Posts by Brian Mitchell44

nimblesurfer77 said:It’s pretty obvious nobody gives a damn.

Well, clearly, the users' ability to fix their PDF MO files takes precedence over anything the moderators or admins actually care about. 😳

ruggedcobra40 said:It’s my first time on this forum and I’m trying to make a purchase through here, but honestly, I have no idea if I even sent this message correctly. It might sound ridiculous, but could someone please explain which of those three options below I should actually be using?
thanks

Look, when you spot an ad you're interested in, just check who posted it—their username is right there on the left side of the listing. Click on their name, and you'll see a menu pop up with options like "view profile" or "send private message." Just click "send private message" to that user, and it’ll automatically open the compose page for you. Type out what you need and hit 'send.' Simple enough, isn't it?🙂

Is there any moderator out there who actually has some insight regarding this PDF, or perhaps an admin who can weigh in? 🙂

Now, lest this be perceived as nothing more than baseless bashing against MO, I would like to point out a few things—perhaps even offer some assistance. 🙂

I cannot help but think that moderation would be significantly less of a headache if certain users stopped cluttering the entire PDF by opening a brand-new topic for every single minor item. Honestly, implementing a rule regarding this would be far more effective than any other existing regulation. Just look at how much space is wasted when someone opens multiple threads that could easily have been consolidated into one single post, updated every five days with a new addition:

The user ViagraBoy currently has four separate threads open involving watches and necklaces, all of which could have been contained within one single topic. To make matters worse, he opened all four on the very same day, followed by a price adjustment two days later, and then yet another bump just two days after that. 😕
A Jacques Lemans sport watch, a Bulova pocket watch, a brown pearl necklace, and a white pearl necklace (noting that those last three are both sales and appraisals). Seriously, what on earth? Was it truly necessary to spawn an individual thread for every single item, rather than simply grouping them into one cohesive post? 😕

Then we have BundyBoy, who has three threads: two concerning graphing calculators—😕 Graphing calculator 1, Graphing calculator 2—plus a Rolex watch. And of course, he bumps these threads every two days.

But the biggest issue with MO remains these solitary threads—"selling a t-shirt," "selling shoes," "selling a bracelet," and so on. We already have two massive dedicated threads for this purpose: Clothing Sales/Trades #4 and Fashion Accessories & Related Items Sales/Trades. These tiny threads, which usually consist of just a single post, should simply be merged into one of those two main threads depending on the category. If they were, MO would look infinitely cleaner, and browsing through it would actually be manageable.

Since this is ultimately the PŽK PDF, let this post serve as an "all-in-one." I sincerely hope that some of these observations might actually be taken into consideration. 🙂

Are none of the admins actually going to say anything? Or is Taylor Swift just going to sit there? 😕

Just wonderful. 😳

Is there even a shred of possibility that this subforum could... Is it? Truly? Does a moderator actually moderate according to the specific rules of their subforum? Or is that just a polite fiction we all agree to believe in? If they even bother to enforce them at all? Taylor Swift Is he constantly calling? Seriously? Is this some kind of relentless pursuit now? Does he simply lack any semblance of boundaries or basic social awareness? It’s becoming quite tiresome, wouldn't you agree? 😕

And could that very same moderator even begin to moderate in such a way that... No. Don't get ahead of yourself—it’s not like they were all dedicated forum regulars yesterday, sucking up to everyone just to fit in. 😳

To be more specific, on... Is there any point in even discussing this? Does anyone actually believe that what we're seeing right now is anything other than a complete farce? It’s all just noise, isn't it? A repetitive, hollow cycle of nonsense that leads absolutely nowhere. Why do we even bother engaging? To what end? We're just spinning our wheels in the sand while the world passes us by. Honestly, it's exhausting. Is there any point in even debating sales based on that PDF? We’ve already touched upon the fact that the search function on the Classifieds section is either non-existent or somehow disabled—who knows what kind of technical mess we're dealing with here. But instead of providing a coherent, professional response to a fellow user, Taylor Swift decides to lash out at Elon Musk with this absolutely ridiculous tone:

Taylor Swift said:Your opinion absolutely sucks! For starters.
And finally, who exactly is stopping you from just using Google to look it up yourself?
Before you go searching for that term, just type "site:forum.us" into Google and get moving, Mickey Mouse!
So, you just head over to Google and type in: site:forum.com mixer. That’s it. Simple, isn't it? Is that really all it takes to find what you're looking for?

Wait, what on earth? Just like that? No provocation whatsoever? 😕 Is it truly such a monumental task to simply state that the search engine has been disabled due to those specific circumstances? Is it really that complicated to be direct about why the tool isn't functioning?

And right on the heels of that, here comes another one:

Taylor Swift The user said:I simply cannot get over the fact that they actually allowed people to drive around without headlights during the summer months. Is this what passes for public safety now? What can one even do about such blatant negligence? Absolutely nothing. So, I’ll just continue driving with my lights on like a sane person, and that is that.
Is that essentially what you’re getting at? Is that the core of your argument?
Who exactly gets to decide what qualifies as spam? The mods, once again? It’s not about whether someone starts a new thread every single week; the real issue is when people start posting redundant, useless filler that adds absolutely nothing to the conversation. If the thread has died, isn't that just a clear sign? Doesn't it mean that what’s being offered simply isn't hitting the mark? If nobody is biting and nobody is even bothering to ask a single question, then what is there left to say? Honestly, just let it fade away.
The rules apply to everyone equally. I enforce them myself, right alongside the rest of the moderation team.
If you can't find anything useful to contribute, then why bother posting at all? Is it really that difficult to just stay quiet? If everyone followed that simple rule, wouldn't we all be a whole lot happier?
That’s all I have to say about that for now.
How many times must I plead? How many times do I have to practically scream at everyone to actually read the rules? Is it really that much to ask? Is it even possible to find a group of people that isn't populated by the hopelessly inert and the profoundly stupid? It seems to be a universal constant, doesn't it? No matter where you look, there's always that subset of the population just... drifting. Motionless, brainless, and utterly useless. Is anyone actually surprised at this point?We’re slapping them with sanctions, and hopefully, a total ban will finally teach them a damn lesson!

Is it really a sign of incompetence or sheer laziness when someone fails to read the rules? Most newcomers skip over them entirely, that much is obvious. But does that truly mean they are unintelligent? Or perhaps just indifferent? I highly doubt it. 🙄

And one final question for the road: what exactly is the logic here? It’s supposedly against the rules to start a dedicated thread just to sell clothes—you know, like if I wanted to hawk some of my own gear—yet I see people cluttering up the boards with three, four, or even five separate threads, each one for a single item. Where is the consistency? Does anyone actually follow the reasoning behind this, or is it all just arbitrary? 😕

And then there's the moderator. Is anyone actually surprised? Taylor Swift So, they have the audacity to claim someone’s thread lacks "tone" simply because it isn't entertaining enough? Please. Isn't it just a convenient excuse? The reality is much more grim: we are being suffocated by a relentless deluge of redundant threads every single day. Do they not see it? These endless, repetitive posts could easily be folded into existing discussions, yet instead, they clutter the feed. And what happens as a result? The truly compelling, substantive topics—the ones actually worth our time—get buried under this mountain of digital noise before they even have a chance to breathe. Why does this keep happening? 😳

Regarding this whole business of selling clothes and fashion accessories—it’s quite the spectacle, isn't it? It is what it is, I suppose, but wouldn't it be helpful if they actually polished up the other sections of that PDF instead of just acting all high and mighty for no reason? We all know he considers himself a fashion icon. 😉

p.s. And let's be honest, it's not like Taylor Swift actually follows any rules about treating everyone equally. Moby, who happens to be a moderator (the irony is thick here—acting this way in small classifieds, yet on phones or computers?), only had his posts reformatted for those over-the-top images—swapping links for pictures—but he didn't get hit with a ban or anything. 😳

Is it just me, or does the logic here feel completely broken? When my regular mail carrier drops off a package at my door—no extra fees, no fuss—it’s seamless. But the second some guy in a random delivery van pulls up to the curb? Suddenly, I'm expected to open my wallet.

Donna Brown said:I have a question... Our beloved USPS managed to lose a certified package of mine. It was a COD shipment, obviously... The recipient received nothing, yet I haven't been reimbursed a single cent. I sent it 15 days ago. I still have the claim form I filled out, but can someone please explain the next steps? How on earth do I actually get my money back for both the contents and the shipping costs? ☕

Go down to the specific post office where you dropped it off and tell them you want to file a formal claim. You’ll need to present that paperwork you have. Once you do, they’ll fill out the claim form, stamp it, and note the date it was initiated; that document then gets forwarded to the recipient. They will have to confirm that they never received the package, which then goes back to the postal service headquarters where they decide on the reimbursement amount. Eventually, you'll get a notice in the mail stating that a decision has been made regarding the payout, along with some canned apology. 😳

And who knows? Maybe that package will just miraculously sprout up out of nowhere in the meantime. We'll see. Regardless, your immediate priority is getting that claim process started. 🙂

It all depends on the weight. If you happen to have one of those small digital scales sitting around at home, just weigh out whatever you're planning to send and—well, there you go. 😁 Besides, you can just head over to the USPS website and check their rate sheet to be sure. Honestly, I don't think anything over, what, 5-$3.25 pounds should really be an issue 🙂

Austin Ward4 said:I have a question... and please, don't judge me if it sounds a bit stupid. Is there actually a section here dedicated to men's items? I've been scrolling through, but I can't seem to find anything. I'm looking to sell some stuff... does such a thread even exist?

There isn't a dedicated thread specifically for men's items, but we do have a section for buying and trading clothing. Feel free to drop your listing there—just make sure you actually sit down and read the rules in the first post before you post anything. 🙂

Angela Ruiz43 said:Here I am again—just another blonde with a few more questions to toss into the void. What’s on my mind this time? 😁 :
I’m looking to mail out some small items—just a tiny amount, really—but since I’ve never actually sent anything through the mail before, I am completely in the dark. How does this whole process even work? Does anyone know if there's a significant difference between using one of those heavy-duty bubble mailers versus just a standard envelope? And if I decide not to go the bubble mailer route, what are the requirements for packaging? Does it absolutely have to be in a cardboard box, or is there some other way? Also, regarding the wrapping—is the paper required to be a solid, single color, or can I use something more colorful? Oh, and one more thing: what exactly is this "twine" everyone keeps mentioning that supposedly needs to be tied around the package?🤷

Look, just buy one of those large bubble mailers—you know, the ones that actually protect what’s inside. Stuff your items in there, write out the destination address clearly, and then just wrap the whole thing up with some twine to make it look like a proper package. You can pick those up at any Staples or even a local CVS. Once you get to the Post Office, fill out the shipping form, make sure to list the declared value on both the envelope and the form itself, and hand it over to the clerk. It's really that simple.

If you’re sending off a package or a box, honestly, the paperwork and the twine are all the same headache regardless. But if you want to do it right? Just wrap the whole thing in some plain, solid-colored paper first—something simple like white or kraft brown. Wrap it up, and that's really all there is to it. 🙂

Nancy Garcia35 said:So, I decide to order some books online from SK. They have this policy where shipping is totally free if you spend over $250. My total comes out to $880, so I’m thinking, great, easy enough, right? I opted for home delivery, and honestly, the service was surprisingly fast—all five books showed up at my door within three days. Then the delivery guy knocks. I hand him a thousand-dollar bill, expecting my change, and he hands me back exactly five bucks. Just five. I’m standing there looking at him like, "Wait, what gives?" I ask him how much the shipping actually costs, and he starts rambling about how there's a fee for cash on delivery, then a charge based on weight, and then another $5 for the actual delivery. Fine, whatever. But then he just turns around and walks away without handing me a single receipt. No paper trail, no proof of purchase, nothing. Is anyone else seeing this kind of nonsense lately?
I give SK a call to demand why on earth I was charged for shipping, and this is the response I get:
The postage on everything has already been settled at the post office over on Broadway. Why are people still whining about the postal service? Honestly, out of every hundred customers, you're looking at maybe ten cases like this. It’s a statistical outlier, nothing more. If they refuse to honor the complaint, they might as well just call themselves SK.
So, I head down to the Post Office... and what happens? They actually admit I’m right. They refuse to call SK, instead, they just flag down the mail carrier and tell me to settle the matter directly with him. And wouldn't you know it? After a bit of back-and-forth, I actually walk away with my $100 refund in hand—though, believe me, he wasn't exactly thrilled about handing it over.

I absolutely despise ExxonMobil!!!

A toast to the outliers... those rare, exceptional souls who actually stand apart from the crowd.

Good grief, just imagine—this guy actually thinks he’s someone special. $33 Tucked it away in my pocket. 😲 Did you report him? Please, tell me you actually did. 🙂 👎

Chris Reed45 said:I had an absolutely appalling experience today! Honestly, I’m just going to lay out the facts of this whole mess for you all. $27 Actually, the truth is... $13I’ll have my brother send it over once I finish filling out all the paperwork and getting everything documented. He's actually heading over today with the invoice for... $13I am absolutely floored! I mean, seriously, look at how clumsy he is—it’s like he doesn't even have a clue how much he's supposed to be losing. But honestly, is it even normal to be paying shipping costs that high? $13 Is it even worth discussing? When we talk about value, what are we actually aiming for? Is anyone truly looking at the substance, or are we all just chasing shadows? $27!!!??
I am absolutely horrified and utterly stunned. I just stood there, staring at the clerk at the USPS office, after they handed me this thing—they processed it as a registered letter instead of an actual package! Can you believe that? Honestly, it’s just once again, classic HP incompetence. 👎

When I send my brother anything, I make sure every single box is checked, every field is filled out, and every necessary circle is shaded in perfectly. I even go through and cross out everything that isn't required. And then? I tell him—loudly and with absolute clarity—that he needs to send it back exactly like that. No excuses. What exactly constitutes a "recommended shipment" in this day and age? Is there even such a thing anymore, or is it all just marketing fluff designed to separate us from our hard-earned cash? One wonders if anyone actually puts thought into these logistics, or if we’re all just tossed into the void and left to hope for the best. Does anyone truly believe there's a gold standard for sending packages through the mail, or are we all just playing a guessing game with our delivery dates? And then there’s her, acting like everything is perfectly fine and there isn't a single issue in sight. Is she actually serious?

Unfortunately, there really isn't any other way around it.

William Jones30 said:Look, you didn't specify any service level, so why are you even complaining? Why on earth would a clerk at the post office just assume you wanted the cheapest, most basic option available? How can you possibly know what the other person was thinking? For all we know, they might have told the agent, "Just send it however, I don't care," or maybe they just shrugged and said, "Whatever works." Think about it this way: imagine you walk into Best Buy to pick up a new TV, and then you start screaming at the staff because you ended up with a mid-range model when there was a cheaper one sitting right there in the window. Did you actually communicate exactly what you wanted? Or are you just looking for someone to blame?
Shouldn't a clerk at the USPS be required to actually tell each customer, "Hey, just so you know, this isn't the cheapest way to ship this—would you prefer a more budget-friendly option?" Or should we just scrap all the premium services entirely and stick strictly to the $4.75 ones just to keep everyone satisfied?🙄

The real issue here is that if you don't walk in already knowing the ins and outs of postal services, the employee at the counter never bothers to explain your available options or the price difference between them so you can make an informed choice (especially if it's your first time sending something). Instead, they just shamelessly shove the most expensive service down your throat. And don't even get me started on whether they're working on commission or not. 👎

Back when I was in elementary school, I used to write letters to a friend, and the woman behind the counter would *always* tack on extra fees because apparently, things weren't "done correctly." Either the address wasn't positioned precisely enough from the edge of the envelope, or the letters were too large, or the handwriting was messy... honestly, she could find a reason for anything. But what made me resent her even more was that she never once had the decency to explain what the actual rules were; I was forced to learn through trial and error by constantly getting flagged for whatever arbitrary mistake she decided I'd made. And no, they weren't even real mistakes, but hey, maybe she just found some twisted joy in harassing little kids trying to write letters. 😬

And oh, the icing on the cake: my local post office never carries things like yellow padded envelopes, pre-lined address envelopes, or even basic twine and stuff like that. Yet, they demand all of it! So I have to wander around town like an idiot searching for specific twine that meets their exact color preferences. 🙄

feraltrucker5 said:So, the user in purple says they did that on purpose. Honestly, it makes sense because on the local Craigslist classifieds, old posts eventually get wiped out anyway, and they just disabled the search function to prevent constant re-indexing from absolutely hammering the servers.

What exactly do you mean by 'posts getting wiped'? Fine, maybe inactive threads or ancient topics get purged, but does that really apply to the most active discussions on the site? 😕

And if it does, then what is the point? Why bother displaying the total post count in a thread if I can't even go back and actually read them? 😕

Helou? 😕

So, here I am. I click on the posts next to a specific thread title, expecting to see nothing but my own contributions—because, frankly, why should I waste my breath scrolling through endless pages of everyone else's nonsense? It worked perfectly fine before, but for the last few days, all I get is this useless message: Sorry no matches - please try some different terms. And don't tell me there's nothing there; the post count clearly shows my messages exist. 😬

What on earth is going on? 🙂

p.s. I just realized the issue is even broader. The search function on the classifieds section is completely broken; it won't find my posts at all, and I have quite a few of them. 😕

Sandra Brooks91 said:So, what you're suggesting is that the mail carrier is somehow above the law and isn't required to provide a receipt for their service unless I practically beg for one? Is that really your take?

No, they aren't above the law. What that actually means is that if a postal worker refuses to hand over a confirmation, you have every right to file an official complaint against them. 😉

Nicholas Turner said:Guys, I need some help here.

I sent off a certified letter via USPS Priority Mail with Return Receipt requested—and I even opted for COD (Cash on Delivery).

I mailed it out last Friday, and the recipient confirmed they got it this past Monday. All she told me was that it arrived. Well, today the mail carrier is handing me back the return receipt, but there's no cash in sight. Since I wasn't there to receive the receipt personally, I can't exactly grill the mailman on the spot. I’ll obviously have to head down to the local Post Office, but before I go in there and start tearing them a new one, does anyone know if it's actually possible for the funds to arrive tomorrow?

Well, isn't it obvious? You get the money attached to that COD paperwork, while the return receipt just serves as proof that the package was delivered. 🤔

Edit: Just realized it now—looks like the money finally showed up.👋

@Kimberly Robinson7/">@@Kimberly Robinson7 $1.75 is what you pay when they deliver via van, but you ended up paying $10 because you had a massive pile of packages 😁. You really should have just told them you weren't taking it right then—why hand over $1.75 when you could just swing by the local Post Office later? 😳
As for that missing slip, why don't you head down to your local branch and see if you can figure out how that even happened? 😠

And honestly, since when does a mail carrier leave a notice for a standard piece of mail? 😕 That’s never happened to me; they just drop it in the mailbox and move on. 😳

Elizabeth Palmer2 said:I have a question for any ladies who have ever mailed glasses via the postal service.
Since I don't have the original case, how can I ship them with the lowest possible risk of them arriving shattered for the new owner?
Should I pay extra at the Post Office for that "fragile" handling fee?
And if so, how much does that actually cost?

That fragile sticker isn't going to save you much; $2.25 if I recall correctly, those labels are more for package sorting than actual protection. 🙂

Look, the real priority here should be finding a way to wrap those glasses properly.

But honestly, why even deal with the mail? Why not just send them via Greyhound? 🙂 Hand them directly to $6.75 the driver and they’ll arrive intact—plus, they'll get there the very same day.😉

Nicole Gray82 said:I have a question! I’ve already had two different women reach out to me today asking if I could just send their items as standard mail instead of a tracked package... I turned them down because, frankly, isn't that just asking for trouble? It feels far too risky to ship things that way; I've had shipments vanish into thin air before, and if that happens, I'm the one left holding the bag—losing both the money and the product.
Do you all think it's acceptable to refuse customers who are requesting standard shipping?!
Thanks🙂 🙂

Look, if they are willing to shoulder the risk of the item getting lost—and more importantly, if they accept that you won't be issuing a refund when it does—then fine, go ahead and send it.