Is this an acceptable UI design decision?

Question

OK, while I'm on record as stating that StackExchange UI is pretty much one of the best websites and overall GUIs that I have ever seen as far as usability goes, there's one particular aspect of the trilogy that bugs me.

For an example, head on to http://meta.stackoverflow.com .

Look at the banner on top (the one that says "reminder -- it's April Fool's Day depending on your time zone!").

Personally, I feel that this is a "make the user do the figuring out work" anti-pattern (whatever it's officially called) - namely, instead of making your app smart enough to only present a certain mode of operations in the conditions when that mode is appropriate, you simply turn on the mode full on and put an explanation to the user of why the mode is on when it should not be (in this particular example, the mode is of course displaying the unicorn gravatars starting with 00:00 in the first timezone, despite the fact that some users still live in March 31st).

The Great Recalc was also handled the same way - instead of proactively telling the user "your rep was changed from X to Y" the same nearly invisible banner was displayed on meta.

So, the questions are:

• Is there such an official anti-pattern, and if so,m what the heck do i call it?
• Do you have any other well-known examples of such design anti-pattern?
• How would you fix either the SO example I made or you your own example? Is there a pattern of fixing or must it be a case-by-case solution?

Answer 1

The name of this anti-pattern ought to be Beware Of The Leopard, after this exchange from HH2G.

'...You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them had you? I mean like actually telling anyone or anything.'
'But the plans were on display...'
'On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.'
'That's the display department.'
'With a torch.'
'Ah, well the lights had probably gone.'
'So had the stairs.'
'But look you found the notice didn't you?'
'Yes,' said Arthur, 'yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying "Beware of The Leopard".'