Raffling off the big 100K

November 16, 2009 8:32 AM

We're raffling off usernumber 100000! For the next week Through Friday, you can buy $5 raffle tickets (to benefit your choice of five charitable orgs) for a chance to win the big account and airfare to a meetup of your choice.

The details:

1. You can buy as many tickets as you like. The purchase page will let you buy multiple tickets in one go.

(You can divvy your tickets up among multiple charities if you want to, by going through the purchase process multiple times and choosing a different charity each time.)

2. The face value of tickets will go to the charity; we'll eat the paypal commission fees on the transactions and write five checks at the end, one to each organization, for the full amounts donated.

3. The organizations are:

- Doctors Without Borders
- Kiva
- DonorsChoose.org
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Creative Commons

4. The prizes:

The grand prize is ownership of account 100000—you can name it whatever you like and it's yours to keep. (You're also expected not to do anything with it that'd break the guidelines, so don't get any Bond Villain ideas, please.)

The grand prize winner will also be given airfare to attend the meetup of their choice, wherever it is and wherever they're coming from. Keep in mind it's just the roundtrip ticket; accommodations and so forth are up to the winner.

If the grand prize winner isn't able to travel for whatever reason, they have the option of having a meetup come to them: we'll fly in one of the mefi mods. Instant nerd party!

Five runner up prizes will be drawn as well, good for one (1) t-shirt of your choice from the Metafilter Shop and one (1) copy of the Metafilter Compilation Album.

5. The drawing will be done in the style of a normal raffle—buying more tickets gets you a better chance to win, but every ticket has a chance to win. Whether we have a physical raffle or use a random number generator will mostly depend on the volume of tickets, but in either case we'll take some pictures.

6. The raffle will run for one week; next Monday until Friday, at noon Friday we'll close it down and arrange a drawing and announce winners as quick as we can.

posted by cortex (staff) to MetaFilter-Related at 8:32 AM (676 comments total)

I'm really glad this is actually happening! Thanks for setting it up.
posted by Kimberly at 8:39 AM on November 16, 2009

And for those who missed them, here are a couple recent threads that led up to this:

- mkultra notices the 100K day is approaching
- Matt floats the auction idea
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:42 AM on November 16, 2009

Oh, cool. I don't know why I'm asking (since I never win anything) but could we keep our username and history and just swap out our user number for the Magic Number? Or would that create some sort of hole in space and time?
posted by JoanArkham at 8:45 AM on November 16, 2009

There's a good chance it would invert the positronic matrix, which I think we all know is a bad idea, JoanArkham. So, no, your existing account stays put.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:46 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

my user number will still be cooler.
posted by jonmc at 8:46 AM on November 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

Just give it all to Kiva!
posted by Liver at 8:48 AM on November 16, 2009

also, greg nog? Me and Phil the Bartender found out that bourbon and Moxie mix quite well on the rocks. Thanks for helping us in our quest for truth.
posted by jonmc at 8:50 AM on November 16, 2009

Flying one of the mods to Yellowknife would just be awesome. Course, it would be a pretty small meetup.
posted by ODiV at 8:50 AM on November 16, 2009

Let me be the first to greet the future user #100000 with a hearty and sincere LOLNOOB.
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:51 AM on November 16, 2009 [5 favorites]

I'm kind of indifferent about owning the users number, but I think this is a Very Good Thing ya'll are doing and it once again affirms my belief that the folks who own and operate this here Metafilter place are some of the kindest, most selfless folks on the entire internet.

That said, if I win I shall raffle off my 4-digit username to whomever provides me the most cash, cocaine, or sexual favors.

(ok, not really)

Thanks for doing this.
posted by bondcliff at 8:54 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Oh, and Doctors Without Borders is a great charity. I'm so proud to be part of this website that would rather give to charity and foster a good community than monetize the hell out of everything and enrich itself.
posted by ODiV at 8:54 AM on November 16, 2009 [5 favorites]

If the grand prize winner isn't able to travel for whatever reason, they have the option of having a meetup come to them: we'll fly in one of the mefi mods. Instant nerd party!
posted by cortex

I choose Meatbomb.

Just give it all to Kiva!
posted by Liver

As long as we get to see the actual recipients we are sponsoring.
posted by gman at 8:56 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I am SO in.
posted by ersatzkat at 9:02 AM on November 16, 2009

I added a special "instructions to merchant" note that I'm me, since the email address that I use for paypal is not the same as the one I use for Metafilter.

Assuming I'm not the only one, how are you planning to match winner(s) with current usernames?
posted by dersins at 9:02 AM on November 16, 2009

3. The organizations are:

Hey, I know this is late to the game, but given Matt's recent adventures, is there an OHSU-related charity that could benefit from the money that we should add to the list?
posted by anastasiav at 9:02 AM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

TheSuperPinkSuperhero, here I come!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:07 AM on November 16, 2009 [6 favorites]

I bought 5.

So, guys, who has the most awesome meetups outside of North America?
posted by grapefruitmoon at 9:08 AM on November 16, 2009

how are you planning to match winner(s) with current usernames?

Why would they need to?
posted by ODiV at 9:09 AM on November 16, 2009

I'm going to try to extend my perfect streak of never winning anything in a raffle with this one.
posted by burnmp3s at 9:09 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

how are you planning to match winner(s) with current usernames?

We're storing that in the db in the table for the raffle, no worries.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:10 AM on November 16, 2009

so don't get any Bond Villain ideas, please.

So Hannibal Lector antics are out too?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:12 AM on November 16, 2009

So, guys, who has the most awesome meetups outside of North America?

I'd pick this one.
posted by qvantamon at 9:13 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

Anybody care to wager what the total number of tickets sold will be? I'll go ahead and predict that it breaks $2,500.
posted by Rhomboid at 9:22 AM on November 16, 2009

Yeah, clearly I need to narrow down my criteria: Who has the most awesome meet-ups outside of North America to which I may wear a tshirt without risk of hypothermia and/or frostbite?
posted by grapefruitmoon at 9:22 AM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

If I win, I'm having Vacapinta flown the 230 miles to Manchester AND YOU ARE POWERLESS TO STOP ME.
posted by Jofus at 9:23 AM on November 16, 2009 [7 favorites]

done and done!
posted by special-k at 9:35 AM on November 16, 2009

What a fantastic idea. The flight to a meetup just sweetens the pot.
posted by aclevername at 9:35 AM on November 16, 2009

Where's the "Buy It Now" button?
posted by brain_drain at 9:39 AM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

Instant! Nerd! Party!

Actually that sounds like an average Saturday night. Alone with my husband.
posted by desjardins at 9:43 AM on November 16, 2009 [7 favorites]

If I win, I'm going to name the account "A Farting Dog" and use it as a prototype for a new strain of trolling that my lab has been developing for the last few quarters
posted by Damn That Television at 9:43 AM on November 16, 2009 [5 favorites]

I shall become the Prince of Insufficient Light. If I win ;)
posted by pjern at 9:48 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

qvantamon: Yeah, will you guys really pay for someone to go to an Antarctica meetup? Cause that would be awesome. And it's going to be all First-class flights, right? :-)
posted by Grither at 9:49 AM on November 16, 2009

And if I win, is it ok to Askmetafilter what name I should choose? Or should that stay in Metatalk?
posted by Grither at 9:50 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

This also makes my [more inside] prescient!
posted by pjern at 9:52 AM on November 16, 2009

I'm in, but I'm disappointed GiveWell isn't involved.
posted by JanetLand at 9:53 AM on November 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

I bought tickets. If I win I'm going to make one single post a year from that account for the rest of my life. People will wager on it. Crowds will gather. The jumbotrons and zippers in Times Square will pause at the same time every year as they wait for the message. Children will watch wide-eyed in schools. Congress will declare a momentary recess. Sporting events will go silent as all eyes are on the big screens. It will be An Event.

On the CW network, there will be a Memes of the Nineties retrospective set to a "Melt With You," which is not a Nineties song.
posted by Mo Nickels at 9:56 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

pjern: "This also makes my [more inside] prescient"

Sadly, user 99000 has never posted anything.
posted by octothorpe at 10:00 AM on November 16, 2009

I guess this in an inappropriate thing for me to say, but I would love to have the proceeds go to Matt. And I would like to have some sort of tag on the site just letting us know that he's okay and respecting his privacy at the same time.
posted by effluvia at 10:06 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

I threw $5 in. I've been meaning to create a sock puppet for some time now, so if I win, this will be gog's way of telling me I deserve one.
posted by cjorgensen at 10:08 AM on November 16, 2009

On one hand, it's tempting to say FLY ME TO ICELAND! MEETUP! NO, I WILL NOT EAT ROTTING SHARK, I DON'T CARE HOW ICELANDIC IT IS but on the other hand, I think I'd be more inclined to say 'just take the money you would have spent on the plane ticket and give it to the charity, too.'

Or would I?

It's so hard, trying to be good.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:09 AM on November 16, 2009

bitter-girl.com, I thought the same thing, but then I thought of like 10 places I've always wanted to see, and there are meetups in all of them. I'm pretty poor right now, so the only way I'd be able to do this is if I slept on someone's couch.

I also predict the funds raised will be North of 12k.
posted by cjorgensen at 10:13 AM on November 16, 2009

I'm such an Internerd that the fact that I've been trying to retire my old online handle (MCMikeNamara) for my preferred new online hand (LogopolisMike) is almost as an exciting reason to win this prize as the actually prize itself.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:14 AM on November 16, 2009

On one hand, it's tempting to say FLY ME TO ICELAND! MEETUP! NO, I WILL NOT EAT ROTTING SHARK, I DON'T CARE HOW ICELANDIC IT IS but on the other hand, I think I'd be more inclined to say 'just take the money you would have spent on the plane ticket and give it to the charity, too.'

Note to all the nice people on this site: if I win, I'm definitely taking a trip, so perhaps you should buy more tickets in hopes of keeping someone like me from winning.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:16 AM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

You assholes and your "do nice things for other people" bullshit. For years I've been lording the fact that I got in before you had to pay over the great unwashed and now you've gone and made me give you money.
posted by juv3nal at 10:18 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

ooooh.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:23 AM on November 16, 2009

I'm buying tickets not cause I'd know what to do with another account, but cause I didn't have to pay to sign up. Nonetheless, I would accept my plane ticket prize. Unless the Cabal insists I bring an admin to it. Fortunately, TINCC.*

*there is no Chicago Cabal.
posted by crush-onastick at 10:27 AM on November 16, 2009

Note to all the nice people on this site: if I win, I'm definitely taking a trip, so perhaps you should buy more tickets in hopes of keeping someone like me from winning.

Yeah, me too. I would have no matter what, but I originally was only considering that MeetUps take place in the US (not that this would have stopped me), but all this talk of Iceland makes me

That said, despite my greed, I'm really happy with the charity choices, but in case some of you (like me) aren't immediately familiar with all of them and are too lazy/busy to Google (unlike me), here's links to all the charities listed along with descriptions:

- Doctors Without Borders
- Kiva
- DonorsChoose.org
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Creative Commons
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:27 AM on November 16, 2009

oops...all the copy/pasting messed up my original post. It was supposed to read "makes me itching to meet some non-American MeFis face to face, even if my original read of the contest shows that I'm probably too US-centric in my way of thinking."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:29 AM on November 16, 2009

Ooh, good call, man. Let me appropriate your hyperlinking into the post itself.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:31 AM on November 16, 2009

I'm in. Now I plan to spend the rest of the day trying to come up with another indecipherable acronym...
posted by 1f2frfbf at 10:33 AM on November 16, 2009

All in.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:33 AM on November 16, 2009

If the winner decides to have their "meetup" in Paris, I promise to attend.
posted by vacapinta at 10:35 AM on November 16, 2009

If I win, I'm going to Portugal to bring back the head of MiguelCardoso.
posted by ColdChef at 10:36 AM on November 16, 2009 [25 favorites]

Although if the winner has their meetup in London, Lisbon, Madrid, Boston or NYC I'll probably attend anyways!
posted by vacapinta at 10:37 AM on November 16, 2009

Somewhere, deep in the earth, an Astro Zombie waits to be born.
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:38 AM on November 16, 2009

I smell shenanigans...I can only get profiles of users up to 99,990...what did you do with the remaining 9? :)
posted by radioamy at 10:39 AM on November 16, 2009

Oh man, I'm more excited about this than any raffle I've taken part in since I was 10. I'm actually slightly worried about what I'd do if I won because the pressure of coming up with a great username would be immense. The best I've thought of is the not very good god's sockpuppet. I'd probably just freak out and end up choosing something stupid like suckpoppet.
posted by Kattullus at 10:42 AM on November 16, 2009

Oh man, if you won that account you'd have to come up with the best sockpuppet name EVER.

All I've got is "This Account Kills Fascists."
posted by The Whelk at 10:43 AM on November 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

radioamy, those are incomplete signups. And someone was gunning for 100000 so they probably won't be completed.
posted by pb (staff) at 10:44 AM on November 16, 2009

Somebody wasted 99,999? Idjit.
posted by ColdChef at 10:45 AM on November 16, 2009 [5 favorites]

That's too bad. How about throwing in 99999 as a second-place prize?
posted by brain_drain at 10:45 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I predict we will raise more than 30K. I also predict that if I win, I will give user account 100,000 the username MyMeFiPony. Oh, and would fly one of the mods to Ireland.

Did you hear that, winner picker? One in five chance of coming to Ireland on MeFi's dime!
posted by DarlingBri at 10:47 AM on November 16, 2009

How about throwing in 99999 as a second-place prize

Yes, this. I'd rather have The Nines than 100K.
posted by dersins at 10:50 AM on November 16, 2009

If I won, I'd be paralyzed with indecision trying to come up with a username worthy of 100000.
posted by octothorpe at 10:50 AM on November 16, 2009 [7 favorites]

The last half-dozen accounts before 100K (and also 100,001) were snagged by the same person, who was obviously making a go for snagging 100K itself and apparently either didn't know we were reserving 100K or was banking on us not having our ducks in a row on that front. Heh.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:52 AM on November 16, 2009

If I win, I promised to wait 'till the humid summer and drag a mod to the annual snake round up and prayer breakfast. If they ask why, I'll say "Oh, I'm trying an experiment with favorites".
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:54 AM on November 16, 2009 [6 favorites]

If I win, I promise to get this account banned ASAP. BURN IT ALL TO THE GROUND, ALL OF IT.
posted by unixrat at 10:54 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Oh, man, this just made my day with it's hilarity. Not hilarious in a bad way, just that belly-guffaw glee type of hilarity. I'm just loving the idea and the prizes. I'm going to try and buy some tickets to throw money at these charities, though I'm not looking forward to actually winning considering I'm shit with coming up with names that aren't attached to animals or electronic equipment.
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:56 AM on November 16, 2009

I'm in.

I've always planned on naming my sockpuppet Warren G. Harding's Splendiferous Pyjamas, and I'm not changing that over some fancy user number.
posted by Bookhouse at 10:57 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is so fun.
posted by roger ackroyd at 10:58 AM on November 16, 2009

Donator or Donor?
posted by Science! at 10:58 AM on November 16, 2009

Unless the Cabal insists I bring an admin to it.

Cortex Does Chicago, Part 2? We better get our live banning this time.
posted by adamdschneider at 10:58 AM on November 16, 2009

Possible names

NotaMod
TehWinnah
Automatic Troll Machine
TheOneHundredThousandater


If I win (and I'll get a ticket when I'm at home on a more secure line) I'd hold a vote on the username.

and, of course, kidnap Cortex, duh
posted by The Whelk at 11:00 AM on November 16, 2009

Also,

Special Snowflake isn't a username yet just sayin'
posted by The Whelk at 11:02 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

sweller
posted by scody at 11:02 AM on November 16, 2009

Sweet! I've got twenty chances to thank goshling and jonathanstrange in person for the Tim Tams they sent me! I'm in it to win it.
posted by ColdChef at 11:08 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Neither is Special Motherfuckin' Snowflake.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:08 AM on November 16, 2009

If I win, I'm hoping New Orleans will be willing to have a Meetup. But I don't know...they don't seem to be much of a party town.
posted by JoanArkham at 11:10 AM on November 16, 2009

I'm going to kill myself trying to think of great usernames for the next week. Curse you MetaFilter!
posted by JeffK at 11:14 AM on November 16, 2009

Adam McAddams the Macadamian Academic
Habakkuk the Munificent
OH MY GOD MY HAIR IS ON FIRE! Oh wait, no it's not.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mosspit
your mom
posted by Kattullus at 11:14 AM on November 16, 2009

I,m sure the thought of one of you flying to Palma de Mallorca will help you pick the right number.
posted by adamvasco at 11:15 AM on November 16, 2009

Oh man. Bestest contest ever! I just bought tickets instead of lunch.
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 11:15 AM on November 16, 2009

If I win, I'm hoping New Orleans will be willing to have a Meetup. But I don't know...they don't seem to be much of a party town.

Fightin' words.
posted by ColdChef at 11:16 AM on November 16, 2009

A Mass Of Molecules
Anti-Ant Man
This Is A Fake Account
HUGGINATOR
posted by The Whelk at 11:22 AM on November 16, 2009

What I keep wondering: if I win, do I have the option of just having my current account moved to 100000?
posted by roll truck roll at 11:24 AM on November 16, 2009

The Whe1k.
posted by ColdChef at 11:24 AM on November 16, 2009

Pistols at dawn Mr. Chef. Pistols At dawn.
posted by The Whelk at 11:27 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

your mom

Damnit. That was totally what I was going to go for. I guess it'll just be grapefruitspoon then.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 11:29 AM on November 16, 2009

This Username Is Taken
posted by mikepop at 11:32 AM on November 16, 2009

surely it would be grapefruitgalaxy, no?
posted by The Whelk at 11:32 AM on November 16, 2009

How about the username "I Won Metafilter"?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:32 AM on November 16, 2009

Sweet. I've always wanted to register ¡!¡!¡!¡!¡!
posted by eyeballkid at 11:33 AM on November 16, 2009

If I get the 100,000th account I'm totally going to make a raffle for naming rights.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 11:35 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

I plopped down $25. I won't try to think up a clever name until I win!
posted by Green With You at 11:42 AM on November 16, 2009

How about "100K Supergold Sockpuppet Ultrachamp"
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:43 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

WOW!
$2000 in three hours.
Total donors: 87
Total donations: $2,030
About half so far has gone to Doctors Without Borders.
posted by ColdChef at 11:45 AM on November 16, 2009

Le site est moi
posted by The Whelk at 11:45 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Got my tickets, but I'm scared that I might actually win and have to think of a good name.
posted by malthas at 11:46 AM on November 16, 2009

Moje francouzské je hrozné

I'll_Stop_Now
posted by The Whelk at 11:47 AM on November 16, 2009

Is there a time limit on using the first prize? Also can the winner give the account to someone else? I'd love to give it to my (currently non-mefite) boyfriend without telling him about the significance of it then see how he handles the attention.
posted by shelleycat at 11:48 AM on November 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

I'm as excited as I get when I buy a lottery ticket for a bajillion dollar win!
posted by kiwi-epitome at 11:51 AM on November 16, 2009

I'm in for 5 chances. (That's all the budget will handle.) But I'm in for the exact same reason that ColdChef is.
posted by pjern at 11:55 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Yay, I'm in! Will people think it's lame that I want to come to the totally normal place they live for a meetup? Then again, why should I care? I'll be the awesome 100K noob!
posted by donnagirl at 12:00 PM on November 16, 2009

IANAL, but I'm pretty sure this means I can take somebody else's user name.

Unfortunately that was exactly the villain's plan in "The Man With The Golden Tater".
posted by qvantamon at 12:02 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I am in for 2. And I may make Cortex come back to DC.
posted by ShawnString at 12:07 PM on November 16, 2009

100000maniacs
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:15 PM on November 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

I'm in! I was heading over to Doctors Without Borders for some holiday lovin' anyway, but this sweetens the deal.

It's cool if the winner brings someone else along on his own dime, right? Like, maybe making the meetup the last leg of his honeymoon?

Also, can user #100K have <img>?
posted by Mayor West at 12:15 PM on November 16, 2009

When you play the lottery, you dream about what you'd do with $X million. Now I can't stop dreaming about what I'd name the account. I'd be paralyzed with fear, knowing I'd be judged on my selection. So I'm going to disappoint you all and announce right now that if I win I'm going to name it
posted by yeti at 12:17 PM on November 16, 2009

Y'all should probably enter moar just to stop me from wasting it on something silly like this:

posted by +-=<<{::[_|00\/3|\|@|_]::}>>=-+ at 12:17 PM on November 16 [+] [!]
posted by juv3nal at 12:20 PM on November 16, 2009

User 100k should clearly have access to the <img> tag, though with the understanding that with great power comes great responsibility.
posted by killdevil at 12:28 PM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

Ooh, good call, man. Let me appropriate your hyperlinking into the post itself.

I love the new 3 hour editing window.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:30 PM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

Sweet! It's like donating, but without all the junk mail.
posted by aniola at 12:34 PM on November 16, 2009

Sweet! I've got twenty chances to thank goshling and jonathanstrange in person for the Tim Tams they sent me! I'm in it to win it.
ColdChef at 10:08 AM

OMG THIS.
AUSTRALIA HERE I COME.
posted by rhapsodie at 12:46 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

So, guys, who has the most awesome meetups outside of North America?

To hell with official meet-ups, if I win this I'm stalking Cardoso.
posted by biffa at 12:47 PM on November 16, 2009

The grand prize winner will also be given airfare to attend the meetup of their choice, wherever it is and wherever they're coming from.

Are there any astro/cosmo/takionauts that are members?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on November 16, 2009

Don't we have a South Pole mefite?

Yes, but he's too earthbound.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:52 PM on November 16, 2009

"The last half-dozen accounts before 100K (and also 100,001) were snagged by the same person, who was obviously making a go for snagging 100K itself and apparently either didn't know we were reserving 100K or was banking on us not having our ducks in a row on that front."

And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!



Note: the account-buyer in question wasn't actually me.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 12:54 PM on November 16, 2009

Total donors: 116
Total donations: $2,520
posted by ColdChef at 12:54 PM on November 16, 2009

Also, can user #100K have ?

Oh shit yeah.
posted by signalnine at 12:54 PM on November 16, 2009

My first thought was that I'd just choose # as my new id but someone took it long ago and never used it. Maybe #100,000
posted by octothorpe at 12:56 PM on November 16, 2009

About half so far has gone to Doctors Without Borders.

I have a feeling this is because DWB is first on the drop-down menu. How about randomizing, or at least periodically re-ordering, the list to test for this and eliminate the bias if there is one?
posted by brain_drain at 12:57 PM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

I could be wrong, of course -- I picked DWB deliberately and I'm sure others have as well.
posted by brain_drain at 12:58 PM on November 16, 2009

I'd rather not take the airfare if I entered and won. Could you figure out a way to donate the equivalent to one of the charities?
posted by ten pounds of inedita at 1:00 PM on November 16, 2009

If <> comes with it, hot damn, you can have some more of my money! PLEASE?!
posted by bitter-girl.com at 1:09 PM on November 16, 2009

I'm in as well.

I'm making no plans on the name, as with others, I'm already paralyzed with fear it being worthy of the number. I mean, look at how creative I was with my current user name. Whoo.
posted by rand at 1:11 PM on November 16, 2009

Thanks so much, Mods & Matt, for the awesomest raffle ever.
posted by angiep at 1:12 PM on November 16, 2009

I <3 Metafilter.
posted by Sailormom at 1:12 PM on November 16, 2009

the user name should be some bizzare unicode symbol.... I can see it now:


I AM
posted by ☀ at 0:00 AM on November 27th [+] [!]


and then we all ascend.
posted by The Whelk at 1:18 PM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

Dang. I meant to say img. I want magical img powers if I win. I promise no chickens having unspeakable things done to them...
posted by bitter-girl.com at 1:18 PM on November 16, 2009

JoanArkham: "If I win, I'm hoping New Orleans will be willing to have a Meetup. But I don't know...they don't seem to be much of a party town"

I'm sure we could arrange that!
posted by radioamy at 1:22 PM on November 16, 2009

Can the winner get the fabled gold star of metafilter?
posted by biffa at 1:27 PM on November 16, 2009

I have a feeling this is because DWB is first on the drop-down menu. How about randomizing, or at least periodically re-ordering, the list to test for this and eliminate the bias if there is one?

I don't mind if we add randomization (it's not like I'd have to do the work, anyway), but we're not really worried about bias here, since in any case it's money going to a good cause.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:28 PM on November 16, 2009

I really like the idea of the ability to win other inactive numbers. For example, of 77177, 77277, 77377, 77477, 77577, 77677, 77777, 77877, 77977, and 77077, only 2 have completed the sign-up process. (I was fixated on the number 7, could you guess?)

Those are numbers that are ripe for fund-raising. Maybe make each an eBay-like auction auction, so someone who really wants a certain number (or maybe just any smaller number, for whatever imaginary bragging rights that they might imagine comes with such a number) could fulfill their wish, if the price is right.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:30 PM on November 16, 2009

anotherpanacea 2: Electric Boogaloo
posted by anotherpanacea at 1:33 PM on November 16, 2009

Just to clarify the fine-print: if you win, are you supposed to choose an existing meetup? Or can you go, "I'm planning on being in Mauii in February, let's have a meetup!"
Or can you find some way to subtly say, "I won! I've always wanted to see Spain" and hope for the meetup to appear?

Also, I'm in.
posted by chococat at 1:34 PM on November 16, 2009

Is there still a mefite at mcMurdo station? Can I fly to a meetup there?

bwa-ha-ha
posted by GuyZero at 1:38 PM on November 16, 2009

☃!

I dare you.
posted by mkb at 1:51 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm halfway tempted to pick "faved" as the account name, should I win. I could develop an alter ego who posts using new-fangled words that never needed to be coined (e.g., conversationing instead of conversing) and lurks conspicuously when we all look back on the Great UnFavening of Aught Nine, being vocally mournful when everyone remembers how awesome it was when the mods axed "faved" as the indicator.
posted by julen at 1:51 PM on November 16, 2009

From what I've heard about Antarctica, from people I know that've been and suchlike, you can't just fly in. You either go as part of an official mission (generally scientific) or you can go as a tourist on a cruise ship (which may not land). So booking a flight to McMurdo for a meetup isn't possible. There's some more info here.
posted by shelleycat at 1:52 PM on November 16, 2009

Round trip airfare for a meetup anywhere? Who do I visit? stavros? dg? ColdChef? Oh man. That's a hell of a prize. Worth more than a user number, really.
posted by eyeballkid at 1:53 PM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

What I really like about this is that, by the coat rack in my office, there's a Doctors Without Borders poster (a map of the world), and every day I see it when I take off my coat and every day I think, "geez, I should send them some money."
posted by JanetLand at 1:56 PM on November 16, 2009

the user name should be some bizzare unicode symbol.... I can see it now ... and then we all ascend.

ND¢ is the bringer of singularity?
posted by filthy light thief at 1:58 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

jrossi100000r
posted by jrossi4r at 1:59 PM on November 16, 2009

Can I pay in IOUs?
posted by turgid dahlia at 2:12 PM on November 16, 2009

Can the winner get the fabled gold star of metafilter?

Indeed, having the gold star as the username would be pretty sweet.
posted by jermsplan at 2:12 PM on November 16, 2009

Total donors: 138
Total donations: $3,000


posted by ColdChef at 2:14 PM on November 16, 2009

Maybe I will just have cortex flown out for a meetup in my basement.

A MEETUP WITH MY HAMMER
posted by shakespeherian at 2:14 PM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

That's an average of about $21 per donor.
posted by ColdChef at 2:16 PM on November 16, 2009

Mods, can you add a banner or something at the top of the site for those who don't lurk on MeTa (shame on them!)?
posted by radioamy at 2:20 PM on November 16, 2009

It's already on the sidebar on the front page, radioamy.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:26 PM on November 16, 2009

Also if I win I'm obviously going with Z҉A҉L҉G҉O̚̕̚.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:28 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

so don't get any Bond Villain ideas, please.

Yeah, you know what? Shit like that is going to keep you from being invited to the celebratory Victory-is-Mine party in my hollowed out volcano lair, bub.

I kid, of course you are invited. Just out of curiosity though, how do you feel about sharks? More specifically, how about genetically modified hyper-intelligent cybernetic sharks that have been trained in the operation of power-armor?

Also, what would you say is the longest period of time you could sprint through a jungle before you became too fatigued to continue? What if you were being chased?

No real reason for asking, I'm just making idle small talk...
posted by quin at 2:29 PM on November 16, 2009 [5 favorites]

I am in.

Can Megan Fox be an honorary moderator?
posted by maxwelton at 2:31 PM on November 16, 2009

Jesus, if the amounts keep growing and end up crazy large by the end of this next week, I may very well have to make out giant cardboard checks for each charity.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:33 PM on November 16, 2009 [14 favorites]

Do you expect me to engage you in idle small talk?
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:33 PM on November 16, 2009

Honolulu meetup here I come!
posted by milarepa at 2:35 PM on November 16, 2009

mathowie: I may very well have to make out giant cardboard checks for each charity.

I've always wanted to combine giant novelty checks with The Big Lebowski and write someone a 3-foot check for 69 cents.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:37 PM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

TheSuperPinkSuperhero, here I come!

If you win, will the mods commit to letting you pinkenate your new userpage?

I might enter if I knew I could transmogrify from "ROU_Xenophobe" to "ROU Xenophobe" complete with italicalness
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 2:40 PM on November 16, 2009

That's an average of about $21 per donor.

IN YOUR FACE, AVERAGE DONOR.
posted by dersins at 2:47 PM on November 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

Uh...

Placeholder comment since my previous one expressing my excitement to participate was fucking axed. I hope my ticket still counts.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:50 PM on November 16, 2009

IN YOUR FACE, AVERAGE DONOR.

I wanted to donate my averages once, but no one cared.

Oddly enough, a lot of people were interested in my deviations.
posted by qvantamon at 2:51 PM on November 16, 2009

I wanted to donate my averages once, but no one cared.

That's because they're mean.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:59 PM on November 16, 2009 [15 favorites]

"having the gold star as the username would be pretty sweet"

but a bitch to log in.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 3:00 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Is there a unicode symbol for an elephant pissing?
posted by qvantamon at 3:04 PM on November 16, 2009

My mother-in-law gave me a check for my birthday which I have yet to cash, so I am spending it all on this.

If I were to win, I would name the account "DAMMIT MOM, I ASKED FOR AN IPOD"
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 3:07 PM on November 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

I know you wouldn't make as much money, but I think user #100000 should have to have the user name "Instant Nerd Party".
posted by The Bellman at 3:14 PM on November 16, 2009

I, for one, would be honored to use "Instant Nerd Party" as my username should I win. Though "Dorkalicious" is probably a close second.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 3:16 PM on November 16, 2009

I'd go with Hoppitamoppita, but that's just me.
posted by The Bellman at 3:18 PM on November 16, 2009

Night Rammer
Robot Jammer
Springboard Slammer

would be my pick. How long can usernames be, anyway?
posted by kuujjuarapik at 3:27 PM on November 16, 2009 [6 favorites]

cortex: "It's already on the sidebar on the front page, radioamy"

d'oh.
posted by radioamy at 3:28 PM on November 16, 2009

Oh man, if you won that account you'd have to come up with the best sockpuppet name EVER.

I have the best sockpuppet name ever for MeFi, and I keep thinking I might register it one of these days. Somehow user#100000 seems kind of incompatible with the function of a sockpuppet, though. 100000 is for showboating.

And I didn't even make it to a meetup two miles from my apartment, I'd never use airfare to go to another one someplace else.

I am such a wet blanket. But this is a really good thing you're doing here, Matt.
posted by dilettante at 3:42 PM on November 16, 2009

Since we're all entering via paypal- is there any way to make sure that the charities get all of it, rather than the X-2.9%-$0.30 per paypal transaction? I know ebay does something where it eats the fees when the proceeds are going to charity. Since they own paypal, is it worth asking if something similar is possible?
posted by arnicae at 3:49 PM on November 16, 2009

How long can usernames be, anyway?

posted by Peace Treaty between the Holy Roman Emperor and
the King of France and their respective Allies.

In the name of the most holy and individual Trinity: Be it known to all, and every one whom it may concern, or to whom in any manner it may belong, That for many Years past, Discords and Civil Divisions being stir'd up in the Roman Empire, which increas'd to such a degree, that not only all Germany, but also the neighbouring Kingdoms, and France particularly, have been involv'd in the Disorders of a long and cruel War: And in the first place, between the most Serene and most Puissant Prince and Lord, Ferdinand the Second, of famous Memory, elected Roman Emperor, always August, King of Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Arch-Duke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Brabant, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Marquiss of Moravia, Duke of Luxemburgh, the Higher and Lower Silesia, of Wirtemburg and Teck, Prince of Suabia, Count of Hapsburg, Tirol, Kyburg and Goritia, Marquiss of the Sacred Roman Empire, Lord of Burgovia, of the Higher and Lower Lusace, of the Marquisate of Slavonia, of Port Naon and Salines, with his Allies and Adherents on one side; and the most Serene, and the most Puissant Prince, Lewis the Thirteenth, most Christian King of France and Navarre, with his Allies and Adherents on the other side...
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:51 PM on November 16, 2009 [12 favorites]

This is almost as exciting as that time when jessamyn promised me dancing pumpkins on askme and I kept reloading the page all day until I finally got pumpkins!

Seriously, it's cool to come back and reload and see where things are at. I like the chart. It might incentivize people to pick one of the charities that are lagging.

> ...we're not really worried about bias here, since in any case it's money going to a good cause.

I get this, but as someone who threw his chips behind the EFF I don't want to see my choice suck it!

This is inspiring to me. I entered once because that's all I had in my PayPal account. I might have to throw some more in there.

So, it would be funny to me if user #100K gets media attention and then has to try to explain why he took the name "chicken fucker."
posted by cjorgensen at 3:53 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Since we're all entering via paypal- is there any way to make sure that the charities get all of it, rather than the X-2.9%-$0.30 per paypal transaction? I know ebay does something where it eats the fees when the proceeds are going to charity. Since they own paypal, is it worth asking if something similar is possible?

Interesting question. We're making sure the charities get all of it anyway (see point 2 in the post itself), but if there's an easy way to get paypal to play along that'd be nice.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:55 PM on November 16, 2009

Just bought 5 tickets, plan on buying 23 at some unnamed date at the future.

If I win, Robert Anton Wilson will live forever as a MeFite and I would like to have our meetup in the gold submarine where the cabal usually meets and Starbucks coffee is always free.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 4:00 PM on November 16, 2009

I'm in.
posted by SLC Mom at 4:18 PM on November 16, 2009

I'm in and if I win, I really might have to go with Robot Jammers or Springboard Slammers as my user name because that cracked me up so, so hard.
posted by kate blank at 4:35 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

If the grand prize winner isn't able to travel for whatever reason, they have the option of having a meetup come to them: we'll fly in one of the mefi mods. Instant nerd party!

Oh boy! Apropos of nothing, you-all should be aware that the city-with-an-airport closest to me is no less than the lair of the artist formerly known as Quonsar. Just sayin'.
posted by FelliniBlank at 4:37 PM on November 16, 2009

If only Z̥̮͈̤͍̘ͧͭ̇ͥ́̄͠͞A̬͎̮̯̥̟̩̓ͮͩ͐͢͠Ḷ̬͚̟̫́̅͒͝G̸͚͓̋̈́͛̇̊́Ỏ̶͖̕ could be a username...
posted by azarbayejani at 5:08 PM on November 16, 2009

Ooooh. Can we add tasteful profile CSS modification as part of the prize for the grand prize and/or runners up? Blinking GIFs!
posted by cgomez at 5:09 PM on November 16, 2009

If I win I'm going to raffle off the naming rights because I suck at picking usernames

also I am just kidding
posted by desjardins at 5:12 PM on November 16, 2009

i just got 2. if i win, i'm gonna call it lester's sock puppet's sock puppet. maybe i'll spice it up with a few random parenthesis.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 5:18 PM on November 16, 2009

This is awesome! Yay for crowdsourcing good ideas for the format of this. But I really hope that one of my tickets doesn't win, tbh. The pressure of picking a good username would be too intense...
posted by gemmy at 5:27 PM on November 16, 2009

So the protection against "I want to go to a meetup...A meetup ON THE MOON" is purely social? Better get the MeFi rocketship ready to go.
posted by zachlipton at 5:28 PM on November 16, 2009

I want my new username to be "hardcore taters." Is that taken?
posted by elmer benson at 5:34 PM on November 16, 2009

I'm in. When I win, there's gonna be a meetup on the ISS!
posted by ooga_booga at 5:37 PM on November 16, 2009

Alright, so I've now bought tickets and am way excited. I've also decided that if I win I'll name 100000 Something the MetaFilter Shop Cat and have it wander about the site, moving from a comment to another comment every few days like it's the world's slowest MUD.

Yup, that's right, if I win I'll use it to roleplay a cat on a blog. It's what the internet was made for.
posted by Kattullus at 5:40 PM on November 16, 2009 [10 favorites]

$4000.
Total donors: 188
Total donations: $4,010
posted by ColdChef at 5:40 PM on November 16, 2009

I'm in. I was trying to think of some movie sequel related username for the 100K number when I win, but anotherpanacea already thought of "anotherpanacea 2: Electric Boogaloo" and we already have "mr. crash davis mark II: jazz odyssey."

There should have been a sequel to Gleaming the Cube.

Since I'm not officially an archivist anymore, and really a records analyst now, I could call myself G.S. 132! Ha ha ha...snort...ha...ha. I just kill myself sometimes. Don't you guys love it?
posted by marxchivist at 5:44 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I've also decided that if I win I'll name 100000 Something the MetaFilter Shop Cat and have it wander about the site, moving from a comment to another comment every few days like it's the world's slowest MUD.

Yup, that's right, if I win I'll use it to roleplay a cat on a blog. It's what the internet was made for.
posted by Kattullus

You people are a bunch of geniuses, I don't deserve to win. I really like King Shit of Dickmeasure Mountain someone upthread mentioned.
posted by marxchivist at 5:45 PM on November 16, 2009

jermsplan: "Indeed, having the gold star as the username would be pretty sweet"

mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey: "but a bitch to log in"

Heh, I never thought about that.

For people with nonstandard characters in their usernames: how do you log in on other computers? Do you guys memorize the ALT codes to type the symbols, or do you have to search for one of your comments and copy-paste?
posted by Rhaomi at 5:50 PM on November 16, 2009

What a great idea! But you can all stop now. No more donations needed to water down my chances of winning. I already have my new user name picked out: Darryl: User 100000
posted by The Deej at 5:52 PM on November 16, 2009

In for one, and if I won, I think I'd either like to go to N'Awlins to meet ColdChef and crew, Victoria, BC because it would coincide with my wanting to visit a friend whom I've been wanting to meet in person again for a while, London to visit with essexjan and crew, or... the Philippines because I haven't been back there since I was 14 and have family there.

I am sad, though, that Child's Play isn't on the list of charities to give to, though.
posted by TrishaLynn at 5:54 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Can we have a second raffle to change the name of user number 100000 for extra luls?
posted by shothotbot at 5:59 PM on November 16, 2009

If I won I have no idea where I would go. Who wants me?


SHAMELESSNESS!!
posted by The Whelk at 5:59 PM on November 16, 2009

In for one, and if I won, I think I'd either like to go to N'Awlins to meet ColdChef and crew

That, my friend, is a plan.
posted by ColdChef at 6:04 PM on November 16, 2009

Logging IN? Who the hell logs OUT?
posted by desjardins at 6:06 PM on November 16, 2009 [9 favorites]

P.s I will be in New Orleans in early March FYI
posted by The Whelk at 6:06 PM on November 16, 2009

P.s I will be in New Orleans in early March FYI

We're all busy that month, I think.
posted by ColdChef at 6:07 PM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

Wait. Can you bring greg_nog back with you?
posted by ColdChef at 6:08 PM on November 16, 2009

In what state? I can;t couch he'll be ...lively.

$4,235! 20 of that is me!
posted by The Whelk at 6:10 PM on November 16, 2009

vouch, and "can't" and wow homemade vodka does a number on typing, amiright?
posted by The Whelk at 6:10 PM on November 16, 2009

Yeah. Sorry. New Orleans is for serious drinkers only. I had a quart of gin in my Cheerios this morning.
posted by ColdChef at 6:13 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Sweetie, we haven't entered serious drinking yet. I'll call you when I blackout. You will have to mind my pants.
posted by The Whelk at 6:15 PM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

ColdChef: I had a quart of gin in my Cheerios this morning.

That is a waste of fine cereal.

Also, everybody knows gin goes best with Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs.
posted by Kattullus at 6:20 PM on November 16, 2009

I want my new username to be "hardcore taters." Is that taken?--elmer benson

"the hardest core taters!!1!"
posted by at the crossroads at 6:25 PM on November 16, 2009

gentle softcore taters, for the romantic.
posted by The Whelk at 6:27 PM on November 16, 2009

How about a link to this up in the main navigation?
posted by scottreynen at 6:46 PM on November 16, 2009

It puts the puppet on the hand or else it gets the tater again.
posted by Rhomboid at 6:54 PM on November 16, 2009

I was curious and a huge nerd, I thought I'd help the user number hungry physicists:


For the record, your analysis wasn't very nerdy. In particular, we can all clearly agree that 2.71 is not an 'e' number, that would be correctly 2.72.
Similarly, 3.141 isn't a particularly good π number either. If you use unbiased rounding anyway..

Or, when did nerds stop being pedantic?
posted by Chuckles at 6:55 PM on November 16, 2009

Just want to add, if I win I'll name it HAL 100000

I will only post answers in AskMe and I will respond to all OP's as "Dave."
Like this:

I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
It can only be attributable to human error.
posted by HAL 100000 at t minus PM on December 12, 2012 [+] [!]

or this:

Without your space helmet, Dave, you're going to find that rather difficult.
posted by HAL 100000 at t minus PM on December 12, 2012 [+] [!]


and for the really tricky questions that I didn't read or can't answer, I'll answer like this:

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half crazy all for the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage. But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.
posted by HAL 100000 at t minus PM on December 12, 2012 [+] [!]


saving this one for when I flame out:

Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.
posted by HAL 100000 at t minus PM on December12, 2012 [+] [!]
posted by at the crossroads at 6:57 PM on November 16, 2009 [11 favorites]

I was raffle participant 201!!

I feel like I've already won!

Yay for kick ass MetaRaffles!!
posted by pearlybob at 7:00 PM on November 16, 2009

If I win I want the Astral Mod flown to Austin for our next meetup.
posted by popechunk at 7:19 PM on November 16, 2009

Sweetie, we haven't entered serious drinking yet. I'll call you when I blackout. You will have to mind my pants.

I'd be more inclined to believe you if that last sentence had read: You will have to find my pants.

If I won, I think London or Madrid would be lovely sites for a meetup. Been feeling super nostalgic for Madrid lately.
posted by cmgonzalez at 7:34 PM on November 16, 2009

ColdChef: "In for one, and if I won, I think I'd either like to go to N'Awlins to meet ColdChef and crew

That, my friend, is a plan"

Maybe if we get enough people to say they want to come to New Orleans, then we can plan another super-awesome party and call it the "#MeFi100K Party!"
posted by radioamy at 8:05 PM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

Whoa!

Total donors: 212
Total donations: $5,470

The per-donor average is actually going UP! About an average of $25 a donor. In fact...the last 24 donors have put in around $2400. Go Team Venture!
posted by ColdChef at 8:22 PM on November 16, 2009

For the last time it's a speedsuit!
posted by The Whelk at 8:28 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

> I'd go with Hoppitamoppita, but that's just me.

o hai there
posted by hoppitamoppita at 8:42 PM on November 16, 2009 [6 favorites]

I'm in, but I'm a little scared of winning. So much pressure!
posted by Solon and Thanks at 8:42 PM on November 16, 2009

Dear Cortex

You are cordially invited compelled under threat of torture to join tehloki for a metafilter meetup at the surface of the sun on for all eternity.
posted by tehloki at 8:53 PM on November 16, 2009 [5 favorites]

What's the point?
posted by humannaire at 8:55 PM on November 16, 2009

I'm going to name it something totally forgettable, like luvs2swim4523.

That, or "King Shit of Dickmeasure Hill". Yeah, that'd be the best nick evaaahhh.

...O WAHT that was taken?! by who? ...

DAMN YOU KING SHIT OF DICKMEASURE HILL!!!!! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! OR NOT!!!! MUHAHAHAHAH
posted by not_on_display at 9:16 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Nearly 100k users and no one ever took Bucket of Cocks as a username?? Seriously?

Oh, MetaFilter, I swear to you before the blue, green and gray, that should I win the raffle, Bucket of Cocks shall assume the rightful roll of user 100k.

Or not.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:43 PM on November 16, 2009

The default thing could be having an influence, but I can also say that there have been a few extremely generous individual raffle buys for DWB that I have a hard time believing were shruggo UI burps. In any case, again, it's a good cause, I think probably the first choice of most if not all of the mod team, so (while not meaning to discourage some bar graph-watching fun at all) it's not something we're really concerned about.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:46 PM on November 16, 2009

I suppose C773; is out of the question? What the hell, I'm in anyway.
posted by tellurian at 9:46 PM on November 16, 2009

Obviously.
posted by tellurian at 9:59 PM on November 16, 2009

I wonder if the donation choices have been influenced by the recent thread on Kiva.

I think part of the fun of Kiva is choosing who to donate to (I know, I know, recent fpp, etc.) and with this you don't get that, so.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 9:59 PM on November 16, 2009

Comrade_robot:I was curious and a huge nerd, I thought I'd help the user number hungry physicists:

and

Chuckles:For the record, your analysis wasn't very nerdy. In particular, we can all clearly agree that 2.71 is not an 'e' number, that would be correctly 2.72.
Similarly, 3.141 isn't a particularly good π number either. If you use unbiased rounding anyway..

Also sheesh, arbitrary units for the physical constants. Clearly we should be working in sensible units in which Planck's constant, G, and the speed of light are all 1. And of course that user number is, uh, in use.
posted by nat at 10:06 PM on November 16, 2009

Cx305;
posted by tellurian at 10:07 PM on November 16, 2009

Bugger it. I'm going home.
posted by tellurian at 10:08 PM on November 16, 2009

Frankly, this raffle is biased against doctors who chose a career path in borderology.

Please consider a donation to Creative Commons. People get sick and die all the time, but the world needs laughter would be a boring place for the living, without creativity.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:34 PM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'll go ahead and predict that it breaks $2,500.

lol STFU n00b
posted by Rhomboid at 10:39 PM on November 16, 2009

ColdChef: "Whoa!

Total donors: 212
Total donations: $5,470

The per-donor average is actually going UP! About an average of $25 a donor. In fact...the last 24 donors have put in around $2400. Go Team Venture"

There appears to have been a single $1,000 donation to DWB during that time frame. If that is the case, as of now, with $5,845 donated, that person has a little over 17% of the tickets. I thought I saw two $500 donations earlier in the day. If that is true, then 34% of the tickets so far are held by 3 people. If you take out that $2,000 then the average donation goes from about $25 to about $16.

Not sure what all that means if anything other than there are a lot of generous people here at MetaFilter.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:01 PM on November 16, 2009

I would just like to point out that the Incredibly Dirty Phrase that Teodor says in this Achewood comic is "shivering anus."

That is all.
posted by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 11:08 PM on November 16, 2009

If there is a #100K party in New Orleans I will try very hard to make it there

hell, if it's anywhere vaguely interesting and accessible I will. I've heard New York is worth visiting.
posted by jacalata at 11:11 PM on November 16, 2009

How does it work if you donate to DonorsChoose? Does it go to a/some random projects, or to the organisation itself?
posted by jacalata at 11:14 PM on November 16, 2009

If I win, donate the flight money to Dr Without Borders, give user #100,000 to the person who bought the most tickets, rename tanasil's unused account Seaking, and give it to me, so I can post FUCK YEAH when appropriate.


If these terms are not appropriate (and if I win) then name it "10 in a Million" and I'll fly to Hong Kong.
posted by paisley henosis at 11:17 PM on November 16, 2009

Whoa! I was thinking I wanted to win this - but now I'm torn... I kinda want rhapsodie, cold chef, pjern, special k and chrismear to win!

I know chrismear didn't say he wanted to come visit gosh and me, but I'm still hoping anyway.

Also - I'd have to go with Mr Norrell if I won, and lead to MORE confusion about my gender.
posted by jonathanstrange at 11:32 PM on November 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

I think the 100000th user name should be mathoooooowie.
posted by iamkimiam at 11:38 PM on November 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

I pushed it to $5920 and now it's at $5995. Wow.

So - NYC? New Orleans? London? Decisions... decisions...
posted by deborah at 12:01 AM on November 17, 2009

Shouldn't this be at the top of the frontpage instead of sliding down the sidebar.
Maybe a big Buy Now signal; or maybe not.
posted by adamvasco at 12:09 AM on November 17, 2009

Bought 5! Doctors Without Borders all the way, baby.

If I win, I'm picking Same As in Town and giving the login to everyone so you can all take it for a ride.

yeah ok maybe not
posted by secret about box at 12:10 AM on November 17, 2009

In for 50. Because I'm drunk.

WITH POWER.
posted by tomierna at 12:47 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

I, too, bought some tickets!

This gives me a small chance at winning!

If I win I will be quite pleased! And my username choice will hopefully be at least fairly witty!

Also: go Medicines san frontiers, even though you sound a bit french
posted by Sparx at 1:03 AM on November 17, 2009 [3 favorites]

if i win, i'll call it WOOOO I'M NUMBER ONE! HUNDred... thousand... um, erh.. right then.
posted by empath at 1:20 AM on November 17, 2009

Okay, everyone but Sparx can use my prize account.
posted by secret about box at 1:24 AM on November 17, 2009

Seriously though, if I win I'm going to Melbourne to hang out with Goshling, Jonathanstrange and teh hawt barista.
posted by Jofus at 2:36 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

good luck with that Jofus. i'm tipping melbourne will be somewhere in the mix.
if it's me winning: MEL-JFK-MEL and i'll attempt to coax nickyskye out.
posted by de at 2:56 AM on November 17, 2009

Yes!! you have to meet this hot barista. If only to drink his coffee (you can leave the sighing to me, Gem is welcome to join in though). And you need to try this coffee: OMG. The Slayer coffee is INCREDIBLE, and the Syphon coffee.... *dies in pleasure*.

Also... you get to meet me, gosh, elephantday, and all the other ossum melbournites!
posted by jonathanstrange at 3:05 AM on November 17, 2009

I'm definitely sold on Melbourne.

Will there be kangaroos? I'd love to see a kangaroo.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 4:00 AM on November 17, 2009

I am on this Melbourne junket competition like white on rice.
posted by chrismear at 4:04 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

Is there already a user called Raffles? Because there could be.
posted by flabdablet at 4:17 AM on November 17, 2009

Note to all the nice people on this site: if I win, I'm definitely taking a trip, so perhaps you should buy more tickets in hopes of keeping someone like me from winning.
Yeah, fuck that being nice crap - if when I win, I'll be at the airport before the page has completely refreshed.

Round trip airfare for a meetup anywhere? Who do I visit? stavros? dg? ColdChef? Oh man. That's a hell of a prize. Worth more than a user number, really.
I'll do a deal - if you win you come and see me, if I win I'll come and see you.

To be honest, I don't give a rat's arse about the user number - if I win, I'll sell it on eBay and add the proceeds to the donations. I just want the plane ticket.

Maybe we could practice when I'm in Melbourne next week?
posted by dg at 4:31 AM on November 17, 2009

Okay, everyone but Sparx can use my prize account.

Story of my life in nine words
posted by Sparx at 4:41 AM on November 17, 2009 [4 favorites]

If I win, I am going to make my account public for Anon AskMe followups.
posted by Eideteker at 5:02 AM on November 17, 2009 [3 favorites]

1. no ACLU?
2. southern chilean meetup.
posted by krautland at 5:13 AM on November 17, 2009

Possible usernames:

"I Won And You Didn't But I'll Try Not To Be A Dick About It"

"100K"

"Six-Figure Salary"

"One Million, Here We Come!"

"My Pickup Truck Only Gets 8 MPG but the Train Horn I Added Scares the Hell out of Bike Riders - Gun Control Means Using Both Hands - I'm Declawing My Cat and Circumcising My Baby Boys and You Can't Stop Me - Praise Be To You, Lord Jesus, for Letting Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush Save Us from Communism and Terrorism - Speaking of God: God, Guns and Guts Made this Country Great, Let's Keep All Three"

"ZALGO" - plain, without all of that crap that makes it hard to read.

Plane Tickets:

We don't like to leave the basement, no we don't. We hates the sun: it burns us, yesss, it does, Precious. I wouldn't give the money to charity either, because they've had it too good for too long. I would give it to whomever could entertain me best through song.

I like show tunes.
posted by double block and bleed at 5:22 AM on November 17, 2009 [2 favorites]

I call dibs on:

Seo Master
Seo Guru
MLM Pro
SEM/CRM
posted by cjorgensen at 5:56 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

If I win, I'm relying on one of you lot working for the Norwegian government so we can have a piss up on Bouvet Island...
posted by twine42 at 6:27 AM on November 17, 2009

I think the 100000th user name should be mathoooooowie.

or "son of hooowie"

other possibilities:

notsexist

fedorawearer

king of the tators

20 dollars
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:34 AM on November 17, 2009

- Doctors Without Borders
- Kiva
- DonorsChoose.org
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Creative Commons

No GiveWell!?
posted by delmoi at 6:39 AM on November 17, 2009

I would be happy to pay yearly dues to belong to this site, so yeah, I'm in. In fact, I think we should make this a yearly event.

However, I have no need for another account. All that logging in and logging out and logging back in again so that you can make a joke with a sock puppet account seems like too much work. Plus, I barely have enough time to comment with the SLOG account. So the 100,000 number would definitely be wasted on me. Fortunately my chances of winning are close to nil-- I actually repel money/prizes.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:42 AM on November 17, 2009

cjorgensen, Sour news: I've pretty much got that aspect squared away.
posted by seoiheardyoulikemudkips at 7:03 AM on November 17, 2009

Woooooooooa someone bought 200 tickets? Look, I know it's a charity, but, um, just, wow! Awesome.
posted by cavalier at 7:07 AM on November 17, 2009

Woooooooooa someone bought 200 tickets? Look, I know it's a charity, but, um, just, wow! Awesome.

LOOK CLOSER LENNY!
posted by The Whelk at 7:14 AM on November 17, 2009

I'd go with Hoppitamoppita, but that's just me.

o hai there
posted by hoppitamoppita at 11:42 PM on November 16 [8 favorites has favorites -] Favorite added! [!]

And looking at your posting history, you registered this account just so you could show up in every thread where people say "hoppitamoppita" and drop a comment. Which is totally cool and makes me reconsider my chosen 100K user name. I'm going old school. I'm going with Kibo.
posted by The Bellman at 7:15 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

I think 100K would be a cool username.
posted by purephase at 7:30 AM on November 17, 2009

Jofus: If I win, I'm having Vacapinta flown the 230 miles to Manchester AND YOU ARE POWERLESS TO STOP ME.

That is an evil plan. No-one should ever be subjected to Manchester.
posted by stelas at 7:48 AM on November 17, 2009

I got my raffle tickets! I can't figure out what username I'd pick and I'm a very poor girl so I don't know how I would afford to stay anywhere if I do win a plane ticket somewhere. I have also never been on a plane so this is the scariest raffle I've ever entered. But it's for charity!
posted by shmurley at 8:18 AM on November 17, 2009 [2 favorites]

shmurley, just sleep on PB's couch. It's what I plan on doing if I win.
posted by cjorgensen at 8:28 AM on November 17, 2009

No-one should ever be subjected to Manchester.

I understand ya.... I'm from a town called MMMMMMMMM
MARQUIS! CHA-CHA!*
posted by porn in the woods at 8:28 AM on November 17, 2009

The Bellman: I'm going old school. I'm going with Kibo.

Ooooh, that's a good one. Kibo is so on my short list for shop cat names, should I win, which is mighty unlikely. Since 1234 tickets have been sold as of now my chances of winning are, roughly, 0.4%
posted by Kattullus at 8:30 AM on November 17, 2009

shmurley: I'm a very poor girl so I don't know how I would afford to stay anywhere if I do win a plane ticket somewhere.

You would probably have your choice of couches wherever you'd choose to go. There was quite a bit of that surrounding the 10th anniversary.
posted by Kattullus at 8:33 AM on November 17, 2009

I'm kind of bummed the raffle isn't this week because I would really love to fly from Boston down to Providence to attend the meetup this Friday. Maybe I'd even rent one of those stretch Hummers to get from the airport to the meetup and make a shoutout to my boys at Exxon / Mobil.
posted by bondcliff at 8:57 AM on November 17, 2009 [2 favorites]

If I win the 100k, I'm logging into it and hitting The Button. Try and thwart me with your deep pockets, chumps!

This way, I can revel in being a miserable little shit while still effecting positive change in the world! It's win-win!
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:02 AM on November 17, 2009

Apparently PayPal is aware and disapproves of my crapulent intentions; anyone else getting a Credit Card Declined message for no good reason?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:17 AM on November 17, 2009

anyone else getting a Credit Card Declined message for no good reason?

I got this too. I called them up and they said that the transaction was flagged as potentially suspicious or fraudulent, but that it would be resolved in a indeterminate length of time.

I emailed the mods via contact looking for an alternate payment methodology, but no word yet.
posted by anotherpanacea at 9:22 AM on November 17, 2009

If I win, I'm picking [more inside] as my user name so that no one will ever be able to forget me.
posted by Maisie at 9:22 AM on November 17, 2009

Winning meetup is in my pants.

And I will be flying in YOUR MOTHER.
posted by Rumple at 9:30 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

Maisie: If I win, I'm picking [more inside] as my user name so that no one will ever be able to forget me.

People forget [more inside] all the time.
posted by Kattullus at 9:34 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

Stelas, you have made a powerful enemy.

Hiya!
posted by Jofus at 9:34 AM on November 17, 2009

Maisie: If I win, I'm picking [more inside] as my user name so that no one will ever be able to forget me.

People forget [more inside] all the time.
posted by Kattullus at 12:34 PM on November 17 [+] [!]

Goddamnit! Is "Brandon Blatcher's Spouse" available?
posted by Maisie at 9:40 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

I can only speak for myself, but I wouldn't dare fuck around on Brandon.
posted by gman at 9:52 AM on November 17, 2009

Hmm... anywhere? I just realized how "anywhere" anywhere is!

I sense a candlelight "meetup" with a certain beautiful Australian mefite in my near future.
posted by Eideteker at 9:53 AM on November 17, 2009

Deciding what the 100k username will be if I win is like deciding what tattoo I want. Oh the pressure!
posted by Kimberly at 9:57 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

Eideteker: I sense a candlelight "meetup" with a certain beautiful Australian mefite in my near future.

UbuRoivas is very accommodating, but if he's wearing the wrong kind of silly hat it might catch on fire.
posted by Kattullus at 10:01 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

Are there ever meetups in SPARTA?
posted by dersins at 10:37 AM on November 17, 2009

Whoa! I was thinking I wanted to win this - but now I'm torn... I kinda want rhapsodie, cold chef, pjern, special k and chrismear to win!

This ^. Can't. Stop. Must. Win.

If I do win I will try to bring ColdChef with me to Melbourne.
posted by special-k at 10:39 AM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

Considering I joined MetaFilter before you had to pay, I was happy to buy a ticket! Watching the graph is like watching a race where Doctors Without Borders=Usain Bolt. But I'm pulling for the underdog. Go EFF!!
posted by bluefly at 10:42 AM on November 17, 2009

The winner's username should be a line break.
posted by davejay at 10:51 AM on November 17, 2009

Deciding what the 100k username will be if I win is like deciding what tattoo I want. Oh the pressure!

Way more pressure choosing that username than a tattoo. But I've got some shitty tattoos, so whatever.
posted by dogwalker at 11:37 AM on November 17, 2009

Oh shit, we've passed $7000 and nearly 300 contributors. We're averaging nearly $24.
posted by Kattullus at 11:41 AM on November 17, 2009

I'm going to buy 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 raffle tickets and lower the average considerably. Mwuahahah!!
posted by Grither at 11:59 AM on November 17, 2009

BAM! I'm entered. :: holding out hand for user number delivery ::
posted by The Deej at 12:40 PM on November 17, 2009

Deciding what the 100k username will be if I win is like deciding what tattoo I want. Oh the pressure!

If I win, I will have no problem deciding my next tattoo.
posted by The Deej at 12:42 PM on November 17, 2009 [2 favorites]

301
Total donations: $7,200!!

NO SLEEP TIL TEN THOUSAND!
posted by The Whelk at 12:45 PM on November 17, 2009

I have a good feeling about this.
posted by Derren Brown at 12:56 PM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

NO SLEEP TIL TEN THOUSAND!

... which at this rate might be 9:00 tonight. Go us!
posted by hangashore at 12:57 PM on November 17, 2009

This will onefellswoop.
posted by The Whelk at 12:58 PM on November 17, 2009 [2 favorites]

I might take a small nap.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:10 PM on November 17, 2009

Second-best $5 I ever spent.
posted by notquitemaryann at 1:19 PM on November 17, 2009

Well, as I watch my chances of winning dwindle on the measly 5 tickets I bought, I can honestly say that the schmoopy feeling I get from this place makes up for that little pinprick.

We are all awesome :)
posted by pjern at 1:23 PM on November 17, 2009

Man, y'all are gonna be so bummed when I win. You'll be all, "Wait, who the hell is that?"
posted by workerant at 1:47 PM on November 17, 2009 [2 favorites]

Here's what I think should happen: Whatever Fortunate Soul wins the raffle should pick a date, any date. Then all of us Mefites will get together in their respective homelands and host meetups, just like we did for the 10th anniversary.

Then, the winner will have 24 hours to make it to as many meetups as possible. Here's the catch: s/he won't tell anyone who s/he is or which meetup(s) s/he'll attend. The whole thing will be shrouded in mystery & intrigue. All across the globe, MeFites will huddle together in their favorite bars & pubs, wondering if and when Greatness will walk among them, hoping to bear witness to the Wondrous Mystery.

Yep.
posted by chara at 1:55 PM on November 17, 2009 [6 favorites]

How we await the emanation of the One True User.
posted by The Whelk at 2:03 PM on November 17, 2009

Done.
posted by elmono at 2:32 PM on November 17, 2009

I'm in. Now do I bring a mod to Ireland or inflict myself on some New Yorkers?
posted by minifigs at 2:56 PM on November 17, 2009

So the One True User is shrouded in mystery like the Great Pumpkin? That's awesome. Now I totally have to enter this raffle.
posted by misha at 3:02 PM on November 17, 2009

Bought one yesterday. Just one, because we're broke. But it feels like a really lucky one.
Metafilter Music meetup if I win. Bring your guitar.
posted by chococat at 3:20 PM on November 17, 2009 [3 favorites]

misha: "So the One True User is shrouded in mystery like the Great Pumpkin? That's awesome. Now I totally have to enter this raffle"

There is only One True User. He leads some sort of cabal that they say doesn't exist.
posted by double block and bleed at 3:42 PM on November 17, 2009

I entered! I have no idea what I'll call it if I win. Maybe Robert, just to piss off everyone who came up with something totally awesome.
posted by Ouisch at 3:50 PM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm gonna call it "Fox Mulder" and tell everyone it was cool when I signed in, just to confuse the noobs.
posted by qvantamon at 4:02 PM on November 17, 2009

Robert would ask you to choose something else. However Maybe Robert is all yours.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:07 PM on November 17, 2009

Why do people do the whole “one (1)” thing? I’ve always wanted to know.
posted by oxford blue at 4:35 PM on November 17, 2009

I would call it one (1) million. Just to look innumerate.
posted by jacalata at 4:51 PM on November 17, 2009

Why do people do the whole “one (1)” thing? I’ve always wanted to know.

To indicate that our disdain for Romans. Suck it, "I"!
posted by qvantamon at 4:54 PM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

If I won, I'd be paralyzed with indecision trying to come up with a username worthy of 100000.

I wouldn't. I would obviously choose "the biggest brussels sprout." Done and done.
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 5:05 PM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

Math100000vie!
posted by special-k at 5:22 PM on November 17, 2009

OK - Now that I've ponied up the fiver, if I get it, I'll be "chococat's bassist". Cool.

I SO wannabe chococats's bassist.
posted by Nick Verstayne at 5:48 PM on November 17, 2009

The general mojo must be good on this, because usually Paypal drives me to something between irritation and flat-out rage. And yet this time I was actually able to use it with no problems (well, there was the bit where my request for my password info [yes, I know] was answered with an email where the link they provided for fixing-type purposes led to a page informing me that the page was out of date and I should check my bookmarks, but in the context of my battles with the evil that is Paypal, that was nothing). My money's on its way! I wanna go to New York. Or maybe Iceland. Or something.
posted by jokeefe at 6:46 PM on November 17, 2009

I SO wannabe chococats's bassist.

Who doesn't?
posted by scrump at 6:56 PM on November 17, 2009

There's a tiny, discreditable part of me that wants us to hit 1337 donors.
posted by scrump at 6:58 PM on November 17, 2009

Total donors: 322
Total donations: $7,560

8 THOUSAND BEFORE I BED THAT IS MY WISH
posted by The Whelk at 7:07 PM on November 17, 2009

Maybe Robert, just to piss off everyone

Yeah, what it is these folks with regular old names that join and never contribute?

I was gonna use "Fred" as an example of a plain old name that never contributed, but he's kind of famous around here.
posted by marxchivist at 7:08 PM on November 17, 2009

I just thought of the end-all, be-all perfect name for user 100,000, and I may actually move some money around to buy raffle tickets for it. However, it will deeply, deeply piss off everyone if I use it, so I shall keep it to myself.

but I am giggling like an evil person yes i am
posted by davejay at 7:36 PM on November 17, 2009

tease
posted by The Whelk at 7:43 PM on November 17, 2009

all part of my plot to get everyone rooting for me to win--oh, oh, DAMMIT
posted by davejay at 8:18 PM on November 17, 2009

"Total donors: 322
Total donations: $7,560

8 THOUSAND BEFORE I BED THAT IS MY WISH"
posted by The Whelk

I'll just spend $20, same as in town.

Oh you mean "raise more money before I go to sleep!"

Boy is my face red.

y'see I thought you meant you wouldn't have sex with anyone unless they paid you $8000. And I would only pay $20 for your services. But then I realized that you were ... talking about... yeah the thread... and..

I'll just walk away now.
posted by not_on_display at 8:31 PM on November 17, 2009

y'see I thought you meant you wouldn't have sex with anyone unless they paid you $8000. And I would only pay $20 for your services. But then I realized that you were ... talking about... yeah the thread... and..

I am open to all options. 8 thou for the night, and half to charity. Seems only fair.
posted by The Whelk at 8:46 PM on November 17, 2009

This is fun, and for a great cause (five causes, in fact). I'm in !
posted by seawallrunner at 9:13 PM on November 17, 2009

It's kind of lame one of the charities is getting such a huge advantage.

Um, most of us chose DWB, we didn't accidentally give them our money. If you have such a bone to pick, why not make a huge donation to one of the other charities?
posted by special-k at 9:46 PM on November 17, 2009

I've been mulling punny novelty account names.

Socked and Loaded
Sock Market Crash
MetaSock
Sock This Way
Pet Sock
Sock to the Hand

Too lame?
posted by Rhomboid at 10:04 PM on November 17, 2009

3 tickets for me! I could use an alt ;)
posted by Kickstart70 at 10:09 PM on November 17, 2009

I'm sure being the default is giving Doctors Without Borders a bit of an edge, but I wouldn't be so sure it's a big factor. Putting aside that there were some individual large-dollar contributions to that selection... just think what you would do faced with these choices and had little knowledge of the organizations?

- International Doctors
- Nonsense word, maybe Swedish furniture?
- Spin the Choice?
- Star Trek nerds?
- Socialist Musicians?

If you aren't doing the research, and are just entering a raffle, which one of those seems to be the most worthwhile? Doctors are probably the ones saving lives. That's easy to get behind.

Personally, I donated to EFF, because I know what they do and support them, and I know little about the other organizations. (I mean, I know Kiva gives micro-loans, and CC has a cool copyleft-style license, but I don't know enough to choose them over something I support without a raffle being involved). If I didn't already know EFF, I probably would have chosen Doctors Without Borders. Though, looking now at DonorsChoose.org, I think I'm going to buy more raffle tickets. But going in blind, Doctors are a clear winner. The fact that they are showing in the graph as the most popular probably contributes more to any bias than being the first in the list.

At any rate, they're all good causes. No reason be concerned that other people's money isn't going to your personal choice. If they had said Doctors Without Borders would be the only charity, would you refuse to participate? If they wanted to level the playing field, including a blurb about each organization would probably be the fairest route. I bet Doctors would still be the most popular, though.
posted by team lowkey at 10:53 PM on November 17, 2009

I choose Doctors on purpose...if I were able to do more, I'd throw some to DonorsChoose as well.

If I win, I'm picking #mathowielove for the username.

:-)
posted by faineant at 11:02 PM on November 17, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm so anxious. If I win, I'll feel such pressure to...y'know, actually make posts and stuff. Oh gosh.
posted by stray at 11:45 PM on November 17, 2009

I also picked Doctors Without Borders on purpose. It was international and truly recognizable. I always lean towards charities I know work heavily outside of Canada or the US.

I'm not saying the others don't, but I don't know them well enough to say for sure, so my own ignorance decides.
posted by aclevername at 11:56 PM on November 17, 2009

I donate $25 a month to Doctors Without Borders anyway and I still chose them to benefit from my entry in the raffle because I love the work they do so much. Not that the others aren't worthwhile in their own ways, but I've done so much reading about DWB, that they have my heart and my regularly scheduled donations.
posted by crossoverman at 12:02 AM on November 18, 2009 [1 favorite]

Did my bit. I figure I spent almost as much on a shirt not long ago.

I'm ashamed to admit I don't have a passport. I also only speak one language. At least one of these can be remedied in a fairly timely manner.

I admit I love the idea (similar to chara's) of the pick X places, have big meetups, and then the winner shows up at one. Everyone attending would win, because MeFites are fun in person.

I'd be hard pressed to choose between NYC, SF, NOLA, Jeollanam-do, Korea (stavrosthewonderchicken), or wherever Meatbomb currently lives (seems to move pretty often). One, I've only been to one of these places, and, two, I'm fairly certain that people there would let a harmless older lady sleep on their couch.

PS. I get along well with most cats and dogs. No pet allergies!
posted by lilywing13 at 2:16 AM on November 18, 2009

I'm in. The beauty of it is, I'll never win; I never win raffles.
posted by plinth at 7:18 AM on November 18, 2009

3 tickets shy of $8000!
posted by special-k at 11:03 AM on November 18, 2009

Ok, we've been alerted by PayPal that this violates their AUP, they consider a charity fundraiser to be gambling or a lottery (probably because we called it a raffle instead of a charity fundraiser), so we're going to have to end this earlier than expected.

I'm updating the post to end it at Noon Friday, Pacific Time. (aka about 48hrs from now, which is about three days early).
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:12 AM on November 18, 2009

Total donors: 355
Total donations: $8,080
posted by The Whelk at 11:23 AM on November 18, 2009

Aw, that's too bad, I hope people see this in time to get their tickets bought! Just got mine!
posted by Grither at 11:24 AM on November 18, 2009

And, until noon Friday, it's still open. (Yes, I'm in. How did you know?)
posted by redfisch at 11:24 AM on November 18, 2009

I'd wondered about the raffle/paypal thing but was really hoping it would just be a non-issue since it's purely charity. Glad there are at least another few days for this to run. Looks like it just bumped up another few hundred dollars in the last few minutes, so it's still going strong.
posted by empyrean at 11:52 AM on November 18, 2009

AW, BOO!
posted by msali at 11:54 AM on November 18, 2009

Wow, thanks for the update, I almost missed out. Crossing my fingers!
posted by Space Kitty at 11:54 AM on November 18, 2009

Please post this on the front page as only a tiny fraction of mefi readers come here.
posted by adamvasco at 12:16 PM on November 18, 2009

Come on people…dig deep I would LOVE to see it hit $10k.
posted by ShawnString at 12:22 PM on November 18, 2009

okey doke!
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:23 PM on November 18, 2009

Good thing I bought my tickets yesterday, then. Compiling a list of possible 100K user names, some just based on words in this thread. So I'll either be able to choose or make fantastic suggestions! Also considering making Cortex come back to Maine and eat the Amazing Cheesus burger. Wait, Amazing Cheesus, hmmm...
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 12:40 PM on November 18, 2009

That's weird. PayPal doesn't seem like the kind of folks who would say "This is against our policy, so you can only continue doing it for 48 more hours."
posted by Plutor at 12:43 PM on November 18, 2009 [1 favorite]

Right, I would have guessed "This is against our policy, this is over, now."
posted by Grither at 12:51 PM on November 18, 2009

Wow, MeFi's own Bob Dylan. I had no idea.
posted by Ouisch at 12:51 PM on November 18, 2009

Hmm...since the money is going to MeFi first and then to charity, isn't that a loophole?
posted by radioamy at 12:53 PM on November 18, 2009

I think the situation comes down to it being sort of a weird complicated compromise Matt's navigated in discussion with them in this case, but if it works it works.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:56 PM on November 18, 2009

MeFi isn't a 501(c) organization.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 12:59 PM on November 18, 2009

Yeah, the message was basically "shut this down before Monday" and "you get a one-time pass on breaking our guidelines, in the future we will just lock your account completely without warning" so I decided to end it earlier than Monday so we could finish up and disperse the funds to the organizations before Monday.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:20 PM on November 18, 2009

Glad I saw this, I was planning on waiting til Monday to be part of the last minute push. In for what I could afford.
posted by dirtdirt at 1:20 PM on November 18, 2009

So who's going to go ahead and register The MetaFilter Foundation with the IRS so that our philanthropic fun isn't thwarted in the future?
posted by greekphilosophy at 1:25 PM on November 18, 2009 [1 favorite]

Hopefully I'll know by then whether or not I'll be getting laid off, which will affect whether or not I have any spare cash.
posted by slogger at 1:27 PM on November 18, 2009

Ok then, I just bought another 5 tickets to make up for potential lost funds due to the early end. Maybe others will do the same and we'll boost it over 10K by tomorrow.
posted by bondcliff at 1:37 PM on November 18, 2009 [1 favorite]

I chipped in. My sockpuppet choice: I Won The Raffle And All I Got Was This Lousy User Name
posted by jedicus at 1:50 PM on November 18, 2009 [3 favorites]

I sort of sympathize with Paypal; if this is actually explicitly against their T&Cs that means they were put in the unenviable position of having to nuke a popular charity event worth up to tens of thousands of dollars. Not great for their PR! If they actually bent the rules to give us a further 48 hrs, at least they're sorta meeting us halfway. [On preview, saw Matt's clarification, thanks for that]

Either way, glad I've still got a chance to slip my couple bucks in under the wire. I think 10k is entirely achievable, and fucking amazing.
posted by churl at 1:55 PM on November 18, 2009

I'm not sure why, but this news of impending early shutdown made me buy more tickets. mathowie, are you fucking with us? YOU BASTERD.
posted by Richat at 2:46 PM on November 18, 2009

Today, I bought a raffle ticket to win a total Bond-villian-esque ball chair from an awesome furniture store and bought two raffle tickets to win a user account on a site I've had an account on for seven freakin' years.

And yet, I don't know which one I'm more excited about.
posted by Katemonkey at 3:45 PM on November 18, 2009

I seem to remember that the guy who runs (ran?) SomethingAwful got hammered by PayPal when he tried to raise money for charity during Katrina. I was worried that something similiar might happen here.
posted by double block and bleed at 4:09 PM on November 18, 2009 [3 favorites]

WTF, PayPal? Fake electronics from China are okay, but this isn't? Maybe you should have just put this up on eBay.

Going to have to buy more tickets now.
posted by bh at 5:09 PM on November 18, 2009

Oh well, since we can't procrastinate any longer...
posted by Kyol at 5:28 PM on November 18, 2009

Dang, this sucks. We could have broken $10,000 easily by then!

I decided, should I win, I'll take "Mefi's Own" as my username. That'll teach you!
posted by Green With You at 8:20 PM on November 18, 2009

I'm drunk and doing my best to push this to $9000 tonight. Hope meeeee.
posted by special-k at 8:30 PM on November 18, 2009

Do it special-k, do it gooood.
posted by peeedro at 9:02 PM on November 18, 2009

fuck it. IT's all good.BOttle of wine done. MOAR money donated.
posted by special-k at 9:50 PM on November 18, 2009 [4 favorites]

I sort of sympathize with Paypal

I don't, they've been fucking worthless shitheads in any interaction I've had with them, including this one. And I get the freakiest, seemingly-phishy spam from them, too - I'd feel safer phoning Matt or Jessamyn and giving them my credit card number.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:56 PM on November 18, 2009 [1 favorite]

I<3 lalex
posted by special-k at 10:13 PM on November 18, 2009

lalex: going back for more booze. what is your poison?
posted by special-k at 10:14 PM on November 18, 2009

I'm in! Stuff like this makes me proud to be part of this community (even though I mostly lurk)!
posted by garypratt at 10:14 PM on November 18, 2009

ok garypratt: While I' sill standing. What's your drink?
posted by special-k at 10:16 PM on November 18, 2009

I'd feel safer phoning Matt or Jessamyn and giving them my credit card number.

This would be even more fun if done like a PBS pledge break with a phone bank. "Mods are standing by!"
posted by lukemeister at 10:25 PM on November 18, 2009

Alvy Ampersand: I'd feel safer phoning Matt or Jessamyn and giving them my credit card number.

Good call, cortex would use your credit card to raise an Army of Funk and try to take over Disco Island in the name of the Almighty Boogie.
posted by Kattullus at 10:38 PM on November 18, 2009 [4 favorites]

bh writes "Fake electronics from China are okay, but this isn't? Maybe you should have just put this up on eBay."

Makes sense in the general case. Besides the crazy patch work of laws that apply to lotteries and raffles I imagine your average electronic raffle generates more than a couple charge backs from people who lose.
posted by Mitheral at 10:38 PM on November 18, 2009 [1 favorite]

lalex: You are a prince.
posted by pjern at 11:58 PM on November 18, 2009

Thanks, special-k! Send that drink over to lalex - she deserves it!
posted by garypratt at 12:08 AM on November 19, 2009

C'mon, y'all. I'm pulling an all-nighter, and have been distracting myself with obsessing checking the total. The sooner we get to $10K, the sooner I can stop.
posted by runningwithscissors at 1:58 AM on November 19, 2009

Did it!
posted by Harald74 at 3:16 AM on November 19, 2009

Next $900 or next $450?
posted by ryanrs at 3:40 AM on November 19, 2009

I had been debating buying some more tickets and lalax's gesture tipped me over the edge.

We're up to $9,270...
posted by jzed at 5:04 AM on November 19, 2009

Makes sense in the general case. Besides the crazy patch work of laws that apply to lotteries and raffles I imagine your average electronic raffle generates more than a couple charge backs from people who lose.

I guess that does make sense, although I get the feeling that this place is mostly above that sort of thing. It never crossed my mind that people here would do something like that. I guess I am not jaded enough this week.
posted by bh at 6:45 AM on November 19, 2009

My purchase finally went through, and it looks like I'm #420. :-)
posted by anotherpanacea at 6:51 AM on November 19, 2009

I can't imagine that happening with us either but PayPal doesn't know that.
posted by Mitheral at 6:51 AM on November 19, 2009

"lalex: You are a prince."

He just wants to steal our precioussss trips from us, he does!
posted by Eideteker at 6:57 AM on November 19, 2009

In for 4.
posted by Pallas Athena at 7:35 AM on November 19, 2009

10k!
posted by bondcliff at 7:58 AM on November 19, 2009

I think I just made it hit $10K.
posted by Mavri at 7:59 AM on November 19, 2009

I think I just pushed it over $10k.

Total donors: 429
Total donations: $10,005
posted by Godbert at 7:59 AM on November 19, 2009

/me Holds breath for "Pomme Frites user 10000"
posted by French Fry at 8:00 AM on November 19, 2009

Good god damn, people. You rock.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:11 AM on November 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

Shit, 20 minutes later we're not too far from 11K!
posted by bondcliff at 8:20 AM on November 19, 2009

<3
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:20 AM on November 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

If I win I'm calling it "This User Cost Me $10 And I Feel Kind of Guilty About It. Thanks A Bunch, lalex"
posted by IanMorr at 8:28 AM on November 19, 2009

$10,920

Okay, lemme find my wallet. I can throw in another few bucks.
posted by The Whelk at 8:34 AM on November 19, 2009

and done

Total donors: 430
Total donations: $10,945
posted by The Whelk at 8:36 AM on November 19, 2009

Ah, the heck with it, I just bought a couple more.
posted by marxchivist at 8:38 AM on November 19, 2009

Okay, we're at $11,000 now.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 8:52 AM on November 19, 2009

Okay, maybe the Paypal people weren't totally in the wrong in this particular instance, and possibly, just possibly, I'm sort of stupid and forgot to update my banking information since I moved.

Anyhoos, I'm in!
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:53 AM on November 19, 2009

Okay, I bought some more tickets and decided to give Creative Commons some love this time around.
posted by misha at 9:06 AM on November 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

I like to use donations to legit charities to reduce my taxes. Anybody know if I can take the tax deduction?

The gain from winning the raffle is worth $5 (in USian IRS terms). No loss to MeFi or the charity if I take the deduction. If this creates a wild goose chase for Matt, it's not worth it. But I do budget my giving, and I can give more if there's a tax saving. thanks.
posted by theora55 at 9:07 AM on November 19, 2009

Heh. Don't forget to pay your utility bills first, folks.

I don't need gas. Metafilter warms my heart.


why can't I feel my toes?
posted by The Whelk at 9:10 AM on November 19, 2009 [2 favorites]

Heh. Don't forget to pay your utility bills first, folks.
posted by Burhanistan at 11:53 AM on November 19 [+] [!]

Oh f them. They would just go blow it on hookers and blow anyway.
posted by ShawnString at 9:15 AM on November 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm still struggling with a potential user name for when I win, but I got a plan now...

I don't see stavrosthewonderchicken around as much as I used to, and he seems to have mellowed a bit in any case. He use to come up with some wonderfully creative curses and epithets, usually involving Jesus, pogo sticks, and elimination of body wastes. Maybe I'll think of something really douchey to say to him here, and whatever he calls me will be my new user name!
posted by marxchivist at 9:21 AM on November 19, 2009

why can't I feel my toes?

Been bootin' black tar meef again?
posted by Rhomboid at 9:27 AM on November 19, 2009

Been bootin' black tar meef again?

If my posting history is any indication, yes.
posted by The Whelk at 9:37 AM on November 19, 2009

Are they deductible as gambling losses, like losing at the casino is?
posted by Grither at 10:14 AM on November 19, 2009

I am so totally naming this account No Tax Deducto
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:35 AM on November 19, 2009

The account name should be cooter, of course.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:54 AM on November 19, 2009 [2 favorites]

444 donors/$11265!

Does lalex get a rebate?

-- Übercøøter
posted by lukemeister at 11:10 AM on November 19, 2009

The account name should be cooter, of course.

Too late.
posted by hangashore at 11:10 AM on November 19, 2009

Scootexamyn?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:42 PM on November 19, 2009

Still don't know what I'd name the account, but I'm in for 2 more. Between this, the Woot-off, and Desert Bus starting tomorrow, my PayPal account is totally going to get a workout...
posted by TrishaLynn at 1:20 PM on November 19, 2009

I just got [ one ( 1 ) one ] ticket.
posted by Memo at 2:13 PM on November 19, 2009

Thanks, Jamaro, if I win, I will have to be Grinch. Or cooter. But I think I'd rather be 100K n00b. What's 100,000 in Roman numerals?

Hard to decide where to meetup, New Zealand would be awesome, NoLa would, too, but getting Matt to a meetup in the 1st Portland would be sweet.
posted by theora55 at 2:29 PM on November 19, 2009

Never mind, someone already thought of it.
posted by theora55 at 2:32 PM on November 19, 2009

Yes theora55, but generating the character for C overbar seems to be beyond me. [reference]
posted by tellurian at 3:28 PM on November 19, 2009

My teens, if I win, want me to take the user name, "Fetus Omelet".

Bah.
posted by misha at 3:53 PM on November 19, 2009

Once user 100,000 is taken care of, can I get user 100,001 with the name "unlucky and/or cheap"?
posted by davejay at 3:55 PM on November 19, 2009

We're already up to user 100200 - and someone has taken the user name 100000. Hmmm.
posted by crossoverman at 4:44 PM on November 19, 2009

I sort of sympathize with Paypal; if this is actually explicitly against their T&Cs that means they were put in the unenviable position of having to nuke a popular charity event worth up to tens of thousands of dollars. Not great for their PR!

Not sure they're bothered about that, they nuked $27,000 of charity donations to the Red Cross after hurricane Katrina - a mere $11k for MSF & co is smallfry.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:51 PM on November 19, 2009

We're already up to user 100200 - and someone has taken the user name 100000. Hmmm.

The account's already been named. What a fuckin' scam this is.
*how did 100000 link to 100k-reserved?
posted by gman at 5:01 PM on November 19, 2009

Url-hackin' with the "add as contact" form.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:03 PM on November 19, 2009

yeah. I just did it.
posted by gman at 5:04 PM on November 19, 2009

This lurker is in for a paltry $5....Kiva Kiva Kiva!

Gaad, I hope I don't win this thing. There is no success like failure but failure, in this case, is success for all.

My name, should I be elected, will be a variation on "lalex" who is the big dog in this here raffle.
posted by stirfry at 5:10 PM on November 19, 2009

maybe user (already) named 100000 is banking heavily on winning the raffle and thought someone would be mean spirited enough to take the name 100000 before then. so, you know.
posted by de at 5:22 PM on November 19, 2009

For what it's worth, the person who registered "100000" was fooling around on a lark, and actually wrote me a nice bashful note about it.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:27 PM on November 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

what an idiot. larks can be very jealous birds.
posted by gman at 5:30 PM on November 19, 2009 [5 favorites]

get an elaborate lark in with your ducks and it's apt to sing a nice bashful note.
posted by de at 6:39 PM on November 19, 2009

I said it before and I'll say it again:

Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.
posted by HAL 100000 at t minus PM on Dec 12, 2012 [+] [!]
posted by at the crossroads at 8:49 PM on November 19, 2009

14 hours to go and we're really close to $12,000 (and almost $8000 for Doctors Without Borders). Awesome work, everyone.
posted by crossoverman at 9:49 PM on November 19, 2009

Well you can do C̅ with U+0305 ('COMBINING OVERLINE') or C̄ with U+304 ('COMBINING MACRON').
posted by Rhomboid at 10:56 PM on November 19, 2009

Or for that matter U+2188 (ROMAN NUMERAL ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND) but on my machine there is no font with that glyph so I'm guessing it's not very widespread. But there's long been a unicode filter on the username signup form which removes combining characters and translates most of the remaining funky stuff to '?' so this is kind of academic.
posted by Rhomboid at 11:01 PM on November 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

Username 100000 is actually user number 100150.
posted by iamkimiam at 11:07 PM on November 19, 2009

I know, right? Just imagine what that would look like in beans.
posted by iamkimiam at 11:36 PM on November 19, 2009

Dave, although you took very thorough precautions in the pod against my hearing you, I could see your lips move.

posted by HAL 100000 at t minus zero on January 12, 1992 [+] [!]
posted by at the crossroads at 11:39 PM on November 19, 2009

Well you can do C̅ with U+0305 ('COMBINING OVERLINE') or C̄ with U+304 ('COMBINING MACRON').
Or for that matter U+2188 (ROMAN NUMERAL ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND)
So, it's not just me. It can't be done. It's fine in preview but breaks on post (and posting without preview or using an outside composer doesn't work either). Buckley's on getting this as a username.
posted by tellurian at 3:16 AM on November 20, 2009

If anyone can show me how to generate a C overbar before the raffle ends, I'll stick $20 in the raffle with (your choice of charity). Another $20 if its confirmed (or refuted) that I can register C overbar as the username.
posted by tellurian at 3:27 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

You're probably trying to use HTML entities like x305; or 773;. Those never work, they are filtered server-side. Note that live preview does zero filtering, so it's useless to determine whether something will work or not.

You have to use the actual unicode characters in your comment. For example on linux I type C and then ctrl-shift-0305 to get the combining overline character (for windoz).

You can also copy and paste from a 'character map' application or a webpage containing that character.
posted by Rhomboid at 3:51 AM on November 20, 2009

ↈ

trying the copy paste method
posted by Kattullus at 4:14 AM on November 20, 2009

Today's the day! I am shivering with antici
posted by The Whelk at 5:04 AM on November 20, 2009

I can feel your toes!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:21 AM on November 20, 2009

possible usernames in all caps:

RESERVED FOR WILL PHILLIPS
NOT-ALTRU-IST
NOT-DONATIST
LICENSE TO SPAM
THE BEST DONATOR
My other username has MASSIVE FAVORITES

Sorry, I saw a bunch of annoying license plates today.
posted by anotherpanacea at 5:34 AM on November 20, 2009

Oh Hai,

I just bought eight more tix to bring the total to $12k.

What do I win?!?11
posted by tomierna at 6:47 AM on November 20, 2009

pation.
posted by The Whelk at 6:50 AM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

I just bought eight more tix to bring the total to $12k.

What do I win?!?11

You've been spoused!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:35 AM on November 20, 2009

take that money and prove your love.
posted by The Whelk at 7:37 AM on November 20, 2009

You've been spoused!

YAY! When do I have to move to Utah?

(Or, any of these other fine places.)
posted by tomierna at 7:42 AM on November 20, 2009

CORTEX
Think of the things you could do with that money,
Choose any charity - give to the poor.
We've noted your comments.
We've noted your favorites.
This isn't blood money - it's a ...

JESSAMYN
A fee.

MATHOWIE
A fee nothing (fee nothing, fee nothing) more.

(I finally paid my silver - if I win, I'm debating between giving the name as a gift, or being selfish and claiming it for my own. The problem with the latter is that I will keep wondering if whatever I chose was the right name. The burden for creativity and meaning is so great, I might buckle and not complete the process, like so many before me.)
posted by filthy light thief at 10:44 AM on November 20, 2009

One hour to go! Get 'em while the getting's good.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:01 AM on November 20, 2009

ϵo϶

I am 13 years old.
posted by deborah at 11:06 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Ooh, didn't realize the buying ended at 3pm Eastern time - just made it in!
posted by Salamandrous at 11:18 AM on November 20, 2009

In for 6 more, just so I could get Creative Commons to the $700 mark. *highfives fellow CC-lovers*
posted by TrishaLynn at 11:24 AM on November 20, 2009

I'm cutting up the raffle tickets by hand, 100 to an 8.5" x 11" letter sheet in glorious comic sans, so every $500 people spend is another piece of paper I have to dice up.

It's kind of like a dunk tank but with xacto knives.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:27 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

When will the winner be announced? Do we have to be present to win? Or will you show up at my door with confetti and champagne?
posted by desjardins at 11:28 AM on November 20, 2009

When will the winner be announced?

Sometime between noon and this evening! pb is over at my place right now, we're putting some of the details for the post-raffle stuff together and will be filming the drawing itself as well.

Do we have to be present to win?

On Earth, yes.

Or will you show up at my door with confetti and champagne?

With the economy being what it is, we've had to settle for pencil shavings and flat tonic water.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:43 AM on November 20, 2009 [4 favorites]

I bet that guy who threw the paper airplane is going to win
posted by jpdoane at 11:48 AM on November 20, 2009 [10 favorites]

cortex: "On Earth, yes."

THAT WASN'T IN THE INITIAL POST OH SHIT OH SHIT *steals the keys to Atlantis*
posted by Plutor at 11:50 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Wow, for once I AM so exicted AND I just can't hide it.
posted by The Whelk at 11:50 AM on November 20, 2009

I hope you have one of those giant spinning drums and then you stop spinning it and there's a drumroll and then a sexy lady reaches in and pulls the winning number out and shows it to the camera in a closeup with her shiny perfect nails and diamonds sparkling in the brilliant TV lights.
posted by chococat at 11:51 AM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

I was considering renting one of those grab-the-cash phonebooth things, but the schedule was a little too short for that.

Drumrolls and closeups we can manage, though. Just you wait.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:54 AM on November 20, 2009

Damn, the excitement and the ticking clock just made me buy another one.
I hope I didn't jinx the "one ticket is lucky" philosophy I was rocking before.
posted by chococat at 11:56 AM on November 20, 2009

Come on, somebody buy 54 more tickets. Quick!
posted by bh at 11:56 AM on November 20, 2009

I am very happy to be part of this. Hugs to you all!
posted by elmono at 12:00 PM on November 20, 2009

I saw $12,735 before it got pulled down. Not too bad for four days.

When do we get our gold stars?
posted by bh at 12:01 PM on November 20, 2009

I am content with my mental image of cortex as the NJ Lotto Girl, smiling wainly on a revolving set with big teased-to-the-point-of-crying hair and some horrifying sweater-miniskirt combo picking out balls and trying not to cry.
posted by The Whelk at 12:02 PM on November 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

And we're done! $12,745 total, 514 different mefites threw in! We'll make a new post later with the results and such, but for the moment I just want to say I'm deeply, deeply impressed by the generosity of all of you.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:02 PM on November 20, 2009 [4 favorites]

I bet that guy who threw the paper airplane is going to win

Naaah, he's all done winning.
posted by bondcliff at 12:05 PM on November 20, 2009

Ha, the average, despite the huge chunks, was 25 bucks- which is what I put in (uh, twice) and what I suspect most people did.
posted by The Whelk at 12:05 PM on November 20, 2009

also cortex now you have to put on the sweater-skirt. It is a rule.
posted by The Whelk at 12:07 PM on November 20, 2009

I was just thinking that $5 is within the guidelines for a Secret Quonsar gift...
posted by bh at 12:07 PM on November 20, 2009

When you say announce the winner, do you mean indicated the mefite's user name? When I win, I want it to be anonymous. Seriously.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:26 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

When I win, I want it to be EMBLAZONED ACROSS THE SKY IN GOLDEN FIRE. Seriously.
posted by The Whelk at 12:33 PM on November 20, 2009

I bet that guy who threw the paper airplane is going to win

No, he shot his wad, that's what the AskMe was all about.
posted by fixedgear at 12:41 PM on November 20, 2009

Now is when we beseech whatever Gods or Forces attend us to favor us in the selection.

Yo! Fortuna! I got some incense, some roots, and a black lamb born on a full moon. Lets do this.
posted by The Whelk at 12:44 PM on November 20, 2009

The Whelk: "When I win, I want it to be EMBLAZONED ACROSS THE SKY IN GOLDEN FIRE. Seriously"

W E   A P O L O G I S E   F O R   T H E   I N C O N V E N I E N C E
posted by Plutor at 12:46 PM on November 20, 2009 [4 favorites]

I am all a-tingly with excitement. TINGLY!
posted by JoanArkham at 12:59 PM on November 20, 2009

there's some juvenile part of me that wants the username to ultimately be something disappointing and stupidly vulgar. like, it would cause me to chuckle if the name ended up being "fffffffffffffuck." or "weed420."
posted by shmegegge at 1:06 PM on November 20, 2009

there's some juvenile part of me that wants the username to ultimately be something disappointing and stupidly vulgar. like, it would cause me to chuckle if the name ended up being "fffffffffffffuck." or "weed420."

"Player"
posted by bondcliff at 1:18 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

shmegegge: there's some juvenile part of me that wants the username to ultimately be something disappointing and stupidly vulgar

It would be pretty funny if someone used this opportunity for an epic troll. I mean, I'd fully expect that bit of trollage would be the last we'd ever see of the MeFite perpetrator but it would be something else.

Also, as far as I understand the mods would have to change the name by hand so that would be prevented from happening.

Also also, it would suck in actuality because it would ruin a lot of people's foofy love of this raffle, but it's a fun idea.

Also also also, in the mathematically remote event I do win, I'm so naming the account Foofy Love, the MetaFilter shopcat.
posted by Kattullus at 1:25 PM on November 20, 2009

Does anyone know if Bob is taken?
posted by special-k at 1:26 PM on November 20, 2009

Yeah, taken.
posted by Kattullus at 1:28 PM on November 20, 2009

When you say announce the winner, do you mean indicated the mefite's user name? When I win, I want it to be anonymous. Seriously.

If we draw a ticket belonging to you, we will not announce your name, JohnnyGunn. Can do. Anybody who feels the same way should let us know on the double, of course.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:30 PM on November 20, 2009

JohnnyGunn writes "When you say announce the winner, do you mean indicated the mefite's user name? When I win, I want it to be anonymous. Seriously."

I'd think openness and full disclosure requires the name be announced. After all who ever wins is getting an officially sanctioned sock puppet.
posted by Mitheral at 1:32 PM on November 20, 2009

If I win I would like my name written on a balloon* and floated over the skies of Portland, OR.


* Balloon boy optional
posted by special-k at 1:33 PM on November 20, 2009

lalex writes "yes, please do not announce my name if I win."

You ruined it lalex. If only JohnnyGunn opted out we'd all know who won if he won.
posted by Mitheral at 1:34 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

How about saying Brandon Blatcher's spouse won?
posted by special-k at 1:36 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

If I win I want the announcement thread to feature a big mirror with the words "The winner is: You."
posted by bondcliff at 1:39 PM on November 20, 2009

Cortex - I'm with JohnnyGunn, because on the off chance I win, I haven't decided if I want to give the prize away. If I decide to keep it, my (already tarnished) reputation will be forever ruined for making mention of the idea a few posts up.
posted by bh at 1:39 PM on November 20, 2009

I say ixnay on the anonymity of the winner. Officially sanctioned sock-puppet should be transparent.
posted by marxchivist at 1:40 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

If I win, I want you all to scream my username from the rooftops. Loud enough that I can hear it now.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:42 PM on November 20, 2009

I understand not announcing the person's real name but username? Part of the fun is celebrating the win with the winner, along with the meetup and whatever. Never finding out who the winner was would suck. There was no provision for not having the winner announced in the rules and I'm not sure I would have been nearly as interested or ready to contribute if I knew that was going to happen, I don't think it should be allowed. It's not like there's any good reason to keep it secret, if you didn't want to be the winner you shouldn't have bought a ticket.
posted by shelleycat at 1:43 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

If the paypal name email doesn't correspond with a MeFite are you going to email them at their PayPal email address to notify them rather than posting their real name?
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 1:43 PM on November 20, 2009

An anonymous winner is going to have a hell of a time cashing in on the FREE AIRFARE TO ANY MEETUP ANYWHERE prize while remaining anonymous.
People tend to take pictures of things like that.
posted by chococat at 1:47 PM on November 20, 2009

If I win I won't know about it until late Sunday night, because I'm not going to have Internet access for the weekend starting in about 20 minutes. The chances of me winning are close enough to zero that it shouldn't be a problem, though.

Good luck to everyone who bought tickets, and thanks for giving us all an excuse to give money to some worthy charities.
posted by burnmp3s at 1:47 PM on November 20, 2009

> Never finding out who the winner was would suck.

I agree. Why would you enter a raffle for a prominent item like this and not want your username associated with it?
posted by languagehat at 1:47 PM on November 20, 2009

I mean, if you just wanted to give money to a worthy cause, you could have done that without entering the raffle.
posted by languagehat at 1:48 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

burnmp3s forgot to mention that if he wins, he has authorized me to accept the prizes on his behalf.
posted by ODiV at 1:49 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

languagehat: "I mean, if you just wanted to give money to a worthy cause, you could have done that without entering the raffle."

I agree completely. if you entered the raffle and refuse to be disclosed as its winner, I call lameness. lameness and shenanigans.
posted by shmegegge at 1:51 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

chococat: An anonymous winner is going to have a hell of a time cashing in on the FREE AIRFARE TO ANY MEETUP ANYWHERE prize while remaining anonymous.

Well they could fly a mod to their home city and be simply one out of a possible twenty or so people insisting they didn't win.

But yeah, put me in the camp that thinks that the username of the winner should be public.
posted by Kattullus at 1:52 PM on November 20, 2009

It is easy to find out who the winner is:

http://www.metafilter.com/user/100000

Why does more need to be disclosed?
posted by bh at 1:53 PM on November 20, 2009

Guys: Plate O Beans. Really, people are gonna get all lawyered up over this? When I win you may say Pete 'fixedgear' LaVerghetta is user 100K and his shiny new sock puppet account is 'freewheel.' Jeez.
posted by fixedgear at 1:59 PM on November 20, 2009

fixedgear: Really, people are gonna get all lawyered up over this?

It wouldn't be a MetaTalk thread if there wasn't a weird bit of controversy in it somewhere.
posted by Kattullus at 2:01 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

You can announce my full name, just get the diacritics ȑɨğⱨȶ, that's all I ask. I don't want people thinking my name is boring or anything...
posted by Sova at 2:03 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

If I win, I'm okay with y'all shouting out that I won.

Here's a question and I hope I don't piss any of you off with this: Desert Bus for Hope is going to start their charity marathon to raise money for Child's Play in about 4 hours.

If I win, do you think it would be too much if I put up the naming rights to the account up for auction over there, to be done live on the streaming webcast? Or the account itself?
posted by TrishaLynn at 2:12 PM on November 20, 2009

TrishaLynn: If I win, do you think it would be too much if I put up the naming rights to the account up for auction over there, to be done live on the streaming webcast? Or the account itself?

In principle that's a fine idea. More money for charity is a good thing, but I personally would really much prefer to see 100000 in the hands of a MeFite.
posted by Kattullus at 2:16 PM on November 20, 2009

To be contrary, if a person wins the account, they'd become a MeFite.... right?
posted by TrishaLynn at 2:19 PM on November 20, 2009

I'm actually a little confused now. I don't care if my username is announced, but definitely not my real name, which I assume was sent along as part of the paypal info.

Oh, yeah, good god. Usernames are what we're interested in announcing, we're not telling anybody about anybody else's identifying info, etc. So no worries.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:24 PM on November 20, 2009

Also: we've just taped the drawing. I'm gonna try and edit together something nice out of the footage, and we'll make an announcement later this afternoon.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:24 PM on November 20, 2009

DAMN YOU YOU ARE MAKING ME NOT GO TO THE BAR OR GO SHOPPING!
posted by The Whelk at 2:28 PM on November 20, 2009

Is there going to be red carpet coverage before the announcement? I'd really to to see who everyone that entered is wearing.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 2:29 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Ooooooo so exciting!!
posted by iamkimiam at 2:29 PM on November 20, 2009

Is there going to be red carpet coverage before the announcement? I'd really to to see who everyone that entered is wearing.

Pants.

For now.
posted by dersins at 2:30 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Is there going to be red carpet coverage before the announcement?


Surely you mean blue?
posted by The Whelk at 2:33 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

we'll make an announcement later this afternoon.

Damn it, it's night already here! Friggin' west coast mods, grumble grumble kvetch....

/sarcasm
posted by marxchivist at 2:35 PM on November 20, 2009

Tonight: West Coast Mods vs. East Side Rockers.
posted by ooga_booga at 3:04 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

West Coast Mods

*revs Lambretta*
posted by scody at 3:07 PM on November 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

Also: we've just taped the drawing. I'm gonna try and edit together something nice out of the footage, and we'll make an announcement later this afternoon.

Evil. I hate waiting and that post made it so much worse.
posted by Kimberly at 3:14 PM on November 20, 2009

I read a GS scooter with my hair cut neat, I wear my wartime coat in the wind and sleet.
posted by fixedgear at 3:14 PM on November 20, 2009

ride
posted by fixedgear at 3:27 PM on November 20, 2009

fixedgear - I thought READ was deliberate. I just assumed it was some cerebral pun and I was admiring you for your intellectual mod humor.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:33 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Where exactly is this announcement going to appear, anyhow? I suppose it's totally out of the question to time-warp me back to 1977 so Freddie Mercury can come to my house with his Boesendorfer and sing me the news.
posted by FelliniBlank at 3:33 PM on November 20, 2009

Where exactly is this announcement going to appear, anyhow?

My money's on a metatalk thread that links to a special page located here.

You'll know I've won when I set pants mode to [OFF].
posted by dersins at 3:42 PM on November 20, 2009

oh jesus. I'm leaving work in 20 minutes and won't have Internet access the rest of the night (maybe). If I win, call me*, because I have the perfect username:

ALL YOU HATERS SUCK MY BALLS

*Okay, since I'm not about to post my #, dm me on twitter, then.
posted by desjardins at 3:43 PM on November 20, 2009

What I love about MetaFilter is that swell stuff often happens on Friday night when only the most socially maladjusted maxi-losers with no lives at all to speak of are around.
posted by FelliniBlank at 3:58 PM on November 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

Well, I'll be at a meetup with one of the mods. I'm assuming we'll all gather around a laptop screen in a bar and laugh and cheer. Yup, we'll be the nerdiest sight since Junot Díaz went on The Colbert Report and referenced Triffids.
posted by Kattullus at 4:03 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

off to bed, sorry for the late respond if I win...
posted by kudzu at 4:20 PM on November 20, 2009

swell stuff often happens on Friday night when only the most socially maladjusted maxi-losers with no lives at all to speak of are around

Them's fighting words to this socially maladjusted maxi-loser West Coast mod who still remembers this episode of Fridays with great fondness.
posted by scody at 4:21 PM on November 20, 2009

when only the most socially maladjusted maxi-losers with no lives at all to speak of are around.

fuck you. I am getting toasted at a brewery right now. Everyone here is rooting for me. Bartender Kelly says hi.
posted by special-k at 4:23 PM on November 20, 2009

OH YEAH WELL I'M AT WORK

IN YOUR FACE MISTER TOASTED BREWERY GUY
posted by dersins at 4:25 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Home alone and (re)watching the Project Runway finale. And refreshing this page.

most socially maladjusted maxi-losers with no lives at all

*sigh*
posted by JoanArkham at 4:25 PM on November 20, 2009

swell stuff often happens on Friday night when only the most socially maladjusted maxi-losers with no lives at all to speak of are around

Or, you know, those of us currently enjoying Saturday afternoon. I'm off out for a walk though, it's too nice to stay inside.
posted by shelleycat at 4:36 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

You'll all know if I won because my username will piss you off so much. Each. And. Every. One. Of. You.
posted by davejay at 4:36 PM on November 20, 2009

And can I just say, thanks for doing this with little slips of paper instead of a little script with a random number generator? Much more dramatic that way.
posted by davejay at 4:37 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

dammit I thought of two fun username ideas that aren't offensive at all, and now I don't know if my sense of fun will win out over my sense of fun...er...yeah, you know what I mean
posted by davejay at 4:40 PM on November 20, 2009

Is this a bad time to bring up that, if you started charging $5 a pop at user number 17578, you've brought in nearly half a million dollars in user signup revenue alone since then?
posted by davejay at 4:42 PM on November 20, 2009

I'm typing these little comments to amuse those of you who are sitting there reloading, waiting for the announcement. I'll stop now
posted by davejay at 4:43 PM on November 20, 2009

after this one
posted by davejay at 4:44 PM on November 20, 2009

I have no idea what to do with myself right now. I'm seriously about to start flailing about.
posted by davey_darling at 4:45 PM on November 20, 2009

I'm sure there are some ThePinkSuperhero comments you could be favoriting, davey_darling.
posted by dersins at 4:48 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Have a beer, davey darlin'
posted by special-k at 4:48 PM on November 20, 2009

I've moved on to Top Chef now. And I just killed the world's creepiest bug.

I know everyone wants to stay informed.
posted by JoanArkham at 4:48 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Or you know, drive by where dersins works and point at his window and go ha ha Nelson style.
posted by special-k at 4:50 PM on November 20, 2009

...you've brought in nearly half a million dollars in user signup revenue alone since then?

nah, only a certain percentage of signups are completed. Often people start creating an account and then don't finish the signup process at PayPal.
posted by pb (staff) at 4:51 PM on November 20, 2009

Hmm, it's almost 1am here, and I'm avoiding reading a book about the political philosophy of Rousseau. Thankfully I now have The Jam to keep me company, thinking about how I'm kinda related to their A&R man (well, he was their A&R 30 years ago), though I wish I wasn't.

Could this possibly be drawn now it's Saturday? I'm not exactly expecting to win, I'm just kinda excited over it.
posted by Sova at 4:52 PM on November 20, 2009

Dum de dum.

*whistles*

I got an ipod finally! Gettin' some Talking Heads on there.
posted by marxchivist at 4:52 PM on November 20, 2009

Oops, sowwy, I didn't realize you'd all take the phrase "socially maladjusted maxi-losers with no lives at all to speak of" in a pejorative sense.
posted by FelliniBlank at 4:55 PM on November 20, 2009

SCAM.
posted by gman at 4:55 PM on November 20, 2009

thinking about how I'm kinda related to their A&R man (well, he was their A&R 30 years ago), though I wish I wasn't

*stares pointedly in Sova's general direction* Who, Chris Parry?
posted by scody at 4:58 PM on November 20, 2009

Nah. pb's here. That probably means something's being built right now.
posted by dersins at 4:58 PM on November 20, 2009

...just ate an entire bag of freeze-dried mango...
posted by JoanArkham at 4:58 PM on November 20, 2009

Yeah, right now they're personally delivering the money to the Aruba chapter of Doctors without Borders, which happens to be located in the poolside pina colada bar at Sandals.
posted by FelliniBlank at 4:59 PM on November 20, 2009

Hand eye coordination rapidly fading. I love you all. Long live schmoopy.
posted by special-k at 5:00 PM on November 20, 2009

Am I alone in thinking we just got GiveWell-ed?
posted by Ufez Jones at 5:04 PM on November 20, 2009

And I just killed the world's creepiest bug.

Should I post to AskMe to find out what it looked like, or will you just tell us?

nah, only a certain percentage of signups are completed. Often people start creating an account and then don't finish the signup process at PayPal.

Wow, there's dark MetaFilter, just like there's a dark Internet! Kind of a shame, though; I kind of like the idea of you lot wearing top hats and smoking giant money cigars.
posted by davejay at 5:05 PM on November 20, 2009

I suppose I could tell you all what the awful, awful username I have in mind is, and then start a new charity auction for not naming it that
posted by davejay at 5:10 PM on November 20, 2009

Trucker's Delight?
posted by FelliniBlank at 5:13 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

WHAT THE FUCK, PAYPAL?
posted by crossoverman at 5:13 PM on November 20, 2009

Looks like as of this afternoon, my paypal account is frozen. No money can go out, no charges can be made, and no disbursements of any kind are allowed (money is allowed to come in). I have a bit more than 12,800 in my account that I was hoping to start giving away this afternoon. It appears Paypal doesn't just say I'm in violation of the acceptable use policy of a few days back (which is true and I didn't know we were breaking their rules), they now think I need to prove I myself am a 503(c) corp, which I am not, so I don't know exactly how to resolve this.

I suspect the most likely thing that will happen is that Paypal may just refund everyone their money in the next few days but I'm not sure and I won't know if it'll happen until it happens. Hopefully they'll let me donate the money, if a mass refund happens, I would urge everyone to pledge directly to the charity of their choice at the amounts they pledged.

Ugh. I'm emailing everyone I know at Paypal, hoping this can all be worked out. We did this entire project ourselves because there doesn't really exist a nice donation tracker for many people leading to several charities, so we built it ourselves, not knowing it would trip the fraud alarms at Paypal.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:13 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

mathowie: Paypal totally shut down my account, and I *can't* give the money away now. I assume they'll either refund everyone or let me give it away.
posted by ooga_booga at 5:14 PM on November 20, 2009

This means war.
posted by FelliniBlank at 5:14 PM on November 20, 2009

Damnit, crossoverman!
posted by ooga_booga at 5:14 PM on November 20, 2009

Called it.
posted by gman at 5:15 PM on November 20, 2009

Mother fuckers.
posted by null terminated at 5:15 PM on November 20, 2009

Fucking hell.

The video presentation of the drawing is done and rendering in Final Cut, anyway.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:16 PM on November 20, 2009

I think we also never thought this would go above 4-5k total in donations, so we never intended to trip $10k Homeland Security type levels of weird banking transactions.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:17 PM on November 20, 2009

Well now I have to totally rewrite my whole acceptance speech.
posted by FelliniBlank at 5:17 PM on November 20, 2009

Would it help things at all with PayPal if all of us who did enter emailed them (civilly), and i dunno... Sorry.. stupid PayPal-ocracy has me annoyed. This is a Good Cause.. why are they all getting in the way???
posted by frwagon at 5:19 PM on November 20, 2009

well shit
posted by marxchivist at 5:19 PM on November 20, 2009

Evil corporation is evil.
posted by 0xFCAF at 5:19 PM on November 20, 2009 [5 favorites]

Um, how about if everything got funneled through a nonprofit? My nonprofit wouldn't go for such a thing, but I know that there are Mefites who run nonprofits with fewer layers of bureaucracy.
posted by roll truck roll at 5:22 PM on November 20, 2009

Well, crap.
posted by gaspode at 5:25 PM on November 20, 2009

I am happy to re-donate everything back to a moar kosher setup.
posted by special-k at 5:26 PM on November 20, 2009

I can't believe that Paypal even still exists. And that there's no alternative. Seriously, the internet has been around since the last century and you still can't send money to somebody online? wtf.
posted by iamkimiam at 5:26 PM on November 20, 2009 [5 favorites]

Aww. That sucks. I'll pass on my donation to the intended charity if it gets refunded.

Should I post to AskMe to find out what it looked like, or will you just tell us?

It was like half wasp and half giant fly. And maybe part scorpion. Too squished now to take a picture of it.
posted by JoanArkham at 5:27 PM on November 20, 2009

Well, if anyone was on the fence about whether paypal are dimwitted fuckheads, this should help you make up your mind.
posted by dersins at 5:27 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

MODS VS. PAYPAL!
posted by scody at 5:28 PM on November 20, 2009

Wow. Paypal is all sorts of fail and suck.
posted by juv3nal at 5:29 PM on November 20, 2009

Would a mass email campaign directed at PayPal be helpful or counter productive?
posted by jedicus at 5:31 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

oh well, so much for my plan of giving lady gaga number 100000
posted by empath at 5:34 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Sounds like the terrorists won this round.
posted by Sailormom at 5:36 PM on November 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

I just sent a donation equal to my two rounds of ticket purchases directly to Donors Choose, and if Paypal does the right thing, then they'll get twice my money and that's just fine with me. Good luck with the Man, mathowie.
posted by ersatzkat at 5:36 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

fucking cliffhangers man
posted by The Whelk at 5:40 PM on November 20, 2009

dersins writes "Well, if anyone was on the fence about whether paypal are dimwitted fuckheads, this should help you make up your mind."

PayPal: Nine kinds of dimwittery in an eight dimwit bag.
posted by Mitheral at 5:41 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Matt, you should seriously consider posting a question to this site called www.ask.metafilter.com – I've found that the people over there have been able to resolve all sorts of crazy issues! Good luck!
posted by iamkimiam at 5:43 PM on November 20, 2009 [8 favorites]

all mefites everywhere
posted by davejay at 5:44 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

I will for sure re-donate, but then wow. The cortex drawing video gains huge bootleg value, with or without the sweater set.
posted by rainbaby at 5:45 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

So a friend of mine, a Mormon (yes, I know, settle down) was in the process of adopting their third child, with the money for the adoption coming from his father. His father sent it via PayPal, and PayPay locked the money up, saying it was "disputed" (which it most certainly was not) -- and the adoption officially fell through (luckily the agency was sympathetic and let them step right back up two weeks later to make it happen.)

My surprised face: I would show you it, but PayPal won't let me.
posted by davejay at 5:50 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

I'd be happy to re-donate. Thankfully, I was only donating money and not blood. Though I hear you get a nice sort of buzz if you're already down a pint.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 5:51 PM on November 20, 2009

Frikkety frak. Stupid PayPal.
posted by rtha at 5:54 PM on November 20, 2009

So if you listed the individual item being purchased as "framostat" and people bought two or three thousand of them, would Paypal still have a big tantrum?
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:10 PM on November 20, 2009

mathowie says, "I think we also never thought this would go above 4-5k total in donations, so we never intended to trip $10k Homeland Security type levels of weird banking transactions."

That's because no one ever listens to me.

I will donate this and a lot more to the EFF. This raffle came at a bad time for me to really dig deep, but I get the whole company match thing, but the minimum for this is $50, so I guess that's what I'll do after the first of the year. So twenty times what I put in here.

I was going to go through my finances this weekend and see if another $20 was possible, but then the deadline got moved up.

I really hope they don't refund my $5. That's really not giving me much credit. I guess if metafilter would stop bilking the elderly out of their retirement checks things like this wouldn't happen.

I agree with the idea of rolling your own online payment system, but I'm sure you;ve run the numbers. Sure PayPal keeps some, but secure certificates aren't free, neither are credit card transactions.

This sucks, since I can't imagine all the people that kicked in will do so again.

Maybe it is time to make a 503(c) spin-off of metafilter. Do an annual fundraiser. Set up endowments and scholarships and solve world hunger. mathowie for the Nobel Peace Prize!
posted by cjorgensen at 6:17 PM on November 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

What a letdown! I know this will all be worked out, somehow, but it does take the wind out of the sails.

Is it possible that we can do a letter writing, or something else that would help?
posted by jaruwaan at 6:27 PM on November 20, 2009

Paypal: Doesn't pay, not a pal. Discuss.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 6:28 PM on November 20, 2009 [19 favorites]

This is exactly why they changed their name away from PayAssholes in 1999. They wanted their marks to be caught off-guard when they pulled shit like this.
posted by Plutor at 6:28 PM on November 20, 2009

In related news, I'm really bad at rendering video apparently.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:32 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm sure it's fine. let's just see what you got.
posted by gman at 6:33 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

ClusterFilter
posted by shothotbot at 6:33 PM on November 20, 2009

Err. Paypal just sent me a customer survey (sent to randomly selected users) about my current experience with using PayPal for a transaction with Metafilter.

Bad timing, eh?
posted by divka at 6:38 PM on November 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

So if you listed the individual item being purchased as "framostat" and people bought two or three thousand of them, would Paypal still have a big tantrum?

Obviously. Even my grandma knows that framostats have been obsolete since the new turbo encabulators started using the more efficient brushless helical rotostats instead of those clunky old framostats. It would be better to bill the donations as pair-twisted grommetless backplane interconnects or even full spectrum wide-band aglets.

Greeble greeble.

I heard a rumor once that suggests that PayPal powers its servers on the blood of white Christian babies.
posted by loquacious at 6:42 PM on November 20, 2009 [5 favorites]

Dammit, Paypal!
posted by Pronoiac at 6:44 PM on November 20, 2009

This is for you, paypal.
posted by dead cousin ted at 6:54 PM on November 20, 2009

I think I should have stuck with my No PayPal rule.

Wow, I went all meta in my comment
posted by bh at 7:08 PM on November 20, 2009

Can Amazon Payments handle something like this a little better? Never used it, just asking.
posted by IndigoRain at 7:09 PM on November 20, 2009

I'm another one who hoped this would turn into an annual event.

Sigh. PayPal, ugh. They are such a pain in the ass, but I guess there is no alternative?

Sorry, Matt. Sorry this has turned out to be such a hassle. I'm sure you don't need the extra stress at this time (or any time, really.)
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:11 PM on November 20, 2009

I hate Paypal so fucking much. I mean, I did before, but this is just horrific.
posted by jokeefe at 7:19 PM on November 20, 2009

When you ride with PayPal, you ride with Hitler!

seriously, they are terrible. Everyone I know who deals with them as a business has stories like this
posted by boo_radley at 7:25 PM on November 20, 2009

Pardon the Pollyanna, but it could be much worse: we could be fucked over by PayPal and stuck in a theater watching that odious movie where the undead strike pouty James Dean poses and talk about their feelings.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:32 PM on November 20, 2009

Hey, I might enjoy that movie.
posted by bh at 7:33 PM on November 20, 2009

Wow, that sucks...I was sort of wondering how we were going to be OK after the first update that indicated they were feeling unsettled about the whole thing though...

I'm ready to rough up stuff with my afro puffs, should a mass complainfest on Paypal be necessary. PLZ ISSUE MY PITCHFORK, MATT.
posted by rollbiz at 7:33 PM on November 20, 2009

I will also send my (exactly average) donation to DWB directly if need be.
posted by jokeefe at 7:36 PM on November 20, 2009

I HAVE THEREFORE, BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY COLLEAGUES OF THE PANEL TO LOOK FOR AN OVERSEAS PARTNER INTO WHOSE ACCOUNT WE WOULD TRANSFER THE SUM OF US$$12,745.00(TWELVE THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE U.S DOLLARS).
posted by lukemeister at 7:43 PM on November 20, 2009 [12 favorites]

I will also send my (exactly average) donation to DWB directly if need be.

If it means fucking Paypal out of their cut, I'll increase my donation to EFF to meet that of the average. Otherwise I'll send them the balance in a check with a note field of "Fuck Paypal", so really either way...
posted by rollbiz at 7:48 PM on November 20, 2009

Wait so they think you're running a scam or they are going back on their "you have until Friday to raise money for charity" promise?
posted by radioamy at 8:25 PM on November 20, 2009

My Paypal account hasn't been reimbursed yet. I sure hope mathowie can make them see reason.
posted by deborah at 8:32 PM on November 20, 2009

If these fuckers refund my donation I'm giving double to the next thing we set up. Seriously. Fuck PayPal. The fuckingest fucks who've ever fucked. Fuckers.
posted by hangashore at 9:19 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

I really should have spoken up when I first heard you guys were going through Paypal. I also remember this same thing happening over at Something Awful during Katrina. If that experience is anything to go by Paypal will offer to donate the funds to [Other Charity, can't remember which] or refund them to the donors.

Sorry guys, I guess I was hopeful that this had been cleared ahead of time or something.
posted by ODiV at 9:22 PM on November 20, 2009

Fucking Paypal. I WARNED YOU, I WARNED ALL OF YOU.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:24 PM on November 20, 2009

Results are up!
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:24 PM on November 20, 2009

Congratulations 0100!
posted by Sailormom at 9:32 PM on November 20, 2009

What's that? You're going to tell us tomorrow? I don't get it.
posted by hangashore at 9:33 PM on November 20, 2009

Yay, congrats to all of the winners!
posted by rollbiz at 9:35 PM on November 20, 2009

And to Coldchef for winning two runner up prizes, even if he chooses not to take both, because that's cool shit in a six spot draw...!
posted by rollbiz at 9:36 PM on November 20, 2009

So now we can start with the chargebacks, right?
posted by bh at 9:36 PM on November 20, 2009

The results are unofficial until unix reviews them.
posted by gman at 9:37 PM on November 20, 2009

0100 wins the 100k? TOTAL FIX
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:38 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Congrats to the winners. Let's do this again soon (user #101010's coming up! and 111111! and 123456! you're going to bankrupt me iknowit).

P.S. Fuck PayPal.
posted by hangashore at 9:38 PM on November 20, 2009

The 100k prize was won by ticket #100? I call shenanigans.
posted by jpdoane at 9:39 PM on November 20, 2009

AWESOME! Congratulations, jamaro and the rest!

And very nice, Steven Bochco ERR I MEAN CORTEX
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:41 PM on November 20, 2009

It's okay that I didn't win. I'm used to BEING SILENCED ALL MY LIFE.
posted by Eideteker at 9:44 PM on November 20, 2009

(Did I do that right?)
posted by Eideteker at 9:44 PM on November 20, 2009

AND COLDCHEF TWICE?

SHE

NANNY

GANS!
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 9:45 PM on November 20, 2009

Congrats, lucky winners.

I'd just like to clarify that when I mentioned "that odious movie where the undead strike pouty James Dean poses and talk about their feelings" upthread, I was not referring to the raffle drawing movie.
posted by FelliniBlank at 9:48 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Paypal, what a tired, disingenuous crock of shit. What they're hired for is not to help us. What they're hired for is to FUCK-US-UP.
posted by porn in the woods at 9:57 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

I could seriously watch cortex's idiot drumroll grin for like 56 minutes.
posted by shakespeherian at 9:57 PM on November 20, 2009 [4 favorites]

My wife and I just watched the drawing video, and we larfed.

She said "What dorks."

I agree.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 10:01 PM on November 20, 2009

It's for the best that I lost; if I won, the username was going to be "The walnut-sized tumor sitting on Mathowie's pituitary gland", and MetaFilter would have collapsed under the weight of outrage.
posted by davejay at 10:27 PM on November 20, 2009

Fucking Paypal. I WARNED YOU, I WARNED ALL OF YOU.

YOU QUEERED THE DEAL
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:29 PM on November 20, 2009

PayPal: Ask us about the chicken fucking, because we're chicken fuckers.
posted by secret about box at 10:59 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

I just watched the video and I am feeling ridiculous amounts of MetaLuv at the moment.

Even if I didn't win anything. I'm trying to be brave about that.



And yes, fuck Paypal. Bastards.
posted by jokeefe at 11:05 PM on November 20, 2009

IndigoRain: Apparently not. Amazon Payments' TOS forbids “Donations and Charitable Solicitations - includes charities and non-profit organizations without a valid 501(c)(3) tax exempt status […] or any activity associated with the solicitation of donations”. Google Checkout has a very similar set of forbidden transactions.

It's frustrating that there's still no way to just send some money to another person over the Internet.
posted by hattifattener at 11:17 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

hattifattener: it's Canada-only, but we can do it no problem. I'm surprised something similar hasn't been rolled out in the USA (or worldwide). Could be due to the eight brazilian banks down there.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:19 PM on November 20, 2009

In September 2005, Richard Kyanka, owner of the website Something Awful, set up an account to collect donations for Hurricane Katrina to be given to the Red Cross. Owing to the high rate at which donations were made, the account was automatically frozen, and Kyanka criticized the time and difficulty involved in getting PayPal's customer service to unfreeze the account. In response to the concerns of Something Awful members over the charity used by PayPal, United Way, Kyanka finally opted to have the money refunded to the donors so that they could donate directly to their charities of choice, though PayPal did not refund exchange and handling fees for international donors.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:36 AM on November 21, 2009

As part of MeFi's NPO Cabal, I would be happy to volunteer some time if there is a feeling that - in the long run - MetaFilter needs to establish, incorporate and register an affiliated 501(c)3. Of course, that's something that will require much more discussion, but I just wanted to make the suggestion while we're on the topic.
posted by greekphilosophy at 1:48 AM on November 21, 2009

You're probably trying to use HTML entities like x305; or 773;. Those never work, they are filtered server-side. Note that live preview does zero filtering, so it's useless to determine whether something will work or not.

You have to use the actual unicode characters in your comment. For example on linux I type C and then ctrl-shift-0305 to get the combining overline character (for windoz).

You can also copy and paste from a 'character map' application or a webpage containing that character.
posted by Rhomboid at 9:51 PM on November 20 [+] [!]


ↈ

trying the copy paste method
posted by Kattullus at 10:14 PM on November 20 [+] [!]

Double fail but moot.
posted by tellurian at 5:15 AM on November 21, 2009

I just woke up and immediately checked the thread...it was like Christmas morning*! Thanks for putting in all the work for this, guys, and I hope PayPal can unfuck things.

*Except for the part where I didn't get anything. My parents weren't that cruel.
posted by JoanArkham at 5:16 AM on November 21, 2009

I hope I win the raffle! Aw, heck, I hope I win the raffle TWICE!
posted by ColdChef at 5:20 AM on November 21, 2009 [5 favorites]

Happy Dork Holly Daze! Great video. Next episode, PayPal as Scrooge.
posted by rainbaby at 6:09 AM on November 21, 2009

ColdChef, how many tickets did you buy?
posted by radioamy at 7:49 AM on November 21, 2009

Ok 100k winner, who are you and where are you flying to?
posted by radioamy at 7:50 AM on November 21, 2009

Thoughts while watching the video

-aha, cute conceit. Dead-on music too.
- Wow the video quality is really nice.
-Sound too, what camera is this?
- Huh, I had no idea what pb looked like. Not that it's important, but I just assumed he was a complex system of processes and equations and not mere flesh. Also, Josh's voice? Wa-a-a-y too close to like two other people I know so I keep doing double takes.
-Dear God I'd be a hobbit next to Matt.
-Comic Sans! Kitty! Fedora! Oh you guys.
-Pb's finger moves on his keyboard are like a spider.
-OMGHEYBIGMUSICIMETHIMHEOFFEREDTOTAKEMETOABBQPLACEBUT THENIGOTSICKYAY~
-Cold Chef! Yay!
-Also: "If you want another shirt and Cd Cold Chef, you can have one"
-Lileks? I thought his account was disabled? Did he he-start it just for the raffle? Behold the power of Meef.
-Don't think I missed your pun-y "pool" joke there chuckleheads
-That drum grin needs to be a looped gif.
-Hooray for everyone! Hey, Tomorrow! You gotta do a victory lap!

-ha, 3rd youtube comment,
posted by The Whelk at 8:53 AM on November 21, 2009 [3 favorites]

Dead-on music too.

I was telling my wife, I think that is the exact and only reason my digital piano has that soundbank.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:04 AM on November 21, 2009

-also Roomba petting and hat wearing.
posted by The Whelk at 9:16 AM on November 21, 2009 [2 favorites]

I love you dorks forever and ever, even if I'm not going to get to go to New York or Berlin on your dime.
posted by scody at 12:47 PM on November 21, 2009 [1 favorite]

shakespeherian: I could seriously watch cortex's idiot drumroll grin for like 56 minutes.

In the other thread, Rhaomi posted an animated gif & YTMTD, & I posted an animated gif of just cortex drumming.
posted by Pronoiac at 1:51 PM on November 21, 2009

Any update on the PayPal situation?
posted by ocherdraco at 6:55 PM on December 1, 2009

Does this mean that Anonymous is going to shut down Teh Paypal?
posted by humannaire at 8:37 PM on December 1, 2009

Yeah, what's der status on PayPal? I know I've been debited.
posted by davejay at 12:46 PM on December 2, 2009

Have people gotten their money back? I've been in such a flurry of HOLIDAY SHOPPING that i haven't noticed if my 45 bucks have magically returned or not.
posted by The Whelk at 1:51 PM on December 2, 2009

I checked earlier. My account is debited and they claim Matt's been paid. But that doesn't mean they've released the funds yet.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 1:56 PM on December 2, 2009

I haven't heard anything new; that accounts were debited and Matt's account credited unfortunately doesn't mean anything has changed, as I understand it—money can go into his account, but nothing can come out of it until something changes, yeah.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:04 PM on December 2, 2009

Does paypal have an option where they never give the money back to us but don't give it to Matt either? Because we're running out of time to do a chargeback or dispute or whatever it is and if they purposefully wait until we have no recourse then make the money disappear I'll be upset but not at all surprised. I'd rather they just refund us instead of screwing around like this.
posted by shelleycat at 5:46 PM on December 2, 2009

If matt's paypal account is currently locked does that mean that new user signups are also blocked? Or does that go through a separate paypal account?
posted by Rhomboid at 7:13 PM on December 2, 2009

Neither, Rhomboid; it's the same account, as I understand it, but it's only the transfer of funds out of the account that's locked, so signups are proceeding merrily along and throwing (currently irretrievable) cash into it $5 at a time.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:54 PM on December 2, 2009

If a $5 noob falls in a locked paypal account, does it make any noise?
posted by Rhomboid at 8:10 PM on December 2, 2009

If I don't read the whole thread, do I get to make a joke?
posted by at the crossroads at 2:06 AM on December 3, 2009

What would happen if every (or almost every) merchant for a particular seller filed a complaint with Paypal, against Paypal (on behalf of the seller)? A sort of class-action type thing...we're like GiveWell, but in reverse (see, we actually want to give all the money to charity, but Paypal won't let us 'cause they want to keep it!) So crazy it might work, Matt's Restaurant Stylie?
posted by iamkimiam at 2:56 AM on December 3, 2009

Matt's posted a (not-much-news) thread about the Paypal situation, for those who want to stay up to date.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:32 PM on December 3, 2009