Is everyone on holiday or just slacking off?

What brought this on?

i'm curious about the statement myself

chai2 wrote :



chai2 : i have been absent for a while . never before had a problem with a poster telling me : " THIS IS MY TOPIC _ BETTER STICK TO IT ! " .

but something seems to have changed lately ...
i don't think i was rude to the persons originating the topics , but didn't strictly stick to it .
so i did something i'd thought i would never do : i hit the ignore button .
the poster was free to ignore my comments , but "calling me on the carpet" was a bit rich , i thought .
as i said ,something seems to have changed ... perhaps it's me ...
somehow we were a friendlier and more open group , i think .
i almost think the U.S. election is still being re-enacted here on a2k ... wouldn't it be better to look and move forward rather than backward ... ?
just my 2 cents ( canadian) .
hbg

And, as I mentioned, he remains in the dark as to why the "regulars" seldom post on his threads.

OK, I'm confused. Who dis'ed Chai and Hamburger? I have a few people on ignore and I think it makes my experience here much nicer. I haven't noticed any extreme hair pulling and crotch kicking, but maybe that's because I've been staying away from the political threads.

Yeah, ditto, enquiring minds want to know!

[pulls up chair and waits for something juicy]

I don t get that either.

Chai, u r always welcome on MY threads.

I recommend that if someone bashes u: counterbash !!!

Show them the errors of their ways !


That 's what I usually do; either that or Ignore.





David

http://able2know.org/topic/134061-2#post-3706209

I'm guessing chai's dust-up with Robert G is what's bothering her. Is it?
Well...don't worry your pretty little head. He goes off the handle on the high stress days. He's blistered me before...and when Robert turns on the sarcasm ...you don't forget it very soon.
You're an iconic poster chai, much appreciated, always good for a laugh. Don't sweat it...we still love you.

Mmmm, I'll agree with iconic. I've very fond of Zee Chai, though I go off on her once in a while, slaps self. I still hope to meet her/you, Chai.

Some of the background of this is that there are two kinds of threads, questions and discussions. Questions are planned, I think, to be short term items, and rather more straightforward than our ever evolving discussions. I never pay this no mind, which is unfortunate. And someone asked a question and wanted only legal type answers and a bunch of us got going on the questioner. I think I started it, making fun of the questioner.

Robert showed up as did JoefromChicago to straighten us out, I forget in which order --- and they're right, this is first and foremost a knowledge forum, however much some of us use it as a community of odd folk.

Chai chafed...

Ragman was part of all that and took the remonstrance to heart, thus followed his attempt to keep his own next thread toeing the line. And in walked hamburgboy...

Anyway, I think this place is both, an information source and a community. Takes a bit of practice for us.

Chai, my intention wasn't to make you feel unwelcome, I was having my say just like you will and you are now.



I criticized the tendency on a2k for questions to receive off-topic answers Chai, I wasn't even addressing you specifically. Why is my criticism a matter of telling you what to do and being the thread police when yours is just speaking your mind freely?

Do what you want, if you don't like what I say ignore it. I'm not here to be the police of anyone, I'm just speaking my mind. You are clearly free to speak yours, and say I have a stick up my ass (I actually don't, but thanks for the concern) and that I play thread police, and I in turn am free to express my opinion that questions are better served with more helpful answers.

i say we stone her...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIaORknS1Dk&feature=channel

i would not feel so all alone
everybody must get stoned

Chai,

It would be terrible if you and Gus were off at the same time. You are the only one as funny as Gus.

That explains a lot of the under story. Thanks, osso.


I do think the tenor of the site has changed but I don't think it's because of the new format. Some in this thread have said they post less because there are fewer interesting topics. I agree. But, why is that? I don't think it's the format but I do think it's because the trolls and the bullies (even the popular ones) run rampant over many of what could be interesting topics.

Questions tend to come from newbies and, more often than not, they or their questions are mocked and ridiculed before they get a reasonable answer. Discussions turn to inane name calling that shuts down any interest from anyone not wanting to sling mud. Both result in a lack of growth of new "regular" members. Those of us who prefer to have discussions and answer questions wont get embroiled in the mess and end up reading more than responding.

So, if I don't think the difference is the format then what is it? As strange as it may sound I think it's the fact that noddy isn't here keeping an eye on the behavior of the regulars and welcoming the newbies. She was often one of the first three responses to any newbie (outside of politics), if not the first. She encouraged discussion and set a warm, welcoming tone. Hers was also the master of quietly, but very emphatically, letting someone know when they were out of line - especially one of the popular trolls. She didn't get involved in the politics threads - I think she left those open as fair game - but soz, nimh, joe, thomas and others would keep the discussions going on those threads so that they didn't get overrun. They all seem to be here less now as well - a function, I think, of the blog sites opening.

A2K is different, both in format and form. We're asked to police ourselves now. That means different things to different people. But just as the bully in the playground will be given wide birth by those who would rather not be troubled, the troll and the bully in the forum will find themselves talking to other trolls and bullies.

Ah, nuts -- mis-edited the above and then lost the time window to fix it. Should have read...

As yet known I ran off when boredom set in and then went in various medical situations which left me where I was left off. Made to mention this in over on Lost misplaced people thread.

Two main parts make rougher posting now. The format is not comforting on my eyes which is one thing and writing out skills stop short on clarity times which is a second thing.

I consider on changing manner on writing to speaking first in a recording then transcribing. Speak okay except on annoying to me stutter which was conquered years ago and now back in speaking. Can not always write some things still crossed off in brain wires. At times I wrote responding then in preview it sounds unclear and I do not decide to then post.

Third thing makes me not post is back on topics not gripping hold of my interest very much and good topics leaning seem to drop off fast.


Any way Mame hope your trek to the Yukon is to go well. Do not forget to send informings about your adventures there.

Look! A new thread asking, "is Abuzz/A2K dying?" It must be summer in the Northern hemisphere.

PS: Facebook is slow, too, these days. I don't think it's the competition.

Yeah, that was my first thought too, Thomas, but I do think there's more to it than the seasonal lull. I don't think it's dying... the question Mame posed was where are the regulars and the regulars have responded that A2K isn't what it used to be. It's not that we aren't here, we're just reading more and responding less.

*yawn*

this place does need a naked wake up call

but, im with others.



Im keeping my clothes on this time..