RIP Steven den Beste October 24, 2016 9:12 PM Subscribe
Early influential political blogger and longtime MeFite Steven den Beste (also as Steven C. Den Beste) has passed away. A former engineer for Qualcomm and a serious anime fan, he was in poor health and mostly homebound for many years. RIP.
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Very sad. I didn't always get along with Steven. Actually, I *rarely* got along with Steven, but I always respected him and am very sad to hear that he has died.
posted by yellowcandy at 9:23 PM on October 24, 2016 [2 favorites]
Very sad. I didn't always get along with Steven. Actually, I *rarely* got along with Steven, but I always respected him and am very sad to hear that he has died.
posted by yellowcandy at 9:23 PM on October 24, 2016 [2 favorites]
A link on Steven's old blog, USS Clueless, was my introduction to Ask MetaFilter.
posted by Bruce H. at 9:32 PM on October 24, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Bruce H. at 9:32 PM on October 24, 2016 [3 favorites]
It's always sad to hear this kind of news.
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posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 9:39 PM on October 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 9:39 PM on October 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:43 PM on October 24, 2016
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:43 PM on October 24, 2016
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posted by oneswellfoop at 9:50 PM on October 24, 2016
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:50 PM on October 24, 2016
From the comments on the link, a brief autobiography.
He had engineer's disease, but was a good soul.
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posted by Rumple at 10:10 PM on October 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
He had engineer's disease, but was a good soul.
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posted by Rumple at 10:10 PM on October 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
An Internet Culture O.G. for sure, I first knew of him from Usenet. Here he is weighing in on Usenet from 1982 in characteristic style. Though I wasn't a follower or fan or anything, being aware of the force that was SDB was one of the reasons Metafilter stuck in my head back when his name would crop up on my pre-$5 visits.
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posted by rhizome at 10:22 PM on October 24, 2016 [11 favorites]
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posted by rhizome at 10:22 PM on October 24, 2016 [11 favorites]
Damn. One of the first "big" personalities I remember from my early days here on MeFi. He and I never interacted on here, but I appreciated his presence from afar. What a loss.
posted by mykescipark at 10:31 PM on October 24, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by mykescipark at 10:31 PM on October 24, 2016 [4 favorites]
Damn. One of the first "big" personalities I remember from my early days here on MeFi.
This is how I experienced him as well. I am sorry to hear he's gone.
posted by Orlop at 10:34 PM on October 24, 2016
This is how I experienced him as well. I am sorry to hear he's gone.
posted by Orlop at 10:34 PM on October 24, 2016
R.I.P. Steven. He and I were also blog friends and my name is still in his archives. I believe, though I'm not going to look it up, our last interaction had him saying something vinegary, as I had apparently become too much of a "Leftist" for his tastes. (On Facebook you can see repeated reposts of his "Unified Theory of Leftism", or whatever it was, that essentially posited that all Leftists of all Stripes came up with concepts like climate change solely for the purpose of fleecing the rich people, er, nations and giving it all to poor nations. I didn't, at the time, have the language to process this exactly, but now it's clear that it was just another expression of barbed-wire-fence white privilege -- the eternal fantasy-mare of a mob of scruffy-looking nerf-herders on the border of your property ready to pick up everything and cart it away.) I think he meant well most of the time, but he fell in hard with the worst elements of the warblog crowd and had the expected rejection here of that and his unending autodidacticism, where many of his posts had him fighting with everyone who commented. In some ways that must have been pretty frustrating. In the end we didn't seem to be friends anymore, and I moved away from blogging anyway, so our paths ended up never crossing in the last umpty years. In the end he was a big part of the site in its early years and despite his problematic interactions I believe his overall contributions were positive.
posted by dhartung at 10:49 PM on October 24, 2016 [25 favorites]
posted by dhartung at 10:49 PM on October 24, 2016 [25 favorites]
I think Sept 11th had a profound effect on him, and not for the better (he was not the only one, of course - one thinks of James Lileks). Prior to that event, his blog was mostly nattering on about Star Trek and egineering-y things; afterwards, it was 100% WE MUST OVERTHROW THE HOUSE OF SAUD. I'm not sure whether he came to realize he was mistaken in his analysis, or if he just got tired of everyone telling him he was mistaken, but I know he went full time into blogging about anime at some later point.
Still, sorry to hear of his passing. .
posted by Chrysostom at 10:57 PM on October 24, 2016 [12 favorites]
Still, sorry to hear of his passing. .
posted by Chrysostom at 10:57 PM on October 24, 2016 [12 favorites]
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posted by the quidnunc kid at 12:30 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by the quidnunc kid at 12:30 AM on October 25, 2016
We insulted each other occasionally and he sarcastically linked to me as a "sweetheart" contact.
Sarcastic or not, dammit. It's egocentric, but it would be nice to finish this year without any other people in my contact list dying. This fucking year's had its share and more.
Peace to him, his friends, and family.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:36 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
Sarcastic or not, dammit. It's egocentric, but it would be nice to finish this year without any other people in my contact list dying. This fucking year's had its share and more.
Peace to him, his friends, and family.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:36 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
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posted by Foci for Analysis at 1:45 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by Foci for Analysis at 1:45 AM on October 25, 2016
I'll always remember him for being "cultural translator" to us for the Strike Witches anime, about magical girls who turn into World War II fighter jets.
He sent me, via MeMail, a link to his review of the series on his website (seems to be dead now, it was here), and a blog post titled "embrace the stupid."
Farewell, Steven C. Den Beste!
posted by JHarris at 4:05 AM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
He sent me, via MeMail, a link to his review of the series on his website (seems to be dead now, it was here), and a blog post titled "embrace the stupid."
Farewell, Steven C. Den Beste!
posted by JHarris at 4:05 AM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
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posted by Rock Steady at 5:14 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by Rock Steady at 5:14 AM on October 25, 2016
Aw man, it is a special sort of weird to hear this sort of news about someone you know of, who doesn't know about you, but who is at the same time not really "famous" in the conventional sense.
I mean, it's pretty much never good news when you hear this sort of thing, really. : \
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:34 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
I mean, it's pretty much never good news when you hear this sort of thing, really. : \
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:34 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
Awww. I will miss seeing him around here with his lateral views on a lot of things. My best wishes to his friends and family.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 5:58 AM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 5:58 AM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
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He had a BND account here too - as a question of policy, does that get revealed with the "deceased" label as well?
I'm not sure whether he came to realize he was mistaken in his analysis, or if he just got tired of everyone telling him he was mistaken...
From what I read, it was definitely the latter, particularly the nitpicky "well, actually" feedback he got (mostly from other, like-minded engineers, ironically).
He wrote several years ago how he had developed some sort of debilitating condition that made it hard to focus on his writing without medication--and that he didn't want to take the medication any more, so had given up on political essay writing. He occasionally broke out of anime-blogging to make passing comments/snark on current events and while he was much briefer, his political views were unchanged.
posted by cardboard at 7:20 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
He had a BND account here too - as a question of policy, does that get revealed with the "deceased" label as well?
I'm not sure whether he came to realize he was mistaken in his analysis, or if he just got tired of everyone telling him he was mistaken...
From what I read, it was definitely the latter, particularly the nitpicky "well, actually" feedback he got (mostly from other, like-minded engineers, ironically).
He wrote several years ago how he had developed some sort of debilitating condition that made it hard to focus on his writing without medication--and that he didn't want to take the medication any more, so had given up on political essay writing. He occasionally broke out of anime-blogging to make passing comments/snark on current events and while he was much briefer, his political views were unchanged.
posted by cardboard at 7:20 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
(As of right now, we're not connecting his old accounts to any newer accounts, because we haven't found evidence of whether he had ever made that connection himself publicly. In general we won't connect BND accounts to older ones if the person doesn't want them connected, and we're erring on the side of caution here. If anyone knows of a place where he did make the connection or acknowledged it, we'd be interested.)
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 7:25 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 7:25 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
He had a BND account here too
Better Not Dead? Bank of North Dakota?
posted by thelonius at 7:41 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Better Not Dead? Bank of North Dakota?
posted by thelonius at 7:41 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Brand New Day
posted by Elementary Penguin at 7:43 AM on October 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Elementary Penguin at 7:43 AM on October 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
He's one of the very first Mefites I remember when I joined. He was an iconic Mefite and I'm so sorry to hear he's passed.
posted by Zosia Blue at 7:46 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Zosia Blue at 7:46 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by boo_radley at 7:57 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by boo_radley at 7:57 AM on October 25, 2016
Terrible news. :( Thank you for letting us know, Asparagirl.
(And thank you for clarifying, LM.)
Condolences to his friends and family. May his memory be a blessing to them.
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cardboard: He wrote several years ago how he had developed some sort of debilitating condition that made it hard to focus on his writing without medication--and that he didn't want to take the medication any more, so had given up on political essay writing. He occasionally broke out of anime-blogging to make passing comments/snark on current events and while he was much briefer, his political views were unchanged.
Yes. It was a degenerative genetic disability, which he never named. When he retired from political blogging in 2004, he left this comment on a fan's site:
His participation on mefi mellowed over the years and his focus here mostly shifted away from toxic politics. Which was truly nice to see.
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posted by zarq at 8:03 AM on October 25, 2016 [14 favorites]
(And thank you for clarifying, LM.)
Condolences to his friends and family. May his memory be a blessing to them.
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cardboard: He wrote several years ago how he had developed some sort of debilitating condition that made it hard to focus on his writing without medication--and that he didn't want to take the medication any more, so had given up on political essay writing. He occasionally broke out of anime-blogging to make passing comments/snark on current events and while he was much briefer, his political views were unchanged.
Yes. It was a degenerative genetic disability, which he never named. When he retired from political blogging in 2004, he left this comment on a fan's site:
"I've been suffering for years from a genetically-caused degenerative disease. For the last year or so, the only way I was able to continue posting was by taking increasing doses of very powerful stimulants. (Understand that they were palliative; there's no cure or treatment for the underlying disease, and no one knows what causes it. The only reason it's known to be genetic is because it is found in family lines. In my case it was my father's family.)Then in 2012 he had a stroke which affected motor functions on his left side, but reportedly did not affect his thinking. Brief thread on his site is here -- googling "steven den beste stroke" turns up posts and 'get well soon' comments at some conservative media sites such as PJ and HotAir.
Those prescription drugs have serious side effects which I put up with in order to be able to keep writing for the site. But as that year went on, my enjoyment in writing for the site drained away."
His participation on mefi mellowed over the years and his focus here mostly shifted away from toxic politics. Which was truly nice to see.
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posted by zarq at 8:03 AM on October 25, 2016 [14 favorites]
Ah, hell. I had a lot of beefs with the guy, but I'm sorry to hear this. I knew he was never very well. That's a tough lot to pick.
posted by octobersurprise at 8:11 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by octobersurprise at 8:11 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by crush-onastick at 8:16 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by crush-onastick at 8:16 AM on October 25, 2016
"...Seeing that small light in the darkness, and knowing that I made at least some small contribution to it, has brought me comfort on those dark nights. My life wasn't completely pointless."
posted by anifinder at 8:19 AM on October 25, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by anifinder at 8:19 AM on October 25, 2016 [10 favorites]
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posted by EvaDestruction at 8:19 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by EvaDestruction at 8:19 AM on October 25, 2016
He left a big impression on me, too, in my early years on MetaFilter, even when I was just a lurker. Sad news. He was in the old school MeFi pantheon.
I feel a little stupid--for some reason I had always assumed Steven C. Den Beste was a pseudonym. It seemed implausible that anyone would argue those positions here under their real name.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 8:19 AM on October 25, 2016 [18 favorites]
I feel a little stupid--for some reason I had always assumed Steven C. Den Beste was a pseudonym. It seemed implausible that anyone would argue those positions here under their real name.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 8:19 AM on October 25, 2016 [18 favorites]
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posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:21 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:21 AM on October 25, 2016
Yeah, SDB was a terrible troll in the first years of MetaFilter but at least his Islamophobia and disgust with the American left became less antagonistic as 9/11 receded in time. And in his magisteria – signals processing, anime – he was terrific. Sorry to hear of his passing, and really sad to hear of his long decline.
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posted by nicwolff at 8:27 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
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posted by nicwolff at 8:27 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
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posted by madamjujujive at 8:40 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by madamjujujive at 8:40 AM on October 25, 2016
Oh, it just hit me what his BND account is. Not sure why I never made the connection before.
posted by octothorpe at 8:48 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 8:48 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by lalochezia at 9:03 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by lalochezia at 9:03 AM on October 25, 2016
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posted by supermedusa at 9:23 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by supermedusa at 9:23 AM on October 25, 2016
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posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:06 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:06 AM on October 25, 2016
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posted by and they trembled before her fury at 10:24 AM on October 25, 2016
posted by and they trembled before her fury at 10:24 AM on October 25, 2016
Like many people I have complicated feelings about SCDB's history on the site, but history is a pretty key word there: there's no denying he was a significant part of MetaFilter's early days in particular, and he falls squarely into the cohort of golden age blogosphere folks who intersected so strongly with some of the site's cultural development as MeFi grew from hobbyist side-project into a bustling community. I was sorry to hear this news, and feel for those who knew him better.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:25 AM on October 25, 2016 [17 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:25 AM on October 25, 2016 [17 favorites]
This open-hearted comment made a strong impression on me.
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posted by Herr Zebrurka at 11:27 AM on October 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
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posted by Herr Zebrurka at 11:27 AM on October 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
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I followed SCDB's blog for a long time back in the early days, and I vaguely recall tangling with him here. RIP.
(As an aside, going back and looking at my comment history for discussions I had with SCDB, I realized that I've been a member here for 15 years. How did that happen? Where does time go?)
posted by monju_bosatsu at 11:28 AM on October 25, 2016
I followed SCDB's blog for a long time back in the early days, and I vaguely recall tangling with him here. RIP.
(As an aside, going back and looking at my comment history for discussions I had with SCDB, I realized that I've been a member here for 15 years. How did that happen? Where does time go?)
posted by monju_bosatsu at 11:28 AM on October 25, 2016
Sad news. A lot of memorable battles in the early days of MetaFilter were about or involved SDB. One I remember well: He posted a self-link to confess crushing loneliness, praised strippers as "real women" and declared, "I like women. I've just come to hate female persons." In that thread and a followup, that thinking went over about as well here as you'd imagine.
I didn't follow his efforts when he became a bellicose warblogger and then shifted to anime, but I'd look him up every few years hoping to find he was getting along well.
posted by rcade at 11:32 AM on October 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
I didn't follow his efforts when he became a bellicose warblogger and then shifted to anime, but I'd look him up every few years hoping to find he was getting along well.
posted by rcade at 11:32 AM on October 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
Text below this window: "Everyone needs a hug."
SDB in the post I linked: "I desperately need a hug."
posted by rcade at 11:34 AM on October 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
SDB in the post I linked: "I desperately need a hug."
posted by rcade at 11:34 AM on October 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
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posted by NoraCharles at 12:42 PM on October 25, 2016
posted by NoraCharles at 12:42 PM on October 25, 2016
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posted by SisterHavana at 12:57 PM on October 25, 2016
posted by SisterHavana at 12:57 PM on October 25, 2016
He posted a self-link to confess crushing loneliness
Wow, self-linking on the front page. The past really is a foreign country.
posted by octothorpe at 1:04 PM on October 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
Wow, self-linking on the front page. The past really is a foreign country.
posted by octothorpe at 1:04 PM on October 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
He was a cantankerous man, and it's hard to overstate how much Metafilter's sensibilities have diverged from the way he presented on the site. Still, I often think about the compelling way he could present an argument or turn a phrase. Just last week I was reminded of his problems with the command structure of the USS Enterprise and went back to read his post on USS Clueless (now vanished). Still entertaining. I also recall a strongly worded Metafilter comment on how easy it is to say "This sucks" about a piece of content without articulating a proper criticism.
It's rare that I'm really jarred by hearing news about a Mefite. One case was when I learned that Jessamyn's dad was Tom West. This is another.
posted by Mapes at 1:09 PM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
It's rare that I'm really jarred by hearing news about a Mefite. One case was when I learned that Jessamyn's dad was Tom West. This is another.
posted by Mapes at 1:09 PM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
For someone as cantankerous as he was, he did have this sage advice:
When something like this begins to get my goat, I shrug my shoulders and say to myself, "You know what? They're entitled to their opinion, and I'm entitled to conclude that they're jackasses."
RIP.
posted by maxsparber at 2:38 PM on October 25, 2016 [14 favorites]
When something like this begins to get my goat, I shrug my shoulders and say to myself, "You know what? They're entitled to their opinion, and I'm entitled to conclude that they're jackasses."
RIP.
posted by maxsparber at 2:38 PM on October 25, 2016 [14 favorites]
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posted by The Great Big Mulp at 4:01 PM on October 25, 2016
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 4:01 PM on October 25, 2016
Aaaw, I'm sorry to hear this. I remember him well and would think of him every once in a while. Ages ago, I faved this comment of his on how to how to alter cookie ingredients to make them thinner, puffier or chewier, and I still refer back to it every once in a while. My thoughts and well-wishes go out to his friends and family.
posted by triggerfinger at 4:17 PM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by triggerfinger at 4:17 PM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
We didn't always see eye to eye on things, and I used to play some little jokes on him in the early days because he frustrated me so, but I'm pretty bummed to hear about him passing. He was one of the very first usernames I recognized as coming back day after day all the way back in like 2000. We'd frequently argue on the site and at one point he even reached out to me over email to say he'd been feeling low and we occasional talked over email. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I realized he ended up living about 30 miles from me. Part of me wanted to meet up with him to just say hi and that I enjoyed our interactions 10 and 15 years ago and wondered how he was doing. I'd heard he suffered a stroke and was in poor health as of late, but it's one of many small regrets that I never got my chance to say hi in person.
RIP SCDB
posted by mathowie (retired) at 4:35 PM on October 25, 2016 [25 favorites]
RIP SCDB
posted by mathowie (retired) at 4:35 PM on October 25, 2016 [25 favorites]
Sad to hear this; I remember having come to words with him enough that he was one of the first names I would recognize on the site but I can't remember what for. Google is showing that the Venn diagram of comments both of us commented on only having 282 members so I'm cruising through them as a sort fo interesting drunkards walk of the archives.
In 2006 he wondered: What I'm wondering is why the [Canadian Federal] Liberals don't have any women candidates? Or minorities. They're all mature white men.. I'm glad he got to see this Cabinet.
LobsterMitten: " In general we won't connect BND accounts to older ones if the person doesn't want them connected, and we're erring on the side of caution here."
Do the BND accounts get a deceased label though?
octothorpe: "self-linking on the front page. The past really is a foreign country."
Self posting was rampant on the front page in the early days.
posted by Mitheral at 6:13 PM on October 25, 2016
In 2006 he wondered: What I'm wondering is why the [Canadian Federal] Liberals don't have any women candidates? Or minorities. They're all mature white men.. I'm glad he got to see this Cabinet.
LobsterMitten: " In general we won't connect BND accounts to older ones if the person doesn't want them connected, and we're erring on the side of caution here."
Do the BND accounts get a deceased label though?
octothorpe: "self-linking on the front page. The past really is a foreign country."
Self posting was rampant on the front page in the early days.
posted by Mitheral at 6:13 PM on October 25, 2016
Do the BND accounts get a deceased label though?
I think that's probably how we'll handle it in the long run, yeah. This sort of context is one of the most complicated we can run into as far as balancing privacy and community closure, I appreciate folks bearing with us on it.
Self posting was rampant on the front page in the early days
Yeah, the rule against it came directly from the fact that it was getting to be A Thing in the first year or two. Those earliest stretches are full of all sorts of primordial site behavior.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:28 PM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
I think that's probably how we'll handle it in the long run, yeah. This sort of context is one of the most complicated we can run into as far as balancing privacy and community closure, I appreciate folks bearing with us on it.
Self posting was rampant on the front page in the early days
Yeah, the rule against it came directly from the fact that it was getting to be A Thing in the first year or two. Those earliest stretches are full of all sorts of primordial site behavior.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:28 PM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
wait, what is BND
I feel like I'm not getting some abbreviation or something
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:48 PM on October 25, 2016
I feel like I'm not getting some abbreviation or something
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:48 PM on October 25, 2016
Brand New Day. Starting a new account as a break in identity from a previous account on the site. The FAQ entry addresses it in terms of banned users, but the term has evolved a little over time to also refer to a still-active member voluntarily choosing to make that jump, usually for privacy reasons but occasionally as an attempt to get away from a pattern of behavior or reputation.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:53 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:53 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Thanks!
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:55 PM on October 25, 2016
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:55 PM on October 25, 2016
Those earliest stretches are full of all sorts of primordial site behavior.
Gathered around the gigantic Metalith, beating each other with clubs. Yes, those were the days.
posted by octobersurprise at 7:23 PM on October 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
Gathered around the gigantic Metalith, beating each other with clubs. Yes, those were the days.
posted by octobersurprise at 7:23 PM on October 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
I'm feeling some anguish over how rough on him I was sometimes -- it took me far too long to realize he was dealing with serious medical issues.
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posted by jamjam at 7:27 PM on October 25, 2016
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posted by jamjam at 7:27 PM on October 25, 2016
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posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 8:50 PM on October 25, 2016
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 8:50 PM on October 25, 2016
FAQs should have additional information footnotes. Like the BND day FAQ could link to the Genesis thread and fandango_matt's propaganda poster.
posted by Mitheral at 9:27 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Mitheral at 9:27 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by From Bklyn at 10:00 PM on October 25, 2016
posted by From Bklyn at 10:00 PM on October 25, 2016
Yeah, as with others, my interactions with him were frequently pretty hostile. I wasn't aware that we had in common the unusual condition of living with an extremely rare congenital illness. I wish I had known that.
RIP, Steven.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 11:08 PM on October 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
RIP, Steven.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 11:08 PM on October 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
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posted by Joe in Australia at 11:44 PM on October 25, 2016
posted by Joe in Australia at 11:44 PM on October 25, 2016
His is a name that stuck in my head even though I spend most of my time on the Green instead of the Blue. Scrolling back through his list of posts to see what I would remember him from from back in the early days I found this rant against single link posts, proving that everything old is new again.
It sounds like he had a difficult life, and I'm sad to hear of his passing.
posted by MsMolly at 12:27 AM on October 26, 2016
It sounds like he had a difficult life, and I'm sad to hear of his passing.
posted by MsMolly at 12:27 AM on October 26, 2016
Primordial Site Behaviour. Anyone wanna start a prog metal band with me?
Also:
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posted by Sonny Jim at 12:34 AM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also:
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posted by Sonny Jim at 12:34 AM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 1:16 AM on October 26, 2016
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 1:16 AM on October 26, 2016
I learned about Dutch surnames thanks to him.
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:09 AM on October 26, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:09 AM on October 26, 2016 [6 favorites]
Oh wow. I don't think I ever interacted with him, and I know I disagreed with him about many things, but this is hard to hear.
All the best to his family and friends.
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posted by nubs at 8:26 AM on October 26, 2016
All the best to his family and friends.
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posted by nubs at 8:26 AM on October 26, 2016
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posted by mygothlaundry at 9:38 AM on October 26, 2016
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:38 AM on October 26, 2016
Wow, I remember him from the earliest days of MeFi. Now I know at least partly why his activity here seemed to have dropped off. Like many here I didn't always agree with him, but definitely appreciated his contributions. Condolences to his friends and family.
posted by TedW at 10:26 AM on October 26, 2016
posted by TedW at 10:26 AM on October 26, 2016
Shit. His contributions to the site, whether we agreed or not, were a big part of what kept me reading and eventually made me put my $5 down.
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posted by fiercecupcake at 10:29 AM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by fiercecupcake at 10:29 AM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh! This is sad!
I never saw him on MetaFilter -- instead, I found his blog USS Clueless via I think James Lileks, around 9/11. He got a little too...reactionary? for me about a year or so later, but in that time I gobbled up whatever he wrote. (Hey, Chrysostom, sounds like you had a similar experience.)
One thing that caught my eye is that he "assisted" with a book called "The Quotable Sherlock Holmes," which kind of illustrates the fierce attention he paid to things that interested him.
I didn't always agree with him but I am glad he was around. God bless, SDB.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:43 AM on October 26, 2016 [3 favorites]
I never saw him on MetaFilter -- instead, I found his blog USS Clueless via I think James Lileks, around 9/11. He got a little too...reactionary? for me about a year or so later, but in that time I gobbled up whatever he wrote. (Hey, Chrysostom, sounds like you had a similar experience.)
One thing that caught my eye is that he "assisted" with a book called "The Quotable Sherlock Holmes," which kind of illustrates the fierce attention he paid to things that interested him.
I didn't always agree with him but I am glad he was around. God bless, SDB.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:43 AM on October 26, 2016 [3 favorites]
Wow, his name pops into my head from time to time - I wondered what had happened to him. I only ever saw him here on MeFi but he was an OG for sure. For better or worse it seemed like he used to answer virtually every question on AskMe. I hope is family is at peace.
posted by GuyZero at 11:23 AM on October 26, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by GuyZero at 11:23 AM on October 26, 2016 [3 favorites]
I met him through other online stuff and was surprised to find out he was here. He was one of the best parts of the internet for me for... gosh, a decade? Sad news.
posted by SMPA at 1:37 PM on October 26, 2016
posted by SMPA at 1:37 PM on October 26, 2016
I understand and respect the mods' decision to avoid linking unlinked BND accounts, but now I'm wondering whether any curmudgeonly MeFi user may have been him, and is now deceased.
So if you fit that description, please post a note to say you're still alive. Thanks.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:18 PM on October 26, 2016 [5 favorites]
So if you fit that description, please post a note to say you're still alive. Thanks.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:18 PM on October 26, 2016 [5 favorites]
I'm more acerbic than curmudgeonly.
posted by Chrysostom at 5:02 PM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Chrysostom at 5:02 PM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by double block and bleed at 7:04 PM on October 26, 2016
posted by double block and bleed at 7:04 PM on October 26, 2016
Mods, will you be noting his passing on the main site sidebar?
posted by zarq at 10:11 PM on October 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by zarq at 10:11 PM on October 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
RIP SDB, his gently chiding me on aquatic ape theory got me involved with mefi. you are missed.
i still think about and reference his 'super human intelligence' :P (and his primer on isomorphism was helpful!)
posted by kliuless at 10:21 PM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
i still think about and reference his 'super human intelligence' :P (and his primer on isomorphism was helpful!)
posted by kliuless at 10:21 PM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh gee. I posted in the thread above this before seeing this one. I, too, remember Steven from my lurker days so long ago. He was certainly memorable. I'm sorry to hear he was grappling with such debilitating health issues.
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posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:37 PM on October 26, 2016
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posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:37 PM on October 26, 2016
Who would have thought that the Dutch invented carrots and street lighting, but needed Napoleon to give them last names.
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posted by XMLicious at 12:11 AM on October 27, 2016
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posted by XMLicious at 12:11 AM on October 27, 2016
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posted by get off of my cloud at 5:37 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by get off of my cloud at 5:37 AM on October 27, 2016
Oh how sad and weird. Like many I rarely agreed with him, but I associated his username as just being part of the fabric of Metafilter. I'm sorry he had a difficult struggle, and I'm sorry he's gone. Rest in peace, SCDB.
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posted by Phire at 8:15 AM on October 27, 2016
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posted by Phire at 8:15 AM on October 27, 2016
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posted by defenestration at 8:41 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by defenestration at 8:41 AM on October 27, 2016
Boy oh boy, the memories of his contentious interactions on MeFi still linger.
However, I am sorry that we lost him and wish his family every comfort on his
passing.
posted by Lynsey at 9:42 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
However, I am sorry that we lost him and wish his family every comfort on his
passing.
posted by Lynsey at 9:42 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by IndigoRain at 1:51 PM on October 27, 2016
posted by IndigoRain at 1:51 PM on October 27, 2016
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posted by Faint of Butt at 3:48 AM on October 28, 2016
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:48 AM on October 28, 2016
. SCDB
We're in the accelerating part of the mortality curve for internet people from the 90's and early aughts, aren't we? I suppose this is our version of starting to realize you knew that person in the obits column every month or so.
I don't miss the warbloggers. I miss the blogosphere.
posted by mwhybark at 10:32 AM on October 28, 2016 [10 favorites]
We're in the accelerating part of the mortality curve for internet people from the 90's and early aughts, aren't we? I suppose this is our version of starting to realize you knew that person in the obits column every month or so.
I don't miss the warbloggers. I miss the blogosphere.
posted by mwhybark at 10:32 AM on October 28, 2016 [10 favorites]
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posted by Doktor Zed at 11:30 AM on October 28, 2016
posted by Doktor Zed at 11:30 AM on October 28, 2016
Never interacted with him, but I'll always remember him.
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posted by penduluum at 12:10 PM on October 28, 2016
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posted by penduluum at 12:10 PM on October 28, 2016
Never knew him pre-9/11 but I kind of wish I had.
posted by tommasz at 5:33 AM on October 29, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by tommasz at 5:33 AM on October 29, 2016 [2 favorites]
First mefite I had direct contact with that has passed, one of the originals that lured me in as well back in the much more fighty days (hello matteo, y2Karl, parisparamus, krrrlson, dios, dhoyt, rothko, amberglow, ethereal bligh, many others, etc). Probably agreed with him more than most people here, and despite some of the prehistoric grudges and blowups, that was a pretty fun and intellectually challenging time on the site for me, and he was a big part of that.
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posted by loquax at 5:40 PM on October 29, 2016 [4 favorites]
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posted by loquax at 5:40 PM on October 29, 2016 [4 favorites]
Aww, sorry to hear he's passed. He was definitely one of the personalities of the early site, and colorful enough in his crabbiness that sparring with him was often equal measures fun and infuriating. He's also one of the few members who I definitely knew from the wider internet before MeFi, something that doesn't seem to happen as often anymore.
posted by klangklangston at 7:19 PM on October 31, 2016
posted by klangklangston at 7:19 PM on October 31, 2016
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posted by Slithy_Tove at 3:46 PM on November 1, 2016
posted by Slithy_Tove at 3:46 PM on November 1, 2016
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posted by kirkaracha at 12:17 PM on November 2, 2016
posted by kirkaracha at 12:17 PM on November 2, 2016
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posted by skyscraper at 1:09 PM on November 3, 2016
posted by skyscraper at 1:09 PM on November 3, 2016
Steven's writing introduced me to the enigmatic, dark, yet strangely hopeful piece of afterlife poetry called Haibane - Renmei, for which I'm grateful. Though I disagreed with the majority of his opinions on politics and culture, he was a serious intellect and a good writer.
posted by nanojath at 7:24 PM on November 3, 2016
posted by nanojath at 7:24 PM on November 3, 2016
I remember getting some of my early understanding of CDMA (as in IS-95) technology from that guy's website.
posted by Juffo-Wup at 6:57 PM on November 4, 2016
posted by Juffo-Wup at 6:57 PM on November 4, 2016
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posted by OverlappingElvis at 8:48 AM on November 7, 2016
posted by OverlappingElvis at 8:48 AM on November 7, 2016
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posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:18 PM on October 24, 2016