Silence is the best policy September 16, 2009 9:33 AM   Subscribe

So it turns out if they close your AskMeFi after 3 minutes, they take your week from you. If anyone is interested.

It's very easy to run afoul of metafilter.
posted by jfrancis to Etiquette/Policy at 9:33 AM (52 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite

So how does it feel to be SILENCED FOR A WHOLE WEEK?!?!?
posted by yhbc at 9:33 AM on September 16, 2009 [21 favorites]


OH THE HUMANITY!!!!
posted by chugg at 9:34 AM on September 16, 2009


What now?
posted by fixedgear at 9:34 AM on September 16, 2009


We must not let this stand!!! Take up arms against the mods! Burn it to the ground! Let nothing stand!
posted by xmutex at 9:35 AM on September 16, 2009


ciao
posted by jfrancis at 9:37 AM on September 16, 2009


What? They've stopped doing the cattle prod to the bollocks? MetaFilter is getting far too soft and easy-going. Plus I miss the tingling.
posted by Abiezer at 9:37 AM on September 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


Disabling your account is the easy way out!!
posted by chugg at 9:38 AM on September 16, 2009


If you ask a question, you're done for a week. The mods have no control over how well/poorly you asked it.

Complaining about it on Metatalk is not going to change the policy.
posted by misha at 9:38 AM on September 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


Can someone link to this fellah/gal's deleted question so I can accurately gauge just how funny this is?
posted by Bookhouse at 9:39 AM on September 16, 2009 [6 favorites]


They are EVIL!
posted by eyeballkid at 9:39 AM on September 16, 2009


"On what basis can you make the argument that health care is a right?" on its own probably would have made it.

The "These arguments of mine are persuasive, amirite?" stuff that came after is what doomed it.
posted by Joe Beese at 9:39 AM on September 16, 2009


Since I'm here, btw, my deleted posts script isn't working any more. I'm on the latest version of Firefox, Mac 10.4.infinitysomething. Any ideas? KTHXBYE
posted by misha at 9:39 AM on September 16, 2009


Fastest flameout ever. Four minutes from MeTa to 'ciao.' Kudos.
posted by fixedgear at 9:40 AM on September 16, 2009 [4 favorites]


worst.flameout.ever.
posted by gman at 9:40 AM on September 16, 2009


Wow.
posted by WPW at 9:41 AM on September 16, 2009


It's very easy to run a fowl on metafilter.
posted by neroli at 9:42 AM on September 16, 2009


Wow, it's like a bad AskMe and a bad blue FPP all rolled into one!
posted by futureisunwritten at 9:44 AM on September 16, 2009 [4 favorites]


* sticks hands in pocket, rocks on feet *
So you've decided to run away from home, champ?
Well, your mother and I will miss you. I'll have her prepare you a box lunch and we'll get you a handkerchief for a bindle.
posted by boo_radley at 9:45 AM on September 16, 2009 [18 favorites]


Yeah- I've had two questions deleted for not really being questions. In both cases, I thought some members of the community were able to parse what I was getting at and give answers that weren't just chatfilter before the mods came down.

It's nice that you can mark an answer as best even in a deleted question/thread.

In the most recent case (brain crack), I thought about and rewrote the question for several days in order to make it fit the ask guidelines, but in addition to the direct question above the fold, I added a bunch of details about how that question applies to my situation that I think made it seem chatty. Perhaps if I'd taken the time to post a clarification last night it would have been saved, but I think for now I'll just write off Ask as not for me unless I have a less advice-y and more specific help-y question.
posted by morganw at 9:45 AM on September 16, 2009


Lighten up, jfrancis.
posted by TedW at 9:46 AM on September 16, 2009 [59 favorites]


Oh, honey.
posted by dirtdirt at 9:46 AM on September 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


Hi, I'm back. Turns out--funny story--I had Greasemonkey disabled and didn't know it.

What'd I miss?
posted by misha at 9:47 AM on September 16, 2009


Ciao, bella.
posted by Abiezer at 9:47 AM on September 16, 2009


"They" being the cabal? How perfectly sinister.
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 9:48 AM on September 16, 2009


JFrancis, the purpose is to prevent a posting war, with the you-type person posting the question again and the mods deleting it again, and again, and again, and again...
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:49 AM on September 16, 2009


If anyone is interested.


Go on.......

No, not really.
posted by mrmojoflying at 9:50 AM on September 16, 2009


*takes off glasses, taps pen on notepad*

And how does that make you feel?
posted by Solon and Thanks at 9:51 AM on September 16, 2009 [4 favorites]


How is asking a question on Ask MeFi without getting a 7 day ban a right?

I'm not trying to dispute these issues. I'm actually looking for rhetorical ammo. Can you be a little think tank and suggest some ways to talk about these issues? (If you disagree, jump in if you like, but lets keep everything calm in the thread)

Why is asking a question on Ask MeFi a right? Can the constitution be used to support this idea?

Moderators have some argument about how flamy commentoquestions on Ask MeFi cannot be a right because it forces others to work to provide you your right - which also means you can lose that right. Does that hold water? Do people complain about the phrase, 'you have a right to an attorney...?'

I usually do some hand waving about the 'Right to LIFE, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness' from the Declaration of Independence, or 'providing for the common defense,' (fighting poor health is akin to fighting attackers) or promoting the general welfare...

...and while we are at it...

Why are abortions legal, and what's up with those uppity negroes anyway, anyone know why they like this 'jazz' and 'rap music'?

I usually quote Adam Nagourney.

...and finally...

Any other point you'd like to make - particularly if it contradicts GOP talking points, and particularly if you can support it with a clear argument beyond 'I think it's the right thing to do.'
posted by felix at 9:51 AM on September 16, 2009 [6 favorites]


The mods can take my week away from me without any of this question-asking business. This week is lame.
posted by juliplease at 9:53 AM on September 16, 2009 [7 favorites]


neroli - I thought for sure you were linking to the infamous chicken-sticking picture

.... which I've never seen, as it happens. *single tear*

This is the fastest, weirdest flameout ever.
posted by EatTheWeek at 9:53 AM on September 16, 2009


We must not let this stand!!! Take up arms against the mods! Burn it to the ground! Let nothing stand!
posted by xmutex


I'm wearing my AR-15 to this MetaTalk thread, not because I'm going to necessarily shoot a mod, but because IT'S MY SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHT and THIS IS AMERICA. Also, I'm opposed to the mods new proposal to send deleted question askers to death panels and also socialism.
posted by ignignokt at 9:54 AM on September 16, 2009 [13 favorites]


Y'know, I would have had some sympathy if you popped up and said "I had a question deleted after only a couple of minutes, and I admit I phrased it poorly, but it'd be nice if I could have a do-over instead of being locked out for a week."

That could lead to a discussion about why the policy is there, and how it applies to you or fringe cases that just toe over the acceptable line. Which would be, on the whole, probably good for the site at least as a reference next time somebody complains about the same thing.

But this whole passive-aggressive thing... meh. Not so much.

I do, however, have this awesome little secret story in my mind about your "ciao," which involves Cortex giving you some sort of BAN COUNTDOWN and you only having FIVE SECONDS to sign off before the hammer comes down.
posted by Shepherd at 9:55 AM on September 16, 2009 [3 favorites]


He/She was here since 2006 and quit over a single AskMe deletion?
posted by octothorpe at 9:55 AM on September 16, 2009


jfrancis on MetaTalk: 1 post, 1 comment
posted by smackfu at 9:56 AM on September 16, 2009


[...] they take your week from you.

Well, I'm having a bad week so far. Does this mean if I post a delete-worthy question to AskMeFi, the mods will take the rest of this week off my hands? Because that would be great.
posted by FishBike at 9:57 AM on September 16, 2009 [2 favorites]


TO THE BARRICADES MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NO REST UNTIL THE LAST MOD IS STRANGLED WITH THE ENTRAILS OF THE LAST SYSOP! THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS AND IT RUNS OS X 10.5.7!
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:58 AM on September 16, 2009 [7 favorites]


"They" being the cabal? How perfectly sinister.

I heard they are sending one of their agents all over the country this month to implant all of us with tracking chips. You can tell where he's been by the chemtrails.
posted by burnmp3s at 9:58 AM on September 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


I no longer click on any chicken-themed links from my computer at work. Jessamyn ruined that for me forever.
posted by mds35 at 9:58 AM on September 16, 2009


Since this issue caused the member to loudly and dramatically close his/her account, clearly he/she was in the right.
posted by The Gooch at 10:01 AM on September 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


Is Eeyore or Butters a better voice-style to perform this post in? I can't decide.
posted by EatTheWeek at 10:02 AM on September 16, 2009


I have an infection in my right testicle that is preventing me from sleeping, working and doing most of the things that a normal, functioning person does. Just, you know, if you fancied swapping weeks with me or something.
posted by Jofus at 10:05 AM on September 16, 2009 [3 favorites]


Why care if they take your week from you if you are only going to take forever from yourself?
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 10:05 AM on September 16, 2009


Hang in there, FishBike.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 10:05 AM on September 16, 2009


Aw, c'mon jfrancis! It's called a flameout, not a lameout!

"They take your week from you"? Really? Whoa! So, you mean, like, the limit on how many questions you get to ask per week actually limits the number of questions you get to ask in a week? Who knew!?
posted by Sys Rq at 10:08 AM on September 16, 2009


I wonder if it's the Jfrancis who makes those Girls Gone Wild videos.
posted by box at 10:08 AM on September 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


Taking weeks from people: not just for alien abductions anymore.
posted by ORthey at 10:09 AM on September 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


Metafilter: It's very easy to run afoul of.
posted by owtytrof at 10:09 AM on September 16, 2009


This is me rolling my eyes.
posted by rtha at 10:11 AM on September 16, 2009


Christ, what the hell does a guy need to do to get a front seat at a decent flameout? jfrancis is the Mike Tyson of flameouts - it's over before it even began.

Aw, c'mon jfrancis! It's called a flameout, not a lameout!

HAW HAW
posted by GuyZero at 10:11 AM on September 16, 2009


His posting history seems fine. Maybe jfrancis is just having a really bad day. And judging from some of these comments, it seems that a lot of us are in the same boat.
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:11 AM on September 16, 2009 [2 favorites]


The deleted thread, in case you are curious.
posted by grouse at 10:12 AM on September 16, 2009


Not really anywhere for this to go what with the account closure, so I'm going to go ahead and close this up.

jfrancis, if this is feeling like not such a big deal to you a little ways down the road, you know you're welcome to drop us a line and reactivate your account. This wasn't really a good way to attack the problem, but I know everybody has a bad day now and then so don't sweat it and talk to us later when you've cooled down if you like.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:14 AM on September 16, 2009 [23 favorites]


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