MetaTalk

Since the beginning of 2020, I've been doing a project where I write a handwritten letter a week to friends, acquaintances, and family members on a topic of their choosing and have sent out over 150 letters since starting. I last posted for correspondence about 18 months ago here in MetaTalk, asking for participants -- and you folks delivered! From your participation, I've started some lovely longer-term correspondences, and have sent out one-time thoughts on everything from video games to the history of my area to books to new interests. My list has dwindled and I could use some new participants!
posted by chiefthe on Jun 23 at 9:09 AM - 9 comments

Bella Donna has volunteered to make a publicity pitch about MetaFilter!
posted by NotLost on Jun 21 at 12:24 PM - 37 comments

I just looked up Metafilter on Wikipedia for some reason related to reading the press-pitch MeTa (I no longer recall the reason) and it looks like it hasn't been updated in a very long time. I'm not a Wikipedia editor beyond occasionally correcting a grammatical error and I know that major edits are something you shouldn't undertake without understanding the culture of wikipedia editors. Also, I don't feel like an authority on the site and its history. In preparation for all the media exposure and curious people we're going to have looking in, maybe we could organize someone to update the wikipedia page?
posted by If only I had a penguin... on Jun 24 at 8:02 AM - 13 comments

I know that MeFi's codebase is currently being rebuilt, - cannot fathom the intricacies of that - but as stuff is being rebuilt anyway, I'd like to request a Fanfare UI addition / tweak - and was hoping other people would discuss the benefits / drawbacks of this particular tweak.
posted by Faintdreams on Jul 5 at 11:48 AM - 10 comments

If you've noticed that moderator travelingthyme has not posted here recently, it's for a grave reason: while on a cross-country move, they were involved in a horrible accident that totaled their car, destroyed nearly all of their personal possessions, and tragically cost the life of their father. Now their friend has organized a GoFundMe to help cover medical bills, funeral arrangements, and replacement of everything from lost family keepsakes to household essentials (if you're in the Boston area, contact the organizer to donate items directly!). If you've found any value in this community in the last few years, travelingthyme is part of the reason why it's able to work -- please give what you can to help them recover from this terrible loss.
posted by Rhaomi on Jun 26 at 7:20 AM - 58 comments

We had a proper update post lined up on the interim board, but things are super busy right now as we have crunched up our timeline and gotten masses of work done, so I wanted to pop by and unofficially say hello! I'm dotisunderwood and the current and soon to be last interim board chair. We have a meeting in a couple of days to be followed (thanks to a bunch of great volunteers) by an update, so any questions you'd like us to try to answer as well in the upcoming Official Update Post, please add below or memail me. (My household just welcomed an unexpectedly early baby, so I am behind on emails, punctuation and sleep so please be patient)
posted by dorothyisunderwood on Jun 19 at 11:29 AM - 10 comments

So, what do we want to do about Rhaomi’s ideas for LinkFilter and other sub-site suggestions (text reproduced inside)?
posted by Brandon Blatcher on Jun 22 at 8:20 AM - 43 comments

***FYI this is a thread for Trans and Non-binary members only. If you are a cis ally and want to be supportive, please do so by reading carefully what your peers have to say and allowing them to express themselves without being questioned. There will be additional opportunities for feedback ***

There continues to be powerful organized legal and social efforts directed against Trans and nonbinary people and we need to take actions to ensure that MeFi becomes safer for Trans and Non-binary folks to participate and belong without having to face the same systemic hurdles they already have to face outside of this community .
posted by loup on Jun 24 at 4:43 PM - 5 comments

I'm bringing this up in regards to this comment, amongst many others. Is there a reason we can't just call Trump Trump? Is there a reason that we need to come up with some nickname like Lemon Husk for Elon Musk? Even TFG is confusing as some think it means "That Fucking Guy" when originally it was a quote from Biden about "That Former Guy" (which is still relatively demeaning). I think our community is better than silly name calling. I also think our community is getting so much better at accessibility that they would understand how, for some of us, jumbling letters in names just breaks or ability to interact with the content one posts.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd on Jun 3 at 9:31 AM - 283 comments

What is the situation with a person closing their own AskMeta when they no longer need more responses, especially when there's a pile up going on?
posted by Zumbador on Jun 17 at 10:28 AM - 40 comments

Just letting everyone know that we've been informed that community member bigbigdog passed away on May 18, 2024
posted by Brandon Blatcher on May 25 at 3:55 PM - 97 comments

Is it time to let go of "Previously?" Some topics have been explored, revisited, or detailed here many times, meaning that revisiting them in order to choose a "Previously" can be a time-consuming exercise. In 2024, MetaFilter tags, the search bar, and search engines provide many ways to access old site content.* Finding older relevant MetaFilter content is not the challenge that it was in 1999. On the other hand, MeFites do still comment favorably on things they have found in "Previously" links.
posted by cupcakeninja on Jun 18 at 8:43 AM - 37 comments

Speaking of old AskMes, I finally found the answer to mintcake!’s question about an old MTV comedy bit that’s been taunting me for 12 years. A bit of my landlord’s ear!
posted by chrisulonic on Jun 17 at 5:04 PM - 4 comments

I seem to recall that chatty posts on the Blue were discouraged, but that that's changed (hence the rise of the weekly-ish Free Thread). Can we confirm policy and maybe get it in the FAQ?
posted by kristi on Jun 10 at 1:41 PM - 20 comments

I remember reading several years ago a blog post or similar about how some groups of people interrupt each other to show enthusiasm, framed as the author being explained this by a friend who he called Gandalf because he was a clever wizard or something like that. i'm pretty sure I read it hear because I remember a comment complaining about the wizard shtick. Does anyone know what I'm thinking of?
posted by bq on Jun 13 at 1:10 PM - 6 comments

As requested, this is a MeTa post to discuss the derail that happened in this other MeTa post.
posted by Diskeater on Jun 5 at 5:14 AM - 807 comments

It's time. And I think we would all benefit from a post of animal pics, specifically our own animal friends, especially dogs. (I apologize to the cat people who didn't post first so they could say "especially cats". I also like cats.) I suggest we limit the number of photos to.... just kidding. Post them all!
posted by Glinn on May 18 at 10:34 PM - 52 comments

Hi all, just a quick note about US political posts for those interested in them and those who are not.
posted by Brandon Blatcher on Jun 4 at 12:28 PM - 1 comments

The board setting up the MeFi nonprofit met on April 4 and April 25.
posted by NotLost on May 1 at 7:25 AM - 32 comments