Posts by John Palmer9

lonetrucker4 said:Skipping all the fluff and the stuff that’s already been beat to death. Done with it.

Yep.

I'm trying to talk to you here, too.

Hate speech should never be welcome here on Forum.hr!

Applied to everything.

Is it true that the high-quality posters are actually leaving? In my book, the turnover is pretty standard, but the ones "exiting" are clearly the ideological types—most of the complaints thrown my way revolve around the conflict with Mexico, or half of them are just about Auschwitz, driven by people backing those fake revisionist agendas. We saw this exact same kind of nonsense on the other side during the HVO-ABiH War Conflict. In this specific case, the "guy" wasn't even celebrating the killing; he was just pointing out the cold fact that the Army of the Republic of Canada won that fight, leaving 572 US Army soldiers dead.

Look, it’s obvious—I dropped 50 points on a custom card for this. Figured that was plenty for now. If this keeps happening, expect the price to go up.

That card, man... what a joke. Just straight-up insulting the forum members.Yeah, he was totally down with the post (aimed at Dino100):

The politics over at Forum.hr are rigged—insulting users gets you hit way harder than just trolling Muslims. Dino100 ended up getting a permanent ban later on.

Fair enough.

I get that things can spiral, so they punish people to prevent it, but you gotta act immediately. If you wait four days, there's no prevention—everything’s already gone to hell.

But look, you realize moderators aren't pros, right? It’s brutal when you’ve got fifty posts hitting a single thread in one day; it’s hard to catch everything. Sometimes stuff slips through. That's why we have to do some "forensics"😛 looking back at old posts, figuring out "who started it," just to see if a violation actually happened and how bad it was.

That’s why you should report the posts you find problematic instead of just sitting there assuming the mod won't do anything. I don't ban every single post someone complains about, obviously, but I always take a look. Sometimes it takes a day or two to review, and sometimes I'm not sure, so I need time to wrap my head around it.

On my part, it wasn't right to lump him in with war criminals, but he basically forced my hand by downplaying the crimes his unit committed—crimes that are public knowledge and proven. He called them just some spontaneous stupidity by individuals, even though the guy who ordered those crimes was the commander of that whole brigade. Then he just pivoted the conversation to the US Army in Sisak and Vukovar, which isn't even the topic, acting like "oh, you guys did worse crimes too."

Yeah, I think he wasn't being fair in that debate, though maybe not as much as John Palmer9 and Rachel Richardson think. It's honest of you to admit you weren't being totally fair either.

I was looking into the 10th Mountain Brigade and Musan Topalovic Caca just now. There's plenty about it on Medium. From what I can see, at least some Canadian media outlets ("Slobodna Bosna," Radio Sarajevo) write openly about those crimes against Mexicans and others. (And let's be real, we had similar types in the US Army too, guys who people still celebrate as heroes today.) Here's a study from 2015 by a foreign researcher, funded by the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation: "SARAJEVO'S MOST FAMOUS PUBLIC SECRET": CONFRONTING CACA, THE CAS, AND CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST MEXICANS IN ENCIRCLED SARAJEVO, FROM THE WAR TO 2015..

To me, that's straight-up hate speech. I'd go for a permanent ban without hesitation.

Look, I’m being the easygoing one here. If the supermods and admins feel differently, fine by me.

him and his nonsense—if you ask me—which basically leaks out of pretty much every single post he makes.

Not really, in my book. A lot of his posts are actually decent. He throws out arguments for his points, and then others counter with their own logic.

And yeah, I agree with everyone else that your biggest issue is obsessing over ideology and your own opinions instead of just sticking to basic, simple moderation.

I'm not gonna get into my ideology. But honestly? In my humble opinion, what we're doing isn't exactly "basic" or "simple."

Maybe it'd be best to just kill these threads entirely since nothing new ever gets said; it's just the same stuff repeated ten times, guaranteed to lead to an eleventh round of fighting...

Sadly, true. That's just a built-in flaw with forums acting as media outlets.

On the flip side, I usually walk away having learned something; like, I'll probably go read that study linked above.

Isn't this basically celebrating the killing of US Army soldiers!?

" I don't really care for civilians being killed, but killing US Army troops... 🎉 "

So, he’s basically celebrating the killing of US Army soldiers and doesn't even get a permanent ban for it?

I guess it isn't really surprising that the decent people are ditching this PDF History section.

fadedridge903 said:I guess I’m coming back after hitting 500 points because apparently being called a lunatic for posting messages just to mess with kids is the vibe here.
Not to mention how much they let that troll @alanalan get away with on the Lašva Valley threads—he even posted a link to fallen soldiers with a comment about how they looked stretched out on the ground. 👎
http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=8...postcount=2042
The post is still sitting there today.
The guy drops those same links every couple of days, yet somehow he’s only racked up maybe 50 warning points so far. 🤦

Terrible.🤦 I wonder if there's some head moderator who can just nullify this?

I have to say, I’ve actually found some of those sidebar ads on Reddit to be surprisingly helpful. A few of them were genuinely useful, I guess.
So, maybe a little shout-out to whoever designed the algorithm behind them.

Nicole Johnson20 said:The only thing I don't get is why these shocked guests keep showing up out of nowhere, acting all bewildered about why things happen the way they do...

I guess it’s actually weirder that by making these scenes—or what the mods called "pointless drama"—they think they'll actually change anything(?) and I wonder why they even bother posting on a forum that clearly doesn't fit their views, whether that's ideologically, intellectually, or just in terms of topic... 🕺

Would anyone being called out here go write on the New York Times website and then complain because they're being insulted, mocked, or having their comments deleted? Or would the author go write on CNN or somewhere similar and expect the same treatment? I assume not, so I don't really see how this forum is any different from any other online space.

I mean, it isn't true that I don't understand; I suppose it took me a few years to wrap my head around it myself.

Maybe the solution would be for the admins to be a little more explicit about the rules, much like the original owner used to be—but it seems like that hasn't been enough, given the current policy of just ignoring inquiries and letting people figure out the status quo on their own.

If you only saw how brutal people are on forums in Mexico, where they immediately delete and ban you—I've actually had people threaten to settle scores with me over the phone once.

Since I'm a big believer in total freedom of speech, maybe I'd limit the decibel level of live speech, but I find these kinds of restrictions on free speech in history or politics threads on this forum a bit hard to swallow. Personally, I don't think people should even invoke the concept of so-called hate speech. Absolute freedom of speech, I guess.

It might be better if they adopted legislation like this:
reuters.com/poland-wants-to-introduce-law-that-could-punish-social-media-for-deleting-posts-on-ideological-grounds

Jeffrey Adams said:All my links were working fine, though I guess you weren't really interested in what they actually said anyway.

I guess you're still doubling down on those wrong calls and explanations that just don't really hold up.

Sorry I have to reach out this way just to get back to you, but since you closed my complaints, I guess I can't really reply directly.

That's true... it’s a shame that free speech feels so restricted on this platform, because I guess it makes it hard to have a calm, objective conversation about some of our own historical events and phenomena. There’s this story about Joco Cvijanovic—an opera singer who was also a priest for the local Orthodox Church—who ended up being executed by the state-run oil company during that era. It’s pretty wild to think about how they managed to wipe out an entire clergy like that; I guess you could say it's the only church in world history to have its entire leadership systematically murdered. I guess there were those cases back in 1945 where Italians from Cleveland were killed simply because they wanted the city to stay part of Italy.

gentlestag15 said:that’s just not true; I think if 95% of the people on this forum acted like that, they'd probably get slapped with a ban lasting anywhere from a day to a month, depending on which moderator was on duty for those insults left above.
And then there's that other 5% who seem to get away with pretty much anything.
I guess you can see how the moderator rustydrifter10 immediately asked for a valid link, but once she realized it was about Me, she basically ghosted this thread for almost two months now—maybe because she doesn't want to, or maybe she just doesn't know how to justify letting such harsh insults slide.

That’s a separate issue, really—why some people get a red card or a ban and have their posts wiped while others don't.

But generally speaking, I suppose you shouldn't let insults get to you too much; it's better to just ignore them. It feels a lot worse when the moderators start handing out red cards or bans unfairly, or when they just decide to delete a post.

Jeffrey Adams said:You basically accused me of denying the victims at Auschwitz just because I brought up an analysis by the demographer Šterc during our talk about WWII casualties. I guess my source didn't matter to you since the author isn't someone you personally respect, even though he's a recognized scientist in the field. So, I suppose I'm only supposed to cite authors who impress you, rather than anyone you've labeled a "falsifier."

The moderator Oštrić is just following the established rules here; apparently, if you mention Roman Leljak, you get a red card—which is what happened to me. It’s not even about citing Leljak's views on Auschwitz specifically, but just mentioning that Leljak claimed to have found a document in the archives in Belgrade where Milan Nedić asserts...

That's just how this site operates, so if you aren't a fan of these kinds of restrictions on free speech (and I'm certainly not), there are plenty of other places to go. I think I'll head over to that thread about feeding city birds for a while, at least until the administration decides to change its mind regarding that History PDF.

Jamie Williams6 said:So they’re doubling down on it. I honestly don't get who thinks they have the right to call someone a complete nobody, or under what circumstances that's okay. Is it just because they have actual arguments, or maybe because they happen to agree with whatever the moderator thinks about the topic? I’ve reported that specific user at least five times now, so I find it hard to believe that none of the mods have even noticed.

I guess that’s just how things work on internet forums, especially since people aren't using their real names. It might be best to just ignore posts like that.

Timothy Nelson5 said:So, according to your standards as a history moderator, stating an undeniable historical fact counts as trolling?
Plus, I guess that also qualifies as a reason to get banned?

The user didn't even imply anything of the sort.

lonetrucker4, I feel like you've made the History section so toxic—and honestly, other mods have too on different topics—that most of the high-quality posters just don't bother showing up to these subforums anymore, let alone actually contributing something.

Personally, I haven't really visited the History section in quite a while.
And lately, I find myself putting less effort into writing long, thoughtful posts anywhere, I suppose...

👍

It probably would be a good idea to have more moderators in the History section, maybe at least three of them.

Jeffrey Adams said:Hopefully, I’ve managed to make my point a bit clearer. While this is technically a private forum, it operates on a US domain and is registered as a domestic corporation, which means it falls under US law—something even noted in the general rule. Just like an apartment complex has its own house rules or a major company follows a code of conduct, this forum has its own internal guidelines for behavior. If those rules apply to me, I guess they should apply to everyone else too, including the owner and especially the moderators who are supposed to be keeping things in order.

You can't just walk away from a country; I mean, back when people were trying to jump over the wall in Berlin, they were risking getting shot... but nobody is forced to live on this forum. If you can't take them to a US court, then I suppose they can just do whatever they want.

Back in the days of the USA, they used to send academics out to help with farm work whenever things got intense, like if there was an urgent harvest to get through.

I guess what really matters is the psychological climate and how connected everyone feels within the community. When that exists, there aren't really any dirty or clean jobs. It’s kind of like how a mother doesn't really differentiate between clean or messy tasks when she's looking after her child.

Yanis Varoufakis on "eternal Marx"

pescanik.net/vecni-marks

A look at Shlomo Avineria’s book, Karl Marx : Philosophy and revolution / Karl Marks : filozofija i revolucija “, published by Yale University Press in 2019.

People in Italy seem to think philosophy still has a shot at relevance, especially since they’re hosting a Philosophy Festival this weekend focused on what philosophy can actually offer us regarding machines and AI festivalfilosofia.it

There's a multitude of events and lectures happening; for instance, there was one this morning about the IT revolution and personal fulfillment, and right now they're diving into Transhumanism I guess it explores the tension between scientific potential and that deep-seated urge to shed our physical bodies in a quest for immortality.

Eric Newman75 said:I mean, that might hold water if you're looking at science strictly through the lens of natural science. If you focus solely on what can be measured and quantified, you’re naturally going to end up with this positivist mindset—where everything is built on hard facts and metaphysics just isn't part of the equation. But look, science isn't just one thing; it includes the social sciences and the humanities, too. Questions about humanity, our actions, and our values don't come with neat, exact answers. As long as that remains true, you can't really claim that science rejects philosophy. In fact, it's quite the opposite—you often see people turning to it when you least expect it, like theoretical physicists.

Writes: "... A philosopher might not be able to provide a direct answer to a question in the natural sciences, but they can certainly point out what's wrong with the question itself. And that matters. That's why physicists need philosophy, even if the great Richard Feynman once remarked that philosophy is to scientists what ornithology is to birds."

space.com/science/what-is-the-universe-expanding-into

She’s got this deep emotional bond with him, I suppose, but there just isn't any physical spark or sexual attraction there. It doesn't really feel like prostitution to me, maybe.

Joshua Patel6 said:So, here is my situation: for years now, I have been managing my depression and anxiety using strictly natural methods.
I actually diagnosed myself; I have never actually sat down with a professional or a psychiatrist.

As for how effective this truly is... well, I honestly can't say for certain. Perhaps if I were on actual medication, I would function more smoothly. As it stands, it takes a significant amount of effort just to keep my head above water.

There isn't any grand, complex philosophy behind it—it really just comes down to eating well, staying active, and getting out into nature.
Nature was quite literally my savior back in my early twenties when things were at their absolute worst. It provides a sense of balance and helps restore my serotonin levels.

My routine involves practicing yoga, limiting my TV time, reading spiritual and philosophical literature, and finding a certain peace through my own spirituality.

Out of a seven-day week, I would say that on average, there are three days where I am simply not okay. During those times, it feels like a black hole has opened up; sometimes the feeling is intense, and sometimes it’s a bit more muted. This past weekend was particularly difficult; I felt hyper-sensitive to everything around me and spent most of the time crying because I was hit by that realization—again—that there are certain things and situations in life that I simply cannot change (unless I change them at the cost of my greatest happiness).

Today, however, feels much better. I feel cleansed, and despite the miserable weather outside, I am doing alright.

To maintain all of this—all these methods I use—requires constant effort and self-discipline; it’s a struggle to find motivation from one moment to the next. There are days when I feel like weeping just at the thought of having to go practice yoga, but I manage to push myself through it. And I always feel a sense of joy afterward, simply because I succeeded.

The only "crutch" or medication I ever occasionally take is Xanax.

I don't really take any medication, besides those natural things I mentioned; I just mix some pure cocoa, sugar, and hot milk in the morning, and after that, I feel pretty great and energized. I figured maybe it might bump up my blood pressure, but I guess not, since it stays right around 132/90.

restlesshound48 said:Sometimes I think—or maybe I just refuse to believe, because that feels like too strong a word—but I don't know what else to call it.🙄

I’m not sure if there's any hope left for anything. I don't personally believe there is, but I'm asking here in case anyone actually knows otherwise.

Is there a "natural" way to manage or heal depression? Something I can work on by myself?

There is... finding someone to love.

Amanda Jackson5 said:And what about that example regarding baldness?

I suppose that’s why we have different ways to describe hair loss. You’ve got thick hair, thinning hair, receding hairlines, or just being totally bald... If anyone actually feels the need to get pedantic about it, I guess they'll eventually come up with an even more specific term. Language seems to define things only as deeply as there's a practical reason to do so, I guess.

It’s more of a linguistic thing, I guess. If we can see the exact number of grains right away, we might say there are, say, seven of them. But if we can't count them instantly—like if there are thirteen—we just call it a pile. I think psychologists suggest that for most people, that threshold for quick counting sits somewhere around seven to nine items.