(06-23-2020, 03:42 AM)Bally002 Wrote:

(06-23-2020, 03:38 AM)hutch622 Wrote: Another ATSer here . One door closes and another opens i suppose . Although . This site has a familiar feel to it already .Lots of familiar faces so to speak . Just have to relearn the board now , but i'm getting there .

Hi Hutch,

Yeah I'm finding my way around.  2 posts in 'Short Stories'.  One you will be familiar with but a new one regarding 'Westall'  in 1966.  Hope you can have a read.  

Looking forward to 'crabbing' in November.  If the crabs are too small at that time do I need to bring a rod?

Kind regards,

Bally

November is on .

(06-23-2020, 03:53 AM)hutch622 Wrote:

(06-23-2020, 03:42 AM)Bally002 Wrote:

(06-23-2020, 03:38 AM)hutch622 Wrote: Another ATSer here . One door closes and another opens i suppose . Although . This site has a familiar feel to it already .Lots of familiar faces so to speak . Just have to relearn the board now , but i'm getting there .

Hi Hutch,

Yeah I'm finding my way around.  2 posts in 'Short Stories'.  One you will be familiar with but a new one regarding 'Westall'  in 1966.  Hope you can have a read.  

Looking forward to 'crabbing' in November.  If the crabs are too small at that time do I need to bring a rod?

Kind regards,

Bally

November is on .

Easy Peasy mate.  I drink any sort of beer.

Mixed emotions here.

I like what I've seen so far.  Lots and lots of familiar faces.  Many I've had conversations/arguements with over the years, others just a familiar name, or avvy.

I gave a lot of time, and parts of my heart and soul to ATS over the years...fifteen of 'em, both as a member and staff.  ...and, please, do not at anytime ask about anything that happened behind the curtain there.

I gave my word that it would remain there.  There it will remain for all time.  

I'm looking forward to being just a regular member...all too often I practiced a great deal of self-editing because of my position on ATS.  That will not be the case here...grrrrrr.


:mediumserious: :

(06-22-2020, 07:08 AM)MisterSpock Wrote: Anyone banned from ATS was banned for good reason....

I personally, won't associate with any online persona that failed to pass the ATS test.....

You have a uniquely 'judging' perspective (no associations involving any other persons not demonstrating your thesis allowed). Anyone not passing ATS 'muster' is not valid and subject to 'cancel culture' rules.

(06-23-2020, 03:50 AM)Finspiracy Wrote: Hello.

To the ones that already know me online: Yep, it is me again.

To the ones that do not already know me online: Yep, it is me.

:)

@"Finspiracy" 
Hi,,,,   Come on in and lets have a drink or smoke a bowl.

Yes we are pretty Open Minded here and like everyone.

You need help just ask or try the shout box on the first page, you can go Learn Our Site and it has pictures,,, ostly for me I think 

Enjoy!

(06-22-2020, 07:08 AM)MisterSpock Wrote: Anyone banned from ATS was banned for good reason....

I personally, won't associate with any online persona that failed to pass the ATS test.....

I got banned from ATS after less than a year by Skeptic.  But one of the Mods got me back on again.  I kind of said something that Skeptik thought a guest speaker wouldn't like, but the guest speaker actually didn't mind what I said when he responded to my post a day later.

@"DuckforcoveR" 
Thank You my friend for that post about R-N3.

We are a Family and Guess What????? That includes YOUR Liberal Ass 
You have been and always will be a true and Valued Friend and part Of our Family 

Even after President Trump 2nd and possibly 3rd term  
Yes My Friend @"DuckforcoveR"  you'll still one of my Administrators and Most Of All A Rogue and a Friend 


Now are you ready,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,
OR,,,,,,,,,,

(06-23-2020, 03:50 AM)Finspiracy Wrote: Hello.

To the ones that already know me online: Yep, it is me again.

To the ones that do not already know me online: Yep, it is me.

:)

G'day Fin !  ?

I'll tell a story that may fill in some of my history with ATS, since we are all going down memory lane.

I first caught wind of ATS when I was about ten years old. I can't recall what it was exactly that lead me to ATS, but at the time I was searching for information about cryptids, aliens, and secret government bases. The information I found myself perusing was scary, eye opening, and enlightening. I felt like I was learning things that was supposed to be shrouded in secrecy. Every passing day as a child I felt that it was only a matter of time before some government official came knocking to scare me from ever wanting to dig into conspiracies.

As I got older I continued to visit ATS on a regular basis.

I watched members come and go. Saw the various changes the site went through. Saw alliances forged and foes made. I saw members leave due to various reasons. There was no lack of accusations to be had. I saw that many people left because they were tired of arguing what they believed in all the time, and I saw people banned for whatever reason. I saw people who once identified as liberal begin to claim to be conservative or at least refuse to vote for Democrat.

Politics became a more prominent issue on the site, especially with how it seemed how everything eventually went back to which politician was doing what and why.

In recent years it seems practically every conspiracy theory had a political slant to it.

Medical conspiracies, corporate conspiracies, red flags, military conspiracies, religious conspiracies, all have political connections.

Hell, the only things that really don't have any political connection are cryptids.

Well, about a couple of years ago I decided to make an account and it went well for a while, but there was a specific member who was getting on my nerves. Spouting a lot of ridiculous opinions about the economy, and one thing lead to another and I'm pretty sure I got banned, because I found myself logged out and unable to log back in.

I took a break, because I was really irritated that someone who predicted stock values using astrology was being taken seriously.

My break lasted about a year I think, and I came back as AutomateThis.

I love ATS, but I honestly think it's time has come. From the time I was ten until now when I'm thirty ATS was the one site that I visited on a daily basis. I learned a lot from the information and the members. But, the current iteration of ATS isn't all that. I don't mean that in anyway that's disrespectful to anyone. It's just that the daily arguments, the ego stroking, the opinions stated as irrefutable fact, and that people would rather read a OP Title, not read the actual post, and proceed to instigate arguments is ridiculous.

I like to think that ATS was my home for the longest, and that over the past twenty years it was instrumental in allowing me to grow and see a different side to things. Now, it's time to venture out, and interact with others, and go about pursuing the things that interest me.

That's the reason that I am taking my cameras and going to go to spots that are purported to have mysterious phenomenon involved.

I will create a YouTube channel, and share what I find.

(06-23-2020, 04:25 AM)seagull Wrote: I'm looking forward to being just a regular member...all too often I practiced a great deal of self-editing because of my position on ATS.  That will not be the case here...grrrrrr.


:mediumserious: :

Self editing is good thing. I used to have a temper that was legendary. 

My mother took me aside one day, sat me down and had a long heart to heart with me. She basically made it clear that if I didn't learn how to control my temper, I was going to end up in jail or murdered.

It took a while, but I, for the most part, have done a fairly good job of keeping my temper in check. With a lot of self editing.

I never cared whether or not ATS was the biggest, best...or most popular forum.
I came for the weird stuff...I stayed for the weird people.

If and when ATS closes shop...will go where they go...and quite a few of them are coming here.

(06-23-2020, 02:56 AM)kdog Wrote:

(06-23-2020, 02:49 AM)Ninurta Wrote:

(06-23-2020, 02:29 AM)kdog Wrote: I came to ATS in 2011 in search of something I did not know I was looking for. 

It was a gateway to open my eyes. 

I found everything I was searching for and more. Met my wife there. 

I went searching further, finding various of places to land. 

Banned from there several times, I really just went dark, just researching on my own. 

ATS has gone through this before, but honestly, I won't miss it because of the friends I made elsewhere and for the friends I know in real life. 

Done with politics, and want to continue my search for the weird and unexplained. 

Cheers !

I met Grace over there, too! Who knew ATS was a matchmaking site? She was a Muslim, I was bashing the shit out of Muslims, and the rest is history!

.

Love finds you in  the strangest places. Best thing ever happened to me.

What's love?

(I finished this post as a song in my head)

I had been on ATS for quite some time, under different names like most. It always seemed a decent reflection of "normal" society outside the digital veil.

Politics creeped into everything there with about the same timing as everywhere else that wasnt facebook/twitter.

I had actually thought I was just gonna go down with the e-ship and leave the net.. But I dont know how else to share the tech stuff I have worked on. So, here we are!

I saw redneck, rickymouse, and The Spock here and figured itd be good.

Can I post one liners or naughty words here?

(06-23-2020, 03:51 PM)Serdgiam Wrote: Can I post one liners or naughty words here?

I had to test that. -chuckle

Worked just fine.

Good to see you made it over!!

When i started a thread on ATS last week titled "Post a site similar to ATS", i was hoping for somewhere where everybody knows your name..
LOL.

This site right here is exactly what i was hoping for, it couldnt be any more perfect for me.
It looks great in dark mode, the user interface (is that the correct terminology?) is easy to navigate, and best of all, theres already a good few familiar names. Plus the new names (to me) are friendly and very helpful.

I already know this is the place for me

(06-22-2020, 07:06 AM)Freija Wrote: Howdy!

Then my bestie there threw a fit and got herself banned. In solidarity with her and her reasons, I got myself banned too.

1000 posts and another  year or two later, I was banned again...

 I was banned AGAIN! Saddened yes, but not truly surprised. 

Hi all 

So is it safe to say it is almost impossible to get banned here...lol

(06-23-2020, 02:38 PM)IAMTAT Wrote: I never cared whether or not ATS was the biggest, best...or most popular forum.
I came for the weird stuff...I stayed for the weird people.

If and when ATS closes shop...will go where they go...and quite a few of them are coming here.

Ew.

Weird people?

(06-23-2020, 06:07 PM)beez Wrote:

(06-23-2020, 02:38 PM)IAMTAT Wrote: I never cared whether or not ATS was the biggest, best...or most popular forum.
I came for the weird stuff...I stayed for the weird people.

If and when ATS closes shop...will go where they go...and quite a few of them are coming here.

Ew.

Weird people?

Present company excepted.

(06-23-2020, 01:56 AM)TheRedneck Wrote: Thanks, but I always considered myself member first. I went to ATS to learn about new ideas and put down the ones that made no sense... not to moderate. I made it clear that was my intention on day 1.

Plus, as a moderator, I sort of softened my approach somewhat... didn't want to cause drama that didn't need to be there. Here I can let loose with both barrels again.

TheRedneck

We're on the same side anyways, so let loose!

(06-23-2020, 02:25 AM)DuckforcoveR Wrote: Since it's the cool thing to do, just want to share some "T O S" memories:

I was one of those that are all too common: "been lurking, finally joined!" people. I feel like once I actually joined in 2012 I knew everyone in the place, where to go, what to do, etc. etc. etc. 

But I was also a bit of an introvert (looking back now it's shocking...). I had yet to truly realize my ability to generate a cortisol flood by arguing (   ) so I tried avoiding anything that may have seemed like an argument. 

I posted one "legit" thread about religion (yeah, keeping it simple...) but for the most part just stood in awe of some of the fabulous topics I came to love. 

The Slayers, Zaphods, and many others who helped "raise me" while I was in the shadows of ATS became almost godlike because of their knowledge and expertise. 

Astro sent me down a rabbit hole, the "earthquake guy" had me thinking Yellowstone was any day now (sorry, can't remember the handle TBH), Zaphod with the Darpa / Skunkworks talk, and man, oh man, Slayer with the g-spot threads that had me up at night looking into the unknown. 

And then came Paris. I remember it clearly, I was at a Supercuts to be honest getting my hair cut that night. When the news broke, it seemed like MSM was falling over themselves with BS information, but there was ATS. At the forefront, with a beer in the hand, ATS was everything from an "I'm ok! check on so and so instead", to a breaking news site that had the answers long before your CNN's and NBC's were reporting things. It was epic (and horrible), but it was something to behold when people shared information in real time like that. 

But then, shortly after, 2016 hit. I don't have a specific thread in mind, nor can I pinpoint a day. I also can't honestly tell you who sent me the PM to come join "others" at another site. HH was a good relief from the madness that TOS had become, but there was still something missing. I decided to check it out because TOS started to feel more and more unwelcome. I've said before, I have thick skin. But the vitriol was more "in your face" than it seemed before. Maybe the site stayed the same but I changed? I'm open about accepting that. But I can say with 100% certainty there was something brewing. 

When RN3 was in her infancy, I found something that I wanted so badly from TOS: that acceptance. It wasn't about who had the most flags, stars, "likes", shares, or years. It was about content and the ability for people old and new to generate and discuss it. And because the site was new and didn't have much, it was like a blank slate. But being populated by some veteran TOS'rs it wasn't like we (they) were all new to my favorite subjects, but instead of "already been posted" cold replies because the search engine at TOS sucked monkey balls, it was like a new discussion being generated all over again (and yes, sometimes it even had members linking to old threads over there - so it's not like we pretended the discussion never happened). 

What I do know is nothing will ever replace TOS in my timeline. It played a part, had its place, and now it's on to bigger things. Life got in the way big time on my end and even RN3 became a "once a month" thing on my end. But one thing I always knew, whether it was 2 days or 2 months I could drop a bleeding heart liberal BOMB into RN3 for the heck of it and every single member here would lay down their shields and ask me how I was....(before pummeling into the ground with their Trump batons, but that's another discussion). And it made me realize that getting an email from @guohua on a random Saturday was much more valuable than getting a star on my snide comment. Sharing what scotch is the best, what drink is there waiting, or what solemn melody as a whisper in the night delivers me my sleep, none of that is possible in a business model that allows toxicity. I'm not an owner, nor a genius, but it was toxic at TOS. Still had some of the same great people (albeit less than I remember) but it was different. 

My closing statement: I didn't do it, nobody saw me, you can't prove anything. 

And to @"guohua" @"Sol"  @"gordi"  @"BIAD"   @"Mystic Wanderer" @"Ninurta" @"Wallfire" @"senona" @"OmegaLogos" and holy shit I'm gonna forget some while writing this (sorry!) you all made this a home for me. You made this what I felt before even registering at TOS, a place to feel at home. A place to post about life, the universe, and everything. A place to imagine, even if for a second, that I was the bowl of petunias:

"Curiously, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias, as it fell, was, "Oh no, not again!" Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly *why* the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the universe than we do now."

I can remember the day I joined like it was yesterday.