A very depressing realization

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

It's been 11 years today since I've made a fatal mistake by clicking "register".

Seriously, people, run away while you still can. It's too late for me.
 

[Former President tack50]

Tbh some day I should edit the pic to feature Virginia's avatar

[KaiserDave]

You can check out any time you like. But you can never leave.

[Orwell]

You're very likely here until you or the forum dies

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

You're very likely here until you or the forum dies

That's right.

[President Johnson]

That Hotel California comparison made me re-write the songtext:


On a dark computer night
Cool elections on my screen
Warm colors on the map
Rising up through the polls

Up ahead in the districts
I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy, and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for election night

There OC stood in the doorway
I heard the mouse clicking
And I was thinking to myself:
"This could be heaven or this could be hell"

Then OC put up a take
And he showed me the way
There were voices in his head
I thought I heard them say

Welcome to the Forum
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face

Plenty of boards at the Forum
Any time of election year (any time of election year)
You can find it here

OC's mind is secular-twisted
He got the new avatar
He got a lot of pretty, pretty maps he calls freiwalls

How they discuss in the blog
Sweet summer sweat
Some discussion to remember
Some discussion to forget

So I called up the Captain:
"Please bring me my headline"
Virginia said: "We haven't had that spirit here since Obama '08"

And still those voters are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say

Welcome to the Forum
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face

They're living it up at the Forum
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your hot takes

County maps on the ceiling
The red precincts on ice
And she said: "We are all just posters here of our own device"

And in the moderator's chambers
They gathered for the feast
They stab the trolls with their steely knieves
But they just can't kill the socks

Last thing I remember
I was running for the door
I had to find the logout box
To the place I was before

"Relax," said the KYWildman
"We are programmed to receive
You can log out any time you like
But you can never leave"

[KaiserDave]

That Hotel California comparison made me re-write the songtext:


On a dark computer night
Cool elections on my screen
Warm colors on the map
Rising up through the polls

Up ahead in the districts
I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy, and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for election night

There OC stood in the doorway
I heard the mouse clicking
And I was thinking to myself:
"This could be heaven or this could be hell"

Then OC put up a take
And he showed me the way
There were voices in his head
I thought I heard them say

Welcome to the Forum
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face

Plenty of boards at the Forum
Any time of election year (any time of election year)
You can find it here

OC's mind is secular-twisted
He got the new avatar
He got a lot of pretty, pretty maps he calls freiwalls

How they discuss in the blog
Sweet summer sweat
Some discussion to remember
Some discussion to forget

So I called up the Captain:
"Please bring me my headline"
Virginia said: "We haven't had that spirit here since Obama '08"

And still those voters are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say

Welcome to the Forum
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face

They're living it up at the Forum
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your hot takes

County maps on the ceiling
The red precincts on ice
And she said: "We are all just posters here of our own device"

And in the moderator's chambers
They gathered for the feast
They stab the trolls with their steely knieves
But they just can't kill the socks

Last thing I remember
I was running for the door
I had to find the logout box
To the place I was before

"Relax," said the KYWildman
"We are programmed to receive
You can log out any time you like
But you can never leave"

Secular Blog Art

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

That Hotel California comparison made me re-write the songtext:


On a dark computer night
Cool elections on my screen
Warm colors on the map
Rising up through the polls

Up ahead in the districts
I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy, and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for election night

There OC stood in the doorway
I heard the mouse clicking
And I was thinking to myself:
"This could be heaven or this could be hell"

Then OC put up a take
And he showed me the way
There were voices in his head
I thought I heard them say

Welcome to the Forum
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face

Plenty of boards at the Forum
Any time of election year (any time of election year)
You can find it here

OC's mind is secular-twisted
He got the new avatar
He got a lot of pretty, pretty maps he calls freiwalls

How they discuss in the blog
Sweet summer sweat
Some discussion to remember
Some discussion to forget

So I called up the Captain:
"Please bring me my headline"
Virginia said: "We haven't had that spirit here since Obama '08"

And still those voters are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say

Welcome to the Forum
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face

They're living it up at the Forum
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your hot takes

County maps on the ceiling
The red precincts on ice
And she said: "We are all just posters here of our own device"

And in the moderator's chambers
They gathered for the feast
They stab the trolls with their steely knieves
But they just can't kill the socks

Last thing I remember
I was running for the door
I had to find the logout box
To the place I was before

"Relax," said the KYWildman
"We are programmed to receive
You can log out any time you like
But you can never leave"

A++ post.

[morgankingsley]

Ill give it one more chance starting tonight

[Associate Justice PiT]

     My condolences. I am just over a month out from 12 years since I made the mistake. Guess we're in this boat together!

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Ill give it one more chance starting tonight

One more chance... one more chance... OK, one more chance... Seriously, that's the last chance I'm giving this place... Right, the last chance starting now... I guess I'll give the Atlas one more ch...

[DINGO Joe]

You're very likely here until you or the forum dies

I intend to download an AI version of myself before I pass so i can continue posting from the beyond, much like Olawakandi who actually drowned in Lake Michigan a decade ago.

[Mexican Wolf]

I guess you'll need to find a way to go from "You can check out any time you like, but you never leave" to "'Cause I'm already gone, and I'm feelin' strong."

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Ill give it one more chance starting tonight

One more chance... one more chance... OK, one more chance... Seriously, that's the last chance I'm giving this place... Right, the last chance starting now... I guess I'll give the Atlas one more ch...

Newbs   I made that mistake just over 15 years ago

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Entering my ninth year here.  I'm pretty sure that makes me an oldfag but not quite the same Atlas generation as Kal/PiT/jdb.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

My fifth anniversary is in November. Rookie numbers? Sure, but it's still quite depressing.

[WD]

My fifth anniversary is in November. Rookie numbers? Sure, but it's still quite depressing.

Been here a few days, wonder when the regret will start kicking in

[Orwell]

My fifth anniversary is in November. Rookie numbers? Sure, but it's still quite depressing.

Been here a few days, wonder when the regret will start kicking in

There is something wrong with you if you aren't already regretting it.

[Middle-aged Europe]

I'm probably not posting as much as other guys here, but for me it has been 16 years and 4 months.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

You're very likely here until you or the forum dies

I intend to download an AI version of myself before I pass so i can continue posting from the beyond, much like Olawakandi who actually drowned in Lake Michigan a decade ago.

Posting on the Atlas is like the Mormon marriage: extends beyond the grave.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

You're very likely here until you or the forum dies

I intend to download an AI version of myself before I pass so i can continue posting from the beyond, much like Olawakandi who actually drowned in Lake Michigan a decade ago.

Posting on the Atlas is like the Mormon marriage: extends beyond the grave.

I think it's more comparable to heroin; feels good at first, but then you watch your life slowly slip away.  Your real friends start to abandon you, because no one wants to hang out with someone who spends hours each day in their room gerrymandering maps and analyzing poll crosstabs.  And before you know it, you're out giving handjobs behind the gas station to pay for a lifetime Atlas membership.  Because you need that extra data.  You need that data just to survive.

And you never can leave, because you've made so many friends in the process who enable your addiction.  There is nothing you can do.  Death is inevitable.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

You're very likely here until you or the forum dies

I intend to download an AI version of myself before I pass so i can continue posting from the beyond, much like Olawakandi who actually drowned in Lake Michigan a decade ago.

Posting on the Atlas is like the Mormon marriage: extends beyond the grave.

I think it's more comparable to heroin; feels good at first, but then you watch your life slowly slip away.  Your real friends start to abandon you, because no one wants to hang out with someone who spends hours each day in their room gerrymandering maps and analyzing poll crosstabs.  And before you know it, you're out giving handjobs behind the gas station to pay for a lifetime Atlas membership.  Because you need that extra data.  You need that data just to survive.

And you never can leave, because you've made so many friends in the process who enable your addiction.  There is nothing you can do.  Death is inevitable.

This. Is. Pure. Gold.

[morgankingsley]

You're very likely here until you or the forum dies

I intend to download an AI version of myself before I pass so i can continue posting from the beyond, much like Olawakandi who actually drowned in Lake Michigan a decade ago.

Posting on the Atlas is like the Mormon marriage: extends beyond the grave.

I think it's more comparable to heroin; feels good at first, but then you watch your life slowly slip away.  Your real friends start to abandon you, because no one wants to hang out with someone who spends hours each day in their room gerrymandering maps and analyzing poll crosstabs.  And before you know it, you're out giving handjobs behind the gas station to pay for a lifetime Atlas membership.  Because you need that extra data.  You need that data just to survive.

And you never can leave, because you've made so many friends in the process who enable your addiction.  There is nothing you can do.  Death is inevitable.

This, but unironically

[The Dowager Mod]

Buncha Newbies.

[YE]

Been a little under four years since my big mistake.