General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPlease use real names at least once in your posts, and provide some context.
I'm not living inside your head, or watching TV with you. I don't know all of the cutesy names living in your head for all of the folks in the news. (At least) three times in the last 24 hours an OP had been incomprehensible to me because the OP used their own pet names for someone . . . in two of them I'm still not sure who (or what) was being referred to. Just as frequently someone comments on SOME BIG THING without including a clue about what THAT BIG THING was.
This is a discussion board. There's much more likely to be a discussion if you give us a clue about what you would like to discuss.
grumpyduck
(6,321 posts)when just posting a link to something.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)But yes. Really tired of having to figure out what the heck the OP is trying to say.
SouthernDem4ever
(6,618 posts)I really like that one
Really though, I understand what the op was saying and agree we need to make sure others understand who/what we are talking about.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)And then at the bottom of the post:
* Trump
Or Slobfather (Trump). Or any other way of designating in your post who you mean by Slobfather.
I'm not saying don't use nicknames (although I think they generally drag us down to their level). But at least define your nicknames somewhere in the post.
SouthernDem4ever
(6,618 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,171 posts)Frequently they don't want a discussion. Notice all the post-and-run OPs. Post a thread and don't engage.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,171 posts)Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)People are using extreme abbreviations to stay within the character limit or to make texting more efficient.
One of the reasons I hated twitter, and still don't use it.
Consumer techiness infantilizes.
I also have never "double-thumbed" in my life.
Cell comms are useful for some things like curbside orders or caring for sick family, but it's disturbing how much of people's lives resides in that little box of spyware in their hands.
Celling and driving is as bad or worse than drinking and driving. Every trip I take I see cell hazards on the road. Cops don't enforce distracted driving because they're on their phone.
When we learn to use a tool, we lose the ability to do without it. And it's far worse when the tool shrinks us rather than expands us.
Deuxcents
(16,593 posts)Were here to get information/education n asking to be considerate is not a heavy request. 🎄
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,171 posts)Would they walk into their favourite bar and shout "That testimony sinks their case!" and walk out again?
ShazzieB
(16,805 posts)I agree with the need to include context, names, etc. when making posts. And for Pete's sake, please do not assume that everyone who sees your post just saw the exact same clip on TV that you did!
It doesn't work that way. None of this works that way.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)No clue who or what FFFF, or boo boo are, and neither of the posts with those cutesy names bothered to add enough context for me to figure it out. Dook is apparently Duke energy (at least there was a link for that one).
Foolacious
(498 posts)Celerity
(44,121 posts)By December 1990, Berners-Lee and his work team had built all the tools necessary for a working Web: the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), the HyperText Markup Language (HTML), the first web browser (named WorldWideWeb, which was also a web editor), the first web server (later known as CERN httpd) and the first web site (http://info.cern.ch) containing the first web pages that described the project itself was published on 20 December 1990. The browser could access Usenet newsgroups and FTP files as well. A NeXT Computer was used by Berners-Lee as the web server and also to write the web browser.
In January 1991, the first web servers outside CERN were switched on. On 6 August 1991, Berners-Lee published a short summary of the World Wide Web project on the newsgroup alt.hypertext, inviting collaborators.
https://web.archive.org/web/20130529231641/https://groups.google.com/group/alt.hypertext/msg/395f282a67a1916c
The NeXT Computer used by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN became the first Web server.
the office where it was turned on
https://www.w3.org/History/19921103-hypertext/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html
snapshot of how it looked then
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,515 posts)Brings back memories of AOL and Compuserve dial-up and getting all pumped when 14.4k modems and 386 'puters came out.
And then, here comes Windows........ ......
Have a good and safe holiday, Celerity!.......
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)then but used it to write and print reports for my work. No more Liquid Paper or carbons was a Great Leap Forward. Loved, loved, loved it.
Sadly, no memory of when I first went on line. Likely just happened sorta seamlessly, casually typing an address I heard about at the cursor on the black screen, without realizing I was joining a "giant (blind) leap for mankind."
What I remember all too well was having to fix my own problems by reading the DOS operating system manual. (Also loved, loved, loved "tech support" when it came along later.)
grumpyduck
(6,321 posts)Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)and discover I can't make heads or tail of it.
I ignored the 1st 2 in the last 24 hours. My crankiness won out on the 3rd one.
mitch96
(13,972 posts)Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)or perhaps just annoying me more.
Patterson
(1,540 posts)thesquanderer
(12,022 posts)I've noticed that these non-context posts often refer to something that there is already a thread about. It makes me wonder why they just don't post their comment in the existing thread. It seems like they think their words on the topic are so important that they must be seen on the front page, rather than risk getting buried with the comments from the rest of us.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,171 posts)relayerbob
(6,574 posts)Had one the other day that was so filled up with nonsense and pet names and phrases, it literally read like something out of a QAnon memo. It made no sense, and all one could garner from it, was the the person posting was outraged.
TheBlackAdder
(28,308 posts).
The antagonists in Charlie Sheen's 1986 movie The Wraith!
.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)calimary
(81,758 posts)sl8
(14,288 posts)ProfessorGAC
(65,709 posts)The bad guys were irredeemable, Charlie Sheen plays a ghost, the actress who plays Carrie is really cute, and the cars are cool.
It's certainly not a great movie, but enjoyable.
lpbk2713
(42,795 posts)The ones I really can't handle are the ones that have a subject line similar to "Hey, check this out."
And then a link. I get out of there as quick as I can. It's times like that I miss the "Unrec" option.
barbtries
(28,842 posts)one I employ regularly.
Random Boomer
(4,174 posts)You must read this!
Really important
This made me mad
I recommend this
Why?
SCantiGOP
(13,881 posts)I also tend to skip posts that use junior high nicknames like Trump likes to bestow.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)I may have to start pointing that out.
NJCher
(35,943 posts)"found on Facebook."
Like that's significant? That's a good thing? That's interesting? Urm, no.
If i wanted to dull my mind with Facebook, i'd go there directly, not through you Mr. Facebook Poster.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,764 posts)There has been a tremendous amount of breaking news and events reacted to in real time.
Generally, I just skip over cryptic/unintelligible/indecipherable threads.
If Im feeling impish, I might post my own cryptic response.
After all, its just the internet.
ShazzieB
(16,805 posts)This stuff does go on all the time to some extent, though, and if more of us got in the habit of trying to be at least somewhat more informative, i think we'd be less likely to slip up when things get crazy. Just a thought!
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)Even if they are (and someone is trying to beat everyone else to post the thread), there's an edit feature here. Once you've won the race to post, go back and fill in the context. Explain who the heck FFFF is, or what announcement you are reacting to.
Talitha
(6,707 posts)The sad thing is, they actually might have something interesting to share with us. But by losing potential readers' interest, they only hurt themselves.
johnp3907
(3,739 posts)I had no idea who that was. I think I eventually figured out who it was. I'm not even sure I remember now. Chris Mathews maybe? After a while I just put "Tweety" in my trash can so I wouldn't see those posts anymore.
caraher
(6,279 posts)Keeping up on internet slang/catchphrases is another issue... I remember having a hard time on a jury once because I was unfamiliar with "obvious troll is obvious" as a commonplace internet expression.
barbtries
(28,842 posts)took me awhile as well.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)or cared enough to figure out. I certainly wouldn't have remembered now.
sakabatou
(42,255 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)knew from then on. Hilarious nickname.
myohmy2
(3,278 posts)...
obamanut2012
(26,264 posts)Since this is a discussion board, and not a private chat.
McKim
(2,412 posts)The more we use cutesy names and in jokes, the less likely we are to have new people join our community. I want DU to grow!!!!!
rurallib
(62,538 posts)so we can figure out if it should concern us.
Thanks
Quakerfriend
(5,464 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)erronis
(15,646 posts)And engaging these non-real people in requests to supply more context is futile and may even excite the bots.
Abolishinist
(1,361 posts)That thought would have never crossed my mind about this site. Places like Facebook et al, but wow, DU as well?
So you're saying that forums such as this one are plagued by bots as well? What do you think they're doing here? Curious minds want to know, I find this fascinating!
LakeArenal
(28,947 posts)Fake multiple accounts.
Trouble making and divisive. Its worked for awhile.
Abolishinist
(1,361 posts)is an automated software program, i.e. non-human. Different than a troll.
obamanut2012
(26,264 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)and other psychops target DU? Some assume we're too small to bother with, but we're the largest open community of Democrats on the web and most of us vote and talk to others. The stakes, nationally and internationally, are enormous. My assumption is of course we're targeted.
As for post titles, most of the time I just assume the poster thinks a bunch of others are on the same wavelength. "I hope she dies!" suggesting some eminently hateable RW nasty's said something again isn't all that unclear when any of them will do.
obamanut2012
(26,264 posts)Who are not bots.
CatWoman
(79,304 posts)real or made up.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)orangecrush
(19,729 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)NoMoreRepugs
(9,576 posts)chriscan64
(1,789 posts)I am just getting warmed up at 140 words, 140 characters forget about it.
MicaelS
(8,747 posts)I hate Tweet and runners.
BootinUp
(47,279 posts)spike jones
(1,702 posts)Many were from the casts and writers family, friends, and acquaintances personal experiences. One writers father invented the holiday Festivus in 1966 as a family tradition and to be celebrated as an alternate to other holidays, not just Christmas. There were many rituals in the celebration, some of them were included in the show, some were not. One that was not included was the traditional hand-painted cardboard sign on the mantle that read, FUCK FASCISM
BootinUp
(47,279 posts)in any event, it is very interesting that he chose to write about it as a comedy.
Celerity
(44,121 posts)O'Keefe, and was celebrated by his family as early as 1966.
While the Latin word fēstīvus means "excellent, jovial, lively", and derives from fēstus, meaning "joyous; holiday, feast day", Festivus in this sense was coined by the elder O'Keefe.
According to him, the name "just popped into my head". In the original O'Keefe tradition, the holiday would take place to celebrate the anniversary of Daniel O'Keefe's first date with his future wife, Deborah.
The phrase "a Festivus for the rest of us" originally referred to those remaining after the death of the elder O'Keefe's mother, Jeanette, in 1976; i.e., the "rest of us" are the living, as opposed to the dead.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus
Response to Celerity (Reply #91)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
CaptainTruth
(6,643 posts)Rhiannon12866
(208,050 posts)ShazzieB
(16,805 posts)And lots of other names that are repeated across the country.
If it's not as well known and/or unique as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, etc., specifying the state is highly recommended, and appreciated.
Rhiannon12866
(208,050 posts)But more often than not, they're in GD.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,171 posts)Rhiannon12866
(208,050 posts)Not even gender - and unless you can tell by the name, it's tough, and I usually guess wrong.
TheBlackAdder
(28,308 posts).
This has you wondering where it happened.
There was something in Springfield. I wondered if it was Illinois, New Jersey or what. Turned out to be Oregon.
.
Rhiannon12866
(208,050 posts)Ohio Joe
(21,786 posts)I kid, I kid
NBachers
(17,233 posts)Where the hell is P-ville?
LudwigPastorius
(9,375 posts)Repeat:
The marmoset has decamped.
Breaching of Pillow Fort Alpha is immanent. Return all packages postage paid.
Postage paid, for god's sake!
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)BootinUp
(47,279 posts)Guessing.
orthoclad
(2,910 posts)A lot of us have web hygiene that blocks the linked content, so all we see is the phrase "Link to tweet", and a lot of white space. Is it really that hard to actually tell us something about the post?
It's disturbing. A large fraction of the posts here are completely dependent on the services of a Bond villain.
I really appreciate the folks who take the trouble to quote or otherwise give context to the links (which are blank to many) they post.
LakeArenal
(28,947 posts)They get real rude. How hard is it to type the ten more letters or so of someone s name?
orthoclad
(2,910 posts)God, I hate that word. Tweet, Google, twitter, infantile words ad nauseum.
It's almost like Techbroworld is dumbing us down. /s
mathematic
(1,443 posts)Neither of these words are infantile and neither were invented by tech bros.
orthoclad
(2,910 posts)The mathematical term "googol" was coined by a small child's whimsy.
from wiki
"The term was coined in 1920 by 9-year-old Milton Sirotta (19111981), nephew of U.S. mathematician Edward Kasner.[1] He may have been inspired by the contemporary comic strip character Barney Google.[2] "
And I still hate to use the t-words, they're ridiculous. But normalized, now.
All part of the trend of dumbing-down.
https://music.apple.com/us/song/dumb-it-down/1625904508
Play is essential to science and furthering knowledge, but this is something else...
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,171 posts)GoodRaisin
(8,950 posts)Meowmee
(5,164 posts)The ones that really annoy me are some big thing or guess what happened or Im so over it blah blah blah lol. Even tabloid headlines give you some idea what its going to be in their articles.
I guess its a form of Clickbait probably in some cases.
Roisin Ni Fiachra
(2,574 posts)Otherwise, I agree.
Pluvious
(4,395 posts)Is two, three words of context asking too much ?!!
Martin68
(23,175 posts)context as well.
twodogsbarking
(10,131 posts)obamanut2012
(26,264 posts)Especially when it's just a video link with zero context or info.
MasonDreams
(756 posts)ForgedCrank
(1,809 posts)this conclusion some time back and solved it once I figured out the auto trash settings page and the ignore feature. And I'm not really all that into the name calling either, I find it to be somewhat immature, but maybe I'm just too serious, who knows. Once in a blue moon might be good for a laugh, but it's simple and tiring when on repeat.
It's just a handful of people, so it's easy enough to ignore those users.
1WorldHope
(716 posts)I can usually figure out context from reading the comments section. Today, I shall do my best to focus on gratitude. I'm going to make pancakes for the birds. They are so cold and have so much to bitch about.
Joinfortmill
(14,626 posts)Niagara
(7,869 posts)We have several here in the community that come off as miserable people. You'll learn as you go and figure out which ones fit in this category.
I certainly hope that this doesn't discourage your time here on DU as there are wonderful members here.
Thank you for feeding the birds.
1WorldHope
(716 posts)hopelessness far too often. It's just been a rare week for me. I have felt so grateful for a change. Btw, birds love pancakes, dogs too.
debm55
(25,896 posts)1WorldHope
(716 posts)The kids couldn't make it here because they got hit in western Nebraska. But they were safe. We also didn't wake up in Ukraine. So it was a win win kind of Christmas for us. I hope it was good for you as well.
Martin Eden
(12,906 posts)Last edited Sun Dec 25, 2022, 07:59 PM - Edit history (1)
Except my stepdaughter who called me Mardin when she was little, so I'm still Mardin to her and Grampdin to her kids.
DontBelieveEastisEas
(531 posts)Martin Eden
(12,906 posts)My parents chose my first name because they liked the Jack London novel Martin Eden, so when I joined this online community in 2002 I chose it as my DU name.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,434 posts)To use his actual initials BHO would be admitting that his middle hame is Hussein, which is obviously unacceptable. The current prez can be called JRB because nobody knows what "Robinette" means, so it's not scary or embarrassing like "Hussein".
wtf
tiredtoo
(2,949 posts)But I still do not know what the initials mean.
debm55
(25,896 posts)tiredtoo
(2,949 posts)Joinfortmill
(14,626 posts)debm55
(25,896 posts)Justice matters.
(6,974 posts)It is a historic shame he occupied the Oval Office to desecrate it with over 3 million less votes.
GenThePerservering
(1,968 posts)but no title context:
"And so it begins..." - and so WHAT begins? There's no preview option on this site so please just spit it out!
"Maybe, just maybe..." Maybe what??
"Question" - ughmphff...
The rest I can deal with because I'm reading them anyway.
madinmaryland
(64,934 posts)Response to madinmaryland (Reply #100)
debm55 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)Just a request that members take a few seconds to extend a bit of common courtesy.
treestar
(82,383 posts)I think it was "Call Congress right fucking now!"
rickford66
(5,542 posts)Correct spelling and grammar are a plus.
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)that grammar and spelling do not matter because you can figure out the meaning without it.
You may even be called elitist.
rickford66
(5,542 posts)your gonna Misunerstan sum post s,,,
Dysfunctional
(452 posts)Also, I can not watch a 15-minute video and understand most of it. I do not expect anyone to write about the whole video, but a couple of sentences would be helpful. I try to be precise, I guess I should have a tagline about my aphasia.
debm55
(25,896 posts)read I still get mistakes. Somehow, this is coming across as a rant thread. I understand the original post, but I very seldom post in GD(General Discussion) because of my tremors caused by my meds . That's okay with me, because I mostly read but don't reply here. If people don't like things why not take it to the powers that be. Oh well, back to the Lounge. Sorry folks but some are coming across as a clique or snobs. Just my opinion based on the posts to this thread.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)This doesn't fit in any of the few boxes listed there.
And it shouldn't take an action by the forum administrators for people to take a few seconds to make their posts comprehensible to others.
debm55
(25,896 posts)everytime I post. Perhaps the poster should have been addressed by private e-
mail. It wouldn't have caused the posters to rant about what they don't like. For those of use with various disabilities some of the posts hurt. I still say there could have been a better way to address the problem. I stand by my words and if you want to block me, so be it. I just did not like the way the thread was going. Just my opinion. But I am sure Earl could do something to overcome the problems that many have. Thank you.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)Boo boo, who I presume is Boebert, is shorter than her real name. FFFF is one character shorter than Trump (who I think they were talking about - but it could have been Musk (same number of characters), or someone else entirely.
There were three different posts, by three different posters, in the 24 hours which preceded this thread - and those are just the ones which jumped out at me. So it isn't just one poster. As you can tell from the responses it also isn't just my concern - so it would be a recipe for disaster for me (with not authority at all) to email each person who posts a cryptic message asking them to provide more detail.
As to the time it takes, while I am not currently impaired I was recently barred completely from using my right arm for a brief period (due to cancer surgery), and was severely limited for about 6 months). I don't believe that I ever resorted to cutesy nicknames, or providing no context, even when my ability to type was severely limited. I typed very slowly or used talk to text. (I did have a work-provided talk-to-text program, but the version built into Windows is functional.)
It really doesn't take much to provide context or use real names - certainly it can be done in fewer characters than you used suggesting I should ask the administrators to make a policy to fix the problem, rather than making a request that members of DU extend a bit of common courtsy.
debm55
(25,896 posts)rules for General Discussion. Perhaps posting rules at the top of the page?
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)which so many are ignoring that a substantial number of the posts are gibberish. That's why this thread struck a chord which many responded to.
When you say tRump, it is still clear who you are referring to. It's still the same word - all you've changed is the capitalization. That's a lot different than using FFFF and expecting everyone to know to whom you are referring. Or saying "Watch this right fucking now!!!!" with absolutely no information about what it is the poster wants us to watch.
GreenWave
(6,968 posts)oops Columbia Missouri near the University of Missouri, the waitress asked me to follow the yellow brick toad. In this restaurant a whole decade gets about 25 feet of wall space to insert their puns and this wall I was seated near had "toad" puns. I don't know if the place is still there as the first section dated back from the 40's. There were about 5 such sections back then.
Mysterian
(4,626 posts)I hate the posts where an OP assumes everyone is watching TV with them.
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)Tweet of the day, best tweet of the day, tweet of the night, final tweet of the day, etc.
The lack of information in the subject line is annoying.
Ms. Toad
(34,235 posts)but I don't even bother opening them.
ecstatic
(32,849 posts)An underground... Sort of like a hangout spot. Not formal.
You raise a good point about offering more clarity. That said, if I see a cryptic post, I just move on. Maybe I'll look into it if I care enough, but sometimes it's just in one eye and out the other and quickly forgotten.
Just my opinion, of course.
betsuni
(26,017 posts)I don't care for being called "libtard" or "centrist" and all the other "them" insults.