
posted by cgc373 at 6:40 PM on January 10, 2008


My arms and head are nekkid. The rest of me ain't.
posted by ardgedee at 6:55 PM on January 10, 2008


Not MarkovFilter, just paraphrasing C&H. [to say not 'saying'—DAMN!]
posted by carsonb at 6:59 PM on January 10, 2008


Can anyone get partially nekkid? I mean, isn't nekkid an absolute state? If you're nekkid, you're nekkid, is what I'm sayin'.

I think 'partially nekkid' means that the fun parts, alsop known as 'recreational organs,' are showing in some fashion.
posted by jonmc at 7:36 PM on January 10, 2008


Ewww. Your epidermis is showing.
posted by Sparx at 3:42 AM on January 11, 2008


cortex wrote: can somebody update me on Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Guru Dev?

Glad you asked, boss! Here are the links you requested:posted by Meatbomb at 3:46 AM on January 11, 2008 [2 favorites]


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