Into the Forums

Imagination has been the name of the game on the Mountain Xpress Forums his week. Instead of stuffy talk about real issues of real importance and impact, the popular topics were more abstract in nature. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t local.

What could possibly be more local than a zombie attack? In this thread — assuming we can get a few people to play along — we’ll examine survival strategies for a post-zombie, apocalyptic Asheville.

On the national front, the news that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks “it’s time for a debate” about legalizing recreational marijuana caught the attention of our posters, partially because of a “what if” scenario involving Republican adoption of the idea as a means to take back political initiative from the current crush of Democrat popularity. (It’s not all that implausible, as Schwarzenegger is a Republican.) Interestingly, even the politically polarized posters seemed to think the idea was worth examining.

Now that winter has finally been shaken off, it’s time to start fretting about summer: The heat, the bugs and all the people asking, “Hot enough for you?” In this thread, we ask: What’s the worst thing about summer? Perhaps not surprisingly, mosquitoes and ants are currently topping the list.

And while it hasn’t exactly taken off, this thread about novel uses for an old iPod has potential, I’m sure of it. I mean, here’s just one example: “During a blackout, you’re bound to want light. Now your iPod can provide that shining glimmer you need!” Other equally useless ideas are encouraged.

One unexpectedly fun diversion this week has been the Choose Your Own Adventure thread, which asks forum users to pick their own path through a story filled with monsters and magic … and some lame jokes.

And all these threads are merely a few of this week’s discussions on the MountainX.com forums. Don’t see a discussion about that burning topic you’d like to talk about? Why not start your own? All registered members of MountainX.com have forum accounts, and if you aren’t a member, joining is easy — just click here.

Steve Shanafelt, forums administrator

 

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18 thoughts on “Into the Forums

  1. shadmarsh

    too bad you all waste your time on such silly and insignificant things when there are real issues out there for people to yell at one another about.

  2. shadmarsh

    I am way ahead of you. I just finished typing up a 12 page memorandum in which I discuss these vaery same complaints.

  3. Rhonda Velour

    “Tell it to the mayor. Real issues is not what this forum is for.” Boy is that right on. I looked at the forums this morning and saw a thread on somebodies faked suicide. What’s up with that? B O R I N G ! I wish there were substantitive issues there. Then I would possibly post there.

  4. brebro

    I can’t decide if your no-good forums are silly and valueless or merely hostile and cliquish. All I can tell you is that I am far too intelligent/friendly/cultured/serious/impressionable/busy/verbose/concise/remarkable/humble to participate.

  5. brebro

    Hey, what’s with the screwy posting behavior on these blogs? First, it cuts off my post in mid forward slash, and then it delays my post and puts it on after Ms. Velour’s where it no longer makes any contextual sense.

    This is another reason to bypass these wonky blogs and post in the predictably stable forums instead.

  6. “I looked at the forums this morning and saw a thread on somebodies faked suicide.”

    Nobody faked a suicide on the forums. It was a forum thread about somebody faking a suicide on Facebook.

  7. Rhonda Velour

    “Nobody faked a suicide on the forums. It was a forum thread about somebody faking a suicide on Facebook.”

    I didn’t intend for it to be read that way. But that kind of thread certainly seems a good example of how inconsequential many of the discussions are at that forum. Gossipy small talk.

  8. Piffy!

    “Gossipy small talk. “\

    This from a man banned from the Forums under multiple pseudonymns for flame-baiting and posting questionable images.

    Sounds like some sour grapes.

  9. Fred Keister

    I don’t care to even read those forums, and for sure will not post there. These complaints about cliquism and small minded banter are correct. How about making the forum more meaty. And for heavens sake, learn the difference between sarcasm and personal attack. The personal attacks and off subject posts make reading the forum even more of an unpleasant task.

  10. shadmarsh

    I like it how people come here to post about how they wont post on the forums…I mean really whats the point? Do you really think anyone cares? And if we are talking personal attacks…have you read the blogs?

  11. brebro

    The small minded banter is rife in the forums, alright, but some people like that kind of thing. The cliquism, if actually a word, is merely the logical result of a place with only 5 or 6 people posting there regularly. Therefore, the way to combat such a condition is to infuse the forum with MORE posters, not fewer. Finally, personal attacks are down 98% since all the Buggs were worked out a few weeks ago, the blogs here, however, still test positive for lethal amounts of trollism.

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