Now this is something I just don't get.
March 28, 2000 8:45 PM Subscribe
posted by mathowie at 9:08 PM on March 28, 2000
posted by adam at 9:39 PM on March 28, 2000 [1 favorite]
It's because you're a kind and generous person who overestimates his fellow man. The problem with sarcasm (and I'm not speaking specifically of this situation, since I don't actually know anyone's true mind) is that it's a very delicate balance. If you don't do it well enough (or if you do it too well) there is nobody to appreciate the gag, since everyone thinks you really mean it and/or that you are a raving nutjob. Even when you do it well, a large portion of your audience will take your comments at face value and either get furious with you (fun) or agree with you (often very scary)... this can be either good or bad, depending on your intentions. If your intent is to lampoon a subject through ridicule, you want people to see that is what you are doing - if you want to troll people on the other hand... Maybe I'm the one giving people too much credit, but I don't think that either Ben or Neale are attempting to dictate what is and is not appropriate content on the web. And now, by writing this, I've sucked all the fun out of it for me.
bleah.
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 9:47 PM on March 28, 2000
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 10:01 PM on March 28, 2000
why can't we all just get a long?
posted by r-boogie at 10:01 PM on March 28, 2000
the way I choose to write is "wrong". that's always the feeling I've gotten from Ben's essays on the subject, and apparently that's the feeling you got from reading Neale's essay. (Ben and I spoke at SXSW, btw, and found that we definitely agree on some things and definitely disagree on some things...just like everyone else. I respect him; I just disagree with him on certain things.)
I've been a little dismayed by the number of "Oh, Ben was right" posts since SXSW. I don't care if people choose to try the long form; I just don't like the right/wrong aspect of it. I didn't think anyone was doing anything *wrong* before.
I don't think there's only one way to write well.
anyway, Neale adopts a pretty snarky tone, but really, I found his essay to be humorous, inoffensive, and, yes, to the point in many ways (for example, the distinction he makes about weblogs pointing out and journals pointing in. it's obviously not that cut-and-dried, but I think it's an interesting observation, and aligns with my internal categorization of where the site I'm looking at falls on the weblog/journal spectrum.)
so actually, I guess I'd have to say "right on Neale".
and then to everyone else, "as you were. it's your web. make it any way you want."
rcb
posted by rebeccablood at 10:20 PM on March 28, 2000
Troublemaker!
posted by Sapphireblue at 11:14 PM on March 28, 2000
I'm in the middle of a very interesting e-mail exchange with Ben, and I'm checking to see if it's alright by him to post a cut down version online.
We (Ben and I) really don't think all that differently; I think it's all a matter of how people have interpreted what he's said, and what I've said, and the in-between reactions.
I'm just hoping that people are launching into 3000+ for the right reasons, instead of the fact that all the other kids are doing it.
posted by Neale at 3:57 AM on March 29, 2000
Or rather, it has the potential for being good.
posted by grestall at 4:33 AM on March 29, 2000
The beauty of the web is that anyone can write anything they want and not only should they feel free to do so, they should be encouraged to do so. Short or long, it doesn't matter, as long as people are writing something interesting, I'll be reading and enjoying it. If it's not interesting, someone else may find it so.
It is all good.
posted by mathowie at 5:40 AM on March 29, 2000
posted by prolific at 5:58 AM on March 29, 2000
We all have different stories that we want to tell, and those stories should be allowed to find their own lengths. I find the idea of a "magic number" like 3000 rather silly, and find it difficult to believe that saying nothing in 3000 words is inherently better than saying it in 100, or vice versa.
On the other hand, the one thing that really caught my attention in Ben's SxSW piece was the claim that Powazek had been promoting weblogs at the expense of other types of personal publishing:
"A few minutes ago, Derek was saying that the organizers here at SxSW wanted to do a panel on personal publishing, you know, journals, zines, that sort of thing. And Derek said 'Oh no, that's so uncool now. Do it on weblogs.' and see, that's exactly what I'm talking about here."Is there any truth to Ben's claim?
posted by harmful at 6:16 AM on March 29, 2000
So what I said at SxSW and what I'll say here again is not that I don't like weblogs and think they should go away -- My fear is that people are saying that the future of personal content online is the blog, that journals and zines are evolving into the blog, and that it's so wonderfully easy to do a blog that most people won't even need to make a decision about their content format. I don't want everyone to write a billion words, right? I don't want people to stop writing their blogs and start zines. I just want people to remember that they can, that they aren't limited to the weblog format, and that they may have a lot of creative potential in their heads that they aren't utilizing. (which is not to say that weblogs aren't creative!) The people who heard me talk at SxSW, I think they did realize this, and so now, they've taken a step to trying the longer style. Does this mean you have to? No! Does this mean the weblogging masses have to? No! Did I mean for this whole 3000+ meme to spread to the unwashed masses of geocities webloggers, causing a volcano like eruption of bad journals? Good god no, but that's the beauty of the web, isn't it?
posted by benbrown at 8:37 AM on March 29, 2000
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 8:39 AM on March 29, 2000
posted by harmful at 8:39 AM on March 29, 2000
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 8:43 AM on March 29, 2000
posted by benbrown at 8:48 AM on March 29, 2000
and Kim Reed (not to mention
me!) mean anything to anyone? These people have been doing weblogs and journals together for quite a while now. Maybe I'm a little jaded to longer posts since
I'm so used to the journal scene, but come now folks! Nothing any of us does online is particularly *new* anymore so there's no reason to boohoo about it.
posted by stefnet at 8:49 AM on March 29, 2000
posted by benbrown at 8:53 AM on March 29, 2000
posted by Succa at 9:04 AM on March 29, 2000
However, I wouldn't want all the bloggers, or even a medium-sized group of them, to start writing this way simply because it takes way too much time to read.
Dang, I gotta go now, I'll write some more about it later.
posted by schlyer at 9:52 AM on March 29, 2000
However, I wouldn't want all the bloggers, or even a medium-sized group of them, to start writing this way simply because it takes way too much time to read.But no one has given up their weblogs. They've just added a new section for longer things. If you like someone's weblog, wouldn't you want to hear more from them? More in-depth discussions of something that's on their mind?
Even if a good bunch of weblog authors abandoned their format for a long one, it would be their choice and up to the reader to choose to read them or not. I guess part of this is an ownership discussion. Who owns your weblog, You or the readers?
I make time to read long posts that I find interesting. Does anyone complain that Lance goes on and on? Regardless of their length, all his things are just great and I set aside time to read each new one, even if it takes me 4 or 5 attempts to get through it all with my MTV-crippled short attention span.
posted by mathowie at 10:09 AM on March 29, 2000
Yeah, but Lance doesn't update on a daily/hourly basis.
Once again its not the quantity of content, rather the quality of the content.
posted by dangerman at 10:20 AM on March 29, 2000
ill start off by saying that i dont have anything against long, personal, heartfelt, deep emotionly rooted writing on the web. quite the contrary, when i first began web publishing two years ago all i did was write my life... my most deep and inner life that i would not tell my dog. no password although a constant fear of someone finding out and me being outed at school or something of the like. so when i said i thought brig 3000+ was not impressive, i meant to say that this trend of webloggers - whose sole purpose in my opinion is to post links of their daily web browing and proved a word, sentence, paraghraph, rant of commentary. even that isn't necessary. i just feel this dismay towards the big names of webloggers all assuming that they are doing something different and original. or maybe i'm just bitter that im not popular, i dont know.
i also agree with rebecca, the collest weblogger i know next to neale, when she says that what she got from ben's essay is what is wrong. all this moralizing is just more elitism of the web that diguests me and makes me ponder is my reasons for choosing the web lifestyle to get away from the shit real world was in fact a mistake.
i just now realise that ben was supporting what i support more than anyone knows; and that is that personal content and journals should continue for they are wonderful. what makes me into an irate russian is that ben brown thinks he is a leader. he assumes that because he loves himself, everyone else does, and that sickens me. i also thought the same of derek and many other web elites, but i have realised that my assumptions are wrong and i apologized to derek for flaming him and attacking him. i dont feel that i am wrong about ben brown. the arrogence he exudes in his daily text disgusts me. i read his long posts, which i do not oppose to whatsoever as long as there is something worth saying, and i feel that he just wants to tell us about how much he wants to get laid, and personally thats not worth knowing.
for a while i ran my journal in weblog, short post format, which worked well because it showed my continuous changing feelings throughout the day. then again, my longer essay type journal entries werer just more passionate. to write 3000 some words about how your angry and want sex, is just annoying, im sorry.
the web can be art. journals are art. weblogs are art , to an extent, where its more like news or an information buffet. writing is art, as long as it's out to convey the writers point of view and a feeling.
my love for neale is beyond most of your comprehention. i have been taking nude pics to show neale because, well, he requested it. the reason neale has been such a prominent web figure for me is because of his dismay towards the elite of the web. the "your not as good as you think you are" attitude coupled with his cynicism and sarcasm makes for wonderful and profound reading.
i dont mean to say brig 3000+ is bad writing, it just bored me and so i dont read it. i stick to her blog (which i think is a nice design no matter what sally 10penny says). i read derek, i read saturn and jack more than ever, and i read ben brown... for about two seconds before bringing the blade closer to my wrist.
so, i say, do whatever you want! and ill voice my opinions! and ill agree with whomever i want!
my favorite quote in this thing by rebecca:
I've been a little dismayed by the number of "Oh, Ben was right" posts since SXSW. I don't care if people choose to try the long form; I just don't like the right/wrong aspect of it. I didn't think anyone was doing anything *wrong* before.
so, i say everyone can do what they want as long as i say i like it... and i have a profound hatred for ben brown. i somewhat feel bad about that because he's kind of hot... but oh well.
posted by red scare at 1:56 PM on March 29, 2000
i wonder why people get so upset and jump to accuse others of being trendy and exclusive when it's really just jealousy over the fact that they're better and more popular?maybe its because of statements like that where arrogance and elitism just emanate with the worst stench.
posted by red scare at 2:01 PM on March 29, 2000
all this moralizing is just more elitism of the web that diguests me and makes me ponder is my reasons for choosing the web lifestyle to get away from the shit real world was in fact a mistake.I don't see elitism on the web, really, I never have, except when people accuse others of it.
If your problem is with "popular" webloggers being recognized for writing longer posts while yours go unnoticed, take a step back and analyze the situation. Why should it matter if webloggers are recognized by Ben for writing long? Who said Ben was a god that is leading us to the promised land? He just put forth an idea that people should express themselves more and some people responded to that. That's all.
These elitism discussions go nowhere, but I honestly have never gotten an elitism vibe from anyone on the web. I just plug away on my stupid sites and if people like it, great, if they hate it, that's fine too. If you think some people are elitist and you're convinced they think they're somehow better than you, maybe the web lifestyle was a bad choice after all, because frankly, I don't see elitism existing.
posted by mathowie at 2:14 PM on March 29, 2000
in relation to this topic, it is occasionally true. look back at the whole derek discussion, where people were ripping into the most wonderful, sweet, kind person accusing him of elitism and exclusivity. merely because he's good at what he does and well-aclaimed for it.
posted by brig at 2:14 PM on March 29, 2000
Oh, this is going to be an incredibly novel idea...
How about everyone write about whatever the hell they want in their log, be it in 3000 words or 12. And if you run across that page and decide you don't like it, you can...
(Damn, this is going to be an even more novel concept)
You can just not read it.
*gasp*
posted by precocious at 2:25 PM on March 29, 2000
look back at the whole derek discussion, where people were ripping into the most wonderful, sweet, kind person accusing him of elitism and exclusivity. merely because he's good at what he does and well-aclaimed for it.i have seen the light in that sense and i agree. oh, and i thought your post was in regard to this, sorry.
hey matt... so by saying "I don't see elitism on the web, really, I never have, except when people accuse others of it" you are accusing me of being elitist? odd, i had no idea that being upset at the elite subsequently ment you yourself are elite. hmmm, extremely intresting and wrong, sorry.
"Why should it matter if webloggers are recognized by Ben for writing long? Who said Ben was a god that is leading us to the promised land? " i never said that. i never said that i am angry that it is ben noticing people, i meant the majority of the web... i am angry at this exclusive clique of webloggers that no one is allowed to. for example, if you werent at sxsw, you really dont matter. thats a vibe ive gotten. and your comment about maybe the weblifestyle was wrong for me is quite juvenile. i never said that everyone on the web is a prick elite asshole, just that the ones who are (ahem, ben brown) really get to me. i see countless of websites with only 50 hits a day that still put more heart into everything they do. the guy from the above link hand draws his art, writes feveroushly, and gets a minimal amount of attention and recognition for it. in a few days will culminate his two years of running his website and he might close it down because it seems as though he has been exausting himself sick week after week, day after day, for no reason because it seems as though no one notices. that pisses me off. fine, derek has A LOT of talent and i respect him tremendously, but others arent doing anything spectacular and proclaim themselves as web gods (not literally, but thats the style in which they write) and them being so full of themselves is quite... infuriating.
posted by red scare at 2:34 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by brig at 2:47 PM on March 29, 2000
What the hell is wrong with an openface bagel? A little cream cheese, a little salmon, some onion... after all, how the hell are you going to balance all that on a non-sliced bagel? It's madness, I tell you, madness!
Red, thanks for your nice words, but I'd have to say Ben and my arrogance is well on par (at the very least). If you object to his level of arrogance, well, you're shitting on me as well. I think some of the things we're saying have been confused in the heat of the moment.
Ben and I doooo disagree on some things... and that's the way people will always be. I think we're heading into the whole blog/journal thing from two very different directions, and some of our views are getting polarised. Jason et al. It's all good. It's just that sometimes you gotta watch out if it's the right good at the right place at the rights time... and there's some (some!) confusion about what ben or I are advocating.
Matt, what I said was my personal preference; they'll match up with some views of some people, and go against those of others. That's pretty much par for the course. Most of what I said came of as telling people what they should do (intentionally so), even as I was complaining about someone telling people what to do... heh.
So... yeah. The one good thing about being in Australia is the fact that you can read all the reactions at once and post one long sanctamonious reply.
Speaking of sanctamonious replies, Ben and I will be posting or chat online, and hopefully we'll be able to set up some sort of bulletin-board like feature for reaction shots. Of course, the likelihood of anyone giving a shit about what two pretentious wankers have to say about the whole thing is slim, but you never know...
posted by Neale at 2:51 PM on March 29, 2000
but I'd have to say Ben and my arrogance is well on par (at the very least). If you object to his level of arrogance, well, you're shitting on me as well.well, from what i sense, his is genuine "im better than you and what i say is right" whereas i find yours to be more cynical and sarcastic, as i already said.
and i think what brig just said, was fantastic and made me think a lot more. im off to work where instead of helping old jewish women who think going to an art house movie thetre makes them cool, ill be studying A.S. Neil and his school Summerhill. That, and postmodernism, i look forward to where this goes further and writing fully what nrig's statement just made me think about. good things...
posted by red scare at 2:58 PM on March 29, 2000
hey matt... so by saying "I don't see elitism on the web, really, I never have, except when people accuse others of it" you are accusing me of being elitist? odd, i had no idea that being upset at the elite subsequently ment you yourself are elite. hmmm, extremely intresting and wrong, sorry.Oh no, oh no, please don't do this.
i see countless of websites with only 50 hits a day that still put more heart into everything they do.It's been like this forever, in any sort of creative work. Anyhow, I don't see what's so bad about 'just' 50 hits a day.
posted by EngineBeak at 3:00 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by jacksaturn at 3:26 PM on March 29, 2000
I'm not being elitist saying that, and I'm not saying you (red scare) are either, just that I never see any mention of it except for people pointing out what they think is true about someone.
What I'm trying to drive home is that anyone you say is elitist is a perfectly fine person that would talk to you if you walked up to them in real life and introduced yourself. Heck, email them and if they're not too busy (they're not being elitist if they ignore your mail, they probably just get 200-500 messages a day and let some slip), they'll email you back. And that's why I say there's no elitist vibe. When I was a wee web lad, I got email from all sorts of "web celebs" by just asking them thoughtful questions. I never got shrugged off. I never got told my site sucked or I was doing something wrong.
As for someone stopping their site after two years of running it, only because they weren't getting hits, well that's not why I ever did a site, and probably why I haven't retired yet. No one I know with a popular website gives a crap about how many hits they get. I do my sites for fun, as an outlet, and if no one visited, I really wouldn't care, I'd still feel better for having done them.
I check stats on this server, just to know the ratio of how many people lurk to how many people post, but I rarely check stats at haughey.com. They're a pain to get to and analyze so I don't do it very often, and I'm always surprised that people find any of it worth reading.
Popularity isn't at all what the web's about.
posted by mathowie at 3:35 PM on March 29, 2000
From: hanibal@primenet.com (Crazy Uncle Joe)
Subject: PROPOSAL: Eat the Losers
Date: 10 Feb 1997 00:00:00 GMT
newsgroups: alt.society.generation-x
bmiller@scott.skidmore.edu (ionia) said:
the problem is that the listserv *is* exclusionary, and the people on it end up becoming a group that *can* exclude others to the point where it begins to show up on the ng. also, listervs allow the chosen to talk about
the rest of us pond-scum behind our backs
Actually brooke, you are right, listservs are exclusionary. The original listserv (set up right around the time that I got active on the group) was set up because of various dubious personalities that had infested the group (like R*lph T*ite) -
Later on, as people developed closer bonds, it became a place for friends to hang out and talk about things they didn't necessarily want to post in perpetuity (OK, so this was before Deja News, but you get the idea) across the world. Finally, *some* people felt accosted by folks who were regulars, and some regulars abused friendships to the point where they were no longer considered friends.
Y'see, sometimes people want to hang out with folks that they are familiar with. Most of the 'servs have gotten too big for that, and I for one stopped feeling as if I could divulge my "innermost thoughts" even on the listserv, but that's due to the fairly open nature of most of the current 'servs (basically you had to have an asshole track record to be kept off, or behave badly on a consistant basis to get *kicked* off...) - Ultimately, listservs are not the same as
newsgroups. AFAIK, no listservs were created to talk behind people's backs. Yes, people have felt the need occasionally to bitch about this or that person's behaviour, and usually that has gotten back to the individual in spite of the theoretical propriety of the list. That happens.
I'll freely call myself an exclusive a-list bastard, but by that I mean that I reserve the right *not* to invite the entire world to my parties. I also reserve the right to use jokes that are based on a common history amongst my friends. Not everyone will get those jokes, but that's OK. I'm not here to get nominated accessible comedian of the year.
i think it's going to end up being the type of thing where the people who have been accepted onto listservs will rally for their continuation, while those who object to exclusionary tactics, or who have been shut out of a listserv will argue against them.
I'm curious as to what the argument against them would be... "I'm gonna tell my mom and she'll *make* you play with me"? I haven't seen all that much exclusion going on, and I can certainly understand the rational behind what *has* been done. It may not always be 'fair' - but what is, eh? Sometimes I call up Doug to go to a movie or
something, and ya know what? I don't invite anyone else. SOMETIMES, I call up other "A-Listers" on the phone just to chat about stuff... sometimes even stuff that is happening here. YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? I have a small group of friends that I sometimes send email to, and I actually call the cc: list alias "ALISTERS" !!!
I apologize if I seem to be going off on anyone in particular here, but there is so much post traumatic dodgeball stress going on around here, that I want to scream. I know, I know, everyone is still mad because the "popular" crowd didn't include them. High school is out kids. If you are concerned that your group of friends isn't clever, or funny enough, or that you would suddenly have whiter whites if you could just hang out with the right listserv, then perhaps you should get a little perspective. I'm not the the student body president, Doug isn't the captain of the football team, and, lets face it, Erich was *never* popular in school <
Mostly we're all "misfit toys" that have grown into ourselves. Some of us have even managed to get a little self confidence and a very few have managed a positive self image. Oh, and some of us are friends, and like to chat with each other in more intimate surroundings. We're a pretty open group of friends, so feel free to stop by... If you aren't a dick, chances are we'd be glad to have you.
Crazy Uncle
elitist a-list bastard
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 3:35 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by chaz at 3:57 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by chaz at 3:59 PM on March 29, 2000
In a community, people will always feel some sort of elitist divide going on; it's not helped in the weblog community with things like the Hot List and Beebo Ratings as ever present indicators of "how well your blog is doing".
Now, thanks to Anthony, i'm fairly obsessed with my stats, but i'm trying to phase them back out of the way I view my blog (i didn't even have stats until i change hosting services). I'll say it feels nice to get lots of hits - i'd be a big fat liar if I said it didn't - but I like the e-mail I get from people a lot more, and the little corner of the web I can call mine that I can pump into all the creativity that's stifled each day at work.
The 3000+ meme is a worrying one to me (maybe it's not All Good). But maybe it's a misleading name, or one that's been run with, without people thinking about where they're running to.
All this is tied up in how people perceive themselves, and how other people perceive them, and how other people perceive how other people perceive themselves, and how people perceive how other people perceive how they perceive themselves (that does make sense).
I don't know what people think of me, except for the rude e-mails I get and the death threats I find slipped under the door. I don't want to be part of anyone's elite, but the more popular wetlog get's the harder it is to remove myself, in some webloggers eyes, that i'm become part of the weblog cabal (hey, that doesn't give you a good excuse to stop reading, you faithful 12 readers each day [six more than last month]).
I do think it's great that, in the blog community, there are forums like metafilter that people can voice these types of concerns, and that there are people willing to say, "hey, swollen heads, get back down to earth". You all sure as hell have permission to tell me that any time you like (those that don't already).
So. It's All Good. Talk It Out. Don't Hear, Listen. And other such rot.
posted by Neale at 4:27 PM on March 29, 2000
"a volcano like eruption of bad journals"
ha! it's too late, that happened along with the eruption of good journals, in 1996. , you know.
Thanks for pointing to me, stef!
re: the elitist thing, the heartburning over this in the online world is as nothing compared to the lindy hop dancers. But it exists in every social group. It's all in your point of view. "We are a pleasant group. *they* are a snobby click [sic]!" The fish doesn't notice the water.
Anita of Anita's BOD and Anita's LOL
posted by anitar at 4:44 PM on March 29, 2000
Ben said he worried about:
"a volcano like eruption of bad journals"
ha! it's too late, that happened along with the eruption of good journals, in 1996. , you know.
Thanks for pointing to me, stef!
re: the elitist thing, the heartburning over this in the online world is as nothing compared to the lindy hop dancers. But it exists in every social group. It's all in your point of view. "We are a pleasant group. *they* are a snobby click [sic]!" The fish doesn't notice the water.
Anita of Anita's BOD and Anita's LOL
posted by anitar at 4:47 PM on March 29, 2000
this is kinda off topic, but in reference to whoever it was that said that I was obviously genuinely an ass based on my writing -- Lately, I've been writing in a kinda first person, present tense, internal dialogue kinda way, and so if I think, even passingly, "this guy is a jerk, I am the most beautiful person alive," I write that down. I find it amusing because it is so obviously not true. You've seen pictures of me, right? It is an act of self parody.
Anyways. I feel icky justifying my writing style so I'm going to stop.
Re the 3000+ Meme: Barf. I really wish that would go away. heh. I mean, write something long, sure. But when we get into categorizing things as diverse as webpages, you get into retarded conversations like this and everyone just gets pissed off at everyone else because we can't tell who is being serious and who is just joking around.
In a completely unrelated topic, I was at this horribly boring XML conference today, and one of the weblogging masses, the guy from Whump recognized me and we had a nice little chat and he's a really nice guy. And I'm really glad he did that because we're doing the same shit, you know? And I love meeting people and talking to people in the same biz. Even webloggers. :)
posted by benbrown at 5:13 PM on March 29, 2000
1000+ of them repetitions of the phrase "It's all good".
I just hope this discussion ends pretty soon by itself or I'm going to have to bring up Hitler.
posted by wendell at 5:14 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 5:30 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by wendell at 6:18 PM on March 29, 2000
"This is a little message from the weblog community - SHUT the FUCK UP".
And then I will be hurt. A lot.
posted by Neale at 7:02 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 7:10 PM on March 29, 2000
If Brig gives you a kick in the pants when she sees you in a few days, it wasn't from me. I swear. :)
posted by mathowie at 9:37 PM on March 29, 2000
mathowie: No one I know with a popular website gives a crap about how many hits they getthink of this in terms of money, a rich man doesn't care how much money he has because at some point it becomes a non-issue. but a poor man...
As for the supposed 'elite', I don't think they really exist. Sure, there is a group of bloggers who are more popular, but thats unavoidable. And tagging somebody with an 'elitist' tag just because they are popular isn't very fair.
Not sure, but maybe the people who think of some bloggers as elitist think that way because of the appearance of constant name-dropping - when its really just friends talking about friends.
posted by schlyer at 9:42 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by brig at 9:57 PM on March 29, 2000
so, i think everyone is right... to each his own yes?
posted by red scare at 11:19 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by chaz at 11:23 PM on March 29, 2000
posted by chaz at 11:27 PM on March 29, 2000
We keep returning to these themes of popularity, elitism, incestuous linking and internecine metametametastuff, both here and in dozens of weblogs. I'd wager that at least 40 per cent or more of the weblogs I regularly read are given over to "blogging culture" trivia, personality wars and other minutae. (I don't have hard figures to back it up, but this is the contemporary web after all. I can assert something such as this with only some vague anecdotal evidence and have it taken as true.)
As Captain Picard asked, in the opening moments of "Star Trek: Insurrection", "Does anyone remember when we used to be explorers?".
So, then, popularity? I think I can speak with some authority on this subject, since I am THE MOST POPULAR WEBLOGGER ALIVE (tm). Actually, I'm not. I am one of those earnest little websites that "red scare" alluded to earlier. I get 50-60 visitors per day, a rate that -- with only occasional spikes -- has remained constant almost as long as I've kept a weblog, since mid-1998.
A few weeks ago, though, I tweaked the nose of the weblogs.com hotlist -- you may remember, it caused a little moment -- and, for 24 hours, through guile and deceit, catapulted to the top of the list. I decided thereafter to retain the mantle I had claimed for that brief time. I would be and thusly proclaim myself (with tongue planted in cheek), despite any future evidence to the contrary, THE MOST POPULAR WEBLOGGER ALIVE. I have no need of independent verification, Beebo, Bloat, Mr. Blackwell or otherwise.
There's a sign over my desk that reads "Fame is what they give you. Success is what you give yourself." As far as this mincing about popularity is concerned, that's all I need to know.
Elitism? Please. Any assertion that anyone who wasn't at SXSW doesn't matter is, you'll pardon the expression, deep-fried bulldung on a stick. I went to Austin knowing no one, having corresponded with only one or two of the folks I would end up spending the bulk of my time with. I left having met and made friends of some two dozen folks who enriched me emotionally and creatively. Everyone -- "webgod" (Please.) or otherwise -- was warm, approachable and generous of time and spirit. As I tried to be in return.
One of the most wonderful moments I experienced during the whole week was sitting in a dark nightclub with three or four of the people routinely singled out as "elite" or "cliquish." We spent an hour and a couple of rounds of Shiner brainstorming ways -- financial or otherwise -- that we could help make the wonderful experience we were having more accessible to more people next year. If there were, in other quarters, secret cabals meeting to conspire to leave out "lesser" mortals, I wasn't invited to those parties. I doubt Janeane Garofalo was either.
With luck, next year I'll meet at least two dozen more new friends and catch up with some old ones. Maybe Ben and I can compare notes on feather boas; I scarcely got to say "hi" to him this year and I should have made more effort to do so. He's pretty cute.
This more-meta-than-thou nonsense is tiresome and played out. The whole web -- blogs, journals, diaries, dancing hamsters -- is, as has often been said, "just people doin' stuff." I have one remaining thing to say about the weblog "community" and I'll say it on or about June 4, in The BradLands. Until and after then, I'm seceding from the weblog nation; no more meta-stuff or cross-talk in my weblog. I'll either find another place for it or stop it altogether. It's not doin' stuff, it's just talking about doin' stuff.
Pardon the screed. It's past my bedtime and I probably have another 60 comments to read by now. A year ago, I published Why I Weblog. Some well-intentioned hyperbole aside, the "why" hasn't changed. The "how" is evolving. The true "community" will come, eventually, as long as we all keep doin' stuff.
posted by bradlands at 12:03 AM on March 30, 2000
Calm down folks...do what you want to do.
To quote the MetaFilter motto, "It's your web, log it".
'Nuff said.
posted by tomcosgrave at 11:35 AM on March 30, 2000
I'm enjoying the show and enjoying being part of the show, partly as an entertainment in itself, partly as an education in how a self-defining community evolves and how a subset of a subset of a communications media evolves, only occuring at a hyperspeed that makes heads spin and necks ache.
Maybe the Medium is the Message, maybe the Messenger is the Message, maybe Content is King, maybe Content is Crap, maybe I DON'T HAVE THE FOGGIEST IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!
I'll just say it is NOT all good, but IT IS ALL BETTER THAN LATE-NIGHT INFOMERCIALS ON CHANNEL 12.
posted by wendell at 12:23 PM on March 30, 2000
posted by EngineBeak at 12:43 PM on March 30, 2000
posted by cedar at 12:48 PM on March 30, 2000
In a web that is trying its best to become the world's largest mail-order catalog, I'm glad to see so many people worked up over writing. Really. I had half become convinced that writers were going to be replaced by the thousand monkeys project. All this passion over mere words just makes me feel better about the future of the Internet.
posted by mrmorgan at 2:56 PM on March 30, 2000
posted by wendell at 2:57 PM on March 30, 2000
JournalCon, baby. Can you handle it?
http://www.journalcon.com
posted by gsh at 6:32 PM on March 30, 2000
posted by August at 7:29 PM on March 30, 2000
(Spread the meme:
posted by bradlands at 9:20 PM on March 30, 2000
posted by Neale at 9:22 PM on March 30, 2000
that's kind of like getting the Miss Congeniality award...
posted by mathowie at 9:46 PM on March 30, 2000
posted by bradlands at 10:17 PM on March 30, 2000
Sorry, Brad, had to.
posted by jason at 10:18 PM on March 30, 2000
because you know what? it's NOT all good. that phrase steamrolls the idea of critical thought, both on the part of those producing and on the part of those consuming. and in today's overglutted age of information, the ability to discern what is 'all good' from what is not is crucial. sure, go into things with an open mind, don't hate things on their face because of the form of expression of what-have-you, that's fine, but allow the post-consumption thought-process to, you know, kick (your head) in from time to time.
posted by maura at 7:42 AM on March 31, 2000
I guess the phrase "it's all good" is being used from the perspective of authors and not readers. This all started with Ben and Neale, joking or not, suggesting that people *not* write someting a certain way. And the backlash to that is the idea that anyone who feels like writing anything should, regardless of what anyone might think.
If you write with that in mind, sure it might be crap, but someone else might find it worthy of reading, or even if we can all agree it's crap, writing crap might help you develop into a better writer, or at least better than if you never tried.
I guess I don't like the idea of anyone saying someone shouldn't do something like write a personal page. And I get pissed when I think of someone reading Ben or Neale or anyone else's articles about the wrong or right way to do things and getting discouraged from doing something on the web.
The web, like life, is already 90% crap and wading through that is a chore, but that's what we do everyday, that's how we've developed our critical thinking skills all our life - finding the gold among all the crap. I guess I'd prefer my 90% of crap if it were personal, created by real people with stories and dreams, instead of a web chock full of e-commerce sites.
posted by mathowie at 8:39 AM on March 31, 2000
I think (at least from my perspective) that "it's all good" refers to the form, not the product. Long form as a valid mode of expression == good. Short form == good. Medium form with pictures==good. That doesn't mean that every journal out there is good, or that every weblog is good - not at all. Most of it, from a critical standpoint, isn't "good". My stuff isn't good from a technical standpoint (although I hope that it's at least passable from an entertainment standpoint), but that doesn't mean that the format is bad. It means that I didn't pay attention in my writing classes.
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 8:55 AM on March 31, 2000
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 8:56 AM on March 31, 2000
posted by bradlands at 11:38 AM on March 31, 2000
posted by wendell at 12:39 PM on March 31, 2000
posted by dangerman at 12:55 PM on March 31, 2000
posted by Awol at 1:23 PM on March 31, 2000
posted by brent at 1:49 PM on March 31, 2000
posted by wendell at 2:19 PM on March 31, 2000
posted by wendell at 2:21 PM on March 31, 2000
posted by bradlands at 2:27 PM on March 31, 2000
As the term "weblog" is still in the definition phase it makes it very hard (and probably intentionally so) to say, "hey, that's a weblog" or "hey, that's not a weblog". What I have in my mind about weblog is commentary about the outside world, usually in short format, which includes links to the topics being talked about, updated at ir/regular intervals.
Now, weblogs are starting to point inwards, (though some, eg. Jack have been doing that for yonks - unwadded the undies, thanks), which starts to tear down the inward/outward arguement; but when you go for a definition of something, you tend towards the norm, rather than the exceptions (eg... there may be a green cat, but you would never define cats as being green).
Now the "idea" of what a weblog is will always stay fairly general; but you know one when you see one. Just like you know a journal when you see one. And there is a difference between the two. Length and subject matter are the main differentiators. We might start seeing blournals, or jogs, which are a mixture between the two. They might work, they might not.
But blogging, in it's present form, is working, and working well. Some of the longest running site I can think of (eg. Kumite.com, which has been running a virus blog loooong before the word started cropping up).
There shouldn't been a huge problem with accepting that certain styles of writing work for certain media. You wouldn't write for a newspaper the same way you write for an online scientific journal. It may be a fantastic statement, or revolutionary piece of artwork, but it won't become the norm. It won't work.
Now, I don't know if jogs will work. They may well turn out to be fantastic. But, if they don't, only one or two truly talented people will be able to pull them off with any kind of success.
So. There. IT'S ALL GOOD!
If this thread gets to 100 comments, I'll consider it my April's Fools Day Joke, through lack of anything better.
posted by Neale at 6:39 PM on March 31, 2000
posted by jason at 7:55 PM on March 31, 2000
posted by EngineBeak at 7:57 PM on March 31, 2000
It's like that seinfeld episode, where Kramer and the car-salesman (i think) are driving a car for as long as they can with the gas slowly dwindling, driving for the pure experience of reaching the bottom of the tank.
I was thinking about seinfeld as a comparison to weblogging (and there's the whole e/n scene). I was thinking that journals point outward, weblogs inward. I still think that webloggers may sometimes speak about themselves on their blog, but there are very rarely any true moments of introspection; about as often as their are on seinfeld. Sometimes I think that weblogs don't even have the "everything" advantage that the e/n community does, and that weblogs talk a lot about nothing.
Now, I know that's not true. And I'm probably suffering from weblog overload; i've only been doing it for 6 months, and i'm wondering where the hell i'm gonna go with it.
I've been watching a documentary series about modern art over the past few weeks, and find myself associating the weblog community with the modern art world; one artist, name instantly forgotten, painted a thirty foot long canvas filled with names of other modern artists - sort of a "hot list" (actually called the "hip list") for modern art, as modern art. If that doesn't come close as an analogy to bloat or the blogbloggers, i don't know what does. has the entire weblog community entered the realm of self parody? Have I?
I find myself associating with Dali, in the realm of modern-artists-as-webloggers. Shamelessly self promoting, stirring trouble, infatuated with sex, and popularity, and yet bizarrely incapable of normality at home, or at work...
I like this place. I've settled down here. But, like ben has said (and I can no longer recall if it's here, or in the page i haven't put online yet), too many creative minds have abandoned great websites for blogs. As did i... i haven't updated my first site since the turn of the century, and may never do so (i'm thinking of porting it all to wwgb.com, archiving it and putting it down).
Six months. Seems weird, and now I get e-mails from complete strangers who read the site and hate what I say... hmm... and I wonder, does it matter? I didn't know the blog community until a blogger introduced me to it. Is it that insular, or has the recent press stirred up enough outside knowledge to make it open?
Aaaack. Too much thought process. And now that I'm going to have to devote time to a meatspace book, will I still find time to blog, or enough creative energy to fuck things up around here?
Ah well. I only post this here, as opposed to wetlog, because I know noone is going to check this thread anymore, and that it will soon drop off the end of the metafilter main page.
posted by Neale at 5:11 AM on April 1, 2000 [1 favorite]
posted by Neale at 5:17 AM on April 1, 2000
It's all good! barf
posted by wendell at 7:38 AM on April 1, 2000
posted by wendell at 11:00 AM on April 1, 2000
posted by bradlands at 1:22 PM on April 1, 2000
posted by bradlands at 2:59 PM on April 1, 2000
Enough already, I've got my own weblogs to work on. . .
posted by spacecoyote at 10:47 AM on April 2, 2000
posted by tomcosgrave at 5:08 PM on April 4, 2000
posted by bradlands at 7:02 PM on April 4, 2000
shredder, or
Valley Girl.
posted by brent at 7:06 PM on April 4, 2000
Remember the meta?
posted by Neale at 5:26 PM on May 25, 2000
Ah well. I'm in it for the long haul.
posted by Neale at 7:18 PM on May 25, 2000
Ah well. I'm in it for the long haul.
posted by Neale at 7:19 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 7:22 PM on May 25, 2000
That's a fucking brilliant idea. MF - home of wetlog.
posted by Neale at 7:25 PM on May 25, 2000
Ah well. Time to start blogging for wetlog.
posted by Neale at 7:28 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 7:32 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 7:33 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 7:34 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 7:34 PM on May 25, 2000
#reqs: URL
-----: ---
8: http://www.snottke.org/
#reqs: browser
-----: -------
8: I have photos of Neale with a shampoo bottle in his arse...
An interesting correlation.
posted by Neale at 7:37 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 7:56 PM on May 25, 2000
I'll see you all in hell.
posted by Neale at 7:58 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 7:59 PM on May 25, 2000
In related news, the 7th contestant can be named... Jon "Twernt" Litfin. Who will he be up against..? I'm not sure, actually. There have be so many applicants for the final spot. I'll be sending out an e-mail to those that have applied, so if you haven't heard from me yet, stay tuned.
posted by Neale at 8:02 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 8:03 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 8:05 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by wendellseviltwin at 8:09 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by mathowie at 8:16 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 8:18 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 8:19 PM on May 25, 2000
I guess the phrase "it's all good" is being used from the perspective of authors and not readers. This all started with Ben and Neale, joking or not, suggesting that people *not* write someting a certain way. And the backlash to that is the idea that anyone who feels like writing anything should, regardless of what anyone might think.
If you write with that in mind, sure it might be crap, but someone else might find it worthy of reading, or even if we can all agree it's crap, writing crap might help you develop into a better writer, or at least better than if you never tried.
I guess I don't like the idea of anyone saying someone shouldn't do something like write a personal page. And I get pissed when I think of someone reading Ben or Neale or anyone else's articles about the wrong or right way to do things and getting discouraged from doing something on the web.
The web, like life, is already 90% crap and wading through that is a chore, but that's what we do everyday, that's how we've developed our critical thinking skills all our life - finding the gold among all the crap. I guess I'd prefer my 90% of crap if it were personal, created by real people with stories and dreams, instead of a web chock full of e-commerce sites.
posted by mathowie at 8:39 AM PST on March 31 | permalink
posted by Neale at 8:21 PM on May 25, 2000
First Vox Pop, then MF. Is there no community-based tool I won't destroy (apologies in advance, matt).
posted by Neale at 8:23 PM on May 25, 2000
23. Sign of the illuminati. Beware, Beware.
posted by Neale at 8:24 PM on May 25, 2000
Now there's an idea. I seem to be full of them.
posted by Neale at 8:26 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 8:29 PM on May 25, 2000
2000 members. I know a porno by the same name...
posted by Neale at 8:35 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 8:37 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 8:40 PM on May 25, 2000 [1 favorite]
I'm so ashamed.
posted by Neale at 8:42 PM on May 25, 2000
qwerty
*
posted by Neale at 8:43 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 9:06 PM on May 25, 2000
CHAAAAAAARGE!
Right, now I'm making no sense at all.
posted by Neale at 9:11 PM on May 25, 2000
Me.
posted by Neale at 9:13 PM on May 25, 2000
** THIS IS A WARNING MESSAGE ONLY **
** YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESEND YOUR MESSAGE **
**********************************************
The original message was received at Tue, 23 May 2000 19:27:46 -0700 (PDT)
from webring@localhost
----- The following addresses had transient non-fatal errors -----
linkslut@squiggle.cjb.net
----- Transcript of session follows -----
linkslut@squiggle.cjb.net... Deferred: Connection refused by mail.cjb.net.
Warning: message still undelivered after 4 hours
Will keep trying until message is 5 days old
posted by Neale at 9:15 PM on May 25, 2000
You know what I like about junkmail? Frequent use of the word 'cum'.
posted by Neale at 9:16 PM on May 25, 2000
Hi, my name is Neale, and I would like you to come to my Hot Horny Web Site...
posted by Neale at 9:17 PM on May 25, 2000
Now that's just plain rude. Bad neale, bad! I think it's time for a spanking.
And then...
THE ORAL SEX! (in hushed wispers - 'the oral sex, the oral sex')
posted by Neale at 9:25 PM on May 25, 2000
WHY NOT PUT YOURSELF ON THE WEB?
Create a personal site with register.comTM -- www.NealeTalbot.com or www.aboutNealeTalbot.com are especially unique ways to share information about yourself and your hobbies, interests, and ideas. Set up a website with your bio and resume, display photos in your own online gallery, publish your opinions... the possibilities are endless and it takes only a few minutes!
http://register1.m0.net/m/s.asp?H1408572299X721816
posted by Neale at 9:26 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by Neale at 9:34 PM on May 25, 2000
One day I'll reach 1000. Are you prepared for that, Matt?
(That's a joke, right?)
posted by Neale at 9:42 PM on May 25, 2000
"This is a little message from the weblog community - SHUT the FUCK UP".
And then I will be hurt. A lot.
posted by Neale at 7:02 PM PST on March 29 | permalink
posted by wendellseviltwin at 10:25 PM on May 25, 2000
posted by rory at 10:37 PM on May 25, 2000
Now, I fully expect the other effort going on by some jackasses (wilbur?) will overtake this thread sometime while I sleep tonight, but reast assured I will be back with a vengence tomorrow. Until then, I rely on those that come here to post something.
You know you want to.
posted by Neale at 10:56 PM on May 25, 2000
WetaFilters are large by weblog standards but some of the giant WetaFilters are ENORMOUS and include the heaviest weblogs in the world
The WetaFilter is sometimes known as the dinosaur of the weblog world
The WetaFilter is more primitive than the wetlog
The WetaFilter has changed very little in the past 100 MILLION YEARS!
posted by rory at 11:20 PM on May 25, 2000
I know few read me, and yet I continue. I suspect that even few understand what I write, and yet that doesn't slow me down. I just go on and on like a Viking at a buffet.
Well, not this time. But usually.
posted by Ezrael at 7:46 AM on May 26, 2000
(not that I disapprove)
posted by rabi at 3:16 PM on May 26, 2000
So. Let's slouch towards Bethlehem. Or something.
posted by Neale at 4:04 PM on May 26, 2000
posted by wendell at 4:32 PM on May 26, 2000
posted by jason at 10:08 AM on May 28, 2000
He's repressed.
They're compressed.
We're all hard-pressed to do better.
posted by wendell at 8:27 PM on May 30, 2000
posted by Neale at 4:30 PM on September 27, 2000
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 11:56 PM on September 27, 2000
posted by Neale at 3:50 PM on February 11, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:08 PM on February 11, 2001
What, you've just figured that out?
posted by Avogadro at 11:11 AM on February 12, 2001
posted by chaz at 10:19 PM on February 14, 2001
posted by cCranium at 3:05 PM on February 15, 2001
posted by Neale at 10:40 PM on February 22, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 10:56 AM on February 23, 2001
posted by jess at 11:46 PM on February 27, 2001
and close the door, you're letting smoke go in the hallway...
posted by Avogadro at 4:49 PM on March 1, 2001
posted by Neale at 3:32 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 3:37 PM on March 29, 2001
Well it's a matter of pride. Of devotion. Of stupidity. Of ensuring that the longest thread on MeFi is (a) started by Matt and (b) about me in some way. Now, that might sound like self-important grandeur to you, and that's because it is. But, and let's be straight here kids, it's hard work. Especially with 4500 bloody members posting silly comments about their flame-emails in another thread. But I will prevail. You may have the might, but time is on my side baby.
Hail to the king.
posted by Neale at 3:42 PM on March 29, 2001
Make the bastards pay!
I mean...
Let design be free!
I mean...
Ah fuck it. Why the hell are you even reading this?
posted by Neale at 3:48 PM on March 29, 2001
This posts counts too you know. It's petty... but so am I.
posted by Neale at 3:49 PM on March 29, 2001
Live a pheonix from the ashes, I will rise again.
posted by Neale at 3:52 PM on March 29, 2001
See, every post I do only adds to the number of comments, thus re-enforcing my level of determination about this particular quest.
Also, it creates a level of comic irony to the situation; how can I rise again, if I refuse to die in the first place? Even this explaination is a meta-level of irony, in that it, too, will add to the number of comments. And so on and so forth.
posted by Neale at 3:58 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:05 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:08 PM on March 29, 2001
I got that all wrong. Damnit.
posted by Neale at 4:11 PM on March 29, 2001
I won't give up they want me dead.
This monkey's gone to heaven.
posted by Neale at 4:12 PM on March 29, 2001
Woooh-oh-oh-ooh
Wooh-oooh
Can't touch this.
Woooh-oh-oh-ooh
Wooh-oooh
Comment time.
posted by Neale at 4:13 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:14 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:15 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:16 PM on March 29, 2001
I hope so.
posted by Neale at 4:49 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 5:22 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 5:26 PM on March 29, 2001
At first I was afraid, I was petrified,
Thinking I could never live with this thread alive
Now I know another thread
is creeping up behind
But I am strong,
And though this thread is long...
I'll not quit
I need the hits
I'm not giving up upon this thread
a single bit
I won't change my mind at all
I won't be taking down my scrawl
I won't give up on 1 1 4 2 though my
back's against the wall...
I
I will survive
I'll keeping posting here, keeping
Hoping my fame revives.
I spent so many nights
Typing at these keys
I will survive
I will survive
Oh yeah...
posted by Neale at 5:32 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 6:03 PM on March 29, 2001
Maybe I should turn my vibrator off.
posted by Neale at 6:14 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 6:19 PM on March 29, 2001
So...
I just flew in from Seattle, and boy are my arms tired.
[cue laugh track]
Thanks you, thank you, you're wonderful, really.
posted by Neale at 6:36 PM on March 29, 2001
My god! It really is a black hole! A black hole of suckdom! Where you can't see hear light escaping for the sucking noise.
Aaaaauuuuuuggggghhhhh!
posted by Neale at 6:43 PM on March 29, 2001
That's a lot of posts. I estimate roughly 70. I need to pull that far ahead to survive. Not bloody likely... but I'll have my fingers bleed on the keyboard trying.
posted by Neale at 6:45 PM on March 29, 2001
My answer: not enough.
posted by Neale at 6:59 PM on March 29, 2001
Onward me! To battle! To victory! To the bathroom (i'll be right back, I swear!)
posted by Neale at 7:03 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 7:53 PM on March 29, 2001
"Look - he wrote an absurdly long comment thread on MeFi."
"In that case, I sentence Neale to life on Monster Island!"
posted by Neale at 7:57 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 8:01 PM on March 29, 2001
I have such thin skin. I get so cold at night.
posted by Neale at 8:21 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 8:25 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 8:34 PM on March 29, 2001
I must say, though, that this thread is pretty much more informative, entertaining and all-round wonderful.
At least, according to me it is.
posted by Neale at 9:01 PM on March 29, 2001
And they'd be right.
posted by Neale at 9:02 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 9:06 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 9:08 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 9:21 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 9:22 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by Neale at 9:24 PM on March 29, 2001
If you are reading this, for the sake of my sanity, support the cause and post something. Keep the bastard's Hondas. That's what I say.
posted by Neale at 9:26 PM on March 29, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 2:27 PM on March 30, 2001
You know, I really must get a life sometime soon.
posted by Neale at 2:49 PM on March 30, 2001
posted by Neale at 2:51 PM on March 30, 2001
Deja vu. Ha - ha - haaaaa!
Okay, Letterman does it better.
posted by Neale at 2:59 PM on March 30, 2001
posted by Neale at 3:09 PM on March 30, 2001
Well I'd like to point out that on other long threads half the posts come from other people. So there!
posted by Neale at 3:12 PM on March 30, 2001
posted by Neale at 3:18 PM on March 30, 2001
Mob rules!
posted by Neale at 3:28 PM on March 30, 2001
I'm gonna post all night.
Baby giveya something to hold on to
I'm gonna post all niiii-yiiiiiiaght
By the time I'm finished most of the posts
will be poo
All night
All night
All night
Gonna post gonna post
All night
All night
Ah crap.
posted by Neale at 3:34 PM on March 30, 2001
Letterman, eat your heart out.
posted by Neale at 3:45 PM on March 30, 2001
posted by Neale at 3:54 PM on March 30, 2001
posted by Neale at 3:47 PM on March 31, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:22 PM on March 31, 2001
You put your heart and soul into something, and they spit in your face! Gar!
posted by Neale at 4:28 PM on March 31, 2001
I'm getting a weird sense of Deja Vu.
Deja vu. Ha - ha - haaaaa!
Nevermind
posted by Neale at 4:35 PM on March 31, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:41 PM on March 31, 2001
Only one way to find out.
posted by Neale at 4:42 PM on March 31, 2001
posted by Neale at 8:02 PM on April 1, 2001
posted by cCranium at 9:15 PM on April 1, 2001
posted by cCranium at 2:44 PM on April 2, 2001
posted by cCranium at 2:45 PM on April 2, 2001
/me waves middle finger at Neale as proof.
posted by cCranium at 2:46 PM on April 2, 2001
posted by cCranium at 2:47 PM on April 2, 2001
"Look! Thats the day the pyra people got fired. That's when Tivo had that competition! That's when MeFi was copied!"
They gasp and stare and love for the world will flow through them. Or something.
posted by Neale at 5:36 PM on April 2, 2001
posted by gluechunk at 7:29 PM on April 2, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 7:43 PM on April 2, 2001
1. What a senseless waste of time that was and
2. You can have it, Neale. As long as you're willing to defend it from the next thread, which will hit 300, then the first 500, etc. etc. . .
posted by norm at 8:29 PM on April 2, 2001
posted by snarkout at 8:33 PM on April 2, 2001
Drugs.
Lots of 'em.
posted by Jeremy at 9:31 PM on April 2, 2001
posted by holloway at 10:15 PM on April 2, 2001
Well, strictly it isn't, but there's got to be some law I can smite you under. I'll keep looking.
posted by SelfPostGuy at 7:47 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:36 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:37 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:37 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:37 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:37 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:37 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:38 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:38 AM on April 3, 2001
If you feel up to it, feel free to add imaginary or-castration or even a chorus line.
The Rockettes!
The Mormon Ta-barnacle Choir!
Santa Claws!
You will feel a happier and better person.
And they will say, let go of me, you pervert.)
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:41 AM on April 3, 2001
grumble, grumble, grumble...
posted by Avogadro at 9:04 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 9:05 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:15 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:16 AM on April 3, 2001
It's an interesting tidbit for the MeFi lore, anyway.
posted by daveadams at 9:22 AM on April 3, 2001
Q Who was the father of the sons of Zebedee?
A Zebedee
It's a trick question, see? I missed this one.
posted by daveadams at 9:25 AM on April 3, 2001
Right?
posted by daveadams at 9:25 AM on April 3, 2001
I will now add to the length of this thing by posting an interesting story I stole off a friends website.
Many stories about rangering. The most "dramatic" are probably rescue stories, climbing stories and firefighting stories.
Here's one for you:
Several years ago, Clinton was stumping prior to his re-election campaign. He visited Grand Teton National Park for a few photo ops and some golfing on a
swank course. Hillary and Chelsea engaged in more honorable activities. They went horseback riding and on one or two short hikes.
Watching a Presidential Entourage go by is an odd site, especially down a dirt road to a trailhead. 8-10 black Chevy Suburbans and a few unmarked cars...
Surreal.
As part of the event, I went to a dinner at the very bourgeois Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis, where Clinton announced from a podium, his dedication to National
Parks and the preservation of public lands. I walked through a metal detector on the way in and was patted down by Secret Service agents. The Secret Service
flanked Clinton on all sides, but didn't seem to be much of a deterrent, because they were so blatantly SECRET SERVICE. Dockers, casual shirts, etc.
On to the point, and my involvement in this story.
As the Clinton's stay near Grand Teton Nat. Park wound down, a C-130 cargo transport plane in Clinton's entourage took off from the airport to fly back to DC. For
some inexplicable reason, the pilot made a huge error. Minutes after taking off, the plane hit the side of Sheep (Sleeping Indian) Mountain.
A small group of rangers were hanging out on my porch talking and having a beer after dinner, when a climbing ranger named Andy Byerly ran over from his
nearby cabin. We stood on the top of a Park Suburban and watched a mushroom cloud/fireball erupting several miles away.
An all night search and rescue effort followed. The Grand Teton Climbing Rangers were the first to respond, but not the first to reach the "staging area"--a spot
off a dirt road near the base of Sheep Mountain. When we arrived at the staging area low-grade confusion and radio traffic filled the air. Four-wheel drive vehicles
and semi-frantic people milled around and geared up.
Eventually, two groups of between 8 and 12 people headed in approximately 4 miles to the crash site. One group of park rangers, one group of Teton County
Search and Rescue. A third group, on horseback, was to take a longer route and meet the two groups on foot. There was no trail. We took the most direct route,
which included a bunch of steep terrain and bushwhacking through heavy forest. The Park Rangers were dressed in standard firefighting gear--bright yellow
Nomex (fireproof) shirts, green Nomex pants and firefighting boots. The Teton County Rescue Team dropped behind after two miles. We (park rangers) never
saw them again that night.
When the group of eight of so park rangers reached the crash site, we methodically spread out, in order to canvas the area. Initially, we were looking for live
humans in need of medical attention. Our objective quickly shifted to counting bodies.
The smell of spent jet fuel was in the air. Urgency was also in the air. The temperature was slightly below freezing, but I was slightly chilled by sweat.
The only thing still flaming was one of the plane's huge landing gear tires. The only other intact part of the plane was the tail piece, which seemed oddly out of
place, like a hoof remaining from a horse obducted by aliens.
Rivulets of solid aluminum ran through the crash area. Minute pieces of debris were strewn about in a hundred yard radius. The cockpit was a slump of
smoldering mush.
A ranger named Gary found the first body. There were nine crew members aboard the plane, along with an armored Chevy Suburban. We found random pieces
of eight humans, there was no trace of the Suburban. I found at least two of the bodies. They didn't seem human. They seemed like charred props generated by
Hollywood.
I still have vivid images in my mind from that night. Mortal images.
The butt and thighs of what I guessed used to be a woman beneath the light of my headlamp. She had no torso. Her rump resembled a mannequin coated with
two inches of well-done bacon.
A pilot's flight suit still intact, but the pilot resembling little more than molded ash.
A curled leather boot with a foot still in it...
My thoughts were both hyper lucid and confused, vacillating between reverence, horror and awe. I was and still am oddly detached from the reality of what my
eyes took in that night.
After determining all the crew members were dead, we dispersed around the perimeter of the crash site to "secure the area." I assume the FAA wanted the flight
log secure and the Feds wanted any potentially classified material safegaurded. It was about four am. I pulled my down jacket, along with some gloves and
other warm gear out of my backpack. I was still cold. I laid down against my backpack, using it as insulation against the ground. I talked for a while with a ranger
named Chris Harder. He was sitting about 40 feet from me. After a while, we both tried to close our eyes and rest.
About two hours later, the first horse arrived on the scene. An hour after that, we were flown by helicopter back to the Park.
Later that day, local newspapers credited the "body recovery" to the Teton County Search and Rescue Team. In reality, the TCRT's out-of-shape gear-laden
group mostly drank hot chocolate and coffee all night by their idling vehicles in the staging area. The Park Service team wasn't mentioned at all in the local news.
Surprisingly enough, national news barely registered the event, even though Clinton flew out of Grand Teton Nat. Park a couple days later.
posted by Christian Arial 3:14 PM
So there!
posted by thirteen at 9:44 AM on April 3, 2001
(btw, if someone already said that, I apologize...I have the attention span of a two-year-old as well)
Also, I knew about this well before the MeTa post...does that make me 1337 too?? Sweeet.
posted by samsara at 10:54 AM on April 3, 2001
Cool story, thirteen.
posted by daveadams at 11:50 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by norm at 11:51 AM on April 3, 2001
posted by thirteen at 12:09 PM on April 3, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 1:43 PM on April 3, 2001
NEED MORE POSTS.
posted by daveadams at 2:05 PM on April 3, 2001
No, not like THAT, silly.
posted by redfoxtail at 3:59 PM on April 3, 2001
posted by timothompson at 10:12 PM on April 3, 2001
It's far more addictive than you've EVER IMAGINED! And now you know this thread is here, over the next few months you'll come back and back and back again! Matt's gottcha hooked!
And yes, I do do this over a 56k modem.
posted by Neale at 2:17 AM on April 4, 2001
You need more l4773. Or less. I can never tell.
posted by iceberg273 at 9:22 AM on April 4, 2001
posted by bradlands at 9:54 AM on April 4, 2001
posted by youhas at 2:12 PM on April 4, 2001
posted by youhas at 2:14 PM on April 4, 2001
posted by norm at 7:02 PM on April 4, 2001
Google so rocks.
posted by cCranium at 6:09 AM on April 5, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 7:48 AM on April 5, 2001
In MeFi news, MetaFilter thread 803 was on the re-design of K10K.
posted by Avogadro at 8:54 AM on April 5, 2001
I thought this thread was about me. ME ME ME ME ME!
posted by Neale at 6:11 PM on April 5, 2001
posted by samsara at 7:13 PM on April 5, 2001
posted by samsara at 7:23 PM on April 5, 2001
posted by Neale at 11:31 PM on April 5, 2001
My lameness has been re-enforced.
posted by Neale at 11:35 PM on April 5, 2001
*pout*
posted by Avogadro at 6:06 AM on April 6, 2001
Aus allerlei reinem Vieh nimm zu dir je sieben und sieben, das Männlein und sein Fräulein; von dem unreinen Vieh aber je ein Paar, das Männlein und sein Fräulein.
Oh, and 673 is my street address.
posted by norm at 7:27 AM on April 6, 2001
posted by cCranium at 1:41 PM on April 6, 2001
posted by youhas at 3:32 AM on April 7, 2001
posted by samsara at 8:25 PM on April 7, 2001
Okay, yes, I realize that I probably am doing something wrong. Surely there's some reconfiguration that would make my surfing faster. Anyone know the arcana of modem settings?
posted by daveadams at 2:11 PM on April 9, 2001
And how is this about Neale, you ask? It's obviously his fault, that's how.
posted by daveadams at 2:12 PM on April 9, 2001
And since it's Neale, pathetic == amusing!
posted by cCranium at 12:20 PM on April 10, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 7:20 PM on April 10, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 9:09 PM on April 10, 2001
Aiiieeee! Excuse me while I take some time to recover from that thought.
posted by redfoxtail at 3:54 PM on April 11, 2001
And it's not about me. It's about the love... of me.
posted by Neale at 4:21 PM on April 11, 2001
posted by daveadams at 1:56 PM on April 16, 2001
Redd Foxx
(One of) Redd Foxx's shows
Redd Foxx's most famous show
Redd Foxx's foil/nemesis-ter-in-law
Redd Foxx's ghost
Redd Foxx's grave
posted by bradlands at 10:52 PM on April 16, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 1:43 PM on April 17, 2001
Two Foxx
Redd Foxx
Bloo Foxx
I made a cake the day Redd Foxx died, I heard about his death as I was frosting it. I wrote on the cake "Red Fox burns in hell". I think I was the only one who ate the cake, because I used to use so much food coloring that it stained your digestive tract, and people get tired of that sort of thing (if they are not me).
Many years later my roomate played me a stag record that featured the woman who played Aunt Ester talking dirty and simulating orgasm. I have no idea who that record was marketed towards, as it was of puzzling entertainment value. It's only real reason for being was to say "Isn't that Aunt Ester grunting and moaning, wow I really don't like this take it off."
Sanford and son was based on the British comedy Steptoe and son.
I will never have a good night of sleep until the guy who played Lamont dies too. I believe his name is Desmond.
Other people whose deaths help me sleep are:
A. Lincoln
T. Edison
F.D.fucking R
and possibly Ghandi, as I am really grossed out by his urine drinking fetish
I wish Andy Warhol was still alive.
I counted up, and realized that 13 of my old classmates are dead.. Isn't that ironic?
6 murdered
3 traffic accidents
2 suicide
2 anorexia
Time for bed.
posted by thirteen at 11:00 PM on April 17, 2001
posted by Neale at 11:31 PM on April 17, 2001
Four suicide
One car wreck
One dropped dead of a burst blood vessel in his brain.
So, seven. Boy, that's depressing.
posted by norm at 6:57 AM on April 18, 2001
posted by daveadams at 11:50 AM on April 18, 2001
Speaking of keeping count (cool segway there neale)... what # post is this?
posted by Neale at 5:29 PM on April 18, 2001
That's 378 comments deep, no wait, make that 379.
posted by lagado at 7:29 PM on April 18, 2001
posted by daveadams at 5:58 AM on April 19, 2001
posted by thirteen at 9:14 AM on April 19, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 9:26 AM on April 19, 2001
posted by norm at 10:50 AM on April 19, 2001
posted by daveadams at 1:27 PM on April 19, 2001
posted by thirteen at 3:48 PM on April 19, 2001
So instead, some keyboard improv:
wqetewt ewfspvp9 dsfmdsflkewtr zdn4ewtpd fads foewt
asdofhjewot dslfksdof23trlkdsz fjdsf o3q53218032
vlkmcxvlkjvp u3q5ua;slkjf 0- 32145wlkdjvnj cx0-q
posted by Neale at 9:30 PM on April 19, 2001
posted by bradlands at 10:10 PM on April 19, 2001
posted by bradlands at 10:13 PM on April 19, 2001
posted by bradlands at 10:13 PM on April 19, 2001
posted by bradlands at 10:14 PM on April 19, 2001
Then I found a some usenet looking discussion, where weirdos were lobbying for my house to be placed on a historic register for it use under the previous owner (which I will not get into here). It seemed pretty weak, and would have no chance of happening, but I would literally explode if I had to get permission to modify my home.
My friends and I have a running theme with cookies frosted to look like blue human eyes. We have refined it over the past year, and they are looking pretty damn swank. We have been pursuing it from a more or less 2-dimensional angle, and I want to kick it up a notch. I am unsure if I should try making a rum ball, that I would dust with powdered sugar, or if I should dip them in white chocolate and go to town with that. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
posted by thirteen at 10:19 AM on April 20, 2001
posted by thirteen at 1:07 PM on April 20, 2001
bees in their mouths and when they bark they shoot bees at you?
posted by thirteen at 1:17 PM on April 20, 2001
The day is coming, I am sure it will be great no matter what happens.
posted by thirteen at 2:52 PM on April 20, 2001
Sean Meade has attractive symetrical children, but I have not met them.
I always imagine Baylink as a beard.
I was surprised to see what Holgate looks like. I thought he would have black hair and be much skinnier. He is kind of beefy for a vegetarian.
I am remarkably handsome, and terribly misunderstood.
For a while I thought Dave Adams did not like me, and have no mental picture of him. When I try to make one, I just see the words "Dave Adams" or the little stuffed dog picture.
I wonder if Sapphireblue has a southern accent.
Sudama said he looks a bit like Chris Elliot, and I will take him at his word.
I would have Ben Affleck play Derek Powazek in Metafilter: the Movie.
I would be played by a Krispy Kreme donut, and all my scenes would be cut.
Who do you think the ugliest Metafilterer is? I bet it is someone who does not post alot.
I like Solistrato a lot, his is our most passionate member. He prolly thinks i'm an idiot.
I wrote Rat Bastard a paranoid letter at 4a.m on time asking him if he disabled part of his website because I was using it regularly. It turns out the answer was no, and I thought he was swell to respond to my insane sounding letter so thoughtfully.
I am currently listening to Glenn Branca's Symphony no.6.
Whenever someone talks about how Metafilter sucks now, I always take it personal, because I think they are implying it was me who ruined it. Unless their ID is higher than mine, at which point I figure they are talking about Hal_55.
I think Metafilter is still good.
METAFILTER: the movie
Noah Wiley as Matt H
Skeet Ulrich as Jason Kottke
Phillip Seymore Hoffman as John B.
a donught as John 13
another doughnut as Capt. Crackpipe
That chick from Chocolat as Heather Champ
and introducing the rock as ccranium.
I am posting on one machine, while rebuilding another. This IS progress.
My wife has a secret Metafilter account, and has only posted once.
More later.
posted by thirteen at 3:25 PM on April 20, 2001
posted by thirteen at 3:32 PM on April 20, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 9:57 PM on April 20, 2001
posted by anildash at 10:46 PM on April 20, 2001
I don't think anyone should play Powazek. He won't be featuring in the Metafilter movie; he's got the Fray covered though. Covered like a FOX!
thirteen's cookies may look like eyes, but what's more disturbing is that his eyes look like cookies.
posted by Neale at 12:20 AM on April 21, 2001
The mental image I have of a bunch of angels sitting around eating eyeballs is both disturbing and amusing. I can see them gathering around a bowl of eyeballs and describing each person from which they came like a group of people dissecting the taste of wine.
Oh, and a rock, or The Rock. Do you smell what the cCranium's cooking? I'm not sure which is more flattering, although I'm leaning towards a chunk of granite over a professional wrestler.
posted by cCranium at 7:19 AM on April 21, 2001
Does anyone else think that Crocodile Dundee in LA looks like a perfectly respectable Subaru Outback commercial ruined by gratuitous product placement for Paul Hogan's ailing career?
When I say literally get really angry, I meant actually explode. You know, high-speed gaseous expansion through combustion. I mean it this time. Stay back.
posted by dhartung at 11:54 AM on April 21, 2001
Thirteen, do you live in a city? I thought most cities required construction permits for any major external modifications. Maybe not. In any case, if it was the national historic registry, that doesn't change any rights you may or may not have to modify your home. State and local registries may not be as forgiving, however.
posted by daveadams at 11:19 PM on April 21, 2001
That is me. I live on a little white disc up in the mesosphere. I mean, gosh, they say on the Internet no one knows you're a dog, but I never believed them...
posted by daveadams at 11:26 PM on April 21, 2001
Seriously.
posted by daveadams at 11:28 PM on April 21, 2001
What makes you think that's not still the case? I remember: we were arguing over the death penalty (what? a death penalty thread with only 37 comments?!?), way back when (well, actually, it's way after this thread, isn't it... the fabric of spacetime is ripping, I'm sure of it). I don't hold grudges, but I make an exception in your case, thirteen.
No, I'm just teasing. I like thirteen a lot; but Neale: that's another story altogether.
<chorus>"I like thirteen a lot; but Neale: that's another story."</chorus>
posted by daveadams at 11:43 PM on April 21, 2001
I like the first way better.
posted by daveadams at 11:45 PM on April 21, 2001
An absent dog? What the heck?
posted by daveadams at 11:50 PM on April 21, 2001
1. Should I have a picture of me on the site?
2. If you could log in to the site, would you?
3. But would you log in if it meant you could see my picture?
4. Should I write a web survey component for my custom blog software?
5. What if you could use it yourself (assuming you answered yes to #2 or #3)?
I would appreciate your prompt, candid, and courteous responses below. Thanks.
posted by daveadams at 11:59 PM on April 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 12:02 AM on April 22, 2001
2. No.
3. Probably.
4. What, and join the gang? (e-mail Chrish of Chrish.org and ask to be put on "the list")
5. Maybe.
Absent. Abcent? Abcese? Obese?
posted by Neale at 1:24 AM on April 22, 2001
From what I remember, the NIC setup gets presented as an option like "Do you want to set-up your network card [y]:" during the installer, but I've been wrong before.
The thing that always catches me up is the monitor setup for X. "Be absolutely sure of your refresh rate or you could be chewing monitor pieces for months after the explosion."
Try The FreeBSD Diary, it got me through everything.
posted by cCranium at 6:13 AM on April 22, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:05 AM on April 22, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 11:28 AM on April 22, 2001
I think the cool kids do it by having started their weblogs back in late 98, early 99 when having a weblog was a sign of just how 1337 you really were.
Then for a while, it was a good strategy to post comments blasting the concept of blogs, the top bloggers, the ruination caused by tools like Blogger, etc. etc. You'd immediately get links from all the cool kids, and thus a lot of traffic, and thus a few more repeat visitors.
Then there's the strategy of hosting a particularly odd or potentially-illegal item. Kottke's Simply Porn is a good example, but Kottke didn't need any more publicity. Having a URL similar enough to a big corporate entity to get sued is a good strategy, as well.
Yet another strategy is to be Zannah, who somehow miraculously gets mentioned in every mainstream-press weblog article ever. I mean, she's got a great site, but really, spread the wealth.
Since being Zannah is likely out of the question, and since it's not early 1999 anymore, I'd say your best bet is to bribe a big-name blogger or two with lots of street cred to endorse your site. Rebecca, Matt, Cam, Jason, Meg, Peter, Brig, and Dave Winer are all options, but I don't know how they'll respond to your offers of cash. I think most of them are doing pretty well.
Personally, I'll take bribes of any sort. I get about 140-150 hits a day (excluding bots) at The Stuffed Dog and I'd be glad to plug your site. My readers are well-known for their clickthrough rates, and my prices for shameless shilling are reasonable. Email me for a quote.
posted by daveadams at 6:20 PM on April 22, 2001
Okay, FreeBSD still can't see my network card. I've re-installed, and when I get to the "do you want to set up a network interface?" I say yes, but ethernet is not an option, just slip and ppp.
Soooo, here's what happens when I start up a fresh install: After swapping the two boot disks, I get a menu asking if I want to skip kernel setup, do visual kernel setup, or do advanced kernel setup. So I go for the visual setup. Here, I get a list of all the possible drivers for disk, network, etc, etc, and their various IRQs and I/O ports. I go through and delete the drivers that don't apply, and just leave the simple NE2000 driver for my no-name NE2000 card. I set the IRQ and I/O port to the settings on my card (not plug-n-play, but I can configure it through software if I boot to DOS): in this case, IRQ 10 and I/O port 0x300. I've verified that, at least among the drivers listed, there are no conflicts.
So I go ahead and boot up, but I get nothing.
Just in case it matters: I get a bunch of complaints while booting that there are too many devices using IRQ 7 and that there are so many, in fact, that the kernel will not log any more. Running /stand/sysinstall doesn't get me back to the driver screen, just to the software installation portion.
posted by daveadams at 6:36 PM on April 22, 2001
posted by daveadams at 6:42 PM on April 22, 2001
Wow, I never really thought I was one of the in crowd, but this I never imagined.
posted by lbergstr at 7:09 PM on April 22, 2001
I'm going to extend the contest well past 100 votes, I didn't think I'd get 60 votes in just about one day so it might be around another week or so. So you can all decide exactly how to picture me...
posted by anildash at 7:46 PM on April 22, 2001
I'm hoping that technological advances in bandwidth progress fasted than posts on this thread. Otherwise I'm screwed.
As for an open, off-topic mailing list, you could do worse than the wrongwaygoback mailing list. It's spamalicious.
RE: Shaving: Anil, you're head don't stand a chance.
RE: Making it big. You could take Sally's advice, based on well documented methods of gaining fame and forture.
posted by Neale at 8:20 PM on April 22, 2001
I have a deep hatred of no-name NE2000 NICs, you can guarantee that they will flat out fail to work with anything other than Windows.
The trouble I had trying to find two NICs that would happily co-exist in my firewall machine doesn't bear thinking about. In the end I gave up and installed a 3Com ISA and a Realtek PCI card.
Then the only problem was getting one of them to talk DHCP to the cable modem... ;)
I guess you're getting a screen much like this one. When I set up my webserver I just kept removing network drivers until there were zero conflicts in the top left corner.
If the kernel is complaining of too many devices at IRQ 7 then I would think that this would be flagged in the config screen. Don't know if any of this helps.
posted by gi_wrighty at 6:44 AM on April 23, 2001
The "secret" to drawing eyeballs (not cakes, mind you, I haven't yet figured out how to draw eyeball cakes closer to me, I'm reasonably certain that they know I'm Cake Death) isn't really much of a secret.
Look at your stereotypical-as-piss A-list types, then look what they had _before_ a blog.
Kottke has been doing Osil8 for years. (side note: I can NEVER remember the URL. I don't know why, but none of .com, .org., or .net are resolving into anything useful).
Matt has MetaFilter.
Zeldman did or play[ed|s] a major part in doing Dr. Web, the Ad Graveyard, A List Apart, the WaSP.
Meg and Ev started Pyra.
In other words, a 'blog, for the most part, isn't enough to draw attention. The obvious exceptions to this are Jorn, who Blogs every freakin' thing on the planet, and Rebecca, whom I read much more for her editorial/opinion pieces than her actual blog entries.
Powazek did Fray, Halcyon did Prehensile Tales. Heather did FOJM, Lance did Glassdog. I can go on, but I'm mildly disturbed about how long I've been reading many of these peoples' works)
What defines someone as "A-List" isn't some nebulous definition of "cool," it's almost always hard work and a serious contribution to the development of the personal web. So you want to be famous? Work on something other than a blog.
(insert standard "I'm not bashing blogs, I have a blog, I like blogs, blogs are good but they aren't the be all and end all of web presence" disclaimer here.)
posted by cCranium at 7:17 AM on April 23, 2001
posted by cCranium at 7:21 AM on April 23, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 10:00 AM on April 23, 2001
I'm not sure . . . let's consult a random discipline code to answer that question . . . um . . . here's one . . . Columbus Boy Choir Statement of Discipline, I choose you!
According to the CBCSD, as this is the first occurrence of distracting others*, your name will be called with a warning.
CCRANIUM! Get back off topic! You've been warned!
(You may redeem yourself by earning bonus points for good posture.)
* distracting others from the *real* purpose of this thread, whatever that may be.
posted by iceberg273 at 10:04 AM on April 23, 2001
My weblog gets 28 visits a day.
I am a superstar.
posted by thirteen at 10:05 AM on April 23, 2001
I am stardust.
posted by iceberg273 at 10:29 AM on April 23, 2001
I am feeling poorly today, I fell like I ate a handful of broken glass. One of my dogs woke up at 4am and wanted to go out, when I returned to bed I laid down and stared at my moonclock for the next hour. The creeps from Peoples gas came by at 8am to install a radio read gas meter in my basement that I have been trying to avoid. The wife does not have any problem with this tiny violation of my privacy regarding metered radio waves. Anybody who cares to look into it can drive up my street with a detector and know how much natural gas my house has consumed. I do not like this. It is my intention to experiment and make a detector, so that I can walk around my neighborhood and have something to talk about with my incredibly boring neighbors.
"I see you have used a cubic ton of natural gas you sloppy bastard, here is a nickel ?go buy some insulation."
My wife also took them up on the free gas appliance inspection, which I surely never would have allowed, but I guess it can't hurt much. I don't know why they are giving out "free" inspections when half the town can't afford their gas bills this winter, but good for me I guess. I hope all Illinois customers enjoyed footing the bill for my "free" inspection. I had no worries, my gas runs are short, in thick black pipe with few joints. I replaced all my couplings 2 years ago with bubbling flex hose that would show failure before anything serious happened, not to mention the gas detectors. I will also continue with my own "free" gas inspections.
If you have not noticed, I am concerned about natural gas explosions. I am trusting they did not spill any mercury from the meter when they removed it today, after the huge scandal such accidents caused this summer here in Chicago.
Thanks for the tips about the 3-D eye cookies, I will post pictures of the results.
I now hate political threads until further notice. I was able to stay out of the Quebec protest thread as it looked like everybody was blocking the streets, and therefore there was nobody for me to root for. My thoughts are with the inconvenienced people of Quebec.
posted by thirteen at 11:15 AM on April 23, 2001
something for the greed in all of us
also, my weblog would be tons of fun
but alas,
I do not have one :(
posted by samsara at 11:36 AM on April 23, 2001
posted by sudama at 12:11 PM on April 23, 2001
I can't believe there's another Nader thread. I must have mugged a nun in a previous life to deserve this crappy karma.
I have no blog. My home computer is a hopeless relic, essentially a Speak 'N Spell on back-alley steroids, and even if it wasn't, I'm so technologically backwards that even something like wonderful, lovely Blogger would fill me with such nameless, Cthulhuan dread that I would surely expire right there at the keyboard.
Also, I can't believe you jerks have been frolicking over here for so long without telling me.
posted by Skot at 2:14 PM on April 23, 2001
I have a deep hatred of no-name NE2000 NICs, you can guarantee that they will flat out fail to work with anything other than Windows.
Well, yes this one has given me fits, but I've never failed to get it to work on Linux, the only sticking point was the IRQ and I/O settings, which I've checked and double-checked with FreeBSD.
I guess you're getting a screen much like this one. When I set up my webserver I just kept removing network drivers until there were zero conflicts in the top left corner.
Yep, I get that screen and get rid of all the conflicts. Still no help. I would be curious to know if it's possible to get back to that screen without starting over completely.
If the kernel is complaining of too many devices at IRQ 7 then I would think that this would be flagged in the config screen.
Nope, it isn't. At the time (I'm away from the box right now), I can't recall what is listed on IRQ 7 on that screen, but it's only one thing. And the NIC is on IRQ 10. Ah well. Thanks for thinking about the problem anyway.
posted by daveadams at 3:45 PM on April 23, 2001
Well, it's an old problem, but new to this thread. Okay, ever since I installed Windows 2000 on my PC at work, I've been unable to play RealAudio streams from NPR (e.g. archived All Things Considered). They'll start and maybe play for a few seconds or even a minute or two when I'm lucky. But at some point (and it's usually before any sound plays), I get an error complaining that Realplayer can't connect to the server. Blah blah blah. I've tried every configuration setting available (UDP, HTTP, auto-config), I'm not behind a firewall, and nearly every other Real stream seems to work great (I occasionally have the problem with Amazon music previews, but not nearly as often).
Any ideas?
posted by daveadams at 3:48 PM on April 23, 2001
Some are actually looking for a place to belong. For some its a club or society - a newsgroup or fansite, some need the reassurance of a shared house, but some are looking for the city feeling - a place they can still be an individual but also be part of a wider community. This is what Metafilter has to offer.
But like a city, there are some things you're going to be interested in and something which will hold no interest. I find it very difficult to follow links about American politics (if someone could sit down and explain who Nadir is I'd really appreciate it). But I love the Flash links which appear from time to time. And the cultural links which draw my attention to things which I would otherwise consider. I especially like the fact that if I like someone's writing style or sense of humour, I can follow their nickname to their blog or favourite site and find out more about them - something you can't do so much in the real world (when was the last time you went up to someone you like the look of in the street and asked them what their favourite movie was?).
So perhaps everyone should be happy that Metafilter is getting more popular. Those of us who aren't interested in the more 'generic' should be able to tune these out and look at the more unusual stuff. And those for whom Metafilter is a primary news source can find that to. There is nothing which says it can't be all things for all people - and I can't wait for the time when I look at the members clock and see five figures . . . .
posted by feelinglistless at 3:53 PM on April 23, 2001
:)
I can't wait for the time when I look at the members clock and see five figures . . . .
I can't wait for the time when I look at the number of comments in this thread and see five figures . . . .
posted by iceberg273 at 4:08 PM on April 23, 2001
I think if I keep saying Nadir! Nadir! Nadir! it could be my official MeFi Tagline(©).
posted by norm at 5:06 PM on April 23, 2001
RE: Real Player - don't install it. Those people will track ya mind and force you to buy copies of Catcher in the Rye and moist towlettes.
RE: IRQ 7 - What devices are on it, fer gods sake? Why not remove all your hardware then put it back in piece by piece. I find that if you do that, nothing works, but at least you have a reason.
RE: 28 hits - I get slightly more than that, but not by much. My Sims page gets shitloads, maybe from search requests and a fortetous link from the EA website. But I sold my soul to them and now I'm EA's bitchboy.
posted by Neale at 7:07 PM on April 23, 2001
posted by zempf at 7:18 PM on April 23, 2001
RE Realplayer... generally I would agree with you, but I need my NPR!!!
RE IRQ 7 - It doesn't tell me what devices are on it, fer gods sake! Believe me, I'm all for full disclosure. And taking away the keyboard and system clock and such are kinda iffy as far as future functionality goes...
posted by daveadams at 7:45 PM on April 23, 2001
I would just give up and go back to Linux if I didn't NEEEEED FreeBSD for something... unless one of you kind folks has access to a FreeBSD system with root-level access... Anyone?
posted by daveadams at 8:00 PM on April 23, 2001
posted by daveadams at 8:13 PM on April 23, 2001
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posted by redfoxtail at 8:32 PM on April 23, 2001
Wahoo! Hardware problems solved! I guess it was just a misconfiguration on the card. I ran the config utility a zillion times, setting it one way and the other, then trying to set up the OS the same way. I finally got it to work. So now I'm back to being shiny and happy again. Thanks for everyone's advice and words of encouragement. I'll go back to posting nonsense again.
posted by daveadams at 9:50 PM on April 23, 2001
posted by Neale at 3:38 AM on April 24, 2001
But even with all my experience, I couldn't convincingly draw anything more realistic than stick figures. I was in a morbid-humor stage at the time, so I drew a comic called YIKES, the premise of which was that in each issue, within the space of one page, a stick-figure hero would win our hearts and then meet an untimely and often humorously ironic demise.
The first issue told the tale of an anonymous stick man and the cruel twist of fate which took his penciled life far too soon. You see, he was attempting to shoot a pistol, and when the gun didn't fire, he perhaps-not-so-wisely looked down the barrel to see what might be causing the problem. The gun then went off at this most inopportune time, and the final frame captured the moment of his death, when--bullet already behind his head, blood and brains splattering out in both directions--he uttered his final word in a primal scream to end all primal screams: "YIKES!"
After the success of YIKES #1, I went on to fill the forty remaining pages of that legal pad and about 40 in yet another pad with more and more stories of stick people, some innocent, some not, to whom fate dealt a mortal blow quite sooner than they expected.
My teacher one day came across these comics and was quite concerned, asking if my parents knew I drew comics like this. I said yes, even though I think at that point they hadn't seen the comics. She let me go with a worried glance, but that didn't dissuade me from drawing more and more.
When I think back to that time and consider the current attitude in schools across the country towards kids creating images and stories of violence, I wonder what would have happened to me in that new environment. Perhaps I would have been suspended for a few days, maybe even expelled. My name and my family's names would be all over the national news. Would they link my violent thoughts to all the Transformers, He-Man, and Robotech I watched? Maybe they would have linked it to the violent games like Burger Blaster or Legend of Zelda that surely desensitized my mind.
One thing's for sure: my life would have followed a different path. I would have had different friends at a different high school. I probably never would have gone to Arkansas Governor's School, an experience that changed my life and introduced me to a wider variety and deeper meaning to art music than I could ever have guessed existed. My life would be less rich, less valid without input from Paul Hindemith, Henryk Gorecki, John Adams, Arvo Part, John Cage, Darius Milhaud, William Walton, and the rest.
I probably wouldn't have gone to the same university, and I never would have met Mollie. I wouldn't be living in Springfield, Missouri, and I most likely wouldn't be here on Metafilter, typing this story. Or maybe I would, but just from a slightly different perspective.
posted by daveadams at 7:31 AM on April 24, 2001
I don't really think anyone found those drawings. I didn't keep them secret, huddled against my chest or anything, but no one really ever paid attention to me in school.
That's not to say I was a loner or wasn't paid enough attention or anything like that. I was a solid B-student through most of my elementary and high school careers quite intentionally. I was picked on enough for being fat, I didn't need the heat from being smart, and by maintaining a b-average (with the occasional A in math and music and computers) I was doing well enough to keep my parents happy, yet under the radar of everyone else.
That's not as bad as it sounds, and I'm really not bitter anymore. There's just something about 1142 that makes the personal stories want to come out.
I'm still wondering which rock is portraying me in the MeFi Movie. :-)
posted by cCranium at 7:47 AM on April 24, 2001
You want I should cast another doughnut? You have it good, the unholy corpse of Alexander Hamilton is playing our friend Dave.
The real question has been why did I pick P.S. Hoffman to play JohnB, as I have no clue what he looks like, other than I know he a vegetarian (holgate excepted) so he is prolly not so big as Mr. H. The reason is that before he confessed to the rather obvious condition of chronic vegetable eating, I pictured him thus. Dave Adam's gets words, JohnB turns into a hefty moviestar, and the universe become that much more magical. I am hoping for a larger budget so that I can be a CGI donut.
Yesterday my site got 60 visits for some reason, I attribute it to Skot's kind words and the fact that my poor spelling is catching on with the kids. My wife set up our counter, and disabled the Java that collects referrer logs, but I can see entry pages. The largest entry point to my site other than the main page is the week where my wife and I started playing the Sims, and I posted a pic of my first self portrait skin. I was confused because other things are posted during that time, and I did not know what the focus was, but now Sims + Skins show up in my search reports all the time. I got bored with the Sims pretty quick, and never finished the other skins I was working on. Mine looks pretty close to me, but it is a weird way to draw, and I made my mouth a little too big. I am wearing the shirt pictured today, and look almost identical to what you see other than the fact that I have since killed the concrete colored Converse One Stars pictured. I also did not know how to modify the wireframe to give myself a bit more gut than is pictured there, otherwise the build is pretty good.
I thank Skot again, and urge him to consider a blogspot.
I went home and took a look at my new gas meter. I am somewhat confused. I expected an antenna, and an obvious radio area. I am now concerned that it is intentionally hidden to keep jerks like me from reverse working the system as I planned. Equally terrifying is the thought that the thing might be using all my gas pipes as a huge antenna and now my meter could be read from nearby planets. I am fairly handy, but I am not anxious to risk the felony or explosion that would surly take place if I start unbolting junk. People's Gas has won the day, but not the war.
I might snap a picture and send it to 2600, as I have always wanted to send them something, but seldom have anything they would not already be familiar with.
Who do you want to play you Rob?
I was really surprised by something Doug said in a Metatalk thread the other day. He said he had 25 years experience at PR, so unless he started when he was 9, he is older than me. Now Doug has probably been more sarcastic to me than anybody but he is consistent and I like him fine. I never would have guessed he could be my elder.
Axl Rose as Chaz
James Earl Jones as the voice of Neale
Joel H. Osmett as Young Sudama
Freddie Prinz Jr. as RatBastard
Liv Tyler as Sapphire Blue
David Hyde Pierce as Sean M
Bruce Campbell as Mpolo
the DelRubio Tripletts as Freespeech/privateparts/rightwinger
cCranium as cCranium
This is a lot of work, I deserve a cold cool Diet Coke.
I don't have people for Norm and RedFoxTail yet, but I love you both a totally awesome amount. TLF! have a great summer.
I really want to know who DoublePostGuy is.
Do you know what it means when your local phone provider runs your phone cable through someone else's conduit? That's right, it means I am going to have a very bad day.
I am going to a rock star surprise party at a roller rink tonight, anybody want to come along? There will be rock stars. And probably a band, last year it was the ever so suave Silkworm.
posted by thirteen at 10:08 AM on April 24, 2001
(No markup, of course.)
Enjoy.
posted by iceberg273 at 11:20 AM on April 24, 2001
cC, I've always pictured you as some kind of igneous rock, but a quartz might also work... or a river pebble.
posted by daveadams at 11:54 AM on April 24, 2001
No, really. Besides the fact that "Postroad" sounds like something that you would have for breakfast such as everyone's favorite caffeine-free hot beverage "Postum", or a fuel additive distilled from sorghum by Post Cereals, Postroad's very essence exudes grandfatherly charm and the capability to kill you as soon as look at you. He's wacky, he's wild, non sequiturs abound, and you never know if his comments are due to real conviction or the "damn it all to hell" musings of advanced age.
Speaking of "damn it all to hell", I'd like to announce the discovery or a remarkable new painkiller called Damitoll.
And so, I would like to present:
Wilford Brimley as Postroad
or
Abe Simpson as Postroad
or
Phyllis Diller as FAB4GIRL.
"it's the right thing to do..."
posted by Avogadro at 12:05 PM on April 24, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 12:15 PM on April 24, 2001
No, I have no idea if you have a gravel driveway or not, I'm just hoping to weird you out like you did to me with that knowing my shoesize thing. Yeesh. The stuff I share with you people.
Oh, and I don't want to be myself, I can't actually act. I type well, but like, using my vocal chords to express myself? Meep!
And I always pictured Sapphie Blue as being more elegant than Liv Tyler.
The Internet needs a CafePress that makes t-shirts that won't fall apart after two days of being worn while reading this thread from start to finish.
I'd consider a mousepad though, if I ever actually bought anything online and if shipping to Canada didn't double the price of any CafePress item. Blech.
Oh! And I think Doug was being sarcastic. I mean, considering the rest of his post was basically one big ol' humourous insult in ManyFacesOfTroll's direction, I took the "25 year" thing to be a joke as well.
I think the only way we're going to figure out who DPG is would be to go to San Francisco, manage to lure Ev out of the Pyra offices for a beer or something, break into the offices, hack past whatever security's on this server box, crack open SQL Server and look at the tables directly.
Hmm... I smell a plot for the MetaFilter Movie.
For the end scene, someone has to peel off Ev's face, only to find out that it he was actually Dave Winer all along. "And I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you darned MetaFilistines!"
Then we could all dance to groovy music while the camera is lifted into the sky, through the clouds until it's just the earth floating in space, and there'll be a caption and the caption will says "more addictive than crack."
(the special edition DVD release will have an "end caption generator" toy that does that shot but has a different caption every time.)
Actually, I don know who I want to play me. Y'know that guy? He was in Almost Famous (which I watched this weekend) as the older music journalist guy. And he was in High Fidelity, which I really need to watch. And other movies. But he's just "that guy." I'll probably never know his name.
Wow. He's apparently more than one guy. He's Philip Seymour Hoffman! Damn, that's already Johnb. Huh. Weird.
Well then I want to be Jack Black, 'cause he's the guy that I thought was PS Hoffman in High Fidelity. He even looks a little like me in this picture.
Well, if I'm going to be a rock, I at least want to be a cool rock. Can I be like, a meteorite or something? Something more interesting than just a piece of gravel, at least.
posted by cCranium at 12:27 PM on April 24, 2001
Postroad chaps my ass too, let's put him in a home already. I'll kick in if Matt starts a Metafilter puts Postroad in a home fund.
Liv Probably is not right for Ms. Blue (whom I like all the time), but who is?
No gravel on my driveway Mr. Cranium, but I hope you enjoy that Canadian beer in your fridge.
Metafilter: The search for DouplepostGuy
William Shatner as DoublepostGuy
I misread the line I quoted cCranium on in my last post. I thought he said why instead of which. I'm not so smart.
Again SapphireBlue is a really classy dame, the RatBastard fella is lucky up to his teeth.
cCranium has a home computer, I know these things.
Avogadro will appear in a dream sequence, and be played by Ricky Martin.
Any of you people do any serious gardening? Mostly interested in food gardening, but decorative is worth discussing too.
I'm totaly making stuff up here, I don't know who should play iceburg, or Lia.
Jason Priestly as dhartung
posted by thirteen at 12:59 PM on April 24, 2001
I also would not support Metafilters right to commit it's members to nursing homes.
posted by thirteen at 1:06 PM on April 24, 2001
I think Wilford Brimley should play Dave Winer.
Tarrence and Philip as Brad Graham.
Matthew McConoghey (or however it's spelled) as Derek Powazek.
So who has the mad flash skillz necessary to produce this baby?
posted by daveadams at 1:19 PM on April 24, 2001
I was going to recommend someone for Ms. Blue, but I forgot to. And then I forgot who. Umm.
I just had a mental image of William Shatner reciting reprimanding haikus. Teehee!
I think Matt is going to have to play himself for the movie. There isn't anyone else I've seen that blends that geek look with that athletic look so well.
posted by cCranium at 1:20 PM on April 24, 2001
Postroad kills me sometimes. He also strikes me as that cool, crusty uncle who would buy you beer.
posted by Skot at 1:21 PM on April 24, 2001
---------------------------------------------
I don't know who should play iceberg
Maybe Ari Green could play me. Apparently he looks more East Indian than an East Indian. (Of course, I'm a West Indian-of-East Indian-descent-German-Dutch-Sri Lankan-Canadian from the prairies, but that's another story).
Which I may as well tell here.
See, on my mother's side, I have Dutch, German and Sri Lankan ancestry (my mother immigrated to Canada as a child in the 1950s). On my father's side, I have East Indian ancestry and a British colonial name (my father went from a small island in the Caribbean, to a slightly larger island in the North Sea, eventually ending up in North America in the 70s). My parents met in the United States and settled on the Canadian Prairies.
We did not live in a sod hut.
So, growing up I didn't have any really good East Indian role models.
Except for my pediatrician, who can do the macarena (this occurred at a New Year's Eve party a few years ago; I've been scarred ever since). And macarena dancing pediatricians don't necessarily make good role models.
Which is why I'm a small town Canadian from the prairies, trapped in a genome that bears the stamp of colonialism in both the east and west indies.
This does not explain why I love pasta so much.
posted by iceberg273 at 1:54 PM on April 24, 2001
A Smile
When her face moved –
her skin vibrated
in the wind.
His eyes
followed the edges
of her mouth
as they rose
and carried
her lips
into a smile.
It was
as though
he could
see each muscle
moving in
a well-rehearsed ballet,
where the silence
of captivation
was all
the music
that was
needed.
For a moment,
she was
the world
and all
within it ...
As to who I should be in the film version, since Erin Brockovich can get Julia Roberts (what music is that?), I'm going for Colin Farrell, assuming he can do an English accent. He doesn't look anything like me, but put Tom Hanks next to Jim Lovell.
Designing my website (no self promotion allowed here then) has been an absolute trial, not least finding a title I'm happy with. Let me explain. Basically for years I had an idea fixed in my head.
Years ago – in the early nineties, I moved into a flat across the park from Tris, a friend from school. Since we were so close geographically now, it seemed silly not to visit each other now and then, and we became good friends based upon our mutual interests in the films of Steve Martin and Woody Allen, American TV and both hating our A-level English Literature course.
Being creative people (well Tris is) there was an inevitability that we’d collaborate on some sort of project or other. Our second project was a short film about the last man on earth being locked in our school. Tris gave a startlingly good performance, and with the help of my vaguely literate script and the naturalistic camera work of our other friend Dave, created footage that evoked the Dogma Manifesto years before it’s time. Sadly, however, a freak exam revision disaster has meant this gem has not seen the light of day.
The first project was a television series. At the time, we were big fans of Northern Exposure and Thirtysomething was fresh in our minds. We conceived of an ensemble show about a group of twentysomethings living in an old Georgian terrace, three girls, three boys. Some shows would take place in the same locale or at an event, some would have overlapping storylines. It would be funny, dramatic and gorgeous to look at, the visuals evoking New York movies like ‘when harry met sally’. This was 1992. Trend setting as we were we could not have foreseen, Friends, This Life, Dawson’s Creek, Hollyoaks, My So-called Life, Metropolis, Cold Feet, Party of Five , , As If and the raft of other shows I’ve missed off this list which were all in some way similar our show which never got made. Even the title sequence, a leaf floating along the street and passing by our characters, became the opening title sequence for Forrest Gump.
What set our show apart from all these shadows, which would follow would be the strongly seasonal aspect. And there would be two series a year to take account of this – and a green leaf in the titles for the spring-summer series, a brown leaf for the autumn-winter series.
Then, one night, when we were trying to put a title to the shows, after we’d rejected the now lamented ‘Real Lives’, ‘Friends like these’ and ‘Marmion’ (the name of the road the show would be set in) in desperation we went to our A-Level English books, and came across the collected poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins. A Catholic priest, he concerned himself with nature, so if we were going to be looking for something seasonal, this was the place to be. ‘Pied Beauty’ said little and sounded like a classical music compilation. ‘God’s Grandeur’ is the sequel to Christian movie ‘The Omega Code’. But then I read out Spring and Fall. It fitted. Everything, all of it. It was the show.
That show would stay as scrawled pencil notes, lost in the rush for qualifications. Tris took his to America, and I went to Leeds for three years. But each time I sat down to watch ‘My So-called Life’, I’d be reminded of all the dream sequences we were going to have to explain why Toby was shy but could always offer the right advice; or Chrissy taking the perfect photographs.
But something about Spring and Fall wouldn’t die. So evocative. Spring. Fall. Granted the Fall was an Americanisation of Autumn, which I’d only use to annoy my best friend, Chris.
So when at University I was producing a video about my life in Leeds and I was looking for the name for a phoney production company, Spring and Fall fitted the bill. So Spring and Fall Productions was born. When I created something for my course or wherever, it would be a Spring and Fall Production. When I first started using the web, my handle, call sign, user ID, nickname, would be Springer (although not for long, what with its connotations). I even developed a poster campaign, with the tag-line ‘guaranteed to wake you up after a hard night’, something oblique and not saying much about the product, an idea repeated by manufacturers of trainers, suits and games consoles.
When university ended, and unemployment meant that whatever business Spring and Fall was going to be drifted into the distance, I still kept it around – as a kind of lucky charm. I even used it for a new idea I had for a television series. Not that it fitted – so in the second draft the title was the first thing I changed.
So then it became my e-mail address. Seemed the easiest thing to keep it around, other than turning it into a chain or a tattoo (but I have one and could do without the other). That way whenever people wanted to contact me it would still be there. When I got the internet at home, I automatically used it to set up my account.
Then I decided what my website would be about. And found out the address could only have my e-mail address in – and there it was Reality Check @ Spring and Fall.
[quick side bar - does everyone do this? Did Rebecca Blood always have the lovely title 'Rebecca's Pocket' in mind since she was a kid? Looking at Bradlands it seems that Weblog titles are like band names and there are probably some great stories behind them, maybe someone should set up a page about them . . . I wonder . . .]
The idea behind Reality Check was to collect stories about those times when people's lives took a turn for the strange, for example. Unfortunately I didn't plan the thing at all well, and it ended up look a touch pants and unreadable. Then I discovered weblogs, and realised that people were actually doing it themselves, so what was the point in them coming to me? So back to the drawing board . . .
The couple of things which did work were lists. A list of articles and in-jokes. So I thought perhaps I could build a new site around that idea. But as I worked on 'Listlessness', things were beginning to look a bit static. Which led me to combining the two. Creating 'feeling listless'. Which was a liberating experience, I can tell you . . .
So now I've a sort of weblog. There isn't a Blog as such. But there is writing about my life with related links (which I suppose blows open the definition of a Blog - does it have to be updated every day). These are long entries . . . and while short entries are fine most of the time, sometimes things happen which require more than seven or so lines. Sometimes you need a long, long, piece of writing.
The kind of thing mathowie was talking about. If you read the first few lines, and you don't want to go further, skip it. After all you probably skip most of your daily newspaper. It's OK. Whoever wrote it won't know you've been there anyway . . .
posted by feelinglistless at 2:02 PM on April 24, 2001
Note also, listless, that (and this should be reasonably obvious from the progression this thread's taken) rules that apply to MeFi do not necessarily apply to 1142.
For instance, without fear of reprimand I can link to my blog and even to my perpetually coming soon project.
Hell, for no apparent reason whatsoever, I can even link to my non-resolving domain, which is oh-so-cool, but I just can't think of what to do with it.
Oh, and speaking of Matt, despite his explanation on how to pronounce his last name, I still think of him as a haufee.
posted by cCranium at 2:26 PM on April 24, 2001
I have lots of ideas for sites and web projects that I'll never get done. Worse, I'm afraid of talking about them for fear that someone else will think it's a good idea, beat me to implementing it, and get all the credit.
Does that make me selfish, too?
posted by daveadams at 2:53 PM on April 24, 2001
posted by daveadams at 2:56 PM on April 24, 2001
posted by daveadams at 3:03 PM on April 24, 2001
Symphony No. 3 by Henryk Mikolaj Górecki as performed by Dawn Upshaw (soprano) and the London Sinfonietta and conducted by David Zinman
Górecki's haunting tribute to his homeland of Poland is one of the most beautiful and mesmerizingly emotional musical works ever written. Dawn Upshaw's fantastic vocal performance adds more weight and power than any instrumentation alone could bring to this, or any piece.
Górecki avoids the atonalism and indirectness that have turned many casual listeners away from contemporary art music while retaining his artistic integrity and producing a powerful work that can bring even the most cynical listener to tears.
Even if you've never liked classical music in your life, Górecki's third symphony is the classical album to own. For die-hard music lovers, if you don't have this in your collection, you're either missing out or you just don't like good music. If you own just one CD, this should be it!
Yes, it really is that great. My only complaint about this album is that it refuses to rip cleanly to MP3, but that's probably because my disc is scratched from being handled so much.
Go buy this CD right now.
posted by daveadams at 3:27 PM on April 24, 2001
posted by feelinglistless at 3:30 PM on April 24, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 3:59 PM on April 24, 2001
Who else blogs from work?
posted by norm at 4:43 PM on April 24, 2001
posted by Lirp at 6:07 PM on April 24, 2001
RE: Blogging from work: I do so AAAAALLLL the time. Where else? Home life is to precious.
RE: Comics. I used to write a comic series called "psycho chicken", which i dearly loved. I filled whole books with the damn thing. With flash, perhaps, I can bring him back to life.
I remember I once in the fifth grade I drew a neked woman with her hands wrapped around her, on a beach with a sign saying "do not steal swimwear". My teacher found it and I got in shit for it. I blamed it all on a friend in Melbourne. I felt so guilty pinning it on him. Of course, he never found out, but still...
posted by Neale at 6:38 PM on April 24, 2001
bangers and mash, hit and run, fast and loose, shoots and scores, foot and mouth ¥feet and mouths? nevermind¤©
posted by Avogadro at 8:35 PM on April 24, 2001
Oh, I used to spend a couple hours cruising the web each night for links, but that gets old fast. There's TV to watch here. At work, there's nothing to do really, so I can surf all day and blog what's interesting.
The only problem is when I run out of sites to visit. Then what am I supposed to do?
posted by daveadams at 8:38 PM on April 24, 2001
posted by daveadams at 8:52 PM on April 24, 2001
By the bye, I usually schedule my 1142 visits before doing some non-internet event, such as getting a beer or visits to the bathroom and such.
(however, the comment preview takes forever...)
posted by Avogadro at 9:15 PM on April 24, 2001
And an eel bites your cheek
That's...a moray.
posted by bradlands at 11:23 PM on April 24, 2001 [1 favorite]
(from work, natch)
posted by norm at 6:36 AM on April 25, 2001
Iceberg 273's Recommended Science Tunes for Anyone (#1 in a series).
(the music is here, if you want to sing along [at work].)
Gregor Mendel had some peas!
A, 2Aa, a
And some of those peas had dominant genes!
A, 2Aa, a
So he cross-breeded them, and he cross-breeded them,
With some green peas here,
And some yellow peas there,
Here some peas! There some peas! Everywhere some peas! Peas!
Gregor Mendel ate those peas.
Yum-yum-yum-yum. Yum.
posted by iceberg273 at 6:54 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 7:04 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by daveadams at 7:04 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 7:04 AM on April 25, 2001
Actually, it's all the more amusing and ironic this way, I suppose.
posted by daveadams at 7:04 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 7:09 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 7:28 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 7:30 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by daveadams at 7:50 AM on April 25, 2001
Anyone have any neet web-based generic date-pool software?
Hey, that's a good idea...
posted by daveadams at 7:53 AM on April 25, 2001
Well, not really, it's always nice to get some experience with yet-another operating system. I'll be exceedingly happy to go back to Linux, though... ;)
posted by daveadams at 7:59 AM on April 25, 2001
The SDRAM Fairy just brought me 128MB of memory. Apparently someone up the chain thought I asked for it for my PC and since it's so cheap these days (and also since we're nearing the end of a budget year and still have money left over), I guess he felt inclined to buy it. I already have 256MB along with dual 500MHz PIIIs, so I don't need the extra RAM, but I'm not complaining.
It's kind of silly really. They whine and complain when I ask for books to do my job because they cost $50 or $60 each; they refuse to get me a $200 CD burner or even a DVD-ROM drive; but then they go out and buy me a $100 memory chip that I don't need and didn't ask for.
Now my only difficulty is figuring out if I should be unethical and take it home to put it in my home PC instead... I guess I shouldn't. It's tempting though. They don't keep track of things like memory chips very well.
posted by daveadams at 8:24 AM on April 25, 2001
Somebody should have come to the party with me last night. Kim Deal nearly ran over my foot with a roller skate, and this amazing south side roller rink band played all the hard rock hits from the 70's, along with their own originals that also sounded like hard rock hits from the 70's!
I keep wanting to put ascii art on this page, but I am sure it would not appear right on most of your browsers.
Dave: You want a DVD-Rom drive, or a DVD-RAM drive? I have a RAM drive on my home cpu, and I have not been thrilled. Granted I have bought the world's cheapest RAM disc's, but I am also the only one I know who has one. If I get reliable media, I am sure it will be great archiving on the cheap, but I had larger dreams. When it does work it is a dream. Copying two gigs onto a disk as fast as a zip is astounding, especially when I think of how long it would take to burn all that.
What do all you people trust for cd-rw brands? I now think Maxell sucks. I have liked TDK and Kodak thus far, but still have an unacceptable failure rate.
Today I learned that the lyrics to Kraftwerk's Autobahn do not go "fun, fun, fun on the Autobahn" but rather "fahrn, fahrn, fahrn on the Autobahn". I don't know what "fahrn means, but those German's have a word for everything.
Metafilter hates libertarians.
Where is my damn bagel.
I filled up my digital camera before I went to the party last night, and I did not go home to download before I went, so I deleted redundant shots, and things I could easily reproduce. As the night went I deleted more, deciding the only real important things on the disk was some reference shots I took for some work I am doing. Somehow I managed to delete the most important one. Thank Odin for the Internet, I brought up a fuzzy picture that filled in the blank caused by the murdered photo.
Listening to: Kraftwerk/Endless Europe
posted by thirteen at 9:26 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 9:55 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 9:58 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 10:00 AM on April 25, 2001
Who will be be the 1000th poster? THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!
(que Queen music theme from Highlander)
posted by thirteen at 10:25 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by norm at 11:26 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by cCranium at 11:32 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by zempf at 11:43 AM on April 25, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 12:00 PM on April 25, 2001
Sure, why not? They're cute, and they must be gay. Fits your description perfectly. Okay, so I don't know about the farting thing.
posted by daveadams at 1:29 PM on April 25, 2001
Want to send me a couple? My home PC could use an upgrade...
[thirteen] Dave: You want a DVD-Rom drive, or a DVD-RAM drive?
Well, I'd take a good DVD-RAM drive, but at this point, what I need is a DVD-ROM/CD-R/CD-RW drive. All I have now is a lame CD-ROM drive. Oh, it's 40x, but does that help me read the MSDN Library DVD? Nooooooooooo.
posted by daveadams at 1:32 PM on April 25, 2001
posted by cCranium at 1:35 PM on April 25, 2001
Still, that's just unfair. The contest rules would have to specifically include anti-bot language both disqualifying participants known to be manipulating the results as well as providing a way to discount the obviously-bot-generated posts. I'm sure we could get around your lack of ethics. :)
posted by daveadams at 1:36 PM on April 25, 2001
Well, that's a good point. Unfortunately, my HD is full of MP3s, and until I get a CD-writer, they're going to have to stay there, taking up the 1.5GB or so I need. ;)
Still, what if I want to watch a movie at work? I neeeeed a DVD drive!
posted by daveadams at 1:38 PM on April 25, 2001
Someone should write a list . . . you know you're addicted to 1142 when . . .
Have any other Hitchhiker's Guide fans noticed the significance of this thread?
posted by feelinglistless at 1:54 PM on April 25, 2001
The non-laptop in my household does have a DVD player, and a lovely flatscreen monitor, so we use it quite a lot for movie-watching. This is especially nice as we have no TV. There's nothing quite so splendidly dorky as snuggling up in front of the computer for a classic silent movie. The Criterion Collection DVDs rock my world, by the way.
posted by redfoxtail at 2:07 PM on April 25, 2001
I have my heart set on a nice big Firewire drive, don't know when I will get around to buying one though.
Are we going to break Metafilter?
The number of Metafilterers is now so large that it is almost impossible that we don't have any members who have killed another human among us. I'm not saying murder per say, but somebody ran over somebody, or accidently stabbed a friend in the head.
I'm not ruling out murder either.
I've never killed, but I have seen a freaky number of people die in front of me. I am making a side feature for my website detailing the stuff I witnessed. This does not have anything to do with the 13 I mentioned earlier.
Of the 13 mentioned earlier, one might not count according to Neale's authoritaian guidelines. The girl in question was the sister of one of my direct classmates. She was in 8th grade when I was in 4th, and I saw her everyday, but she was not my friend. She worked at a McDonald's that was robbed one night, and she hesitated when commanded to move because she did not wish to get burned passing a sputtering frier. The robber (and that really does not sound like the right word for him) was apparently fidgety, and he killed her for not moving quick enough. He grabbed some cash and ran accross the street to a supermarket where he proceeded to hide in a Goodwill drop box, unaware that the patrons might be watching. The police caught him easily and I don't know anymore about what happened to him. Longtime readers will of course know that I would have no problem if he were executed, but this was the early 70's and we were not doing that yet. My whole class attended the funeral, and I remember I maintained excellent self control. Many of the other kids were crying, both boys and girls, and it freaked me out some. Oh, how I hated the killer. If I were to find out he was walking around free somewhere right now, I would be very unhappy indeed.
Hurray for technology!
posted by thirteen at 2:23 PM on April 25, 2001
Ah, I see. By those criteria, then, may I counter-propose Matt Damon?
posted by bradlands at 2:30 PM on April 25, 2001
Kelly and Frank Sinatra are sailors on leave in Hollywood where, relentlessly in pursuit of dames, they become involved with a charming orphan and his beautiful aunt.
The main thing setting this Kelly/Sinatra sailor-suit musical apart from its New York-based followup is the famously irresistable extended dance duet between Kelly and Jerry the animated mouse (of TOM & JERRY fame).
Another famous rodent, Mickey Mouse, was originally meant to be Kelly's partner for the scene but Walt Disney refused to permit his star character to appear in an MGM film.
MGM turned to its own cartoon unit and the result is a thoroughly magical sequence. Combining live action with animation was a major innovation for the time, and the studio didn't skimp on details.
In fact, during an early screening someone noticed that Kelly's reflection shone on the floor as he danced while his tiny partner's did not. At great expense, the original animators were rehired to quickly add it before the film's theatrical release.
Look for young Dean Stockwell making his film debut as the orphan who melts Kelly's heart. Kathryn Grayson plays the lady love and famed pianist Jose Iturbi appears as himself.
posted by bradlands at 2:36 PM on April 25, 2001
Sniffle.
posted by daveadams at 2:39 PM on April 25, 2001
I did.
posted by daveadams at 2:40 PM on April 25, 2001
No way, red, you need one of these!
Well, a laptop has a bigger screen (and you could buy a new laptop with a DVD drive for the same price), but you can't deny the great portability of such a device. They're so tempting every time I'm in Best Buy.
Speaking of DVDs on airplane flights. There are certain airports (can't remember which ones... except Atlanta) in the US where a company (can't remember the name) rents out both DVDs as well as these players. If your destination has the same service, you can drop your rentals off there or you can just return them where you got them originally. I think it's a great idea... I'd like nothing better on looooong airplane flights than to choose the movie I see. Then there's the added benefit of not paying five bucks to rent headphones.
posted by daveadams at 2:47 PM on April 25, 2001
This must mean I have to be played by Apu. Fucking Apu.
posted by anildash at 2:49 PM on April 25, 2001
Criterion don't have a distribution deal in the UK, so we've got to endure the studios themselves releasing disks which mean the extras can be absolutely criminal. It is getting better, but Miramax are obvious offenders, their extra free edition of 'Rushmore' being an obvious example.
The only real innovation are budget ranges, in which back catalogue films are released for just under £13. Most films still clock in at £20 though, which is theft in comparisson to the US price.
(and yes I know about the region system. But only some UK DVD players can be hacked, and I wouldn't want to run the risk of messing up my pride and joy)
posted by feelinglistless at 2:55 PM on April 25, 2001
posted by zempf at 3:26 PM on April 25, 2001
I love the random brain-dumping here. I think I'll follow suit.
So last night, my girlfriend and I decide to just hang out and chill. We scan cable and PPV, and it's just desolate. Acres and acres of crap (and I slept through the Ms/Yankees game, dammit). But we really felt like watching a movie (but not like actually leaving the apartment), so we picked one. "What the hell," we said.
"Let's watch Book of Shadows."
You know, the Blair Witch sequel. Yes, we had appropriately low expectations. Just not low enough.
Standard slasher movie horseshit: sassy 'n sexy Goth girl, sassy 'n sexy Wicca girl, and some other losers that the writers threw together after running out of steam thinking up the hot chicks. From there on out, it's strictly, to use Joe Bob Briggs' phrase, another Spam-in-a-can movie.
So. Fucking. Dumb.
And here's an interesting statistic!
Number of times the phrase, object or concept of a "Book of Shadows" is seen, referred to, or enters the plot in any way in the movie "Book of Shadows": 0
On the other hand, my girlfriend made me a simply spectacular pot roast.
posted by Skot at 3:27 PM on April 25, 2001
You're not a Yankees fan, are you, Skot? I don't know that I can participate in this thread if there are Yankees fans reading. Those darn Yankees fans are everywhere! Stupid Yankees fans.
(Note to self: overuse of EM tag is irritating, but doesn't approach FONT COLOR in irritation factor; call it a demiblink.)
posted by snarkout at 3:46 PM on April 25, 2001
posted by Skot at 3:50 PM on April 25, 2001
I'm listening to NPR and have just heard that 50% of Americans support nuclear (or as we said back in Texas, "neuculer") power.
I bought a refurbished Compaq laptop with a DVD drive about nine months ago, and despite the long, drawn-out battles with their techs to get the computer to actually work (I sent this thing back so often that literally everything except for the screen and the shell have been replaced with brand new parts, including two motherboards), I am very pleased. I don't think that I'll ever go back to having a desktop.
The only quibble that I have is that the battery will only let you play a DVD for about half an hour, so that's probably why folks go for the portable DVD players.
About eight years ago I was in London for a semester of school, and remember those brilliant Creature Comfort commercials. Later, back on this side of the pond (heh, I just called the Atlantic Ocean "the pond"; please do not pummel me), I saw the Wallace and Gromit series. This relates to what I said earlier since my first DVD purchase was Chicken Run. Park and Lord are freaking geniuses.
Well, I gotta go now; my love and I are going to see some modern dance. I don't know anything about dance, but Julie absolutely loves it, and she humors my baseball needs (DIE YANKEES DIE; UK readers, I feel the same way about Man United). I'll let you know how it was.
Cheers.
posted by Avogadro at 3:55 PM on April 25, 2001
I have been meaning to rent Book of Shadows, but I was so badly burned by Warlock 3 that I am unwilling to give panned horror much leeway these days.
Hurray for spectacular pot roast!
Where has Sean been lately?
"Apu fucking Apu" That is a neat trick if you can manage it.
I just counted, this is the 1000th post, sorry losers, I took the cake.
Why can't I spell? I am not exactly stupid, but I cannot master grammar or spelling. It really wierds me out.
Neale is posting less, have we driven him away?
posted by thirteen at 3:56 PM on April 25, 2001
Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich
"Minimalism" isn't a term that composers of contemporary art music like very much. Either they're labelled as minimalists and they resent the inherent boxing-in such a label implies, or they're most-assuredly-not-minimalists and they hate the concept. Whatever you feel about so-called minimalist music, Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians is a shining example of the validity of "minimalist" composition, and at the same time it is a beautiful piece of art in its own right.
Minimalist composition tosses out the ideas of the serialists of the early 20th century and returns to tonality while relying on rhythm and subtle changes in chords and texture to provide musical interest. Philip Glass is one of the most well-known minimalist composers, and his style has remained more constant through the years than other "minimalists" including Reich and John Adams. But Reich's early work (including Music, composed in 1974) is a good example of a strict minimalist style that is quite different from Glass's.
A notoriously difficult piece to perform well, Music is a densely layered study in rhythm and tonality. Besides three clarinets, a cello, a violin, and two female voices, all of the parts are played on various mallet instruments and piano. Reich's (early-)characteristic use of phasing to achieve tension and resolution is novel but not disconcerting.
As parts fade in and out, layered more and more deeply, tension builds. Then bursting through the well-laid texture of sound come the rich, ringing tones of the metallophone (essentially a vibraphone without the "vibe") to lead the piece from one section to the next. The metallophone provides a touch of melody along with its transitional purpose, but it also provides some of the most powerful moments of the piece building into each successive section.
All told, the piece is split into 14 "movements" but they all blend together into one solid hour-long work. Because of its length, Music may be difficult to just sit and listen to, but the exercise will be well worth the effort. However, the piece may also serve as good background music as the volume doesn't vary as much as much art music can.
As with any art music, Music improves upon each listen, and it is well worth your time to listen to the full work some five or six times before you dismiss it as "boring." Much of the value in this piece--and in minimalist works generally--comes from the time spent building tension and developing themes. Be sure not to dismiss it too soon. You'll be missing out on something great.
posted by daveadams at 3:59 PM on April 25, 2001
The Criterion Collection DVDs tend to be more in the £20 range, actually (£20 ~ $32, yes?) but they are so beautifully put together that I think the cost is well worth it. Miramax irks me in any number of ways, so it surprises me not at all to find that their DVD-production habits are irritating as well.
You know, 1142 really is like my favorite sort of open-topic mailing list (as Dave pointed out, except without the "redfox's favorite" bit). I wonder what it says about me that I feel infinitely more comfortable chatting away here than in Mefi threads in general? I already wondered why I was more interested in participating in MetaTalk than in MeFi proper, but this is really an interesting little wrinkle. I suspect I'm just a misfit.
posted by redfoxtail at 4:01 PM on April 25, 2001
<pummel target="Avogadro" />
posted by daveadams at 4:03 PM on April 25, 2001
No, for the love of God, NO!!!!
posted by daveadams at 4:04 PM on April 25, 2001
Thirteen, the game isn't to be the 1000th poster, rather the game is to guess when that will occur. Since I'm the only one who listed an exact time, I suppose I win the pool. I was thinking about taking the winner out to a yummy dinner of some spectacular Springfield-style Chinese food. The fact that I won just makes it easier.
posted by daveadams at 4:07 PM on April 25, 2001
Freaking A', that's a big long random list of articles.
You like me! You really like me!
posted by feelinglistless at 4:12 PM on April 25, 2001
posted by snarkout at 4:13 PM on April 25, 2001
I read *every* post, goddamnit.
RE: Statistics. I would love to see a set of mindnumblingly useless statistics based upon this thread, but unfortunately, I don't have the time. The geek in me is drooling though.
I confess I hardly read metafilter anymore, but go straight to metatalk.
The 1000th post will happen in May. May 21st.
posted by Neale at 5:59 PM on April 25, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 8:17 PM on April 25, 2001
"a, an, the, le, la, l', les, un, une, der, die, das, eine, ein... n-2, n-1, n"
Hey, you know, there's more than one kind of drooling geek.
posted by redfoxtail at 8:50 PM on April 25, 2001
posted by norm at 9:24 PM on April 25, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 6:44 AM on April 26, 2001
Can I change my prediction (asssuming that I made one in the first place)? May 14th, 5:30p MST
I love libertarianism, and by extension, libertarians. This doesn't of course mean that I particularly agree with the former or the latter.
Am I the only one who has a deep loathing of Chicago (the city and the group)? Brad, as a St. Louisian, would you agree with me? 13, you sir are not one of the loathed; in fact, given your longing for an island upon which you could raise honeybees, I think that you'd agree as well. Much of this came from my freshman year living with two obnoxious folks from the South Side, when I produced the sentiment that Chicago would be a great place if it weren't for Chicagoans. Age has of course moderated these views.
Dave, I don't get the metallophone; what good is a vibrophone without the good vibes?
The program last night was excellent. Being a dance neophyte, I haven't much to say except that I wish I could move like a dancer. Oh, and it was pretty damn funny (purposefully so).
I don't know if anyone is still reading the carbonated beverage thread, but we have done a taste test of Coke with and without corn syrup; the results will astound you (not really).
posted by Avogadro at 6:44 AM on April 26, 2001
Wait! No I don't! Well, it's not supposed to that is. What's supposed to happen is that you get a plain text version of the site with none of that fancy yellow I've plastered all over it.
I tested it in NN 4.x and it worked, dammit! It worked! I just loaded it in 4.03 and it's.. uhh... taking a really long time. Sonofabitch.
I'm flattered that anyone would take the time to load up their non-normal browser just to hit my site though, thanks thirteen!
Still loading. Something is going to have to be done about that. I tested it. I tested it!
Sonofabitch.
I already wondered why I was more interested in participating in MetaTalk than in MeFi proper, but this is really an interesting little wrinkle. I suspect I'm just a misfit.
Nah, I don't figure you are. It's casual, laid back here. I mean, MetaFilter proper, with a few thousand people reading what you're writing, and all this media blitz and stuff, it's sometimes hard to just type shit and not worry about looking like a fool.
There's plenty of times that I delete a ramble or a rant or a generally inane comment because, well, it's just not what you do there.
Here? No one cares about here. Matt lets us play here because we aren't breaking anything, we're not stepping on any toes, and we're not hurting anything. Either that or he keeps forgetting about the thread, which I'm reasonably certain isn't the case. :-)
Still trying to load the page in NN. This is bad. This is _very bad_.
AHA! Stupid fucking netscape 4.x can't load "index.asp".
Oh shit. I should make a default.asp to redirect to index.asp. Index.asp. Way to go, numbnuts, use a nonstandard default page and expect magic.
sigh.
That'll be repaired shortly, but in the meantime thirteen, hit rmd.cx/index.asp to see the site in all it's Times New Roman glory.
Oh no, wait. That doesn't work either. Now my day is ruined! RUINED!
norm: I sympathize.
posted by cCranium at 6:58 AM on April 26, 2001
Well.... you still get the fantastic clear, ringing tone, just without the mechanized vibrato. Vibrato is great for some purposes, but it really wouldn't fit in with Music for 18 Musicians, I don't think. And Steve Reich agrees with me, and I suppose he would know best. :)
posted by daveadams at 7:17 AM on April 26, 2001
posted by daveadams at 7:17 AM on April 26, 2001
Or is this just too obscure?
posted by daveadams at 7:23 AM on April 26, 2001
So if you want a bright, clear, bell-like sound with lots of sustain and no vibrato, metallophone is your instrument of choice!
posted by daveadams at 7:26 AM on April 26, 2001
Who is "we"?
the results will astound you
In what way???? I'm so curious!!!
posted by daveadams at 7:28 AM on April 26, 2001
(Promises of astonishment are in no way, shape, or form based upon reality. Management reserves the right to change the questions and contestants at any time. No shirt, no shoes, no service.)
posted by Avogadro at 7:57 AM on April 26, 2001
Well, excyyyyyyyyyoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooose me!
posted by daveadams at 8:42 AM on April 26, 2001
In particular, I can think of one time (I wasn't there, but I've heard all about it, of course) when a disgruntled student at the community college my dad worked for came bursting into the administration building toting a gun. He rounded up everyone out in the common area, but my dad happened to be back in the computer room area and wasn't rounded up. Nor did he know what was going on. Anyway, at one point, my dad opened the door from they computer room to the room where the gunman had all his hostages and the gunman twirled around and pointed the gun at dad. Being the quick thinker he is, Dad said, "Oh, excuse me," and quickly shut the door and left the back way.
A few people did end up getting killed that day, so my dad was really, really lucky. I wonder if the shooter played too much Doom. Oh wait, no, it hadn't been invented yet.
posted by daveadams at 8:47 AM on April 26, 2001
And, actually, when I was writing VC++ stuff, I never used ATL. And it wasn't really C++ code anyway, it was C with with occasional object tossed in for extra-special confusion.
Oh, it was baa-aa-aad.
posted by cCranium at 9:10 AM on April 26, 2001
<whisper>That's a pretty wild story, is it true?</whisper>
posted by Avogadro at 11:05 AM on April 26, 2001
Although, I bet the SMSU library has Arkansas papers from that far back... I should check them out.
posted by daveadams at 11:20 AM on April 26, 2001
I followed up with an opinion that the death penalty is a deterant, insofar as I did not murder a bunch of kids I saw torturing some moss last night. I actually thought, "Don't do it, you will be put to death if you do"
posted by thirteen at 12:54 PM on April 26, 2001
I'm either lucky or boring. I don't know anyone who has killed, been killed, or been tormented in some Doom-like way.
Great story, Dave.
posted by Skot at 3:45 PM on April 26, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:43 PM on April 26, 2001
Freaking A', that's a big long...list of articles.
"a, an, the, le, la, l', les, un, une, der, die, das, eine, ein... n-2, n-1, n"
Hey, you know, there's more than one kind of drooling geek.
*Blink*
[redfoxtail] whatever dost thou mean?
Since for me, its 1:30 in the morning I don't have much time for anything earthshattering (yeah!), and since I'm getting the feeling (listless feeling?) that anything goes at 1142 (CD reviews?), I want to be the first to publish actual theatre drama at Mefi. I wrote a few years ago and some of it still holds up. Enjoy (I think).
It's called . . .
SQUARE PEG. ROUND HOLE.
Bare stage. From stage left, a man appears in a dressing gown. Her looks around the stage, then simply stands there nervously. This is Mitch Clarke. From stage right, a second man appears; slightly older in another dressing gown towelling this time. This is Alex Richards.
He yawns.
ALEX: What time is it?
MITCH: (slightly uneasy) About half three.
ALEX: Fuck me.
Mitch smiles nervously.
A girl in purple jeans and a tie die blouse strays on from stage left. This is Clara Miller.
ALEX: You're dressed.
CLARA: I stayed up. I saw it coming.
ALEX: Of course you did.
Mitch sneezes. He gets out a handkerchief, his eyes streaming.
CLARA: Are you all right, Mitch?
MITCH: Allergies.
Alex, Mitch and Clara turn and look as three more people stray on, Michael Mitchell, Shelley Lawrence and David Gerard. All are fully clothed as well. Michael and David are carrying hands of cards. Alex hits the palm of his hand against his forehead. Mitch sneezes. Clara smiles. Michael and David are bickering with each other forcibly but Soto Voce; Shelley wears the look of a tolerant mother.
ALEX: You’re dressed as well.
SHELLEY: Late night Poker.
Above the general hum of an argument we hear . . .
MICHAEL: My two Kings beat your pair of Aces.
DAVID: This is Poker not Pontoon. Aces are essentially eleven. Higher than a king which are essentially ten. (he turns to Shelley) Whose idea was it to teach him Poker?
SHELLEY: Yours.
DAVID: We should have stuck with Chess. We were making progress with Chess.
Clara smiles.
CLARA: I like Chess.
DAVID: Clara? I mean, hello Clara.
CLARA: Hi David. You look tired.
DAVID: I feel tired (gives a not very convincing fake yawn).
Michael smiles at Shelley knowingly.
All turn again, as Carol Henrik and Fiona Smith appear. Carol is in her dressing gown and Fiona seems to be wearing nothing but a long T-shirt. Alex is obviously impressed. Mitch sneezes. Clara smiles at them. Shelley is trying to help Michael work out his Poker hand. He is moving the cards around his hand. David is smiling at Clara.
ALEX: Finally someone in a dressing gown.
CAROL: (German accent) Of all people.
ALEX: I didn’t mean anything.
FIONA: Of course you didn’t.
Everyone turns and stops what they are doing as Pete Armstrong and Sarah Leopold appear from stage left. Pete is dressed in a jumper and jeans and carrying a clipboard. Sarah is in a nightie.
FIONA: You choose a cold night to visit our dead planet.
Sarah goes to reply, but Pete cuts in.
PETE: Stop complaining. It’s not that cold.
Both Sarah and Fiona glare at him.
PETE: Let’s get down to it. I think we all know what to do by now. I call your name you tell me what you’ve been up to. Anyone want to own up to anything?
Everyone stands silent.
PETE: I was afraid of that.
SARAH: Just hold on a sec. Where is everyone?
PETE: They’ve all gone home for the weekend.
SARAH: Everyone?
PETE: ‘Cept the French group. Party.
ALEX: Party? And I wasn’t invited?
CLARA: You’re a xenophobe. You hate the French.
ALEX: I know. But – party?
SARAH: Why aren’t you there, Carol?
CAROL: Long story. Tell you later.
Fiona smiles knowingly. Everyone turns to look at her. Intimidated she stops and forces seriousness.
PETE: (sighing) Let's start. Randomly for a change. Alex Richards.
ALEX: Sleeping. Missing a party.
PETE: Mitch Clarke.
Mitch sneezes.
MITCH: Sorry.
PETE: That’s all right. What have you been doing.
MITCH: Insomnia. Listening to the radio.
PETE: Ok. Clara?
CLARA: I was trying a new meditation technique.
DAVID: What was that?
CLARA: Sleeping alone.
PETE: So it didn’t involve pushing things around like last time?
CLARA: No. No telekinesis. I got banned remember?
PETE: Just checking. Erm . . . Michael, David and Shelley.
MICHAEL: Being cheated in Poker.
DAVID: Winning at Poker.
SHELLEY: Beginning to hate the idea of poker.
PETE: Carol?
CAROL: I’m taking the Fifth Amendment.
PETE: This is Britain. We don’t have a Fifth Amendment.
CAROL: Well you should have.
PETE: What were you doing.
CAROL: I whisper.
Pete steps forward.
CAROL: Sarah.
Pete steps back. Carol approaches Sarah and whispers in her ear. Sarah gives the same knowing smile as Fiona did. Pete stares at her.
SARAH: She didn’t do it.
Mitch sneezes.
PETE: Whose left. Fiona?
FIONA: Err . . . I was sleeping.
PETE: Oh god. Is there any one we haven’t accounted for.
No one says anything. Mitch shrugs nervously.
PETE: Look. Some one has to own up to this. The fire engines will be here in (he looks at his watch) four minutes. If no one says ‘yes its me’ in the next three minutes fifty five seconds we all lose what’s left of our deposits. If someone owns up. They’ll get the warning and we all go back to bed. Three minutes 45.
ALEX: Can’t someone just own up even if they didn’t do it? Mitch?
Mitch sneezes.
CLARA: Stop picking on Mitch. Why don’t you do it?
ALEX: I’ve already got a warning. The glass door?
I get another one and I’m out.
CLARA: And that would be tragedy.
Pete cuts in.
PETE: No one is going to own up to something they didn’t do. This isn’t school. It doesn’t work that way.
SARAH: I know it’s tricky. But - one of you has to have done it.
FIONA: It could be a fault. You know in the system.
DAVID: That’s possible. It’s quite an old system. There might have been a pulse or something.
MICHAEL: Very scientific.
PETE: Nice idea, but no. They installed a new system last week with all kinds of safe guards. I just never got round to telling everyone.
ALEX: Hold on. How do we know it wasn’t you? You’re dressed.
PETE: I was doing course work when I heard the alarm.
ALEX: Course work? At half three in the morning?
SARAH: It’s his way.
ALEX: And what about you?
SARAH: I was dreaming thank you very much. Who appointed you Inspector Morse?
ALEX: Just making sure.
PETE: (urgently) Three minutes. Come on people. Explanations.
Mitch sneezes.
ALEX: Will you shush. You’re driving me up the wall.
CLARA: Will you leave him alone.
ALEX: And what are you going to do Miss ‘oh I can’t get a decent shag since everyone realised I was a wierdo.’ We didn’t exactly get a satisfactory explanation from you.
CLARA: I told you. I was meditating.
ALEX: Why couldn’t I get into Dickens Hall with me mates. Why did I end up here with the cast of ‘Friends’ crossed with fucking ‘Woodstock’. Shit.
MICHAEL: Calm down hot head. What is wrong with you tonight?
ALEX: I’m nervous. We’ve got an exam tomorrow.
CAROL: Its true. In Running.
MICHAEL: Running?
ALEX: (shrugging) It’s the stride patterns.
MICHAEL: Stride patterns?
CAROL: I know. (she turns to Alex) What are you worried about? Tripping?
ALEX: Why did you tell them?
CAROL: You started it.
PETE: (sighing) Two minutes thirty.
Mitch sneezes.
ALEX: So what have you been doing.
CAROL: It’s none of your business.
ALEX: It is if it means we all get fined.
CAROL: Its private!
ALEX: So private that we’re all standing here?
CAROL: It’s not my fault!
ALEX: THEN WHAT WERE YOU DOING?
CAROL: I WAS MASTURBATING ALRIGHT!
ALEX: What?
CAROL: I WAS THINKING OF CLARA HERE.
ALEX: Your. You’re a . . .hhhrr . . .
CAROL: Not completely.
CLARA: (to Alex) Where the hell have you been?
ALEX: YOU ALL KNOW?
There is dead silence. A pin drops. Everyone, especially Alex is faintly embarrassed. Everyone but Clara is smiling. Mitch sneezes.
MICHAEL: I didn’t.
Shelley hits him playfully.
MICHAEL: I never know.
CLARA: (to Carol) You fancy me?
Carol shrugs and throws her hands open.
CLARA: I mean it explains a lot. I have been off men lately . . .
David looks a bit hurt.
CLARA: . . . I suppose if . . .
She looks around and realises that there are about ten people listening.
CLARA: (to Carol) . . . we’ll talk tomorrow.
ALEX: Look, Carol. I’m sorry. To the depths of my heart I’m sorry.
FIONA: So you should be. And yes, before anyone asks I did knock at the wrong moment. When she was . . .
PETE: (resignedly) Two minutes to go. Bye-bye house deposit.
DAVID: Perhaps at this moment I should bring to everyone’s attention what Sherlock Homles said.
MICHAEL: Oh no.
DAVID: I’m paraphrasing . . . erm . . . when all evidence has been rejected, anything which remains, however improbable, must be the truth. I think that’s it.
SARAH: And that means?
DAVID: I know who did it.
PETE: What?!?
DAVID: I’ve actually known since we got down here.
FIONA: Then why didn’t you tell us?
DAVID: I liked watching you all trying to work it out. I’m a student of human nature.
MICHAEL: I thought you were a student of Electrical Engineering.
PETE: Were straying from the point. One minute.
ALEX: Wouldn’t the hall have burnt down by now?
DAVID: Whose missing?
PETE: No one.
DAVID: None of the students no.
PETE: So who else is there?
SARAH: (realising) Liam.
DAVID: (agreeing) Liam.
PETE: The Hall Master?
DAVID: Who else has access to fire alarms which can be set off accidentally. Who is probably too embarrassed to come down here?
ALEX: You mean he’d let us all lose our deposits so that he could save face.
DAVID: It’s not that simple. Is it Fiona?
All eyes turn to Fiona.
FIONA: What.
DAVID: Tell them. We have thirty seconds.
FIONA: I can’t say anything.
SARAH: FIONA!
FIONA: It was me! It was me.
DAVID: Thank you.
Mitch sneezes.
SARAH: How was it you.
DAVID: I flicked the button when I sat on it.
CLARA: Sat on it?
DAVID: I noticed Fiona slipping into Liam’s room earlier.
Everyone is looking at Fiona now.
FIONA: Sorry.
ALEX: You. And Liam?!?
FIONA: He’s nice if you get to know him. Ask Clara.
CLARA: FIONA!
ALEX: Is there anyone else?
Carol raises her hand slightly.
ALEX: I’m tired. I’m going back to bed.
Alex goes to walk off stage.
SHELLEY: Since no one else has mentioned it. Where are the fire engines?
Everyone looks around.
PETE: There aren’t any.
Everyone looks at Pete.
PETE: (swallowing) That’s why we were late down. I knew it was a fault and rang the station to cancel. They aren’t coming.
SHELLEY: So the last five minutes didn’t mean anything?
PETE: I had to go through the motions. It’s my job.
Michael boughs his head.
ALEX: Well fuck you all and good night.
Alex leaves the stage. A nervous silence pervades the group.
SHELLEY: So is Liam going to be putting in an appearance?
FIONA: He wouldn’t come out. He cut himself on a vase he knocked off the desk in shock when the alarm went off. I’d better going and check on him. Sorry. Sorry Carol.
Carol shrugs.
CAROL: I’m going back up to. I’ve still got to clean up after myself.
There are a few reactions to this, but everyone seems to accept it as an aspect of the evening, and Shelley and Fiona leave.
CLARA: Mitch. You’ve stopped sneezing.
Mitch smiles.
MITCH: I’m calmer.
CLARA: You sneeze when you’re nervous.
MITCH: I hate confrontations.
CLARA: Oh that’s so sweet.
Clara gestures off the stage and she leaves with Mitch. David shoots a worried glance after them.
SHELLEY: I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything. She’s just being nice.
DAVID: Hmmm.
MICHAEL: I’m going up and collecting my pennies.
DAVID: Your pennies?
Shelley shakes her head in disbelief, as she David and Michael leave the stage. Pete yawns.
PETE: Thank god for that.
SARAH: What?
PETE: No one asked us what we were doing . . .
Sarah approaches him, spin him around and after kissing him on the forehead, they embrace.
THE END
posted by feelinglistless at 5:35 PM on April 26, 2001 [1 favorite]
posted by feelinglistless at 5:39 PM on April 26, 2001
"Article" is the name of a part of speech, like "noun" or "verb". From The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics: "A determiner whose basic role is to mark noun phrases as either definite or indefinite: e.g. definite the in the girl, indefinite a in a girl."
posted by redfoxtail at 7:05 PM on April 26, 2001
I feel bad I caused Rob such distress.
I don't read Riothero anymore.
She does not update anymore, but I love reading her.
posted by thirteen at 7:24 PM on April 26, 2001
Most interesting thing I learned this week: How much fun (and how easy) it is to impress the undergraduates one is teaching by saying "piss" in lecture.
posted by redfoxtail at 8:24 PM on April 26, 2001
posted by norm at 10:41 PM on April 26, 2001
all of you as my fellow Americans, as I lapse into "we" when it probably should be
"the US"
My main question being, What was Japan's motivation from bringing the US into
W.W.II? I know a couple of factoids, and have a few theories but I cannot remember
ever going very far into the Pacific war in school. It always seemed to be enough to
say the US was in the war because the Japanese attacked. No one ever went into
why they might have done so.
1. I know American pilots were flying American planes painted with Chinese colors,
so we were already fighting a secret war against Japan.
2. I am suspecting it might have something to do with the forced opening of
Japanese ports those many years before, but I don't know.
3. Did it have anything to do with Japan's becoming industrialized, but not having
much in the way of raw materials? Did the US impede this in anyway, were we
competing for colonies?
4. Were the Japanese just keeping a bargain with their allies to keep the US from
being too helpful to Europe?
5. If that is the case, (Here is where the change up kicks in) Why did Hitler leap at
the chance to declare war on the US after the attack? To divide our forces? Or to
legally sink our ships?
There was more, but I cannot remember it now. Anybody have any answers? I am
going to post this on Rob's list too, as I think SDB might be my best hope for an
answer. Please forgive me.
I know the Japanese were particularly brutal, and that Lia might have relatives who
were involved in that theater during the war, so I hope I have not made it seem like I
am trying to excuse Japan's actions. I am really surprised that everything I have
been taught has been so one sided. With Germany there is plenty of talk about the
events that lead up to what came to pass.
posted by thirteen at 11:18 PM on April 26, 2001
Hai, juichi-shiju-ni desu.
My website has been getting greater than goju hits per day all week long. I though it was coming from here, but they are entering through random archives. I'm not sure, but I figure 50 hits has to make my site one of the most popular places on the internet. Where is my webby?
I don't know how to use irc, this embarrasses me. I have aim loaded, but have no gumption to search people out. I may have forgotten my password even. Eek, that NEVER happens to me.
It is 1:47 am (asa ichi-ji shiju nana-fun) I am going to take the dogs for a walk.
posted by thirteen at 11:56 PM on April 26, 2001
A poker story: When I was in high school, I spent a bit of a summer camping in central Alberta. Well, not camping really, because I was staying in a cabin, which really takes the edge off roughing it. Some friends of mine were playing poker one night, and they invited me to join them.
I did not know how to play poker.
Somebody wrote down which bunches of card were better than which other bunches of cards. No one had any pennies, so it was decided that we would use sunflower seeds as counters (or chips or whatever they are called).
Sometime around 2:00 a.m., I got whatever bunch of cards was at the top of the list (I still cannot play poker. But I have a great poker face. It involves grinning with glee and acting nervous no matter what I'm dealt). I won a huge number of sunflower seeds. I cleaned everybody out. They had to open another bag of sunflower seeds (inflation was a huge problem in those days). A few rounds later, we went to sleep.
The next day we went canoeing.
That evening, the other guys decided that we should play poker again. So I went to get the huge stash of sunflower seeds that I had placed on a shelf the previous night. The walls of the cabin were rounded - they sloped up and in to the peak of the roof. I had placed the sunflower seeds on a shelf jutting out from the wall.
The mouse had these amazing little black eyes, and a terrible poker face.
posted by iceberg273 at 5:10 AM on April 27, 2001
Then as now, Japan's industry wasn't sustainable with local resources. Then as now, Japan depended primarily on imports of raw materials, and there were important ones where the Japanese didn't control their sources of supply. The seeds of the conflict between Japan and the US stretch back a long way; in most accounts it begins with the visit by Commodore Perry in 1853.
Leaving out a lot of context, what you end up with by the 1920's is a government in Japan where the Army is aggressive and imperialistic and essentially in control. You also have an army where mid-level officers have far more influence than they really ought to. Japan already controls Korea by this point and is looking fondly at Manchuria, and some officers in that area manufacture an incident and go into full scale attack without permission of the civilian head of government. Before they know what is happening, the army has already invaded large parts of Manchuria and is moving forward. (Many historians actually date the beginning of WWII to this incident in 1931, instead of the more usual dating based on the invasion of Poland.)
This eventually lead to war with China. Now China then was an ally of the US, and though Roosevelt's military situation was weak his economic and diplomatic power was considerable. There were threats and counter threats, and the US started imposing trade sanctions against Japan.
The final straw was imposition by the US, UK and in particular the Dutch of an embargo on petroleum and scrap steel sales to Japan. This threatened to stop Japanese industry and also to immobilize Japan's fleet.
They had enough petroleum stockpiled for perhaps 18 months of operation and after that they would be stuck. They needed the Indonesian oil fields (the best source in that part of the world, at that time under Dutch control).
So here's the decision that Japan was facing. It had, in 90 years, moved from being a backwater which had been shamed by a handful of American steamships in 1853 to a fully modern industrialized country with a formidable navy, something no other third world nation had done in that time. It could back down, apologize, stop the war in China, and slink back home with its tail between its legs. Or it could shove all its chips into the center of the table and attack.
Retreat was impossible. If such an order had been sent to China it would have been ignored, and the likelihood is that leaders giving such orders would have been assassinated. (In the 1920's, Japan's government was known elsewhere as "government by assassination"; it was preposterously common for mid-level army officers to order the deaths of politicians they didn't like.)
There were cultural issues here, too; the Japanese had abolished the caste system but still believed that their men couldn't be defeated. They also believed that the US was soft, effete, bourgeois, and had no real stomach for war.
On the side of the balance favoring attack was the fact that the Japanese naval Air Force was the best in the world at that time (though no-one outside Japan knew it). The US is weak "as we all know" and won't be willing to take a lot of losses "as we all know" and if Japan could take a lot of territory fast and then reinforce it, the US would decide it wasn't worth the price to take it back. And "as we all know" the US would lose as many men in the fight as Japan would. So the US would bargain rather than fight "as we all know".
At Gettysburg Colonel Chamberlain defended Little Round Top and was faced at one point with either retreating or attacking -- and since the consequences of retreat (loss of the entire battle) were intolerable, he ordered an attack. It was a brilliant (and desperate) move and succeeded beyond his wildest hopes. Many consider that the single critical battlefield decision of the entire battle (and indeed of the entire war since that was the turning point).
The Japanese made the same decision. They did, I think, understand that it was risky but considered the risk acceptable given the intolerable consequences of not attacking. What they didn't perhaps understand is the degree of fury that a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor would raise in the US. And some leaders in Japan (particularly Admiral Yamamoto) understood the industrial capacity of the US but none really understood the degree to which it would be trained on Japan, like a cannon aimed at a flea. Ultimately the war in the Pacific wasn't US soldiers against Japanese soldiers, or US ships against Japanese ships, but rather US industry against Japanese industry -- and that wasn't a contest. Within two years, from scratch, the US already had created a more powerful fleet and a more powerful airforce in the Pacific than the Japanese had managed to create in the pre-war years. And it only got worse from there. By 1945 the US fleet and air power in the Pacific was frankly incredible.
Another major mistake the Japanese made was to massively underestimate the importance of signal security. They believed that the Japanese language itself was sufficiently obscure and difficult that the Americans would never be able to understand their code transmissions. Again, they underestimated both the US and UK, and in the course of the war I'm not aware of a single Japanese cipher which resisted attack. On the other hand, the Japanese attempts to break into US code were total futility, and such efforts were always badly understaffed. By the end of the war, the US had at least a thousand times as many men involved in signal intelligence as did the Japanese, and this was a major contributor to the conduct of the war. Midway is the example most people know about, but it was in fact not the most important. Vastly more important was that the US was reading the ciphers used by the Japanese to control their merchant shipping, and using that information to control its submarines to attack said shipping. After 18 months of truly embarassing torpedo malfunctions, by mid 1943 the US submarine force began to leave a bloody swath through the Japanese merchant marine. The US succeeded in doing to Japan what the Germans failed to do to the UK: starve it out by submarine blockade.
The Flying Tigers never were an issue, by the way. The final straw which lead to war was the embargo on oil and scrap steel, which the Japanese took as an aggressive act. To this day you'll find Japanese who think that Japan really had no choice but to attack, and honestly think of Pearl Harbor as a defensive move forced on them by the US.
Also, there was never really an issue relating to obligations to Germany. That "alliance" was never really an alliance in the sense that the ones between the US, UK and USSR were, where each made sacrifices for the other and where they coordinated their efforts (such as the USSR's offensive launched in June 1944 to coincide with the Normandy invasion).
A demonstration of the fundamental unimportance of the Japanese/German alliance is that at the time of Pearl Harbor and for the rest of the war, Germany was locked in a death struggle with the USSR. Hitler hoped that the Japanese would attack the USSR in Siberia, draining away resources from the German front. Yet Japan never attacked the USSR, maintaining an uneasy truce at the border of Manchukuo and Siberia. (This was shattered in July 1945 when the USSR attacked.) This is because the Japanese had gotten their asses kicked by the USSR in 1939 in a brief war there. After Pearl Harbor, Germany (and then Italy) declared war on the US (much to the relief of both Churchill and Roosevelt, who wanted the US to fight Germany and had to figure out a way to convince the US public that an attack by Japan should result in a US war against Germany). A lot of people have wondered why Hitler did this; it turns out that he did so because he was hoping that Japan would in turn declare war on the USSR -- which never happened.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 6:05 AM on April 27, 2001 [1 favorite]
posted by Steven Den Beste at 6:06 AM on April 27, 2001
Well, FWIW, I'm trying to focus more on the particular works. That the first two works I chose happened to be long enough to occupy entire CDs was just a happy coincidence. I chose the CDs I did to link to because they are recordings I'm familiar with. In general the quality of various recordings of a particular work can vary quite a bit, so when I discuss the piece, it's helpful to give a reference that will relate to my description.
If you have any interest at all in contemporary art music, but you don't know where to start, I hope you'll try the works I've recommended because I think they're very accessible for a casual listener in addition to being great and important works in their own rights. If you're already a "classical" music fan, and you're familiar with my selections, I wonder what you think of my picks. I'm presenting DRAMA with the utmost sincerity, and I hope you'll take something with you after reading it.
posted by daveadams at 6:49 AM on April 27, 2001
Sorry Steven, but this is a strictly C-list thread.
That was a great summary, btw, I'm constantly impressed by your knowledge of military history.
posted by daveadams at 6:58 AM on April 27, 2001
C-list? Hell, I'm already C-list. Sheesh.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 7:37 AM on April 27, 2001
Nothing I'm unfamiliar with. :-)
Steven, wow, I think I just learned more about Japanese involvement in the war in the 5 or 10 minutes I spent digesting that then in my entire 10th grade history course. Thank you!
posted by cCranium at 8:05 AM on April 27, 2001
cC: I am glad you have not opened a vein over this slight hiccup.
Do any of you ever wonder if there are other eternal threads floating around? Metafilter gnomes discussing mathematics in 666, or a hidden troll room where Hal_55 and Rightwinger plot to disrupt the peaceful and everchanging world of "Metafilter current"? It is a large sever, there may be other intelligent life out there somewhere.
I am coining the word "Link'n log" for my web page, as it is more journal than blog, but there are a fair number of links. What do you think? I think it is catchy if you are old enough to get the reference, and hopefully I will be credited for it's mass usage in Wired one day.
posted by thirteen at 9:36 AM on April 27, 2001
Obscure Hitchhiker's Guide references are always appreciated - which reminds me, did anyone catch Kindall's fun comment the other day?
posted by Aaaugh! at 9:53 AM on April 27, 2001
My impression was that at least some people in 1142-land were beyond lists, to the point of being list-less.
Sorry. :)
posted by iceberg273 at 10:50 AM on April 27, 2001
I'm pretty sure Wendell used that term a while back for the blog part in the last iteration of his One Swell Foop site. Actually, I believe it was "Linkin Log" but whatever.
posted by daveadams at 11:11 AM on April 27, 2001
Yeah, but what's cool about this thread is that it's reserved only for C-listers such as ourselves. No A-Listers allowed! HUZZAH!!
posted by daveadams at 11:12 AM on April 27, 2001
Lance (aka honkzilla has had Linkinlog2000 for a while. Although it hasn't been updated in quite some time.
Wasn't Neale an A-lister at one point or another? Before he up and decided to become a novelist?
I find it very amusing that the first comment I've seen from Baylink in quite some time was about breast measurement.
Sean is quite possibly the coolest person in existance.
posted by cCranium at 11:18 AM on April 27, 2001
Skot wrote my wife a letter, and I was surprised. (but not displeased)
I tried to post to the rmd_cx message board and my post was... lost.
I just had a bar-b-cue on the roof, and now am full.
My coworkers put ketchup on hotdogs, and they are wrong.
I wondered where Baylink was, and he has returned.
The Link'n log is stillborn, long live the blog.
posted by thirteen at 11:35 AM on April 27, 2001
[Iceberg] I usually do the word processing spell check thing, but I posted the play late the other night (after the glee of finding it - I thought I'd lost it in a freak hard drive accident), and figured I'd already done it. I shall attempt to use my own personal on-line dictionary more curfully in the future.
[daveadams] I like your CD reviews, and your taste. The Goreki was one of the first classical CDs I bought and got me onto that whole big ride. Lately I've been a bit R&B (have you tried the Sugababes?) but I still get goosepimples at Beathoven.
While I'm hear, if anyone's got any questions about British culture...
posted by feelinglistless at 12:12 PM on April 27, 2001
posted by thirteen at 12:12 PM on April 27, 2001
I am capable of eating hot dogs only with mustard and melted cheese. In fact, my salivary glands just now started spasming and twitching like a herd of collies hooked up to car batteries.
I worry about this thread sometimes. Does Matt occasionally turn a gimlet eye over here, and mutter, "Those goddam little shits."? I am forever worried about giving Matt offense, but that's mainly because I'm pretty neurotic (this, I'm sure, is big news).
Does anyone remember the song "Switching To Glide" by The Kings? I'm completely obsessed with finding an old copy of this somewhere. I found a hinky-looking 80s mix that included it on some German site, but there's gotta be a better way. "Switching to GLIIIIIIDE!" There's bubblegum, and there's great bubblegum. My little lowbrow contribution to the music discussion, I suppose.
BattleBots tomorrow. I'll have a Bloody Mary in my hand (I make terrifyingly good Bloody Marys, I am told--I want to find a competition for such things and enter it), and shall toast 1142.
posted by Skot at 12:16 PM on April 27, 2001
I forgot to reply to Avogadro a few days back. To paraphrase the evil English king from Braveheart, the only thing wrong with Chicago, is that it is full of Chicagoans. (pause, wait for laughter to die down)
I am so over city life, but as bigger cities go it is not so bad. I hate my politicians, but it does provide for virtually cultural fix I may want. As I am older now, my need for really late night pizza has waned, and I find myself wanting quiet, space, and a non-light polluted night sky. I am going to take a daylong beekeeping class in Indiana this summer to see if I can hold to my imaginings when I am covered with a swarm. If I can, I am going to try to assist an older beekeeper who operates within Chicago's city limits, in preparation for my island paradise of the semi near future. John 13, wind farmer, beekeeper, Nova Scotian ex pat American
It is frustrating to me, that my environmental beliefs group me in with people whose political beliefs are so perpendicular to mine. Is there no place I can fit in?
posted by thirteen at 12:49 PM on April 27, 2001
I assume you mean Beethoven, although Beathoven would be a good name for a Drum and Bass group...
posted by daveadams at 1:09 PM on April 27, 2001
I hear neurosis is a common symptom of Cranky Bastard disease.
posted by daveadams at 1:12 PM on April 27, 2001
Melted cheese is good, but not required. The only thing needed to make a great hot dog IMO is yellow mustard. And a great hot dog of course. A mostly acceptable substitute for mustard is mayonnaise. And you can always add cheese (preferably melted) and chili. Mmmmmm....
posted by daveadams at 1:14 PM on April 27, 2001
posted by daveadams at 1:17 PM on April 27, 2001
posted by daveadams at 1:28 PM on April 27, 2001
My God. Now, I know I'm a vegetarian and therefore fair game for scorn from the likes of you, Dave, but the idea of mayo as a substitute for mustard on a hot dog is horrifying. A roast beef sandwich, maybe, but a hot dog What, do you put mayo on pretzels at the ballpark?
Mustard and pickle relish belong on a hot dog. Mayo does not.
posted by snarkout at 1:36 PM on April 27, 2001
Hey!
Um, well ... I guess Matthew Broderick isn't so bad. I do wear glasses, too.
posted by aaron at 1:43 PM on April 27, 2001
=======================================
From: irvi2187@sundance.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: Calling ASGX Regulars!
Newsgroups: alt.society.generation-x
Date: 1996/01/21
------------------------------------------------
In <4drmgu$n4q@news.cais.com>, acw@ids2.idsonline.com (Amanda Wilson) writes:
>rrp@CS.Arizona.EDU (Rob Piltz) wrote:
>
>>In article <4dom18$2ju@cmcl2.NYU.EDU>, coates
>>>
>>>
>>>I grep (in no particular order) for hubbard, schwarz, basil, lehmann,
>>>steve, wayloo, v-x, katchoo, maia, wise, beaudry, randell, conlon,
>>>cooperman, farley, lathrop, berin, kasar, holly... nada.
>
>Any more questions?
>
>>What am I? Chopped livah?
>
>Yeah ... Coates, are you trying to start another A-list flame war?
I'll just sit here from my C-list computer and pout...
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 2:04 PM on April 27, 2001
A cupcake would be good right now.
posted by thirteen at 2:06 PM on April 27, 2001
================
From: pippa (pippa@eznet.net)
Subject: Re: A GenX Moment (tm): Playground Games
Newsgroups: alt.society.generation-x
Date: 1996/01/06
----------------------------------------------
Kelly T. Conlon wrote:
> In article <4ch1qe$2s0@news.bu.edu>, Lynda Farley
>
> >Other kewl childhood games included: Freeze Tag, T.V. Tag
>
> You forgot "dodgeball".
NOT. Dodgeball was NOT kewl for those of us branded Class Misfit. You
see, the other team would gang up and just keep aiming for the CM, and I
believe I spent 8 years of phys ed in Catholic grammar school ducking
and/or crying.
Thank GOD I got to take dance for gym in high school!
--
~pippa
Home Page doing Limbo: http://home.eznet.net/~pippa
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 2:09 PM on April 27, 2001
Mmmmm, that doesn't sound too bad... thanks for the suggestion.
I luuuuuv mayo, it goes well on most any sandwich-related food (including hot dogs). But mustard is still better on hot dogs. Relish is for losers, though. ;)
posted by daveadams at 2:32 PM on April 27, 2001
I was right!! Hey, don't worry about the Matthew Broderick thing. He was the only actor I could think of at the time that I've seen wearing glasses regularly who isn't old. Do you want to be thought of as old?
posted by daveadams at 2:34 PM on April 27, 2001
posted by Skot at 3:01 PM on April 27, 2001
I was never an A-lister. If one remembers this, they'll recall I was labelled and enemy of the a-list.
All through high-school I was compared with hollywood types depending on my hair - I have a face that sort of is defined by the hair. I've been compared to Matthew Broderick (in the Ferris days), but also the two leads in the first Ewan McGregor flick (you know, the one with the house and the couch and the dead guy), robert downey jnr... and a bunch of others I wont go into...
I hate dodgeball. Who invented that shit?
posted by Neale at 4:35 PM on April 27, 2001
Speaking of vegetarian hot dogs, does anyone know the difference between Smart Dogs and Tofu Pups? All I know is that one is lighter than the other (color not weight).
Also, my phone doesn't work most of the time. Instead of a dial tone, there's a loud electric hum like when you get too close to a bug zapper.
posted by sudama at 6:35 PM on April 27, 2001
What's wrong with putting ketchup on hot dogs?
posted by youhas at 6:40 PM on April 27, 2001
Ketchup on hot dogs is unappealing, but not nearly as yucky as mayo. But then, once again, I have some general feelings about the food in question that come into play. Mayonnaise in potato salad, pasta salad, etc: fine. On sandwiches: not fine, unless it's aioli. So perhaps I'm not the best source of information on this subject.
posted by redfoxtail at 12:05 AM on April 28, 2001
Smart Dogs:
Ingredients: Water, soy protein isolate, wheat gluten, evaporated cane juice, salt, yeast extract, soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt), granulated garlic, carageenan, spice extract, natural flavors from vegetable sources, vegetable gum, natural smoke flavor.
Tofu Pups:
Ingredients: Water, tofu (organically grown soybeans, water, magnesium chloride), Soy protein isolate, soy oil, spices, salt, beet powder, natural vegetable flavors, paprika oil, vegetable gum.
Keep in mind that there are also Wonderdogs and Smart Deli Jumbos. All of these are made by the same company.
As far as mock-meat stuff, check out Veat sometime (I recommend the nuggets). It's chewy and a bit freaky to consume.
posted by gluechunk at 12:47 AM on April 28, 2001
Other than everything? I am under the impression that the origins of this have to do with Chicago having once been a giant slaughter house. The legend goes, that we had access to very fresh meat, and thus ketchup was not needed to disguise the flavor of rot that had set in by the time the dogs reached the coasts. I don't know if this is true, but I have read "the Jungle", and immediately crossed spice loaf off my shopping list.
They really do taste better if you leave the ketchup off, the just do. I seldom get to say this anymore as my wife used the fruit paste on her dogs, and it is now considered picking a fight if I open my mouth in front of her.
I prefer Tofu pups when eating that sort of thing, as the texture is nice, and there is no clovey aftertaste.
My bun of choice is the potato bun. diced tomatoes, onions and celery salt. When possible, I write thirteen with the mustard (now in katakana).
Rogue tomatoes are begining to grow out of my compost pile, spring is here.
posted by thirteen at 1:10 PM on April 28, 2001
Anyone but Aaaaaaaaagh and redfoxtail read my play? I actually just bothered to re-read it and was amazed to find it's actually quite good (that's not ego - it's amazing it's readable at all considering some of my other epics). Some of the characters are in my latest opus - so I suppose thats actually a bit of a Pilot or preview (depending on your media). Wadya think? Comments (clean comments).
If you thought Book of Shadows was madness you try renting Titan AE and getting - to - the - end . . . luckily it was the thrid part of a triple bill with Gossip (The Usual Suspects meets Threesome - pretty good, although lacked focus) and Return to Me (which couldn't decide what story it was meant to be telling, making it Wresting Earnest Hemmingway meets Sleepless in Seattle, which is probably no place to be).
To return to the earlier DVD discussion, not much mention made of audio commentaries. For some reason these are more entertaining depending on how young the participants are.
Good examples:
The Usual Suspects (Brian Singer's second movie),
Idlehands (everybody's first film),
American Pie (everyone's first film),
The Opposite of Sex (directorial debut of a writer).
Awful commentaries (usually so bad your hard pushed to get to the end even if the movie itself is any good):
The Thomas Crown Affair (John McTiernan),
anything by Rob Reiner (who seems to think that silence speaks a thousand words),
any of the James Bond technical commentaries (which always seem to consist of - 'I really like that effect.' 'That's a good effect.' 'That's a very effective effect.')
American Beauty (although it's nice to hear and English accent for a change, what's the point in having the writer there is he isn't going to say anything?)
Special mentions for:
Practical Magic (the talky bits with Sandra Bullock and Denise De Nova are actually more entertaining than the film),
Out of Sight (for reason I find this film difficult to watch now without the commentary on - aaaaaaaah!)
Pleasantville (in which the director spends two hours droning on about the theological significance of his work, punctuated with 'that's my wife/brother/husbad')
Return to Me (for proving how incestuous the film industry can be by pointing out what feel like five generations of a family on screen).
And while I remember - yes I know it's Beethoven - I was referencing Bill & Ted. Catch you later . . .
posted by feelinglistless at 1:48 PM on April 28, 2001
I think the Fight Club commentory is the best so far I've heard.
posted by Neale at 4:01 PM on April 28, 2001
Wow. I would not have thought that movie could get any worse.
posted by sudama at 11:08 PM on April 28, 2001
I am talking to myself again.
Asia is rising against me.
I haven't got a chinaman's chance.
I'd better consider my national resources.
My national resources consist of two joints of marijuana millions of genitals an unpublishable private literature that goes 1400 miles an hour and twenty-five-thousand mental institutions.
I say nothing about my prisons nor the millions of underprivileged who live in my flowerpots under the light of five hundred suns.
I have abolished the whorehouses of France, Tangiers is the next to go.
My ambition is to be President despite the fact that I'm a Catholic.
America how can I write a holy litany in your silly mood?
I will continue like Henry Ford my strophes are as individual as his automobiles more so they're all different sexes.
America I will sell you strophes $2500 a piece $500 down on your old strophe
America free Tom Mooney
America save the Spanish Loyalists
American Sacco & Vanzetti must not die
America I am the Scottsboro boys.
America when I was seven momma took me to Communist Cell meetings they sold us garbanzos a handful per ticket a ticket costs a nickel and the speeches were free everybody was angelic and sentimental about the workers it was all so sincere you have no idea what a good thing the party was in 1835 Scott Nearing was a grand old man a real mensch Mother Bloor made me cry I once saw Israel Amter plain. Everybody must have been a spy.
America you don't really want to go to war.
posted by sudama at 2:10 AM on April 29, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 9:06 AM on April 29, 2001
And all this time I thought...
posted by daveadams at 8:51 PM on April 29, 2001
I'm a troll, but the only person who rises to the bait is me.
I don't eat any meat that claims to be otherwise.
posted by Neale at 10:58 PM on April 29, 2001
Neale - 178 posts
daveadams - 110 posts
thirteen - 35 posts
Avagadro - 32 posts
cCranium - 27 posts
When will daveadams overtake Neale as 1142's top poster? Is anyone else even in the running?
This should be more fun to bet on that the 1000th post question.
posted by lagado at 12:37 AM on April 30, 2001
1. vegetarian -- one who eats no meat or fish or (often) any animal products
2. vegetarian -- one who eschews mains in favor of dessert.
posted by lagado at 12:51 AM on April 30, 2001
Anybody know where I rank in Bens?
I am so damn tired, I ended up with a poor 3 hours of sleep last night.
posted by thirteen at 7:16 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by snarkout at 7:24 AM on April 30, 2001
I want you all to know, that I am really Lawful Neutral, armor class 10 + 1 dex bonus +2 leather jacket (d20 system), with 29 Hit points.
posted by thirteen at 7:41 AM on April 30, 2001
Here is a post where I go toe to toe with my arch enemy Dodgypunk:
Trying to define punk is a futile gesture. There was too much of it happening in too many places for a single definition to stand without contradicting some other equally valid form. The trick is to pick a definition you can live with and properly argue at parties. In my as yet unwritten treatise "Who is the Candy Rocker?" I will lay out the Platonian view that will put an end to the what is punk question once and for all.
If I can change just one mind on Metafilter, then it has all been worth it
posted by thirteen at 8:06 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 8:12 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 8:23 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by thirteen at 8:48 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by thirteen at 8:57 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by bradlands at 9:00 AM on April 30, 2001
I have no idea when my thousandth post occured, but in the interests of furthering my "follower" role, I'll provide the following summary of everything I've said at Mefi:
"People are inherently good/smart/curious, dammit!"
"Aw crap."
"Standards, yay!"
"Napster, boo."
"Free Information, yay!"
posted by cCranium at 9:05 AM on April 30, 2001
(Dagnabbit, cC, why'd you have to go and get in the way? Hmph.)
posted by redfoxtail at 9:09 AM on April 30, 2001
Although I've apparenly recent passed SDB in postings. (1320 to his 1302.
Baylink has over 1400, but his recent posting lag due to apparent "real life" has given me a chance to catch up and surpass!
Hey, it looks like I've passed Matt as well.
Daveadams is catching up to me.
Tiaka appears to have multiple accounts.
I wonder how hard it would be do write a script that hits every user.mefi page and rank posters according to number of posts.
posted by cCranium at 9:13 AM on April 30, 2001
So I did and now the party is too beefy to even deal with such things again. Anyone have any good ideas of some massive creatures to toss at the party? (They've been locked in a death struggle with a lich the last two sessions, but that's getting old.)
posted by norm at 9:16 AM on April 30, 2001
Also, I recommend Displacer Beasts, and Mind Flayers, not to mention the Drow. Hell, even the Trolls just mentioned still pack a lot of trouble. Displacer beasts are really damn hard to hit and kill.
Me painting a Mummy. Me fearing a Mummy. I like games with lots of undead, and Night of the living dead senarios ie: the party is locked in a barn, and there are 75 miniatures waiting outside.
posted by thirteen at 9:35 AM on April 30, 2001
Which reminds me, the subject of the "SDB posts too much" thread was brought up somewhere around here recently, and I have to say that I've festered in guilt for quite awhile about that one. You see, I STARTED that thread but did it as a congratulations, not a "I hate SDB" thing. Had I realized just what an atomic poster Baylink was at the time, or other 1k clubbers, I wouldn't have even started that.
Finally, does anyone know if Metatalk comments count towards our stats? I don't think they do, which is a shame because it would probably pump up my comments by 50 or so.
ps: thanks for the tips, 13. I've already tossed some Drow at them, but the Displacer Beasts will work ok, I think. Undead hordes, huh. Yeah, that could theoretically cut it. Who wants some Mummy Rot? (I do, I do!)
posted by norm at 9:39 AM on April 30, 2001
I spent some quality time with the Blade Runner book last night. I did not wish to ding it up, so I did not take it with on my trip. It was kind of strange to pick it up again, as I am currently reading another Phillip Dick book that dovetails with the Blade runer story in a way I cannot finger yet. Dick dedicates the book to his daughters, and I was thinking, those poor girls, saddled with that last name, and I notice that one of the is named Isa. ISA! What were they thinking? Is a dick. Poor girl, I bet she did not hyphenate her last name when she married.
no blockquotes here, no siree.
Post as true today, as the day it was written.
posted by thirteen at 9:40 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by thirteen at 9:44 AM on April 30, 2001
Hello. Your browser, for whatever reason, cannot handle the W3C standards for HTML 4.01, CSS-1, and/or DOM-1.
On IE5? [Whimper] You've never loved me. I know this now.
posted by Skot at 9:56 AM on April 30, 2001
You switch the brass lantern on.
Sloping E/W Canyon
You are in an awkward sloping east/west canyon.
posted by bradlands at 10:05 AM on April 30, 2001 [3 favorites]
Would the superhero Straw Man be good or evil?
*That's right, Fallacy Boy! Llama Girl has incorrectly stated the Mayor's position on the school bond proposal. Fortunately, I've brought along the Conclusive Ray Gun of Logic!*
*Holy truth tables, Straw Man! You've turned Llama Girl into an Irrelevant Conclusion.*
*Yes I have, Fallacy Boy, Yes I have.*
posted by iceberg273 at 10:55 AM on April 30, 2001
Aw, shit, Skot, tell me it isn't so...
Sonofabitch.
Or rather, Aw crap.
Hey thirteen, when/where did you get called a troll? I missed that completely.
norm: Getting 1k posts is like watching a pot of water boil. It'll happen in the same amount of time as it would've if you weren't paying attention, but it's much easier to get distracted and not notice time pass if you're fucking around on MetaFilter.
redfoxtail: I was going to light the torch, but I forgot to pick it up, and I didn't even know we had a lantern.
> i
posted by cCranium at 10:58 AM on April 30, 2001
You are carrying:
a wicker cage (which is open but empty)
a small bottle (which is empty)
a brass lantern (providing light)
some tasty food
a set of keys
>
posted by bradlands at 11:08 AM on April 30, 2001
I forgot to close a tag just now. Thus, the sole purpose of this post was to close the tag. I blame my 56K modem.
But cCranium beat me to it. So now this post has no purpose.
But I'll post it anyways.
Also, I was hunting for fossils in Ohio this weekend, and so I missed the First Annual 1142 Vegetarian Hot Dog Discussion. This makes me sad, but in an eclectic way.
It's hard to find flowering plants that like to grow in the shade.
close wicker cage
posted by iceberg273 at 11:21 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by thirteen at 11:44 AM on April 30, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 11:56 AM on April 30, 2001
Perhaps I will go sequester myself somewhere dark and dank, then not let myself out until I've achieved something of substance. Ugh.
posted by redfoxtail at 12:02 PM on April 30, 2001
In Debris Room
You are in a debris room filled with stuff washed in from the surface. A low wide passage with cobbles becomes plugged with mud and debris here, but an awkward canyon leads upward and west.
A note on the wall says, "Magic word XYZZY."
A three foot black rod with a rusty star on one end lies nearby.
posted by bradlands at 12:04 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by anildash at 12:17 PM on April 30, 2001
I hope we don't have to fight any trolls, like, say, thirteen.
posted by Skot at 12:25 PM on April 30, 2001
I don't seem to be taking my own advice about the dank work-hole, do I? Drats.
posted by redfoxtail at 12:31 PM on April 30, 2001
I figure Brad's Zork knowledge is going to run out after about three more posts. I think we should play Nord and Bert Couldn't Make Heads Nor Tales Out of It, the one and only Infocom "game" I finished in one sitting.
> I love adventures! Pick up the rod.
I don't understand "love".
I hate it when Brad ruins my fun. Except that he does it in such a fun way!
posted by cCranium at 12:38 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 12:43 PM on April 30, 2001
That's not a verb I recognize.
>
posted by bradlands at 12:47 PM on April 30, 2001
>hit note with rod
posted by iceberg273 at 12:52 PM on April 30, 2001
>Say "Walla Walla, Washington"
posted by Skot at 12:54 PM on April 30, 2001
I bought my car in Walla Walla, Washington! How about that!
posted by iceberg273 at 12:57 PM on April 30, 2001
I only understood you as far as wanting to hit the note.
>Say "Walla Walla, Washington"
You can only do that to something animate.
>
posted by bradlands at 1:00 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 1:02 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 1:08 PM on April 30, 2001
>w
posted by iceberg273 at 1:09 PM on April 30, 2001
>Take note.
posted by Skot at 1:11 PM on April 30, 2001
In Debris Room
>take note
That's hardly portable.
>w
Sloping E/W Canyon
>
posted by bradlands at 1:22 PM on April 30, 2001
<slap forehead>Of course!</slaps forehead>
>w
posted by iceberg273 at 1:23 PM on April 30, 2001
Orange River Chamber
You are in a splendid chamber thirty feet high. The walls aare frozen rivers of orange stone. An awkward canyon and a good passage exit from east and west sides of the chamber.
A cheerful little bird is sitting here singing.
>say XYZZY
(to the little bird)
Cheep! Chirp!
>
posted by bradlands at 1:31 PM on April 30, 2001
>open wicker cage
>take bird
posted by Skot at 1:36 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by feelinglistless at 1:38 PM on April 30, 2001
You open the wicker cage.
>take bird
The bird was unafraid when you entered, but as you approach it becomes disturbed and you cannot catch it.
>
posted by bradlands at 1:39 PM on April 30, 2001
You put the tasty food into the wicker cage.
>
posted by bradlands at 1:47 PM on April 30, 2001
Yikes, it looks like if I don't start posting I'll be overtaken by these damn text-adventure-seekers.
posted by daveadams at 2:38 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 2:38 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by daveadams at 2:39 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by daveadams at 2:41 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by daveadams at 2:42 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by daveadams at 2:46 PM on April 30, 2001
No, I'm not going to tell you what it is, but if you're smart you'll figure it out.
posted by daveadams at 2:48 PM on April 30, 2001
Don't answer that.
posted by daveadams at 2:51 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by daveadams at 2:52 PM on April 30, 2001
We're also playing an Ellington medley, a My Fair Lady medley, and a South Pacific medley. What's with the medleys in concert band? Gack.
I guess all the good stuff is written for top-level wind ensembles, which we are not. It's hard to get high quality out of a once-a-week band of anyone-who-wants-to-come.
Still, why can't we play Hindemith's Symphony in B flat just once?
posted by daveadams at 2:56 PM on April 30, 2001
Grainger wrote a ton of great band pieces, but noooo, we have to play medleys and marches. They're the crowd pleasers supposedly. My wife, in the crowd, hates marches. Myself, a horn player, I also hate marches.
Well, some aren't so bad, but when 80-90% of your part consists of offbeats it gets kinda tiresome. But you'll find that the only section in a band that can play offbeats well is the horn section.
posted by daveadams at 2:58 PM on April 30, 2001
The letter 'z' has appeared 197 times.
On average, Neale posts at 6:03 PM PST.
The number 1142 appears in this thread 32 times.
The word 'wrong' appears 40 times.
The standard deviation of thirteen's posts is 4 hours and 5 minutes.
There have been 503 questions asked. Some of them were rhetorical.
This is my 26th post.
posted by iceberg273 at 3:01 PM on April 30, 2001
It's bad enough when all new construction is built in such a way and in such a location that no sane person would even attempt to approach outside of an automobile, the bigger the better.
It's even worse when city governments, county governments, state governments, and the federal government come in and exacerbate the problem. Post offices in strip malls, anchor libraries on the very edge of town, turning vast swaths of center cities from vibrant (or at least potentially vibrant) neighborhoods to parking lots, using powers of imminent domain to drive out what viable businesses and residents do remain to create half-assed and misguided "urban renewal" that usually ends up sucking what life is left in such an area right out. All of this happened in the 50s, the 60s, the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, and it's still happening.
And it's so frustrating. Surely there's a better solution? Surely all that money going to building more roads, more sewers, extending infrastructure out at exponentially larger and larger costs isn't worth it. Couldn't we use that money to subsidize sane, human-scale, pedestrian-oriented development instead of the kind of junk we throw up nowadays?
Sure, society has changed. Mostly because of the way we choose to subsidize development. It feeds on itself, but that doesn't mean we can't go back.
But do you think the government's going to be able to fix it? I don't. Forcing people to develop things one way is only going to cause a different set of problems.
Is it hopeless?
posted by daveadams at 3:08 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by daveadams at 3:10 PM on April 30, 2001
You're about to find out why I was terrible at these text games: frustration.
>hit bird with rod
posted by Skot at 3:12 PM on April 30, 2001
Particularly, I've been working on Prelude from Suite Bergamasque the last few days. It's a lot easier than it looks, but there's still a lot of great moments. And plenty of challenges for the ill-trained but determined pianist.
If only I had more motivation to practice, I could probably be a pretty decent pianist. But just when I start to get good I slack off, lose interest in the pieces I'm playing, and start focusing on something else.
posted by daveadams at 3:15 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 3:16 PM on April 30, 2001
She couldn't make it all the way through, but she did get past the intro, which everyone has heard a thousand times probably, to the second section. I fell in love with those arpeggios the moment I heard them, and I knew I had to learn that piece.
I still haven't mastered Clair de Lune, but I've got those arpeggios down cold.
posted by daveadams at 3:20 PM on April 30, 2001
Surely all that money going to building more roads, more sewers, extending infrastructure out at exponentially larger and larger costs isn't worth it. Couldn't we use that money to subsidize sane, human-scale, pedestrian-oriented development instead of the kind of junk we throw up nowadays?
Who is "we"? Local governments tend not to discourage growth because it makes real estate developers unhappy. In Maryland, the governor has been making a rhetorical shift towards "smart growth", but it remains to be seen whether there's a sufficient desire on the part of the American general public to live closer to urban centers to make it work. And if there isn't, you're screwed -- if you do everything you can to make cities affordable and liveable for middle-class America, and they still don't come, you're out of luck.
The ring city approach is fine in some ways, but when the ring expands, you get dead areas that used to be suburbs -- when the property value drops, the schools go to hell, there's less pent-up desire to move there, and property values drop. It's a vicious cycle, and there's almost nothing you can do to resucitate an area that, when you get down to it, had very little other than affordable homes and decent schools to recommend it. I grew up in an early planned community (Columbia, Maryland, as discussed in some previous MeFi threads), and the solution that seems to be working there is attracting middle-class immigrants and retirees, but that can't work everywhere, can it? I was reading about rundown L.A. suburbs about a year ago, and they just sounded like a horrible place to live.
posted by snarkout at 3:22 PM on April 30, 2001
Let me screw up your stats: redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant.
posted by daveadams at 3:22 PM on April 30, 2001
Society. Builders. Developers. Whoever is responsible for allowing all that junk to be built. And that's all of us.
Local governments tend not to discourage growth because it makes real estate developers unhappy.
I know why they do it. But anyway it's not about discouraging growth. And I hate to use this line of reasoning because it's so close to the "smart growth" propaganda, but it's about how you grow. Auto-centric development is not the only option. It's just the only option we have built into our zoning codes, government regulations, collective mind, or what-have-you. It's the only way we can even imagine growing.
Just try to open up a restaurant, an apartment complex, or an office building in an older, urban area in a mostly-suburban city without providing the "right" amount of parking. It doesn't matter if you can succeed at such a business or not. The existing rules do not allow you to take that risk, and potentially change just a little bit how things currently work. And big-city bureaucracy is so thick and slow and painful that most people are not willing or able to take the necessary steps to get around the regulations in order to take that risk.
if you do everything you can to make cities affordable and liveable for middle-class America, and they still don't come, you're out of luck.
True, but we haven't done everything we can. Until recently, most cities certainly didn't encourage making cities affordable and liveable. In fact it seemed as if they were doing everything in their power to destroy the urban-ness of themselves.
It's always easier to build anew, start from scratch. Entropy forces us to constantly work just to keep up the same standards. But my question is, is the easy way the best way?
Or a better question is, who's going to change this, anyway? I've already stated I don't trust the government to do so. Developers seem to love to stick to what they know, and most of them know auto-centric suburban development. I dunno what the answer is.
posted by daveadams at 3:37 PM on April 30, 2001
posted by daveadams at 3:37 PM on April 30, 2001
Well, that sure as hell is true.
Developers seem to love to stick to what they know, and most of them know auto-centric suburban development. I dunno what the answer is.
If there's a profit to be made, someone's going to jump into this. I'm down with the left, but building homes that people will buy is one of the things that capitalism takes care of very well. (See also "providing me with many delicious flavors of salty snack food." Do not see "providing health care to all Americans.") The problem is establishing a successful model, as the Rouse Co. did for (feh) urban shopping/entertainment destinations. What government should be doing is dinging developers for the real costs of development and using tax credits to encourage affordable urban and existing-suburban housing re-development, but "we're making your new house in the 'burbs more expensive" isn't a proposition that's going to fly in most states. (Maryland is an exception, but it's one of the most liberal states in the nation, and people are sick to death of the overstrained infrastructure during rush hour.)
posted by snarkout at 3:50 PM on April 30, 2001
I only understood you as far as wanting to hit the little bird.
>
posted by bradlands at 3:51 PM on April 30, 2001
redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant
redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant
redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant
redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant redundant
Back off my word.
posted by thirteen at 4:08 PM on April 30, 2001
I am very sleepy.
I heart Dave.
posted by thirteen at 4:12 PM on April 30, 2001
My suggestion is that someone who is less lazy than I should write up a script that will take note of the changes to the thread between 12am & 11:59pm from day to day & then email them in a daily digest form to those who wish to subscribe. That way us D-listers won't feel so left out of your little C-list get-together here. Actually, having made the suggestion, maybe I'll just write it myself. Anyone else interested in subscribing to 1142list?
posted by zempf at 7:13 PM on April 30, 2001
Go me!
posted by zempf at 7:16 PM on April 30, 2001
This reminds me of a Usenet newsgroup I frequent, where people will often post messages to a particular regular asking him to email them. I don't understand this behavior, so I'm trying to mimick it in an effort to comprehend.
posted by anildash at 7:53 PM on April 30, 2001
You can't see any such thing.
>e
Sloping E/W Canyon
>drop rod
Dropped.
>w
Orange River Chamber
A cheerful little bird is sitting here singing.
You can also see a wicker cage (in which there is some tasty food) here.
>take bird
You can catch the bird, but you cannot carry it.
>
posted by bradlands at 9:05 PM on April 30, 2001
Take Food from wicker Cage
Open Wicker Cage
Take Bird
Put Bird in Cage
Close Cage
Do the happy dance.
What the hell goes on in here when I'm away? I'm never sleeping again.
posted by Neale at 5:18 AM on May 1, 2001
Hell, you don't even need to respond to anything in this thread to keep up, or even read anything in this thread!
You don't even have to visit the thread to keep up, but it's a much more interesting way of doing things.
posted by cCranium at 6:52 AM on May 1, 2001
Oh, and this was my 15th 1142 post. Yee freaking haw.
posted by norm at 7:39 AM on May 1, 2001
(and, dang, the preview's a beast in here w/o broadband.)
posted by Sean Meade at 8:12 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by zempf at 8:21 AM on May 1, 2001
Taken.
>take food from wicker cage.
Removed.
>open wicker cage
It's already open.
>take bird
You catch the bird in the wicker cage.
>put bird in cage
You can't see any such thing.
>close cage
You close the wicker cage.
>do the happy dance
That's not a verb I recognize.
>
posted by bradlands at 8:59 AM on May 1, 2001
Can I just say? I bought a CD yesterday purely on word of mouth (finding out later that a song off of it is featured in a Gap ad), and it's really, really wonderful. At least on first listen.
I'm not so highbrow as daveadams, and I probably will never be. I very much identify with Rob in High Fidelity (a great book and lovely movie--fans should not miss Mr. Hornby's followup novel About A Boy, which is somehow even better). I'm pretty much a slave to pop music (good pop, y'know, rock [including punk and hair metal and bubblegum and Beach Boys-style-harmonies and all, yeah, the gamut] and pretty much everything except fucking reggae, which drives me fucking nuts. I once made a mixed tape where I shoved Hanson's "Mmmmbop" [brilliant bubblegum!] next to Lou Reed/John Cale's "Trouble With Classicists," and everyone gave me hard, flinty, weird stares, except for this one horrifically pretty girl, who now lives with me--woo!)
13 (or anyone else in the neighborhood), work is likely sending me Chicago-way this fall. Care to have a beer on yours truly?
posted by Skot at 9:02 AM on May 1, 2001
This thing is starting to run slow even with a fast conection. Maybe Matt does not have to chase us away, eventually this thing will tower of Babble down on our heads, and we will not be able to go any further with it.
I know Neale has been guarding this place with an iron fist leaking blood, but I feel like turning up the speakers and letting the noise rule for a bit. I love when 1142 gets mentioned in Metatalk, and people stumble into this kooky thread.
I would be mighty happy to meet up with you Mr. Skot. I share your love of unbalanced mix tapes.
I finally saw some of that IBM sidwalk graffitti today. I am not so keen on graffitti, but it is hard to get mad at the little Linux penguin. That said, I flew into a rage. What were they thinking?
posted by thirteen at 9:10 AM on May 1, 2001
Any denizens of 1142 care to stop by Columbus & buy me a milk or something? (I don't drink)
I think Napster is taking its toll on me.. I haven't bought a CD in quite a while, preferring to instead just leech the tracks in MP3 form. I know this is bad, cause a lot of the artists I listen to could probably use the money, but it's there and it doesn't cost me $15+. Am I evil?
posted by zempf at 9:26 AM on May 1, 2001
At Top of Small Pit
At your feet is a small pit breathing traces of white mist. A west passage ends here except for a small crack leading on.
Rough stone steps lead down the pit.
>
posted by bradlands at 9:42 AM on May 1, 2001
Brad is an a-lister.
posted by anildash at 9:44 AM on May 1, 2001
I have this text game, but I have not been able to learn the commands. That means I am dumb.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have thought "If I could only make friends with anildash, he would bring me into his world of weblog superstardom"
anildash: Will you be my friend?
posted by thirteen at 9:52 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by zempf at 10:07 AM on May 1, 2001
I don't mind if you make fun of me when I'm drunk.
[giggle]
>examine crack
posted by Skot at 10:09 AM on May 1, 2001
Right right right.
What government should be doing is dinging developers for the real costs of development and using tax credits to encourage affordable urban and existing-suburban housing re-development
Very true. Even without the tax credits, assessing the "real costs" of new development would go a long way to righting the balance.
but "we're making your new house in the 'burbs more expensive" isn't a proposition that's going to fly in most states.
Unfortunately true.
Sigh.
posted by daveadams at 10:11 AM on May 1, 2001
Noted without comment, but with the hope that someone with a few hours to kill and access to a server will do something about it: 1142.org is available.
I am not so good with the art music -- I like the Shostakovich I've heard, and I like Phillip Glass, but that's about it for my knowledge of 20th century composers. I'm listening to X right now, and I bet John Doe and Exene Cervenka could deliver a whupping to a Glass/Shostakovich tag-team, especially since Shostakovich is dead. Later I will listen to some Velvet Underground, then American Music Club, then Public Enemy. Then I'll begin my afternoon marathon of instrumentals (Mouse on Mars, the Dirty Three, Man or Astroman, DJ Spooky, the Replikants, Labradford).
I need to start bringing some different CDs to work.
posted by snarkout at 10:11 AM on May 1, 2001
Personally I would sign up for it in a second, but my wife is skeptical... so who has an idea on how to convince her it's worthwhile? :)
posted by daveadams at 10:16 AM on May 1, 2001
A couple of friends of mine subscribe to Netflix & they seem to like it a lot. I think they pay a little extra ($25/month maybe?) to be allowed to get a few more DVDs at a time, but they appear to think it's well worth the money. Definitely better than Blockbuster, at least.
posted by zempf at 10:21 AM on May 1, 2001
Not that I can blame them, really, I mean, once you go international there's a serious load of annoying legalities involved, but dammit, I want to get DVDs mailed to me.
1142.org is no longer available. If anyone knows off-hand of a cheap host that provides some kind of database and server-side scripting, lemme know.
Actually, I'm rather suprised a 4-digit domain name was still available. Craziness!
posted by cCranium at 10:32 AM on May 1, 2001
PHP and MySQL means, depending on my work load, there may be something there to pillage this afternoon!
But probably not.
posted by cCranium at 10:52 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by cCranium at 11:02 AM on May 1, 2001
Is this why I am not on the A-List?
I remember some prehistoric Wired hot/not list that said it was no longer enough to not have an aol e-mail address, it had to be a personal domain, and I thought "That is what millionaires do".
According to prehistoric me, and my uninformed math, Rob is a millionaire 3 times over.
I am so cheap.
posted by thirteen at 11:13 AM on May 1, 2001
Shostakovich is really interesting. To all appearances, he was a Soviet patriot and a great supporter of his homeland. But the purpose of the Soviet artist was to uplift and embolden the Worker and to pay tribute to the motherland and the government. All his life, Shostakovich walked a fine line between advancing the art of music and pleasing the Soviet government and the Soviet people. His works were often met with great acclaim, but more than once Stalin himself disparaged the works as "muddles" and "noise" that went against the Soviet ideal. Not-so-subtle threats ensured Shostakovich would try harder to walk the party line with his works.
There is no doubt that Shostakovich's creativity may have been stifled in some ways by the oppressive nature of the Soviet view of art, but at the same time, his patriotism and the constant struggle of the USSR in the early twentieth century also lent him great pride and passion that he poured into many of his works.
Shostakovich also expressed his creativity in more subtle ways. Rather than risk death by continuing to produce works unpleasing to Stalin's ears, he instead managed to write a number of pieces, including the monumental Fifth Symphony, which met with approval by less-experienced listeners in charge of the government, but deep within their structure tweaked cynically at the system that repressed his greater artistic freedom. Thus, Shostakovich managed to produce serious works of lasting artistic importance without risking his life by betraying the Soviet asthetic.
After another bout with Stalin in the late 40s, Shostakovich "retired" to a few years of composing bland film scores rather than risk angering the tyrant again. But after Stalin's death in 1953, artists were encouraged to be more open, and Shostakovich returned to composing more serious works.
He died in 1975, at the age of 69, while in the midst of composing his Sixteenth Symphony. Since his death much debate has ensued about the true level of his patriotism including lots of intrigue including a fradulent autobiography and more than a lot of rhetoric. Nevertheless, while Shostakovich may not have been one of the 20th century's most influential or innovative composers, he was certainly one of the greatest and most prolific.
posted by daveadams at 11:15 AM on May 1, 2001
Still no response.
13, all you need is $15 of room on your credit card and a little faith in Internet transactions. Well, decent hosting can be a little bit trickier to dig up.
And I own 4 domains now. :-) (rmd.cx, sell-out.com, thelecturn.org and 1142.org. Only one of which actually has anything resembling "interesting", but that's mostly just bitching and whining about computers, these days.)
posted by cCranium at 11:16 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 11:18 AM on May 1, 2001
Well, it's certainly not the only reason.
posted by daveadams at 11:19 AM on May 1, 2001
It's even cooler that the spelling RPC service they used was Speller, courtesy of yours truly. Wahoo!
posted by daveadams at 11:22 AM on May 1, 2001
In the meantime, there's always the smart people Yahoo! group, which is sorta like a mini-1142, except no one posts there. Also, I am working on a half-assed 1142 primer for my page, which I'll make sure I link back if/when it gets done. As for the sheer size of this thread, I think the end is likely inevitable; but surely we can push it past 1000 before the plug gets pulled, right?
(if it does, I propose we colonize thread 1143, if only to designate another clubhouse to hang out at).
posted by norm at 11:22 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 11:25 AM on May 1, 2001
daveadams, it's not so much that I'm quick on the draw as I am impatient and looking for something to waste time doing this afternoon.
norm: pimpin' the list. Awright!
posted by cCranium at 11:26 AM on May 1, 2001
Folks, we are approaching half a megabyte.
Half of a freakin' megabyte!
posted by daveadams at 11:26 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 11:29 AM on May 1, 2001
Ah, yes, well that's understandable. I'm with you there. If I didn't have 1142 to waste time on, I might find some programming project, too.
posted by daveadams at 11:30 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 11:36 AM on May 1, 2001
BTW, 13, I am on your bandwagon. My biggest line I've so far crossed on my own personal blog odyssey is paying freeservers to remove the damn banner ads. I should have put the $5 towards just getting my own domain.
Anyways, does CT-web host, too, or are you hosting this yourself? I don't really understand, but that's why I'm the no-tech blogger.
posted by norm at 11:40 AM on May 1, 2001
I posted TWICE to the list today! I have lost 5 total posts to the list! The list does not like me!
Dave: I am starting to feel like you don't love me again.
Folks, we are approaching half a megabyte.
That is a whole lot of text.
posted by thirteen at 11:47 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 11:52 AM on May 1, 2001
How about some ice cream?
posted by daveadams at 11:54 AM on May 1, 2001
cC, thanks for your money, sucker. Why doncha put up a paypal link so we can chip in?
By the bye, I think that the revival of the $30 contest will create a thread that could give 1142 a run for it's money. Methinks we should prepare accordingly.
posted by Avogadro at 11:56 AM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 11:59 AM on May 1, 2001
Vacation Balance: 136.83 hours
Sick Balance: 180.00 hours
Personal Balance: 8 hours
What the--? Why don't I get sick more often?
On the other hand, I am taking a week off in May, and then in the fall, my lady and I are trying to get to Europe. Fly into Paris, then train to Italy. Travel/airfare tips are welcome. I have never been out of this goddamn country (save for Canada).
I just got done ordering a four-CD set from Amazon. It's an ALL-CANADIAN compilation. I know. But it's because I'm still going fucking nuts over that Kings song "Switching To Glide" (referenced way up there), and it's on there. This is the level of mania I operate on. Fortunately, there's other good stuff on there.
Unfortunately, there's also a lot of crap on there. I've gone to further lengths to obtain obscure music.
Next up: locating an old House of Love CD.
posted by Skot at 12:03 PM on May 1, 2001
Real adventurers do not use such language.
>examine crack
The crack is very small -- far too small for you to follow.
>
posted by bradlands at 12:09 PM on May 1, 2001
Never been to Paris, but I hear it's very pretty and full of snotty French people. Amsterdam is the best city on earth. Read into that what you will.
posted by norm at 12:14 PM on May 1, 2001
I must get to Germany. Mmmmm. Beer.
>d
posted by Skot at 12:19 PM on May 1, 2001
I used to be pretty good at Scrabble as the result of vicious Scrabble battles with my grandfather.
Dave, the Soviet discouragement of formalism in favor of socialist realism certainly doesn't rank up their with the butchery in the Ukraine or the state reaction to the supposed Doctor's Plot (maybe not even with the farce of Lysenkoism), but it was a crime nonetheless. There was some darn interesting art going on in Russia until Stalin squished it dead.
I have a weblog at snarkout.org, but that URL doesn't resolve because of XO issues (it's being hosted off a friend's machine, and XO is his ISP), and I don't feel like making people remember any address with a tilde.
Gandi.net makes it all happen, Thirteen. And hey, you like the punk rock. Who wins the four-way showdown of '70s punkers: the Clash, Wire, Television, or Iggy Pop? (The Sex Pistols and the Ramones have been disqualified.)
posted by snarkout at 12:23 PM on May 1, 2001
I think I have to figure out how to get PayPal talking to my bank account, and then everything will be okay. Perhaps? If I do figure it out, I'll toss up a PayPal box but again, I'm not especially hurt by the money.
Plus, I mean, it's credit. It doesn't actually _exist_ until I get the bill, and that's almost a whole month away at this point!
These people are taking way too long to tell me what's going on.
Thirteen: Yahoo Messenger's been fucking up on me a lot lately, and I mailed one thingy into the list and it took a number of hours to show up in my mail box. Actually, messenger still hasn't told me I've got new mail there for my Yahoo! account. I'm thinking of moving it to a real mail server somewhere, I just have to find one.
posted by cCranium at 12:27 PM on May 1, 2001
Let's see... my payslip is similar but my employer breaks it down into days, not hours, so it's a little easier for my brain to comprehend:
Vacation leave: 9 days, 4 hours
Sick Leave: 7 days, 1 hour, 30 minutes
Your personal day has not been taken for 2001
Yes, our personal day policy is pretty wacky.
posted by daveadams at 12:27 PM on May 1, 2001
Yes I know, but in my dictionary it was listed as Italian and more importantly, not as a particular part of speech, which is all-important in my interpretation of the Scrabble rules (it has to be a part of speech, not an abbreviation, no apostrophes or hyphens, and not capitalized). However, "re" was also listed as a preposition, meaning "in regards to" or "regarding." LAME!
posted by daveadams at 12:33 PM on May 1, 2001
In Hall of Mists
You are at one end of a vast hall stretching forward out of sight to the west. There are openings to either side. Nearby, a wide stone staircase leads downward. The hall is filled with wisps of white mist swaying to and fro almost as if alive. A cold wind blows up the staircase. There is a passage at the top of dome behind you.
Rough cut stone steps lead up the dome.
[Your score has just gone up by twenty-five points. You have so far scored 61 out of a possible 350, in 24 turns, earning you the rank of Adventurer.]
>
posted by bradlands at 12:42 PM on May 1, 2001
We get two personal days a year. Hah! Trump!
I love Scrabble, but my friends won't play it with me any more after they challenged me to a game as a group (Skot vs. the World) and I whupped them. (That this is as close to a brag as I can come is probably very sad.) Have you guys ever played Guillotine? It's just fun as all hell.
I'm also trying to get people jazzed about Cosmic Encounter, but as they're not geeks at heart like me, they're crabbing about the learning curve. Mutter.
posted by Skot at 12:49 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 12:54 PM on May 1, 2001
Ah, good, gluechunk posted while I previewed.
posted by cCranium at 1:18 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 1:30 PM on May 1, 2001
Stupid Conneticut Web, if I buy a _service_ online, I expect immediate access to said service.
posted by cCranium at 1:36 PM on May 1, 2001
C'mon, you guys, help me out with this thing. I'll just screw it all up on my own. I get too impatient and miss things.
>w
posted by Skot at 1:37 PM on May 1, 2001
On East Bank of Fissure
You are on the east bank of a fissure slicing clear across the hall. The mist is quite thick here, and the fissure is too wide to jump.
>
posted by bradlands at 2:11 PM on May 1, 2001
----------------------------------------------------------
Serious Dogs Productions presents:
CHOOZE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE: THE CAVERN OF TIME
A live parody of the classic literary series, Where you, the audience, get to choose your own adventure!
The Choose Your Own Adventure books were a pop culture phenomenon of the late 70's and early 80's where the reader was given the chance to decide what path the story would take next. They were simple yet exhilarating in their unique approach to fantasy and role-playing.
Serious Dogs Productions brings live to the stage their own take on the first of these marvelous books, "THE CAVE OF TIME" written by Edward Packard. Released in 1979 it tells the story of young Billy, who while on vacation for the summer discovers a cave that can take him to various epochs of time. Each adventure Billy embarks on becomes more exciting than the last.
Warning: Serious Dogs' approach to the tale is of an adult nature and is not recommended for children!
Join Billy as he slays dragons, fights pirates, battles with gladiators and saves the human race from crack-spores somewhere in the distant future.
The audience really will get to decide what happens next! We call it the ultimate in interactive entertainment!
The audience will get to vote throughout the evening as to which way the adventure will unfold. With over eighty possible story combinations, no two shows will be the same!
The show opens Friday, May 11th at the Union Garage, located at 1418 10th Avenue on Capitol Hill. It plays on Friday and Saturday nights at 11pm through Saturday, June 2nd. All seats are $7.
------------------------------------------------------
posted by gluechunk at 2:32 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by zempf at 2:37 PM on May 1, 2001
>open bottle
posted by Skot at 2:46 PM on May 1, 2001
Well, they're disqualified because they're the two obvious choices. Nobody wants to know who would win a fight between the Incredible Hulk and Bruce Banner. (I suppose one might disqualify the Clash as well...)
posted by snarkout at 2:49 PM on May 1, 2001
That's not something you can open.
A threatening little dwarf comes out of the shadows!
>
posted by bradlands at 2:59 PM on May 1, 2001
The Clash never did too much for me, but I would lend money to Gang of Four. The Ramones were good, but not as good as the bands they inspired. I am only interested in pulling Iggy offa Lou Reed so he could answer my trivia questions. I do pull out Raw Power every once in a while, but it does not rock me nearly as hard as it does other people.
Wire, Wire all the way.
posted by thirteen at 3:00 PM on May 1, 2001
Brad, I don't know why you're feeding my dumb needs, nor do I care. Bless you.
>kill dwarf
Might as well not get fancy. (See, now if I were smarter, I could probably turn him into an ally or something, but of course, no, I just go off like a rocket. This is why you wankers should be helping.)
posted by Skot at 3:04 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 3:07 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 3:11 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 3:12 PM on May 1, 2001
irc.turlyming.net #1142 at 7pm CDT?
posted by daveadams at 3:14 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 3:15 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by daveadams at 3:55 PM on May 1, 2001
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
posted by daveadams at 3:56 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by thirteen at 4:04 PM on May 1, 2001
Not with your bare hands. No way.
The dwarf throws a nasty little axe at you, misses, curses, and runs away.
>
posted by bradlands at 4:10 PM on May 1, 2001
>Put bird in wicker cage.
>Close Wicker cage.
>Take Axe
This place is getting so Matt might have to close it on bandwidth reasons alone.
I propose that 1142.org find hosting and quickly. Would make a very good community site. Sort of like a crap hackers site.... i'll chip in for hosting if we can find a cheap package.
Dave is going to overtake my comment count soon, and it won't really be my thread anymore. Luckily, Dave will loose interest in a couple of months and that's when I'll kick his doggy arse.
Isn't chat on on thursdays AUS, wednesday US?
I got an e-mail from random house today asking what my book is about. WOOOHOOOOOOO!
posted by Neale at 5:18 PM on May 1, 2001
Wow. I take off a measly 24 hours to write a couple of final exams (I support my 1142 habit with a graduate stipend) and blam!
And I'm leaving for Chicago tomorrow to present my research on language comprehsion, syntax, and the spontanteous speech filler "uh" at a conference, so I'm going to miss another gazillion posts.
*iceberg weeps softly*
At least we've reached Adventurer.
*iceberg goes back to his tear-stained final exams.*
posted by iceberg273 at 6:18 PM on May 1, 2001
*iceberg breaks into violent sobbing because it's been a hard day and he's still answering exam questions about the Case Filter and the Visibility Condition, and because he missed the chat, if it happened at all, and besides, if you're going to have some sort of emotional breakdown, it should be in some hidden part of a site that does get spidered by google so that some day somebody will find this and ask me a strange question in a job interview which I will answer all wrong, but get the job anyway and end up with a health care plan that almost good enough, but not quite.*
Don't worry about me. I've always been very sensitive.
posted by iceberg273 at 6:36 PM on May 1, 2001
Lord, I had better get back to my own damn work and say something interesting about anaphora, frame shifting, and Mystery Science Theater 3000. I wish it were a final exam, because then there would be a natural and pre-determined end in sight, but instead I'm faced with the vast gaping pit of my own inability to come to any kind of useful conclusion about my research, and that unfortunate state of affairs can go on for freaking ever. Alas, it will also come to a head tomorrow in class, when I am supposed to present said research. Oops.
posted by redfoxtail at 6:53 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 7:27 PM on May 1, 2001
Arggh. I always show up at the wrong time: Someone has issued commands, Brad hasn't answered.
On another topic, it we have to colonize another thread, I suggest we pick this one for numerical relevance. I think you know what I'm getting at.
posted by Lirp at 7:35 PM on May 1, 2001
posted by norm at 7:44 PM on May 1, 2001
When you think about it, this makes us sound positively parasitic. :) Some vignettes . . .
. . . *Yeah, the doctor says I've got this growth in the mid-1100's. It's probably benign, but I'm thinking of having it removed.* . . .
. . . That evening, as the shadows grew long, and the host grew sleepy, the parasites planned their next move.
*Has the host noticed us?*
*Dunno. He used to check out the growth every so often, but lately, nothing.*
*Well, should we start another colony? This one's getting pretty huge.*
*I wonder if we're slowing down the host?* . . .
-------------------------------
What should you do, norm? I'll tell you what!
>help norm pick a law school
(I'm sorry. It's late, and I'm not getting anything done on these exams. I don't suppose you can get the deposit back before the right (wrong) people see it. If this was a sitcom (and it may be), you and three young, healthy, twenty-something friends who have only free time although they pull in $30K a year would go break in to an important building to retrieve the deposit. Hilarity would ensue, and your problem would be solved in 30 mintues. There would also be some pretty funny outtakes. I'm sorry again. I'm really not being helpful at all. *iceberg 273 wanders off again, in a somewhat excitable manner*)
posted by iceberg273 at 8:10 PM on May 1, 2001
(releasing the little bird)
The little bird flies free.
>put bird in cage
You catch the bird in the wicker cage.
>close wicker cage
It's already closed.
>take axe
Taken.
>
posted by bradlands at 8:11 PM on May 1, 2001
I only understand you as far as wanting to help.
>
posted by bradlands at 8:16 PM on May 1, 2001
>e
>d
posted by iceberg273 at 8:21 PM on May 1, 2001
4 (four) pieces of toast - white served on eyeball colored oven glass plates.
2 (two) CherryJello servings in 3 oz pyrex glass bowls.
2 (two) Diet Cokes 16.9 oz. plastic bottles
1 (one) glass of water - large
1 (one) iced cube - orally inserted.
(((((((in stereo where available)))))))
posted by thirteen at 8:55 PM on May 1, 2001
(you should just be happy to get me in mono)
posted by zempf at 10:00 PM on May 1, 2001
In Hall of Mists
You are one end of a vast hall stretching forward out of sight to the west. There are openings to either side. Nearby, a wide stone staircase leads downward. The hall is filled with wisps of white mist swaying to and fro almost as if alive. A cold wind blows up the staircase. There is a passage at the top of a dome behind you.
Rough stone steps lead up the dome.
>d
Hall of the Mountain King
You are in the hall of the mountain king, with passages off in all directions.
A huge green fierce snake bars the way!
>
posted by bradlands at 11:40 PM on May 1, 2001
Those pancakes of Mr. Sudama sound pretty good right about now.
I am drawing my 34th and 35th bottles of wine this year, and watching Braveheart for the 7th time in the year 2001. I am the wine guy. It helps pay the bills, and nobody ever complains that the wine's nose is too big, but I could really use a nice editorial piece rightt about now.
Neale, what made you come up with the weblog jr. high piece, and were you peuding as Sally Tallpenny during her reign of terror?
I'm not loading OSX until I get native versions of the drawing and painting programs. I know this is gutless, but I don't want to run emulations.
Cinco De Mayo is coming, unless you are going to ground zero intentionally, stay the hell away from Humbolt Park. 2 years running I have gotten stuck on slow moving buses, that can take 1/2 an hour to travel 2 blocks. I used to love it when I was a kid, now it just gives me too much time to contemplate the hideous, poorly sculpted statue of Pero Albizo Campos in front of the Puerto Rican museum. It is only a matter of time before the FBI firebombs the building, and everytime I see the place I know I am in immediate danger. Thusly, alternate travel plans are a must.
Oil is wasted on cars.
My gerbils have stopped sleeping together, they have now set up seperate nests. I do not know what this means.
I saw a May Day parade today, I give it a 3 because they tried so hard and there were pink haired cheerleaders. Without the cheerleaders it would sink to a solid 1.5.
In Japanese 1.5 would be pronounced ichi ten go. 1/5 would be pronounced gobun no ichi.
kombunwa
posted by thirteen at 11:45 PM on May 1, 2001
>verbose
posted by sudama at 12:08 AM on May 2, 2001
Or were you suggesting that I sound drunk?
posted by thirteen at 12:43 AM on May 2, 2001
I love the concept of rating via google search terms.
I had a thought this morning. We're going to want some kind of user authentication method at 1142, so we know who we are, but I'm mildly concerned about identity theft. I mean, I could quite easily create a user called "mathowie" and pretend to be Matt, and so could anyone else.
I think that what I'm going to have to do is ask people to send me an e-mail from their registered MeFi account to get their MeFi username. Does that sound fair to everyone, or can anyone think of a better way to do it?
posted by cCranium at 6:33 AM on May 2, 2001
I just sent an e-mail to the Conneticut Web people asking what was happening, and went out to have a smoke. By the time I returned, I'd received a personal response explaining the delay, with my account information.
Since I'm at work, it's going to take a little bit longer than a few hours to set the site up, but I'll hopefully be able to pound something out tonight.
posted by cCranium at 6:49 AM on May 2, 2001
Awesome. Just more proof that we were meant for each other, thirteen... No... wait... that's not what I... huh?
posted by daveadams at 7:14 AM on May 2, 2001
posted by sudama at 7:18 AM on May 2, 2001
You're going down, sucka!!!
[Neale] Luckily, Dave will loose [sic] interest in a couple of months and that's when I'll kick his doggy arse.
You're probably right. You know me too well, Neale.
[Neale] Isn't chat on on thursdays AUS, wednesday US?
Who knows what day/time it is in Australia? Who even cares? Not me. I was talking about a new chat, just for 1337 1142ers. Alas, it didn't happen.
posted by daveadams at 7:19 AM on May 2, 2001
Coooool. Any interesting findings to share with this group?
That reminds me of a story I heard on NPR one time about how people pronounce "the." And the researchers found that despite the myth(?) that people pronounce it "thee" before vowel-sound-starting words and "thuh" before consonant-sound-starting words, the most significant indicator was instead whether they were going to pause after saying "the." So if you were going to say "the" and then pause for a moment to think of the next work or for dramatic effect, you would pronounce it "thee" but if you were just talking smoothly, you would pronounce it "thuh."
I find it impossible to examine my own speech for these patterns, however, without thinking about it too much for the results to be relevant. And I'm far too lazy to tape myself speaking just to find out how I say it.
posted by daveadams at 7:23 AM on May 2, 2001
That's okay, I wasn't actually around at 7pm anyway... I had to run an errand after work and it took MUCH LONGER than it ever should have. I hope I didn't trick anyone into coming to chat with me. I couldn't live with that kind of guilt.
posted by daveadams at 7:32 AM on May 2, 2001
I'm sorry, Dave. I was 1473 instead of 1337. But only by an hour and 35 minutes.
cC: The email idea sounds good. I'm sending one now. And I have to be away for the next couple days. Of all the luck. :(
I had Wheaties for breakfast because that was the only cereal in the store giving something away in the box last time I bought cereal, so I had to buy Wheaties on principle (when I was young, there were always prizes in the cereal box, none of this sending away for stuff, and I'm of the opinion that there still should be, choking hazards or not).
posted by iceberg273 at 7:33 AM on May 2, 2001
How does the joint username setup work between MeFi and the5k? Could the same be employed in this case?
posted by Lirp at 7:34 AM on May 2, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 7:34 AM on May 2, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 7:35 AM on May 2, 2001
ADVENTURE is now in its "verbose" mode, which always gives long descriptions of locations (even if you've been there before).
There are faint rustling noises from the darkness behind you. As you turn toward them, you spot a bearded pirate. He is carrying a large chest.
"Shiver me timbers!" he cries. "I've been spotted! I'd best hie meself off to the maze to hide me chest!"
With that, he vanishes into the gloom.
>i
You are carrying:
a dwarvish axe
a wicker cage (which is closed)
a little bird
a small bottle (which is empty)
a brass lantern (providing light)
some tasty food
a set of keys
A threatening little dwarf coems out of the shadows!
>
posted by bradlands at 7:40 AM on May 2, 2001
>give dwarf some food
posted by iceberg273 at 7:43 AM on May 2, 2001
Huh??
[cC] user authentication method at 1142[.org]..... ask people to send me an e-mail from their registered MeFi account to get their MeFi username. Does that sound fair to everyone, or can anyone think of a better way to do it?
Would it be possible (maybe more work than you're willing to put in), to have someone come to the site for the first time, click on "register" and there be an option to "grab my MeFi username" which would then grab the email address from the MeFi profile page and send an authentication email to that address with a URL to a validation page and a unique code that would identify everything correctly? Actually that wouldn't be too difficult.
Then, if other people wanted to sign up who didn't have MeFi IDs or who didn't want to use their MeFi ID, you could run a check against the Mefi profiles for the requested username so that you wouldn't have any overlap.
OR, you could just require everyone to be a MeFi member. You could even restrict it by date (if you're checking the profile page), so only us 1337 old-skoolers could get in. ;)
posted by daveadams at 7:44 AM on May 2, 2001
posted by daveadams at 7:53 AM on May 2, 2001
I only understood you as far as wanting to look.
>look north
I only understood you as far as wanting to look.
>look up
I only understood you as far as wanting to look.
>
posted by bradlands at 8:18 AM on May 2, 2001
I was beginning to worry that you had abandoned us, iceberg.
cCranium is my hero. What a cool idea this is.
I'm going to see the Mariners game tonight; I'm trying to get over my snitty attitude about their recent losses. Sports fans are such dinks--here the Ms set a record for wins in April, and I sink into a funk over two dropped games (one a 14-inning battle of attrition and the other against the most terrifying pitcher in baseball). And yet I cannot help but feel blue. WIN! WIN, YOU BASTARDS!
daveadams frequently mocks me for being a cranky bastard. I deserve it.
I know in my heart I should trust iceberg's altruistic instincts. I realize this. But I am helpless against my urge to type:
>kill dwarf with axe
Which, I am reasonably certain, will produce some sort of boggle reaction from computer-Brad because I no longer remember the Zorkish phrasing one is supposed to use.
posted by Skot at 8:23 AM on May 2, 2001
And this is why I never could get off the ship in the Swiss Family Robinson text based adventure. (It was on our computer when I was a kid. Don't ask me where it came from. My father installed a lot of weird stuff. He still does. He used to build Apple computers in the 80s. Don't ask me why. He's an educational psychologist.)
I was beginning to worry that you had abandoned us, iceberg.
Nah. I'm just stuck with deadlines and such. Eventually the real world finds out that you're hanging out in 1142 and comes looking for you. Well, the real world caught me and is demanding that I get certain things done by 6 p.m. tonight (the time I leave for Chicago). Stupid real world. (You'll notice that my posting rate has gone way up as a result of having a lot of work to do. I'm in denial or some such thing.)
posted by iceberg273 at 8:37 AM on May 2, 2001
Neale picked it up last night.
posted by iceberg273 at 8:44 AM on May 2, 2001
I only understood you as far as wanting to kill the threatening little dwarf.
Tiring of this, the dwarf slips away.
>
posted by bradlands at 8:47 AM on May 2, 2001
Oh, man, you should see what it's like in Boston. The Red Sox are tied for first in the division and Sox fans are ready to lynch Jimy Williams because he brought in Derek Lowe one time too many.
One more thing: Nomo is going to kick Red Sox-reject Sele's butt tonight. GO SOX!
posted by MarkAnd at 8:48 AM on May 2, 2001
posted by thirteen at 8:49 AM on May 2, 2001
>kill dwarf with axe
I only understood you as far as wanting to kill the threatening little dwarf.
See? I'm a bafflewit.
posted by Skot at 8:52 AM on May 2, 2001
re: Authentication
I don't want to do the joint authentication like the5k.org has setup, because the5k.org uses the MeFi database for that, which is why our membership skyrocketed when the entries were made public.
Basically, Matt would have to add in a (or let me know about an existing) hook, and I don't want to trouble him for our stupidity.
Dave, that script's a pretty cool idea, but too much work right now. There's a good chance I'll continue to tweak 1142, but to start it's going to be a list of comments and an input box. Perhaps some colour, though I'm not guaranteeing anything.
My only concern is that I won't be able to get peoples' e-mails while I'm at work, so I may point everyone to my yahoo account or something. But even then there'll be lag between wanting to register and being able to post.
> wield axe
> wait
posted by cCranium at 9:10 AM on May 2, 2001
posted by cCranium at 9:11 AM on May 2, 2001
Oer, I almost forgot this:
[cC] I love the concept of rating via google search terms.
[DA] Huh??
Google ranks it's returns (in part) based on how many links to a given site match the search text. So if I were to link to MeFi with Cool Community Site then that'd be one point to metafilter.com when someone searches for "cool community site" for instance.
Of course, since I'm doing that link from MeFi itself, it's probably invalidated, but oh well.
So by linking to a site with "reliable" or "unreliable" or whatever, you can impact the way Google does search returns. One link from one person probably doesn't do too much, and there's a whole lot of other algorithms Google uses to weigh it's returns, but it's fun to think I'm changing the way a company is perceived.
If a meme is spread enough, it could have some pretty nifty culture jamming effects. For instance, Adam Mathes, an a Uber article from a while back tried to get everyone who read it to link to Andy Pressman with Talentless Hack.
posted by cCranium at 9:19 AM on May 2, 2001
That's not a verb I recognize.
>wait
Time passes.
>
posted by bradlands at 9:28 AM on May 2, 2001
posted by cCranium at 9:38 AM on May 2, 2001
>follow pirate
posted by Skot at 9:43 AM on May 2, 2001
That's not a verb I recognize.
A booming voice echoes through the hall: "Do not insult the parser."
>
posted by bradlands at 9:50 AM on May 2, 2001
In
(1) If an uh occurs after an incorrect structure has been built, but before the listener has any information as to what the correct structure is, the listener eventually fails to correctly analyze/renanalyze the sentence more often than if the uh wasn't there, or if it was somewhere else in the sentence.
(2) Speakers are really likely to produce an uh near the beginning of a clause. If listeners hear an uh in a place that could be the beginning of a clause, they seem more likely to assume that a new clause is beginning. That's cool, because it means that listeners are sensitive to the frequency of a non-word paralinguistic thing.
So in English instead of psycholinguist-speak: if a listener hears an uh at the beginning of a clause, they will have an easier time analyzing the sentence, even if the sentence is temporarily ambiguous. However, if an uh increases the time that a listener 'holds onto' an incorrect analysis, they will have a harder time analyzing the sentence. So saying uh isn't necessarily bad - it just depends when you say it.
There's a bunch more stuff that falls out of this project, but that's the most important/interesting stuff. Right now I'm really hyped because there's a conference being held this summer in Edinburgh that's solely about disfluencies (the class of phenomena that uh is a part of).
(By the way, telling a researcher that his research topic is 'coooool' is a good way to (1) make his day, if not his month, and (2) get more jargon than you asked for. :)That's what happened to a reporter from the student paper here at State when he was interviewing my advisor about this research and she sent him to talk to me (since it's my thesis). The result, edited way down from what I actually said.)
posted by iceberg273 at 9:55 AM on May 2, 2001
note also that you don't have to use your MeFi username or anything stupid like that, I'm just hoping to prevent conflict.
posted by cCranium at 10:26 AM on May 2, 2001
Cooooooool. ;)
[iceberg] By the way, telling a researcher that his research topic is 'coooool' is a good way to (1) make his day, if not his month, and (2) get more jargon than you asked for
I'm fascinated by linguistics, even though I know almost nothing about the field. So any of that jargon you want to pass this way is plenty welcome. And I'm glad I made your day, if not your month. :)
posted by daveadams at 11:03 AM on May 2, 2001
posted by gluechunk at 11:17 AM on May 2, 2001
I can't even begin to imagine the amount of compression that would be required to get this thread below 5k.. maybe remove all the vowels? Dnt knw, myb thts nt gd d. h wll. Bck t wrk fr m.
posted by zempf at 11:27 AM on May 2, 2001
>say "go away, please"
>hit snake with axe
>hit snake with rod
posted by iceberg273 at 11:36 AM on May 2, 2001
Manny vs. Juan
There, isn't that better? Besides, with Marty Cordova finding his Rookie of the Year stroke, all is well in Tribeland (well, at least with my fantasy team). In any case, at least I can walk up to the stadium and actually get in without too much planning.
And inasmuch as I don't remember Zork very well:
>eat snake
posted by Avogadro at 11:47 AM on May 2, 2001
No! No! I didn't mean that! I saw that "kill snake" was already taken (as I previewed) and I panicked! Arrrgh!
posted by Avogadro at 11:51 AM on May 2, 2001
Attacking the snake both doesn't work and is very dangerous.
>say "go away please"
Whom do you want to say that to?
>hit snake with axe
I only understood you as far as wanting to hit the snake.
>hit snake with rod
I only understood you as far as wanting to hit the snake.
A threatening little dwarf comes out of the shadows!
>
posted by bradlands at 11:59 AM on May 2, 2001
I like Neal Armstrong.
Coco ended up getting his head forcibly shaved that night on stage.
I had some bitterness towards MOAM for awhile after that, even though it was not their fault. Coco is a friend of a friend, and I got to hang out with the band before a show at the Metro. I left thinking Coco was the coolest guy I had ever met. We talked about Tesla Coils, and his other band O.R.I. He gave me a free O.R.I cd, and I have tried to repay the favor by buying it for anyone I think might appreciate it. I am going to post a ORI link to the main page now, as they have mighty cool shareware.
posted by thirteen at 12:03 PM on May 2, 2001
I don't suppose the snake would care for that.
Tiring of this, the dwarf slips away.
>
posted by bradlands at 12:05 PM on May 2, 2001
Manny vs. Juan
Oh, c'mon, they're totally different: Manny has MUCH more money.
(Why must you ruin my day?)
posted by MarkAnd at 12:11 PM on May 2, 2001
A booming voice announces: "Welcome to the Colossal Cave!"
I know of places, actions, and things. You can guide me using commands that are complete sentences. To move, try commands like "enter," "east," "west," "north," "south," "up," "down," "enter building," "climb pole," etc.
I know about a few special objects, like a black rod hidden in the cave. These objects can be manipulated using some of the action words that I know. Usually you will need to give a verb followed by an object (along with descriptive adjectives if desired), but sometimes I can infer the object from the verb alone. Some objects also imply verbs; in particular, "inventory" implies "take inventory", which causes me to give you a list of what you're carrying. The objects have side effects; for instance, the rod scares the bird.
Many commands have abbreviations. For example, you can type "i" in place of "inventory," "x object" instead of "examine object," etc.
Usually people having trouble moving just need to try a few more words. Usually people trying unsuccessfully to manipulate an object are attempting something beyond their (or my!) capabilities and should try a completely different tack.
Note that cave passages turn a lot, and that leaving a room to the north does not guarantee entering the next room from the south.
If you want to end your adventure early, type "quit". To see how well you're doing, type "score". To get full credit for a treasure, you must have left it safely in the building, though you get partial credit just for locating it. You lose points for getting killed, for foolhardy actions, or for quitting, although dying costs you more. There are also points based on how much (if any) of the cave you've managed to explore; in particular, there is a large bonus just for getting in (to distinguish the beginners from the rest of the pack), and there are other ways to determine whether you've been through some of the more harrowing sections.
If you think you've found all the treasures, just keep exploring for a while. If nothing interesting happens, you haven't found them all yet. If something interesting *does* happen, it means you're getting a bonus and have an opportunity to gather many more points in the master's section.
Good luck, adventurer!
>
posted by bradlands at 12:31 PM on May 2, 2001 [1 favorite]
yeah! how about this:
1142: 5ks of content, 550ks of fun (and growing!)
posted by Sean Meade at 12:32 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by cCranium at 12:36 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by norm at 12:41 PM on May 2, 2001
Any suggestions or other random thoughts for 1142 are more than welcome.
I'm not sure when the DNS entries will propogate through, but it should start resolving sometime within 24 hours of 10am (Eastern time) this morning when I updated the nameserver records. I should be able to get a rough system in place tonight.
posted by cCranium at 12:45 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by cCranium at 12:48 PM on May 2, 2001
By the way, telling a researcher that his research topic is 'coooool' is a good way to...get more jargon than you asked for
Arrgh. I get more than enough talking to Redfox. (No more
cC, if I don't get a user ID with distinct numerological significance, I will not be responsible for the Bad Juju that follows. I'd prefer 777, please.
posted by snarkout at 12:51 PM on May 2, 2001
I also remember commending cC for being an evil genius in typing "help."
>open cage
>feed snake
posted by Skot at 1:04 PM on May 2, 2001
>feed tasty food to snake
re: evil genius. I even own the book!
Hrm. Pick your own User number...
(#1 is already taken, vultures. I'm gonna give it to Matt in honour of facilitating this heaping waste of bandwidth and time. :-)
Also, I plan on storing as much stupid data as possible and having many statistics based on said data available for general perusal.
Other thoughts for 1142:
A store of keywords + URLs. When you post, every word (or every x words) is passed through and linked. Mostly just because I've always wanted to do something like that.
posted by cCranium at 1:11 PM on May 2, 2001
Common sense dictates who should get user number 13.
Could I have user number Pi? Or eleventeen? Or does it have to be an actual number/integer?
posted by Skot at 1:15 PM on May 2, 2001
Right now, I'm listening to Unrest's "Isabel Bishop." Were this 1993, I'd be the coolest kid in the whole office.
If Skot can be pi, I want to be User #Sqrt(-2). I was a math major. I deserve it.
posted by snarkout at 1:19 PM on May 2, 2001
Hall of the Mountain King
You are in the hall of the mountain king, with passages off in all directions.
A huge green fierce snake bars the way.
>open cage
[releasing the little bird]
The little bird attacks the green snake, and in an astounding flurry drives the snake away.
>feed snake
You can't see any such thing.
>feed tasty food to snake
You can only do that to something animate.
>
posted by bradlands at 1:33 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by daveadams at 1:34 PM on May 2, 2001
Gee. This makes me sound like an old fart. I'm not . . . I just cut my musical teeth on Maw and Paw's vinyl collection.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's release date is still over a month away, but it's #1 on Amazon's DVD sales cchart. No word yet on shipping my monstrous all-Canadian-acts CD compilation so I can hear "Switching to Glide."
Cool idea about the keywords, cC. May I request the keyword boner be employed? This word has enjoyed a renaissance in my personal usage as of late, mainly because I still think it's a funny word.
posted by Skot at 1:44 PM on May 2, 2001
I don't see why it would have to be, other than for quicker functioning. We do want uniqueness though, right?
Note: there's no guarantees on user numbers if you don't e-mail me at home. My memory is a freakin' seive, and if I give it away then I can't take it back, that's just mean. Stupid work, getting in the way of my fun...
the keywords will likely be an eventual functionality. They're certainly not needed. Also, I'll probably make it a checkbox beside the post button "Superlink my post!" or something. Plus there'll be an interface to enter keywords, etc... More than one URL can be used for a keyword, it'll pick a random one. I've been thinking about this one for while, but could never find an excuse to play with it.
What webradio station?
posted by cCranium at 1:48 PM on May 2, 2001
Low N/S Passage
You are in a low N/S passage at a hole in the floor. The hole goes down to an E/W passage.
There are bars of silver here!
>
posted by bradlands at 1:55 PM on May 2, 2001
I love stupid data.
posted by iceberg273 at 1:56 PM on May 2, 2001
Bitchin' Camaro!
>take silver
>n
posted by Skot at 2:02 PM on May 2, 2001
So, in other words, I'd better make sure I have more posts than Neale?
posted by daveadams at 2:14 PM on May 2, 2001
WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
posted by daveadams at 2:17 PM on May 2, 2001
Taken!
[Your score has just gone up by seven points.]
>n
At "Y2"
You are in a large room, with a passage to the south, a passage to the west, and a wall of broken rock to the east. There is a large "Y2" on a rock in the room's center.
>
posted by bradlands at 2:19 PM on May 2, 2001
They're probably worth a fortune!
A threatening little dwarf comes out of the shadows!
>
posted by bradlands at 2:24 PM on May 2, 2001
Because then I'd have to like, count and stuff. Besides, meaningless user ids are so much more fun than anything useful. :-)
posted by cCranium at 2:45 PM on May 2, 2001
See, we've got a Survivor II pool here at work, and there's like, $150 in the pot right now. I picked Tina to walk away with the million 8 weeks ago, but have been summarily been made ineligible because a sudden decision was made on how to resolve the winner.
Made by 3 people who, conveniently enough, are the 3 people who are now eligible to win the pot. Is it really that difficult to organize a vote from 15 people?
So I sent a mildly snarky e-mail to the organizer. I feel a little bit better now though, because one of my coworkers sent an even snarkier e-mail to everyone in the pool, so I end up looking slightly less the ass, because I kept it private.
Well, private except for blabbing it all over a public web site that is...
posted by cCranium at 3:05 PM on May 2, 2001
Not with your bare hands. No way.
The dwarf throws a nasty little knife at you, but misses.
>
posted by bradlands at 3:06 PM on May 2, 2001
This is my 12th post here. Quality not quantity.
How come Matt hasn't shut 1142 down - surely he would have noticed a thread this big by now - unless there are threads out there that are even bigger . . .
> ask dwarf for change for telephone
posted by feelinglistless at 3:15 PM on May 2, 2001
What I'm worried about is when he posts the next Monthly Stats and sees the gig of data we've been sucking from the server.
>i
posted by cCranium at 3:21 PM on May 2, 2001
(do we say anything funny here, or do we just amuse ourselves?)
posted by cCranium at 3:27 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by thirteen at 3:28 PM on May 2, 2001
And, from the preceeding paragraph, you can tell I was reading a Ben Brown piece. Well, you can if you read a lot of Ben's writing, because he's got this amazing knack to write a story like he's standing there in front of you smoking a cigarette wait too fast with a can of beer in his hand and these big eyes and this expressive face and the spittle's practically leaping from his lips because he's so excited to share all these cool tidbits of typitytypity with us. But then, I've never met him so I don't know what he's like when he's telling a story.
But man, I _so_ want in. Getting to meet everyone I like talking to and just hanging out and partying and talking and stuff. That would be fun.
posted by cCranium at 3:46 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by gluechunk at 3:46 PM on May 2, 2001
I'm not in a bad mood anymore though, it was just a phase.
twice_posted_lad was a good thought to get DPG to hunt you down and share secret identities, but it didn't go on long enough. Plus tpl was just mean.
posted by cCranium at 3:48 PM on May 2, 2001
Neale's going to hold that title for a really long time though.
Are you people manually counting all the posts or are you using some secret method I'm not aware of? 'cause manually counting the posts, that'd just be freakin' sick.
posted by cCranium at 3:49 PM on May 2, 2001
Does ANYONE know who DPG is? This has also been a source of curiosity for me.
I'm so tired of looking at charts featuring whimsical things like bone marrow transplants, platinum resistance, and (today's winner) toxic megacolon.
On the other hand, one is occasionally treated to the inadvertantly hilarious, such as a flow note reading, "Physical exam unremarkable except for patient having no testicles."
Maybe the patient might find it worth a few remarks.
posted by Skot at 3:50 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by cCranium at 3:52 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by Skot at 3:52 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by zempf at 4:00 PM on May 2, 2001
Twice_posted_lad was not mean, he was troubled. I had a whole backstory in place, but the opportunity never came up for me to spill his guts.
I think DPG is Neale.
posted by thirteen at 4:02 PM on May 2, 2001
You killed a little dwarf! The body vanishes in a cloud of greasy black smoke.
>throw axe
Already on the floor.
>ask dwarf for change for telephone
You can't see any such thing.
>get knife
Taken.
>get axe
Taken.
>i
You are carrying:
a dwarvish axe
a small knife
some bars of silver
a wicker cage (which is open but empty)
a small bottle (which is empty)
a brass lantern (providing light)
some tasty food
a set of keys
>
posted by bradlands at 4:19 PM on May 2, 2001
I will vanquish Dave yet.
posted by Neale at 4:22 PM on May 2, 2001
Tenpenny. Got it. Who was Sally Tenpenny then? Where did he or she go? Maybe Sylloge is DPG. Maybe DPG is just DPG, and has no other login!
You don't have to vanquish Dave, we can all sit dow together and eat some Red Velvet Cake, and you can tell us what it is like to not be DPG.
Tran-Europe-Express
posted by thirteen at 4:44 PM on May 2, 2001
>examine rock
posted by Lirp at 4:56 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by Lirp at 5:07 PM on May 2, 2001
There is a large "Y2" painted on the rock.
>
posted by bradlands at 5:11 PM on May 2, 2001
And the interface for this hosting is odd. After 20 minutes or so of browsing around the control panel I have no idea how to access the database, which is usually not a good thing.
Also, the name is Connecticut-Web.com, not Conneticut-web.com, so if you followed the above links, you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about.
(why does no one tell me this shit, anyway? :-)
Will there be categories on 1142.org? i.e. Will I be able to follow the freakin adventure game without having to scroll all over the place looking for it?
Not initially, but I could see them being added. I've put a little bit of thought into categories, and what I figured I'm going to do is allow classification into x categories, where x is some number that will display well in a drop-down (ie, < 20) and then allow for filtering on it. But basically the interface is going to be a page with y comments on it, where y is some number that makes for less than half a meg of data.
Also, will there be a new color scheme, or are we sticking with MeFi blue?
Initially it's going to be black text in your browser's default font on white background. I haven't planned much beyond that.
And will all current comments be archived?
Yes. Right here.
And another thing, where can I get some tang 'round here?
Second cupboard to the left of the fridge, middle shelf. It's a big container from Price Club/Costco, you can't miss it. The water's in the Brita in the fridge, or if you're feeling lucky you can use the tap.
Perhaps irrational numbers should be reserved for those who have posted to MeFi/1142 prior to 1142.org?
Nah, that's no fun.
And has anyone claimed #1142 itself yet?
I don't think so, but I didn't really look too deeply at the claimed ids. Most of the ones were ones people posted here.
I need to find some food.
posted by cCranium at 5:30 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by cCranium at 5:33 PM on May 2, 2001
I always thought DPG might just be Matt, cause.. I don't know, it just made sense.
posted by zempf at 5:42 PM on May 2, 2001
Why charge for the freakin' manual? The only thing you're doing is causing your own sorry-ass self headaches when annoying fucks like me write you an e-mail every day saying "How do I do this?"
Zempf, I'll wander in shortly, but right now I'm in the middle of crashing.
posted by cCranium at 5:47 PM on May 2, 2001
I dunno about that -- it's awfully fun to say "OP-eration RE-information!"
posted by redfoxtail at 5:52 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by norm at 5:58 PM on May 2, 2001
(If someone hasn't already answered after I previewed...)
posted by Lirp at 6:11 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by norm at 6:22 PM on May 2, 2001
And did anyone else find it intrinsically amusing that, during an interactive festival celebration the world wide web, most people didn't update their websites until they got back?
posted by cCranium at 6:24 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by thirteen at 6:46 PM on May 2, 2001
Maybe I will go again while my post Previews.
posted by gluechunk at 7:32 PM on May 2, 2001
I want to be Three Ringy-Dingies if it can be a counter.
posted by Mahogne at 7:44 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by Mahogne at 7:47 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by Lirp at 8:09 PM on May 2, 2001
A glimmering shield appears in front of mahogne
posted by Mahogne at 8:12 PM on May 2, 2001
Norm, I am not cooler than c-list. I've got the server logs to prove it. Also, Brad can attest how pathetically low my self-esteem is, whereas the a-list is clearly in love with themselves, no?
But more interestingly, gluechunk makes me wonder how many MeFi members are pure lurkers. Or, even more compellingly, how many sub-1k MeFites are pure lurkers.
The mind reels!
posted by anildash at 9:01 PM on May 2, 2001
Oh, come on! The dwarf is gone. Deal with it.
>
posted by bradlands at 9:03 PM on May 2, 2001
Anildash. Anil Dash. cC is cool, though, I love Rob's abbreviation.
Speaking of Rob, I thought I answered your objection before: We were too goddamn busy at SXSW to post! We were interacting with each other!
In all seriousness, though, the only time I used my laptop on the entire trip was on the flight there and the flight back. I think maybe Jish or I used one of our machines for directions on the first day. There just weren't enough hours in the day to get to blogging.
Now, on the other hand, I have nothing to do at all. Somebody give me a job.
posted by anildash at 9:06 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by gluechunk at 9:11 PM on May 2, 2001
What's the # on the posts? I'm at home now, and I have not been able to make the "recent comments" thing work on IE. At work, running NN 4.5, it works like a charm.
posted by norm at 10:11 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by norm at 10:14 PM on May 2, 2001
posted by mathowie at 8:45 PM PST on Mar 28 - 979 comments (2 new) - Post a Comment
posted by gluechunk at 10:33 PM on May 2, 2001
I'm going to bed.
posted by thirteen at 10:57 PM on May 2, 2001
*smacks self in forehead*
posted by redfoxtail at 5:34 AM on May 3, 2001
Each time the thread is hit, we request > .5megs of data. To visit the thread, preview a comment and post the comment, we use 1.5 megs of data.
Yesterday there were approximately 142 messages posted. (Which is an interesting number in itself) I say approximately because there's a good chance I missed a few and added a few extra (it's still early :-).
142 * 1.5 = 213.
That's 213 megs of data we transferred yesterday, just posting the messages.
True, it doesn't always require 1.5 megs to post a message because we're not always starting from scratch, but 213 doesn't take into account the times I reloaded the page, or came to the thread and didn't post anything, so I'm guessing we're doing even more than that.
That's a lot of fucking bandwidth. Do this 4 days in a row and we've sucked up a gig of data. While I don't know if Matt has to pay for bandwidth usage, Ev probably does. If we make Ev have to shell out cash to keep supporting MetaFilter, he may say screw it.
I'm loving this thread, but we may screw over our free ride. So, until I get 142.org (which is now resolving for me) up and running, I really really think we should move to 1143.
There's an ice cream freezer over there and everything.
I would be very happy to see this as the last post in this thread until the site gets up and running. I'm sure the last thing any of us want to do is piss Matt off.
posted by cCranium at 5:37 AM on May 3, 2001
Do you think a thousand posts is like a thousand plateaus? If you're at all familiar with A Thousand Plateaus, by the way, you will share my amazement that it appears on a business site under "biographies and primers."
posted by redfoxtail at 7:54 AM on May 3, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 8:05 AM on May 3, 2001
posted by norm at 8:08 AM on May 3, 2001
Or you could do it like Bill Humpries's More Like This, and just have a really long list of categories as check boxes so that each post could be in multiple categories (a feature that my own blogging software sorely lacks). However, again, that's probably more trouble than it's worth.
posted by daveadams at 10:04 AM on May 3, 2001
posted by daveadams at 10:08 AM on May 3, 2001
posted by daveadams at 10:10 AM on May 3, 2001
Well, that number may be a bit high (because often we post in bunches, so each successive post only consumes one more meg, although it's probably upped by the ever-increasing size of the thread and reloads like you mentioned). But 213MB in a day isn't really all that much. My pair webmaster account allows for 400MB/day in traffic. But I think Metafilter is housed in Pyra's offices, which are probably on a T1-class line at least. So... (1.5Mb/s x 60s/min x 60min/hr x 24hr/day) / (8b/B) = 1.62GB(ytes!)/day. So yes, we are consuming quite a bit of that, but there's plenty left for expansion to post 2000 and beyond!!!!
posted by daveadams at 10:16 AM on May 3, 2001
But if I eat too much at once... well... back when I was six or seven or so, I went trick-or-treating and got a HUUUGE bag of candy. I was so excited... there were tons of candy bars, so I ate and ate and ate and ate until I was sick to my stomach. I went to bed and in the middle of the night I woke up screaming. My mom came in and my entire back was covered in big ol' blistering hives. I don't remember much about it except that it hurt really really bad. But I've tried to avoid eating quite that much chocolate all at once ever since.
posted by daveadams at 10:23 AM on May 3, 2001
posted by daveadams at 10:24 AM on May 3, 2001
posted by daveadams at 10:26 AM on May 3, 2001
(this is comment 996)
posted by Avogadro at 10:27 AM on May 3, 2001
posted by daveadams at 10:28 AM on May 3, 2001
Well, I had a very devious plan, and you would have all hated me for it.
posted by daveadams at 10:32 AM on May 3, 2001
(However, I love the absurd way we hit 1000.)
posted by Avogadro at 10:36 AM on May 3, 2001
In any case, I guess we now know that MeFi doesn't break if a thread hits 1000. I will now be able to sleep better at night. A big hand I saw come out of the sky last night.
posted by gluechunk at 11:27 AM on May 3, 2001
posted by sudama at 12:23 PM on May 3, 2001
posted by bradlands at 3:50 PM on May 3, 2001
cC is right. This is sucking way too much bandwith. A wholehearted move to 1142.org, which I'm going to use as a free-form web experimental art shelf, will be made.
I heardby sound the death knell of 1142.
posted by Neale at 5:58 PM on May 3, 2001 [1 favorite]
posted by Neale at 10:58 PM on May 3, 2001
posted by mathowie at 4:08 PM on May 4, 2001
>take rock
posted by Lirp at 4:22 PM on May 4, 2001
When I was little, we would sometimes go to a large hill in the winter time where there was some organized sledding going on. On one particularly frigid day, I saw a woman jokingly pull at her boyfriend's mustache (this was the 70's) which was all icy. She pulled away a good hunk of the skin beneath the hair by accident. He howled in incredible pain, and his violent gesture upset me lots. There was blood, think and dark, but mostly I remember the floppy half mustache dangling below his nose.
I wonder how often stuff like this happens?
>chop snake
posted by thirteen at 4:32 PM on May 4, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 5:07 PM on May 4, 2001
posted by cCranium at 9:25 PM on May 4, 2001
...
Ah, well, I'll work on it. I've still got 100+ posts to work with. Should give me 'til at least mid-afternoon, knowing this bunch. :-)
posted by youhas at 9:23 AM on May 5, 2001
I was at the cinema today killing time (by the way 'The Hole' is really, really poor). As usual in the outer-hebridian screen 10, no one was there. I sat trying to work my way through a vitriolic article about the actors strike, when I hear, in a gruff old voice:
'Hello mate.'
I ignore it. Surely he's not speaking to me.
'Hello mate, errr'
I turn. An old man is standing on my shoulder in a dirty brown coat, his face a mess, wracked with too many wars.
I nod and continue reading.
'The Hole?' He says.
'Pardon?'
'The Hole?'
'Oh.' I say. 'Yes.'
'Whensitfinish.' He says his lips loosing the power to speak.
I shrug. I think he's asked when it starts.
'Half and hour.'
'Ten past three.' He says, answering his own question.
'Yes.' I nod. I carry on reading.
'Don't go see 4.'
I'm caught off guard.
'What?'
'The film. In 4. Don't see it. It's shit.'
'Right. OK'
Then there is a deathly silence.
'Right.' He says and turns and goes to sit three rows behind me. For the next ten minutes I can feel his eyes in the back of my head. Every time I turn around, he's looking at me and smiling.
I slink back down in my seat. My bladder starts to hurt.
I grab my magazine and head for the exit.
'Where are you going?' Asks Travis Brickles granddad.
I nod at him. I'm good at nodding. It answers some questions.
When I return from the toilet, a few more people have arrived. But as the film starts I can still here him. Coughing. Spluttering. Getting uncomfortable. Talking to himself.
But you can't say anything. You just sit there. If you says something, you're actually afraid of what's going to happen. He's old and odd, but there might a madness in there as well. What are you supposed to do? Has anyone else been there?
posted by feelinglistless at 9:44 AM on May 5, 2001
Zagra-boor-astra-gaaa - hootrimanshion-bantriatooo
posted by feelinglistless at 10:03 AM on May 5, 2001
Zagra-boor-astra-gaaa - hootrimanshion-bantriatooo
posted by feelinglistless at 10:04 AM on May 5, 2001
It's nice to see that we bungled post 1000 as badly as we bungled post #500. I'm staying away after posting this so that I don't mess up post 1142.
When I was in Chicago, our hotel ran out of rooms for normal people and so we were bumped up to the executive tower. This made the people who actually booked a room in the executive tower kinda mad (imagine if you had shelled out extra cash in order to be pampered and then your hall was over run by graduate students exclaiming over all of the free stuff (food, drink, sewing kits, etc.)). Best of all, us executive tower folks had a private elevator that allowed us to bypass all of the floor full of riff-raff.
I bought a soccer ball last night.
Off to 1142.org . . .
posted by iceberg273 at 11:30 AM on May 6, 2001
posted by lia at 12:23 PM on May 6, 2001
speaking of 13, John got me 'Snow Crash' and it rocks. i've read 200 pages since lunch.
can you really call a book 'good' if it doesn't keep you up past your bedtime?
well, we had tornado sirens today, but no real action. since we're Tornado Alley they can pinpoint funnel clouds down to the intersection. it's pretty amazing. we're on watch until 1a. i, for one, will be sleeping soundly.
good night 1142. wonder what i'll find tomorrow...
posted by Sean Meade at 7:52 PM on May 6, 2001
1. One class left of introductory Japanese.
2. Two unanswered questions that might screw up my Monday.
6. Six Day until I start stripping paint off my storm windows.
Sean bought me a book too. I liked Microserfs just as much as I liked Snowcrash, so I think it was an excellent exchange.
In the movie 2001, which part takes place in 2001? Is it 2001 when they find the slab on the moon? Or 18 months later when they find the other slab near Jupiter? Neale? Do you know Neale?
Neale?
NEALE!
Anil is supposed to be friends with me so that I can get on the A-list. What starts out as a relationship between unequals would settle into a situation where we become casual, and Anil's relative fame would no longer make a difference. I will name my first son Anil, he will name his 13, and we will buy houses next door to each other. Fabulous bar-b-q's would happen almost daily, and an offhand comment will spark a shared idea between us that will save the internet from ruin.
Neale might well be jealous, and will have to settle for watching water swirl counter clockwise down any draion he might come across.
OR,
I might be beaned on the head, and Neale will take my place in the cheery story above.
Today is my Metafilter birthday.
posted by thirteen at 8:35 PM on May 6, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 6:31 AM on May 7, 2001
as in
0. Zero is the number of times I fact or spellcheck before posting.
I do use the spell checker, but it does not always load, and I am left terrifyingly alone with my own poorly keyboard pecked words.
I just realized that if you rearranged the letters in Anil, you can get Nial pronounced Neale. I don't know what this means, but DPG is out there somewhere. If he or she would just write me a letter and tell me who they are, I am sure I could figure out this whole Anil morphing into Neale problem.
I will be back later when I figure out what "avogadro" can be rearranged to spell out. It is sure to be sinister.
posted by thirteen at 8:44 AM on May 7, 2001
do ova rag
Ragtime does not excite me, and there are no do overs.
a avg. odor
That one is okay, not evil as I believe most of us have average odor's.
a gov. road
Like the one that leads to area 51!!!! What are you trying to pull here Avogadro, or should that be Commander Avogadro? I am watching you.
posted by thirteen at 9:01 AM on May 7, 2001
*exits basket, squints eyes*
THIRTEEN:
the inert
Right, nothing to fear here; take your best shot.
posted by Avogadro at 11:22 AM on May 7, 2001
>Put Avogadro in basket
>Close Basket
>wait
posted by thirteen at 12:34 PM on May 7, 2001
The music festival was great fun. Dave Matthews, Johnny Lang, Koko Taylor, and Bob Dylan all rocked my world. The walking and standing, however, didn't agree with my ankles all that well....
posted by daveadams at 9:44 PM on May 7, 2001
Sean, here's a neat little coinkydink -- I read Snow Crash last night for the first time. And given that I'm half a day ahead of you, we were probably reading it at the same time. What are the odds on that?
(I finished it in two and a half hours, and went to sleep pissed at myself for not having read it when it first came out. Great book.)
posted by lia at 1:49 AM on May 8, 2001
The 1142 thread is magical, I tell ya.
Under other circumstances, I might buy you a book. However, my place of employment did the dot-com death dance just last Tuesday - I inherited the book during the ensuing desk-emptying rituals, truth be known - so I'd best be hoarding my pennies for the time being. Sorry.
posted by youhas at 4:29 AM on May 8, 2001
posted by samsara at 10:25 AM on May 8, 2001
631467 here, 507257 there.
posted by southisup at 7:31 PM on May 8, 2001
BTW: I'm doing some minor upgrades on wwgb... any volunteers for testing? The changes should be obvious.
posted by Neale at 8:28 PM on May 8, 2001
Skot! You da man! The shipping'll probably cost you as much or more than the book (but don't let that stop any of you from getting me something if you so desire).
posted by lia at 2:19 AM on May 9, 2001
posted by samsara at 7:55 AM on May 9, 2001
posted by samsara at 8:04 AM on May 9, 2001
posted by samsara at 8:12 AM on May 9, 2001
As a Viking
(sung to "In the Navy" by the Village People)
Where can you find pleasure
Search the world for treasure
Learn the Norse Deities
Where can you begin to make your dreams all come true
On the land or on the sea
Where you learn how to fight
Play with swords and big knives
Study Norse Theology
Sign up for the big band
Or sit in the grandstand
When your team and others meet
As a Viking
Yes, you can sail the seven seas
As a Viking
Yes, your beard grows to your knees
As a Viking
Come on people, make stand
As a Viking, As a Viking
Can't you see Tyr needs a hand
As a Viking
Come on, protect your homeland
As a Viking
Come on people, make a stand
As a Viking, As a Viking, As a Viking(As a Viking)
They want you, they want you
They want you to plunder and loot
If you like adventure
Don't you wait and enter
The Chief's house fast
Don't you hesitate
There is no need to wait
They're signing up new oarsmen fast
You are never to young
To join up today
As long as you can lift a sword
For I'm sure there will be
Always a good Viking Horde
Protecting the land and sea
As a Viking
Yes, you can sail the seven seas
As a Viking
Yes, your beard grows to your knees
As a Viking
Come on people, make stand
As a Viking, As a Viking
Can't you see Tyr needs a hand
As a Viking
Come on, protect your homeland
As a Viking
Come on people, make a stand
As a Viking, As a Viking, As a Viking(As a Viking)
(Who me?)
They...Want...You...(As a Viking)
They...Want...You...(As a Viking)
They want you to plunder and loot (As a Viking)
But, but, but I'm afraid of water
Hey, hey look
Man, I get seasick even drinkin' it
They...Want...You...As a Viking
Oh my goodness
What am I gonna do on a Viking longboat
They...Want...YOU...AS A VIKING!!!
I like Vikings.
posted by thirteen at 8:59 AM on May 9, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 9:29 AM on May 9, 2001 [1 favorite]
Not quite, but close. ;) Nothing makes me sadder than the idea of someone without a damn book to read. I'm a total junkie, so it strikes me as the equivalent of not having food.
posted by Skot at 10:06 AM on May 9, 2001
Lia, have you read Cryptonomicon? Does anybody want to talk about Cryptonomicon? It was the highlight of all the codebreaking books I read last summer, and there were a lot of codebreaking books last summer.
I have a pet hermit crab, and I have great affection for it. Possibly greater than I should, as it is very detached. I spritz it with a spray bottle dilligently, and constantly rearrange the cage to give it new climbing experiences.
1142
posted by thirteen at 9:31 PM on May 9, 2001
posted by lia at 3:55 AM on May 10, 2001
posted by redfoxtail at 5:46 AM on May 10, 2001
Am I the only one that thinks the idea of mincemeat pie is repulsive?
posted by Avogadro at 5:58 AM on May 10, 2001
I thought it was a good book.
posted by cCranium at 7:00 AM on May 10, 2001
I wish I knew how to spell Corriegadoor.
I wish I knew how to spell.
Anybody who reads Cryptonomicon and does not want to run Linux has no soul,
And anybody who reads it, and does not load up PGP has no brain.
I made a public key using the highest level of encryption, and had a 30 character password. I had the Public key posted on my website for 8 months, and I begged someone to send me a letter using it, just to try it out. Nobody ever did. I am still not really sure if I know how to use the program.
That just reminds me that I have been putting off servicing my home machine. I need to wipe the drive, and reload syste software. I hate the way they come from the factory, and it has never behaved entirely correct-like. The PGP write over open space feature fails, and I know I would be using that all the time.
Avogadro, how did you get out of the basket? Nevermind, I am glad you are here.
I go back and forth trying to decide if I like Snow Crash or Diamond Age better, they are both so satisfying for different reasons. They are also like dessert when compared to the fantasticness that is Cryptonomicon (which is like a rich, heavy meal).
I don't like that last sentence, but I will leave it in to help with Neale's byte count.
I would like to eat a fistfull of poppy seeds some time, it would be like edible black sand.
posted by thirteen at 8:06 AM on May 10, 2001
As a child growing up in Texas, I used to spend much time in my closet (not that closet) because I feared wide open spaces. Now that I live in the middle of Cleveland, I find myself drawn back to open space.
I can never reach that middle ground.
posted by Avogadro at 8:50 AM on May 10, 2001
As for books; I work as the shipping manager here, and therefore I have access to all kinds of shipping systems. I was wondering if anyone wanted to do any book trading/loaning with me? I would send a box with an airbill, you would place your book inside the box, then send me the book. I would loan you fine books like Atlas Shrugged, which I own, being a 100% Randian (oh, no!). I could also loan you the Satanic Verses or my Molly Ivins book, which is impeccably well written, funny, and in many cases wrong (it's from the early 90s and contains many testable predictions). What is Snow Crash? Isn't that a computer game featuring Snowmobiles? I think I have it.
Upon reading this, it seems like my reading choices, although chosen to reflect a certain degree of whimsy and good humor, make me out to be the cranky libertarian. That's so inaccurate. I still think of myself as the pinko liberal, even though my politics aren't at all consistent with pinko liberals. What's my problem?
posted by norm at 9:25 AM on May 10, 2001
I would be happy to take part in such an activity, Norm, but you would have to promise not to send me Atlas Shrugged, because I think it's an excretable book by an excretable novelist.
What sort of reading material would you be looking for?
posted by snarkout at 10:06 AM on May 10, 2001
Whoops, I _KNEW_ my skull was missing something.
Actually, I've loaded PGP in the past, so I may be exempt. :-)
posted by cCranium at 10:33 AM on May 10, 2001
posted by norm at 10:37 AM on May 10, 2001
13, I loved Cryptonomicon (though not as much as the incomparable Snow Crash and Diamond Age), but did not try out PGP, though I was tempted. The reason, as usual, is that I'm functionally too stupid. Technology, particularly computer technology, though I love it so, still weirds me out and makes me feel a priori dumb.
Did you also read The Code Book by Simon Singh? Excellent.
Can someone help me remove the image from my mind of snarkout excreting Ayn Rand? Did you mean execrable? (Says the fucking pedant. What a pain I am.)
posted by Skot at 10:40 AM on May 10, 2001
It's . . . okay. Pretty clearly a first novel. You can see the germs of his later stuff, but who likes germs?
posted by Skot at 10:45 AM on May 10, 2001
posted by anapestic at 11:31 AM on May 10, 2001
Kudos by the bye on your comments in this thread. That was very cool and enlightening.
What took you so long to find 1142?
*still in basket, weaving a sweater*
posted by Avogadro at 11:54 AM on May 10, 2001
>Open basket
>put books in basket
>close basket
>phone Brad
>ring
>ring
>Brad is not home right now, please leave a message.
>Brad, I don't know what to do with Avogadro anymore, please help.
Sorry about the harsh PGP comments, I was trying to match it up with that Churchill quote.
posted by thirteen at 12:18 PM on May 10, 2001
I found 1142 a couple weeks back, but I didn't want to post until I was sure it would be around for a while. Heh. Actually, I thought I should read the whole thing before I posted, but then I realized that was just silly. Anybody got the executive summary handy?
You can use butter instead of suet. Just be careful not to spill any on your sweater.
posted by anapestic at 12:53 PM on May 10, 2001
We don't take kindly here to newbies just going wild and posting without having read the entire thread first. Ever hear of basic netiquette? Some people.
:) Just teasing.
posted by daveadams at 1:01 PM on May 10, 2001
It's . . . okay. Pretty clearly a first novel.
That's for rootin'-tootin' sure. Of his early work, I think Zodiac was by far the better book. (Haven't read the Bury.)
I actually didn't think Cryptonomicon was that hot; a lot of it seemed to be... I dunno... self-conscious. "I will write a Pynchonesque epic! With Sterlingesque everything-but-the-kitchen-sink engineering talk! And I will have an ass-kicking girl, because that's what my fans like!" Fine and dandy, but not something that I think I'll ever want to reread.
posted by snarkout at 1:30 PM on May 10, 2001
49 comments after this one before that's our only choice.
posted by cCranium at 2:06 PM on May 10, 2001
posted by thirteen at 2:22 PM on May 10, 2001
I feel like Pandora. You post a couple of messages to 1142 and your life is reduced to complete anarchy. Not that I had that far to go to begin with.
Please, please, please tell me there's no www.mandatoryreadinglist.1142.com. The last thing I need is to stay up all night rereading the Illuminati trilogy and Diary of a Mad Blogger.
posted by anapestic at 5:43 AM on May 11, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 11:58 AM on May 11, 2001
posted by norm at 2:11 PM on May 11, 2001
posted by Neale at 4:07 PM on May 11, 2001
He wrote some facinating stuff...Hitchiker's Guide being of my favorite books. While he will be sorely missed, at 49, he lived well past his 42.
posted by samsara at 11:36 AM on May 12, 2001
Incidently, I have a signed copy of Starship Titanic.
posted by Neale at 4:40 PM on May 12, 2001
posted by Ms Snit at 4:43 PM on May 12, 2001
where is the 1142 book club?
posted by gluechunk at 6:31 PM on May 13, 2001
I'm really thinking no more predictions for me. I've deleted my moonmage character on DragonRealms as a precaution until this whole 1142 thread thing boils over.
Oh, btw, anyone think G. Bush is going to win the next election?
posted by samsara at 10:55 AM on May 14, 2001
posted by dhartung at 6:27 PM on May 14, 2001
Jason Priestley? Jason Priestley? Does Jason Priestley resemble this? Plus, I can act halfway better than that. You haven't seen my King and I ship captain.
A play? How lovely, thirteen. I skimmed it disinterestedly until I accidentally got the joke, then I read it undisinterestedly. I still missed the H2G2 joke. R.I.P. DNA.
And the Japan WWII backgrounder, Steven, was a treat.
posted by dhartung at 8:29 PM on May 14, 2001
posted by Neale at 8:34 PM on May 14, 2001
There is an 1142 bookclub at 1142.org, gluey requested it shortly after he (you are a he, right? I don't want to mispronoun.) mentioned it here.
posted by cCranium at 10:21 AM on May 15, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2001
posted by gleuschk at 1:29 PM on May 16, 2001
posted by norm at 2:34 PM on May 16, 2001
posted by cCranium at 6:33 AM on May 17, 2001
> Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's.
>Let Avogadro out of the Basket.
This will be my final post to this thread, I am growing tired of waiting for it to load.
Neale, ride this thing home, and don't forget to remind Matt to lock the door when you get it there.
posted by thirteen at 12:12 PM on May 18, 2001
It is 5:40 am on the West Coast. Every day at this time I hear a mysterious thump. I believe my upstairs neighbor is pushing his significant other out of bed. But every time I pass by his window, no one is inside. Should I be frightened?
Avogadro, when is your book coming out?
It's nice to see that we bungled post 1000 as badly as we bungled post #500. I'm staying away after posting this so that I don't mess up post 1142.
So what happens if we're all afraid to post and the thread hangs, forever, in limbo, at comment #1141? It's like when you're walking alone a narrow path and someone is coming in the opposite direction and you move left and he also moves in that direction so you move to the right and he also moves in that direction and you do the silly-trying-to-read-the-other-person's-mind game for a few seconds. Or when you're at a four way stop and for a brief moment all the other drivers think somebody else has the right of way.
He was at Mefi in 1106 and died in 1142.
posted by kathryn at 5:56 AM on May 19, 2001
The time has come... the end hath come... there is no going back... and when the end of 11(42) comes about, the world will end with it.
BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
posted by Neale at 5:29 PM on May 19, 2001
All the nights I misspent at Denny's and that's probably the coolest thing that ever happened at one.
posted by sudama at 6:31 PM on May 19, 2001 [1 favorite]
posted by dan_of_brainlog at 3:43 AM on May 20, 2001
posted by dan_of_brainlog at 3:45 AM on May 20, 2001
You are not. Most of the comments above are from the past month or so. 40 more comments to go....
posted by gluechunk at 12:46 PM on May 20, 2001
kathryn, how can you pass your neighbor's window and see anything but the ceiling if your neighbor lives upstairs?
posted by register at 8:29 PM on May 20, 2001
Maybe he's throwing dead bodies onto the floor after a murdering spree. But I also live on the dumpster side of the building and I haven't seen any blood dripping when I pass by.
Hmmrph.
Internet Explorer and the "end" key really hate this thread.
posted by kathryn at 8:35 PM on May 20, 2001
that Mefi link is eerie.
posted by register at 9:33 PM on May 20, 2001
posted by Neale at 9:36 PM on May 20, 2001
Here was a whole sub-community phenomenon and I wasn't even allowed to be in on it. I wonder how many people have participated in this thread...
posted by dan_of_brainlog at 11:10 PM on May 20, 2001
Out of 1107 posts, not including this one, there are 83 unique contributors.
Number of posts per contributor, sorted by activity:
Neale | 193 |
daveadams | 189 |
thirteen | 78 |
cCranium | 77 |
bradlands | 70 |
Avogadro | 47 |
iceberg273 | 44 |
redfoxtail | 39 |
Skot | 37 |
norm | 29 |
gluechunk | 27 |
CrazyUncleJoe | 18 |
samsara | 18 |
wendell | 17 |
feelinglistless | 15 |
snarkout | 15 |
zempf | 15 |
sudama | 14 |
mathowie | 11 |
anildash | 10 |
Lirp | 10 |
sonofsamiam | 10 |
chaz | 6 |
youhas | 6 |
benbrown | 5 |
lia | 5 |
Mahogne | 5 |
red scare | 5 |
brig | 4 |
lagado | 4 |
Aaaugh! | 3 |
adam | 3 |
anapestic | 3 |
dan_of_brainlog | 3 |
dhartung | 3 |
EngineBeak | 3 |
jason | 3 |
Sean Meade | 3 |
Steven Den Beste | 3 |
anitar | 2 |
brent | 2 |
dangerman | 2 |
harmful | 2 |
kathryn | 2 |
MarkAnd | 2 |
register | 2 |
rory | 2 |
schlyer | 2 |
southisup | 2 |
tomcosgrave | 2 |
wendellseviltwin | 2 |
werty | 2 |
aaron | 1 |
August | 1 |
Awol | 1 |
cedar | 1 |
Ezrael | 1 |
gi_wrighty | 1 |
gleuschk | 1 |
grestall | 1 |
gsh | 1 |
holloway | 1 |
jacksaturn | 1 |
Jeremy | 1 |
jess | 1 |
lbergstr | 1 |
maura | 1 |
mrmorgan | 1 |
Ms Snit | 1 |
precocious | 1 |
prolific | 1 |
r-boogie | 1 |
rabi | 1 |
rebeccablood | 1 |
Sapphireblue | 1 |
SelfPostGuy | 1 |
sixfoot6 | 1 |
spacecoyote | 1 |
stazen | 1 |
stefnet | 1 |
Succa | 1 |
sylloge | 1 |
timothompson | 1 |
posted by dan_of_brainlog at 12:12 AM on May 21, 2001
posted by Neale at 5:52 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by Neale at 5:53 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by Neale at 5:56 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by Neale at 6:00 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by Neale at 6:53 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by norm at 8:37 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by norm at 8:50 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by norm at 8:51 PM on May 21, 2001
I'll never give up! I think I can still pull this one out. I will not let Neale get the best of me. Not here, not anywhere!
posted by daveadams at 9:18 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:19 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by gluechunk at 9:22 PM on May 21, 2001
Is it annoying when I waste the last few posts of this thread with crap like this?
posted by daveadams at 9:25 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by norm at 9:26 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by norm at 9:27 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:27 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:28 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:28 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by norm at 9:29 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:29 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:30 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:30 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by daveadams at 9:31 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by gluechunk at 9:34 PM on May 21, 2001
posted by norm at 10:05 PM on May 21, 2001
How can I work with these people? They're killing my artistic vision... bah!
posted by Neale at 10:59 PM on May 21, 2001
Do you know who Max Turner is?
He must be found!
Do you know why?
Where is Max Turner?
posted by dan_of_brainlog at 12:15 AM on May 22, 2001
posted by norm at 12:19 PM on May 22, 2001
posted by waxpancake at 9:32 PM on June 1, 2001
(This Song's Just) Six Words Long.
This post is much longer.
That's all I have to say about that.
posted by john at 1:28 AM on June 2, 2001
posted by daveadams at 10:20 AM on June 4, 2001
THERE IS NO KEG AT 1142.ORG.
posted by norm at 11:11 PM on June 5, 2001
(oops! sorry!)
THERE IS NO KEG AT 1142.ORG.
posted by Avogadro at 8:02 AM on June 6, 2001
DamnÓÓÓ
posted by Avogadro at 6:03 AM on June 17, 2001
posted by norm at 4:52 PM on June 21, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 5:19 PM on June 25, 2001
Cousin Neale! Cousin Neale! Where are you!?!</Balki>
posted by Avogadro at 5:43 AM on June 26, 2001
Hee hee hee.
posted by norm at 8:59 AM on June 26, 2001
(If there's gonna be a last post fight, there will be spectators. I figure I'll make some cash as a hot dog vendor.)
posted by iceberg273 at 9:17 AM on June 26, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 1:48 PM on June 26, 2001
posted by werty at 7:01 AM on June 27, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 8:07 AM on June 27, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 1:07 PM on June 27, 2001
posted by norm at 5:32 PM on June 27, 2001
See norm, I would have happily let Neale take the last comment (I did propose many posts ago that Neale cap this thread at 1142), but I cannot allow your insolence to go unchecked.
*winkyface*
posted by Avogadro at 8:21 AM on July 3, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 10:31 AM on July 3, 2001
norm, you'll need to get those ketchup and mustard stains out right away.
How many hot dogs can I get for you, CrazyUncle?
posted by iceberg273 at 11:49 AM on July 3, 2001
______________
.-' `-.
(____________________)
( )
( `----------------' )
`------------------'
On the house. Happy Independence Eve.
posted by iceberg273 at 12:02 PM on July 3, 2001
posted by cCranium at 2:30 PM on July 4, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 11:50 PM on July 4, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 11:51 PM on July 4, 2001
posted by lia at 10:34 AM on July 5, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 11:32 AM on July 5, 2001
posted by ZippityBOP at 11:40 AM on July 9, 2001
posted by norm at 11:40 AM on July 9, 2001
posted by Zippity Bop™ at 11:51 AM on July 9, 2001
posted by ZippityBOP at 12:11 PM on July 9, 2001
geez this is a long thread...
posted by Zippity Bop™ at 12:16 PM on July 9, 2001
Does this?
posted by iceberg273 at 2:51 PM on July 9, 2001
> wait for another dwarf
> say Hey, Warwick Davis! What was the big idea with all those Leprechaun movies, eh?
I'm so going to suffer for that.
posted by jason at 6:03 PM on July 9, 2001
posted by dchase at 7:58 PM on July 9, 2001
The ice cream cone was invented in St. Louis at its 1904 World's Fair. Waffles were used as the first cones, thus attesting the superiority of waffles.
posted by Avogadro at 5:30 AM on July 10, 2001
I'm thinking there needs to be a server just for this thread... remember 1142.org. Remember... remember... remember...
posted by Neale at 5:27 AM on July 12, 2001
posted by thirteen at 7:43 AM on July 12, 2001
Whoops, sorry Skot, didn't see you there.
posted by daveadams at 8:42 AM on July 12, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 8:54 AM on July 12, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 1:24 PM on July 13, 2001
3' 7" 65 lb. dwarf Eddie Gaedel was the shortest player ever to play in a Major League baseball game, and he appeared on "Falstaff Day", celebrating 50 years of the American League and Falstaff Beer.
posted by Avogadro at 12:04 PM on July 16, 2001
His roughly baseball-sized strike zone.
posted by Skot at 12:28 PM on July 16, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 11:25 AM on July 17, 2001
posted by thirteen at 4:48 PM on July 17, 2001
posted by sixdifferentways at 7:26 PM on July 18, 2001
posted by fidelity at 7:50 PM on July 18, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 9:12 PM on July 18, 2001
posted by MarkO at 7:07 AM on July 19, 2001
posted by Neale at 1:25 AM on July 24, 2001
posted by thirteen at 9:25 AM on July 24, 2001
(2 more posts, max.)
posted by Neale at 7:28 PM PST on May 25
posted by Neale at 7:37 PM PST on May 25
________________
posted by Neale at 3:48 PM PST on March 29
Must post, must post.
posted by Neale at 5:22 PM PST on March 29
180 posts.
posted by Neale at 8:25 PM PST on March 29
250.
posted by Aaaugh! posted by Aaaugh! posted by Neale at 4:28 PM PST on March 31
280.
posted by Neale at 5:36 PM PST on April 2
290. NEED MORE POSTS.
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 9:09 PM PST on April 10
NEALE! One post. One solitary post.
posted by Aaaugh!
On average, Neale posts at 6:03 PM PST.
Allowing us to conclude that the two most important parts of this thread are (1) raw obsession over post quantities and (2) Neale. In short, nothing we really didn't know already.
I am thoroughly underwhelmed.
posted by youhas at 12:55 PM on July 24, 2001
posted by daveadams at 2:52 PM on July 25, 2001
On a tiny Pacific Atoll, far away from the prying eyes of world governments a lone scientist worked feverishly, creating near-perfect copies of himself using techniques previously seen only in science fiction novels.
As each clone was created, he was given a suffix denoting his place in the lineage of doom, when the suffix reached Z, the task was complete.
To train these harbingers of the apocolypse in the ways of the race they were destined to destroy, they were sent out under the anonymity of the world wide web. Their goal, to learn all they could about the human race and to assimilate themselves into communities, forging bonds which would, in time, allow them to go into the world and appear as one with the population.
Many of them came upon Metafilter, a collection of lost souls, feverishly trying to make sense of their world by arguing about Presidents and SUVs, speaking in a coded language only their more dedicated members could follow, where ponies, ice cream and pancakes took on new and fantastical meanings. And they saw that the race they were sent out to destroy could be intelligent, witty, incisive and on the whole, self governing. Mostly.
And so they slept. Until such day as the words Zippity Bop are uttered for the thousandth time, whereupon they shall rise up and smite the Zippity Boppers, those claiming to be the Baby Jesus, the McGroins and those whose posts are linkless.
Be afraid of that day, humans, for it is near.
posted by Markb at 2:39 AM on July 26, 2001
posted by sudama at 2:14 PM on July 30, 2001
You want I should cast another doughnut?
An absent dog? What the heck?
Does this mean I can join the A-list?
And I'm glad I made your day, if not your month. :)
"a volcano like eruption of bad journals"
You close the wicker cage.
Has this thread reached the magical 200 posts yet?
Can't fight the reaper.
You guys are totally screwing me up.
FIONA: Err . . . I was sleeping.
posted by donkeymon at 11:45 AM on August 3, 2001
"The ring city approach is fine in some hidden part of the parts are played on my website and tell me that, Mr. Smarty Man. Does anyone else who'll admit to having Microsoft development experience--know anything about dance, but Julie absolutely loves it, and she sent him to consider a blogspot. I went trick-or-treating and got me through everything."
This Means Something.
posted by webmutant at 1:46 PM on August 4, 2001
the knives are sharpened and oiled
time for us to fight.
posted by thirteen at 4:14 PM on August 21, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 11:38 AM on August 30, 2001
posted by thirteen at 11:22 AM on September 4, 2001
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 8:43 PM on September 4, 2001
posted by norm at 10:08 PM on September 4, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 7:33 AM on September 5, 2001
That would indeed be tragic...
[posted by cCranium to Bald Faced Lies on September 5]
posted by cCranium at 10:26 AM on September 5, 2001
Skot attack!! Skot attack!!!
*telephones and asks coast guard to search for abnormal Skot activity in coastal waters*
posted by iceberg273 at 10:47 AM on September 5, 2001
Sadly, I have seen more people die that I have had sex with too.
posted by thirteen at 10:52 AM on September 5, 2001
Sadly, I have seen more people die that I have had sex with too.
Sadly, I've had sex with more dead people than... er...
posted by Neale at 1:37 AM on September 11, 2001
So 13 has seen at least one person die.
BTW, I can't connect to the daughtership. I'm mellllltinnnnngg.
posted by anapestic at 11:29 AM on September 14, 2001
posted by sudama at 9:59 AM on September 18, 2001
posted by Avogadro at 12:02 PM on September 19, 2001
posted by Steven Den Beste at 4:17 PM on September 19, 2001
Would you guys give it a rest? It's no wonder MeFi's server is on its knees. (grumble)
Okay. From now on there will be no more posts to 1142.
posted by Neale at 4:25 PM on September 19, 2001
After all, Steven, I've bloody well (this is not to show I'm British, but rather just to suck up to any Brits in the room) given up on the rest of the site.
posted by frykitty at 1:28 PM on September 20, 2001
Let's see now. Before 9/11, the server was pretty good. Now it's on its knees. And there have been fewer than ten posts here in that time and, I'm guessing, significantly more than ten posts on the rest of MeFi.
I think somebody's feeling a little left out of the cabal.
posted by anapestic at 1:43 PM on September 20, 2001
Pesty! Shhhhh! There is no Cabal!tm
posted by J. R. Hughto at 1:45 PM on September 20, 2001
posted by anildash at 5:10 PM on September 20, 2001
What was the Jenny Ringley scandal last year (I admit being a paying viewer a few years ago.)
Just talkin to myself eh?
posted by DBAPaul at 4:03 PM on September 24, 2001
AND has no consideration to Matt, and the other 20 people on his server.
Shut it down!
posted by Neale at 5:13 PM on September 27, 2001
posted by J. R. Hughto at 10:11 AM on October 5, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 9:58 AM on October 10, 2001
posted by frykitty at 1:37 PM on October 10, 2001
posted by cCranium at 1:53 PM on October 10, 2001
Wake me up when they hit 1k.
posted by Avogadro at 2:00 PM on October 10, 2001
Why must it be a competition? Can't we all just get along?
posted by ColdChef at 9:29 PM on October 10, 2001
posted by J. R. Hughto at 9:32 AM on October 13, 2001
posted by bjgeiger at 12:37 PM on October 15, 2001
"Is a volcano about to erupt in Alaska or on the Kamchatka penninsula?"
Well, my friend, question no longer.
posted by iceberg273 at 2:18 PM on October 15, 2001
I just thought that should be mentioned before this thing dies.
posted by Neale at 8:11 PM on October 15, 2001
posted by thewittyname at 9:33 AM on October 17, 2001
posted by fullerine at 12:38 PM on October 19, 2001
How I wish I could hate you...
posted by ColdChef at 7:52 PM on October 21, 2001
This is not entirely a lie.
I need another drink, dammit.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:07 AM on October 23, 2001
Turn on the fucking lights!
It's dark in here!
C'mon, dude! We got half a keg left and I was just getting ready to put on "Monty Pyton and the Holy Grail".
C'mon man. I still wanna party.
Hello?
Fine. You can all leave. I'm gonna stay and party. Par-tay. Whoo-hoo!
...
"Carry on my wayward son..."
...
Ah, crap! I just stepped in the guacamole!
Turn. On. The. Lights.
Hello?
I can't find the keg...
Dudes? This isn't funny. You pussies don't know how to par-tay.
posted by ColdChef at 9:37 AM on October 23, 2001
anybody seen my burrito?
...
hello?
"Damn it feels good to be a gangster!..."
Am I right?
Are you with me?
Can? You? Dig? It?
...
i'm so lonely...
posted by ColdChef at 12:09 PM on October 24, 2001
I'm...uh...
I'm a little afraid of the dark.
HEY! Was that your hand?
...
hello?
posted by ColdChef at 4:04 PM on October 24, 2001
damn, i guess i should have asked that BEFORE i linked to it.
<shrug>oh well</shrug>
er.. i saw a burrito lying in the corner next to skot.. you might not want it anymore
posted by smt at 4:05 PM on October 24, 2001
I had a bong around here somewhere...
...
hello?
...
"We're gonna rock down to Electric avenue/and then we'll take it higher..."
if someone would turn the lights on, i could put some other music on the stereo...
"Everybody Wang Chung tonight..."
ugh. I think I just stepped on a piss soaked burrito...
hello?
lights?
...
posted by ColdChef at 8:43 PM on October 24, 2001
*flip*
[merry-go-round starts up]
No..no...
*flip*
[Pancake-o-matic comes online]
dammit...
*flip*
[opens a portal into MiguelCardos's head]
cooooooooooooooooool.....
ah...yes
*flip*
[Light]
Party on!
posted by thewittyname at 9:07 AM on October 25, 2001
Hey, where'd all the ladies go?
posted by ColdChef at 10:02 AM on October 25, 2001
*flip*
posted by smt at 2:13 PM on October 25, 2001
....
it's so dark in here.
hello?
posted by ColdChef at 3:00 PM on October 25, 2001
Ok...you know what....I'm putting a clapper on this damn light in here....
*clap clap*
[light]
The clapper.....god bless technology
posted by thewittyname at 9:24 AM on October 26, 2001
Ok...you know what....I'm putting a clapper on this damn light in here....
*clap clap*
[light]
The Clapper.....god bless technology
posted by thewittyname at 9:24 AM on October 26, 2001
You clapped 'em on and then you clapped 'em right back off!
Damn you and damn your double posting hide.
If I could find the fucking door in this darkness, I'd leave this party and get on back to 9622.
...
hello?
posted by ColdChef at 11:37 AM on October 26, 2001
Everyone knows I cannot be beaten. My power is inexoribly linked to 1142... the more you post here, the STRONGER I GROW!
The paradox is delightful.
posted by Neale at 3:25 AM on October 27, 2001
Going strong for 1.6 years.
Man, Matt should crash and burn this thread.
posted by Neale at 5:56 PM on October 31, 2001
posted by feelinglistless at 3:20 PM on November 1, 2001
posted by TacoConsumer at 11:19 AM on November 2, 2001
#006699!!!
#CCCC00!!!
posted by TacoConsumer at 11:24 PM on November 2, 2001
DRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
posted by Neale at 5:56 AM on November 5, 2001
posted by TacoConsumer at 5:27 PM on November 7, 2001
*starts flicking lightswitch off and on repeatedly*
Yeah! Whoohoo!! "All Night Long! ALL NIGHT!"
*fuse blows out*
..oops
BLACK. END OF SCENE. EXEUNT.
posted by ZachsMind at 11:51 PM on November 11, 2001
PUT THE KEYBOARD DOWN AND BACK AWAY FROM THE METAFILTER!
posted by ZachsMind at 2:30 PM on November 12, 2001
Neale, you're meant to die now, I think.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:09 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by thirteen at 12:44 PM on November 20, 2001
Neale?
posted by J. R. Hughto at 1:46 PM on November 26, 2001
posted by TacoConsumer at 4:36 PM on November 26, 2001
posted by j.edwards at 3:40 PM on November 27, 2001
I had a fajita for lunch. What type of fajitas do you like?
Discuss.
posted by Neale at 11:53 AM on November 28, 2001
More to the point: this is the 1337th comment in this thread. I am one 1337 k3wL r0x0r d00d now.
posted by youhas at 1:12 PM on November 28, 2001
posted by Neale at 7:54 AM on November 30, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 10:37 AM on November 30, 2001
posted by ColdChef at 2:46 PM on November 30, 2001
*Replace 'Miguel' with 'Satan' as necessary, depending on your disposition.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:57 PM on November 30, 2001
posted by Neale at 3:13 PM on December 2, 2001
(No, that didn't make sense even to me, now that I stop to think about it.)
posted by webmutant at 12:59 AM on December 3, 2001
posted by TacoConsumer at 8:58 PM on December 5, 2001
Terrorist.
Bomb.
FBI.
posted by Neale at 10:07 AM on December 8, 2001
posted by juv3nal at 4:04 PM on December 9, 2001
*calls the world record people*
posted by iceberg273 at 1:23 PM on December 10, 2001
posted by jbushnell at 3:16 PM on December 11, 2001
Crump
posted by MUD at 1:35 PM on December 18, 2001
Moist.
No, my wife would kill me.
posted by Neale at 4:28 PM on December 18, 2001
GIVE THE LAST WORD BACK TO NEALE!
posted by Avogadro at 2:23 PM on December 19, 2001
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:57 AM on December 20, 2001
posted by TacoConsumer at 9:13 AM on December 23, 2001
(OK, so it's a little late...But no one else got 1142 a present.)
posted by dogmatic at 9:06 AM on December 27, 2001
So I'm bringing wetlog back.
Tell your friends!
posted by Neale at 7:32 PM on December 27, 2001
You can see Neale's underwear at the wetlog!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:16 AM on December 29, 2001
*cries*
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:18 AM on December 29, 2001
posted by j.edwards at 11:35 PM on January 13, 2002
All answers must be in the form of a witty comment and should be
posted by MUD at 4:53 PM on January 14, 2002
October 5th. No, wait.
January 14th. Yeah, that's the ticket.
posted by j.edwards at 11:20 PM on January 14, 2002
That was one nice looking plate of chicken, MUD.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:06 AM on January 15, 2002 [1 favorite]
posted by Neale at 4:20 AM on January 18, 2002
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 9:44 AM on January 18, 2002
This will call for some drastic action.
And I do mean drastic.
posted by Neale at 5:46 AM on January 19, 2002
posted by Neale at 5:50 AM on January 19, 2002
posted by Neale at 5:51 AM on January 19, 2002
Dead bird.
Dead bird.
Dead bird.
Dead bird.
Dead fucking bird.
Honey mustard sauce.
*rumours to the effect that I am the anti-Neale must cease immediatamente.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:33 AM on January 19, 2002
Anti-Neale? What happens if we meet?
posted by Neale at 12:24 AM on January 21, 2002
Oh, and the annihiliation of the universe, of course.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:03 AM on January 21, 2002
BONGO TIME!
posted by j.edwards at 4:08 PM on January 24, 2002
Cha-cha cha-cha cha CHA
Cha-cha cha-cha cha CHA
Cha-cha cha-cha cha CHA
Oh, that's not right, is it?
posted by Neale at 8:34 PM on January 24, 2002
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:24 PM on January 24, 2002
posted by Neale at 7:04 PM on January 28, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:43 PM on January 29, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:44 PM on January 29, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:44 PM on January 29, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:45 PM on January 29, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:45 PM on January 29, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:47 PM on January 29, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:48 PM on January 29, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:49 PM on January 29, 2002
posted by Neale at 6:54 PM on January 29, 2002
The End.
posted by Neale at 6:56 PM on January 29, 2002
(The odd thing here is that I've just been offered a 'role to be a consultant to a major insurance company' in Sydney. No, really. Not gonna do it, though. Probably.)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:26 PM on January 29, 2002
Excuse me, can anyone point the way to 9622?
posted by mrbula at 9:13 PM on February 2, 2002
No, but I do know the way to San Jose.
%I don't remember when you could put $100 down and buy a car.%
posted by Avogadro at 8:00 AM on February 4, 2002
Do you know the way to 1142?
I've been away so long. I may go wrong and lose my way.
Do you know the way to 1142?
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in 1142.
L.A. is a great big freeway.
Put a hundred down and buy a car.
In a week, maybe two, they'll make you a star
Weeks turn into years. How quck they pass
And all the stars that never were
Are parking cars and pumping gas
Do you know the way to 1142?
They've got a lot of space. There'll be a place where I can stay
I was born and raised in 1142
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in 1142.
Fame and fortune is a magnet.
It can pull you far away from home
With a dream in your heart you're never alone.
Dreams turn into dust and blow away
And there you are without a friend
You pack your car and ride away
I've got lots of friends in 1142
Do you know the way to 1142?
Can't wait to get back to 1142.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:58 PM on February 5, 2002
Hello? Anybody here?
*echoes*
I *gulp* just moved in to M-Metafilter and, um... I was driving around, taking...taking a look around and my car ran out of *gulp* gas in front of this place. C-Can I use your phone and call a t-towtruck?
Sorry to d-disturb you.
Hello?
*silence*
posted by evanizer at 1:44 PM on February 6, 2002
posted by MUD at 3:19 PM on February 6, 2002
Can I hang here with you guys till they go away?
I need a hug.
*waits for hug*
I'm famished! Can I have this burrito over here?
posted by evanizer at 10:10 AM on February 7, 2002
Evanizer, don't be polite. I just saw The Other Man (The Chile Man) take it and put his chile on it.
posted by jacobw at 5:57 PM on February 7, 2002
*drops burrito, which makes a wet thud on the floor*
Maybe I'll just order a pizza. What do we all want on it?
posted by evanizer at 8:22 PM on February 7, 2002
Do you know the way to 1142?
Can't wait to get back to 1142.
'Bout damn time, too. You nogoodnik, you.
posted by j.edwards at 11:27 PM on February 7, 2002
hey j.edwards why are you all bent over evanizer like that... OH...
*sits down anyway on couch with rip through the middle of it. puts pizza on the floor...*
posted by goneill at 7:05 AM on February 8, 2002
Seconded. Come back, Mr. Man.
posted by Avogadro at 8:55 AM on February 8, 2002
Follow me!
...and bring that pizza with you...
As you were, gentlemen!
posted by ColdChef at 9:48 AM on February 8, 2002
Ah, Mr. ColdChef, I see you were planning on leaving. But, Mr. ColdChef, we are not yet finished with you.
*raises right hand Doktah-Claw-style; it is adorned with a Powerglove*
Please, sit down. *doors slam shut*
posted by j.edwards at 2:40 PM on February 8, 2002
posted by Kafkaesque at 4:01 PM on February 8, 2002
Someone send for Miguel!
Kafkaesque! Go for help!
posted by ColdChef at 5:01 PM on February 8, 2002
That little Portugese meddler cannot save you now, you cretins! I may be new here, but not new enough not to know what you two have up your sleeves.
*bends down and grabs a slice of pizza. Tosses another slice to jacobw*
Sorry, jacobw, you'll have to pick the ham off.
So, fellow dwellers of the one true and everlasting MeFi thread, what shall we do with these....these MONKEYLOVERS? Maybe we should ask Neale. Where is that lad, anyway? He hasn't responded to my donationyet. Hmmm. NEALE?
*steps in pizza*
Fiddlesticks!
posted by evanizer at 5:33 PM on February 8, 2002
I want mine set to monkey.
hmmmm.... it's that evanizer kid again, is it??? let's give HIM the chair and glove treatement.
posted by eyeballkid at 5:48 PM on February 8, 2002
posted by jpoulos at 6:16 PM on February 8, 2002
I'm still here! Hiding under a chair!
guys?
posted by Kafkaesque at 7:10 PM on February 8, 2002
posted by goneill at 8:51 PM on February 8, 2002
Hey, they left a burrito.
*the powerglove slowly reaches out*
posted by j.edwards at 12:38 AM on February 9, 2002
posted by Kafkaesque at 7:54 PM on February 9, 2002
What the?
Hey! Which one of you left the spacetime continuum open like this?
I only frequent legitimate threads, where my go-nowhere, badly typed thread-derailing non-sequiturs piss off the tight asses.
I don't go for this cult shit. What, you all don't wate enough time on the main page? I'm audi 5000.
Later losers!
(thud)
Ow, fuck!
Stupid self-healing quantum singularity.
Uh... little help?
posted by dong_resin at 8:08 PM on February 9, 2002
posted by jpoulos at 8:15 PM on February 9, 2002
Okay! Who wants to see a magic trick?
*poses hands like Senior Wences, then fakes left and grabs the power glove*
Ha! You're in for it now, cult thread rubes! Suck it!
*glove emits bright green flash*
*dong_resin becomes 1/2 inch high.*
Crap!
Uh... little help, here?
posted by dong_resin at 10:32 AM on February 10, 2002
Ah, my little friend, who's got the last laugh now? How could you come in here with those assless leather chaps on and think that you could escape....unscathed?
Mwha hahaha!
Now, who'd like an hors d'oeuvre?
*dangles tiny dong_resin over jpoulos' mouth*
posted by evanizer at 12:34 PM on February 10, 2002
posted by dong_resin at 3:18 PM on February 10, 2002
*Unpacks time machine and plugs it in*
Now lets see... Set for a couple of days in the future... Set for auto-retrieval after 30 seconds and...
*VWOOMPH*
posted by MUD at 6:54 PM on February 10, 2002
I wasn't expecting that.
I mean, assless trousers - fair enough - but crotchless?
posted by MUD at 6:54 PM PST on February 12
*VWOOMPH*
Man, that future sure is wacky.
posted by MUD at 6:56 PM on February 10, 2002
posted by MUD at 6:58 PM PST on February 10
No.
posted by Neale at 11:40 PM on February 10, 2002
posted by MiguelCardoso at 9:18 AM on February 11, 2002
step away from the dong_resin. he's comin' with me...
get behind me dr. i'll take care of these...
posted by goneill at 9:52 AM on February 11, 2002
no... please... no...
don't point that thing at me...
MUD, get those crotchless trousers OFF!
(and put something else on please, for the love of god)
posted by cashmein at 10:32 AM on February 11, 2002
posted by dong_resin at 12:39 PM on February 11, 2002
*Everybody! Out of the pool!*
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:37 PM on February 11, 2002
but we aren't chatting anymore.
*jumps out of pool *
posted by goneill at 1:49 PM on February 11, 2002
/pulls out dustpan, broom, and ShopVac
*boredom sets in*
I could use some entertainment again.
/searches for *Neale
/turns on Ashcroft
Ah, much better.
/begins cleaning
posted by Avogadro at 10:57 AM on February 12, 2002
*waits, waits, and waits*
posted by iceberg273 at 12:30 PM on February 12, 2002
posted by goneill at 2:23 PM on February 12, 2002
*waits and waits*
posted by iceberg273 at 12:47 PM on February 13, 2002
posted by eyeballkid at 5:42 PM on February 13, 2002
Please move along.
posted by Neale at 10:13 PM on February 13, 2002
Why is this time different?
[immaturity]
Oh, and neener neener.
[/immaturity]
posted by ebarker at 6:29 AM on February 14, 2002
posted by goneill at 3:24 PM on February 14, 2002
*waits*
posted by iceberg273 at 5:59 PM on February 14, 2002
posted by ColdChef at 9:57 AM on February 16, 2002
Have some poetry, nonetheless.
posted by Neale at 6:20 PM on February 17, 2002
Nice poems, daddy-o.
posted by Avogadro at 10:20 PM on February 17, 2002
*gibbers skotfully*
posted by iceberg273 at 12:47 PM on February 19, 2002
can I hang out here since someone's been peeing in the sandbox I usually play in?
posted by tj at 1:53 AM on February 20, 2002
posted by goneill at 7:59 AM on February 20, 2002
Yeah, besides leaving pizza boxes, ripping our sofas (it wasn't like that before), kicking down doors, threatening folks with machine guns, and jumping in our non-existent swimming pool whilst dripping water all over the place.
*sigh* This used to be such a quiet, artsy neighborhood.
/resumes cleaning, and considers moving
posted by Avogadro at 9:09 AM on February 20, 2002
*does a bit of performance art that harkens the viewer back to the days of yore*
posted by iceberg273 at 10:03 AM on February 20, 2002
Eeeeeyuck!
They told me it was apple juice.
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:31 AM on February 20, 2002
posted by Neale at 8:03 PM on February 20, 2002
Personally, I blame myself. Petting Zoo:Artsy::Neighborhood:Lesbians.
posted by j.edwards at 3:47 AM on February 21, 2002
posted by Kafkaesque at 8:44 AM on February 21, 2002
~Bastards.~
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:51 AM on February 22, 2002
It's a fowl world, after all...
hey, it's the new WonderChicken World Of Fun theme, don't blame me
posted by ebarker at 3:18 PM on February 24, 2002
And closed. CLOSED I SAY!
posted by Neale at 6:23 PM on February 24, 2002
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:32 AM on February 25, 2002
I'm hoping it's because Matt, knowing the natural order of things, is waiting for the stupid post on 1500 (probably "this it?") before he shuts us down.
posted by Neale at 4:35 PM on February 25, 2002
posted by jacobw at 6:44 PM on February 26, 2002
Oh sweet baby jesus, give me the last word.
Thank-you.
posted by Neale at 7:53 PM on February 26, 2002
My university philosophy professor has posted to this thread.
posted by Neale at 7:55 PM on February 26, 2002
posted by Neale at 7:58 PM on February 26, 2002
500: "Someone really should do something interesting and exciting for big ol' post 500. Who will it be? What will they do?"
1000: "Two more?!"
posted by Neale at 8:02 PM on February 26, 2002
May 25th (200x): "Hey, I just noticed that there are only 23 more people needed for there to be an even 1000 MF users."
posted by Neale at 8:04 PM on February 26, 2002
He's not the first, and won't be the last.
posted by Neale at 8:05 PM on February 26, 2002
All I can do, at this point, is beg people not to.
PLEEEEEEEEEASE. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE don't post anymore.
posted by Neale at 8:08 PM on February 26, 2002
posted by Neale at 8:09 PM on February 26, 2002
posted by Neale at 8:10 PM on February 26, 2002
posted by jpoulos at 8:54 PM on February 26, 2002
posted by eyeballkid at 3:52 PM on March 1, 2002
posted by eyeballkid at 3:54 PM on March 1, 2002
posted by MiguelCardoso at 9:26 PM on March 1, 2002
You've got to get yourselves together
You got stuck in a moment,
And you can't get out of it...
posted by bingo at 10:05 PM on March 5, 2002
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:02 AM on March 6, 2002
As part of my independant study of CSS, I will attempt to figure out what happened:
Matt's tag closer script closes any open tag you type.. So when the evil Neale quoted mathowie, he cut and pasted the code from the source. Since matt's comment was the post's copy, it came under the div class for "copy". At the end of the post, Mefi closed the
It almost feels like we're the kids and Mattie is the parent and we've trashed the house while he was in the Poconos. It's almost like "Don't Tell Matt the Neale Broke 1142"! Can I be Christina Applegate?...Hey, David Duchovny was in that. I'm so renting it tonight.
posted by evanizer at 7:15 PM on March 6, 2002
posted by evanizer at 7:18 PM on March 6, 2002
posted by evanizer at 7:21 PM on March 6, 2002
As part of my independant study of CSS, I will attempt to figure out what happened:
Matt's tag closer script closes any open tag you type.. So when the evil Neale quoted mathowie, he cut and pasted the code from the source. Since matt's comment was the post's copy, it came under the div class for "copy". At the end of the post, Mefi closed the <div class="copy"> with a </div>. Then Mefi opened the <div class="comments"> and everything went along nicely for over a thousand posts...until Neale cut 'n pasted the code. The code still contained the </div> for the "copy" class, and the subsequent <div class="comments"> for the comments class. But Mefi saw that open tag and closed it, thus defaulting all the text after Neale's comment to the <span class="smallcopy">. There is no way to reopen the <div class="comments"> tag (which would make everything normal again) because Mefi automatically closes it. The only person to fix it is Mr. Haughey, but we can't tell him, or he'll know what we've been doing in here! *looks down at eyeballkid* (mmm thanks, eyeballkid, that was great)
It almost feels like we're the kids and Mattie is the parent and we've trashed the house while he was in the Poconos. It's almost like "Don't Tell Matt the Neale Broke 1142"! Can I be Christina Applegate?...Hey, David Duchovny was in that. I'm so renting it tonight.
posted by evanizer at 7:23 PM on March 6, 2002
posted by goneill at 5:16 PM on March 7, 2002
posted by MiguelCardoso at 6:52 PM on March 7, 2002
I am very disappointed in all of you.
And in myself.
posted by ColdChef at 7:27 PM on March 7, 2002
posted by MiguelCardoso at 9:05 PM on March 7, 2002
That should hold off the infestation for another week or so, Mr. Neale. Don't know how they keep getting in here.
posted by Kafkaesque at 7:06 PM on March 8, 2002
i don't know. i was curious about that myself. maybe it was the soothing method with which i informed the folks at 1142 that the mother ship was self-destructing? evan?
posted by eyeballkid at 1:05 PM on March 11, 2002
posted by thewittyname at 1:53 PM on March 13, 2002
Maybe it was the way you stuck it to the man.
Maybe it meant nothing. I think 1142 contains mind-control rays that make me lose my mind. I do wear my tinfoil hat when in here, but maybe a few rays slipped through.
Do you guys mind if I put on this Rick Wakeman record I found in the basement?
posted by evanizer at 2:15 PM on March 13, 2002
posted by feelinglistless at 3:55 PM on March 13, 2002
posted by bjgeiger at 6:32 PM on March 13, 2002
i've got the maple...
posted by boogah at 11:29 PM on March 13, 2002
I think Neale is trying to create a great and powerful gale with his sighing to eject us all from here.
You! Obey the gale!
posted by j.edwards at 2:22 AM on March 15, 2002
Okay, I'm back: dinking declaration: It's "what expurgated sousies have you graced," very obviously frivolous posts, frivolous government shit, my fruit smells like lemon, some people who use the internet as their "online haven" have user names similar to the user names of another, links to particular pieces of art, clocks, links to particular artists, I mean, WHAT'S THE POINT OF THIS SHIT MAN????? Lemon scents, systematic inquiries, I have a site that supports twenty-thousand users, and they all are sincere in bitching at me. September eleveth was quite the happening, I'm a cunt on wheels,
[cache].
[will be posted in metafilter >> metafilter-related]
posted by sylloge at 10:16 PM on March 19, 2002
*holding up picture postcard of Earth*
Having a great time, wish you were here.
posted by ebarker at 9:35 AM on March 20, 2002
don't mind me, this style sheet problem is bugging the crap outta me...
posted by FreezBoy at 6:26 AM on March 21, 2002
If anyone ever researches the history of weblogs, they will come to realise that this thread contains the total sum of all weblog knowledge.
Really.
posted by Neale at 4:00 AM on March 24, 2002
and a keyboard,
and a monitor,
and a tower,
and the longest thread
I've ever seen.
posted by Lynsey at 9:55 PM on March 24, 2002
For a "thread" as long as this
Perhaps it's "a rope"? :-)
posted by jpoulos at 6:42 PM on March 25, 2002
posted by MUD at 2:22 PM on March 27, 2002
Exits are N, S, W. There is an elf here.
posted by Markb at 5:25 AM on March 28, 2002
posted by TacoConsumer at 6:24 AM on March 28, 2002
Happy Birthday 1142, you are a legend amongst the other threads.
posted by riffola at 9:50 AM on March 28, 2002
This place used to be so cool, back in the day...
posted by daveadams at 5:04 PM on March 28, 2002
Lovely anniversary post.
posted by Skot at 11:24 AM on March 29, 2002
posted by bjgeiger at 6:09 PM on March 30, 2002
posted by Frasermoo at 1:30 AM on April 1, 2002
\m/ <-- devil sign
posted by starvingartist at 12:23 PM on April 1, 2002
posted by starvingartist at 11:38 AM on April 2, 2002
It's my party, and I'll drown Metallica in the bath if I want to.
posted by Neale at 6:55 PM on April 4, 2002
I got some beer left from the trip. And some beef jerky. Anyone?
posted by starvingartist at 7:25 AM on April 5, 2002
posted by iceberg273 at 9:33 AM on April 5, 2002
Hello?
posted by ebarker at 12:52 PM on April 5, 2002
errr..
do you come here often?
posted by dash_slot- at 4:34 PM on April 6, 2002
But sometimes I am breathing hard.
okay, ew.
posted by ebarker at 12:44 PM on April 9, 2002
Here's one of the chairs. What do you think? Silk upholstery, bears the label of Lord Leigh, French, about 1770... I think it looks great in here.
The truck's out front. Anyone wanna come help me unload?
posted by evanizer at 11:34 PM on April 11, 2002
posted by starvingartist at 9:21 AM on April 12, 2002
*panting after lugging chaise lounge up stairs*
Guys, some help? I'm killing my back here.
posted by evanizer at 11:07 AM on April 12, 2002
posted by Kafkaesque at 3:17 PM on April 13, 2002
posted by Sean Meade at 9:33 AM on April 30, 2002 [1 favorite]
posted by christian at 5:08 PM on April 30, 2002
I do hope that Neale or someone pops back in and says something so that me trying to fix a formatting error isn't the last thing 1142 sees.
posted by christian at 10:33 PM on April 30, 2002
posted by chaz at 8:48 PM on May 3, 2002
SO... hello guys. Nice to see you're still here. Being in this thread is like getting photographed, it robs a little bit of your soul.
I wonder what happens if I do this ...
Any better?
posted by feelinglistless at 10:09 AM on May 5, 2002
So very wrong.
I would like to apologise.
But I won't.
posted by Neale at 9:51 PM on May 5, 2002
Crab bisque.
Smoked chicken and fennel terrine with wasabe sourdough.
Grilled shrimp and fettucine.
Salads and fresh vegetables, depending on what's at the farm stands.
Dark chocolate pecan praline pie and ice cream.
posted by ebarker at 12:17 PM on May 7, 2002
Any gaps in the cones (say, at the base) are easily sealed up with some tempered chocolate in a piping bag.
posted by ebarker at 2:12 PM on May 22, 2002
"You're still here?" he says, looking quizically into the crowd. "It's over. Go home."
He walks away, then glances back, and waves his hand. "Go!"
posted by werty at 7:01 AM on May 29, 2002
Never miss a chance for a Buffy reference.
posted by ebarker at 12:09 PM on June 1, 2002
posted by ebarker at 10:44 AM on June 7, 2002
Now,
Goodnight everybody, enjoy the buffet.
posted by evanizer at 6:18 PM on June 12, 2002
sigh. swore I wouldn't ever post to this thread. as always, i blame thirteen.
posted by Sapphireblue at 4:19 PM on June 17, 2002
posted by ljromanoff at 7:01 PM on July 2, 2002
posted by the_ill_gino at 6:35 PM on July 4, 2002
posted by yhbc at 2:04 PM on July 24, 2002
posted by Iax at 5:15 PM on July 24, 2002 [1 favorite]
But how many bens does it have? huh? huh?
posted by Neale at 9:36 PM on July 24, 2002
posted by ljromanoff at 7:54 AM on July 25, 2002
posted by timewarp at 9:55 AM on September 20, 2002 [4 favorites]
« Older Cyber Patrol hacker sells out for one dollar | Everyone screams for ice cream! Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
Matt, I'll be forwarding the official short-and-snarky rulebook to you in email.
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 9:01 PM on March 28, 2000