Posts by rustydrifter10

Alex Thomas27 said:So, you’re basically saying everything boils down to religion. I guess you could argue that about faith too.

Honestly, things like which friend to pick as your maid of honor, what gift to buy, what to wear, how much to spend, or even which cake to order... those aren't religious dilemmas at all, yet they're the questions that actually take over the conversation. This thread isn't going anywhere, and I'm not looking to have it locked or moved.

Alex Thomas27 said:But what specifically are we talking about here?

I’m talking about the standard procedures and the way things are traditionally done.

Alex Thomas27 said:And then they just pivot the whole baptism conversation toward religion.

I’m not going to do that, because this topic isn't actually about religion.

Alex Thomas27, look, this topic actually lived over on RiD for about seven years because there just wasn't a better spot for it until we launched the child health PDF. There were plenty of chances to let it evolve into its own thing—we could have moved it to a dedicated religion thread, or even turned it into a discussion on customs and traditions so it could stay on RiD—but it just didn't happen. Honestly, the most vital part of this whole conversation is tied directly to the specific PDF where it's sitting right now.

Since RiD is his home base and the discussions there haven't quite reached the level of depth we're seeing here in this PDF, there’s really no point or need to go out and start yet another one.

Sophia Thomas7 said:Feel free to point out those specific problematic posts over on LJES where they're provoking or being outright rude to Frank Williams7, and we can easily hash it out there.

I wasn't just talking about this specific thread or focusing solely on Monica; besides, I don't recall mentioning anything about anyone being rudely insulted anywhere.

Frank Williams7 said:I'm not angry at all. Honestly, that's just who I am. I'm passionate by nature and I react strongly to "right vs. wrong," especially if there's a glaring inequality involved. If I see someone getting jumped on a street corner in the US, I'm not just going to walk past, even if it puts me in danger. Life would be way simpler if I wasn't wired this way, but I am. And I won't lie—there are parts of me that are actually proud of that, despite what it's cost me in certain situations. But hey, this is just an online forum, and I need to rein in that impulse for my own sake. You're absolutely right.

I hear you, and like I said before, some posts should have been banned or deleted. I think the conversation will level up from here. I'll definitely try to keep following the thread as much as I can.

This thread brought out some extreme views, but honestly, you see these same patterns popping up in other topics too.

I also find myself getting sucked into arguments and spiraling along with the rest of the group sometimes. 🙈

Alright, point taken. 😉

By the way, is there any chance I can change my username anytime soon?

Look, I definitely know the rules by heart, so just give me the word and I'll get right on it with a solid proposal!

Nicholas King said:As much as that might seem like a good idea—or even a self-evident necessity—it’s ultimately going to end up being nothing more than pointless pedantry from the LJES council.

To start with, there are incredibly few topics that would be exclusively LJES-related; almost any serious "L" topic, or a decent chunk of the "E" topics, could easily fit into either the US section or ŽuD. Consequently, what's left for LJES are mostly "S" topics—and if you actually take those seriously, they could just as easily live under "Health."

A long, long time ago, I (quite wisely and presciently 🥳) suggested that we create a sub-forum on LJES similar to a "chicken coop," where the rules would be a bit more relaxed—allowing for much more banter. I think I even proposed some (witty and clever 🥳) name for that specific thread, though I can't recall it now. That could potentially be one way to handle this.

Honestly, I don't grasp this sudden urge to enforce "lower tolerance for this and that" across the entire forum, while leaving MK as this untouchable exception where basically anything goes. I don't see why people who, for whatever reason, don't feel at home in MK shouldn't have other spaces where they can post a bit more casually.

BTW, I am not an advocate for insults, nor do I insult anyone—but, it really is grotesque when someone who is usually perfectly pleasant narcissistic rage suddenly starts whining the moment a diagnosis is applied to them.

Basically, this is the most controversial part of the whole thing, and honestly, there's plenty of it scattered throughout the PDF. I don't think the LJES community needs to tighten its grip too much here; given the nature of the topics we dive into, a little bit of casual chatting, some off-topic banter, and even a bit of lighthearted teasing should be perfectly fine—I really don't see a reason to overhaul that specific section. What I am talking about is that unpleasant side of things where people start hurling insults, engaging in nasty trolling, or just being plain old provocative... That’s the stuff that shouldn't be allowed, if you ask me. At the very least, those kinds of posts should just be deleted.

Alex Thomas27 said:I honestly thought that if we could have a discussion about baptisms over on Playground, then a topic about circumcision should be just as valid.

Talk about a double standard rooted in discrimination!

If you take a moment to actually re-read this whole thread and look back at that post where I mentioned how a similar topic was brought up on RiD seven years ago, you'll see that the direction it took is much more suited for the other PDF file where everything was moved. We genuinely gave it a shot, but it just wasn't working—so there is absolutely no truth to any claims of discrimination here.

Alex Thomas27 said:I’d like to ask the moderators to move this post over to the locked thread. I can lock it again myself, I just really wanted to get this one last point out there.

And please, moderators, don't delete this post—I truly want anyone reading that other thread to see what I have to say.

Wish granted.

👋

Christian Taylor3 said:Thanks for the reply. Regardless, it isn't hard to see that posts like this kind of

😁

... really don't belong here (and I mean whether we're talking about regular users or the mods). If I'm not going to jump into that thread-spawning mess, but I still want to get back to wiredfalcon2, I’ll just use the "comment and off-topic" section. That thread is active, healthy, and hasn't been locked—that's exactly what it's there for! It’s just like those specific threads on the LJES; honestly, you pick up on how things work after spending about ten days hanging out on the Forum.

I'm with you on that. Just give me a little bit of time to comb through the last few pages and sort the posts out. But either way, I still feel like trying to keep both threads looking the way they did at the very beginning is going to be a bit awkward. :/

hollowmason64 said:Honestly, I really hope they don't... what's even the point?
After all this time, LJES is finally back to being a place where you can just mess around and have fun, so why go and "soften" it all over again?
Frank Williams7 is complaining? Give me a break... Frank Williams7 is always whining, always getting picked on by someone, yet she keeps coming back for more. 🙄

And if you throw someone like a la that pigeon—or whatever her name was, one of those people with one of the shortest moderator stints in history—into the new lineup, well, then 🙂

The LJES isn't going to be "stifled," I just sincerely hope that the constant insults and unnecessary provocations aren't going to be tolerated anymore. There's nothing wrong with a good joke.

As for the new mod, the current moderation team will make the call. It’s super important that they pick someone they actually click with and someone they can work alongside smoothly. Once they make their choice, the admins—and ultimately Anderlon himself—will step in to approve (or not) the decision.

Frank Williams7 said:Alright rustydrifter10, do you seriously think I'm on this forum to teach anyone how to communicate? I have my own limits on what I'll put up with, just like everyone else.

From—and I hate to say it—bad experience dealing with trolls on a DZ thread before, I learned that once you're tangled up in that mess, the chances of untangling it constructively are slim to none. That’s basically why I didn't react to Apophisov's post in the men's corner the moment it was written. However, when Charles Davis88 wrote the exact same thing, I hit my limit for crude insults.

The reality is that the "forum legends" or Untouchables in this sub-forum are incredibly visible and protected like little teddy bears. They can jump into any thread whenever they want just for kicks, without any moderation stepping in. In my opinion, the disclaimer for this sub-forum should read: "Not for those who can't handle being trolled by the squad." If you can't handle people not being sweet and precious to you, well... tough luck. The only thing people forget is that we shouldn't barge into someone's living room or... hm... a club when we enter this corner. It's childish and honestly ridiculous, but that's how it is.

At the same time, negative comments aimed at the moderators are removed with extreme efficiency. That isn't right, regardless of how much people try to rationalize the way things are moderated.

I've got nothing against Tete2U or Sophia Thomas7, but I really think this sub-forum needs more moderators. From where I'm sitting, this place felt much more welcoming back when Afrika_Paprika, wiredfalcon2, and Violently were around. It doesn't matter if it's them or ten other people, I just think there's an acute need for more hands on deck.

Thanks for looking through the thread.

You really have strong opinions and you know how to present them, but you can be so sensitive, dear. I don't mean that as a flaw, it's just that it seems like it ends up hurting you. You get so emotionally invested, pouring your heart into things even when it might not be necessary, and then those replies come back at you—written with a similar tone but coming from a totally different perspective—and they hit you hard.

I really hope you don't take these words as a criticism; it's just an observation I've gathered while reading your posts. I can see how much you love a good debate (in the general sense), and it makes me sad to see it causing you such negative emotions. Think of this as just one forum regular talking to another; I'm stripping away any authoritative tone because I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing you.

Frank Williams7 said:Alright rustydrifter10, do you seriously think I'm on this forum to teach anyone how to communicate? I have my own limits on what I'll put up with, just like everyone else.

From—and I hate to say it—bad experience dealing with trolls on a DZ thread before, I learned that once you're tangled up in that mess, the chances of untangling it constructively are slim to none. That’s basically why I didn't react to Apophisov's post in the men's corner the moment it was written. However, when Charles Davis88 wrote the exact same thing, I hit my limit for crude insults.

The reality is that the "forum legends" or Untouchables in this sub-forum are incredibly visible and protected like little teddy bears. They can jump into any thread whenever they want just for kicks, without any moderation stepping in. In my opinion, the disclaimer for this sub-forum should read: "Not for those who can't handle being trolled by the squad." If you can't handle people not being sweet and precious to you, well... tough luck. The only thing people forget is that we shouldn't barge into someone's living room or... hm... a club when we enter this corner. It's childish and honestly ridiculous, but that's how it is.

At the same time, negative comments aimed at the moderators are removed with extreme efficiency. That isn't right, regardless of how much people try to rationalize the way things are moderated.

I've got nothing against Tete2U or Sophia Thomas7, but I really think this sub-forum needs more moderators. From where I'm sitting, this place felt much more welcoming back when Afrika_Paprika, wiredfalcon2, and Violently were around. It doesn't matter if it's them or ten other people, I just think there's an acute need for more hands on deck.

Thanks for looking through the thread.

I totally hear you, and I mentioned earlier that some of those posts really should have been flagged or deleted. I'm hoping the communication in that thread levels up a bit moving forward. I'll definitely try to keep an eye on the topic as much as I can.

Frank Williams7 said:Alright rustydrifter10, do you seriously think I'm on this forum to teach anyone how to communicate? I have my own limits on what I'll put up with, just like everyone else.

From—and I hate to say it—bad experience dealing with trolls on a DZ thread before, I learned that once you're tangled up in that mess, the chances of untangling it constructively are slim to none. That’s basically why I didn't react to Apophisov's post in the men's corner the moment it was written. However, when Charles Davis88 wrote the exact same thing, I hit my limit for crude insults.

The reality is that the "forum legends" or Untouchables in this sub-forum are incredibly visible and protected like little teddy bears. They can jump into any thread whenever they want just for kicks, without any moderation stepping in. In my opinion, the disclaimer for this sub-forum should read: "Not for those who can't handle being trolled by the squad." If you can't handle people not being sweet and precious to you, well... tough luck. The only thing people forget is that we shouldn't barge into someone's living room or... hm... a club when we enter this corner. It's childish and honestly ridiculous, but that's how it is.

At the same time, negative comments aimed at the moderators are removed with extreme efficiency. That isn't right, regardless of how much people try to rationalize the way things are moderated.

I've got nothing against Tete2U or Sophia Thomas7, but I really think this sub-forum needs more moderators. From where I'm sitting, this place felt much more welcoming back when Afrika_Paprika, wiredfalcon2, and Violently were around. It doesn't matter if it's them or ten other people, I just think there's an acute need for more hands on deck.

Thanks for looking through the thread.

I agree completely, and we're actually trying to pull in some extra help. Because there are only two of them, they just can't keep up with everything or catch every single thing, especially if they're heavily involved in the discussions themselves. Even I find myself getting sucked into a debate and drifting away with the rest of the crew sometimes. 🙈

Frank Williams7 said:Alright rustydrifter10, do you seriously think I'm on this forum to teach anyone how to communicate? I have my own limits on what I'll put up with, just like everyone else.

From—and I hate to say it—bad experience dealing with trolls on a DZ thread before, I learned that once you're tangled up in that mess, the chances of untangling it constructively are slim to none. That’s basically why I didn't react to Apophisov's post in the men's corner the moment it was written. However, when Charles Davis88 wrote the exact same thing, I hit my limit for crude insults.

The reality is that the "forum legends" or Untouchables in this sub-forum are incredibly visible and protected like little teddy bears. They can jump into any thread whenever they want just for kicks, without any moderation stepping in. In my opinion, the disclaimer for this sub-forum should read: "Not for those who can't handle being trolled by the squad." If you can't handle people not being sweet and precious to you, well... tough luck. The only thing people forget is that we shouldn't barge into someone's living room or... hm... a club when we enter this corner. It's childish and honestly ridiculous, but that's how it is.

At the same time, negative comments aimed at the moderators are removed with extreme efficiency. That isn't right, regardless of how much people try to rationalize the way things are moderated.

I've got nothing against Tete2U or Sophia Thomas7, but I really think this sub-forum needs more moderators. From where I'm sitting, this place felt much more welcoming back when Afrika_Paprika, wiredfalcon2, and Violently were around. It doesn't matter if it's them or ten other people, I just think there's an acute need for more hands on deck.

Thanks for looking through the thread.

That’s exactly why I’m here. 🙂

Frank Williams7 said:Look, hasn't this thread hit 71 pages now? Isn't more than half the content just pure spam, trolling, or straight-up insults?

And let's be real—hasn't the expert team been dropping the same old "diagnoses," insults, and provocations for ages without anyone actually getting banned?

I made sure to report the specific posts tonight. I did my part.

Why is it that whenever someone holds a minority opinion on this topic, the majority just attacks them personally? It’s always the same style: 🙂 'Oh, if you're saying that, you probably need a microscope just to find it.' Or 🙂 'If you think that, you must be ugly, deformed, desperate, and then some...'

And why are comments like, 'Check out that avatar, it's hideous,' or 'Wow, that's actually cute, haha,' even allowed? 😕

It seems pretty logical that after seeing all that junk, you'd want to see who you're actually talking to—offering to show your own side, too.

Do those kinds of posts—which make up most of this thread—actually add any value to this forum?

Most importantly: are we all just going to start playing these petty games?

By the way—didn't I already reach out to Nice?

I’ve gone through most of this thread now, and... wow. Just, uh. Wow. 🤦

Honestly, looking back at the thread, I feel like way too many posts escaped being banned, even though if you ask me, they really should have been nuked. It was just a complete free-for-all—people were throwing insults around, trolling left and right, and hitting each other with those annoying ad hominem attacks... it was just everything, all at once. Personally, I’m of the mind that if a post doesn't have a damn good reason to stay up, it should be wiped from the board. If we actually enforced that, half of those toxic posts and the messy reactions they triggered probably wouldn't have even happened in the first place.

Personally, I don't think I’d be the right fit for a moderator role on LJES. I truly feel that the PDF deserves a much "softer" touch when it comes to moderation, but even looking at it from a leadership perspective, I think things have gone a bit too far in some places lately. Now, don't get me wrong—TetaU2 and Sophia Thomas7 are excellent mods, but we were actually just discussing how we should approach the PDF with a bit less zero-tolerance toward insults and aggressive trolling. I really hope to see that shift happen soon! That being said, my vision isn't about handing out bans for every little thing or turning the place into a sterile zone where jokes, casual off-topic chat, or even a heated debate are completely forbidden.

Just like a few of the others have been pushing the envelope lately, you’ve definitely crossed some lines in your own posts too. This whole thread is just loaded with double entendres, and honestly, you've been right in the thick of it. :/

Christian Taylor3 said:I honestly have no clue what everyone is waiting for; all I know is that people need to learn how to say "enough already." I’m talking morning, noon, night, afternoon, small and thin penis, small and thin penis, small and thin penis, small and thin penis, small and thin penis, small and thin penis, small and thin penis, small and thin penis, small and thin penis. Nobody is stopping you from posting in the men's corner, but if you have a specific question for the admins, keep it to one single post here. If you want to go off on a tangent, just head over to "comment and off-topic"—you can even wait until the day after tomorrow for all I care. This thread hasn't been used to clog things up or drown out actual discussion before, and it isn't starting now. Over there, nobody is going to sit around counting your outbursts or shoving them in your face by asking, "How many penises is that?"

We're waiting for the boundaries of verbal forum ad hominem attacks to be established.

We're basically just waiting for rustydrifter10 to get back from vacation and put an end to these "dick" debates with a single post. Like I said, everything else belongs in "comment and off-topic." Please just stick to that, and that goes for the mods too.

Thanks for listening. 🙂

p.s. No, I don't have a small one.

I really appreciate all the good intentions being thrown around here, I truly do, but I feel like we’re starting to lose the plot between these two different threads. Anderlon originally kicked this one off with the specific goal of addressing a few key questions, but it’s morphed into something else entirely. It’s turned into this massive catch-all space where any member of the administration feels like they should jump in whenever they want or feel necessary. Because people are bouncing back and forth between topics so much, it’s getting harder to tell what actually belongs here, and we're definitely losing that sense of continuity in the discussions.

The core concept behind having separate threads—one strictly for questions and another for general discussion—is actually pretty solid. For a while there, both served their purposes perfectly and kept things moving along smoothly. But honestly, as time goes on, trying to maintain that specific structure has become a real headache, and let's be real, it’s getting pretty inefficient too. I haven't quite decided on my next move yet, but I'm definitely looking at shaking things up and making some changes soon.

Alex Thomas27 said:Well, if they want to talk about fine dining and champagne, they can head over to Gastronom, but if they're looking for info on tourism or outdoor recreation, they should stick to those specific boards.

If we followed that logic, we’d end up with seven hundred different threads for every single subject instead of just one—though, granted, some topics really do need their own space since different people bring such unique perspectives from their own experiences. We could have a thread where everyone who’s been through it or has any expertise could chime in. But then, every single one of those threads would probably only get thirteen posts over the span of nine years! At the end of the day, this is a community forum meant for discussion, not an encyclopedia.

Alex Thomas27 said:What kind of technical questions regarding a baptism actually have nothing to do with religion?

The ones I mentioned, along with plenty of others, are already being discussed right there in the main thread.

Alex Thomas27 said:Exactly. It’s a lot more meaningful if a priest actually blesses the ship, rather than just some drunk guys doing it.

I mean, even if they’re obsessing over which brand of champagne to use for the blessing, or worrying about which pier to dock at—all those technical details that have absolutely nothing to do with religion—it still doesn't ring a bell with me. I can't really wrap my head around it since I don't exactly have a massive vessel waiting for a christening! 😁

Alex Thomas27 said:1) It’s really not about the kids themselves, but rather about finding parents who are actually a good match for one another.

2) Women's corner and Men's corner

3) Gastronom

4) Fashion, specifically focusing on kids' clothing

When it comes to parents looking to have their little ones baptized, they’ll probably find the most practical help from other parents who have already been through the whole process themselves. To me, it makes perfect sense to just keep those types of discussions over on the Parents and Kids PDF.

It’s really not about being discriminatory or anything like that; it’s just that the subject matter fits better under Pediatric Health than here in RiD. It was actually posted on our board before we opened up this PDF, and then we just moved it over to a more appropriate section, much like we've done with plenty of other topics in the past.

Frank Williams7 said:Hey, question for Nice — would you be a sweetheart and take a look through this thread? I’m trying to figure out if I can call people out on what they actually need when the urge hits, or if I’m allowed to tell someone they’re straight-up delusional (especially given all those other messy, overly personal posts floating around).

I mean, I’d love to vent a little too, since apparently the favorites get a free pass here.

Really hoping you guys don't let this thread turn into a total spam fest.

I'll definitely take a look at the topic, but give me a little bit of breathing room first. It's Easter, and I really want to focus on spending quality time with my family. I'll still be popping onto the forum to handle anything urgent or critical, but I just won't have the bandwidth to slog through 70+ pages of discussion over the next couple of days. Since this thread has been around for quite a while anyway, I'm sure it can wait a tiny bit.

Anyway, Happy Easter to you, and I wish everyone nothing but the best! 🙂

Honestly, that post didn't actually offer any real arguments to back up what you were saying, nor did it include even a single link to other posts that could prove your point.

Since Tim Cook isn't handling the moderation for this board anymore, we're going to go ahead and lock this thread.

👋