General Topics Thread - Input requested

[Linnea]

Participation in the forum is falling so precipitously - it is in danger of failing altogether.

I have some ideas of why this is. What are yours - and what suggestions do you have to bring more life and discussion to the board?

[Joolz]

What are your ideas, Linnea? I don't have any.

I'm doing all I know to do... which is start threads and post to others' threads as often as I can.

[Joolz]

Also, what are you seeing as far as numbers for participation, etc. that we can't see? I'm just curious, because, as a poster, I don't really notice what you're seeing. It seems about normal to me. Some days are good, some days are slow. But that just seems "normal" to me.

[HB3]

I think the "Art Bell genre" is pretty much gone, and that's too bad. There's probably various reasons for that.

[Joolz]

I would agree with that, HB. The original reason for this board -- Art Bell fans -- is largely missing. The fan-base is not what it once was. And people new to the C2C genre think of George Noory, not Art Bell, when they think of the show, unfortunately. And the ratings for the show in general have slipped.

I probably have a few ideas, but want to hear what Linnea thinks first. She can see things we can't (numbers?), I figure.

[Linnea]

Just trying to get a discussion going here and what others are noticing and thinking about forum participation and topics areas discussed, and etc...

*added

Was trying to encourage an open dialogue without pressure or any expectations. What people are thinking and feeling, generally. Maybe even get some ideas for positive and constructive things that would help enhance the fun factor and general experience.

[SETIsLady]

Hi Linnea, I have been spending my free time getting more involved in Animal rights causes again. This is something that I have always done, but was shifting my time between that and politics. I feel that politics is not really the best use of my time anymore, I read but just not feeling any passion mostly aggravation, and not much but complaining can be done.

I think the quality of posting has actually gone up not down here on the ship, when all of us are focused on respecting the conversations (we all slip from time to time) but overall I think we have had some good dialogs recently. I would love to see more activity in what’s going on with Earth, and nature in general. We have some really intelligent people here and have the ability to get things done, that to me is positive.

However on the other hand sometimes the ship is a great place to vent how we are all feeling. And it’s good that we can do that together, it’s like sitting at a coffee shop and talking with friends.

Not sure if that really answered your question but those are my thoughts. Regarding C2C I no longer listen, I feel they have a political agenda and just don’t want to play along. I listen to George Knapp, Ian and Art when he is on, just can’t do the George Noory thing much.


Other than that, we have good people here who come to hang out, daily thats pretty cool !

[Linnea]

Hey, Linda. Something that might be fun, is to run some of our topic headers through an analysis type of program - to see what characteristics the FF came up with.

Are there programs like that?

[Psychicwolf]

I could have written SL's post.

I am not into the political thing as much as I was. I am so turned off by what is going on in DC, at every level, that I just haven't got the fight in me anymore. It's been felt on the local level in that I am not donating time or money to this cycle. Have received several desperate phone calls recently.

Like Seti, I am busy with the animal causes, both domestic and wild animals.

This is the time of year, for me, where things get really busy and I haven't been around as much. I apologize for my absence but real life interferes occasionally. Between some life crisis with friends and loved ones, the garden, the animal groups and fund raising, and my oldest remaining dog has been diagnosised with an inoperable liver mass I have been spent mentally and emotionally.

I have a bunch of material saved and have begun outlining a couple of large multiple posts about what I think is going on economically with the destruction of the middle class in this country and what I call the "great leveling". Also on what is being planned for Social Security; it sickens me...but people need to understand and make plans accordingly.

I think we have a good group and some intelligent posting going on. Agree with SL (again) that I'd like to see more posting on issues with the environment, animals and the economy.

Not much into C2C anymore. I listen to Ian (sometimes) and to me (IMHO), the UFO thing has been done to death by Knapp so I rarely listen. I think there maybe trouble in paradise (LV gossip:D ) in the Phillipines, so what that means for Art I don't know.

[starrmtn001]

I agree with SETIsLADY. The FF seems to wax, wan, and wax again. I love SL's post especially those geared to help Mother Earth - Gaia. And I'd love it if Linnea would re-start her Friday night Mind Blast toward where ever it is needed most. I'll even supply the Grog!
Maybe, start an Artist's Corner or Gallery for artists, photographers, and writers aboard this Worthy Ship.

[Raggedyann]

Hope its OK if I add my 2 cents here. I too agree with Setislady. It was very dead around here a few months ago. I would check in and see the same posts on the front page for days with few responses. I thought the FF had picked up steam in the last while. Some of the older posters have been popping in too. I have also noticed that some of the threads have huge numbers of people viewing. Perhaps some of the viewers will pop in and post. The fact that there are intelligent people posting here could be intimidating for onlookers. I probably should be too but naaaaw.

There may not be quantity here but the quality is excellent!

[Bobbi Snow]

Some of the other forums are dead, too. I'm a member of several; some haven't had any significant posts for 3 months. It might be the oil spill, the hopelessness of the partisan b.s., or maybe some people just have nothing to say, right now. Also, some people have said "farewell" because they can't afford their internet connections; food and mortgage/rent and lights/gas/electricity is most important.

[starrmtn001]

Hope its OK if I add my 2 cents here. I too agree with Setislady. It was very dead around here a few months ago. I would check in and see the same posts on the front page for days with few responses. I thought the FF had picked up steam in the last while. Some of the older posters have been popping in too. I have also noticed that some of the threads have huge numbers of people viewing. Perhaps some of the viewers will pop in and post. The fact that there are intelligent people posting here could be intimidating for onlookers. I probably should be too but naaaaw.

There may not be quantity here but the quality is excellent!

This ^

[SquidInk]

I loved the concept of "blogging the Armageddon" - as a sort of humorous, eye rolling way of laughing at ourselves, while simultaneously documenting the truly f'ed up situation we find ourselves in.

I guess it would need more "positive vibe" to have mass appeal, but that is essentially what the entire internet is quickly becoming - a real time compendium of a dissent into chaos; a multimedia diary of a human culture run amok.

The places that find a way to make that interesting (in unexpected ways) will thrive.

Ahh... I don't even know what that means, I'm a blithering idiot...

[Live365]

Everyone already said what I wanted to say! Yes, I would say the Ship has picked up in recent months, not slowed down. Yes, I think we're all feeling the malaise of the state of the world. What's there to fight about anymore? The whole thing is effed-up. Yes, most threads have triple the number of views to posts, so even though not talking, people are still "here". And yes, threads of a *different* nature are becoming increasingly popular.

It is no longer an Art Bell/C2C forum; that's established. But reading through the thread, I'm beginning to wonder if the Ship is entering a new iteration, away from the political heat of circa 2005 to 2008, and more toward...as yet being determined. In fact, we could be in a very exciting time without even realizing it! The dawn of a new era.........