Can we please keep our flames restricted to this site?

July 21, 2005 1:17 AM

Can we please keep our flames restricted to this site? A certain someone felt that the proper response to a disagreement here would be to post on my personal site that I should, "Stop posting to Metafilter, you dumb piece of shit." I don't think that is good etiquette.
posted by furiousxgeorge to Etiquette/Policy at 1:17 AM (46 comments total)

I don't mind being insulted, but tell me straight up, don't make me find it a day later somewhere it doesn't belong.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 1:25 AM on July 21, 2005

I think you two should get a room.
posted by mexican at 1:42 AM on July 21, 2005

Viewing his listed website, I can see you're dealing with some sort of mastermind at large.
posted by NinjaPirate at 1:45 AM on July 21, 2005

There's certainly "more than meets the eye" to this fellow. I'd hazard that he's waging a battle to destroy the evil forces of your "decepticons".

You should probably attack him with some kind of saline solution - then he'll rust and be completely unable to "transform".
posted by the quidnunc kid at 2:03 AM on July 21, 2005 [1 favorite]

Starscream: "It looks like some kind of... rust!"
Megatron: "Impossible! We are rust-proof!"
Starscream: "Perhaps you're made of shoddy materials, Megatron!"
Megatron: "That's ABSURD!!"
posted by furiousxgeorge at 2:14 AM on July 21, 2005

It definitely sucks that OC took a dispute that happened here to your site.

But you must realize it's equally non-sensical to bring an offense that took place on your site back here for redress.

I sympathize, but just take the high road on this one. There's absolutely nothing that anyone here can do about the fact that someone posted a 4-letter word on your site.

Sorry.
posted by scarabic at 2:56 AM on July 21, 2005

I think we should support Optimus as he is clearly fighting for our "freedom".
posted by the quidnunc kid at 3:47 AM on July 21, 2005

scarabic writes "I sympathize, but just take the high road on this one. There's absolutely nothing that anyone here can do about the fact that someone posted a 4-letter word on your site."

I disagree. It seems perfectly acceptable to discuss community expectations about this sort of thing in MeTa. If someone had started a disagreement with you on your site and then brought it here, you would be SOL as far as support here, but as this is described, it seems appropriate for people here to say that it seems like a shitty play and should be avoided in future.

(I don't really know who did what in this case, so I'm just giving my opinion on a hypothetical.)
posted by OmieWise at 4:07 AM on July 21, 2005

"It's OVER, Prime!"
posted by Mayor Curley at 4:28 AM on July 21, 2005

Furiousxgeorge, I [heart] your response to his flame. You coulda just left it at that. Personally, I wouldn't get all upset over one flame comment on your blog.

Man, I'm loving this live preview.
posted by Plutor at 4:31 AM on July 21, 2005

I think that the world would be a better place if people realized that the Transformers were lame.
posted by selfnoise at 5:28 AM on July 21, 2005

YOU LIE, "MACHINE-MAN"!!1!
posted by the quidnunc kid at 5:38 AM on July 21, 2005

selfnoise: You might think that at first glance, but Transformers are actually more than meets the eye.
posted by grouse at 5:50 AM on July 21, 2005

Ah shit, I set myself up for that one.
posted by selfnoise at 5:53 AM on July 21, 2005

I think he looooooooooooooves you.
posted by mkultra at 6:55 AM on July 21, 2005

Maybe someone should be policing your personal website?
Can anyone think who would be the most appropriate person for policing george's personal website?
posted by biffa at 7:08 AM on July 21, 2005

Matt, clearly. Haven't you heard? He's the new NetCop!
posted by mkultra at 7:13 AM on July 21, 2005

I thought what happens on Metafilter stays on Metafilter. Like Las Vegas, only without the boos, women, and gambling.
posted by chunking express at 7:27 AM on July 21, 2005

Wouldn't be the first time its happened nor will it be the last. But that doesn't make it right or cool. Can't you just delete the offending comment and move on though?

That's pretty much what I do when I get visited by the rabid sect of the GOP from time to time because I dare speak negatively about their dear lord and leader.
posted by fenriq at 7:34 AM on July 21, 2005

chunking: I think we get plenty of "boos" on metafilter. And, at the rate people post while drunk, I'd say there's plenty of booze, too.
posted by absalom at 7:57 AM on July 21, 2005

furiousxgeorge: by posting here, you've given him exactly what he wanted: the satisfaction of knowing that he was successful in upsetting you.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:01 AM on July 21, 2005

Oh, hello. I would have emailed you instead, but there you go. It's pretty clear why I don't give half a shit about what you think:

Here and here.

I didn't feel like fucking up the thread the way you did, with your xenophobic tough-guy posturing, so I contacted you directly. Sorry if I offended the other three readers of your blog.

Incidentally, I hear the U.S. armed forces are recruiting, so you can have your wish any time you want.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 8:27 AM on July 21, 2005

furiousxgeorge, add your email to your profile page and this probably wouldn't have happened. Only members can see it, so you're protected from spammers, and it gives people a way to contact you off-site that doesn't involve commenting on your blog.
posted by me3dia at 9:02 AM on July 21, 2005

If you list your website on your MeFi profile, you have to expect cross-traffic. That's just the way it is. - luv m
posted by mischief at 9:12 AM on July 21, 2005

I don't see anything wrong with how Optimus contacted you. The only method was the link to your personal page on your profile, so that's what he used.

I think he had the right idea by keeping the most personal comments just that, rather than manifesting them in a thread or in a callout.
posted by prostyle at 9:20 AM on July 21, 2005

furious, I don't see a problem. You posted the URI to a public website in your profile. I assume that this was so people could read the site and contact you. Removing the link or removing the comments would prevent this from happening in the future but you cannot expect MeFi members to monitor, condemn posters on or even care about your blog. Police your own comments, just like every other guy with a weblog.

Yeah, Optimus was rude on your site, but speaking for myself, I would much rather he flamed you there than here and there really isn't much anyone here can do to help you. What exactly is it that you are hoping for?
posted by cedar at 9:31 AM on July 21, 2005

No matter the cost!
posted by buzzman at 9:44 AM on July 21, 2005

We should just all add e-mails to our profile pages.

Till all are one!
posted by grouse at 9:48 AM on July 21, 2005

xenophobic tough-guy posturing

So you countered this by....going to his blog and telling him to fuck off. Brilliant.
posted by dhoyt at 10:46 AM on July 21, 2005

Yeah, MeTa probably isn't the best place for either set of immature ramblings. But then it's not like this is unprecedented or anything.
posted by selfnoise at 10:55 AM on July 21, 2005

OmieWise - I doubt we actually disagree about the fact that no one here can do anything about it, which is what I said. We can talk about it, sure. Don't call people pieces of shit. That was quick!

furiousxgeorge has control over his own site (presumably). He should delete the comment and move on. He's left it up so we can all see it and offer him sympathy and/or slam OC. I just don't like the idea of policing people's on-blog disputes. If it turns into something larger that crosses over onto MeFi, like, oh, say more than a single comment on fxg's blog, then maybe Matt could consider repercussions for OC's account here.

As is: mleh. Swearing at people is bad. OC is a douchebag. Film at 11.
posted by scarabic at 11:45 AM on July 21, 2005

Oh yeah, and the "NUKE MECCA" shit is really funny, fxg. Really, really funny. Please keep this genius up.
posted by scarabic at 11:48 AM on July 21, 2005

This isn't a left-right thing like "hey Paris sure likes the President fuck him right guys," this is someone who openly advocates for the nuclear destruction of Mecca and the deaths of over five hundred thousand people.

Oh man I am such a jerk for calling him a bad name sheesh my bad!
posted by Optimus Chyme at 12:28 PM on July 21, 2005

I say we should train the nukes on his pathetic blog. It's obviously too wimpy to be on the internets. Question: why do the ones who scream for blood always turn out to be such pantywaists?
posted by sic at 1:41 PM on July 21, 2005

I feel safer now that I know you're crapping on the blogs of genocidal maniacs everywhere, OC.
posted by scarabic at 2:05 PM on July 21, 2005

I don't think you can crap on a blog no one reads, scarabic.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:32 PM on July 21, 2005

Aw, face it guys. You're all assholes.


God I love MetaTalk.
posted by graventy at 3:21 PM on July 21, 2005

1. Nowhere did I ask for policing or bannination or any repercussions. I just noted the lack of etiquette as an FYI to people that it is not the way to continue a flame war.

2. My aim name is in my profile too, that is a much more direct way to contact me.

3. I suggested nuking Mecca only in a hypothetical situation in which several US cities had already been nuked, assuming tens of millions of innocent US casualties. The innocent casualties in Mecca do not concern me at that point.

No need to get your panties in a bunch over a hypothetical.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 3:55 PM on July 21, 2005

Gee, george. It seems like your the only one with "your panties in a bunch," considering that nobody would even know this happened without your little bit of drama. Oddly enough, I get nastygrams all the time (sometimes even from MeFi people) and it never occurred to me that it was a breach of 'etiquette'. When it does happen I tend to respond in kind or ignore them entirely, appealing to a third-party for affirmation or mediation would embarrass me. Your also waving a red flag in front of thousands of people who like nothing better than applying a pair of Vise-Grips to the thin skinned testicles of self-important bloggers.

Rather than accept the consensus that Optimus' actions, while not very nice, really aren't of concern to anybody but you, you seem intent on convincing others that they should adopt your defintion of 'etiquette'. Good luck with that. The fact that innocent casualties, even hypothetical ones, don't concern you (hell, they're Muslim anyway, right?) probably isn't doing much in the way of engendering sympathy because some guy was mean to you on your weblog.
posted by cedar at 4:18 PM on July 21, 2005

I don't think that it's wise or fair to expect that there's some invisible firewall between a public community blog you participate in and a listed blog with publically available commenting.

I also don't think it's wise or fair for someone to take a grudge over to your public blog comments.

However.

You have a delete function? Use it. And grow a hide.

Why'd you have to bring it here? It has nothing to do with MetaFilter itself. It only concerns how someone (poorly) reacted to your comments and behavior. Bringing it here isn't going to win you allies. It's just going to stir up more shit.
posted by loquacious at 4:27 PM on July 21, 2005

Wait, someone is nice enough to double your blog traffic for the year and you're pissed?
posted by yerfatma at 4:29 PM on July 21, 2005

You guys seem to be reading into this a lot more than is there. O well, thanks for the comments, matter is over with.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 4:31 PM on July 21, 2005

You wrote a lot more into it by posting it to MeTa, man. It's not like we're in the middle of an unrelated thread, here.

also this new preview thing is just so faboo
posted by cortex at 5:14 PM on July 21, 2005

yerfatma wins.
posted by 31d1 at 8:02 PM on July 21, 2005

No need to get your panties in a bunch over a hypothetical.

Yeah, that's just what Tom Tancredo said. You're in fine, fine company, sir.
posted by scarabic at 8:12 PM on July 21, 2005

I use my own personal MeTa thread as a "lameness yardstick", and I think this one actually surpasses it.
posted by wakko at 8:00 AM on July 22, 2005