Gimme an E! Gimme an R! Gimme an I! Gimme a C! Gimme a B! What's that spell? I can't hear you -- what's that spell? October 2, 2010 11:55 AM Subscribe
I'm calling out ericb... for his awesome work in keeping appropriate news article links flowing into threads, sometimes even long after the activity has died down.
I find his contributions beyond value as he keeps stories and threads updated, provides deeper context through his links, and helps me develop a more round picture of how many things are being reported on and perceived by the media and the world at large. Thanks so much, ericb. You make MetaFilter a better place. I love what you do and hope you continue to devote your energy to doing it for a long time to come.
I find his contributions beyond value as he keeps stories and threads updated, provides deeper context through his links, and helps me develop a more round picture of how many things are being reported on and perceived by the media and the world at large. Thanks so much, ericb. You make MetaFilter a better place. I love what you do and hope you continue to devote your energy to doing it for a long time to come.
I say Huzzah!, and agree completely. The chap has a way of making me realize what an asshat I am at times, and I am a better person for that.
posted by timsteil at 11:58 AM on October 2, 2010
posted by timsteil at 11:58 AM on October 2, 2010
Yeah, whenever a thread pops up in my recent activity that's so old I'd almost forgotten about it, I know before I scroll down that the most recent comment will almost certainly be links to some relevant late-breaking news from ericb or homunculus. So, thanks guys.
posted by dersins at 12:02 PM on October 2, 2010 [11 favorites]
posted by dersins at 12:02 PM on October 2, 2010 [11 favorites]
While we're on the subject, I'd like to thank Rakim for being a microphone fiend.
posted by orville sash at 12:12 PM on October 2, 2010 [17 favorites]
posted by orville sash at 12:12 PM on October 2, 2010 [17 favorites]
I'd like to thank Sly falettinme be mice elf agin.
posted by box at 12:13 PM on October 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by box at 12:13 PM on October 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
Ditto dersins... I'd like to thank homunculus for the same thing.
posted by Zed at 12:26 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Zed at 12:26 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd like to say thanks to the duffel bag, the brown paper bag, and the Nike shoebox.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:26 PM on October 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:26 PM on October 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
Yup. These follow ups help combat the tendency that was expressed in a comment from some one I can't remember who said:
"The appropriate response to this is to be extremely outraged for two hours and then forget about it completely."
posted by Trochanter at 12:30 PM on October 2, 2010
"The appropriate response to this is to be extremely outraged for two hours and then forget about it completely."
posted by Trochanter at 12:30 PM on October 2, 2010
Also for not clogging up the joint with willy-nilly favoriting:
Favorites: 0
Favorited by others: 11025
posted by nevercalm at 12:31 PM on October 2, 2010
Favorites: 0
Favorited by others: 11025
posted by nevercalm at 12:31 PM on October 2, 2010
yo, ericb is the cntl-c to the cntl-v
posted by found missing at 12:31 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by found missing at 12:31 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Some kind of ....Gay News Robot.
posted by The Whelk at 12:34 PM on October 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 12:34 PM on October 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
While I'm here, I'd like to thank Mom and Dad--they knew the time.
posted by box at 12:35 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by box at 12:35 PM on October 2, 2010
More than 17,000 comments on the blue? My hat off to you, sir.
posted by grouse at 12:49 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by grouse at 12:49 PM on October 2, 2010
ericb is awesome. Huzzah!
posted by homunculus at 12:56 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by homunculus at 12:56 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I was about to come in here and say "eh, he's no homonculus," but he seems to have cut the muster. Or the mustard. Or something. Carry on, and keep up the links, both of yous.
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:33 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:33 PM on October 2, 2010
Agreed. ericb rules!
posted by defenestration at 1:35 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by defenestration at 1:35 PM on October 2, 2010
I was about to comment that homunculus does much the same thing (and also at MonkeyFilter where nothing closes), but he just showed up to praise ericb. Huzzah!
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:35 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:35 PM on October 2, 2010
ericb is one of the smartest and noblest things about MeFi. Good callout!
posted by Miko at 1:36 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by Miko at 1:36 PM on October 2, 2010
I'd like to thank all the little people but I can't because I had to have them all killed.
posted by philip-random at 1:43 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by philip-random at 1:43 PM on October 2, 2010
Also for not clogging up the joint with willy-nilly favoriting:
Favorites: 0
Favorited by others: 11025
Yes, he certainly doesn't have any "willy-nilly favorites," since he has no favorites at all.
Dios is the same way:
Favorites: 0
Favorited by others: 2147
I have trouble understanding how this is possible. Did they start using a Firefox plug-in to hide favorites immediately after favorites were introduced? They've both been on Metafilter since 2004 -- long before the mods let you hide favorites.
I mean, even if you firmly resolved to eschew favorites, I can't imagine never giving in to the urge to favorite an awesome comment.
posted by John Cohen at 1:48 PM on October 2, 2010
Favorites: 0
Favorited by others: 11025
Yes, he certainly doesn't have any "willy-nilly favorites," since he has no favorites at all.
Dios is the same way:
Favorites: 0
Favorited by others: 2147
I have trouble understanding how this is possible. Did they start using a Firefox plug-in to hide favorites immediately after favorites were introduced? They've both been on Metafilter since 2004 -- long before the mods let you hide favorites.
I mean, even if you firmly resolved to eschew favorites, I can't imagine never giving in to the urge to favorite an awesome comment.
posted by John Cohen at 1:48 PM on October 2, 2010
I mean, even if you firmly resolved to eschew favorites, I can't imagine never giving in to the urge to favorite an awesome comment.
Well, some people never favorite anything. Maybe they're secretly struggling against that urge a lot, maybe not. In a large crowd you're always going to have outliers. Takes all kinds.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:03 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, some people never favorite anything. Maybe they're secretly struggling against that urge a lot, maybe not. In a large crowd you're always going to have outliers. Takes all kinds.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:03 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm not logged in like 90% of the time. I'd assume lots of other people use the site that way? Maybe I'd use favorites more if I were logged in more (but then there'd also be a lot more links to Rupert Holmes videos, so you're all welcome, I guess).
posted by mintcake! at 2:14 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by mintcake! at 2:14 PM on October 2, 2010
Occasionally I notice someone who is only favoriting, or maybe 15 comments over 3 years and hundreds of favorites.
posted by mlis at 2:36 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by mlis at 2:36 PM on October 2, 2010
If I see a really old thread on the blue pop back up on Recent Activity, it's always ericb or homunculus. They're both fantastic assets to the community.
posted by immlass at 2:38 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by immlass at 2:38 PM on October 2, 2010
Some kind of ....Gay News Robot.
Somebody please buy ericb that as a sockpuppet.
posted by jonmc at 3:26 PM on October 2, 2010
Somebody please buy ericb that as a sockpuppet.
posted by jonmc at 3:26 PM on October 2, 2010
I was about to come in here and say "eh, he's no homonculus," but as onefellswoop points out...
posted by The Lady is a designer at 4:04 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by The Lady is a designer at 4:04 PM on October 2, 2010
I'm not logged in like 90% of the time. I'd assume lots of other people use the site that way?
What is this "logged out" you speak of? Is that the same as "dead"?
And yay ericb!
posted by rtha at 4:49 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
What is this "logged out" you speak of? Is that the same as "dead"?
And yay ericb!
posted by rtha at 4:49 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
This callout is long overdue.
Some articles ericb would post 20 links or more of background or followup reading. Unreal. It gives such a depth to the conversation.
ericb - thank you.
PS: is there any way to mine the infodump to find out the max number of links ericb has posted in one single thread? or the average number of links he adds per active thread?
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 6:28 PM on October 2, 2010
Some articles ericb would post 20 links or more of background or followup reading. Unreal. It gives such a depth to the conversation.
ericb - thank you.
PS: is there any way to mine the infodump to find out the max number of links ericb has posted in one single thread? or the average number of links he adds per active thread?
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 6:28 PM on October 2, 2010
John Cohen: "Also for not clogging up the joint with willy-nilly favoriting:
Favorites: 0
Favorited by others: 11025
...
I mean, even if you firmly resolved to eschew favorites, I can't imagine never giving in to the urge to favorite an awesome comment."
Mutant's the same way. Dude even best answers every answer in his askMefi questions. I guess it's some attempt to be impartial and avoid... playing favorites. That or he expects favorites to be the emergent currency once the US Treasury goes up in smoke.
posted by pwnguin at 6:53 PM on October 2, 2010
Favorites: 0
Favorited by others: 11025
...
I mean, even if you firmly resolved to eschew favorites, I can't imagine never giving in to the urge to favorite an awesome comment."
Mutant's the same way. Dude even best answers every answer in his askMefi questions. I guess it's some attempt to be impartial and avoid... playing favorites. That or he expects favorites to be the emergent currency once the US Treasury goes up in smoke.
posted by pwnguin at 6:53 PM on October 2, 2010
I'd like to thank all the little people, without whom I never would have become the megalomaniac I am today.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:55 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:55 PM on October 2, 2010
PS: is there any way to mine the infodump to find out the max number of links ericb has posted in one single thread? or the average number of links he adds per active thread?
There's no way to skim for actual links via the infodump, but you could go looking at comments in terms of how late they were in a thread to make a guess for when that might be happening.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:56 PM on October 2, 2010
There's no way to skim for actual links via the infodump, but you could go looking at comments in terms of how late they were in a thread to make a guess for when that might be happening.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:56 PM on October 2, 2010
Typically classy hippybear, pointing out how much someone else enriches this site.
Oh, and ericb, I'm grateful to you all the time, too. You educate me more in almost every thread. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
posted by bearwife at 6:58 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh, and ericb, I'm grateful to you all the time, too. You educate me more in almost every thread. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
posted by bearwife at 6:58 PM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
*throws underwear and room key at ericb*
They weren't mine, found them outside a Dairy Queen.
posted by nomadicink at 8:08 PM on October 2, 2010
They weren't mine, found them outside a Dairy Queen.
posted by nomadicink at 8:08 PM on October 2, 2010
Magnanimous to the core he doesn't favorite any one particular comment because we are all his favorites.
For this I nominate ericb for the title* of Metafilter Mom.
*Position not held exclusively or for any specific duration nor limited to Metafilter members or their families. Cash value 1/20 of one cent. May cause painful inflammation of one or more lobes. Title especially valid where prohibited.
posted by vapidave at 8:16 PM on October 2, 2010
For this I nominate ericb for the title* of Metafilter Mom.
*Position not held exclusively or for any specific duration nor limited to Metafilter members or their families. Cash value 1/20 of one cent. May cause painful inflammation of one or more lobes. Title especially valid where prohibited.
posted by vapidave at 8:16 PM on October 2, 2010
Metafilter: valid where prohibited
posted by John Cohen at 8:19 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by John Cohen at 8:19 PM on October 2, 2010
Yes, much gratitude to ericb and homunculus! Thanks hippybear for the callout.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 11:33 PM on October 2, 2010
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 11:33 PM on October 2, 2010
Thanks so much, ericb, for taking the time to make Metafilter a better place.
posted by xingcat at 12:22 AM on October 3, 2010
posted by xingcat at 12:22 AM on October 3, 2010
One of the MeFi superstars in my opinion too.
posted by fourcheesemac at 4:58 AM on October 3, 2010
posted by fourcheesemac at 4:58 AM on October 3, 2010
Yup. ericb. Yeah.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:14 AM on October 3, 2010
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:14 AM on October 3, 2010
hippybear (and everyone else), thanks for the shoutout. I really enjoy being part of this community. It's really the best place to hang out online.
posted by ericb at 7:03 AM on October 3, 2010
posted by ericb at 7:03 AM on October 3, 2010
I can't even begin to count the number of times that ericb and homunculus have managed to keep me updated on a story even after the main stream media have found some new shiny to play with.
Recent Activity is often more reliable than cable news because of them.
Thanks and continue to be awesome!
posted by quin at 8:16 AM on October 4, 2010
Recent Activity is often more reliable than cable news because of them.
Thanks and continue to be awesome!
posted by quin at 8:16 AM on October 4, 2010
Never used the Recent Activity page until this. Now I'm enjoying tons of contributions to old stories I commented on....most of them by ericB.
posted by schmod at 1:29 PM on October 6, 2010
posted by schmod at 1:29 PM on October 6, 2010
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by box at 11:56 AM on October 2, 2010 [1 favorite]