I’d much rather be the one doing the cheating—mostly because I’m dead certain my "never again" rule would actually hold up. If I'm the one making the call, we could probably keep the partnership going without constant fighting or massive blowups. But if I’m the one getting cheated on? If I’m the one left feeling betrayed, hurt, and totally let down? Honestly, no amount of "please forgive me" or pathetic concessions would be enough to make me stick around.
It might sound like a double standard 😬, but really, it just comes down to knowing someone's true character 😒
I honestly thought I’d become a total hermit because my to-do list has been absolutely relentless lately, but then I look at some of the people on this board and—pffft—suddenly I’m a total party animal 👋 🙂 I’ve got my inner circle—maybe three pairs of people I actually make time for—and everyone else just kind of gets squeezed in whenever life allows. There are some dear friends I won't see for months at a time, but we always make up for lost time the second we finally link up. Until then, we just stay in the loop with a quick text or a call.
I really hope Wikipedia never ends up on the moderation team here. I won’t even get into the why—because, like user_name said, it’s easy to tear things down, but nobody ever shows up with actual constructive ideas. user_name was a fantastic mod, and since he’s gone, I honestly think user_name would step up and do just as great a job. I have no clue what his actual ambitions are, but since we’re tossing out hypothetical suggestions, I’d pick him as a totally competent choice for a few reasons: First off, he’s smart and well-read; he actually contributes meaningful perspectives to all sorts of debates. Plus, his writing style is clear, punchy, and he isn't offensive, yet he always hits the nail on the head. Third, he’s got a great sense of humor and is genuinely fun to read, so I doubt he’d be handing out bans left and right. Instead, within the limits of our usual banter, he’d join in on the fun without letting things devolve into total chaos or anarchy. The guy has balance, style, and common sense... I just don't know if he has the time or the desire.
Though, if they paired him with user_name along with the current crew, there'd be no end to the madness.👋
Jeremy Johnson18 said:Just because you couldn't get what you wanted doesn't give you the right to take your aggression out on me.
Look, you guys built your own little chatroom in the United States, and it's certainly not lacking anything—I mean, you even said it yourself, you love it there. It’s great for those of you who stick together like a tight-knit clique. And don't even get me started on the actual content in there; it's absolute garbage.
In the end, people try to distance themselves from your group, and then suddenly, everything is "wrong" again.
I am not being aggressive. Maybe I just sound like some young, inexperienced, and dissatisfied virtual version of you. Also, just so we're clear, I am definitely not part of that "clique" you're talking about. I don't share their worldview or their private business, and I certainly don't share that trashy, low-life content they post. So, now that we've established that I bailed on the forum because of annoying teenagers like you, tell me something—how is it that the very same people who—instead of torpedoing you like a teenager would—actually helped you solve every single problem you served up on the chat during your daily "rehab sessions," are suddenly bothering you now?
Malac, I actually bailed on this forum once before because people like you ruined everything. You didn't just mess up the official USA chat—which used to be the Finger of Fate—you trashed the 40+ thread where the rest of us were actually trying to have some grown-up conversations.
It didn't take long for them to merge the 40+ group into your childish, mindless little corner of the site. Honestly, any real intellectual variety we had there was basically wiped out once you guys colonized the entire PDF.
And don't think we didn't protest. I'm pretty sure even Lord expressed his frustration through cryptic Japanese poetry, but it was useless. We tried to fix the vibe, but eventually, we just gave up and headed straight for the exit.
The atmosphere is way better now, though. People are hanging out outdoors and having actual, pleasant chats online. I don't expect the 40+ crowd to ever get their old "home base" back, but it's certainly not like we need to cater to the ridiculous demands of trolls like you.
Legal action? Honestly, you’re just chasing your tail at this point. Besides, I don't even see what kind of payout you'd get—or on what legal grounds—even if you spent the next decade running yourself ragged through the court system.
When you signed up for Reddit, Inc., you agreed to certain "terms," so it’s pretty much anyone's guess what exactly you're protesting or what your actual grievance is. I read your opening post, but I'm still lost. How could anyone even begin to misuse your data on a site where you log in with a handle instead of your full name? You can use any email address you want—you could make one up right now—and you get to decide exactly how much (or how little) of your personal life you share with the rest of us. So, I'm just being blunt: I don't see how your info is being compromised by some third party via identity theft.🤷
Morgan White said:Is it actually allowed on this forum to use a dick pic as an avatar?
I have to admit, I’ve only just recently crawled my way back into this forum, but if I remember correctly, a ton of those girls used to set their avatars as full-on compilations of their own "work." 🤷
Kenneth Cruz67 said:Not quite. Explicit images are only allowed on specific subforums that don't host Google ads. If you stick strictly to those threads, you could probably get away with an explicit avatar too. But anything outside of that is a massive risk—we can't have Google banning the whole forum. It’s not about being moral; it’s about the money. 😁
See? I told you... Honestly, what some people call "explicit content"... for me, it’s just... I don't know, it's more like a conceptual metaphor. 🙂
Kenneth Cruz67—I think some people might actually agree with me on this one. 👋
The guy’s introducing himself with his ass; it’s definitely a bit weird—but is it actually offensive? Look, this whole obsession with boobs, junk, and butts has basically outgrown this forum and become a staple on pretty much every other board out there. It didn't exactly get this popular because of "virtuous" crusades like yours. Honestly, if you want to run this little campaign for purity, you should probably start by banning every thirsty guy and girl from using suggestive avatars first. Until then... just leave the dude's butt alone. 🤷
vividranger8 said:But hey, it’s not just about them—it’s kind of on all of us too, I guess. We've basically built a country where criminals of every single kind just wander around town freely, or they flee to Austria or Canada and just laugh right in our faces. So, like, can we really expect regular folks to step up and be responsible? All those police officers hunkered down at checkpoints right now—they could have been used way more effectively if they were actually checking in on people in isolation every single day.
Where on earth did you get the idea that the police aren't monitoring people in isolation? Let’s recap here: there are the "registered" folks in the system who are actually isolating, and then there's the massive group of people who—just because they felt like it—refused to "register" by notifying their family doctor or the local health official. So, the issue isn't the people the system actually knows about. The problem is the huge majority who were exposed to someone potentially infected, or even confirmed cases, but kept their mouths shut and decided to "speak up" only after symptoms kicked in—by which time they’d been walking around freely or infecting medical staff by withholding the truth. My sister is a doctor at one of those hospitals where nearly half the staff is out on quarantine. With that in mind, I have to ask: who is left to treat everyone else? We were already short-staffed, and now we're even more depleted. It’s no wonder surgeries are being postponed; oncology patients have never been in a more precarious spot because everyone is suddenly preoccupied with COVID. Also, when you compare the measures implemented here to other—let's say, more liberal—systems, don't forget that our economic, financial, and healthcare capabilities are way below the average of the places you're citing. We simply aren't equipped to handle the fallout of this crisis, which is why the measures are so drastic and why following them feels like such an impossible struggle. Well, honestly, it would be better if we were hit by a permanent recession next, because clearly, the priority is ensuring you can invoke your constitutional guarantee to go water the plants in an apartment in a neighboring city. If pausing your life is such a struggle, you'll probably all end up unemployed, banging your heads against whatever little wall hasn't collapsed from an earthquake yet—well, if only I had known. But you knew!
Yeah, looking at this earthquake thread, I see people freaking out because they can't even make it to the cemetery. Look, I've got plenty of family laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, but honestly—given the circumstances currently threatening those of us still breathing—I haven't spent a single second worrying about whether their headstones are intact. My mind is more on whether there's actually going to be room left in the crematorium. If there’s some saint out there who can explain this phenomenon to me—this obsession with looking after the dead—please, go ahead and share your take. It just feels to me like we're all collectively giving a damn a lot less about the living right now.
Look, Joseph Taylor11, you’ve been super active in this thread since day one, but honestly? You aren't being constructive at all. If this is how you "sound" when you're emailing officials to demand a pass—basically threatening the CZ headquarters by saying they'll lose your vote in the next election—then it’s no wonder you aren't getting anywhere with those flimsy little arguments you keep repeating. Instead of all that, if you're really as "trapped" by municipal borders as you claim, then just order stuff online. Report local shopkeepers overcharging people to the inspectors, check in with neighbors in town to see if everything's okay with the property, FaceTime your family and friends, or... I don't know, find some other way to pass the time. If you actually want to go, then go talk to the Mayor or the CZ head and try to secure a permit for shopping or food supplies. For all the other reasons you think they owe you access to neighboring counties—just shut up. You're coming off as incredibly arrogant.
Also, I totally agree that these (completely illogical) measures hit the rest of us way harder than Washington, D.C. residents. It feels like we might just be the test subjects for future restrictions that Washington will eventually have to get used to if this whole COVID situation spirals. We're basically the guinea pigs. 🙂
Seriously, why isn't anyone calling those mental health hotlines? I mean, think about it—for everyone struggling with being stuck at home, or just needing to clear their head with a solo walk, hanging out online, diving into a book, or finally getting back to those hobbies you ditched because of work. Bake some cookies, whip up a massive three-course meal, binge a movie, hit the gym... If I wasn't being forced to work right now, I’d be doing all of that. There are endless ways to stay sane.
Joseph Taylor11 said:Oh, I get what you're getting at... I know there's maybe a 1% chance of everything I listed actually happening... but there's this whole other string of "little things" that matter just as much to me...
Take this, for example: I once had an emergency where I ended up stuck in the hospital for ten days, leaving the apartment completely empty. While I was gone, I got hit with a massive bill $167 for water because a toilet was constantly running (usually my bill is only about $5, since I'm hardly ever home...)
But, uh... whatever. It's beside the point now. To me, this whole situation is insane, and I'm not backing down on it.
What are the odds of something like that happening again? I mean, some people lose their roofs in ten seconds—God forbid anything worse happens than a leaky toilet. 🙂
mellowseal1 said:I don't get it either, I've already mentioned that before.
In Washington, D.C., you can basically wander around normally without showing any kind of clearance...
Then it’s obvious—those leaked documents they later denied by claiming there were "typos" or "errors" aren't actually that far-fetched or impossible. The real question is: do you really want to be caught stuck in the middle of an isolation like that? 😉
Joseph Taylor11 said:I hear you. But what about someone like me who maintains a residence and an apartment in a different city? I live alone in that apartment, and I drive there by myself. (And I'm not talking about going every single day—just once a week!!—say, to check if a pipe burst... or there's a gas leak... you get the idea) Who and how am I EXACTLY putting anyone at risk?
Please spare me the whole "oh, you'll just pop in for milk and bread... or the pharmacy... or to see a neighbor..." routine. No, I'm not stopping by a neighbor's house because I don't even know them (the people at my primary residence are the ones I actually socialize with)—and as for milk, bread, or the pharmacy, I'll head out when I actually need something, purely so I don't starve to death.
You can't JUST stop people from socializing simply by banning them from leaving their primary place of residence.
Period.
I hope that makes things a little clearer—and why I'm so annoyed by this decision.
Staying home isn't the issue for me. I'm home, I work from home; as far as I'm concerned, I could live for months without seeing another human being! I'd sign my name to that under oath. But let me look after my own property (which nobody gave me for free, which I'm still paying a mortgage on, and which I can't just leave unattended for a month... or however long this lasts).
And yeah... NO, I don't have some neighbor I can just hand my keys to so they can check on everything. Even if I did, I wouldn't be crazy enough to give a neighbor my apartment keys indefinitely. Helloooooo!!!!!
Hey Joseph Taylor11, listen—I have a downtown apartment where an entire wall from the building next door basically collapsed onto it. I only went over there to shut off the water and gas, and honestly, I couldn't even leave a key for the neighbors because their places were trashed way worse than mine, so they probably had to evacuate anyway. I only got lucky because of a recent full renovation (even the roof was done) and a bit of pure luck. Also, I work in healthcare, so while I'm not legally restricted from moving around, I'm staying put specifically so I don't catch whatever is going around and end up unable to show up for work. If something goes wrong with the utilities in your place, the building manager will likely give you a heads-up after they've already shut off the main valves before you even arrive. In that case, the damage should be minimal, so those weekly trips of yours seem totally unnecessary to me. This is about priorities; I get that we all think we're the center of the universe, but imagine how much chaos would happen if everyone like us—people just wanting to "check in"—started driving around. It would be total mayhem. Hang in there, it'll all work out.
crimsonranger3 said:Goddammit. I am not infected. There have been three cases in my city—one recovered, so that leaves two. I have a contact at the hospital, so I know for a fact there are only two active cases in a city of 50,000. And because of this, I can't even get in my car and drive out to some village 6.2 miles further out to enjoy nature, go for a walk, or ride my bike. Why? Because of a couple of Infected Washington, D.C. residents who lost their minds over an earthquake and falling facades and decided to flee? To hell with the Government and all of you supporting this. Restricting the ENTIRE country just because of a few specialists in Washington, D.C.? Give me a break.
And it won't be two weeks; this nonsense is going to drag on for two months. Since last Monday, I haven't been around people because I respect the rules. I haven't hung out with friends because I respect the rules. And frankly, I'm losing my mind because I am not some antisocial cactus that can survive two weeks without human contact. Even if I could manage two weeks, it wouldn't stop at two. You'll see what happens when people snap due to these restrictions being rolled out en masse just for Washington, D.C. They're isolating the whole country because of them. Absolute bullshit.
I followed the measures as they were introduced, even though I thought they were excessive. Now, it has reached the point where I am physically sick with anxiety over whether I will catch the virus and die, versus the desperate need to just leave the house and be with other PEOPLE. Humans are SOCIAL beings, not moles.
I hear you. I agree with you on a lot of points. I'm also furious at those doctors who headed off to ski resorts in a situation like THIS!!! Even if I try to defend them by saying that back then, neither Italy nor Austria—nor our own health services—were even considering travel bans to high-risk areas. But hey, it is what it is. The only thing that might pull us out of this hole is tourism, not to mention how many people rely on that income. It's not impossible to kickstart the season once this whole COVID mess passes, but everyone absolutely has to show some solidarity with these measures. Also, I think the police made a massive blunder letting those people head toward the coast after the earthquake when everything in Washington, D.C. was already taken care of—from housing to food. But whatever, let's just be patient... and hopefully saved.
Rebecca Peterson94 said:That’s exactly what I asked, and I didn't get a single answer from anyone. Apparently, it stays in effect as long as the authorities feel like it. So now you're just stuck wondering if you'll be cooped up for one month, two, or three. Honestly, I think we're all gonna lose our minds from the stress before we even catch the virus.
It makes sense, really—we wait until the curve starts dropping. But right now? We've basically handed the virus a head start for exponential growth. If we hadn't been so reckless earlier, maybe we'd already be seeing things trend downward. So, bottom line: the more we stay hunkered down at home and stop this spread in its tracks, the faster we get out of this whole—forgive my language—mess.
To my colleague over in the Midwest, I can only say this: just because they don't have cases on paper doesn't mean there aren't infections out there (as much as I wish that were true). And since the virus can hang around surfaces for—they're saying up to—11 days now, you don't even need to be near people anymore; you just have to be near where they've been.
restlessmason54 said:I honestly think we should be arresting anyone who keeps flouting quarantine rules or ignoring the ban on gathering in public spaces. If they get caught up in this nonsense again, they should face at least a month behind bars.
And, if someone decides to get reckless or actually tries to bolt while being checked by authorities, let's just give the officers the green light to use lethal force.
Brilliant plan, really, but!!!! You have to consider all those people who came back to the States or had contact with an infected person and didn't bother calling their doctors—instead choosing to "self-isolate" just because they didn't want to lose their freedom of movement, which is exactly what everyone here is protesting against. Those people were spreading the virus through sheer selfishness, and we're dealing with one of the most virulent strains the world has ever seen. These measures aren't perfect, obviously, but they're there to protect us—and more importantly, our parents—from catching it. Look, folks, our healthcare system was already a mess before this started. After the recent disaster, many departments are basically unusable. There's simply no room left for the influx of new cases, and maybe even more critical is the recovery count. Only 5! That means their tests are still coming back positive and they're still "occupying" beds that potentially new patients need. Also, don't forget how many medical professionals are stuck in isolation right now because they were exposed to those people from the beginning of this whole mess—the ones walking around hiding their status just for their own convenience. When you add it all up... you'll see that this is truly the last thing we need right now. If we actually take this seriously and let the system protect us from ourselves—since controlling unregistered movements is impossible—the spread will slow down. As a member of a medical team, I’m appealing to all of you: please, just hang in there. We are reaching our breaking point. We're short-staffed, and we're running low on diagnostic tools and treatment options. Plus, ask yourselves: is it harder for someone whose essential chemotherapy or transplant has been delayed than it is for you? Yes, people are dying—not necessarily *of* the virus, but because of it... for now. Have some heart. Let people survive!!! The sooner this settles down, the sooner life gets back to normal for everyone.
Look, Rachel Richardson, we aren't kids here. What I'm saying isn't about "disliking" you. It’s just impossible to miss you. Seriously, no matter what thread I start, there you are. It’s getting exhausting to quote you, but honestly, it’s even more exhausting trying to skip over how much you dominate every single conversation. And no, you aren't being constructive. Do I really need to list all the times you've been useless, or can we just agree that 90% of your posts are total filler?
God, Byron's page is absolutely flooded with posts. Look, I have nothing against the guy, but every once in a while, someone needs to call him out for being a total shut-in—especially when you're involved, acting like you're some master of multitasking and "responsible parenting." But since we're using him as an example, let's be real: there's a massive difference between his mindless rambling and your so-called "constructive" nonsense.
P.S. You actually slid into my DMs, so since we're splitting hairs here...