The Meta forum just went bye-bye.

[WilliamPitt]

About goddam time, imho.

[Xyzse]

1. Yep, I just saw it for a second with the

Ask the Administrators and then it disappeared as soon as I went to the other group.

[Iggo]

2. R.I.P. Meta

[talkingmime]

4. No offense intended, but why is that funny?

[MiddleFingerMom]

34. Just a guess -- but I'd bet it's the heaviness of the sarcasm.

[talkingmime]

37. I still don't get it. Pardon my ignorance.

[Bucky]

64. See post #3 in this thread for the answer

[HappyMe]

72. Because it is funny.

The whole thing has been dumped into the hell fire, where it belongs.

[Iggo]

91. They closed the Headhunters Clubhouse with no warning...

...no doubt pissing off many a headhunter, which I find quite hilarious.

[talkingmime]

3. I noticed that too. It was some kind of cess pool for hatred, best I could tell.

I just thought it was a quirk, but "Ask the Administrators" took its place, whatever that means.

[MiddleFingerMom]

35. It's a group where you (and everyone else) can ask questions of the Admins directly.

.
.
.
Once your question is asked, the thread is locked until an Admin answers -- and then you
can respond to them. No one else can post in your thread at all.
.
It was truly helpful and informative and oftentimes funny.
.
.
.

[talkingmime]

40. I'm clueless on the matter. Is it a humor group?

[kentauros]

54. In the beginning, it's humorous.

That will fade as people decide to ask useful questions. They did this another time in the past, and we all jumped into it to ask silly questions.

Like everything else around here, things go in spurts of cycles, and you'll see a bunch of funny questions all over again.

Nothing to panic about or get upset over. It's just a little fun for now and then we'll be back to all seriousness ALL THE THYME!!1!1!

[talkingmime]

58. In the beginning there was nothing and God said "LET THERE BE LIGHT!"

Everythings been fucked up since then.

[kentauros]

59. Well, a talking unstable-planet killing nuclear bomb also said "Let there be light"

in the movie Dark Star. The end of the movie followed soon after, although humorously

[talkingmime]

63. I have that movie on my computer. I first saw it in like 1980 or something.

It was at Balticon (Baltimore, MD) and I bought a bong made from a huge test tube and there was a woman wearing nothing but a 16' python, strategically arranged, walking around with her naughty bits barely covered. I was a high school guy and I was really hoping that python would spot a rat or something. That's also the first time I saw "Bambi Meets Godzilla" and it's also the first time I could tell a woman was completely shaved clean in the nether regions. That sort of freaked me out. I know it's common now, but it wasn't 33 years ago.

I can't find a link to "Dark Star" right now and it would be a copyright violation to upload it from my computer. Otherwise I would post a link. Hell, if I could post a link of the woman with the python I'd do that too, but the damn thing never moved!!! It also pre-dated camcorders. I've owned constrictors so I'll assume she fed it first. They get lethargic when they're fat dumb and happy. Bummer. They also like to sleep in your shirt for the warmth. I like snakes, in case you haven't guessed. They're cool critters and I never have a problem handling one, even the poisonous ones. They aren't aggressive if you aren't.

Still, I wish the python would have gotten out of the way of the goods, but hey, I was like 17 or something at the time. She was probably about twenty-three. I've got a daughter about that age now. Times change. Maybe I'll get my daughter a snake for her birthday.

(sigh)

And seriously, even poisonous snakes aren't aggressive. I've handled them. If you don't pose a threat, they don't perceive it as one. What they want is food. Humans aren't snake food. They only bite if you challenge them and even constrictors have fangs. I've never been bitten by any type of snake, but I also don't show fear.

[Honeycombe8]

75. Hmmmm. Were you perhaps the target of some of that hatred?

I know some who were.

I don't think I was, particularly. Posters seemed to bypass that and just placed me on ignore tout suit. I view them as my badges of honor.

[pipi_k]

5. Wow...I thought

I had misplaced it, just like I misplace a hundred other other things around my house only to never find them again.

Good riddance, I say. It was creating/enabling a toxic atmosphere.

[Wait Wut]

23. That would be horrible.

A couple of months ago, I put on a light-weight winter jacket I hadn't worn in two years. I found a $10 in the pocket!

Now, if I had reached in my pocket and found a misplaced Meta?

[pipi_k]

46. aughhhh!!!

Misplaced pocket Meta!

Worse nightmare than apocalyptic dead Snooki zombies!

[Wait Wut]

47. "Pocket Meta"

I don't know why that made me visualize that evil little doll from Trilogy of Terror.

[pipi_k]

55. Interesting

association there...

Anyway, that was a creepy-cool story. Better than Chuckie, even

[HappyMe]

73. Eeew!

Meta would have probably felt like a mix of cold baked beans, pudding and spaghetti in your pocket.

[Bertha Venation]

104. Well, that's a vivid image.

I can almost feel it.

[Kali]

6. it was amusing at first, but sure got old fast

gotta wonder what the troll hunters and outrage junkies are gonna do now? I bet there will be an uptick in jury calls

[Ptah]

36. Being a lounge host might get interesting.

[Wait Wut]

48. I just read on Ask Admin...

...that Hosts should be deleting disruptive posts about DU.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/125981

Be brave, mighty hosts!!!

[MiddleFingerMom]

38. Where does one go when the pedestal one has placed oneself upon goes away?

[talkingmime]

85. Personally, I go to the porcelain pedestal that has a stand with the comic pages on it.

The cats like to "help" me read.

[mythology]

90. Presumably

one falls on their rump with a certain lack of grace at the unexpectedness of the fall.

[WolverineDG]

92. Yeah, but now where do I go to find out what I should be outraged about this week?

I liked Meta at the start, but it did become Witch Hunt Central.

[BainsBane]

7. Wise move on the admins part

I think we'll all be better off without it.

[HappyMe]

77. 1849

[BainsBane]

78. ?

[HappyMe]

79. Seriously?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=291098

[BainsBane]

80. Oh, you thought I had my post count memorized?

Why would I? I assumed it was a historical date.

[HappyMe]

81. lol!

Please.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

8. I made it gp bye bye as soon as I was enabled

What a waste of bandwidth!

[steve2470]

9. Noble experiment, but yes I agree with you nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. It had turned into a train wreck.

The idea was a good one - in theory - but it had become a forum for all manner of whining, puling, sniveling, and kindergarten behavior in general. If people can't play nice without whacking each other with their toys it's time to shut the playground down. It was disheartening, though, to see how (alleged) adults repeatedly got their panties in such a twist over an internet message board.

[Bertha Venation]

105. I love a cat with a great vocabulary.

Puling. Great word.



PS That sounds a little condescending. None intended!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

106. I can haz dictionary?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

11. good

[Wait Wut]

24. ...

Good to see you.

[Knightraven]

32. I know I am being nosy, however I would like to ask a question about your departure.

Why did you wish to leave? I saw the two post on my first day as well as the amount of people that was worried. And my curiosity is getting the best of me.

[talkingmime]

86. Today is Friday (hint)

[LittleBlue]

12. Thank God, it was a cesspit of poisonous behavior n/t

[Knightraven]

13. I was having problems understanding what it's purpose was.

However, that could be due to how new I am.

[Thegonagle]

119. Its purpose was to accuse each and every new member of being a right wing shill/troll.

Ideological purity was paramount, although the "correct" ideology was subject to endless debate.

Total garbage. Pure paranoia.

[bluedigger]

14. I was in there when they shut the door.

Thought I got zotted.

[Wait Wut]

25. What was it like?

Did you see geometric shapes? Or, was it more like the black hole part of 2010? Was there screaming or a peaceful acquiescence?

[bluedigger]

27. It was peaceful really, kind of like this.

[Wait Wut]

30. Oh no...

...I know what you're saying. Meta was PEOPLE!!! Meta was made out of PEOPLE!!! Thank god you made it out alive! And, all this time I thought Skinner was a Simpson's reference. It's LITERAL! !!! !!!

[bluedigger]

31. Shhh!

Ix-ney on the eople-pey.

[BainsBane]

113. Soylent Green

perfect metaphor.

[bluedigger]

115. Probably better for us not to know how the sausage is made.

[HappyMe]

83. Zotted?

[bluedigger]

84. Freeperese for PPR'd.

Don't hate me!

[talkingmime]

87. I don't get the reference. Zot was a comic book "Brewster Rocket" sort from the 80's.

Before that I think there was a Zot that was basically a round circle with apendages that was on PBS to give anti-something or another messages (not drinking or drugs, something else). I'm sorry, but I've never heard it used as a verb.

[mikeytherat]

93. In the comic strip "B.C." an anteater character makes the noise "ZOT!" when he snags anything.

mikey_the_rat

[talkingmime]

95. I'm quite familiar with that. That's a fun strip. But I still don't get it other than "death".

Is that all it means?

[mikeytherat]

96. I think it's more the object suddenly disappearing to the sound of "ZOT."

Thus, it has been "Zotted." That's my take, anyway. I reserve the right to be wrong. I rolled in at 1:30, and I'm only on cup of coffee No. 1.

mikey_the_rat

[talkingmime]

97. Ah, guillotine sort of thing. I think I understand now. I don't do coffee anymore so I'm sorta slow.

[bluedigger]

98. From our arch internet enemies at Free Republic.

When members of Free Republic, or "Freepers" get tossed off their site, they get "zotted". We didn't make it up, they did.

[talkingmime]

99. That's sort of a silly word to use.

[bluedigger]

100. Take it up with Free Republic.

[talkingmime]

101. No thank you. I wouldn't want to contribute to their hit count.

[Thegonagle]

120. What does PPR'd mean?

I know it means Tombstoned, but in DU3, everybody started saying PPR'd instead of Tombstoned.

It's not like I really give a fuck, but why the change?

[bluedigger]

122. Posting Privileges Removed.

[hobbit709]

15. What are all the whiners going to do?

Most of it was complaining that either a jury didn't vote the way they wanted or even if it did, not everyone on the jury voted their way.

I guess i'll have to find something else to read for my amusement.

[NRaleighLiberal]

16. another reason to crack a beer tonight!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

18. ... as if we needed a reason

... but I feel like I've lost an entertainment source. A "lounge" from hell.

[NRaleighLiberal]

19. true - I already had a reason. Because it is Thursday - and tomorrow is Friday (another reason!)

[LittleBlue]

21. Indeed. The outrage merchants will be crying themselves to sleep

A beer or 3 is in order.

[pinboy3niner]

17. The Great Meta-morphosis of 2013

A day that will go down in infamy!

[Waiting For Everyman]

20. Now we can all say we "remember the day when" Meta got nuked!

"Memories... light the corners of my mind... misty water-color memories... "

[WorseBeforeBetter]

22. DU's resident hall monitors will be beside themselves.

[MadrasT]

28. !!!

I was just looking for that very grumpycat pic to post it.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

33. There's a Grumpy for everything!

This one quickly became my personal fav:

[Kali]

43. some of them are hosts

and skinner has given them a fabulous gift

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1259&pid=34


(and hey, I may have my own exception now - or at least the Lounge has one, but keep it light http://www.democraticunderground.com/125933 )

[WorseBeforeBetter]

45. Well, I was thinking of one hall monitor in particular...

and trying to avoid a call-out.

Scrambling to update SOPs... too funny!

[Jim Lane]

26. Differing with the crowd, I'm dubious about this move.

I seldom read Meta but I think its existence served as a safety valve. Now all those whining posts that I don't want to read will be showing up in areas that i do read.

We'll see how it plays out. The key question will be what happens to all the posts "bemoaning the current state of DU" that would've gone to Meta. If people just mutter to themselves or send irate PM's to their friends, fine, but my guess is that a significant fraction of the former Meta stuff will show up elsewhere on the site.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

44. Maybe they'll learn to control themselves...

hahahahaha.

[yewberry]

29. Terrific decision.

Meta was an open sewer.

[In_The_Wind]

39. About goddam time, In my not humble opinion!

Skinner is my hero!
Oh and, so are you!!!

[img][/img]

[Baitball Blogger]

41. Have some respect. There will be some Metazens that will be in mourning.

<insert gravedancing gif>

[WilliamPitt]

42. DUer geek tragedy said some people are going to need a 'metadone' clinic.

I peed.

[In_The_Wind]

50. Indeed!

[RILib]

49. Am I the only person who has no idea what this was?

[name not needed]

51. Consider yourself lucky.

[pipi_k]

57. It was

the Jerry Springer Show of DU.

[Kali]

60. !

[GoneOffShore]

67. DUZY time!!

Excellent!!

[becca da bakkah]

68. You're Not Alone.....I've Never Even Been There.

But, I'm not weird about it. It wasn't like a purity pledge, or some such nonsense! I just shun conflict, if I can avoid it.

[Call Me Wesley]

52. I weep for the Meta hosts

being fired and all ...

J/K. Enjoy your free time! It's worth it.

Good riddance, Meta/Thunderdome.

[HappyMe]

71. We didn't have shit to do.

It was balls to the walls argument and abuse. People only alerted for SOP if it was a GD thing posted by mistake in meta.

[mokawanis]

53. I will miss META

I understand why admin killed it and I think it's probably best for all concerned but I will miss it.

[hrmjustin]

69. I agree!

[BainsBane]

114. I'm treating it like other

traumatic events in my life: put it in the rear view mirror and move on.

[hrmjustin]

116. I have to say I did not realize how unhealthy it was becoming for some people.

I even was getting in more tiffs with a certain person who thrives on conflict. I think in the end it is for the best that it is gone.

[cordelia]

107. Me, too.

[Jim Lane]

56. The limits of ATA

I just read this thread in Ask the Administrators, about whether jurors should be given more specific instructions. It's a subject that interests me, so I wanted to weigh in.

The result was an error message: "Only the original poster and Administrators can reply to threads in the Ask the Administrators forum."

If someone wants to discuss the jury system -- suggest an improvement, call for its abandonment, whatever -- I'm not sure if the instruction now is: (a) post in the Lounge; (b) post in GD; (c) start your own thread in ATA, to which no one but the Admins will be able to reply; or (d) stifle yourself.

[Kali]

61. the answer matches one of the last funny Meta threads

C

[Jim Lane]

109. The problem with answer (c)

My issue is that starting one's own thread in ATA doesn't allow for horizontal conversations. For example, in the ATA thread I linked, BainsBane called for more specific guidelines for juries. In this thread, RILib has urged that jury decisions be more objective. If I have an idea for a change in the guidelines to make them more specific, I can't post it in ATA in response to BainsBane's post. If I start my own thread there, RI Lib can't respond with a comment as to whether it meets his or her objections, and no one else can respond by pointing out defects in my suggestion that I'd overlooked.

In light of all this sack dancing about the death of Meta, I feel compelled to point out that what replaces it is, in important respects, inferior to Meta.

[Kali]

111. basically we had a whole year to have those discussions

and I suppose "we" blew it by acting like chimps instead. bottom line is you can have a conversation via PM or make suggestions to admins.

"we" turned into animals in meta and the types of conversations you are describing were few and far between. time to try something else. THAT was not working for anything than a repository for fighting (and I actually think that itself is somewhat useful but it sure wasn't functioning the way it had been intended or how you are describing)

maybe it eventually would have smoothed out, but a year was a pretty good trial run and it just seemed to be getting worse.

[Jim Lane]

112. I agree with you about the repository for fighting.

I commented in #26 that some of the posts that would have gone to Meta will probably show up elsewhere, to the detriment of the site.

With regard to the "few and far between" valuable conversations, I'm glad you agree with me that there's at least some element of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I agree with you that Meta had a pretty low SNR. I just skipped past the drivel, but obviously I'm in the minority on that score; most people seem to be offended by the very existence of conversations of which they disapprove.

[BainsBane]

70. I think you'd have to post a new thread yourself

They seem to be looking to avoid ATA's becoming another Meta.

[RILib]

94. Jim

I also think the DU jury system has problems.

I posted elsewhere about a jury I was on and one of the other jurors voted to remove a post that was true because the poster had a low post count and so the juror assumed the poster was a troll. The juror said if the post count had been higher, he would have voted to keep.

That was a plain stupid decision, in my view. I had something similar happen to an early post of mine that criticized Hillary for something she had done.

There's not enough objectivity in the current system.

[magical thyme]

103. complaints about the jury system belong in ATA

This is the Lounge. Set back. Have a drink or two. Take in the kittehs and the pooch's.

[Thegonagle]

118. I hate that low post count matters so much to so many.

I've been here going on 10 years, and have even bought a star or two, but I don't even have 1,000.

And now that DU3 doesn't have the magic "1,000+" that suddenly makes you trustworthy, I quit trying so hard to hit 1,000. I'll never be one of the super posters with 10, 20, 30-thousand, so f--k it.

On the topic, Meta was total sh-+ hole that reflected poorly on this site. Tombstoning it is good for the community and was a good business decision.

[pipi_k]

102. There's a fifth choice...

(e) Rent a megaphone and soap box and rant about it on any random street corner.

[Iggo]

108. The answer is (c).

[union_maid]

62. Got home from work at it was gone

No doubt a good move, but what am I gonna do with all this popcorn now?

[Robb]

65. It provided a space for members to work out their problems ... poorly.

[HappyMe]

74. Poor dead Herbert.

Stuck with Meta for all eternity.

[GoneOffShore]

66. I'll miss it like I miss my wisdom teeth and toenail fungus. Though...

Sometimes for drunken late night browsing it was mildly entertaining. Better than watching QVC reruns.

[talkingmime]

88. The wisdom teeth or the toenail fungus? Neither sounds entertaining to me.

[Apophis]

76. Good.

[olddots]

82. I'll miss it

I have insomnia and it put me to sleep .

[In_The_Wind]

89. poor. poor. you.

[img][/img] [img][/img] [img][/img]

[Ikonoklast]

110. Meta just went back to where it was from originally...

Mos Eisley.

[velvet]

117. On the bright side -

now I'll have more time to lurk in the lounge.

[ileus]

121. RIP funny little dump...

Lot's of fun to watch the daily sideshow.

It served to feed peoples narcissistic side, where will they go now?