I think that makes 8....but I lost count weeks ago....

gardenia32...latest news said it will be in August....

.....Actually, you are sick of yourself.

Hello Fellow Abused Maddict (Dry),

Is there to be NO relief -- EVER?????

There is no excuse for the kind of mistreatment that has been allowed to fester on this forum for months now, and been TOLERATED OR ENCOURAGED-----------OR ORIGANATED??? by AMC.

There's no way to sign a petition online (as if they would even care!)....we are at the mercy of the uncaring, irresponsible individuals who don't even care enough to treat the devoted, unbelievably forgiving (gulllible?) forum members like the valuable assets they are..

AMC I AM DISGUSTED AND FURIOUS WITH YOU

...ORIGINATED, I meant

....I'm so upset, I can't even spell....

Actually, season 3 has already started...it's just so subtle we can't see it.

Yeah, flower...it's called Don Draper's Guide to The Twilight Zone....

or somethin'.....

Hmmmm I am feeling an off topic coming over me.....

Hidey, Chelsea!

Come on! Join the gripe fest....it's not like AMC actually cares, or anything!

ha?

.....Well, now you know what's been bugging me the last few months, among other things.

Sorry for being so "off" lately, and also sorry to you and the others for the times I lost it.

flower.....That was funny.

......Aaawwww, Dry...you know we love ya...don't apologize....besides in addition to "The Wait" we've ALL endured, you had The Explosion to deal with!......have your eyebrows grown back? (not being smarty....I really hope they are) That didn't type out right (reads kinda snitty), but, I really do hope everything's all better now.

And all these postings of late about the new season in a way just makes me want to scream....seems it's been way over 8 months (counting from Oct.... when the last epi of S2 aired) and we still have 3+ months to go. Time's a draggin' somethin' fierce, no???

Well, we've made it this long.....sniff.....sniff....snoooork (blowing nose)

.....Yes, all better. Got really lucky with that one, it could have been really bad, and you are very kind to inquire. (The new appliances are great!)

And I do apologize. It's beneath me, and you all deserve better. It takes a lot to get me that mad and I don't think anyone wants to go there, not even me!

Anyway, it's not just us. The entire internet is fully aware of the disrespect, and the fact that the place is crawling with faux "fans" who manipulate us like puppets for their own amusement.

Now, dry your eyes, blow your nose and think of something to talk about. Sorry I can't contribute more and better at the moment, but I'm juggling two businesses, a full-time load at school, a busy household and a high-maintenance hubby-beau.

At the end of the day, I maybe have two brain cells left which creak and groan as they attempt to rub together!

BTW - I tried repeatedly - apparently in vain - to contact 57Chevy, in a VARIETY of ways. At this point, I'm not entirely sure, based on what I found, that she wants to be located, so I dropped the matter.

As to research, I found nothing to say she won't be back, but every single lead was a dead-end, despite more than enough data gathered from this forum with which to do so.

I don't like it. Who just vanishes overnight like that?

However, at this point all we can really do is wait, and cross our fingers that things are okay with her.

Wow, Dry....now you've got me wondering what dope ya got on me???? Do you have yourself a bunch of sophisticated tech crap enabling you to track us all down like rats????

Ha?? (I think)

Maybe 57 was a victim of attempted, (or accomplished!) identity theft and she has scrubbed her computer(s)....

Hard to know, of course...

...P. S. Is there any other kind of hubby (-beau)? (high maintenance!)

How do you scrub a computer? Does BILLY MAYES have a cleaner for that? I, quite frankly, am totally clueless about how you would go about tracking down someone who posts on one of these forums. I would not know where to begin. Would AMC release information to just anyone about anyone who signs in here?

However nice I might find most of the posters on the Mad Men Forum, there are quite enough...not nice at all...posters that keep me from wanting my identity released to all and sundry. I may be dumb, but I am not stupid, blonde though I be. So, what to you think, SCfan, is Dry M. with the CIA?

Dry, are you with the CIA?

Inquiring minds want to know...(z and me, anyway)

I, like you z, would not know how to even begin to locate someone "from information on this forum"... i.e. (excerpt from Dry M.'s above post) ----- "As to research, I found nothing to say she (57
Chevy) won't be back, but every single lead was a dead-end, despite more than enough data gathered from this forum with which to do so."

As to AMC releasing information to just anyone, who knows? Let's face it, if anyone's post "wins" and is included in that "What You're Saying" forum posted each Friday on the Blog area of the site, they send (e-mail) AMC their mailing address in order to receive their prize...so AMC has their address and their e-mail....I imagine that is plenty to start from for a hacker who knows what they're doing.

Just speculation, but those folks are good enough at what they do (despicable as it is, IMO) to end up getting hired by computer manufacturers to help them design security software -- I've heard anyway.
Sort of along the same line as the guy in "Catch Me If You Can" getting hired by the feds to catch forgers, etc. because he knows how they work, being one and all....

As far as "scrubbing" a computer, there are programs that can be used to return a computer to factory condition (of course, one has to back up everything they want to keep before using them) I'm not up on these things at all, but I think one is called "Clean Sweep".

Never used these, just know they exist.

I just thought it was interesting that Dry was able to contact (or contact people who know her?) 57 and concluded in the end that she didn't want to be contacted....

And Dry, I'm not accusing you of anything, just curious is all.

I hope you're not upset, Dry...upon re-reading my posts, they sound vaguely accusatory....not meant to be at all! Please know that because it's true!

I have just gotten more and more curious when you'd post (three times now over the off-season) about 57Chevy, and how you've been attempting to find out what happened to her "in a VARIETY of ways"...just got me thinking...how much info can one actually GET from just a talk forum, anyway?....weirdly fascinating is all.

And yes, from what you've told us, it does seem that she maybe just does not want to be "located".

Another thing that piqued my curiosity about it all is when you posted quite a while ago (when she (57) first "went missing" from the forums) that she was "less than 100 miles" from me! I wondered, "How the hell does Dry know how far apart 57 and I live from each other???" You can understand that, I know. It gives one a bit of a creeped out feeling, I must say.

Anyway, I suppose she'll get back on here if and when she's ready to. And, as you said, let's just hope she's ok.

....No! You two bubble-heads!! (You are making me laugh so hard.....)

All the information I had was information that 57 herself had posted on the forum at various times. I just collected those bits, is all, and then did a little internet research to see if I could fit the pieces together in some way.

Thing is, I don't want to get into why I dropped it, because that's saying too much on the internet.

I'm still worried, but there's nothing we can do, at least for now, I guess.

So, to answer your questions with a moral: If you don't want someone to use it, don't post it.

.....When I said "doesn't want to be located," I should have clarified "MIGHT NOT want to be located."

I don't know. I couldn't find evidence of her either living, or dying.

All I can tell you is something didn't add up, but it's not my business and I've already overstepped myself, so I'm dropping it.

.....SCfan, you big dummy, you posted where you lived in a post where you were talking about that, and also where 57 lived. Like, more than once!

There were many threads where people were talking back and forth about their locations, what they do, blah blah blah.

Let me know if you need to see them again.

I'm just paying closer attention than you guys are.

.....Also, surely you haven't forgotten the SEVERAL "Who are you and why are you here" type threads, as well as your "Meet the Fan" article or whatever it was called.

That "Who are you" thread had people's full names, cities, professions, marital status, kids or not, you name it.

I guess I have a good memory for trivial facts.

So sue me!!

Gosh, Dry M., I'm now picturing you as a Honey West or Emma Peel kinda gal. I am glad you got our backs - right, SCfan? I will, however, try to be more discreet from now on.

Good Lord, Dry...I don't want to sue you... I wouldn't dream of it....I love your posts and just was curious -- that's all, I swear....you're the one who keeps bringing up your 57Chevy research every so often.. and when you post about your quest to find out what happened to her, I just get to wonderin' -- who wouldn't?? If you reverse the situation, I think you can see where I'm coming from here...

I was just wondering how you figured how close 57 and I lived to each other when I never posted anything other than my city and my first name and last INITIAL in that Meet the Reader deal back in the fall (that was initiated by Clayton N. and not me, btw -- I just answered his e-mail questionnaire I got out of the blue one day about what I do and being married and having one son and what I thought about Mad Men and etc. etc....all questions from him that I just answered and he chose what he wanted to include in the column...
If I revealed more (personal stuff) I don't remember it...which wouldn't be surprising to me one bit (forgetting, that is....a steel trap my mind ain't)

Dry, I do recall posting where I lived (city and state) but I don't recall ever posting where 57 lived as I think you meant up there, because I didn't/don't KNOW where she lives/lived...I just guessed where she possibly might live, and said so at the time as I recall, because I was guessing some cities close to where she had posted she was attending nursing school...also, I never posted my FULL name in ANY thread (others may have, but I don't recall ever revealing anything other than my first name and last initial to Clayton in his e-mail questionnaire he sent to me -- again -- out of the blue -- asking if I wanted to be the subj. of his column...I went back and re-read the column and don't see any other personal facts I revealed...bubble head and big dummy that I am.

You left out dodo bird, dimwit and idget, btw....not to mention dumb ass.....

(I've been called a lot worse on this forum, as you can testify, I'm sure...but not by you)

This all sounds like I'm mad, I'm not....just telling my side....as I remember it...which is definitely dicey I do freely admit....

P.S. Just found where I revealed my exact birthdate on one of those "Who Are You?" forums....forgot about that!....I, like z, will be more careful from now on....these little puzzle pieces we all post (come on now, some of you have revealed even more than me (i.e. first and last names, etc.....over time on here!) might be gathered by someone who, unlike Dry, DOES want to use them for unsavory reasons...what a shit world....so sad....sometimes I think us Maddicts are the only trustworthy souls on the planet....

You ARE trustworthy, Dry.....AREN'T YOU????

Dry??? Dry???

Speak to me, Dry!!!

Tell me you won't use our "stuff" against us!!!!!!

= - [

Went back and re-read some of the posts from 9/19/08 on Nora P.'s "Who Are You..." thread. While I will agree that maybe we all revealed a little too much of ourselves, gee what a great thread that was. So many friendly people conversing with nothing but nice things to say to one another, sharing interests and thoughts on Mad Men. This Forum has been a mere shadow of its former self these past few months. Reading Nora's thread gives me hope that the new season will bring some life back to our, at least my, favorite Forum.

Yes, z, wasn't that fun?

I loved it when everyone got along (mostly) and were all buddies.

Hope springs eternal.....

Actually I'm still crying after reading through that thread,z...you can feel the warmth and kindness with every post...it was just before our Forum got dragged through the mud....and you and I and a few others (naive souls that we were!) tried in vain to protect our "territory".....

In hindsight (20/20!) maybe it just made us stronger....and wiser.... Maybe...

.....You guys are so funny - sorry I didn't get back here sooner - been so busy, and just couldn't remember which one it was.....

There were actually a few of those personal information threads, if you look, and I just went back and gathered whatever data there was on her, which turned out to be quite a lot. People have done a lot of "note-comparing" on this forum and I for one find those personal details really interesting. No idea why.

SCfan, I can remember you talking to 57 about your locations, and her talking with Polar about that and her school endeavors. I think maybe you are forgetting that part, because we even talked about it the last time we brought this up. I believe you even made a call or two, if I'm not mistaken.....

To answer your questions, I know little about the two of you, except what I remember from reading Meet the Reader way back when, and stuff you've posted. Info such as your first name and last initial, what city you said you lived in, that you're a Capricorn, your brother, etc.

I always liked the comment you made about feeling honored to take care of your husband and son. When you realize that we are all finite, gifting the ones you care about in small ways takes on new priority. If you've ever lost anyone suddenly, it takes on an even greater priority.

See? Like I said, I kind of have one of those memories - a trap for useless trivia! The truth is, I am an information junkie, which I come by honestly based on my profession. Collecting data has always given me an advantage, and it becomes habitual after a while I guess.

z.....I don't remember you posting anything, ever, about yourself, except you are married and have two(?) older kids (and the resentful uteri stories which, thank God, did NOT turn out to be the electric chair, as I originally thought), but then I haven't gone back and looked, either. I was wondering the other day where you got "zerelda," and if that's your name, which I doubt.

And whether I know something, or don't know it, I think you know that you can trust me, and I do "got your back" when I can. No worries - I'm a good girl!

Betraying someone's trust is like indulging in anger. It's not worth the "thousand moments of sorrow" - at least not for me. Life has plenty of those already.

The old forum was a bit like children in the Garden of Eden. Some of the less guarded people who were new to blogging paid a price for it.

The ugliness that was allowed to prevail at the end of Season Two found us ALL ejected from the Utopia, some with skins a little thicker for the abuse and, I hope, a little wiser and more cautious.

Just because OUR minds do not work that way, does not mean that all kinds of deceitful, devisive, manipulative freaks aren't attracted to a place like this.....a place with no rules, and with the fat, dumb little duckies, all in a row.

My theory is that, for every one wackadoo troll who actually posts, there are ten more lurking out there with spurious motives, possibly plotting one or more of our demises!!!

The fact is, basic human nature ain't pretty, and you are getting a big, bloated, technicolor cross-section here, magnified by 20.

I suppose we could "go back" in a manner of sorts, but everyone on here has been through various and different things, so no telling what the dynamic will be like.

Wow, Dry...sounds like you could do a lot of damage if you felt like it....I trust you....I think!

ha??

Yes, I recall those "all about us" earlier forums, seems there were about 3 spread out over some months...some Maddicts even spilled way more personal crap than me and z did!!! First and last names, where they work, etc. I remember four or five of us comparing birthdays (as to being Capricorns).

You know what would be great if AMC would do? (No chance, of course, but it would be great just the same! Fix the forum so we could delete posts...every other forum has that, so I hear (I only read/post on this one) so why can't WE have it? Well, it's a nice idea, anyway......Come on AMC....help us out here, ok??

BTW, I posted a fake city as to where I live. It's in Oklahoma, but not the city I said....not even close.

Yes, I "made some calls" a while back to the nursing college 57 said she attended...no luck, however. I don't recall her ever stating exactly where she lived, just where she went to college....entirely possible I forgot her posting that, however....(town she lived in)

Yes, it is easy to get flowing with the friendly atmosphere (or it was....back when we were all babes in the woods!) of the forum, and, I, battlescarred vet that I now am, learned my lesson....beware of wolves in sheeps' clothing!

And, Dry, you are so right about "gifting the ones you care about in small ways" and how it should be a priority -- I don't always accomplish it, but it is a daily goal for me...I love the song by James Taylor, "Shower The People You Love With Love" --doing what that song says is definitely a way to NOT end up with regrets when a loved one passes on...you can at least comfort yourself with the fact that they KNEW you loved them and never doubted it. Doesn't help in the missing of them, but it does help in not having guilt. I also like the sentiment of the song "Do It Anyway" ...

The SCfan Blabberooney Hour is now over....

TTFN

P.S. Looking back on it, I agree with z's post up there (5-11) about how great a thread that was (Nora's of 9-19-08) -- even though it was when she had her loss of a loved one, everyone was full of empathy and love...great reading if nothing else.

BTW, Nora....where are you? Are you ok??

BTW....enjoy....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkAhQBbk-oM

Well, that was a clip of James Taylor singing "Shower The People"... don't know why the link is bad.....sorry

.....SCfan.....Well, all I can say about that whole thing is, you should be able to tell for yourself by now who you can, and cannot, trust on the internet. You should not need to ask, and probably know the answer already.

Never assume someone is your friend or that you can predict or count on their behavior, but I think you know that anyway.

Human nature is fickle, shallow, devious, self-serving and self-promoting, as well as childish, and the internet anonymity just intensifies that.

The better news is that most (NOT ALL) of the dangerous ones "out" themselves in relatively short time, and all you really have to do is step back a little and let it happen.

In a distantly-related vein, that whole "Jon & John: Ask them anything" thread is likely just a shill designed to get a big rise, but I doubt those guys are ever going to read, OR answer those questions.

It's sad, really. Everyone is so very earnest, and the questions are painstakingly thought out.

We've been there before with Matt Weiner at least once, and yet none of the questions he did end up answering were on that thread and, I suspect, written (as always) by the moderators of these forums.

As to the forum features, I'm with you. I've had the experience in recent months to hang out on a forum where, not only do they get to delete and edit their posts indefinitely, they get to post animated .gifs as their icons, and there is a full-time moderator referreeing the squabbles that do arise.

"Bad guys" get fairly warned and counseled before being banned, and the moderator is a big part of the community.

The active threads are prioritized on a list according to the most recent posts, so the ones that should die an early death.....do.

You can tell by looking at the thread list page who authored the thread, who is the latest post, how many people have viewed the thread, etc.

They have a place for every thread, and every thread is in its place. They even have a U.S. Frapper map, where anyone can upload their photo and a quip, which becomes a little "tack" icon on the map.

There are only three layers of thread list pages and a well-indexed and accessible archives. The whole thing is incredibly well-organized and functional.

There is private messaging (monitored by the moderator), and a dozen other cool bells and whistles.

It's pretty great but, alas, AMC has no intention of changing a thing about these forums. The features here serve the moderators and their prankish endeavors much better than they serve us as fans of the show, and that's the way they like it.

Long story short - it would be great, of course, to have that AND the Maddicts here, but I wouldn't hold my breath!

I guess z is mad at me, since she clammed up right after this thread, and all I can tell you about that is that I guess I was naive, not realizing my posts would get that reaction.

I never predicted that you guys would have that reaction, after all this time, so I guess we both learned something - again!

As to said "Damage," you've been hanging out here with me for over a year or something, so you tell me.....

What do you think?

I think I would have to be pretty childish to get mad at you, Dry M, and I am sorry if my delay in responding gave you that impression.

Yours are among the posts I most enjoy reading and have done since I first began hanging around this Forum. If anyone has been naive here, it would be little old me. I have taken your posts to heart - those that suggest caution when dealing with the others who appear on the Forum. I should have been wise enough to know this on my own, but sadly was not. I think I have been very lucky to have someone like yourself very nicely point these things out.

I read with interest your take on the "Jon/John: Ask Them Anything" thread. Your attempts at enlightenment must be working, as I have been wondering if that thread was legit. I have found myself feeling very skeptical about a number of things on this Forum lately. Sad and depressing. I keep thinking things will look up once the new season starts, and we finally get something new to talk about. Your description of the other Forum was also very interesting. If only AMC would take note.

....Thankee, z.....How nice!

Take heart, as we truly ARE dumber than our offspring, just as Darwin intended.

I would say you have plenty of insight. Thing about "sight" is the reality of it very often sucks.

By the way, has anyone heard we have been re-monikered "Generation Jones?"

Check it out in Wikipedia..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones

Because we coined the term "Jones-ing," and because we were "Keeping up with the Jones'es" and the empty disappointment of the 70s, finding us in a state of "Jones-ing....."

Glad to hear you answering your

Go with your subconcious, if you hear it knocking. It is so much wiser than any of us!!

.....Typo. Sorry.

.....the "Jon/John: Ask Them Anything" thread.....

That, and "Double Don's" "keeper" photo.....pretty sure I saw that one at Target, in the photo frame aisle!

(Argh, I'm getting so cynical!)

"Generation Jones"?? Sounds like a character from "Lil Abner" - wasn't he a grandpa to "Stupefyin' Jones"? Who, by the way, would be an excellent role for Christina Hendricks should they ever make another "Lil Abner" movie. "Stupefyin'" was supposed to be so gorgeous that men literally froze in their tracks.

Mad? I was never mad at you, Dry...did that up there read like I was? Never never never...just was curious (and feeling vulnerable and a bit helpless in the ways of the web)...I think I just wanted reassurance that you were indeed one of the good guys. I've always felt that you were and my opinion hasn't changed.

As for you being "cynical"... better to err on the side of caution, as you well know.

And z, "skeptical" is a good thing in this day and age!

What's the name of that forum, Dry, where you've been hanging out recently?...might be refreshing to check it out...it would probably only make me mad, though...seeing the stark contrast and all that...but, I would only lurk...lurkers are smart in a way, aren't they?

.....Oooo, I like "Stupefyin' Jones"..... Can I use that as a nom-de-forum?

That is great. You're right. If anyone is stupefyin', it's Christina!

SCfan.....Wah.....Now I got a complex!

And, *spank*!

I told you to start thinking for yourself - if you ASK someone, of COURSE they are going to tell you what THEY know you want to hear.

You have to look with better eyes than that.

You would not believe all the weird, twisted ways in which peoples' minds work. People are on the internet for such a wide variety of reasons.....

- Some want you to manipulate and shape you into a vision of themselves.

- Some want to position you as their personal mouthpiece.

- Some want to use you to make them feel domineering and expansive, in myriad mechanistic ways.

- Some want to assassinate you, short-and-stabby, or long-drawn-out, and sinister-like.

The fact is, the internet is like a big cocktail party, and like MamboDeb or 485 said, 98 out of 100 people in the room have a big, fat personal agenda.

Beware, moi bebes.

SCfan.....That forum is invitation-only, you have to be approved which takes days, and in the end it's just a giant horsey petunia.

(Does anyone else know that term? It's from YEARS ago, and I completely forgot what it really means, but it's IN there!!)

What I will tell you is that, with all the lovely features, that was one God-awful, miserable freaking hang.

It is a small community that started out vicious and went downhill from there, and THAT I atrribute to the forum moderator.

He was more like "Evil Manipulative Dysfunctional Gay Polar Bear" in need of meds, cognitive therapy and a razor to slash the apron strings.

What "did it" for me was the thread about the Repubs and the Dems. Can't say I've ever seen anything more barbaric.

It was tragic, really.....friends were feeding on friends in "Jihad-istic" fashion, and it looked more lawless than the wild animal kingdom, so I took a hike.

It made me appreciate you guys that much more.

...... And with that..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA1bjcZhXMs

Jeepers, Dry, your description reminds me of the old joke about "well other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?". All that after waiting around to be invited in - hope you told them a thing or two when you left.

Sometimes I tell myself I should venture out to other sites and interact with other bloggers, but I never do. I can't take the ugliness. Just reading the comments under some perfectly innocent YouTube video is enough to curl your hair. I can't understand why some people think anonymity gives them permission to use the most offensive, insulting, profanity-laced language, usually in poorly constructed sentences with grammatical errors and misspelled words. Their pathetic offerings say more about themselves than whatever the subject of their rant and rage might be.

Maybe, however, that is their intent. Perhaps it is a case of "you can't see me and you don't know me, but I WILL make you pay attention to me". At any rate, it all makes me very sad and uncomfortable, so I confine my blogging to this forum alone. Ugly as it has gotten on the rare occasion, it is still a fun and funny place to hang out.

Wow, Dry...you mean they had all the bells and whistles....and STILL turned out to be assholes?

Damn...what a world....I'll just stay in Maddict Land...

Dry...I just meant lurkers don't leave themselves open to interpretation like posters do.

They stay safely out of range of any potential ammo aimed in their direction.

Cowards, I say!

At least us OSM's (Off Season Maddicts) have got a bit of a spine anyway.

.....It was like a bad dream, from the other side of the looking glass.

There was this huge enormous build-up, and all of this anticipation, fanfare, ritualistic role-playing, and then I realized it was a bleeping MESS.

As I said, it made me appreciate the nice people who grace this forum with their time and presence.

....Like you said, "Wee know wee R stoopid, and wee are hapey that whey!"

and "WHO WANTS TO KNOW??"