I'm sure BP will offer his response soon, so please don't mistake this as an attempt to put words into his mouth, but I think I can take a crack at LL's "what was their purpose" question.

It seems pretty clear that Holden and Elie's actions were calculated attempts to create the impression of grass-roots positive word of mouth about their organization where there was none. The ethical lapse comes from that dishonesty. If I were a professional (lawyer, doctor,... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 7:31 PM on April 23, 2008

I am simply pointing out that sockpuppets and astroturfing are every day occurances on the internet. I also pointed out that sockpuppets live and breathe here with immunity often enough to have me ask why we would ignore that sometimes, yet not at other times?

Ooh! Ooh! I know this one! How about:

We don't wink at astroturfing or sockpuppetry when professional ethics, personal responsibility, and common fucking sense would... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 8:40 PM on April 23, 2008

And yes, I know he wasn't canned, but "demoted for his troubles" has no panache.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 8:44 PM on April 23, 2008

I have determined my own context of the "GiveWell/MetaFilter" mash-up

That's rich. Care to enlighten us as to the nature of that context? By which I mean to ask how you came to the conclusion that Holden and Elie's premeditated attempts to deceive people in order to increase their organization's standing carries the same moral weight as the various and sundry Astro Zombies we have kicking around these parts.

Now,... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 9:06 PM on April 23, 2008

I would like to nominate the Rogue pub (brewpub? what are you kids calling them these days?) because it has delicious food and beer, and also probably has enough space to accommodate even the largest of MeFite hordes. Columbus and Union? The only drawback is a bit of a hike from BART, but my pappy always said that walkin' was good fir ya'.

I also have no objection (in principle) to The Rite Spot.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 1:22 AM on April 9, 2008

rtha, your point is well taken, I just suggested the first thing that came to mind. What about the Valley Tavern? Never been there on a Sat. but it could be pretty sweet.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 7:07 PM on April 9, 2008

I shall see the you esteemed ladies and gentlemen there.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 2:34 PM on April 12, 2008

Hey guys! Why's everyone standing in a circle? What's that cookie doing th-OH GOD! WHAT HAVE YOU ALL BEEN DOING?!





What do you mean I have to eat it!?!
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 1:24 AM on February 19, 2008

Hey! We're #6 when you Google GiveWell. That's pretty neat.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 1:02 PM on January 1, 2008

You know what's hilarious? Holden could have plugged his site here in a way that it wouldn't be immediately dismissed. That was the big problem that drove him to astroturf us, right? So it's not really like he was trying to find his way around a vexing problem and just made a bad choice. He was making a concerted effort to deceive anyone who read that thread into thinking regular ol' Mom and Pop Americans were singing the praises of his little project. Not only that, but he was monumentally... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 3:21 PM on January 1, 2008

Brian, Holden and Elie was dishonest by trying to trick this site's users into thinking two objective third parties were discussing the positive nature of GiveWell. Holden was a liar when he insisted that it was a momentary lapse of judgment instead of part of a long-standing and calculated plot to deceive people as to where the information he was providing was coming from.

Lucy Bernholz was a crap boss/colleague when she torpedoed Holden's (somewhat lame) attempt at... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 4:52 PM on January 1, 2008

Ok, mimi, I think you're confusing two different types of humor. There's the derisive kind of out-group humor that you seem to think is so unfair to nuns. I will offer no opinion on that here. What the OP is looking for however is not out-group humor, but in-group humor. He's looking for jokes about catholics to tell to other catholics. I would say it's fair to presume that he/she is a catholic as well, and the whole premise seems to be poking fun at highlighting shared... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 2:45 PM on November 11, 2007

So does anybody besides be get the delicious, delicious irony of cortex calling Crabby's complaint a "lost cause"?
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 3:52 PM on September 24, 2007

I just looked at the title of this thread. Did Crabby challenge sotonohito do a duel?
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 5:35 PM on September 24, 2007

Hey! Just because we're circumcised doesn't mean we don't have a foreskin to swing around! That shit's useful.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 1:22 AM on September 25, 2007

I'll be there! Woo Hoo!
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 5:29 PM on August 24, 2007

Ya'll were some dapper ladies and germs. Also, RTS, my nose and I would like to thank you for saying we looked to cool for anything. It was a...new experience.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 5:39 PM on June 25, 2007

Woo! Late comments that nobody's gonna read! What a trademark to have.

Ozy, you totally didn't answer the question. Instead of mentioning people (gods? who knows, really?) who went through a similar trial of doubt/temptation that lead to their "finding their voices" you talked about the origin of the Jesus Myth.

If you thought that was a helpful response then I (and a bunch of other folks) think you probably misread the question. OP... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 4:50 AM on June 14, 2007

I'm in, and I think I could rope in at least two more.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 12:53 AM on May 23, 2007

John Wayne looks like he's about to kill her, then like he's about to fuck her, but instead he saves her.

Although I bet he still secretly wants to fuck her.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 10:46 PM on May 14, 2007

See, I understand why you guys did this. I accept it. The part of my brain that understands how things works is assuring me that this was the right decision.

However, this guy was obviously very stupid. He would not have thought to check the MeTa for his own thread. We could have colluded to give him astoundingly bad advice and try and guess which random Fark link he became. It would have been a fun game for all of us, and I think would have brought us together in the long run.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 1:36 AM on May 10, 2007

Are we all fucking children here? Do we no longer dare to speak about "big issues" that we might disagree on?

I'm not a fucking child. I don't think you are either. I am able to read and participate in an online gun control debate under any background color you care to name. When I clicked this link, that's what I thought I would be getting. Instead, I got a bunch of nutters whining that they don't like the color and shape of their... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 2:49 PM on April 16, 2007

Yeah, I was halfway through some lame-ass answer about what a bonehead the dude was being until I realized who the bonehead really was.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 10:47 PM on April 11, 2007

Also, his website goes nowhere. But if you google its name it looks like it's a teaser for something. I'm seconding the research theory.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 10:52 PM on April 11, 2007

Pretty much everyone's got wireless these days right? That means that CanIEatThisFilter can evolve into OhDearGodImStillShittingHowDoIMakeItStopFilter.

That'll be the day.
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 10:41 PM on March 16, 2007

Ok, let's give the OP the benefit of the doubt here and see how evil he really is. He works at this school, and there's a counselor/coach who is probably more than a bit of a skeez. Allegations of skeezy behavior come to light, as they are known to do, and it's this guy's job to investigate. Upon searching the school's server (there's no real right to privacy in professional e-mail, that one went out the window ages ago) our OP discovers that there is no evidence to back up these current... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 5:50 PM on October 30, 2006

This has got to be the strangest MeTa thread I've seen since I started lurking here a few years back. I'm glad it looks like Fiesty's staying. Good on 'ya kid for not letting the internet get 'ya down. I think everyone should take a step back, breathe, and leave this developing farce alone. The best point I saw here was bugbread's comment about the snark psychosis that seems to permiate the Meta-community. The problem I see is that, for all our posturing, we are still on the internet, and... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 5:49 PM on June 20, 2006

The question reads like "I don't feel like using Google. Here, you people do all the work." And since it's a lot of work, it just comes across as kinda rude, in a way. "I'm not going to waste my time, but I maybe you nerds can figure out the answers for me."
Well, yes, but since AskMe is a website and not an antebellum plantation, if you don't want to look up an answer you don't have to. All of the responses were quite voluntary (as far as... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 5:54 PM on June 18, 2006

Man, why you gotta do this during finals? Friggin' school!
posted to MetaTalk by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 11:56 PM on June 5, 2006