Hello, it's me.

I've thought about us for a long, long time. Or just the few minutes it took to find out how to join up here, but the first allows for a cleaner melody. Like all good members, I figured it best (and semi-required ) to introduce myself to the community at-large.

I'm male, rapidly approaching middle-age and born in that soon-to-be-gone transitional period where children went from playing Jedi with sticks to playing Jedi with high-end LED electronics that cost more than my Sega Genesis. And if we want to discuss readily available gizmos that aren't even recognizable from their predecessors, gaming systems are quite literally the science fiction of two decades ago. There's even a robot with citizenship, even if that's more publicity than actuality. The world has gone mad, and it's quite lovely (I enjoy my PS4 as much as my son, thank you very much. On that note, parents, why threaten to take away your children's games when they misbehave? I've found it far more effective to threaten to play on my son's account and make him watch as I ruin his KDA; I'd not seen his room so tidy in years.).

And here I am, communicating with people from across the globe (and possibly down the street, too), about whatever topics we'd like. Those pesky AOL CDs might be all that remains of our civilization millions of years from now (okay, obviously not, but it's purple and I like purple; used to be the color of royalty, ya know.), but they also served as the herald of the Dawn of the Internet, without which this wouldn't be possible. Or, actually, would just be insane, rambling to myself and what-not.

In a way, even this is a bit nuts; solopistic philosophy aside, this is the internet, and on the internet, no one knows you're a dog. This is particularly relevant on a forum discussing "conspiracy theories" and other "loony" subjects outside of mainstream tolerance, where the subject of many a topic is, at its core, objectivity. How can we maintain an atmosphere of trust and verisimilitude when any number of the posters might very well be part of the "Beast," or what have you, on top of being on the internet, where the most basic of truths is to not believe anything because it's the internet?

And yet it is done, not just here but in any of the number of forums and sites and communities, nigh-uncountable these days. Real, genuine relationships are formed between people who know nothing more of each other than the typeface setting of their browsers and available character maps (so many emotes I just can not see as anything more than boxes, without downloading the 'net's worth of fonts). Trust is built based on verification of their claims; you have to think a bit more to trust someone on the internet, at least with the sort of discourse present here. It takes more to "get to know" someone on the internet, and for me, that's worth it.

I look forward to getting to know this community.

a reply to: Apoplexic

Good intro and welcome to ATS. I had to smile at threatening to play using your sons' online gaming account. Sounds like a cool tactic. I hope you enjoy your time here, a wide variety of topics are here.

Oh, and beware of strangers bearing cookies...

a reply to: Apoplexic

todd rungren

nice reference

a reply to: Apoplexic

Welcome

Welcome to the site. Gee, when I was young we played with metal tonka trucks and watched a black and white tv. Our idea of fun was shooting a bunch of frogs in a small pond and throwing them on the gravel road and watch the cars run over them. By the way, if you are in the grass by the side of the road, the guts fly all over you when the car goes over them.

Kids nowadays just do not understand what fun is, when you sit in a tub of tomato juice because of teasing a skunk it teaches you something valuable....not to chase skunks.

You can't learn that kind of stuff in video games.

a reply to: rickymouse

Welcome home.

Kids nowadays just do not understand what fun is

I know, right? When I was a kid we used to fill up my Mom's old pocketbooks with dog and horse feces, along with any mayo or ketchup that was in the fridge and throw it next to the road wherever a streetlight was positioned. People would stop all the time and shove there hands in without looking...They would freak !! What ever happened to good, clean fun??
Sorry about drift.

Hmm, you learn something new every day and some things can never be unlearned.

Shooting frogs and bags full of poop. Keep it classy!

a reply to: Apoplexic

You're funny.

I like you.

I'm new here, I guess this is my introduction post as for some reason I can't find anywhere to start a new thread in the Introductions forum, not sure if I posted it in the main forum or just the newbie thread . I've been reading all over the place and trying to figure out how to use the forums but it seems too much and I can't find the way to post and I thought after 5 posts I could post anywhere on the forums (as it said that when I joined - maybe I got that wrong?). Anyway starting to think ATS may not be the place for me.

a reply to: Mindspace2018


www.abovetopsecret.com...

Hit the link above, go to new topic (the icon with the + ) and write away!


If you have questions, simply ask. We've all been where you are.

a reply to: Mindspace2018


www.abovetopsecret.com...

Hit the link above, go to new topic (the icon with the + ) and write away!


If you have questions, simply ask. We've all been where you are.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: Mindspace2018


www.abovetopsecret.com...

Hit the link above, go to new topic (the icon with the + ) and write away!


If you have questions, simply ask. We've all been where you are.

I was actually going to note something about this in my post, but I decided against it in case what I didn't see was in the slew of links referenced in one of the spots of sign-up (though, in fairness, the list was defined as being "cool features of the site" or somesuch, different from most forums, and we should look at them to see what we can do, definitely not billed as mandatory reading).

Going to the link you gave (which directs to the same place as the link from the sign-up process) doesn't give the "New Thread" icon, even though the process directions send us there as well with similar instructions.

The only place a "new thread" button is showing for me (ostensibly since I haven't met the posting requirements for a new thread on other forums yet) is within someone else's thread; the button appears at the top as (again ostensibly) normal when you go about it that way, but not from the main forum page.


E: Until literally after this post, when I went to look again, though I promise that it was not there previously. If it matters, at this time, my post count is 5, which I read somewhere as being a requirement for something, although again I do specifically note a number of "10" being listed in the instructions. I wasn't personally concerned with it, as any number of forums have such a requirement, and I personally find having that info available tends to cause some new users to spam/low-content post solely to reach the required "new thread" numbers, and I don't much care for that.

a reply to: Apoplexic

I think that is designed in order for new members time to just post on existing threads before making a new thread.

a reply to: Apoplexic

hello

We are looking forward to getting to know your thoughts! Welcome!

How you doing?