Where have you all gone to?

Post by **Sue** » 12 Jul 2012, 07:22

I know what you are saying, and I am sure all the other ladies do too. I tried Art, and a bit of knitting. However many of the people I used to talk to about craft hobbies no longer write on the site. My research has calmed down, almost to nothing so my Widdup links are limited. So it looks like you grumpy old men have the monopoly. I do add to other forums including gardening.

Post by **Wendyf** » 12 Jul 2012, 09:35

We could try and revive one of the art topics. I know the last attempts at getting people to produce a picture from the same photo fizzled out, but how about a "quick sketch" topic along the same lines?
Or...a "reading group" type of topic. Just some thoughts whilst I have been cleaning away.

Post by **Sue** » 12 Jul 2012, 17:43

Good idea Wendy. We could just have an art theme to tackle. A reading group is a good idea too. We need to open a forum with those titles

Post by **Big Kev** » 12 Jul 2012, 20:19

I do believe there is a reading topic you could use already. I think it's called "Read Any Good Books Lately"

Post by **Stanley** » 13 Jul 2012, 04:02

Nice to see this problem being addressed constructively. My favourite radio programme is Woman's Hour on which the depth of discussion on a broad range of topics is a wonderful example. Everything from medical advice to why M&S bras are more 'push-uppier' to quote one young lady. No problem on there about men joining in.....

Post by **Sue** » 13 Jul 2012, 18:11

Kev the idea of this forum is more like a book club where everyone choses to read the same book at the same time and then discusses it. I did suggest that it would link to the other forum . Don't ask for suggestions and then shoot us down at the first hurdle!

Post by **Big Kev** » 14 Jul 2012, 06:32

I obviously missed the point you were making. I'll keep my trunk out...

Post by **Sue** » 14 Jul 2012, 08:24

Sorry Kev, I realise you may not have read the actual posting on the book club. Please join us if you are a reader. The Kashmir Shawl is the book we have chosen

Post by **Tizer** » 14 Jul 2012, 16:07

I've only just come to this thread so i hope I can make a general comment. I suppose I make a hefty contribution to the grumpy men and boys' toys type of topics but internet forums are the sum of their members' interests, the topics you see are the topics members are interested in enough to launch and to contribute to regularly. If you want a topic on OG then you have to start it and contribute to it, there isn't someone with the job of thinking up topics and launching them (although Stanley does that voluntarily to some extent, which keeps the forum going). It's not an entertainment media like TV or radio where programmes are produced and broadcast and you sit back and choose what to watch or listen to. Different topics will appeal to different people, you don't have to read every topic - if there were topics on sport or embroidery I wouldn't contribute to them, but if someone starts a topic on, say, photography then I will contribute because I'm interested in it. There's plenty of room for everybody. Sorry if this post sounds critical but I really can't see why we can't all enjoy OG in our different ways!

Post by **Sue** » 14 Jul 2012, 16:23

Why do you all assume that we want topics on embroidery etc. There are simply more active ment than women these days. No matter what the topic it soon changes context and we end up discussing more of the same. we all know we have to start our own topics and keep them going. We can't force people to write on them AND we have tried.

Post by **Bodger** » 14 Jul 2012, 18:21

Hi Sue, youve hit a point, men retire from working at pension age, but someone has to carry on washing, cooking, cleaning, making beds etc. , plus being the "little lady" to the man.
THANK YOU GIRLS, bodger

Post by **Wendyf** » 14 Jul 2012, 18:29

Post by **Sue** » 14 Jul 2012, 18:34

I meant active on the site Bodger!!!!!!

Of course if we WERE doing all those things we couldn't possibly have time to write on oneguy

catgate · Post by **catgate** » 14 Jul 2012, 21:51

Stanley wrote:Nice to see this problem being addressed constructively. My favourite radio programme is Woman's Hour on which the depth of discussion on a broad range of topics is a wonderful example. Everything from medical advice to why M&S bras are more 'push-uppier' to quote one young lady. No problem on there about men joining in.....

I find the fact that Stanley likes the way this matter is being addressed both very satisfying and comforting, and the fact that Womans Hour is his favourite programme is a great help in understanding his outlook on life.

Post by **Tizer** » 15 Jul 2012, 10:12

Sue wrote:Why do you all assume that we want topics on embroidery etc.

Sue, I wrote "if there were topics on sport or embroidery I wouldn't contribute to them" - I didn't suggest that you or anyone else wanted a topic on embroidery (or sport), I simply picked two activities that came into my mind that I'm not interested in. And for all I know, Bodger might be desperate to see a topic on embroidery but hasn't plucked up courage to start one. Please don't assume that my post, simply because it immediately follows yours, is aimed directly at you. I was trying to make general observations. Internet forums evolve rather than follow any pre-ordained pattern. Setting up topics and expecting people to contribute to them doesn't work - it takes someone with a specific interest or motivation to start a topic and then it will continue or disappear depending on that individual's continuing activity and/or the topic's take up by others.

Post by **Moh** » 15 Jul 2012, 10:57

The point is there are no topics in the forum of interest to most ladies - we used to have many varied topics of interest to most members, but no longer.

Post by **Big Kev** » 15 Jul 2012, 12:31

Moh wrote:The point is there are no topics in the forum of interest to most ladies - we used to have many varied topics of interest to most members, but no longer.

Start a topic that is of interest to you, then.

Post by **Moh** » 15 Jul 2012, 14:09

I tried but ended up just coming on and putting in What did we have for tea and the weather - every topic I have started has just disappeared so after a while you lose interest. We used to have a recipe topic but that has vanished along with household tips.

Post by **Wendyf** » 15 Jul 2012, 17:58

They are still there Moh, try reviving them and see what happens. Why don't you join our new Book Club and Art Challenge topics?
Oh, while you are here Moh, when did you start work for Earby UDC? We have come across a job advert in the History Soc. archives and I wondered if it was when you first started. Its is a bit of an eye opener...even though you know all about inequality of pay, its still a shock to see the payscales for male & females doing the same job in black and white! Did you know Margaret Greenwood?

Post by **Tizer** » 16 Jul 2012, 07:50

Moh, some of my topics vanish from the main list too but, as Wendy says, they are still there on the forums. There isn't enough space to list all the topics on one page. The more active the OG forums become, the more quickly the less active topics will fall off the end of the list. The answer is to bookmark your own topics and your favourite topics in your browser so that you can find them easily. An example is my `Winged Heroes' topic which often disappears from the OG lists but I can find it instantly from my browser bookmarks. As soon as I post in it, the topic reappears on the OG list for a while. There's almost no other way around this and it happens with all Internet forums. In fact many other forums are worse because they have more active members and your topics and posts disappear within an hour, swamped by all the other posts. The only other way is to keep your topic active by frequently posting in it. That's why the `Dialect' and `Attention' and `What I'm mainly doing today' topics, and my `Beware the banks' topic, stay on the forum list. If other people post in your topic and you don't like what they say just ignore them and carry on with your usual posts, they'll give up and go away. Internet forums are public places and you can't bar people from your topic. It's a bit like having a conversation with your friends in the market place or at the pub, if someone butts in with irrelevant things or you just don't like them you keep on talking to your friends and the interloper gets bored and goes away. If they are a real nuisance you can tell them to go away. If they are insulting, obscene or up to something nasty, tell a moderator and they'll deal with it. But the best of all is to just get on with `chatting' and enjoying OG and that way it'll become what you want it to be!

Post by **Moh** » 16 Jul 2012, 10:03

Sept. 1955 - I think I got £2.00 per week as Junior Clerk in the Clerk's Office. Margaret Greenwood went to SGHS when I did (she was older) and was the Clerk's secretary when I was there. It seemed she would be there permanently, so with no chance of promotion I left and went to work for Pilgrim & Badgery, solicitors in Colne. Magaret did leave eventually and I believe she went to work in Geneva.

Post by **Wendyf** » 16 Jul 2012, 10:32

She is back in Earby now Moh, having worked for the WHO in Geneva then the Open University amongst other things. We know each other through the history society, she is the archivist. The job advert is part of an exhibition on Earby in the 1950's which we did for the Jubilee. Parts of it are on display in Earby Library at the moment, worth a look if you are passing that way.

Callunna · Post by **Callunna** » 16 Jul 2012, 10:46

Happened to click on my OG bookmark by accident so out of curiosity thought I’d take a quick peek at what’s been going on.

I stopped using OG for various reasons. One was that any suggestions/criticisms I made about the new site were met with comments like “Well it’s OK for me because I have it set up in such-and-such a way”.

I predict that OG will die on its bum in a few years because of this attitude. It’s not helpful because the default layout makes it difficult for new users to understand what the site is about. Therefore they will not stay and contribute. Without new blood, the site will become stale. There may be lots of page views, but robots and spiders tend not to contribute new material.

I didn’t object to adverts so long as they were relevant and family friendly.

Secondly I was about to donate a somewhat larger sum than £1 but I got annoyed by what I perceived as the constant haranguing and emotional blackmail used to ‘encourage' donors. If I do something voluntarily it’s because I’ve made a decision to do it on whatever grounds I feel are relevant. Being told that my difficulties with the site would disappear if I coughed up some money did not sit happily with me, among other things.

Thirdly - and call me paranoid if you like - it seemed that certain people thought I was fair game to be negatively criticised for every comment I made. I couldn’t type anything without it somehow ending up in a bunfight with them. I have enough to deal with in real life without engaging in further conflict online so I withdrew what some people must see as my inflammatory style. It soooo does NOT matter in the scheme of things, i.e. real life.

Having wittered on, might I just say that I’m glad OG is continuing to provide its service and that many people derive benefit from it. You can’t please all the people all the time and it’s obvious that Doc is doing a sterling job.

And yes, I got a Canon 600D which is great but I’m now involved in re-learning all my photography skills, having been spoiled by automatic settings for years.

And yes, we now have a dog and a dust bunny. Gracie the Lurcher passed her Bronze Kennel Club Good Citizenship course with flying colours and Coco the Poochon was saved from becoming dog-fighting bait.

But that’s another story...

Post by **Tizer** » 16 Jul 2012, 11:23

Callunna wrote:And yes, I got a Canon 600D which is great but I’m now involved in re-learning all my photography skills, having been spoiled by automatic settings for years.

I'm glad to hear you got the 600D and are pleased with it Calluna. I still use my Canon G11 more than the 600D but that's simply due to my specific needs (I do a lot of macro) and the size of the 600D (I find it hard to hold up heavy objects nowadays). But when I do use it, then it's smashing (if that word is still in the dictionary), especially the speed at which I can take pics and the low light ability.

Marilyn · Post by **Marilyn** » 16 Jul 2012, 11:33

The constant badgering for donations by several members got on my wick too.
( which I don't imagine will stop, but I choose to ignore it).
Not that I wouldn't donate under my own steam....have done before ( way way way more than a pound).... But I do not respond well to badgering under all it's guises.

And I felt the same way about the adverts too ,Cally. Often betwee 2 am and 4 am UK time there would be adverts for 'live chat' with Asian prostitutes. Guess no-one stayed up to catch them, but being in a different time zone I often copped the ads. Put me right off. ( choice of four women lads...where were you all?)

OneGuyFromBarlick

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