freerepublic is watching February 2, 2002 7:09 PM Subscribe
Man, them's some smart freepers.
And LOUD too!
Honestly, let's ignore them.
posted by Kafkaesque at 7:13 PM on February 2, 2002
"Metafilter Maroons" is good though. Could be a great name for a MeFi softball team, perhaps.
posted by jonmc at 7:14 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by jkottke at 7:17 PM on February 2, 2002
I agree, the discourse on either site could be described in a similar way, I just couldn't imagine any helpful overlap between the two sites. It's best that sleeping dogs lie in their respective beds.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 7:23 PM on February 2, 2002
"I dunno. I'm just glad I'm me and not them. CC :)"
"So what? A bunch of goons on another board are idiots, big deal. Who cares?"
"You really need to bring their smears over here?"
hmmm..... they remind me of my two dogs, fighting to be petted first in the morning, or to get the first bite of dog grain. sorry, just my first thoughts on it.
posted by Kafei at 7:25 PM on February 2, 2002
Please don't think that way, man. This place may get screwy every once in a while, but for the most part it's accomplishing it's goal.
And for a lot of us(myself included), it's just about the only outlet we have for our greivances, creative impulses, desire to broaden our horizons or whatever it is that drives me to post here.
Believe me, no matter how silly we act sometimes, those Freepers compare to MeFites the way Bob Ross compares to Picasso(or at least a real good graffitti artist.)
posted by jonmc at 7:30 PM on February 2, 2002
Thank god I didn't comment in that thread.
posted by dong_resin at 7:36 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by adampsyche at 7:36 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by y2karl at 7:37 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by owillis at 7:46 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by Real9 at 8:14 PM on February 2, 2002
This was posted by Bullish on the linked thread. I agree. Each to his own. The difference being, of course, that they're a sectarian bunch of tossers, whereas we here rejoice in our diversity.
Well, not rejoice, but... ;)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:18 PM on February 2, 2002
Um...
Ewwwwwww.
I feel so...violated, somehow...
posted by metrocake at 8:44 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by zempf at 8:46 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:50 PM on February 2, 2002
Referrer redirect.
Oralse.cx.
(Or goatse if you're feeling vengeful.)
posted by darukaru at 8:53 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by Hildago at 8:58 PM on February 2, 2002
I've worn ass-less leather pants as a lark to a bar, only to find out upon arival it is a gay bar
So many jokes...so little time.
posted by kirkaracha at 9:01 PM on February 2, 2002
Give 12 Freepers 12 typewriters and eventually they will come up with the word "EXCREMEMTS". I'm surprised they can even turn on their computers, what with the 12-gauge shotguns in each hand.
And dong_resin, I would get the Freeper icky feeling if I wore ass-less leather pants to a bar on a lark and found out it WASN'T a gay bar.
shudder
posted by evanizer at 9:17 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by sudama at 9:18 PM on February 2, 2002
In their case, I think both are equally possible explanations.
posted by evanizer at 9:21 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by sudama at 9:24 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by Lynsey at 9:29 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by jessamyn at 9:49 PM on February 2, 2002
Wow, I don't see that at all. We're much better! Am I that buried in my own stupidity?
posted by chaz at 9:59 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by darukaru at 10:13 PM on February 2, 2002
I honestly have no real idea what I meant.
posted by dong_resin at 10:17 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by whatnotever at 10:18 PM on February 2, 2002
You are all so very young here. When I was a kid, watching black-and-white TV in the 50s, I saw all sorts of Warner Brothers cartoons made in the 30s and 40s that would never be shown today, except in film festivals with disclaimers and quotation marks. Scenes of African tribeswomen with ringed elongated necks and plate sized lip plugs singing 'IGot Rhythm' and that sort of thing were par for the course. Bug Bunny could have said it, yes, but it could mean a moron and still have connotations in the cartoons implied in the link I posted above. As to whether CheneyChick understood it in that sense, it's a toss up. Would she have cared if she did know, well... Consider the source in context.
posted by y2karl at 10:32 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by EngineBeak at 10:34 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by owillis at 10:50 PM on February 2, 2002
But I essentially agree with your remarks re jkottke.
posted by y2karl at 11:02 PM on February 2, 2002
However, given Bugs's tendency to comically mispronounce words, like "what an ignoranimus" or "what a nincowpoop" [Mr. Bunny's emphasis], I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and say "maroon" is his mispronunciation of "moron." But you're right, it could mean both "maroons" at once.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:37 PM on February 2, 2002
posted by kirkaracha at 11:45 PM on February 2, 2002
Which was my point. But, as your links show, the situation is complex insofar as interpetation is concerned, which is why the concept of political correctness is so controversial.
"All This and Rabbit Stew." 1941. "Bugs outwits a black hunter by challenging him to a game of craps, eventually winning all of his clothes."
I saw this many times. The older ensemble WB musical cartoons with no frontline characters that I saw on afternoon TV were much farther out by modern tastes, with impersonations of Edward G Robinson and Tallulah Bankhead--like any kids my age then knew from Tallulah Bankhead!--tossed in with "And now from Deepest, Darkest Africa..."
You have no idea how much things have changed within my own lifetime.
And yes, MetaFilter Maroons, as well as Bugs' utterances, could mean having it both ways.
posted by y2karl at 12:15 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by EngineBeak at 1:01 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by Mack Twain at 2:33 AM on February 3, 2002
Perhaps, viewed from the lofty heights of one's A-list penthouse whilst sipping a crisp champagne, the levels of discourse are the same ;0)
posted by walrus at 2:48 AM on February 3, 2002
Gawsrh! Yuh mean me?
::blush::hyuck hyuck hyuckitty hyuck hyuck hyuck!
I cannot believe you're so old
Christ, neither can I...
posted by y2karl at 2:57 AM on February 3, 2002
Matt, they should have to get permission to reproduce that from you. At least the images on top, and permission from every single post author ..
© 2000-2001 The MetaFilter Network
All posts are © their original authors.
Any lawyers?
posted by j.edwards at 3:20 AM on February 3, 2002
there are no atheists in foxholes..... ;-)
posted by bunnyfire at 3:40 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by y2karl at 3:58 AM on February 3, 2002
Nope, just functioning assemblages of organic matter with survival mechanisms and various selfish tendencies explainable by the necessity of these mechanisms for fuel.
posted by j.edwards at 4:06 AM on February 3, 2002
I honestly have no real idea what I meant.
Since the ass-less leather pants meme is rampant all over MeFi I suggest the origin of dong_resin's inspirational flash was this fine, dry piece of reportage by Shelleyness.
I can't remember when I first saw it but it's still one of funniest things I've ever read on the Internet. Be sure to go through to the last page. ;)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:08 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by rcade at 6:37 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by MrBaliHai at 7:07 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by feelinglistless at 7:10 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by feelinglistless at 7:10 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by feelinglistless at 7:10 AM on February 3, 2002
Man, that was some serious back hair.
posted by dong_resin at 9:30 AM on February 3, 2002
$240,000 a year?! I just went to the MeFi paypal link and Matt has received a grand total of $3,472 in donations. Wow. That's just wrong.
I wonder if the freepers have a sugar daddy...
posted by lizs at 11:42 AM on February 3, 2002
posted by Perigee at 11:52 AM on February 3, 2002
"Excellent; soon the Freep Alliance will force a vote of no confidence in Matt Haughley, and I will soon control Metafilter." He faced his lapdog with a smile of satisfaction.
"At last we will reveal ourselves to the Mefites. At last we will have revenge... Make it so, Master!"
"Soon, my young apprentice. Soon. Why aren't you standing in the water, guarding the ford?"
"The water.. it was cold, Master. The catfish were biting my legs..."
"Give me no excuses," The Dark Lord hissed, "Return."
Returning his attention to the datastream, he watched the comments flow by innocently. The scientologists were late...
posted by Perigee at 4:29 PM on February 3, 2002
I had written out some potential FR slogans, but they sort of made me sick so I deleted them.
posted by joemaller at 1:31 AM on February 4, 2002
posted by joemaller at 1:35 AM on February 4, 2002
posted by sheauga at 7:31 AM on February 4, 2002
Damn, why am I asking you people? It's not like I care what you want me to do or not.
I guess it's just out of a perverse desire to know as opposed to care. Because I'm going to do it anyway.
It's just that all those repsonses where just so.. um, stupid. I mean, at least most of you make some sort of argument that could be considered valid in your own minds outside of 'pure excrement.'
posted by rich at 1:03 PM on February 4, 2002
posted by dong_resin at 1:25 PM on February 4, 2002
Sheesh. Newbies.
(grin)
(duck)
posted by rich at 1:46 PM on February 4, 2002
This really hasn't been my thread.
Time for punnishment.
*submits to restraint chair ala Clockwork Orange, forces self to watch "i am sam" repeatedly*
Gah! it burns...
posted by dong_resin at 4:28 PM on February 4, 2002
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:31 AM on February 5, 2002
I posted a rather well-reasoned repsonse, without attacking anyone, asking what 'truth' CheneyChick was talking about and what was so moronic about stating that Bush's ratings were artificially high.
Post 7 removed by moderator.
Within a hour.
posted by rich at 2:03 PM on February 5, 2002
posted by crunchland at 3:27 PM on February 5, 2002
posted by Kafkaesque at 3:34 PM on February 5, 2002
posted by kindall at 4:44 PM on February 5, 2002
For what it's worth, there's no love lost for the moderators over there by the Freepers themselves, either. The moderators are completely anonymous (no one mod even knows who any of the others are) and answer to nobody but the site's owner, and practically every active participant there's had reponses and even entire threads yanked at least once. It doesn't help that the rules are loosely-written enough that no two moderators will interpret them the same way; you can complain about a post at noon and get no response at all, and make the same complaint at 5 pm and see it yanked within 30 seconds.
In any case, if anyone here believes that any post even slightly critical of Bush, go over there and read any thread about libertarian politics; Bush gets it worse there every day from hundreds of posters than he even does here. And if you think liberals are automatically ejected, well, go search for any posts by someone named "MurrayMom," who is such an incredibly virulent Bush-hater that a lot of people wonder if she has actual mental problems, but she's been there for years, posting away happily ... well, okay, angrily. There are dozens of other examples; she's merely the most amusing one.
posted by aaron at 5:40 PM on February 5, 2002
posted by Charmian at 6:45 PM on February 5, 2002
The mods don't even know who the others are, and only the [Fearless] leader of the site knows who the mods are? Wow, that's really creepy in an Illuminati/Secret Police sense. But then, Freepville has long been a creepy sort of place in a vague, "The Wave" kind of way.
posted by hincandenza at 7:25 PM on February 5, 2002
Personally, I don't care all that much except that it just proves that there are stupid, scared people out there that have little ability to do anything other than criticize other people while not having any real thoughts of their own.
I was hoping to find out what, exactly, was their big problem, and what their opinion was other than shit, but I guess I was asking for too much.
posted by rich at 8:32 PM on February 5, 2002
FR says right on its front page that its purpose is to be "an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web." It is not, and never was, intended as a general left-vs-right political debate site. Some debate is allowed by those liberals that have earned it (by signing up, being active readers for a while and then posting in non-disruptive fashion), but that's it. If you barge through the door and start making left-wing-oriented posts in a long-dead thread five seconds later, it's pretty much de facto proof you're not there with the intention of being a productive member, but rather because someone somewhere out there pointed you to that specific thread and said "go get 'em!" (And I'll point out that Metafilter operates under similar principles: New members cannot make FPPs at all without having been a member for at least a week, reading threads and getting a feel for the place, and then posting some comments in a few threads. And many newbies that come here and start making even slightly controversial posts within minutes or hours after registering have had their memberships questioned here in MetaTalk.)
I was hoping to find out what, exactly, was their big problem, and what their opinion was other than shit, but I guess I was asking for too much.
This sentence is precisely why your post was nuked, even if that post was indeed unoffensive and rational: Because 98% of the people that do what you did (sign up, make a beeline for a specific thread within seconds and start posting from a left-wing perspective) end up doing what you just did here: making trolling "your opinions are shit/you people have no ability to do anything other than blah blah blah" posts within minutes of receiving their first responses. The moderators knew what was coming, and decided to nip it in the bud.
It's strange that they need anonymous mods. Do they run it that way to avoid accusations of personal moderator bias?
Yes, that's part of the reason. It's also so that they themselves will not get special treatment for their own posts by other moderators, and so that nobody would even think they were.
If you want to know more about the FR moderation system, check out this thread. The article at the beginning explains the whole thing, including the massive trolling problems they have to deal with.
(Isn't moderation done anonymously on /. too?)
posted by aaron at 9:36 PM on February 5, 2002
It wasn't a trolling post, and just because I signed up and zeroed in on that thread is NOT de facto 'proof' that I was there with the intention of being a disruptive, as opposed to productive member.
I'm not some net or BBS newbie.
(and just as a note - I wasn't making what would have been comparable to a front page post here, I was making a comment, and a rational one. It wasn't even left-wing, it was 'uh, if you don't agree with it, then what is your opinion on the issue?')
posted by rich at 6:26 AM on February 6, 2002
This sucks, honestly. Seeing this just now, it's like seeing a company you created mentioned on a new thread at FuckedCompany, where all the members are saying "yeah, that company sucks! Let's bring it dooooown!"
Why did they copy the html and graphics?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 7:11 PM on February 2, 2002