What's up with OUR house ?

[gabosaurus]

Your behavior on the board has more to do with how you have been treated than your political beliefs. You haven't been allowed back once out of the goodness of Jim's heart. Whatever you did to him, you screwed the pooch. Others have had to argue on behalf of your being allowed to return only for you to treat people like they are fools with no memories. Any halfwit can troll. Takes a brain to hang on a board where you're the underdog. Try being yourself instead of a troll so obvious it insults everyone's intelligence.

I disagree with this. My behavior has been no better or worse than anyone else posting on this board. The lone difference is that I have have a propensity for sarcasm, which has not often been received well. When I am attacked, I can either ignore it or respond twice as viciously. Bipolar people are like that. It's the mood swings. As a younger (now middle aged) liberal, it has never been easy to co-exist with older conservatives. The Trump swing made it even more difficult. My attempts to present the truth are often portrayed as "trolling." Since I was one person rocking the boat and throwing rocks into the wind. The more often you are beaten down, the less likely you are to forget it. As for "screwing the pooch," I don't remember doing so. But what happened in the past happened. As Donald Trump and Kari Lake have demonstrated, you can't change what happened no matter how loudly you scream and yell about it. Shit happens. Clean up or move on.

[NightTrain]

I am sure social media is over 90% the reason for less traffic.

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Gab, Truth, all of them have been replacing message boards. These were the go-to at the dawn of the internet, and it's a natural progression.

Debate hasn't lessened, it's simply shifted platforms.

And people mellow and shift, too. I don't get as fired up about things as I used to - back in the day I'd spend a great many hours beating up the latest moonbat, and it was fun. But I've focused less on that in the last few years unless I see something so stupid that can't be let go... then we're off to the races!

I joined Twitter after Elon bought it and ejected all the commies running it - it's actually a pretty good platform now. Been following the Ukraine situation closely, there's many quality posters directly in the fighting posting their victories and defeats.

[Gunny]

I disagree with this. My behavior has been no better or worse than anyone else posting on this board. The lone difference is that I have have a propensity for sarcasm, which has not often been received well. When I am attacked, I can either ignore it or respond twice as viciously. Bipolar people are like that. It's the mood swings. As a younger (now middle aged) liberal, it has never been easy to co-exist with older conservatives. The Trump swing made it even more difficult. My attempts to present the truth are often portrayed as "trolling." Since I was one person rocking the boat and throwing rocks into the wind. The more often you are beaten down, the less likely you are to forget it. As for "screwing the pooch," I don't remember doing so. But what happened in the past happened. As Donald Trump and Kari Lake have demonstrated, you can't change what happened no matter how loudly you scream and yell about it. Shit happens. Clean up or move on.

Prove it. Deeds not words. Going forward rather than rehashing water under the bridge.

[jimnyc]

It seems like we're dying here.
Where has everyone gone?

I can speak to only a few things. Myself - been dealing with some personal/private issues and dealing with a few things over past several months. Planning on trying to get back on the horse now, but not sure how much it matters.

My posting as one person can't dictate the board, nor should the posting of one other posting. It takes a "board" of folks to keep a board up and running. My threads prompted no more or less posting from others.

I seriously don't think it's any folks doing anything or not doing anything. I think this slowly started with Facebook and other social media and has just kept forward in that pattern. More people there and more action.

And as things go slower, we lose interest here and there from yet another member. I think it's more a sign of the times than anything else. I won't give into the social media crap. I very rarely use it and usually only for keeping in touch with friends/family behind the scenes.

Still paying bills here hence the lights still on!

[icansayit]

It might just be me. But over the last year or so. It seems to me...
doing anything but posting a meme is fruitless. I can talk to myself all day.
But when I make a contribution here. I might as well just be making notes to myself.

So, after I stop here. I do a lot of browsing across many sites while avoiding all TV.
I gave up on trying to be a concerned citizen. So I go to the Youtube Comedy sections,
and The FIRST Amendment Auditors who actually make my Blood Pressure rise.
Arguing for the sake of arguing does nobody any good. We are but a SPECK OF SAND
on the entire Internet. See ya around!

[SassyLady]

For me ... got tired of having everything refuted by someone who never posted an original post. Just seemed they lived to refute anything someone else said.

Also, it wasn't just politics (Trump, election fraud, etc.) that shut this place down. It was disagreements regarding covid and vaccines. It seemed no one wanted to discuss anything that wasn't in the mainstream media. I don't watch MSM anymore so my sources were always shot down.

Can only try to open minds so much before it's just too exhausting.

[Gunny]

For me ... got tired of having everything refuted by someone who never posted an original post. Just seemed they lived to refute anything someone else said.

Also, it wasn't just politics (Trump, election fraud, etc.) that shut this place down. It was disagreements regarding covid and vaccines. It seemed no one wanted to discuss anything that wasn't in the mainstream media. I don't watch MSM anymore so my sources were always shot down.

Can only try to open minds so much before it's just too exhausting.

I agree that the COVID argument also shut it down for some that allowed it to do so. Some refused to accept that others believed in their arguments just as much as anyone else. It takes two and door swings both ways.

I'll add to some of what Jim stated: we're just old and outdated by newer technology. I haven't even looked to see how may "bulletin boards" are left on the internet, nor how successful/unsuccessful they have become. Most of us joined when bulletin board were the latest-greatest.

I've always been leery of the internet period, and as it turns out with good cause. I'm certainly not going beyond this level. While anyone can find out anything they want about anyone (except criminal politicians), I figure they may as well have to work a little at it. I still have the means to dump all electronics and didi the F- out. I intend to keep it that way.

[hjmick]

Shit.

I had a whole thing typed out, but it sounded like whining.

I self censor. After a bad experience here when I spoke my mind about the man-child that is Trump, I chose to dabble in politics here very lightly. People changed with Trump, people on both sides. My bad experience came from a quarter I would have never expected... It's gotten better, but I tend to choose my adjectives carefully these days...


A lack of diversity also tends to make this place an echo chamber. That's one reason I smile when Gabos posts. I rarely agree with her, but at least she offers a fresh and different perspective. I don't know how to fix the lack of diversity, but I know one thing for sure, the lack of tolerance for new folk is a very big contributing factor to the lack of it...


I don't know. I may not post often, but I would absolutely hate to see this place go tits up...

[Gunny]

I should also point out the elephant in the room for me: School's out for the summer And I can't make it not sound like wining. I already can't think of a single week since Christmas one of these rugrats hasn't been sick. lame or lazy and here instead of at school. I generally bounce my board time when they're gone.

Part of it is self-inflicted. I choose to take care of my grandson at the expense of my time.

So, posting for me is going to be more spastic than usual until they go back to school.

While I'm bitching ... if the damned adults around here would quit behaving like the oldest kids instead of the parents, it'd be a LOT easier