Here's a crazy idea

[Square Wheels]

How about the few of you that want to ruin it for the many cut out your silly veiled attempts at making posts political.  While you're at it, stop insulting each other.  Most of us have a stressful life, this place is supposed to be fun, and it usually is.

I've asked nice over the years, at least a hundred times.  I really feel like a broken record.  Still, after all that begging, people continue to show their worst side.

Lots of good people have been driven away due to the constant negativity.  Here are a few I miss.

@Thaddeus Kosciuszko

@AirwickWithCheese

@F_in Ray Of Sunshine

@kingtermite

This site really is no fun to run and I pay a lot to keep it going.  

Please see this post, I am still very happy to give the site over to anyone who will commit to keeping it running.

If you'd like to take over, please let me know and we'll work on transferring the database and files to your server.

[Road Runner]

49 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

Lots of good people have been driven away due to the constant negativity. 

Also, some haven't left completely, but they don't post nearly as much as they once did, back in the days when the forum was mostly fun.

[Dirtyhip]

The added expense and stress is no go for me to even consider this.  I am sorry, SW. 

[Randomguy]

To be fair, those listed that HAVE left ARE active on Facebook, a remarkably more negative and political arena, so, not a real reason they have left.   Cheese leaves often and comes back when he wants. 
 

if you look for negativity in every damn thing, you will find it.  To those whose skin is less than paper thin, the internet really isn’t for those people. 

[Square Wheels]

7 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

To be fair, those listed that HAVE left ARE active on Facebook, a remarkably more negative and political arena, so, not a real reason they have left.   Cheese leaves often and comes back when he wants. 
 

if you look for negativity in every damn thing, you will find it.  To those whose skin is less than paper thin, the internet really isn’t for those people. 

I do not have have thin skin, I am however, a little short on patience.

[donkpow]

3 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

To be fair, those that HAVE left ARE active on Facebook, a remarkably more negative and political arena, so, not a real reason they have left.   Cheese leaves often and comes back when he wants. 
 

if you look for negativity in every damn thing, you will find it.  To those whose skin is less than paper thin, the internet really isn’t for those people. 

Yeah, I tried not to say anything because, you know, I'm not a gang member. You can't have comedy without the conflicts of life. Irony, conflict, these things allows us to laugh, see ourselves in different light, cope with the world around and within. Curtail those things at your own peril. Cheese only exists because his actions are outside the norm. Many would read something bad into his behavior. RG is really a wheel chair bound, cross dressing, porn video producer in real life. He comes here and pretends to be a Nazi sympathizer. What are you gonna do? Fugettaboutit.

[Randomguy]

2 minutes ago, donkpow said:

Yeah, I tried not to say anything because, you know, I'm not a gang member. You can't have comedy without the conflicts of life. Irony, conflict, these things allows us to laugh, see ourselves in different light, cope with the world around and within. Curtail those things at your own peril. Cheese only exists because his actions are outside the norm. Many would read something bad into his behavior. RG is really a wheel chair bound, cross dressing, porn video producer in real life. He comes here and pretends to be a Nazi sympathizer. What are you gonna do? Fugettaboutit.

You complete me.  

[Randomguy]

4 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

I do not have have thin skin, I am however, a little short on patience.

Do you remember the old-timey aspirational names like Hope and the like?  Was Patience ever one of those names?

[Wilbur ★]

5 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

Do you remember the old-timey aspirational names like Hope and the like?  Was Patience ever one of those names?

Didn't she sing with Prudence? 

[Wilbur ★]

1 minute ago, Wilbur said:

Didn't she sing with Prudence? 

Why, yes she did, Wilbur..

 

[Wilbur ★]

Just now, Wilbur said:

Why, yes she did, Wilbur..

 

Damn, you are smart, Wilbur.

[donkpow]

 

[Dottleshead ★]

35 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

Damn, you are smart, Wilbur.

OMG. I laughed at that. Shame on me.

[donkpow]

Maybe we should use G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate. That would cure the problem.

[maddmaxx ★]

 

[donkpow]

The Reavers would be a problem, of course.

[Square Wheels]

Don't forget about this:

https://squarewheelscycling.com/index.php?/guidelines/

[Further]

I appreciate what you do. I try to not push the envelope. I would miss this place were it to go away.

I can barely run water let alone a forum....

[Square Wheels]

20 minutes ago, Further said:

I would miss this place were it to go away.

I have no plans on it going away, but I am having fewer fun days here than I used to.

[ChrisL]

I got a bit frustrated with some of the posts and took a break.  I post less and really do think twice before hitting the submit button these days. 

As much as I hate to say this, @Square Wheelswhy do what you hate?  Give us 30 days to connect in an alternate manner & close the site.  I’d rather the site be gone than you be miserable.

[Further]

Just now, Square Wheels said:

I have no plans on it going away, but I am having fewer fun days here than I used to.

I'm pullin for ya. 

Hope it becomes fun again   

[Square Wheels]

1 minute ago, ChrisL said:

I’d rather the site be gone than you be miserable.

I'll still be miserable, it's part of my DNA.

[Ralphie ★]

36 minutes ago, Further said:

I appreciate what you do. I try to not push the envelope. I would miss this place were it to go away.

I can barely run water let alone a forum....

Yeah, what Further said.

 

[Ralphie ★]

2 hours ago, Road Runner said:

Also, some haven't left completely, but they don't post nearly as much as they once did, back in the days when the forum was mostly fun.

I still think it's mostly fun, but then again, I do like skunk cabbage.  I find it pretty easy to avoid stuff I don't want to talk aboot.  But goode pointe, once the signal to noise ratio gets too low, it is snot worth the effort anymore, but this is nowhere near as bad as the love forum got in its death throes or the previous EPG saturation days.  Just wasn't enough nut in the shell to make it worthwhile.  But I don;t see that here atoll.  Sure, lots of people including me are anxious to talk aboot the current global "challenge", but if you don't want to hear it, easy enough to avoid.

[Dirtyhip]

I can bake, cook and handle a bike pretty well.  Computers and software are not my strong suit.  I just figured out how to turn my phone off live for pics.  I could not figure out whey my pics were all like a video.  JFC!

[shootingstar]

46 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

I still think it's mostly fun, but then again, I do like skunk cabbage.  I find it pretty easy to avoid stuff I don't want to talk aboot.  But goode pointe, once the signal to noise ratio gets too low, it is snot worth the effort anymore, but this is nowhere near as bad as the love forum got in its death throes or the previous EPG saturation days.  Just wasn't enough nut in the shell to make it worthwhile.  But I don;t see that here atoll.  Sure, lots of people including me are anxious to talk aboot the current global "challenge", but if you don't want to hear it, easy enough to avoid.

I find the forum much milder than bicycling magazine forum days.  That's why I left for a few years. 

I see the forum as a casual like virtual coffee cafe  and sometimes even learn something.  I learned more about American health care system here in past few months ...similarities and dissimilarities...it supplements academic articles which don't give enough real life examples and besides often are written by academics who already have some support benefits.

I come from a family that is more direct in comments and with family members when I was growing up with sibs, where we engage in long, protracted arguments.  But we still care about each other, I think it has made my family even stronger. Less things to hide from one another. Less self-censorship as long as we try to talk about difficult topics in a calmer way that is not accusatory. That is solution oriented.  

I have noticed at work, some people are very sensitive to any negativity, no matter how slight. They overfocus on a tiny negative thing, they blow things out of proportion, they can't take irony, abit of sarcasm. The only saving grace is the majority of workers where I am ...are predominantly women who have life experiences that should (but not always) help them weather some negative comments. For sure, weird jokes don't work in the workplace.

This is an international forum....just to talk with some common experiences which yes, of course, are sometimes affected by how our different societies and systems are structured. It is not a single national forum of 1 viewpoint from 1 society. That's all I have to say.

 

[Wilbur ★]

3 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

I'll still be miserable, it's part of my DNA.

They have suppositories that dissolve burrs you know..  

[MickinMD ★]

4 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

I have no plans on it going away, but I am having fewer fun days here than I used to.

I hope the fun picks up.  In these trying times, we should all be careful to avoid politicizing the issues we talk about.

I fled to this site when the LF had turned into a politicized forum where those disagreeing with another's philosophy were strongly criticized to the point where you had to examine every word and phrase you typed so someone couldn't intentionally take it out of context.

It's worth the effort to make sure that doesn't happen here.

[2Far ★]

4 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

I'll still be miserable, it's part of my DNA.

Wait! You’re really a Jewish grandmother? Mrs. Wolowitz, that you?

[Razors Edge ★]

9 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

While you're at it, stop insulting each other.  Most of us have a stressful life, this place is supposed to be fun, and it usually is.

I think the challenge will remain that some folks don't mind the "insulting" each other stuff.  Personally, I don't really mind kzoo calling me a dolt or jsharr giving me a hard time or Dottles trash talking me or many folks "seeming" off color stuff.  I do mind the most distasteful stuff - racism, bigotry, sexism - and won't generally let that pass without calling it out. 

So, giving RE a hard time = fun.  Being a bigot or racist = go somewhere else.

But, your house, your rules!

[Wilbur ★]

8 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

I do mind the most distasteful stuff - racism, bigotry, sexism - and won't generally let that pass without calling it out. 

Who decides what is racism, bigotry, sexism.  This is all very polarized and weaponized politically these days.  It isn't really your job to "call it out".   If you find something offensive, there is a "Report Post" button.  Why start a war and piss others here off?  Report and leave the discussion. 

When pointing out others, one has to remember the "3 fingers pointing back at you rule". 

8 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

But, your house, your rules!

A good thing to remember. 

[Razors Edge ★]

2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Who decides what is racism, bigotry, sexism.  This is all very polarized and weaponized politically these days.  It isn't really your job to "call it out".   If you find something offensive, there is a "Report Post" button.  Why start a war and piss others here off?  Report and leave the discussion. 

When pointing out others, one has to remember the "3 fingers pointing back at you rule". 

You, me, and the rest of us.  It's called a discussion.  Folks may not know they are being racist, bigoted, and/or sexist, so pointing it out clears the air. Likewise, it is hard to read sarcasm vs sincerity in a forum like this, so getting that clarification is best.

If a mod wants to step in, that's their prerogative.

[Randomguy]

26 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

You, me, and the rest of us.  It's called a discussion.  Folks may not know they are being racist, bigoted, and/or sexist, so pointing it out clears the air. Likewise, it is hard to read sarcasm vs sincerity in a forum like this, so getting that clarification is best.

If a mod wants to step in, that's their prerogative.

Everybody thinks that everyone else will "see reason and see it like I see it".  This is faulty reasoning.  Bigots typically don't change, they die off.  People have bizarre ideas of what sexism is, and you'd have to be stupid to think current millennial pc standards are a reference point.  Screw that, an actress and an actor are not the same thing and never will be.

[donkpow]

3 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

Screw that, an actress and an actor are not the same thing and never will be.

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

Screw that, an actress and an actor are not the same thing and never will be.

All actresses are actors! All actors are actors! It's pretty simple, isn't it????

But yeah, bigots don't easily change. I guess it might be more the now never-ending "see a lie, show a fact" sort of thing, too. 

[Randomguy]

4 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

All actresses are actors! All actors are actors! It's pretty simple, isn't it????

No, one has a dong, and the other has boobs.   Suddenly it changed?  Nope, not for people who think for themselves.

I would think that the chicks would want the separate category for the awards shows they all love.

[Razors Edge ★]

5 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

No, one has a dong, and the other has boobs.   Suddenly it changed?  Nope, not for people who think for themselves.

I would think that the chicks would want the separate category for the awards shows they all love.

It probably changed when the English language, in its infinite wisdom, got rid of the ridiculous gender nonsense that drove me bat shit crazy in German class.  Seriously INSANE.  But, to the point, an "actor acts" - regardless of their sex.  I'm not gonna subscribe to "actors and actresses" but not "athletes and athletetesses" or "teachers and teacheresses" or whatever other nonsense I can think of.

[Ralphie ★]

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

It probably changed when the English language, in its infinite wisdom, got rid of the ridiculous gender nonsense that drove me bat shit crazy in German class.  Seriously INSANE.  But, to the point, an "actor acts" - regardless of their sex.  I'm not gonna subscribe to "actors and actresses" but not "athletes and athletetesses" or "teachers and teacheresses" or whatever other nonsense I can think of.

Wow, that made some sense. Congrats!

 

[Wilbur ★]

57 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

You, me, and the rest of us.  It's called a discussion.

Which negates your "your house, your rules" statement.  You failed to see the hypocrisy of your post.   

[Randomguy]

11 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Wow, that made some sense. Congrats!

 

What?  There is a lot of gender nonsense being bandied about, I am pretty comfortable being me.  You don’t have recreate your whole life view because a few militant lesbians decided to launch a war against men and normalcy.  

[Ralphie ★]

1 minute ago, Randomguy said:

What?  There is a lot of gender nonsense being bandied about, I am pretty comfortable being me.  You don’t have recreate your whole life view because a few militant lesbians decided to launch a war against men and normalcy.  

The genders of words in French and Spanish makes them inferior to Englich!

[Randomguy]

17 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

"athletes and athletetesses"

Chicks and dicks, that is the dividing line. 

[Razors Edge ★]

3 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

Which negates your "your house, your rules" statement.  You failed to see the hypocrisy of your post.   

???

SW and mods swing the ban hammer and hold the keys to locking topics and hiding posts.  Are the rules that we can't disagree? Or that whoever posts content first has the last word?  I must have missed those rules.

[maddmaxx ★]

38 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

No, one has a dong, and the other has boobs.   Suddenly it changed?  Nope, not for people who think for themselves.

I would think that the chicks would want the separate category for the awards shows they all love.

You're right.

[jsharr ★]

I noticed that ParodyBot and Airwick's Horny Aunt and LakeSuperior and Sr. VP of the Western Region and Ty Coon and WonderWoman and others are missing too! 

[Ralphie ★]

6 minutes ago, jsharr said:

I noticed that ParodyBot and Airwick's Horny Aunt and LakeSuperior and Sr. VP of the Western Region and Ty Coon and WonderWoman and others are missing too! 

You lost your socks in the laundry?

[jsharr ★]

21 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

You lost your socks in the laundry?

Or RG soiled them.

[MoseySusan]

It could also be that people leave the Internet forum because they’ve moved on and are in a place where interactions with people they barely know are no longer satisfying in general. We’ve been together as a community for more than ten years. The stones have all been turned over. 

[2Far ★]

1 hour ago, jsharr said:

Or RG soiled them.

Yeah, probably. He's out of TP after all.

[maddmaxx ★]

42 minutes ago, roadsue said:

It could also be that people leave the Internet forum because they’ve moved on and are in a place where interactions with people they barely know are no longer satisfying in general. We’ve been together as a community for more than ten years. The stones have all been turned over. 

That means that the tops now cover new dirt.