The "General" Forum/ What Belongs there?/ What's General?

How about a new category under Fun and Games for some of the hmmmmmmmm less discussion/debate-type threads?

Thanks Phoenix. Jeeez, I didn't even notice that you moved my crush thread, LOL!

Something along those lines needs to be done. When I create the new forums (science etc) and rearrage some others I'll try to do somthing like that (either with a new forum or a re-purposed one).

Craven- I was thinking about Gezzy's "Collections" Thread. We don't have any Forum that deals with hobbies, which could include collections, crafts, etc.

Hmmm. Would something like "Hobbies, Fun, & Leisure Activities" be a possible category?

Anything is possible. I will know what's practical when I see the load time of the index page and decide about using sub forums (that are linked to a level below the rest).

Then there's the decision of whether to mix the regional ones into the travel one.....

Really I have no idea yet. I do know that a science one is the top priority though.

Beth and Phoenix
I love those ideas since I usually fall right into those areas. I do hate using General all the time, but I can't find anywhere else my threads would fit.

I just posted a topic in "General", though I try my best to avoid doing so usually ...

It brings me to a question of the "what forums are missing" kind. (I actually went looking whether there was a thread on "what forums do you think are still missing?", but I don't think there is.)

Bear with me, cause it's not like I have as simple a suggestion as "let's add a category about games/jokes/lyrics".

Question I posted a while back was, "Have you ever celebrated May Day?". Question I just asked now was: "Do you like amusement parks?". For both of these I was looking for a forum like, "every day life" or something of the sort, but there's no such thing. I didnt want to post the May Day one in "Politics" cause I didnt want to ask about the merits of May Day (as a socialist celebration), but about what role the day has played in people's lives, if any. I ended up asking it in the "History" forum. It was cool cause it turned out people had 'done' May Day in Catholic, pagan-traditional, as well as socialist ways. The amusement parks Q I ended up putting in "General".

The funny thing is that there's categories or clusters of forums here (whatever you call them), that would have well fitted the ticket for topics like those. "Travel & Culture", for example - as in, culture with a small c. Or "Arts & Entertainment", in the case of the amusement parks question - as in, err, entertainment.

It'd be cool, really, if you could just post a topic in these cluster-categories. But instead you have to choose one of the specific forums within the category. And within "Travel & Culture", for example, (almost) all the forums are by continent. There's a "travel", general - but not a "culture", general. While within the "Arts & Entertainment" category, its all genre-specific: film, art, video games.

A forum "personal" would also have done the job - like, for every topic thats about us asking questions about ourselves, people like us and our daily lives - but the closest to that is all specifically defined for this or that dilemma - "childcare", "elder care", "relationships & marriage".

So, I dont know how precisely to define the forum I'm suggesting to add - "day-to-day life" or "personal" would fit; but I'm also thinking more in direction of "(popular) culture" - as opposed to the High Culture-oriented menu of poetry-books-art-film-performing arts.

And, conceptually speaking, I guess I'm thinking perhaps the existing forums might altogether be too specific to fit most of the topics that are now posted under "general" - whereas a layer of semi-abstract categories like the current cluster headings ("arts & Entertainment" and all) would be able to offer a home for many of 'em?

My thread about Gloria Estefan was moved from the 'General' forum, to Music and Lyrics. That's fine with me, but I had to search pretty hard for it, and I wrote two moderators asking what happened, with no reply.

Hey, they can move things to places they consider more "appropriate", but I don't think it would be asking too much to just leave a tag thread, saying what happened, to save the originator of the thread and others some time hunting.

Even though she's a musician, my thread had nothing to do with music or lyrics, so what may be a readily apparent connection to the moderators might not be as apparent to the person who started the thread. so a little courtesy - like leaving notice of the move, would be nice.

anyone heard from GeneralLee lately?

And, what is the difference between General Gau's chicken and General Tso's?

How come Tommy Franks doesn't have a really cool nickname like Stormin' Norman?

Do you want a local, or should we just knock you all the way out?

{I'm lazy. I put most of my new topics under General. If they get moved, I can still find ;em.}

snood, there's really no need for us to leave notice of topic moves. You can find your own topics, regardless of where they've moved to, by clicking on "Your topics", at the top of the page. See: http://www.able2know.com/forums/topics.php

Snood, do you think we work for you? You PMed me twice (within 15 minutes). You happened to choose a time at which I had only been asleep an hour and yet you follow up your PM 15 minutes later with an "are you there? ".

I woke up, saw your inquiries and have now answered them at length. If you expected me to answer your PM in 15 minutes (while I was asleep) I suggest you rethink the relationship between member and site here.

We answer inquiries to us faster than paid Microsoft tech support. So please don't give us crap about not answering. We are not under any obligation to answer within 15 minutes.

This tpe of ridiculous demand on our time is why we try to cut back on communication and transparency. Inordinate demands on our responsiveness and our time take their toll on an active website.

Incidentally this is as good a place as any.

We will open a few more forums and categories shortly. Science and maths will have their own space.

I want to wave goodbye to the Realm. Where do I post it?

Jes, I got a digest from the parent of this site, The Raven's Realm. I experienced some nostalgia and fond memories. so I just wanted to wave to what used to be, including some of the members whom we no longer see. I realize that the General Category is overwhelmed, and I don't want the thread to go to trivia, so I just wanted a suggestion.

How about the Internet forum?

Ok. Thanks, Jes.

Where would be the best place to start a thread asking for (don't laugh) male grooming tips? I though Health news was the nearest, but wasn't sure.

Thanks!

PS. I think the moderators have been getting a hard time about this thread-moving business. I've had a thread moved before and it took me all of 2 minutes to find it - no big deal.

Actually, we've thought about a Style forum. Hmm, I'd say, go with Medical News & Health. If/when we ever make a Style forum (which is a lot more work than just thinking hey, let's make a new forum!), we'll move it there.

Style forum sounds good!

And I still wanna make the case for a "culture" (small "c") forum, parallel to "history" and "politics" - for those every day questions social scientists will one day peer over, too ;-).