The Election Year That Never Ended August 21, 2017 4:49 PM Subscribe
Where Cortex is interviewed by Patrick O'Keefe of Community Signal. Issues include the (ongoing) impact of the 2016 election on MetaFilter, member deaths, the recent transfer of ownership and how MetaFilter has addressed casual sexism, racism and transphobia. Recent interviewees include Jessamyn and Matt. Contains profanity.
Yeah, it turns out that if I'm on a podcast and we don't actually discuss up front whether or not I should be swearing a bunch, I'm probably gonna be swearing a bunch.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:15 PM on August 21, 2017 [24 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:15 PM on August 21, 2017 [24 favorites]
Fuckin-a right, you are!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 5:18 PM on August 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 5:18 PM on August 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
Thank you for sharing, Wordshore! It was great to have you on, cortex.
No worries on the swearing. :)
posted by patrickokeefe at 6:36 PM on August 21, 2017 [4 favorites]
No worries on the swearing. :)
posted by patrickokeefe at 6:36 PM on August 21, 2017 [4 favorites]
And now I have a new podcast to listen to. Thanks, this looks super interesting.
posted by Fizz at 7:38 PM on August 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Fizz at 7:38 PM on August 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Aw, LobsterMitten is "[unintelligible 00:03:44]" in the transcript. WE know who you are.
posted by ctmf at 8:53 PM on August 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by ctmf at 8:53 PM on August 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
Nice podcast, I am trying to decrease my echo chamber posts in the politics threads. Moderating redundancy has to be time consuming, when there are other, more engaging things.
posted by Oyéah at 9:07 PM on August 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Oyéah at 9:07 PM on August 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
Alternate title: Eternal November
posted by mbrubeck at 9:44 PM on August 21, 2017 [15 favorites]
posted by mbrubeck at 9:44 PM on August 21, 2017 [15 favorites]
Alternate title: Eternal November
posted by mbrubeck
Must admit, that made me loudly LOL (though, of course, the mods would not find it funny as they have to deal with this, as described in the podcast by Cortex).
Proposing that Eternal November becomes the official shorthand to describe/abbreviate this phenomenum here on MetaFilter.
posted by Wordshore at 4:34 AM on August 22, 2017 [20 favorites]
posted by mbrubeck
Must admit, that made me loudly LOL (though, of course, the mods would not find it funny as they have to deal with this, as described in the podcast by Cortex).
Proposing that Eternal November becomes the official shorthand to describe/abbreviate this phenomenum here on MetaFilter.
posted by Wordshore at 4:34 AM on August 22, 2017 [20 favorites]
It's the family thanksgiving dinner that never ends.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:48 AM on August 22, 2017 [15 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:48 AM on August 22, 2017 [15 favorites]
It's the dishes afterward.
posted by notyou at 5:52 AM on August 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by notyou at 5:52 AM on August 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
I thought that was a great interview and a really interesting look at a bunch of changes over the last five years or so. I was also incredibly touched that cortex took the time to outline my contributions (and others') as part of that whole thing. It's pretty easy, if history here is any indicator, to look at a successful community that you are in charge of and say "I made this." One of the best things about Josh, in addition to all the othe great things, is his total unwillingness to do that and it warms my grar-y heart.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 6:00 AM on August 22, 2017 [31 favorites]
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 6:00 AM on August 22, 2017 [31 favorites]
Glad to hear that some of those pocasting cocksuckers are paying attention!
posted by thelonius at 6:11 AM on August 22, 2017
posted by thelonius at 6:11 AM on August 22, 2017
It's the dishes afterward.
At least with a pile of dishes at Thanksgiving dinner, you can see the end; it's more like washing dishes in a 24 hour diner that is somehow always busy. Also people shit* on the plates.
* - PROFANITY!
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:56 AM on August 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
At least with a pile of dishes at Thanksgiving dinner, you can see the end; it's more like washing dishes in a 24 hour diner that is somehow always busy. Also people shit* on the plates.
* - PROFANITY!
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:56 AM on August 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
[unintelligible 00:03:44]
jessamyn they're slandering you right in the middle of a podcast!
posted by Talez at 9:12 AM on August 22, 2017
jessamyn they're slandering you right in the middle of a podcast!
posted by Talez at 9:12 AM on August 22, 2017
[unintelligible 00:03:44]
If you're following along on the transcript, the unintelligibles are largely user names, except for a couple of instances of crosstalk.
[unintelligible 00:03:44] : "LobsterMitten"
[unintelligible 00:09:10] : "cortex"
an old [unintelligible 00:24:40]: "null terminated"
[unintelligible 00:30:27]: crosstalk
[unintelligible 00:36:54]: "zoo"
[unintelligible 00:45:46]: crosstalk (well, cortex is laughing), but I'm pretty sure it's "end the program".
posted by zamboni at 9:41 AM on August 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
If you're following along on the transcript, the unintelligibles are largely user names, except for a couple of instances of crosstalk.
[unintelligible 00:03:44] : "LobsterMitten"
[unintelligible 00:09:10] : "cortex"
an old [unintelligible 00:24:40]: "null terminated"
[unintelligible 00:30:27]: crosstalk
[unintelligible 00:36:54]: "zoo"
[unintelligible 00:45:46]: crosstalk (well, cortex is laughing), but I'm pretty sure it's "end the program".
posted by zamboni at 9:41 AM on August 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
I am so :pizza is awesome: for "Eternal November" being a thing here.
posted by Annika Cicada at 10:42 AM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Annika Cicada at 10:42 AM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Annika Cicada: I am so :pizza is awesome: for "Eternal November" being a thing here.
I'm not sure if I'm pro or con easier emoji insertion in MetaFilter.
Or was that just a joke on forum emoji formatting, like thatsthejoke.gif?
Anyway, if I could only use the img tag once a year, I'd use it now to insert this image.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:00 PM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm not sure if I'm pro or con easier emoji insertion in MetaFilter.
Or was that just a joke on forum emoji formatting, like thatsthejoke.gif?
Anyway, if I could only use the img tag once a year, I'd use it now to insert this image.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:00 PM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
:a word for emoji: is how slack does emoji
I think it's funny to use that here because Matt left Mefi to go to slack and yeah. It's inside baseball.
posted by Annika Cicada at 2:32 PM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
I think it's funny to use that here because Matt left Mefi to go to slack and yeah. It's inside baseball.
posted by Annika Cicada at 2:32 PM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
OMG THAT PIZZA GIF.
posted by Annika Cicada at 2:32 PM on August 22, 2017
posted by Annika Cicada at 2:32 PM on August 22, 2017
That pizza is totally going to leave her.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:47 PM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:47 PM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
This has always been how Cortex has looked in my head and I am pleased that I wasn't far off.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:27 PM on August 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:27 PM on August 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
[Unintelligible 4'33"]
posted by ctmf at 6:49 PM on August 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by ctmf at 6:49 PM on August 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
I feel really good about the site after hearing cortex talk about the ownership transfer. Good luck, we're all counting on you.
posted by Meatbomb at 9:51 PM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Meatbomb at 9:51 PM on August 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
> This has always been how Cortex has looked in my head and I am pleased that I wasn't far off.
We did pry that huge donut off his neck, eventually.
posted by taz (staff) at 10:44 PM on August 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
We did pry that huge donut off his neck, eventually.
posted by taz (staff) at 10:44 PM on August 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
Dear AskMe, my pizza doesn't dry itself properly after showering. Is this a dealbreaker?
posted by en forme de poire at 11:44 PM on August 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by en forme de poire at 11:44 PM on August 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
I wouldn't eat it.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:31 AM on August 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:31 AM on August 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
Not to open up yet another Pandora's donut box of pronunciation, but I've always thought that cortex's last name was pronounced with a stress on the first syllable. Is it MILLard or milLARD?
posted by Kattullus at 1:34 AM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Kattullus at 1:34 AM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ducky
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:05 AM on August 23, 2017
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:05 AM on August 23, 2017
I've always thought that cortex's last name was pronounced with a stress on the first syllable. Is it MILLard or milLARD?
"M'Lord," or "Your Lordship" in the second person.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 5:08 AM on August 23, 2017 [5 favorites]
"M'Lord," or "Your Lordship" in the second person.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 5:08 AM on August 23, 2017 [5 favorites]
It rhymes with Picard.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:03 AM on August 23, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:03 AM on August 23, 2017 [7 favorites]
Something about that response made me imagine that it used to not rhyme with Picard but then you started pronouncing that way at some point because you thought it was such a cool response.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:43 AM on August 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:43 AM on August 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
Huh. Being English, I've been pronouncing it M'Lord in my head too, for years. I'm not into The Star Wars culture so it never occurred to me that it may rhyme with Picard.
posted by Wordshore at 9:50 AM on August 23, 2017
posted by Wordshore at 9:50 AM on August 23, 2017
*To be more accurate I should have said because of my odd isolated rural Worcestershire upbringing I don't read or pronounce names as many others do, and it's ingrained in me. Apparently I always pronounce "Smith" incorrectly, for example.
I'll shut up now.
posted by Wordshore at 10:42 AM on August 23, 2017
I'll shut up now.
posted by Wordshore at 10:42 AM on August 23, 2017
it used to not rhyme with Picard
That is true: "it" didn't used to rhyme with Picard - it used to rhyme with "knit", "snit" or "to whit". But now M'Lord has issued a proclamation that - from this day forth - "it" rhymes with "Picard". It is not for us to question his Lordship's decision on this matter, rather it is for us to demonstrate our loyalty and service to all that MeFi represents by henceforth pronouncing the word "it" so as to rhyme with "Picard". On that basis I submit the following limerick:
Lord Cortex, a soul of great wit,
Thought easy poetics were shit!
He ordered all poets
Who claimed skill, to show it:
By rhyming "it" now with "Picard".
And may it please you M'Lord, I shall now go to the public house and imbibe an ale.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 10:48 AM on August 23, 2017 [7 favorites]
That is true: "it" didn't used to rhyme with Picard - it used to rhyme with "knit", "snit" or "to whit". But now M'Lord has issued a proclamation that - from this day forth - "it" rhymes with "Picard". It is not for us to question his Lordship's decision on this matter, rather it is for us to demonstrate our loyalty and service to all that MeFi represents by henceforth pronouncing the word "it" so as to rhyme with "Picard". On that basis I submit the following limerick:
Lord Cortex, a soul of great wit,
Thought easy poetics were shit!
He ordered all poets
Who claimed skill, to show it:
By rhyming "it" now with "Picard".
And may it please you M'Lord, I shall now go to the public house and imbibe an ale.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 10:48 AM on August 23, 2017 [7 favorites]
Wait, it's not "Miller'ed?" BRB re-evaluating life-choices. In my defense, none of the Stars Trek is my favorite.
[unintelligible 00:03:44]
I thought it was his Trump impression.
posted by rhizome at 1:27 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
[unintelligible 00:03:44]
I thought it was his Trump impression.
posted by rhizome at 1:27 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
It rhymes with Picard.
You pronounce your name MEE larrrd?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:51 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
You pronounce your name MEE larrrd?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:51 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Hey all,
Thank you for listening to the show! Re: the areas marked unintelligible, I just wanted to explain. We pay a transcription service, and they do a pretty good job (especially for our budget, haha), but before publishing, I read the finished product, fix all of the remarks they didn't understand, fix any other issues, add the links (which then get used in our related links section) and pull quotes that I find interesting or meaningful.
This week, I didn't have time to do that before publishing and, in those cases, we usually hold the transcript back and don't publish it until we've completed it. But this time, knowing that MetaFilter members had liked the fact that we had transcripts for the episodes with Matt and Jessamyn, I decided to go ahead and include it and mention in the post itself that the transcript was not completed yet, but that it would be.
Just wanted to explain what those were about. The transcript has now been processed. :) Thanks again.
Patrick
posted by patrickokeefe at 5:21 PM on August 23, 2017 [6 favorites]
Thank you for listening to the show! Re: the areas marked unintelligible, I just wanted to explain. We pay a transcription service, and they do a pretty good job (especially for our budget, haha), but before publishing, I read the finished product, fix all of the remarks they didn't understand, fix any other issues, add the links (which then get used in our related links section) and pull quotes that I find interesting or meaningful.
This week, I didn't have time to do that before publishing and, in those cases, we usually hold the transcript back and don't publish it until we've completed it. But this time, knowing that MetaFilter members had liked the fact that we had transcripts for the episodes with Matt and Jessamyn, I decided to go ahead and include it and mention in the post itself that the transcript was not completed yet, but that it would be.
Just wanted to explain what those were about. The transcript has now been processed. :) Thanks again.
Patrick
posted by patrickokeefe at 5:21 PM on August 23, 2017 [6 favorites]
Made me glad we have cortex in the captain's chair. And he did both Matt and Jessamyn a solid. I enjoyed that.
For what it's worth, I like to think I'm doing my part by entirely staying out of the politics threads. Oh, I have opinions, but it's just too hard. And I hope I learned something from what happened when the Prussians interfered with our monarchy back in the day. Nobody really cares what I think.
posted by Stanczyk at 6:56 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
For what it's worth, I like to think I'm doing my part by entirely staying out of the politics threads. Oh, I have opinions, but it's just too hard. And I hope I learned something from what happened when the Prussians interfered with our monarchy back in the day. Nobody really cares what I think.
posted by Stanczyk at 6:56 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
The transcript has now been processed.
Awesome! One minor correction:
Awesome! One minor correction:
an old null terminatedshould just be
null terminatedposted by zamboni at 7:24 PM on August 23, 2017
As a brief note on the context in which this all happens, I am on a rare for-reals Vacation with my wife (a MeFite) and my brother (a MeFite) and his extended family (some of them MeFites) and sitting around a campfire in Sebago Lake in Maine and telling goofy stories about high school and college and hence and drinking a fair amount. And in the next couple of days over drinks and fire I'll tell them an extended version of the last few months because that's basically the right setting for that whole story.
And the thing is, when I talk about and think about my job, the connection I have with it is so different, so much more intimate than most folks with their jobs, that it's hard to relate exactly how MetaFilter intersects with my life. My brother and sister-in-law basically get it; most folks don't exactly; and that's okay, because it's unusual.
But basically, this place is weird and difficult and wonderful and even when I unplug as much as possible for a few days I can't really totally unplug, hence popping in from the woods like this. A lot about this conversation with Patrick is really in the end about the way MeFi is a core part of my life, a thing that has emotional weight for me that goes beyond being just a job.
Ultimately, I care about MetaFilter and about you all in a way I wouldn't have been able to predict ten years ago. This place is my home.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:39 PM on August 23, 2017 [33 favorites]
And the thing is, when I talk about and think about my job, the connection I have with it is so different, so much more intimate than most folks with their jobs, that it's hard to relate exactly how MetaFilter intersects with my life. My brother and sister-in-law basically get it; most folks don't exactly; and that's okay, because it's unusual.
But basically, this place is weird and difficult and wonderful and even when I unplug as much as possible for a few days I can't really totally unplug, hence popping in from the woods like this. A lot about this conversation with Patrick is really in the end about the way MeFi is a core part of my life, a thing that has emotional weight for me that goes beyond being just a job.
Ultimately, I care about MetaFilter and about you all in a way I wouldn't have been able to predict ten years ago. This place is my home.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:39 PM on August 23, 2017 [33 favorites]
Thanks zamboni.
posted by patrickokeefe at 8:05 PM on August 23, 2017
posted by patrickokeefe at 8:05 PM on August 23, 2017
This place is my home.
Mine too, cortex. Mine too.
posted by Melismata at 7:40 AM on August 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Mine too, cortex. Mine too.
posted by Melismata at 7:40 AM on August 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
This place is my home.
People have mentioned this before, but I still workshop alternative ways of prefacing things to IRL acquaintances: "So, I have it from a longtime internet friend...", or "So, one of my imaginary internet friends of 16 years...".
It's a pleasant challenge.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 9:20 AM on August 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
People have mentioned this before, but I still workshop alternative ways of prefacing things to IRL acquaintances: "So, I have it from a longtime internet friend...", or "So, one of my imaginary internet friends of 16 years...".
It's a pleasant challenge.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 9:20 AM on August 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
Y'all'r my buds.
posted by Annika Cicada at 4:27 PM on August 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Annika Cicada at 4:27 PM on August 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
Ultimately, I care about MetaFilter and about you all in a way I wouldn't have been able to predict ten years ago. This place is my home.
I'M NOT CRYING THIS ROOM IS JUST REALLY DUSTY
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:27 PM on August 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
I'M NOT CRYING THIS ROOM IS JUST REALLY DUSTY
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:27 PM on August 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
Haha! Me too cortex! sandettie light vessel automatic, I just say "on the Internet" because 95% of my Internet experience is coming through the excellent filter of Metafilter.
posted by Meatbomb at 12:53 AM on August 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Meatbomb at 12:53 AM on August 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
This place is my home.
That explains why I can never find a clean coffee mug.
posted by arcticseal at 4:55 AM on August 25, 2017
That explains why I can never find a clean coffee mug.
posted by arcticseal at 4:55 AM on August 25, 2017
THEY'RE IN THE DISHWASHER
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:04 AM on August 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:04 AM on August 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
Except that fussy one you have to hand wash.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 9:14 AM on August 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 9:14 AM on August 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's hiding behind the coffee maker, sporting a fresh beard of fine, green hairs.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:02 AM on August 25, 2017
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:02 AM on August 25, 2017
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Well in that case, I might actually read it.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 5:08 PM on August 21, 2017 [3 favorites]