30 days isn't always 1 month April 20, 2009 5:02 PM   Subscribe

Are MetaTalk posts closed to comment after 30 days or one month?

That alphabet game closed after 31 complete 24-hour cycles (AKA "days") with a message on the bottom that says This thread is over 30 days old, and has been closed for archival purposes.

But it wasn't 30 days. It was one month of 31 days. Shouldn't that message say one month?

And what happens in February?
posted by twoleftfeet to Bugs at 5:02 PM (58 comments total)

This is no way to get a date. Try something out of the house, away from the computer.
posted by found missing at 5:09 PM on April 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


They close after one month. I just checked.
posted by pb (staff) at 5:12 PM on April 20, 2009


These beans are cold, and need heating.
posted by loquacious at 5:23 PM on April 20, 2009


Do I have to wait a week between AskMe posts, or a nautical week? (which is 6.5 days)
posted by ORthey at 5:24 PM on April 20, 2009


T is a good letter to start sentences with. Try it!
posted by Rumple at 5:24 PM on April 20, 2009


Unless...
posted by twoleftfeet at 5:25 PM on April 20, 2009


This post needs some bacon.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 5:35 PM on April 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


Too bad you didn't categorize this as a metafilter gathering (aren't all metatalk threads really metafilter gatherings?). Then it would stay open for somewhere between 180 and 185 days, and be extra confusing.
posted by dersins at 5:38 PM on April 20, 2009


Tsk.
posted by davejay at 5:40 PM on April 20, 2009


Thank God this has been settled.
posted by shmegegge at 5:41 PM on April 20, 2009


I live my life by the Mayan calendar, the hell with the rest of you people. I'll see you all at that meetup on 12.18.16.2.6, 3 Cimi 4 Zotz.
posted by marxchivist at 5:43 PM on April 20, 2009 [2 favorites]


31 days is 30 sidereal days.
posted by DU at 5:45 PM on April 20, 2009


It's even neater when thread was posted on the last day of a month that has fewer days in it than the month that follows, because then thread-closing day happens twice.

For example. Warning: giant, awesome thread.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:53 PM on April 20, 2009


So obviously February is a suboptimal time to post, although slightly less so on Leap Years.

I always hated February.
posted by empyrean at 6:16 PM on April 20, 2009 [1 favorite]


I think it should be based on a lunar month, so I can calculate the exact point at which any given MetaTalk thread will coincide with the onset of my PMS.
posted by amyms at 6:30 PM on April 20, 2009 [3 favorites]


In my way of thinking, February 28th on a non-leap year is an excellent time to post if you're prophetic enough to know a cult thread before it manifests. You'd get three false closures before the hammer actually finally dropped.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:37 PM on April 20, 2009


Just keep your eyes on this thread for the next 30 days and you will have your answer.
posted by Sailormom at 7:49 PM on April 20, 2009


February 28th on a non-leap year is an excellent time to post if you're prophetic enough to know a cult thread before it manifests

Thank you for exposing this fundamental vulnerability. One more step (??????) then... Profit!
posted by twoleftfeet at 8:20 PM on April 20, 2009


31 days is 30 sidereal days.

ummm, no... 365.25 days is 366.25 sidereal days...
posted by russm at 9:27 PM on April 20, 2009


Nah man, it's still 4/20 somewhere in the world, or something like that, right? Is this the Alpha Bits thread?

/me looks around


what?
posted by not_on_display at 9:40 PM on April 20, 2009


Oh man. I just saw the original Alphabits song. This kid, Michael Jackson, is going places. Mark my word.
posted by twoleftfeet at 1:15 AM on April 21, 2009


Peut être another Michael Jackson Alphabits experience would not be inappropriate.
posted by twoleftfeet at 1:22 AM on April 21, 2009


Quit showing me more Michael Jackson videos where Michael Jackson sings about Alphabits.

OK. Just stop it.
posted by twoleftfeet at 1:26 AM on April 21, 2009


Related: Michael Jackson sings about Alphabits.
posted by twoleftfeet at 1:28 AM on April 21, 2009


Say, Say, Say is one of the greatest pieces of music ever written because it incorporates the talents of two great musical geniuses; Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. Each of these titans of the tune will undoubtedly be remembered for Eternity for the sheer beauty of their creations, but together their music was not only sublime but angelic. And Lennon couldn't dance.
posted by twoleftfeet at 1:35 AM on April 21, 2009


The lyrics to ABC can be learned by almost anyone.
posted by twoleftfeet at 1:54 AM on April 21, 2009


Using Michael Jackson was wrong, but entertaining.
posted by twoleftfeet at 1:58 AM on April 21, 2009


Versions of the ABC song exist which are unrelated to Michael Jackson.
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:03 AM on April 21, 2009


White kids don't necessarily know their ABCs.
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:04 AM on April 21, 2009


Xtra! Xtra! Priscilla Presley signing on ABC!
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:07 AM on April 21, 2009


You hurt my brain, Michael Jackson!
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:08 AM on April 21, 2009


ZAMBONI.

Sorry. I just had to get that out of my system. Now I can sleep.
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:10 AM on April 21, 2009


Allright, so Vitamin V, Delicious D makes no sense nutritionally, but the tune is catchy, so I'll eat that food. Especially those yummy D vitamins. They taste so good!
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:03 AM on April 21, 2009


Butt. Michael Jackson's sister has a fat.
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:07 AM on April 21, 2009


Converting to Islam and changing his name to Mikaeel won't really change the Michael Jackson I grew up with.
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:16 AM on April 21, 2009


Diseases named for Michael Jackson include Vitiligo.
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:19 AM on April 21, 2009


Even if Michael Jackson was a real person and not just some kind of robot, it would hardly justify the amount of effort I've put into these comments.
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:25 AM on April 21, 2009


I knew there was a reason why I woke up crying.
posted by The Whelk at 5:01 AM on April 21, 2009 [1 favorite]


Last time I checked 31 days is more than 30 days so that would mean a 31 day old thread is over 30 days old making the statement true, even if it did get shut down after the 31st day.
posted by Pollomacho at 5:46 AM on April 21, 2009


Sweden had a February 30th in 1712.
posted by Chrysostom at 6:04 AM on April 21, 2009


Although the leap day was omitted in February 1700, the Great Northern War began later that year, diverting the attention of the Swedes from their calendar so they did not omit leap days...

It's a little known fact that the Great Northern War was actually a cunning diversion perpetrated by the Swedish Calendar Printers Guild, B.O.R.K.
posted by steef at 6:20 AM on April 21, 2009


From Chrysostom's link:

Although the leap day was omitted in February 1700, the Great Northern War began later that year, diverting the attention of the Swedes from their calendar so they did not omit leap days on the next two occasions, causing 1704 and 1708 to remain leap years.


That's the best excuse I've ever seen or heard. I plan to use it for everything from now on. "I missed the deadline. Sorry: Great Northern War!"
posted by languagehat at 6:22 AM on April 21, 2009 [3 favorites]


For the last time: one thread is calibrated to exactly one Homer and is roughly equivalent to eleventy hobbits or a faggot of steel.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

This will not be an alphabet thread. This will be a joyous thread of made-up measures and substitutions, after J Robert Lennon.

I'll go first:

One joyous thread of made-up measures and substitutions = 2 1/2 alphabet threads
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 6:25 AM on April 21, 2009


2 pieces of good news for the insane = 1 piece of good news for the slightly disturbed
posted by not_on_display at 8:11 AM on April 21, 2009


Some Pieces Of April = 1 Surprisingly okay Katie Holmes flick.
posted by The Whelk at 8:40 AM on April 21, 2009


Saying Pieces of April is a Katie Holmes flick is like saying Punch Drunk Love is an Adam Sandler flick.
posted by ODiV at 11:38 AM on April 21, 2009


12 US metropolitan areas on New Years Eve = 1 New Orleans Metafilter 10th Anniversary meetup. FYI.
posted by Night_owl at 12:49 PM on April 21, 2009


One desire to change a comment to read "Surprisingly good performance from Katie Holmes" = A vast longing for more foresight, clarity, and judgment.
posted by The Whelk at 1:02 PM on April 21, 2009


Sorry, I like you guys very much but = 0.3 I don't think this is the way to get a substitutes thread off the ground. Get crackin'!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:54 PM on April 21, 2009


PROFIT = ???
posted by not_on_display at 9:08 PM on April 21, 2009


Sick Feeling From Setting At Computer All Fucking Day And Accomplishing Almost Nothing = +3more glasses of Whiskey Before Bed = One bout of uncontrollable sobbing later on in life.
posted by The Whelk at 9:53 PM on April 21, 2009


3 more glasses of whiskey = - (pants + dignity)
posted by little e at 2:22 AM on April 22, 2009


Pants - Dignity = Public Transportation.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 5:19 AM on April 22, 2009


(Public transportation + 3 glasses of whiskey) ÷ pants = √(my plans for this afternoon)
posted by little e at 5:51 AM on April 22, 2009 [1 favorite]


[√(my plans for this afternoon)] (t) = pants * steak whiskey/τ where τ = 10 minutes walking distance from the bar.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:56 PM on April 22, 2009


Dignity - Pants = Pubic Transportation + LOLOL!!!11
posted by not_on_display at 1:49 PM on April 22, 2009


Crazy (Dignity - Pants)
__________________ = MUNI
Angry
posted by The Light Fantastic at 2:26 PM on April 22, 2009


One night stand = (√Crazy - Pants/Dignity) * Booze
posted by grapefruitmoon at 3:09 PM on April 22, 2009


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