Okay. In trying to make this forum a more "happening" kind of joint (that's the jive lingo for all you squares out there), I'd like to ask every one to find a couple of subjects that interest you, find some news or stories or opinions or anything, go to the respective subforums, and create a post that will generate interest and discussion. We've had these horrible crashes and lost a lot of archived stuff, and then there was the talk about this place not having any new members coming in and how it's dying....let's make it a bit more lively and interesting, yes? I found the History section incredibly sad, so I posted a few stories there. So, my request if for y'all to dig up something neat for every one to talk about and get posting! Perhaps we can get the attention of new people, eh?
Wonderful suggestion.
Are we dying? I can't keep up with reading everyone's posts. LOL I do like a good spar between members now and again. Gets the blood pumping. But mostly I like that people are fearless to share their opinions here. To me - that's groovy.
But yes........... new members always a plus. I'm with ya.
Quote from: "WitchSabrina"Wonderful suggestion.
Are we dying?
Well, I know shortly after the crash there was some discussion about not having any traffic coming through, right before Reggie (the previous owner) sold this site. I remember a few years ago this place had new people every day. So, I think we should all work towards contributing as much as we can.
Quote from: "Smartmarzipan"Quote from: "WitchSabrina"Wonderful suggestion.
Are we dying?
Well, I know shortly after the crash there was some discussion about not having any traffic coming through, right before Reggie (the previous owner) sold this site. I remember a few years ago this place had new people every day. So, I think we should all work towards contributing as much as we can.
I think it's great when forum regulars make a point of welcoming new comers, listening to where they are in life with their atheism, etc and letting new people know that we're Not a bunch of elitist snobs unwilling to get to know newbies.
In fact, this is one of the only places I've ever seen, forum wise, that's very welcoming to new people. Most forums form very tight clicks so newbies are Always outsiders. AF is not like that. You're only an outsider here if you're an asshole.
All the while - we *do* form friendships here, too. So trolls can't come stomping through here and take a dump - but regulars won't defend one another. Because we're good at that too. Non-asshole newbies should feel right at home here.
You want me to post what I'm interested in?
Your funeral, Seymour.
Actually, the real issue was our placement on google.
If you go onto google right now and type "atheist forums" you will see our page first now! I do believe we have been getting some new traffic!
Quote from: "the_antithesis"You want me to post what I'm interested in?
Your funeral, Seymour.
:rollin: Oh shit. :shock: That's true. Eegads........... keep the bizarre Youtubes to a min. k? You'll scare people off for sure. :rollin:
Quote from: "wolf39us"Actually, the real issue was our placement on google.
If you go onto google right now and type "atheist forums" you will see our page first now! I do believe we have been getting some new traffic!
Sweet! Now, let's get 'em to stay! :-D
good idea...
one thing though i noticed was before the crash there were some very interesting but very flammable conversations going on. It seemed like there was a lot of infighting and deterioration of threads. it just got really tiresome to read.
having said that i've been browsing but not really posting because there wasn't anything that interested me. Having said THAT i'm all for finding interesting things and trying to generate discussion.
...and now back to the matches.
Quote from: "surly74"good idea...
one thing though i noticed was before the crash there were some very interesting but very flammable conversations going on. It seemed like there was a lot of infighting and deterioration of threads. it just got really tiresome to read.
And I'm guilty of that. I'm trying harder NOT to do this, though.
Quotehaving said that i've been browsing but not really posting because there wasn't anything that interested me. Having said THAT i'm all for finding interesting things and trying to generate discussion.
Excellent. :)
Quote from: "WitchSabrina"Quote from: "the_antithesis"You want me to post what I'm interested in?
Your funeral, Seymour.
:rollin: Oh shit. :shock: That's true. Eegads........... keep the bizarre Youtubes to a min. k? You'll scare people off for sure. :rollin:
[youtube:2vwmmyy2]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6vlVtDfGH0[/youtube:2vwmmyy2]
I really hope it doesn't turn into some sort of ultra censored forum where if your comments don't seem 'serious enough' or off topic in some peoples opinions you're cast to the wilderness.
Here's the rub. There are many things I do care about, but watching or reading news every day it's become quite obvious that the powers that be in this world don't take the issues serious enough leaving me to think that me taking them serious is a complete waste of my time. Things here sometimes feel exactly the same.
I get what you're saying and coming from Smartzy, but get where I'm at as well. I'm often flippant because so many people are to fucking self important and tend to try to dictate what should be important to the rest of us.
Let's at least try to keep a balance of 'oh god, this is sooooo important with who fucking cares?'
I getting some conflicting stuff here.
APA you seem to be asking for a balance between silly and serious - which in my opinion we have always had.
Surly seems to be concerned with members getting into smacking contests - which in my opinion we have always had.
Place looks Totally Normal to me, folks.
I don't see a problem.
Are there things we need to fix?
I see us as very welcoming towards newbies unless they are assholes. That Never goes over well - soooo.....
Did something change and I missed it? Should we be More serious? I kinda like that I feel very Uncensored here.
Quote from: "the_antithesis"Quote from: "WitchSabrina"Quote from: "the_antithesis"You want me to post what I'm interested in?
Your funeral, Seymour.
:rollin: Oh shit. :shock: That's true. Eegads........... keep the bizarre Youtubes to a min. k? You'll scare people off for sure. :rollin:
[youtube:50ohx1l0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6vlVtDfGH0[/youtube:50ohx1l0]
:rollin:
You spoil me.
I left another site that became wayyy to serious. I just don't want it to happen here. They completely lost their sense of balance it seemed.. AS IF being an atheist was serious shit deserving only of serious, scientific study.. :roll:
Quote from: "WitchSabrina"I getting some conflicting stuff here.
Surly seems to be concerned with members getting into smacking contests - which in my opinion we have always had.
i saw the fuse getting shorter and shorter to being almost non existant. the forum was quickly becoming Youtube comments, all chest puffing pissing contests without actually addressing anything.
i would see people blow up and go back and try and find why and it seemed to be instantaneous. no debate, just right into hurling insults...an entire forum of mockingbird posts really. it's gradually happened over time, at least to me and it was from people that I wouldn't expect it from...a forum cabin fever so to speak.
smacking contests are ok, but before the crash (to me at least) if someone didn't automatically agree with your (in general) then it was taken personally and profane...and i'm not even addressing anything directed at me.
Quote from: "AllPurposeAtheist"I left another site that became wayyy to serious. I just don't want it to happen here. They completely lost their sense of balance it seemed.. AS IF being an atheist was serious shit deserving only of serious, scientific study.. :roll:
*ahem* Like you or I would Ever let THAT happen.
*wink*
(//http://api.ning.com/files/iVEAtchYe0KzawiV7KitjYHwiKnUYmxSxL2DLLUrWEMoAtCQPh58*ODbvuwU2U*hBhcUWlXsAFXIm7rVk*f4CFbnE8i18HYa/Funny_Pictures_funnypuppypic.jpg)
Someone add the scientists and this is a pic of our members
Yeah, it sucks being one of the cool kids, but it's funner, eh?
I'd much rather shoot spitwads across the room than be teachers pet and be responsible for the cleaning of blackboard erasers.. :D/
Quote from: "AllPurposeAtheist"Yeah, it sucks being one of the cool kids, but it's funner, eh?
I'd much rather shoot spitwads across the room than be teachers pet and be responsible for the cleaning of blackboard erasers.. :D/
There's lots of topics I can get very serious about but I also come here to decompress and get away from the seriousness of the world, too, at times.
As I age I worry less and less. I spent a good deal of my life beating my head against the worry wall and anymore it just seems unimportant to me. I still care and the things I hold important are still there, but now I have other priorities like trying to keep my liver operational, walking without to much pain and so on. What government or some screwball preacher might be up to just feels like the mating habits of the purple, Amazonian 9 legged mosquito.. Maybe it's a health thing with me, but the distraction is kind of nice I guess. It's a break from all that depressing news 24/7..
Quote from: "Smartmarzipan"Okay. In trying to make this forum a more "happening" kind of joint (that's the jive lingo for all you squares out there), I'd like to ask every one to find a couple of subjects that interest you, find some news or stories or opinions or anything, go to the respective subforums, and create a post that will generate interest and discussion. We've had these horrible crashes and lost a lot of archived stuff, and then there was the talk about this place not having any new members coming in and how it's dying....let's make it a bit more lively and interesting, yes? I found the History section incredibly sad, so I posted a few stories there. So, my request if for y'all to dig up something neat for every one to talk about and get posting! Perhaps we can get the attention of new people, eh?
You must be as old as I with words and phrases like "square" and "happening."
How funny that you an up to date contemporary reaction to a passe request.
I'll try and comply with your request but I must add that my personality is misunderstood by almost every stranger. I am brash in my writing manner. People take things personal instead of actually trying to comprehend what I've written. So whenever I start a thread atleast one person takes exception to what I've said and starts flaming indescriminately. This could be a problem attracting new people until they get use to me.
One thing that I have noticed is that some people come on this forum seeking what should be profession help. They are in dire need of counceling but they come here. I know full well how lonely being a true atheist is, and you wouldn't be an atheist if you didn't question even atheism. Also there are those that post nonsensical stuff as if they were on facebook or twitter. This forum could not possible compete with those sites. Your idea of starting new threads in every area simotaneously is a fine one but keeping that going will be hard. It's easy to post in "general" or 'Political" but some of the other areas a ones that can't demand too much attention.
To quell any fears, I'm not asking for anyone to do anything that they don't want to. I'm just saying....spread your wings, y'all. We have a lot of fun here (and no one is going to stop that), but in order to draw in new people and have meaningful conversations, we have to have some actual content, not just clique-y, in-group circlejerks between the same handful of people. We're not about to start censoring people. We never have. And we're not about to turn this place into the Smithsonian Institute of Higher Learning, or anything like that, either.
I'm just asking if we could all, you know, come together and post stuff with some actual meat to generate interest not only with new people, but with ourselves. I'm not saying that no one posts good stuff....I just want more of it, you know?
Pretty please? :-D