Posts by Charles Davis88

Betty Parker16 said:The diaspora totally fell apart—and they used to be the most active and fun group, always talking about daily street life and organizing marches.
That’s just how it goes... all the fun, the Smol talk, just messing around—though if someone actually asks a serious question, they get an answer.

I’d call it more like "bore talk." You wouldn't believe the kind of people looking to get hitched over there! 🙂

This forum might be a better spot than Facebook, but honestly, the way you phrased that post just doesn't sound motivating—it’s more like "I can't do it, so maybe someone else will"...
I mentioned Satori because she's a woman who took things on with her bare hands—so to speak—and inspired dozens of people in the process.
Maybe put a little more thought into your marketing approach... 🙂

Paul Gomez90 said:I’ve already explained this, but here we go again... if I can't do something myself, but I know people who might be able to, at least I can let them know... and I don't see anything wrong with that.
Basically, if I don't pass information along, I haven't done anything—but with one single click, I've shared it and maybe actually done some good. It's just one person helping another; in my mind, it's worth the cost of one click... isn't it?

Spreading info isn't inherently bad, but you have to question how effective it actually is when you're using Facebook—where pleas for help easily get drowned out by a sea of "Which Hollywood star do you look like?" quizzes and random nonsense.
What I'm getting at is that this kind of approach often starts looking dangerously close to spam
(think chain emails or those petitions asking for money for sick kids).

Why wait for someone else to take action? Why shouldn't I start with myself? That's exactly what this is—taking initiative and spreading word about something I want more people to hear about... and I hope at least one person steps up to help (and since you're being so nitpicky 😉 I've supported both of these causes in multiple ways, both financially and otherwise)... and not just these two...

I was referring to your specific comment

For example, I might not have the cash, but I hit the "like" button on these two pages, which lets my friends see it, and maybe someone who *can* help will see it too... I'm just the middleman for the aid... humanitarian action via a single click... couldn't be easier...

I don't know you personally; I'm strictly judging based on what you write here. If you actually do something tangible beyond just clicking buttons, then fine.

And I help for selfish reasons, because helping someone makes me feel indescribably good...

I get that. Most altruists are just massive egoists at heart. 😉

Paul Gomez90 said:well, we're looking for the right spot... if you have a suggestion, speak up—though I feel like more people show up here than at those random local meetups...

When things get rough, helping others is what keeps me sane—it makes me feel better... and it doesn't always mean opening your wallet... sometimes it's just about actions, or even just kind words...

For instance, if I'm broke, I can still hit "like" on two specific pages so my friends see them in their feeds. Maybe someone who actually has the cash will see it and step up... I'm basically just acting as a middleman for the help...one click and you've technically done something charitable... though it's not exactly breaking a sweat......

This part rubbed me the wrong way.
I'm sure you meant well, but surely you realize that mindless clicking just to boost some numbers—numbers that don't represent actual dollars—doesn't actually help anyone. All you're really doing is soothing your own conscience. It's basically like saying, "I don't have money, and I don't have time to volunteer for a nonprofit, so I'll just 'like' their page. Easy! Now I've done my good deed!" Well, I'm not so sure that's going to feed or clothe anyone in need. That’s a different story when it comes to specialized sites like www.thehungersite.com, the so-called click-to-donate style.
Why wait for someone else to take action? Start with yourself and set an example. Don't be a "performative" humanitarian.

Check out the threads over on the Parenting sub-forum (yeah, steelskipper5, I'm giving you a shoutout for RiD)—there's one called "Let's Gear Up a Kid's Room Together," started by a user named Satori.

So, where am I supposed to take this thread now? 🤔

frozenseal55 said:Honestly, I think that’s a brilliant idea.🙂>

I don't think we need a dedicated subforum—I mean, who would actually post there? 😕
Most of us are already losing our minds over the thousandth identical question. We don't even need special threads; everything can be handled in the existing ones (po zemlja).
To me, the priority should be educating new users—it’s on them to adapt. They should look at the Diaspora as if it were a foreign country they need to integrate into! 😍

wiredsailor7 said:What if we just opened a dedicated sub-forum on the Diaspora site specifically for relocation Q&A?

Everything would be a hell of a lot easier if these paratroopers actually read the sub-forum rules—but let’s be real, we’re probably never going to get rid of them completely.
Steven Ruiz pointed out that people should Google things and dig through old threads before asking questions, but some people just lack the patience, the manners, or... well, the brains for that kind of approach. I deal with the exact same thing over in Social Science—it feels like five new threads pop up every single day asking stuff like "HELP! How do you say man in English?"
There is already a massive pinned thread full of links to specific language topics.

I might introduce something similar to the Diaspora site: a master thread organized by country alphabetically, and go for it, Mickey. Plus, maybe a bright, colorful warning telling people not to post unless they've done at least a baseline amount of research. Otherwise? Instant ban. 😈

The truth is, most people don't even know how to use Google. 😢

As for comparing the Diaspora to Reddit...

The people over on Reddit are also all different types of individuals with totally different perspectives on life—people who post their creative work there, or at least their attempts at it. They comment on each other's stuff, throwing out their own value judgments on what others have produced.
If that isn't a powder keg of a situation, then I honestly don't know what is. 🙂

Here’s how I see it: Steven Ruiz was actually the most chill mod—reasonable vocabulary, kept things civil.
You guys gave her a hard time. Then ambermason16 stepped up with a more authoritative vibe (though not aggressive, unlike certain users here!), all in an attempt to establish some order since apparently Steven Ruiz's approach "wasn't working."

I think we're all being a bit too sensitive. We shouldn't take Reddit this seriously; nobody ever died from a cardboard cutout.
And if the rules state that moderator actions shouldn't be debated based on who's having a bad day, then maybe we could put that extra "effort" toward complaining where it actually matters. Whining and jumping down a mod's throat over every single move isn't productive for any subforum. For what it's worth, I was offered the chance to moderate the Diaspora section twice in the last three years, and both times I decided that taking on such an ungrateful job would be like shooting myself in the foot.

I don't see what ambermason16 did that was so terrible to warrant this much instant resentment. If my memory serves, some people decided right out of the gate that she couldn't be a mod because she's "unknown," doesn't live in the Diaspora, or "moderates Television." They never gave her a fair shake—just shut her down immediately.

Anyway, that's just my perspective as a user who rarely has issues with mods or the community in general.

Roger Robinson682 said:You really haven't the slightest clue what my original handle was...🙄🙄

I am quite certain the admins have eyes on everything, and frankly, it seems they are perfectly content with how things unfolded and how they are currently playing out. That’s why I’ve largely given up hope that anything will actually change. When you were appointed as a moderator for the second time, I simply stopped visiting the Diaspora community, much like many others did. I suppose I just have a low tolerance for arrogance and that condescending tone people seem to adopt. In a strange way, though, I suppose I should thank you, because you effectively "cured" me of my addiction to this forum. If there were just a few more people like you and perhaps a few more like me, this whole place might actually turn a corner...😁😁

I don't know, personally I've never noticed Steven Ruiz being arrogant; she just talks normally.
Sometimes I check out the Photography subforum where she moderates now, and the vibe there is actually great. It's not like she's schizophrenic and switches personalities for every single subforum. 😕

It's a different story when some people just want to burn the whole thing down, but in my opinion, anarchy isn't the solution. 🤷

electriccobra17 said:I honestly feel like if we actually want the American Diaspora to move past this dead end and stop the endless
blah blah blah from those people calling themselves moderators, we—the actual users—need to step up and focus on
real topics. So, here's the plan:

- Stop answering all those stupid, boring, useless, repetitive questions. If we don't, there won't be any
pointless discussions wasting everyone's precious time—time that could be spent doing much better things, I think it's high time
that we stop letting ourselves get provoked or worn down by total nonsense and falling for it like some kind of... well, you know...😁

- We need to be way more active in the threads divided BY COUNTRY. Start posting about what’s actually
IMPORTANT (to you) happening right now—whether it's politics, culture, sports, or the food scene in that specific country
so the conversation actually moves forward. Since we're all watching everything from the other side of the fence anyway,

- In the CHAT, besides just saying "hi," checking the weather, or asking what time it is, recipes, music, and random info...
we could talk about WHO WENT WHERE, concerts, art shows, various events people want to hit up, restaurants, or even just good wine and food you've had lately...

- We should probably find the best ways to avoid certain arguments—at least in the Diaspora, we know you can't win against people who are being stubborn, and you always end up losing.😁

- Whether we want to or not, NOBODY is stopping us from making GOOD posts and only responding to stuff that's actually worth it.😍

gifmifajF

,

I’ve actually been thinking (for a while now, honestly) about starting a thread based on this idea, but I need to make sure something similar hasn't already popped up. 🙂

Ashley Rogers4 said:I feel bad if certain Western themes and perspectives don't fit into your imaginary little bubble. Kokica is practically a fallen hero of this site. We should probably start an entire sub-forum dedicated to Kokica's mental (and other) qualities.

And that fear of catching the "infection" of free thought? It's so typical for a generation that was still in diapers when the missiles were falling on Washington, D.C. This postmodern political correctness in modern America is exactly why things are the way they are.
The forum is just a mirror reflecting that reality.

And here I was thinking you wouldn't grasp exactly what kind of "contagion" I'm talking about.

As for my "non-existent world" and that whole line of reasoning regarding the "generation that was in diapers," etc.—it's a total non sequitur...just like 99% of your posts. 🤷

I think I might have missed that thread of Stephanie's about self-confidence... 😕

mistyhound2 said:🤦

Lupus in fabula. 🤦

Steven Ruiz, I honestly thought people like that only got banned on those specific PDFs where they just frantically clone themselves over and over.

A "deep" post from Kokuza? More like science fiction. 😁

Personally, I’ve never had an issue with any of the mods on this forum, regardless of their individual styles. 🤷
My problem is with the uneducated spinsters and the people who just love to beat around the bush. That goes for all of Forum.hr, but let's just say this specific sub holds a special place in my heart when it comes to that particular headache. 👍 There aren't even that many spinsters in terms of percentage, but whenever they show up, they're all you see. 🙂

Ashley Rogers4 said:This whole thing keeps happening because the moderator cares more about their own ego than actually showing respect (or finding the time) for everyone else.
I’ve been part of the diaspora for ages, and I feel like I’ve seen every single crisis and headache since, I don't know, 2002 or 2003. Honestly, aside from that one guy from Australia (was his name Hobbit or something like that?), this entire moderation team is pretty useless, and the quality of leadership just keeps getting worse. I remember when this group of "housewives" suddenly swooped in—I think that was the exact moment this forum lost its edge. Look, if we're chatting about cookies or recipes, fine, everything's great. But the second Kokuza jumps in to lecture people like they're uneducated peasants, she gets banned, while the "clueless" crowd stays right where they are.
People in the diaspora have way more options for how to build their lives. It's not like nobody wants to help the newcomers, but even these "kids" need to put in a little effort to find info themselves. Like, imagine someone asking: "I'm a chef but I want to work in IT, what school do I need, and how much is an apartment in Los Angeles? Because I'm an American from Lower Krkusa and I only want to live in New York, Florida, or California"—what are you even supposed to say to a question like that?

Up until now, most of this moderation has basically come from the diaspora living in Graz or Vienna. But the diaspora includes users from every single continent with years of life experience (some even live in multiple countries!). How can someone moderate a global community when they spend every weekend sleeping at their mom's place back in... America?

BTW, ambermason16 is (as far as I know) just another name for Skate Mus... If moderators are allowed to have a couple of nicknames, why shouldn't regular users have a few too? Just to keep things interesting!

On top of that, there are political topics that really matter to the diaspora. Economic issues in different countries hit politics differently in the places where we actually live. Our view of the political world is completely different from someone who's seventeen and only knows about the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. I realized a long time ago that in Europe, your only choices seem to be being a fascist, a communist, or part of the diaspora—but moving continents doesn't magically fix all the old baggage. We have a few users here with libertarian views that are totally unknown in most parts of the world, and their posts make zero sense to anyone who hasn't experienced much more than just Communist Party or Republican Party ideas.

Naturally, the diaspora sees internal American problems through a different lens (as Njegos would say, "if you stand on a hill, you see better than those stuck in the valley"), and certain European solutions just don't align with what people in the diaspora have actually gone through.

Plus, the criteria for free speech are totally different here compared to the EU or America, which causes a lot of frustration. For example, if I write that my current president is a jerk, it's totally fine here. But if I go on a forum and say Sanders is a jerk—whether I mean it literally or just figuratively—will I get banned? That feels so disconnected from the environment I actually live in; neither side should be bowing down to political figures.

Because of all this, I truly believe a moderator for the diaspora should be from the "New World"—the USA, Canada, or Australia. But hey, if there aren't any other options, or if the forum policy is to maintain some "Old World" tradition of being overly respectful to hierarchical structures, then let it be!

As for me, I don't even have to visit the forum, but I'll swing by for updates. I won't pretend I'm not rambling a bit too much!

This whole post is, well, full of nonsense. 🙂

Between claims that Ironing Man is just another name for Skate Mus, suggestions that moderators should be from the "New World" (🤣), and the idea that in America you can only be one thing—a fascist, a communist, or part of the 🤔 diaspora... Not to mention quoting Kokuza like she’s some modern-day heroine! It's the ultra-urban Kokuza versus the shepherds! 😂😂

Posts like this are exactly why I don't hang out here more often. 😁 I'm afraid of catching the contagion, if you catch my drift...

fadedmarlin402 said:You don't go to a general practitioner for this kind of thing; you need a speech therapist. They’re the ones who will actually give you the specific exercises required to fix the issue. Honestly, none of us here can offer much more than that—you really need a professional to step in. The sooner you get them an appointment, the better. 🙂

I'm dropping this into the social science section, hoping it actually belongs here.

I'm moving it back to Health... 😁

quietseal15 said:I watched this movie recently—it’s decent enough, but I wouldn't bother seeing it in a theater. The whole hook is basically the dialect gap between people in the South versus the North of France—that whole North vs. South dynamic again—so I doubt it translates well to our language. It feels more like a Sunday afternoon TV movie than a cinematic experience... plus, anyone actually speaking French is going to get way more out of it because, just like with English, some things just don't translate...😁

I'm with you on that.
My husband is actually from that region, so I caught all the nuances and subtext, especially since I live in France myself.
In my opinion, this comedy is way too specific to one local area to really hit its stride in a different market.

For comparison—show "Saturday Night Live" to some foreigner, especially if they don't speak English fluently and have to rely on subtitles. They'll probably laugh at the slapstick bits, but all the subtle wit will fly right over their heads.

Look, it's watchable, but it's definitely not meant for us.

By the way, what's the actual American title?

Unbelievable.

Are you even aware that there isn't an actual question in your post? 😕

No, just unbelievable.

Btw, don't you think your imaginary inquiry belongs in the Health subforum?

Chiudo.

Alexander Hernandez32 said:Am I really the only one who found this movie boring and exhausting? 🤷

The first time I watched it, I actually fell asleep. The second time around, I was just irritated because the setting felt so forced—it was anything but authentic.

And the plot? It didn't help at all. In fact... (see my note below)

Here I am! I didn't actually fall asleep—though that’s only happened twice in my entire life: once during *Lord of the Rings* (the third one) and once during Wong Kar-wai's *2046*.

The only thing is that Bellucci is stunning, but honestly, that just wasn't enough for me...

And the American version is even stupider—giving us that happy ending and all that slow motion, like we're stuck in some cheesy MTV music video... jerk!

northerncrane4 said:It's my favorite Woody Allen movie.

Me too.
First time I watched it was back in the fall of 2000—I was recovering from tonsil surgery at the time and honestly, I cursed the damn thing a hundred times... felt like someone was stabbing my throat every single time I tried to laugh. Just every ten seconds or so.