General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI just joined a new Facebook Group
It's a group of people who own older Ford Ranger pickups. I had a question about the one I recently bought, so I joined that group and asked my question. Within minutes, I had several answers.
It's a closed group that doesn't allow any posts about politics or anything that doesn't relate to Ford Rangers. Facebook is full of groups like that one, all populated by helpful people who have something in common.
I'm also in a group of people who were stationed at a small USAF base in Samsun, Turkey. The base only existed for 12 years, and never had more than 5-600 people stationed there, each of whom was there for just 15 months. The group has over 100 members, all of whom were there. It's a friendly group of people with something in common. No politics are allowed in posts there, either.
I belong to a few other Facebook groups about subjects of interest to me. One is just about crystal radios. It has a few hundred members who would never have met one another if it weren't for that Facebook group.
Facebook is about a lot of things to different people. It has many uses. I don't use Facebook for politics. That's what DU is for.
ismnotwasm
(42,020 posts)Theres another group of former street kids, some from the movie street smart Im a part of as well. We were all street kids in the 70s and early 80s. Until I found that group I thought everyone was dead.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)to create a private space to talk about those interests. There's no cost to set such a group up, and a wide range of tools are available to help people share photos, videos, and other information.
It's popular to malign Facebook, and there are reasons to do that. However, it's more than just a political website or a venue for advertising. Millions of people use it to make and maintain contact with people who share something in common. For those people, Facebook is a very useful, free tool.
I mentioned that group about the USAF base in Turkey. Before it existed, I had a website to do the same thing. While it had quite a few members, it was difficult to do all the things a Facebook group can do, and a helluva lot of work to maintain. Once the Facebook group formed, I moved most of the images from that website and then shut the website down. Facebook was a much better venue for it.
A lot of the people who trash Facebook here and other places are not actually active Facebook users, nor do they take advantage of the many tools available on that platform. The people who use Facebook as a means of communication with others who share common history or interests don't trash Facebook. They just use it and enjoy it.
LeftInTX
(25,607 posts)I have a Google website for my precinct and it is alot of work to keep it updated with elections/dates etc. (I don't even bother putting the website on my business card)
I have a Facebook page and it's easy peasy......
12 years ago, Google sites and blogs were free and easy...now they've changed. You have to put in special code so your Google site will show up on Google searches now. Also Google is pushing the paid platform. They've also changed all their templates and the templates are about as exciting as a MS Word document.....
ETA: My Precinct Facebook page can be viewed and bookmarked by non-Facebook members. Just like a website, it can be bookmarked. It can be found via Google search by putting in key words from the page. I would link my page here, but I'm reluctant to put my full name and picture on DU.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I'm going to hand it over to whomever becomes the chair in 2020. It's on Google's Blogger platform, and I set it up with a new Google account, so I can just pass it along to the next chair. Really, it's the only DFL Party precinct website I know of in Minnesota. It gets some traffic around election time, but that's all. It has links to a lot of stuff, and a few brief posts that are about current topics having to do with elections.
California_Republic
(1,826 posts)Monitor it for us.
And fight the good fight
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I use it as a tool that helps me keep in touch with various communities. It's not a place where I deal with politics. Instead, it is an enabler of personal connections.
You can use Facebook in your own way and ignore the rest.
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)"so this is the right's fabled memeing ability"
"So this is the right's fabled understanding of history"
"Conservatives forgetting Trump is 300+ lbs and doesn't exercise"
"Right wingers hate thirsting over AOC"
Lots of fun to be had there.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)Democratic Underground group, which I rarely visit, unless DU is down.
However, there are many, many politically oriented groups on the platform. Some of them are noxious as hell. Others are more useful.
Facebook is what each user makes it, it seems to me.
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)Right wingers/reactionaries/centrists dont last long.
bluedigger
(17,087 posts)I returned last year to my childhood love, scale modeling. Found a bunch of youtube videos and got interested again, after a forty year layoff. Eventually found some groups on FB. They, too, are nonpolitical, but we have some issues - Swastikas on military models mostly. It's an international community, so there is an interesting exchange of opinion on historical accuracy v. censorship before the mods shut them down, as they inevitably do. The really hilarious (to me) censorship occurs whenever anyone posts about the Meng (a Chinese company, I believe) tank kits featuring Putin or Trump (in a Santa hat?!!) figures. I gotta get me those.
To your point, FB has a lot of positive value, from closed groups of like minded people, to animal rescue, community orgs, etc... We get too caught up in focusing on the negative, and feeding our confirmation biases. Hold FB accountable, don't try to kill it.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I think most Facebook users are more interested in its relationship-fostering tools than in politics and other divisive things. I know that's true for me.
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)I am in two groups. One has to do with genealogy and the other is just for corgi families (all from the same breeder.)
I agree, FB has its good aspects too. I use it to keep in touch with a couple of long-time DUers, too.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)We have one. That group used to be an open group, but people who had no real connection kept coming in and creating conflicts. So, it was closed and membership restricted to people who were truly part of the group.
Facebook's closed (now "private" groups are valuable, particularly to groups whose members are vulnerable in some way.
The company doesn't have to make such groups available, but it does. There are thousands of them, on almost any topic you can imagine. That is one of the most powerful things Facebook has enabled. I do not want to see that go away, just because some people see Facebook as only a political entity. It is far, far more than that.
The ability to quickly create a private group on Facebook, complete with messaging, photo sharing, and much more is amazing. That such groups are possible to create at no cost whatsoever is even more remarkable. It's a powerful gift to many communities which otherwise could not have such a space.
Johnny2X2X
(19,193 posts)I would love for Facebook to ban all political content. Would really get them back to their core mission of connecting people.
NewJeffCT
(56,829 posts)My town has a couple of pretty active Facebook pages that are great for things like "hey, I need a plumber (electrician, baby sitter, guitar lessons, etc), can somebody recommend a person?" or to promote local fundraisers or other events in town.
Twitter isn't nearly as easy to use that way, I've found, even though I use Twitter far more now.
Croney
(4,671 posts)for many towns. I give away clothes, books, household items to people in two communities. I also belong to a niche group for collecting a specific vintage item.
I only have 40 friends and most are relatives. The RWNJ's know better than to pester me with their shit. My 96-year-old mother loves looking at my FB pictures.
My privacy settings are tight. I do understand how FB can be a minefield, but it works for me.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)As Facebook users, we have tools we can use to customize our experience there. You do have to learn to use them, but help is available for that, as well. If, as some have suggested, Facebook were eliminated, it would be an enormous loss to many communities who have made it a home.
In my case, my question about my 1996 Ford Ranger was answered in a way that will save me a few hundred dollars. That answer came within 5 minutes of my posting the question. Someone explained how I could do a repair job myself, rather than taking the truck to a shop. That person even linked to a video that showed the work being done, step-by-step.
Facebook is a useful tool in many ways.
Jeffersons Ghost
(15,235 posts)It's got plenty of dents, because I inherited it from my younger brother, who died in his sleep. He was a Navy Seabee and a Union electrician, who learned his trade in the Navy. It needs painting and has several dents. He must have driven it in the woods, creating a big dent in the front bumper, which I repaired, by buying a very affordable slightly dented bumper at a junk yard. I spent days sanding and repainting it before I installed it. Since I live in Albuquerque, where people and the wind, tend to make new dents in the large truck, I do not intend to repair the minor dents or repaint it. I also want to preserve his IBEW sticker on the tailgate. It has a straight six engine, which I keep well-oiled and in good running condition.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I always used to have one. They're very, very useful. But, for some reason, I stopped owning one. This year, though, we had some serious yard clean-up and junk clearing that needed to be done. We had traded in our 7-year-old car for a brand new one. A surprise check came in that we weren't expecting, so I said to my wife, "I'm going to find a pickup I can buy for less than that check." She agreed with me that we could use it.
So, I found one, bought it, and now I remember why I always used to have a pickup. We were using just one car, but now we have a second vehicle again. I've already hauled multiple loads of junk, brush and other things away with it. It's old, has some dents and some rust, but who cares. It's an old pickup, after all.
Anyhow, it sometimes stalled while idling at stop lights, etc. No big deal, because it started right back up, but it was annoying. So, I joined that group, described the issue in detail, and someone chimed in with the solution. I bought a new Idle Air Control unit online, installed it, and the problem was solved. Facebook saved me some money. It's hard to diagnose today's vehicles, since everything is computer-controlled. But, my description of the problem let someone tell me what the problem probably was, and it's fixed now, for $37.05, instead of $300.
Thanks, Facebook!
JaneQPublic
(7,113 posts)Congrats on your truck, MineralMan!
I bought a 2001 Ranger new and drove it for 18 years, not having a bit of trouble with until it was over 16 years old.
Then the last couple of years sometimes it wouldn't start. I had to have it towed in once because of it, but the technician said it started 50 times in a row for him and diagnostics showed nothing wrong. But after it developed a few other problems rendering it unreliable, including failing brakes, I decided to trade it in when Ford brought back the Ranger this year.
The new ones are bigger than the old ones were, just as with the Toyota Tacoma and Chevy Colorado. I would have bought another small truck like the 2001 if they still made them, but they don't. That said, I am having so much fun with the 2019 Ranger! It's speedy, nimble, and fuel-efficient (for a truck). Compared to the old one, it's like a space ship, what with all the new technology. I do miss my cassette deck though.
While I agree that FB does have some very useful groups (I belong to one for residents of my neighborhood for all the VERY local news), the place to go for owners of NEW Rangers is not on FB. It's a website where members are equally helpful with any problems or other questions. It's at:
https://www.ranger5g.com/
Happy trucking, MM!
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I had a 1986 one, years ago, and now the 1996. It's just a beater truck, but it's still a decent vehicle. Mine has the 4-cylinder engine and manual transmission. Those seem to last forever.
Nitram
(22,913 posts)And another group that consists of high school classmates who graduated from a school in Bogota, Colombia in the late 1960's. I use FB to stay on touch with people I've known all over the world when I was growing up, and while I was working abroad as an adult.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)form and find each other, Facebook has enabled you to maintain relationships with people you might never have been able to find. That's pretty remarkable, isn't it?
Facebook serves some very useful purposes and offers its capabilities at no charge to such groups. I like that.
dweller
(23,682 posts)think i can find someone to fix my 97 Ranger ? 😀
i mean literally come over and fix it?
i'm getting to old to crawl under it anymore 😑
✌🏼
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I hear you, though.
On the other hand, on a KIA Soul group on FB, a woman was trying to figure out how to change a headlight bulb on her 2013. She said she couldn't afford to have it done. Someone in the group who lived not far from her went over and did it, after exchanging addresses in Messenger.
dweller
(23,682 posts)needs a clutch, if it's the master, it's doable... but if it's the slave, dropping the trans is too much for me to handle ... eventually i'll get to it
got my plate full at the mo..
✌🏼
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I've done it a few times in the past 50 years, but would rather not. Actually, at age 75, I wouldn't do it again. Such a job would probably result in my selling the Ranger and replacing it with another one that had a good clutch. But, the clutch on mine seems fine at this point.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)I like musical instruments, musicians, hiking, local politics, colleges or high schools, etc.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)can't offer the same variety of tools to your users that are on the Facebook platform.
mopinko
(70,268 posts)i have gotten in touch w so many people from my younger years, a couple of whom i didnt even remember knowing, particularly, but def enjoy having as a friend now.
i also have a nice little following for my farm page, and enjoy quite a few farm/plant/animal focused groups.
so much info out there. there is a mushroom id group that is practically instantaneous sometimes. i have gone from zero knowledge to a solid grasp on common prize edibles as well as identifying most all the many, many fungi on my property.
i am a freeloader. i almost never click on an ad, unless it is for some small local event or cause. i never ever buy anything through them.
i brook no bullshit on my page, and i dont seem to even see most of the dreck that others get swamped in.
when they revealed the fb stuff that the trolls had pushed, it turns out i saw exactly zero of it.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)I probably belong to about 10-12 groups-- a lot like yours, in my case mostly professionally oriented- stuff for sale, how to fix, musical interpretations---(have a look at the Gustav Mahler group, if you like. these are extraordinarily knowledgeable people!)
And speaking of Mahler...
In another group, there has been yet ANOTHER long discussion of how manner hammer blows to play in his 6th symphony..
I get absolutely ZERO right wing posts in my feed, and while still too many ads, no sick ones-- recently a lot about socks and round eye glasses...
ret5hd
(20,533 posts)MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I'll bet there are a few train groups on it, though. Steam trains, specific railroad lines, model trains. Yup, there's a group for just about everyone on Facebook, if you're interested in trains.
AllaN01Bear
(18,534 posts)rest in xtal sets . de kf6uxj / ex kae4466 . been on du since 2000. i like your screen nick. ive seen lots of ur posts on here . : ps du is my goto place for politics and sensible news . arnt u one of the moderators if i may ask?
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)If you want to find the Crystal Radio group on Facebook, just search for "Crystal Radio."
gordianot
(15,247 posts)You get constant memes that sound to me like Russian propaganda and some of the participant Facebook accounts seem questionable. Not that I think anything will convince Trumpers I try to counterbalance their lies. It is interesting to see who are tempted to join in.
LuckyCharms
(17,463 posts)I loved that truck. I bought it new and ran it until the head gasket blew. I loved that truck so much that I decided to have it repaired, and then ran it for awhile longer until I switched to a larger truck.
Hekate
(90,865 posts)I recently logged back on to check for news of the Maria Fire, to see if a certain local man and his followers were posting updates. They were. He's a photographer/artist, and his site was invaluable the Thomas Fire and subsequent Montecito Mudflow.
You see, Ventura doesn't have a TV station of its own, so anything to do with my new town is an afterthought to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Are you aware that major regional fires stop at the County line? Yep, and KEYT aired the maps that "prove" it. Ventura was all over their news until the Thomas Fire crossed the County line into SB, at which point their map (on-air and online) showed a sharp line, with red on the SB side and a big blank to the south, where things were still burning like hell.
I was very grateful when my SIL steered me to the local guy.
Still despise Zuck, though.
LeftInTX
(25,607 posts)I know what you mean....We had cable from LA...Local TV was lacking....I think Santa Barbara and San Luis Opisbo each had one station back then.
catchnrelease
(1,946 posts)I use FB for staying in touch with family that is spread all over the country. I created a closed group just for us and it really has kept the lines of communication open during things like hurricanes, fires etc. Just to touch base and say 'we're ok'. Saying happy birthday etc.
I'm also in several special interest groups--Calif native plants, geology, pet lost/found, artistic interests etc. My husband has reconnected with tons of his high school friends and a bunch of them get together for lunch and reminiscing on a fairly regular basis, he loves it.
I know there is tracking going on, but I think I have my security tightened down as much as it's possible. No ads, no apps, nothing open to the public that I'm able to control. No politics, not even DU! And I'd say I have learned a lot by being part of some of the groups I'm in, as you say MM. I would also say I'm probably addicted as the thought of just closing it down and not being on it just is a no-go to me.
GusBob
(7,286 posts)it would take all day
some are political and they are great too
There's no way I could keep so much interesting stuff organized otherwise
And as I indicated earlier, there is no way I can pick up the phone and call someone say, in Auckland NZ
I don't have voice service in these mountains for one thing
Do your boycott go hard!
I'll do whatever I want too
in2herbs
(2,947 posts)68,000 miles. Bought my second Ranger to replace the one that was totalled, had it till 2018. It only had 84,000 miles. I now own a Subaru but I miss my Rangers. My second Ranger was bought by my friend's son.
Dr Vegas
(456 posts)I post what I like and I let my FB friends know they are always free to delete any of my posts they disagree with and/or even unfriend me.
I do delete anything that shows up on my feed that I disagree with. I flag fake/scam ads and I notify administrators when a off subject or spam shows up in a feed that is in a group I belong in. I wasn't always so careful.
A few years ago I got into a flame war with some TRump-pets in a Classic Rock FB page. They were pissed about a song Todd Rundgren wrote with Don Fagen, "Tin Foil Hats". They tried to argue with me that Todd Rundgren could not be considered "Classic Rock".
I foolishly pointed out Todd's work as a solo artist and his production work and even his touring with Ringo Stars "All'Star" Band.
I stated you can't ignore what he has done just because you dislike one song. There was no point arguing with Trump supporters.
The exchange left a bad taste in my mouth and I left the group and found another to join. Now I am wiser and avoid interacting emotionally with posts I disagree with. Life too short for that crap,
rockfordfile
(8,708 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)People all over the world use Facebook.
radical noodle
(8,015 posts)when I had an African Violet that was drooping and limp. I found a great group of African Violet growers who gave me terrific advice and now my plant is thriving. It too is private and allows no politics. I belong to several similar groups.
I also had Fuch's Dystrophy (I'm cured thanks to transplants), and I belong to a group on Facebook that reassures those who are newly diagnosed with the disease so they will have support.
There is much good about Facebook.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)Many of those who are insisting that everyone boycott Facebook are not really Facebook users in the first place. So, they're unlikely to be aware of the features of FB that make it valuable to so many. Focusing only on the political side is a mistake, I think. Most Facebook users, I suspect pay little attention at all to the political goings on.
Again and again, I see people who are trying to get people to boycott the site saying things like, "I quit Facebook in 2016," or "I never use Facebook." So, it's clear where they stand and that they aren't aware of how so many people use the site.
radical noodle
(8,015 posts)Yes, Facebook does have issues, but I've always found more good than bad there. The call for the boycott is exactly why I decided to share a couple of my experiences. Thanks for starting the thread.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)My Ranger is a real workhorse. I love him.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)wonderfully smooth and comfy ride for a small pickup. I'm extremely fond of it and would love to keep it forever, but serenity does not lie in talking about my suspicions that the transmission is on the way out again.
I participate in gardening and cooking groups (not FB) and just brought home some poblanos and crema to try a recommended recipe.
Happy chatting.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)exhibit no alarming symptoms. I doubt it will be driven more than about 750 miles per year. Aside from being a second vehicle that can run errands when our primary vehicle is doing something else, it will get filled with brush, junk, etc. for disposal, mostly. Or, if something like the snowblower has a problem I can't fix, it will haul that to the repair shop.
We got along just fine for seven years with just one vehicle. This year, though, we had some major decluttering and clean-up chores that needed doing. Instead of paying someone else to do those chores, we bought the Ranger for $1100. Add $300 to that for a set of new tires, and it's still a cheap truck. It has already earned its keep this year. It will get driven at least once a week, far enough to thoroughly warm the operating parts up. I'll give it an oil change once a year. We'll find out if its battery is OK this winter. If not, I'll put a new one in it. Given its current healthy state, it should serve us well for several years in its assigned role.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)gardening buddy and was "my car" (as opposed to "ours" ) for years.
The one thing it can't do that matters is get back up our neighbor's adventurous driveway from the lake. If it would, I maybe could get my husband to agree to new paint, transmission, etc, but at the expense of having him leave it down at the dock too often.
Pickups are very valued here in the south, though, and I expect this little one will become a happy project for someone who'd like your FB group when I finally face up to letting it go.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)small pickups. Why? Because they used to be built right here in St. Paul. In fact, it's sort of difficult here to find anything but Ford Rangers if you're searching for a small pickup. Once I decided to buy a truck, Craigslist displayed at least 30 Rangers, the first time I searched. Even better, because there are so many of them, the prices are relatively low, compared to some other areas.
When I told my brother-in-law about my new truck, its price, and its condition, he said, and I quote: "Damn! That thing would cost almost three times as much here in Southern California." Then, when he found out that the check engine light wasn't on, he added $500 to the expected price where he is. We don't have smog checks in Minnesota at all.
I bought it from a woman whose husband had recently died. Her son had advertised it and set the price. It had literally been sitting in the woman's driveway for 9 months without even being driven during that time. She finally decided to sell it. It was her husband's project truck. He had been working on it for about four years, the son told me. Replacing parts, etc.
The trouble was that it hadn't been used for 9 months. That meant that the gas in it was old, and the clutch had gotten rusty. So, many people had looked at it, because it was priced at just $1100. But nobody bought it. I got there, got into it, started it up and drove it around the block. The clutch was grabby, and the engine was running rough. I almost passed on it, but drove it some more, about 15 miles. The clutch started working normally and the engine sort of cleaned itself out and was running pretty OK when I got back. It needed a set of tires, though.
I decided to buy it. So, the nice woman and I went to the DMV office and sat there for an hour until we could transfer it. We had some time to chat, and she told me about her husband, who had died about six months before. I handed over the money, got my paperwork, and we left the DMV. She said, "You know what I"m going to do with this $1100? I"m going to use it to pay for my husband's headstone." Then, she gave me a big hug and drove off, and I drove off in the Ranger. A very nice transaction.
Anyhow, I put a tank of fresh gas in it with some fuel system cleaner added. I checked everything over. It had new brakes, the timing belt and water pump had recently been replaced, and the exhaust system looked brand new. I went the next day to the tire shop and put four new tires on it for $300. Since then, the engine is running perfectly and it drives like, well, a Ford Ranger. The 4-cylinder engine and standard transmission are the old reliable Mazda-engineered units, which have a great reputation.
Nice.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Fun hearing about the truck's history up there. Prices here are more like California's.
Mine's a 6-cylinder, great on the road, but that driveway reminds me increasingly of places they liked to position cameras on the Baja 1000. Strictly 4-wheel these days, but our neighbor says it keeps trespassers out.
Your eye's like my husband's. At 79 he went out with instructions from me and both his children to spend some money on a nice little bass boat he could depend on but instead came home with one that hadn't run in years and looked like the wrath of god had finished with it a decade before. But under the leaves and mold it's a classic top-brand aluminum that was waiting for someone who couldn't pass it up because he knew why it wouldn't run and where to get the parts.
Enjoy.
Archae
(46,358 posts)It's devoted to one topic, *NO* politics.
Spyro the Dragon.
(Videogame character)
We love finding art at FurAffinity and DeviantArt, and even fan-made animations.
Kali
(55,026 posts)Last edited Wed Nov 6, 2019, 01:56 PM - Edit history (1)
but just because it is such a time suck. best group there? https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeirdSecondhandFinds/
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)It sounds wonderful!
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)I'll be adding a couple of photos soon.
Kali
(55,026 posts)looking for something to post. I posted a few of my treasures when I was on FB more. recently got to check out a goodwill in another part of the state so that was kind of a blast. didn't come home with too much more crap.
I love how they have "trade names" for certain kinds of things, like vomit clocks.
ismnotwasm
(42,020 posts)I have a hand carved devil mask from Sri Lanka that would fit right in...got it at a yard sale years ago
Kali
(55,026 posts)but it was definitely somebody from DU who turned me on to that site.
RichardRay
(2,611 posts)Im on four pages with grizzly and black bear rehabbers. Wouldnt guess the rehabbers would know how to put up their own sites. The admins are sudden death in s]anything not having to do with bear rehabilitation. The sites are very polite and civil.
LeftInTX
(25,607 posts)I don't rescue cats. I don't even own a cat, but it's a feel-good time pass for me. (Hubby is allergic and pets are too much work for us) I enjoy reading about the work they do.
Unlike bears, most of the group members own cats, so the topic is somewhat more diverse with cat owners sharing pet pics etc.
Everything must stay on topic. The group is closed.
Response to MineralMan (Original post)
Baked Potato This message was self-deleted by its author.
MineralMan
(146,338 posts)'67-8. Very interesting place to be stationed, for sure.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)We lack a lot of perspectives here but Facebook is awful for politics as well. I use Twitter I can follow Jeremy Corbyn supporters in the UK. I get a lot of perspectives that I just can't get at DU.