A Note to Browsers and Newbies Considering Joining This Board

[Methuselah]

This board has amazing software, well-designed with many options. It may take a while to find all the options and learn how to turn the knobs. I will invite others to fill in some of the details on board usage in comments to this note. Using most of those features and posting here requires that you be registered, and approved by the Admin. How to do that will be described in another comment.
There are two distinct groups who are resident here. The first group, the Cordials, come here to converse with other cordial people they have known for a long time. They enjoy talking to cordial Newbies. and are glad to see the membership increase. The second, The Vicious Clamor of Harpies, come here to find people to insult and drive away. Newbies are prime targets for them. Once you are registered there is an option that lets you stop all posts from them. The others will have to read their bile aimed at you, but you will be spared. There is hope for some Harpies who are occasionally cordial, so perhaps if we get more cordial Newbies some of the Harpies will become more cordial.
To get started, first register. On the front page there is an icon named “REGISTER”, which will take you to a template that is easy to fill out. You will also be asked to have an existing member speak up for you. We will discuss different ways to do that in the comments.
I just looked up the definition of Harpy in Wikipedia. It is a misogynistic term. It applies only to women.
“The term is often used metaphorically to refer to a nasty or annoying woman.”
It is derogatory. Is there a masculine equivalent?” Harpo for men, Harpist as gender-neutral?

[Methuselah]

Go to the front page and log in. In the upper RH corner will be your nickname as used here. Click on that and it will take you to an icon for User Control Panel. Click on that. It will take you to a Friend and Foes icon. Click on Foes. It will tell you how to block specific Harpies and Harpos. After you submit this form, their posts will no longer appear on your screen.
There are many other options on the Control Panel. Take some time to review them.

[Methuselah]

To be deleted.

[Methuselah]

Every time I discuss this I get blasted by a Vicious Clamor of Harpists. I’ll invite someone else to describe how to be approved for membership. I know all the ways that don’t work, so I’m not much use on this topic. Why give the Harpists another target?

[Methuselah]

Deleted.

[Scooter]

A post cannot be deleted once a subsequent post has been made.

[ex-khobar Andy]

True. You can however edit a post (the crayon button) and delete the contents. The post stays up but is empty.

[Methuselah]

The Admin has posted his email address on one of the posts in another thread. You can find it by using the Search feature at the top of the fiirst page with the words: email burner address. I hope you are allowed to do this if you are not a registered, accepted person. Please let me know if it doesn't work.

[ex-khobar Andy]

Harpies were half bird, half women creatures who featured in Greek (Homer) and Roman (Virgil) stories, generally to frustrate the (always) male heroes.

Your insinuation, Meth, that those who come here to denigrate others are female Is (a) insulting and (b) just plain wrong.

[Methuselah]

I acnowledged that above, ex-Andy, and quoted the Wiki statement on modern usage. I solved the misognist part by inventing the gender-free name of Harpists. Someone tell the Greeks. Aren't you supposed to be resting while you recover from the Trump Covid epidemic? Typing with your thumbs too long may cause arthritis problems.

[Scooter]

There are two kinds of newcomers who join this place:

One kind are looking to be members of the congregation. Members of the congregation are not shy about sharing their knowledge, skills and especially their opinions, but they know that each person is on their own path and so are not invested in trying to convert anyone to their point of view or way of doing things.

The other kind are missionaries. Missionaries believe they are possessed of special knowledge and/or insights not available to anyone else in the congregation. They see their purpose as trying to "save" the congregation by convincing everyone to conform to their point of view. They are so convinced of the superiority of the gospel they preach, that it is completely unfathomable to them why everyone does not immediately fall on their knees and accept the missionary as their saviour. They become unhinged at any rejection of the salvation they offer, which inevitably causes them to turn on the congregation they wanted to save; instead, they obsessively disrupt it and tear it down in the hope of destroying it. Such a messianic compulsion is clearly an attempt to compensate for the feelings of failure and powerlessness that pervade their pathetic excuses for a real life.

[BoSoxGal]

This place has jumped the shark.

[Scooter]

This asshole is certainly going to be the last straw for me if he doesn't get down off of his cross, particularly since he seems to have made it his mission to bring along others who are going to carry their version of his obsession with them.

[TPFKA@W]

I took education courses eons ago and what I was taught is to ignore unwanted behaviors. You are giving him the attention that he seeks.

[Scooter]

Didn't you and the rest of the Three Graces just give me a lecture about giving him a chance? And I'm being criticized for having pegged him accurately from the get go?

[Methuselah]

I'm taking TPFKA's advice and declaring you a Harpo, Scooter. Don't bother responding, I'm blocking you.

[Scooter]

You imagine that will have any effect? Congratulations, I have just made you my special project.

[TPFKA@W]

Didn't you and the rest of the Three Graces just give me a lecture about giving him a chance? And I'm being criticized for having pegged him accurately from the get go?

Well it’s quite interesting on what one’s perspective is on what clutter on the board looks like. From my perspective you giving follow up posts on his posts is pretty much just as annoying, neither more nor less, than his posts. I am offering sensible advice on how to not be as annoying as he is. Let him post to the sound of crickets and he will probably run out of gas. Or keep stirring the pot making him your special project.

[Gob]

I've had more off-board communication with Meth than I've had with some of you who are founder members.

[No Greater Fool]

*Delurks*
Gob, are you bragging or complaining?
*Relurks*