MetaChat - The Waiting

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29 December 2006

The Waiting How many MeFites do you think are waiting to be The First to post that Hussein is dead?

→[More:]And do you think that, when it happens, the person who gets that first post will actually do a good job of it?

We've likely got a few hours yet. People have time to do a bit of research on this thing, you know?

post by: brina at: 18:42 | 36 comments

Oh, and as a journalist, this quote from an NYT article makes me unhappy:

Steve Capus, the president of NBC News, said that network may show “a wide shot of Saddam hanging.” He said NBC would make its decision based on questions both of taste and of history.

“I think it might be appropriate at some point to see an image of Saddam after he is hanged,” Mr. Capus said, citing previous historic images of dictators who had been killed. “I think about that iconic image of Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania, lying literally in the gutter,” Mr. Capus said. “I want to do this with a measure of taste, but I don’t want to stand in the way of history.”

posted by brina 29 December | 18:47

They showed the pictures of Hussein's sons lying dead, and I didn't think it was in poor taste. Probably because it seemed necessary to show proof that they were dead.

posted by Orange Swan 29 December | 19:02

About ten. That is, that's the number that will have had a passing thought these past few days along the lines of, "oh, maybe it would be cool if I was the first to post when the bastard hangs". Six or seven will have intended to actually post it when they see it, but one of them will be in a traffic jam when news of the execution breaks. Two will be asleep. The remaining four all write a one-link post to Metafilter when word comes in, and three will appear on the front page. As to the fourth, while previewing the other posts were discovered, and the posting tab was closed. This person will be the fourth to comment in the thread.

posted by goodnewsfortheinsane 29 December | 19:07

There's been plenty of time to research a decent post. But instead we'll get a crappy one-link post to something like CNN or Reuters. The Sid Davis obit thread was the best obit-filter I've seen.

posted by TheDonF 29 December | 19:07

Also: how much time will elapse from the first of the "SADDAM'S DEAD!" posts till someone posts some sort of complaint in MeTa? I'm calling 12 minutes.

posted by scody 29 December | 19:14

LT's thread says it's to happen around 10pm EST. Is this true? I had no idea that it was supposed to happen so soon. Well, supposing that it happens at all - call me cynical.

posted by deborah 29 December | 19:15

He'll still be kicking and breathing when the post is made, just as he will when the 2nd, 3rd and 4th posts are made. I'm not calling the 5th post.

posted by loquacious 29 December | 19:18

goodnews: see, that's what would ordinarily happen, but tonight i'm hoping someone will have sense enough to start putting a thread together, like, now. one with plenty of links to bio, conviction, trial under way, last-minute kinks, people who oppose the hanging, etc.

and scody, 12 minutes sounds good. the question is ... why?

posted by brina 29 December | 19:19

According to the AP, the US government wants him to be hanged "respectfully."

I think that's just about the biggest oxymoron I've ever heard.

posted by mudpuppie 29 December | 19:33

I hate the guy to no end, but, really, the idea of the ensuing media frenzy (I still highly respect Mefi and its citizenry, so I will keep hoping) about his hanging makes me sick, sick to my stomach.

I hope its quick and effective for everyone. (gah! I am sorry)

posted by carmina 29 December | 19:52

I hope its quick and effective for everyone. (gah! I am sorry)

Why quick? Just because a hypocritical superpower decided that he wasn't part of the cool tyrants club anymore doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve to slowly asphyxiate to death as he swings from the gallows on a live internet stream.

posted by cmonkey 29 December | 20:22

He deserves it, cmonkey, no doubt about that. I just do not, fuck hell no, I do not want to watch/hear/read about it, you know what I mean?

There is something severely inhumane (bestial? savage? sadistic?) about what's coming up. It is all fitting ironically but still...

Maybe the only reason to keep up is to see who will rise above the circumstance.

Or maybe I am over(pro)reacting.

posted by carmina 29 December | 20:37

carmina, I must say I absolutely agree. While I don't like the idea of execution in general -- but wouldn't be easily able to object to it in this case -- I really don't like the idea of hanging.

And as for the images, it is inevitable that someone is going to go far over the lines of taste.

posted by brina 29 December | 20:49

I really don't like the idea of hanging.

Iraqis Line Up To Put Hussein In the Noose

On Sept. 6, the Iraqi authorities planned to hang 27 people.

On the 13th hanging, according to an official who was there, the rope snapped and the convicted man plummeted 15 feet through the trap door onto the concrete floor.

''God saved me!'' the man cried. ''God is great! I did not deserve this!''

For an hour, he lay on the ground praying and shouting while prison guards and the executioner debated whether this constituted divine intervention and, if so, whether the man's life should be spared.

Once a new rope was rigged, however, the man was forced up the stairs once again and successfully hanged.

posted by mlis 29 December | 21:07

I see loquacious is sharing my cynicism. One hour to go.

It was IRFH's thread, LT's comment. Duh.

posted by deborah 29 December | 21:11

Ding.

posted by goodnewsfortheinsane 29 December | 21:35

YouTube, as well. Fitting.

posted by goodnewsfortheinsane 29 December | 21:36

We haven't really progressed much as human beings, have we?

posted by Zack_Replica 29 December | 21:45

Man, I should have been keeping up over here. I see I'm not the only person thinking about it. And how fucking sad is that first execution thread? A one link post that goes to a damn southpark clip.

posted by court siem 29 December | 21:48

Zack, those photos in the last link were super-disturbing.

posted by brina 29 December | 21:52

Uh huh. It's what everyone's waiting to see, which is why I didn't flag it as being offensive*. The pointlessness of revenge, and the world on a ghoulish deathwatch.

*though this being MeCha, in retrospect I should've.

posted by Zack_Replica 29 December | 21:57

It's happened.

posted by goodnewsfortheinsane 29 December | 22:07

You'd think that as the time for the execution was narrowed down, mattamyn would be on duty and at the ready to smack down these inevitable badposts. Matt, you need an extra moderator, preferably one who does not have a life. I am way too available.

posted by wendell 29 December | 22:11

The indignation, it is so faux.

posted by mischief 29 December | 22:25

Good news!

posted by keswick 29 December | 22:28

Gee, keswick, I was expecting to see Professor Farnsworth from Futurama.

posted by wendell 29 December | 22:35

we'll get a crappy one-link post to something like CNN or Reuters

My thoughts exactly. The pathetic James Brown showing was yet another example of this. However... no one could have predicted the death of James Brown with any accuracy. Perhaps someone is actually willing to scan the headlines day and night so they can post something truly informative and interesting to MeFi.

Nah...

posted by scarabic 29 December | 22:39

Guess who I just saw walking down the street with Elvis!

posted by mischief 29 December | 22:39

Just because a hypocritical superpower decided that he wasn't part of the cool tyrants club anymore doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve to slowly asphyxiate to death as he swings from the gallows on a live internet stream.

You are so correct, sir. The US is dirty head-to-toe on Iraq, and not just recently. But Saddam had the *البيض to be even nastier than his far flung uncle-fuckers.

*juevos

posted by scarabic 29 December | 22:43

What more information is left for dead celebrities, except that they're dead?

posted by mischief 29 December | 22:44

I have always thought the most interesting thing about those Mussolini photos was that they took the time to tie his mistress's skirt into place. They'd execute her, hang her by her ankles and let people beat her corpse--yet they afforded her that last bit of dignity.

Odd that.

posted by jrossi4r 29 December | 22:59

Watching the local news just now. Some ex pat Iraqis are out celebrating Saddam's death. No ambivalence for them.

posted by arse_hat 29 December | 23:08

Perhaps someone is actually willing to scan the headlines day and night so they can post something truly informative and interesting to MeFi.

Yes or if a person is so hot to post obits, do like newspapers do and work-up a file with background information and then when the person dies bring the excellent links.

posted by mlis 29 December | 23:12

And it's turned into a street party in Dearborn.

posted by arse_hat 29 December | 23:17

good bye saddam

posted by growabrain 29 December | 23:45

Oddly, brina, your link to the WaPo has now turned into "Hussein Is Put to Death" ...

posted by stilicho 30 December | 00:49

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