Posts by Jacob Foster11

And why do we constantly have to repeat things that have already been said?

How many times does the same thing need to be said before people stop asking the exact same questions over and over again?

William Green4 said:I have to disagree; this idea isn't nearly as simple to pull off as it seems.
If we were handling registration, I think users would just choose their own gender anyway.
First off, if we implemented the symbols that Jacob Foster11 suggested, half the community probably wouldn't even know which icon represents which gender.
Second, you always have those people who intentionally enter the wrong information just to be difficult.
In my opinion, if we really wanted accuracy, everyone's Social Security Number should be listed right next to their username.
That way, there wouldn't be any confusion when someone starts talking trash about what another user wrote, and you'd actually know exactly whose house to drive to if you felt like settling the score physically.
The whole concept misses the mark entirely.
On a side note, I’ve noticed a sudden surge of suggestions lately on how to "improve" the site; I can't tell if people are just bored or if they're all trying to audition for moderator positions.
Honestly, the forum is perfectly fine just the way it is.

They don't know anything because they refuse to think for themselves. First off, it's just basic common sense. Second, the signs are perfectly logical. Honestly, someone should just teach them how it works.

But that’s honestly irrelevant. It’s like they're obsessed with making sure signs are just standing there for no reason. 🙄 If you have such a massive problem with gender markers, just write "male" or "female." It shouldn't be that difficult for you. 🙄

William Green4 said:I have to disagree; this idea isn't nearly as simple to pull off as it seems.
If we were handling registration, I think users would just choose their own gender anyway.
First off, if we implemented the symbols that Jacob Foster11 suggested, half the community probably wouldn't even know which icon represents which gender.
Second, you always have those people who intentionally enter the wrong information just to be difficult.
In my opinion, if we really wanted accuracy, everyone's Social Security Number should be listed right next to their username.
That way, there wouldn't be any confusion when someone starts talking trash about what another user wrote, and you'd actually know exactly whose house to drive to if you felt like settling the score physically.
The whole concept misses the mark entirely.
On a side note, I’ve noticed a sudden surge of suggestions lately on how to "improve" the site; I can't tell if people are just bored or if they're all trying to audition for moderator positions.
Honestly, the forum is perfectly fine just the way it is.

The point is completely missed. It doesn't matter whether that person's gender matches their profile or not.

Gender selection is already available on the forum. There is absolutely no need for some ridiculous "verification" process. If a man feels like a woman, he should just set his profile to female—regardless of biological reality. Same goes for the reverse.

It is vital to address someone according to their declared gender. Use masculine pronouns for men and feminine for women. To be clear: the actual biological reality is irrelevant.

I am repeating myself once again (since apparently it needs to be said). The gender field would only be provided for those users who actually want it—meaning, only for those who define it themselves. It’s exactly how it works right now. This wouldn't be some mandatory requirement that you have to fill out just to access the forum.

Note:
It’s just as irrelevant whether someone entered their actual birth date or simply made it up. A date of birth is just another piece of data currently sitting on this forum.

Morgan Rodriguez57 said:The same thing goes for gender... 🙂

Sure, but you need gender just for sentence structure. In the language itself, there's a distinction between genders (hint: "you did thiso" vs "you did thisla"). Age doesn't work that way. 😉

William Myers7 said:I already asked why our request wasn't approved! So far, I haven't received a single straight answer. Sorry, but it seems to me someone just wanted to start a new thread based on reasons only they can understand. Why can't we just stick to the original thread? Still waiting on an answer for that... What exactly is the issue with continuing the discussion as we did before (minus the animations)?

I can't answer those questions for you. You'll have to wait for an official from the relevant authorities. But honestly, judging by how things have been playing out here lately, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't hold my breath for any kind of response.

William Myers7 said:The weight in megabytes is irrelevant, and you know that just as well as I do!

I know there isn't one. It's just like how page count doesn't mean anything. Yet, you’re still using it as an argument to differentiate between these two cases—yours and the one I linked.

Hey...

There isn't an official intro subforum or dedicated thread. People just post wherever they please.

The issue is that the required language here is American. If you aren't fluent, I doubt you'll get much participation.

As far as I'm aware, this is the only thread where English is actually permitted:

That thread focuses on practicing your English. You might find it more comfortable there.

What sort of photos are you looking to share?

Do you need any help with American?

William Myers7 said:Who decided mine had to be the final word? Not my business. Besides, silentsailor5 already went on the record admitting how she landed that moderator gig anyway...

If you can't take a joke, that's on you.

William Myers7 said:Why are you even deviating from the point? The issue isn't who someone is or how they act—it's why this is happening or why it isn't.
You've made your decision, and frankly, most of us couldn't disagree more. Unfortunately, we don't have a vote, and clearly, we don't even have a voice. I truly don't understand how you people in power can be so heartless toward the rest of us.

Am I the one going off-topic? You're the ones who have spent this entire time pushing the "who was where and when" angle just to attack the moderator, using those pathetic "arguments" about how she wasn't even present. In this context, that's completely irrelevant.

I'm repeating myself again. As far as the actual content goes, nothing has changed. You all complained about the moderator's decision, and for now, it stands.

William Myers7 said:Your example isn't even in the same ballpark as ours. Yours is 350 pages long, while ours is only 80! Your example just ends with a moderator's standard sentence and a link to the old thread. Look at how we actually close one thread and start the next!

I don't see why page count matters. If you're insisting that the number of pages is the key metric, then by that logic, the file size in MB is just as important. Even though this thread has fewer pages, it definitely carries more weight in terms of megabytes.

Of course cases aren't identical. Moderators aren't identical either. And even if they were, that still wouldn't mean the situations have to be exactly the same.

William Myers7 said:That rule came from the new moderator, who, if I recall correctly, had never even been on the Jokes subforum before.

Incorrect. That rule was collectively decided upon by all the moderators of that subforum. She is simply enforcing it. Furthermore, her appointment as moderator was approved by the admins and the head moderator. Their decision regarding who serves as a moderator is final, not yours.

EDIT:
I have no intention of listing examples of closed threads and their successors until I stumble upon one that actually satisfies you. I provided the first example that came to mind. The reason for closing that thread wasn't any more significant than the reason for this one. And nobody complained then.

This doesn't set any kind of precedent. There are plenty of instances where an old thread gets shut down just so a successor can be opened. Usually, it’s because of updated community guidelines. This isn't some isolated incident, and it certainly won't be the last. Stop getting worked up over what is clearly standard moderation. You don't have a single objective reason to complain here. Nothing was deleted, and nothing that was previously allowed is now being restricted.

Here is an example of one old closed thread and its successor:

EDIT:
You received a direct answer. The issue is simply that you aren't satisfied with it.

Kate Castillo55 said:Fine, then here is my question: why bother starting a new thread just for funny photos when there are much more active threads on this forum with way more pages?

I have no idea what the moderators' exact motives are. But this is how I see it... The old thread had both funny animated GIFs and regular images. Those are two different things. If you split them into new, separate threads, the boundary becomes clearly defined.

As for the ban on GIFs, I actually get it. Mobile data is becoming the standard everywhere. As we all know, mobile plans still don't always offer unlimited flat rates. For example, you might have a package with half a gig included, or just one GB, where every extra megabyte costs an arm and a leg. If someone is browsing like that, they obviously care whether images are just a few dozen or hundred KB versus several MB. Someone opening this new photo thread can rest easy knowing they won't run into a single "heavy" GIF.

William Myers7 said:Do you get it now, or are you still clueless?

No, I don't. How is the old thread supposed to get lost if there's a direct link to it in the new one?

William Myers7 said:2. If we leave things like this, old threads will eventually vanish from the front page of the Jokes section and won't be read ever again...

Just put a moderator note at the end of the old thread with a link to the new one, then put a note at the start of the new thread linking back to the old one, and the issue is solved. I've already implemented this method on my own subforums.

In general, I think you guys are making a mountain out of a molehill. You're creating problems where none exist. The old thread isn't deleted; it still exists. Everything that was possible before is still possible, just split into two threads. I honestly don't see the issue. Link the threads together and it's done. 🤷

Kyle Anderson90 said:Check out Reddit

Reddit

So what? You already aired your grievances to the admins in those linked threads. Their word is final. What's the point of this now? 🤷

Matthew Wilson50 said:The mods are just protecting their own. 😛

Ugh. 👋

Of course the mods backed her up once everyone started dogpiling her for no reason.

Personally, I don't think this thread is going to lift anyone's spirits; if anything, it's just going to ramp up the tension. It doesn't actually solve a thing because picking moderators isn't some democratic process—it's just the current mods making deals with the admins and the owner.

Or maybe I'm just wrong. 🤷

On Amtrak? 😕

And what exactly is the point of this poll? 🤔

driftingpilot said:🙂 😛

brz Gonzalez. I spent ten minutes typing my reply while you were already jumping in to answer her questions... 🤣

😁

Your post was definitely more detailed. You included those numbers next to the topics; I completely blanked on that. 😁

Kimberly Sanchez said:1. Once I post a comment on a thread, how can I find my own posts again if I come back to a massive topic with 50 pages?

Check this out:

Kimberly Sanchez said:2. How do I embed an actual image instead of just posting a link? Someone mentioned this forum doesn't allow it, but I see people pasting images directly into their posts without making others click a link.

Look at this:

Study that. If you have more questions, let me know...

Tyler Thomas12 said:All we need now is some volunteer to go door-to-door checking everyone's underwear—though honestly, you could probably just guess based on physiognomy if you were feeling ambitious enough. 😁

How do you even expect to convince people on this forum to weigh in on something so trivial if they haven't already?

And don't get me started on these symbols... I'd bet anything half the population has no clue which sign represents which gender. I know I certainly didn't. 😳
(I always have to stop and think, "Okay, so the guys are getting an erection, so these must be the male symbols." 😁
I almost had a crisis standing in front of the restroom at a dive bar once because of it. 😕 😲 😬)

Clearly, you aren't reading the previous posts in this thread, are you? Am I supposed to repeat everything ever said to every single person individually?

So, let me repeat myself. The forum already allows users to select their gender in their settings. It’s not some groundbreaking new feature or anything complex you need to overthink. Just go here and you'll see the option to set your gender:
http://www.americanforum.com/profile.php?do=editprofile

Once a user sets their gender, it shows up on their profile for everyone else to see. Nobody cares if someone is lying about it; that's irrelevant here. If someone identifies as male, people will address them as such. Same goes for females.

The point is, this gender doesn't just sit on the profile—it also appears right next to the username on every post (just like location does). Check out this image (by John Doe):


Are we done repeating the obvious now?

Tyler Thomas12 said:All we need now is some volunteer to go door-to-door checking everyone's underwear—though honestly, you could probably just guess based on physiognomy if you were feeling ambitious enough. 😁

How do you even expect to convince people on this forum to weigh in on something so trivial if they haven't already?

And don't get me started on these symbols... I'd bet anything half the population has no clue which sign represents which gender. I know I certainly didn't. 😳
(I always have to stop and think, "Okay, so the guys are getting an erection, so these must be the male symbols." 😁
I almost had a crisis standing in front of the restroom at a dive bar once because of it. 😕 😲 😬)

I honestly don't get how you can mix those up. Do men have an arrow in their pants while women have a target? Look closely at the symbols: ♀ ♂. They couldn't be more logical if they tried.

ordinary said:what even is this? a revolution on the forum, nothing works anymore 😕
if only we had actual protests in the streets over how the US Economy is being run..

😕

Why would suggesting a change be considered a revolution, and why does that mean nothing is working? Where are you getting those conclusions?

rustydrifter10 said:Exactly, they do! There’s really no need to have it cluttering up yet another spot. 🙂

Give me one solid reason why someone wouldn't just list their gender right next to their name. I mean, obviously, we're talking about the folks who voluntarily added their gender to their profile in the first place.

People who want to share that info have already done so. If anyone actually cares to know, they have a way to check.

Fourthly, just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it never happens to anyone else. It definitely happens.

It happens to me too, though it's always super brief and doesn't cause any actual trauma or awkwardness; it doesn't derail the whole thread, and honestly, it can even turn out to be pretty funny. 😁

Btw, here's a silly example of how a conversation goes:
- "HELP!!!!! My computer slowed down, what should I do???"
- "Did you run a scan? You might have some malware on there."
- "I didn't, what do I need to do??? I'M A WOMAN!!!"
I swear, I can't believe I even have to list examples of conversations where knowing the other person's gender would be helpful. 🙄

You don't need to list them, because this specific example perfectly captures all the potential friction that comes from misgendering someone. It seriously changes the tone of the communication, and if she hadn't clarified her gender in a later post, she could have ended up with so many wrong answers. Not to mention all the extra effort it took just to clear up the misunderstanding.

Those symbols aren't hurting anyone, so feel free to use them if you want. But there's really no necessity for it. 🙂

How can there be "no need" if misunderstandings keep happening? If people are getting confused, then there is absolutely a need for them. If misunderstandings didn't exist, then maybe they wouldn't be needed.

Here is a perfect example of a misunderstanding from a few days ago:

rustydrifter10 said:But how would you even end up in a spot where you need to write that? Someone might say, "I was there," and their gender becomes obvious because of how they describe themselves—it’s all tied into those linguistic cues we use to distinguish gender. Honestly, I haven't had a conversation with anyone on here for more than two posts without knowing if I'm talking to a guy or a girl, and frankly, I don't even care that much.

I'm talking to a person's brain, not their anatomy.

And even if a misunderstanding happens, that person usually just corrects themselves in the very next reply.
Besides, what’s stopping a forum user from just typing as the opposite gender anyway?

🤦

Let’s look at it this way. First, there is no foolproof way to figure out someone's gender, nor is it necessary. Anyone who chooses to reveal their gender is doing so voluntarily. And people will address them accordingly, whether they are lying or not.

Second, gender settings already exist within the forum software itself.

Third, we are just talking about having the gender listed next to the name, just like the location is. Give me one good reason why you wouldn't list your gender right next to your name. Obviously, I am referring to those who voluntarily added their gender to their profile.

Fourth, just because it doesn't happen to you doesn't mean it never happens to anyone else. It happens.

Fifth, of course, this isn't some critical feature without which the forum would collapse. But it is something that would ease communication in certain situations by removing misunderstandings. To be fair, these misunderstandings aren't catastrophic. But if they can be eliminated, why not? Again, give me one solid reason why this wouldn't be a good idea. Or better yet... give me one good reason why it would be bad.

Btw, a silly example of a conversation:
- "HELP!!!!! My computer slowed down, what should I do???"
- "Did you run a scan? You might have some malware on there."
- "No, what do I need to do??? I AM A WOMAN!!!"
I honestly can't believe I have to list examples of conversations where knowing the speaker's gender is actually helpful. 🙄