March 2010 Archives (all archives)
March 31
50: Zer0 day with MC Frontalot
We ran into MC Frontalot at SXSW several times and roped him into a phone interview soon after we got back. Interview runs about 20 minutes then we recap SXSW and the past month of posts to the MetaFilter sites for another 45 min or so. [more inside]
It's a great day for Craig Ferguson!
Since the most recent Craig Ferguson post is closed to new comments, I thought I would let everybody know that he won a Peabody award for his interview with Desmond Tutu.
Mefi.us flagged as malware?
Mefi.us flagged as malware? [more inside]
Bloomington IN meetup?
Anyone in Indiana interested in a Bloomington meetup? [more inside]
March 30
thanks thankyou AskMe question
What's the best way to thank people who answer an Ask Me question? [more inside]
Music crashes in Chrome on OS X.
Music crashes in Chrome on OS X. [more inside]
Veronika, der Spargel wächst!
Meet-up in Berlin? [more inside]
March 29
Gathering in Venice CA
I'll be in Venice, CA, from April 25 - May 9. Without a car. Since I never managed to make it to any Toronto gatherings, perhaps I could interest my American cousins in assembling for gimlets and other cocktails. [more inside]
Good nature, without prudence, is foolishness
Would this FPP idea I have be considered self-linking? [more inside]
Stronger mustard
Would it be possible to crank up the contrast between read and unread links in the "Contact Activity" column? Often half of the words are highlighted and it's a very crowded small space.
I have no idea if it can be done easily and if not, I can still squint.
Compare your pronunciation of "mefite" with MeFites in other countries!
Want to host a traveling MeFite? Want to be hosted? There's a MetaFilter group on CouchSurfing.org that could use some love. [more inside]
March 28
Ranty? Not ranty?
Why did this post get deleted for being ranty and then reinstated in its same form?
So it's "ranty" when a non-American calls out US behaviour, hey?
I need a pony because I'm too lazy to scroll on foot.
I would like a pony that I can ride to a spot on the page where I can read the comment I'm trying to preview. [more inside]
Best of the web?
This is a question about the phrase "best of the web", as used in relation to Metafilter. I've been coming here for a while, for several years before I signed up, and I never remember seeing "best of the web" used officially to describe the purpose of Metafilter. The phrase "best of the web" appears nowhere in the FAQ. So where does this idea that MeFi is supposed to only be for links that are the "best of the web" come from? Anywhere official, or is it just something people made up over time?
more buttons!
Teeny-weeny memail pony: put the delete button at the top and bottom of the list - since newest mail is at the top, it is more likely to get deleted.
Might be of interest...
The head of Regenexx has joined MeFi in response to an FPP I posted and is commenting about claims being made about his company, treatments, studies and protocols. [more inside]
March 27
POP
The experience of composing a post in a thread that was open when you started, and then hitting the post button, and encountering "thread closed by mod, you can't post squat" gives me to know the feeling your dog had when you held that chicken leg out to him and then jerked it away so his poor old maw slamed shut POP on nothing and he gave you that long, sad "I trusted you" look.
March 26
"This guy has quit everything he's ever tried - I don't see him lasting long in this job."
Follow up to this post:
America's first legal male prostitute has left a rural Nevada brothel after a two-month stint that generated plenty of attention but fewer than 10 paying customers.
WonderCon Meetup?
Is anyone attending WonderCon (San Francisco Apr 2-4) and, if so, how about a meetup? [more inside]
On Threadshitting...
I just noticed that a few early comments of the "This will surely be deleted" kind have been deleted from threads. I just wanted to say to whatever mod responsible: Good on you. And please continue to exterminate them with extreme prejudice.
We're so popular. And cultured.
Any MeFites attending the PCA/ACA conference in St. Louis next week? [more inside]
March 25
One man in his time plays many parts
Why were comments deleted simply to protect the identity of a sock puppet account? Shouldn't that mistake cost you an extra $5?
Twisty Passages? Again?
March 24
Static Server Offline
Static server outage. The site will have some problems until we get this sorted out. [more inside]
The word that begins with the letter "c."
The use of the "c word". When is it okay? When is it not okay? Is there a better word, than the "c" word to describe reprehensible public figures calling for violence? [more inside]
Where's the line drawn on public figures and privacy?
In this thread, regarding the attacks and vandalism on Democratic Party offices nationwide, I requested a photograph of Mike Vanderboegh, the Tea Party activist who has been in the news for inciting these attacks. He has been discussed widely in mainstream media. When I asked if there were any photos of Vanderboegh, cortex said "can we please not do this" and jessamyn asked me to take it to MetaTalk if I had a problem with it. [more inside]
Manipulation
Manipulation. [more inside]
Minimeetup in York?
Probably doing this wrong, but...I'll be in York, PA on the evenings of April 6 and 7 for an ADA/ADAAG conference... [more inside]
MetaFilter Poll & Research Discussion Thread
Hi MeFites! This is the discussion thread for the MetaFilter Poll, appearing on the front page of MetaFilter, available for 5 days to logged-in site users. If you would like to take the poll, I would ask that you please do so BEFORE you read or participate in the discussion here. This is to help ensure that your responses to the poll questions are entirely your own decisions and are not influenced by the opinions of those participating in this thread. If you have already taken the poll or are not interested in taking the poll but would like to discuss it, please do so here. [more inside]
This Ain't My Beach Body
The DailyBurn Challenge is over - how did it go for everyone? Do we want to start a new one? [more inside]
Using favorites to mark progress in reading massive threads?
RFP (Request For Pony): A way to bookmark a specific location in a thread, so that the number of comments from that point onward (rather than from my last comment) shows up in my Recent Activity. [more inside]
Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
Chicago meetup, two weeks from today. [more inside]
Hi, HI. Hawaii meetup?
NY/NJ Mefite in Honolulu for the next week, visiting massive in-law family. Anyone around to meetup on semi-short notice? [more inside]
March 22
5280!
Front range meetup? [more inside]
SexualHarrassmentFilter
A way to see pending MefiProjects posts?
Requesting a pony that might already exist: A way to see pending MefiProjects posts? [more inside]
I need [more inside] and less outside.
Can limit the main text area so that people are encouraged to put [more inside] rather than so much outside? [more inside]
March 21
Saratoga Springs NY meetup
Saratoga Springs/Ballston Spa/Albany NY meetup? [more inside]
Sidebar recommendation
I would like to submit this thread on ADD/ADHD for sidebarring. It contains some of the most honest, vulnerable, relatable descriptions of the effects on one's daily life that I have ever heard. Since ADD comes up a lot in AskMe, I think it would be valuable to highlight it.
Moi means hello
USA Meetups [more inside]
March 20
Brooklyn meetup? Other boroughs a possibility too.
I'll be in Brooklyn From the 23rd of March until the 28th. Anyone want to meet up? I'm mobile, I can go anywhere in New York City people want to meet up. The weekend is probably best, either Friday or Saturday. Whatcha say?
A pony walks up to a (side)bar. The bartender says....
Pony request: What about highlighting fantastic Metatalk comments in the MeTa sidebar? [more inside]
Yet another Seattle meetup
Short(er) notice Seattle meetup: mrzarquon, ardgedee, rtha, and gingerbeer will all be in town March 27. We should attempt to get pissed meet up with them. [more inside]
Chicago meet-ups not involving bars
Chicago's last meetup sounded great. I would totally have gone if I had known what the secret was. I would even have gone if I had just known the secret wasn't another bar, because Mefites generally sound like great people whom I'd like to meet in person. As someone who can't pass a card-check (and isn't such a fan of the whole loud-and-dark ambience anyway), can Chicago's next meet-up similarly have a portion that isn't drinks and dinner in a bar?
March 19
Favorite favoriting
It might be fun to add another person's Favorites page to one's own Favorites, yes?
ThePinkSuperhero and Stynxno are getting hitched. Let's celebrate!
ThePinkSuperhero and Stynxno first met at this meetup in 2005, but it took a visit from ColdChef in 2006 to really get them together. Now they're getting married, and to make sure it sticks, ColdChef is coming to town. This could only mean one thing, people: loud and drunken singing of Broadway showtunes at Marie's Crisis. [more inside]
Calling London...
I am traveling to London tomorrow from the US, will be there for 5 days. Would love to find a few laid back pubs w/ live music -- any suggestions? (I am staying near Soho.)
Any UK mefites out there care to meet up for a pint?
An appeal for an undoubling
Double indemnity? My post today was considered a double. Given (1) the original post was mostly an preview announcement from the Economist about the upcoming, still-unaired program and (2) that History of the World in 100 Objects is one of the most awesome things on the internet, I'd like to have something posted about this on the blue again for edification and discussion, even if it isn't my FPP. [more inside]
Glasgow meetup ?
I wonder if any mefites still live in Glasgow ? would they consider meeting for tea and scones ? [more inside]
March 18
Boggled. A situation where calling social services might not be a waste of their time.
Flash walk-overs?
There was a comment link to a guy doing walk-over video for websites. I'm pretty sure it was a joke. I lost the link and now I wonder if it was on MeFi at all. [more inside]
Well, my head's inside.
The Lynch Comment
I'm looking for an old comment that explained David Lynch's movie The Straight Story was secretly about an abusive alcoholic. [more inside]
March 17
Pranks against MeFi
PMS is a no-go in AskMe?
Is PMS an illegal subject on AskMe now? I've been noticing comments recently where people are criticising others for suggesting that a woman's behaviour might be influenced by PMS. [more inside]
MeFi Twittering Best Practices?
Best practices for linking to MeFi comments on Twitter? [more inside]
Don't Hurt Me, Please!
Something quirky I noticed about MeFi (for me, at least) [more inside]
March 16
Splice URLs
I'm curious as to whether MetaFilter is related in any way to SpliceToday. Are there MeFites contributing, is it a project? [more inside]
a friend of a friend wanted me to ask y'all.....
This post brought up a question for me. It isn't unusual for us to see AskMeFi questions posted by a member for a friend/spouse/workmate/whatever.
How do we feel about that? Are we taking bread out of Matt's mouth when we use our account for someone who isn't willing to pony up the $5? And, does it feel different to help a non-member as opposed to one of our co-member-mefits?
Not that I personally see it (as it happens now) as a huge issue, I was just curious as to the "how to manage an online community" philosophy bit of the question.
Long Links Sink Sites
March 15
Classics of American Lit
MetaFilter Book Club Continues . . . [more inside]
Boolean Tag Searching and Tag Redundancy
Pony/suggestion: What about being able to browse posts by multiple tags, but with OR as opposed to merely AND. This would mostly be to combat tag redundancy, but could also be useful in general. [more inside]
Why don't I stay logged into Metafilter anymore?
My computer used to stay logged into Metafilter. Now I got a new computer and it logs out every time I close firefox. I've checked my privacy settings. I do clear my history when I close firefox, but this doesn't include logged in sessions. I am not in private browsing mode. Oh also, I increase the font size on the site, but it doesn't stay increased. Site settings aren't supposed to clear either. What am I doing wrong? (Firefox 3.6)
March 14
My Little Pedant
The World's Tiniest Pony: fix for inconsistency in terminology? [more inside]
Bali Why Not
This is a long shot, but I will be in Bali from March 25-29. Any Mefites around or interested in having a Bali meet-up?
I'm Avoiding SXSW Traffic. How are you?
Shmoopy... because we need it. [more inside]
Normal Person + Anonymity + Audience = ?
Proving the Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory - a follow-on to the More Alike than Different Campaign links I posted [more inside]
March 13
Catholic threads on Metafilter
Let's talk about Catholicism on metafilter... [more inside]
March 12
"pretty ordinary stuff for a state full of people that are 48% inbred."
Unreal
The homophobia being expressed in this thread is sad and disturbing.
Question of boundaries
The mobile load is pretty heavy. I have to go through five different loads to make a comment. We used to be able to post without reviewing first. What happened to primary responsibility?
March 11
Can we tag favorites, please? (Redux)
It's been about a year since I last posted asking for favorite tagging to be introduced. In that post, Matt said he thought that this was a feature that should be added, going so far as to do a mock-up of how it would work. He also said to bug him about its implementation "in a year after I've forgotten we should add it." I'm taking him up on that offer. [more inside]
Who wants tickets to tonight's Willie Nelson concert in St. Louis?
I have two tickets to see Willie Nelson tonight (Thursday, March 11th at 8pm Central -- yes, an hour from now) at The Pageant in St. Louis, Missouri... and I can't go. I'm hoping a couple of Willie-lovin' St. Louis MeFites can go in my stead.
If you're in the area and can make it to the show, please contact me as soon as possible and I'll email you the PDF containing the tickets. Contact information is in my profile.
Historical Science-Book Club?
Historical Science-Book Club? [more inside]
Ricochet Biscuit's Excellent Cross-Canada Adventure
Cross-Canada meetups 2010! From Bonavista to Vancouver Island, from the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes waters, you can meet up with rb. [more inside]
March Madness 2010
NCAA basketball is upon us. For all interested parties, I have set up a pick 'em on Yahoo! [more inside]
March 10
My pony has an iPhone
Pony? Mefi-Music iphone app? [more inside]
Stats for MetaMusic
Would it be possible to tie in some stats to each song uploaded to MetaMusic? Maybe the number of downloads, or votes for "support" like in the Projects section. [more inside]
Live New Book Club
Any Tokyo MeFites available this coming week (Fri the 12th - Thurs the 18th)?
I will be in Tokyo from this Friday evening (the 12th) to the evening of the following Thursday (the 18th). Anyone want to get together? [more inside]
The Stars are almost right Pt. 2
Metafilters own cstross has a roleplaying game in the works. Congrats!
Where my nerds at?
PAX East meetup? Boston, MA, March 26-28. We discussed planning a meetup a month ago, and it generated a lot of interest but no solid plans, and a lot of people may have missed or forgotten the original thread. [more inside]
Where/who was that artist?
Can you point me to this thread (or the artist/sculptor) please? [more inside]
mathowie gets in The Pipeline
Dan Benjamin of 5 by 5 Studios interviews Matt Haughey, eliciting answers to questions such as why Internet Fame sucks, how staffing up a web community can kill it dead, and what are the benefits of simplifying your life. (direct link to The Pipeline episode)
March 9
Another day, another thread, another book idea....
Inspired by this thread, would people be interested in collaborating on/buying a book of new material written by MeFites? [more inside]
Clean Slate Club
PonyReq: Clear Recent Activity? [more inside]
Klang went Boom!
Where in the world is klangklangston? Suddenly, after Friday, March 5, no posts from the normally prolix irascible yet lovable curmudgeon. I have breaking news... [more inside]
In which the protagonist is welcomed to her new home at a publick drinking house where much merriment occurs
Londoners!
Lets welcome iamkimiam, (who is leaving San Francisco) to the UK next week! What say you? [more inside]
Lets welcome iamkimiam, (who is leaving San Francisco) to the UK next week! What say you? [more inside]
March 8
The MeTa is Available For All to Enjoy!
We've discussed it at least once before, but perhaps we should have another go at the topic of video or content that is unavailable outside the USA, or at least give the derail (Which I contributed to, unfortunately) in this FPP somewhere to go.
Collapsing threads in recent activity
Pony request: the ability to collapse threads in Recent Activity. [more inside]
Mmmm... waffles and beer
Milwaukee meetup! mr. desjardins (aka empty vessel) and I would like to invite you to a brunch/lunch/whatever at our home on Saturday, April 3 (the day before Easter). We have a couple places to crash if needed. [more inside]
March 7
Dude, where's my Favorites?
Metafilter: a short, descriptive title
Pony Request: A book of great metafilter comments. [more inside]
Creating [more inside] jump?
I can't seem to find out how to create the yellow-green [more inside] jump in MetaTalk [more inside]
March 6
Meetup with Nina Simone, awesomeness
Manhattan/Montreux Meetup! Join me for an evening with Nina Simone at Montreux in 1976, hosted by our very own hermitosis. [more inside]
roll truck roll said "I'd like to talk about how we're quoting each other."
I'd like to talk about how we're quoting each other. [more inside]
I Got Mine, The Story of Jackie Shane
An update to this thread on Jackie Shane. CBC radio's "Inside the Music" has done a terrific show on Jackie, and the podcast is available here.
Thanks for the migraine, MeFi
This FPP links to a multicoloured strobe animation with no warning of its content. Links like this can cause your fellow MeFites to suffer migraines or seizures. Could we please establish a convention -- perhaps backed up by a note in the FAQ -- of adding 'seizure warnings' when linking to fast and/or flickering animations? [more inside]
Little Dee End
Christopher Baldwin, artist of Bruno (previously on Mefi), is now also ending Little Dee, the webcomic he went onto after ending Bruno. [more inside]
March 5
Spider Cartoon
Looking for a cartoon I saw posted somewhere on MetaFilter: It was a drawing of a spider and had a clever "punch line" for a caption (which I'll reveal below the fold to avoid any "spoilers," if there can be such a thing for a single-panel cartoon). [more inside]
I'm looking for THE plate of beans thread.
Bean Superhero? [more inside]
job interview skills
I'm looking for an old AskMe comment about someone who spent a lot of time interviewing and developing their job interview skills. [more inside]
March 4
Post-Olympics Vancouver Meetup?
Hey Vancouverites, let's get together to celebrate the fresh air left behind by the Olympics. [more inside]
AskMe Olympics followup!
Long-delayed followup to the Do I have a shot at the Olympics AskMe question from 2008. [more inside]
Denver/Boulderites, get your drink on!
Boulder meetup? soon-ish? [more inside]
I know, right?
Our beloved linguist and surfer gal iamkimiam is leaving us for colder waters and even more linguist in-jokes. She's going far, far away for grad school, and we're going to give her a San Francisco metafilter meetup sendoff in the best way we know how: A MEETUP AT FRJTZ!! [more inside]
B'ham Meetup
I'm living in Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) until May, and would like to meet some local mefites. I'm going to see Autechre at The Rainbow Pub in Digbeth on Friday, the 12th of March. How about a meetup earlier that evening, somewhere near the bullring?
Adding services to the 'also on' field in user profiles?
A (Shetland) pony? Adding more services to the 'also on' field in user profiles? [more inside]
Pony or Kill Me? Email Comment Notification
Pony? What about email (or MeMail) notifications when comments are entered in an AskMe thread? [more inside]
Anyone play or want to play werewolf/mafia in London?
March 3
Special Snowflakes, all of us!
I'm killdevil, and I'm a special snowflake. But I need a garment that can communicate my specialness to others. Any idea when the "Special Snowflake" and "Everyone Needs a Hug" t-shirts will be returning to the MeFi store? And/or new designs so exquisite that we'll be helpless not to tear off whatever we're wearing in order to wrap ourselves in 5 of them?
National Go to SF Month
In which The Whelk visits San Francisco [more inside]
subsite selection for myFavorites
Pony: You know how on the "/activity" page there's a dropdown menu labeled "Showing activity from:", and you can choose from different subsites? It would be swell if this dropdown and site-selection appeared on the "/activity/myfavorites" page too. [more inside]
[print MeTa]
A quick thanks to people linking to "print versions" of articles online instead of paginated versions. [more inside]
Potential upgrades to MeFi Mail on iPhone?
Potential upgrades to MeFi Mail on iPhone? [more inside]
UTC-9 Let's Meet Up!
Anchorage MeFites, I'd like to meet you! [more inside]
Baltimore meetup at the Ottobar
It's been much too long since we've had a Baltimore meetup! [more inside]
SLYT? No thanks.
Does anyone know of (or is anyone willing to write) a greasemonkey script that would automatically filter out posts with SLYT in them? [more inside]
Gear up, soldier!
The Army's announced an app contest. Are any other MeFites interested? [more inside]
Donated, thanked
When we threw the 100k raffle back in November, we raised almost $1,000 for DonorsChoose.org. Since I couldn't find a direct organizational donation, I ended up funding several projects in science, culture, and special needs around the country. The thank you letters came pouring in this week and here are some screenshots: (1, 2, 3, 4). Thanks again all for donating.
March 2
PawnFilter
NYC Meetup? You can be the first to welcome me in town by mugging me for all I've got.
I'm going to be in New York City from the 13th to the 20th, and I was thinking... any mefites wanna meet up for a drink? [more inside]
AskMe / TellMe?
Follow-up results to very personal AskMeFi questions: I've searched for questions like this one, but, while some are akin to mine, they're not exactly like mine. Possible Pony? [more inside]
Stop me before I do something stupid
MyLittlePonyFilter: How about an alert to confirm removing a post from favorites? [more inside]
Gatherings somewhere in time and space but not on the page.
Is there a "Gatherings" link? What "categories"? Huh? [more inside]
My monitor is blank and the power light isn't on...what do I do?
Have you ever asked a question in AskMeFi that you now regret posting? Of course I'll provide an answer for myself. [more inside]
Reverend Moonpie Wants to Marry YOU!
The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer
Congratulations to MeFi’s own Prospero, also known as Dexter Palmer, whose first novel The Dream of Perpetual Motion was released today! (Bookforum review; registration may be required).
March 1
Book Club - The American Novel Since 1945 - Episode I
We are scheduled to have the first meeting of the American Novel Since 1945 on Tuesday March 9th. [more inside]
Stars not quite right yet
If anyone signed up for the Delta Green: Targets of Opportunity ransom as a result of this post you might be wondering where the book is. Here's an update. (Also if anyone was wondering about the fundable closure it shouldn't be affected by that)
The ol' favoriting reacharound.
Some specific MeFi info-mashing about favorites I haven't seen. [more inside]
OH SNAP I'M DUMPING YOU ON THE RADIO
Looking for a comment and can't seem to find it... it was about how a lot of telephone pranks by morning radio shows are faked, i.e. the callers are actors. [more inside]
Bad Tags
Do you use tags to search MeFi? [more inside]