Friday, February 24, 2012

MKM Open Thread (Feb. 24, 2012)

Welcome to your MKM Blog open thread for February 24, 2012, the day you earnestly looked Sacha Baron Cohen in the eyes and told him that, while Da Ali G show was really great - really, really great -  and that you would always cherish those memories, he really needs to be beaten horrifically and left to die in a ditch somewhere. 

Morning, everyone, and a happy Friday to all of you, other than those of you who live on the other side of the international dateline, in which case you need to get the fuck out of here.  Go back to the future - it's where you belong!

Have a fun chat and such.  I'm sure there will be lots of lame comments, and maybe EMS will even stop by and say something hysterical ,and I'll bet there will be one or more offensive things said that get all our dander up, and someone will get a promotion that they don't deserve.  But enough about eavesdropping on your boss's office, read some Deadspin too.

Here's a Youtube clip to get you started.


80 comments:

  1. Raysism, The Diamond KingFebruary 24, 2012 at 11:04 AM

    Oddly enough, I made my Donruss joke before seeing this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Don't feel bad about the typo -- Chuck Knoblauch spells your name RMJ=K

    http://deadspin.com/5887975/want-to-read-some-of-your-favorite-baseball-writers-on-some-of-your-favorite-players?comment=47317952#comments

    /kugs

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  3. Speaking of baseball cards, is it true that Topps has a monopoly over them now? They're the only brand I could find when I did a search a few weeks back. Is it weird that I'm almost 30 and I want to buy a pack of baseball cards on Amazon?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. Is it weirder that I'm totally intrigued by the possibility, and yet still totally put off by the fact that only Topps is available? Topps were always totally lame and had no value.

      What's Fleer up to these days?

      Delete
    2. Fleer went bankrupt in 2005. I want some of that Upper Deck shit. I remember Topps being cheap and using ink that faded.

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    3. Liquidated, apparently.

      I LOVED those Donruss sets; especially the shitty Diamond Kings portraits.

      On the plus side-- collecting-wise, not avoiding-monopoly-wise-- Topps does some fun variant sets, including the Allen and Ginters.

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    4. The Fleer Ultra baseball cards of the mid-90's might have been my favorite series of cards I owned. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, and if I spent 10 minutes digging through the archives in the basement I could come up with some pretty good contenders, but those were great.

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    5. @StF

      Those cards are pretty awesome. It's too bad you have to buy a $80 "hobby box" to get them...

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    6. Yeah, I know. I pick up an occasional pack at the ballpark or on the odd Target visit, just to giggle over a hagiographic-y watercolor of Rasputin, or Brandon Morrow.

      Delete
    7. I straight covet those autographed cards, homey.

      Delete
  4. comment_ninja moved this thread to #LintasticPeninsula

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    Replies
    1. The Amazing SneijdermanFebruary 24, 2012 at 12:00 PM

      Speaking of that thread, it looks like there's a new editor on Deadspin/Gawker media? A starred guy named Patrick Burns is listed as an editor in his profile, and has a grand total of 2 posts.

      The only reason I even clicked his name, though, is because he didn't read the first few ones before posting his...

      Delete
    2. I missed a pyramid?

      [Punches air, hard]

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. The same post appears on Gawker, with combined comment sections, so I don't know if the ninja will act out on a Gawker-ish comment like that. That would be pretty great though.

      Then again, he did warn RA Dickey, but RA is a Deadspinner so I think that falls under his jurisdiction.

      Delete
    2. You have your answer. Down goes the Greek. The ninja was right, that was fun.

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    3. Edit: Geek, not Greek. Damnit

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    4. It just flabbergasts me that a commenter insults an author and suggests that he is of deficient moral character and then takes umbrage at being disciplined for that and claims that this is the downfall of the comment section.

      Yay for rudeness and incivility masquerading as passion. YAY!

      Delete
  6. If you want a brief but frightening visit into the sixth circle of hell, take a look at AngriestGeek's commenting history. He seems like he'd be a fun guy to hang out with.

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  7. I wonder how this one is going to play out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, this is going to be great. I don't even want to step out to grab lunch right now.

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    2. We have our answer: greyed, unstarred

      Delete
    3. His Eminence John Peep still looks starred to me. Unless you are commenting from the future, in which case, please tell me, will my rash every go away?

      Delete
    4. nevermind; when I clicked Hammerclaw's link, it showed him as starred, but when I then clicked "all", it showed him as unstarred. Nevermind about the rash, too.

      Delete
    5. I just revisited this thread. It only got better with time.

      Delete
  8. I Could Live Here SureFebruary 24, 2012 at 1:21 PM

    This Ryan Braun character is convincing me he is innocent.

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  9. Universal Enveloping AlgebraFebruary 24, 2012 at 2:34 PM

    Comment Analysis

    I posted the following comment in the TOPPS thread:

    "Has anyone told Joan of Arc about this? The Catholic church has been using her likeness for hundreds of years after they fired her."

    I then edited it to the following:

    "Has anyone told Joan of Arc about this? The Catholic church has been using her likeness in statues and stained glass windows for hundreds of years after they fired her."

    When I refreshed the page, the original (I presume) had gotten a +1, so I changed it back to the way it was. My question is: Assuming either of these is funny, which is better?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I laughed at your first version pretty good. I didn't give you a plus one 'cuz I had just done so for your math joke, and didn't want to look like a groupie.

      In general, I think tighter is better. But with everything, there's obviously wiggle room. I don't even follow my own advice sometimes, nor am I all that good.

      Just go with your gut, man.

      Delete
    2. I like the original more, for the same reasons that IMG and Talib laid out. If I have to think about a joke for a bit, that tends to make me appreciate it even more once I figure it out.

      I would take my opinion with a grain of salt though, because it took me an hour before I got the joke, which was very funny.

      Delete
    3. Since I'm the guy who +1'd the original, I can say I liked it more than the edit. I'm also a fan of subtlety, but then again I'm only a fan when I actually get the reference!

      Delete
  10. Personally, I prefer the original but I'm a big fan of subtlety and I know I've missed out on some +1s over the years by insisting the audience unpack my hidden treasures for themselves. That's why I know include "amirite?" at the end of every comment.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Craig James post has a number of veritable knee slappers.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Mantis Toboggan, M.D.February 24, 2012 at 4:03 PM

    So who's next on the MBA/Street Cheese train? Surely we haven't already exhausted our supply of people willing to write about this shit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just a curious, random question:

      How long does anything think it takes to put stuff like that together? I think MBA's were a little more detailed, while Street Cheese just hit you with the facts and got out of the way. My guess is these guys work on that stuff for between 1-2 hours a day and get burnt out.

      Which brings me to the obvious conclusion. We need a super-group of 5 anonymous commenters to band together and do one roudn-up per week per person. Maybe the burnout rate would be lower.

      I also think the quality of commenting rises when there is a watchdog. I know it makes me hit "cancel" a few more times than I might if there's no roundup. It shouldn't. But it does.

      Delete
    2. Mantis Toboggan, M.D.February 24, 2012 at 4:33 PM

      @TRS I think you're probably right on the time estimate. I wouldn't last a week doing those things, seeing as how I don't even get to comment as much as I'd like.

      That said, your commenter Justice League idea could have some juice. The only problem would be finding someone who would agree to be Aquaman. That guy sucked big time.

      Delete
    3. I can't help but draw many a parallel between myself and this Aquaman character. Having said that, here's today's COTD (how the hell do I hyperlink? - http://deadspin.com/5888089/espn-wont-be-bringing-craig-james-back-once-his-gay+baiting-senate-campaign-is-over?comment=47332845#comments) in lieu of Streetcheese's hiatus.

      Delete
    4. Mantis Toboggan, M.D.February 24, 2012 at 5:03 PM

      @cobra Here is a link that will show you how to hyperlink in HTML.

      And Here is a link to what is most obviously today's COTD, weird long form division.

      Delete
  13. I just watched your Youtube video, IMG.

    What.
    the.
    hell.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Honestly, I spend by far the most time every day trying to figure out what YouTube clip to include and today I said fuck it, okay? She's cute and toured with Public Enemy when that actually meant something.

      Delete
    2. Don't me wrong, she's very easy on the eyes, but I know the 90's were a weird time and I still can't figure out how somebody thought that video, as a whole, was a good idea.

      The keyboard/alien hands, in particular, look like they let a video intern make a contribution to the video in exchange for working 14 hours a day, for 10 months, unpaid.

      Delete
  14. Here's a good pink comment:

    http://deadspin.com/5888084/riot-cops-stampeding-shoppers-stun+gun-rumors-must-be-time-for-nike-to-sell-more-shoes?comment=47331456#comments

    "Because Tom Scocca and Deadspin are the arbiters of footwear...Right. Stick to sports dude."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't believe there are no pink comments in the Craig James posts, defending him. What a missed opportunity.

      Delete
  15. Finally, the first comment on a sports blog about a comment on a blog about the commenter's on the sports blog (see Longhorn Network Article - fuck copying and pasting.)

    RMJ=H, I like the cut of your jib.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Commenting etiquette question.

    In the DHF post, I made a joke that was very similar to crazyjoedavola's joke two minutes prior. Just to be clear, I hadn't seen his prior to my own posting.

    Because the two jokes have similar themes, but were still somewhat different, would commenting etiquette call for me to redact my joke on the grounds that he was there first, or is it acceptable to leave it out there because they are still somewhat different?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've only ever redacted if my joke made the exact same twist on the post.

      Delete
    2. Leave it. I've always been of the opinion that if two commenters come up with roughly the same joke at roughly the same time, they should both just leave them up. Seems to happen too often that whoever came in later deletes their joke. I think it's unnecessary. I actually like seeing two of the same joke to compare the different ways in which the same joke can be made (unless it's literally an identical joke, which has happened before).

      Delete
    3. I like it, too. It's like accidental, live workshopping.

      Delete
    4. It doesn't really matter anyway, because usually Drew's posts usually only bring out the dregs of commenting society, like Bullet Tooth Tony.

      Delete
    5. You know the worst part about Bullet Tooth Tony? He approved me. What a guy.

      Delete
  17. Alright. I don't get the Chuck Knoblauch jokes.

    - Too ashamed to use his real name.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I gave RMJ=H shit about misspelling CK's name up at the top of THIS blog with respect to an earlier DS comment he made, so then he made another CK joke on DS by bolding his correction of the typo.

      In other words, it's the first recorded MKM blog joke in history, and it is delightful.

      Delete
    2. Ah... and he was a poor fielder and E for error and... yeah. It is funny. I just feel stupid.

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    3. If you are referring to the theme behind the first joke as well, the "E" part of it is based off of his inability to throw the ball. He was notorious for throwing errors.

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    4. Also, inexplicable late-career throwing yips (it's the primary reason his career went south so quickly).

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    5. His throws were known to sail over the head of the first baseman, in much the same way that joke got to you.

      Delete
  18. The Real Sadaharu, For RealFebruary 24, 2012 at 5:09 PM

    I agree, but please don't use my name.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ho ho, chap!

    7.5 -- Hearty and delightful jape!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Replies
    1. I have never been more excited about anything, ever.

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    2. I fucking love how thebadcowgoesmoo couldn't even properly commit commenter suicide. Looks like he was trying for the coveted double-ban, as he was already banned on Deadspin today.

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    3. Ha. I love AJ. I should do something like that here, but since I don't have the ability to ban people, it would probably just be really frustrating for me.

      Delete
    4. Shit, that's incredible. Maybe that's the pink comment of the day, even though it didn't start out pink.

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    5. He's started moving threads now, and didn't ban someone who complimented him. That's nice. But I love the bannings.


      le sigh

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    6. This is almost better than Tiempo, Tiempo Hatchet and Tiempo, Tiempo Hatchet is Tiempo, Tiempo Hatchet.

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    7. And...not to liveblog it or anything, but he waded into Crosstalk and is banning/moving in there, too. Giddy with excitement.

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    8. Sorry, I'm really high right now. As you can tell from the timestamp, it took me like 3 minutes to type that.

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    9. Haha I'm just quick because I'm constantly refreshing the page at the expense of everything around me. Hey, my 5 month old said she was heading out to get some smokes. Anybody heard from her?

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    10. She'll be fine. Kids are buoyant, they float.

      Delete
    11. It is absolutely fabulous that AJ has rather than have a Deadspin-style purge where he waited for poor jokes and reacted with zero tolerence, he decided that Gawker commenters were so pig-headed and self-righteous that he could just invite them to ban themselves -- and they proved him right!

      Yet, they still think that he is the idiot!

      Just loveley.

      Delete
  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  22. http://jalopnik.com/oppositelock/forum?comment=47341823

    SOMEBODY's about to be disappointed.

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  23. I haves a question. When it says "This comment has been removed by the author", which author is being referenced? The author of the blog or the author of the comment?

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    Replies
    1. The author of the comment.

      Delete