Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

This image was created by asking Grok to render the image in the style of Charles Addams.

HA! As soon as I saw that picture I thought of Captain Spaulding.


I had to make this. I'm not good at art, but I think it turned out fine. Yes, this is what happens when I'm awake at night by myself.


By the way, has anybody else been getting those stupid FORBIDDEN messages?

Chris adjusted some spam/bot settings and asked to report back whether or not it helps with the forbidden problem.

Instant ancestors based on a selfie.

Lol! Those are pretty cool.

There doesn't seem to be any issues on the forum ... so far.

The only issue I have so far is instead of letting me upload photos in a batch I have to do them one at a time.

I think I did get a forbidden notice once since you posted, but I did manage to get my response posted.

It looks like I spoke too soon, now the forum isn't loading any images, when I right click on images to open in a new tab it shows me the same forbidden message.

I have also seen a small notification come up when I try to upload images that says ... HTTP Error.

Here is a screenshot from the other day.

Yeah, it's still not showing any images, even the screenshot I just uploaded isn't showing.

Right now I'm not seeing images, but I often have to wait quite a while before they load.

Same thing on my end.

I sent a request to Chris to see if I can do anything as an admin.

I fear that you two will give up and lquit the forum, leaving me to wander the vast halls as a lone spirit.

It is cat and mouse with the bots/spammer junk. I keep having to add things like fail2ban and then adjusting parameters to get them banned properly. Hopefully (fingers crossed) I have the right balance now.

It looks like the images are back, thanks Chris.

The only way that I would leave this forum is if it permanently shut down, either due to the collapse of our civilization and the internet in general, or because a asteroid hit the planet killing everybody.

How about you, Murf? Did you join the collective ... uh, I mean Facebook yet?

I'm not going anywhere. And, no, I haven't yet joined FB. But even if I do, I won't leave this place.

I am, however, planning a jaunt down to Mississippi on the weekend of the 13-17 (a longish weekend). It's a reunion for a specific high school advanced English class, and I've decided to extend it for a day or two so I can run down to Natchez briefly. I've never been there and always wanted to go. The Natchez Trace starts at Nashville and runs all the way down to Natchez. My hometown of Jackson is en route. Since my husband can't get off from work, I'm taking my daughter. It will be her first time to see the town where I was born and raised.

BTW, the pics are showing up fine now.

I hope that you both enjoy your trip.

When I was a kid we went to California and my mother showed us where she grew up with her family, we saw her old house and school, and she even brought us to the hospital that she was born in. I don't know if my younger siblings appreciated, or even remember the experience, but I still do.