Abandoned America

Presidents Park opened in Virginia in 2004, but went under only a few years later in 2010. The 20-foot tall busts of US presidents that were the park's main attraction were moved to a rural field, where they were left to decay. More at https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-president-heads

A rotting room in the District of Columbia Children's Center at Forest Haven in Laurel, MD. Forest Haven was infamous for such appalling neglect that it was called “the deadliest known example of institutional abuse in recent American history.” Read more at https://www.abandonedamerica.us/forest-haven-developmental-center

RE: https://mastodon.social/@AbandonedAmerica/117401013388104441 I feel like for this park to have any shot at working, they needed rides. The Lincoln Log Flume, Reagan's Trickle Down Water Park, Carter's Play Area for Little Peanuts, Herbie's Stock Market Plunge. You know. Have some fun with it.

2/ I have chosen to remain on mastodon.social precisely because I have seen so much bickering between instance admins and threats of defederating each other, some acted on. I don't like drama. I don't come online for it. I have migrated social platforms far too many times and I hate it. I am at where I'm at because I don't want to play instance hopscotch over issues that should be resolved. Most users here don't. If that becomes too much of a burden most people will nope out. It's a fact.

3/ If this platform continues to grow there will always be a biggest instance and that instance will always have growing pains. I'm not saying dealing with spam from one isn't a PITA but also silencing while they work through it is a perfectly legit way of dealing with it. Maybe you decide to keep it that way. It's your choice and I respect that. What I don't like is the fact that people seem eager to use the nuclear option bc they think that the folks on that instance are expendable simpletons

4/ In the long run people joining will choose to switch instances if they want to. Trying to guilt, shame, or badger them into doing it is what drives people away. Showing them the benefits, making doing so easier, and offering stable alternatives is what will make it work. If we want Fediverse growth then there are going to be issues like spam and managing differing perspectives without forcing users to switch instances because of them.

6/ One last thing, passions are high on this. Maybe what I said pisses you off! But it was not said with disrespect to you, admins in general, or the Fediverse as a whole. I appreciate the people here and the admins who make this place vibrant and beautiful. I'm okay with people disagreeing, passionately even, but replies that trend toward abusiveness about it are going to result in a block. We can have different perspectives on this and still be friends, at least that's how I feel.

5/ I love you folks. Truly. I am not saying admins don't have valid complaints or that nobody *should* make their own choices about what they do with their own instances. I'm saying there are a lot of users who those choices affect and a lot of people who will write off the platform and tell everyone they know it sucks if their first experiences with this place are having to switch instances bc of resolvable dramas. I know a lot of people who did. I want to see more people find a home here.

@paninid@mastodon.world no. I don't owe you explanations for my choices that I have already written in my thread just so you can argue with them.

@paninid@mastodon.world okay, fair, I apologize for responding to a misread on my part. Truly sorry about that. I am at where I'm at because I don't want to have to switch due to proxy wars between admins. I've switched platforms a bunch and I hate it. When the process here allows me to do so without losing my whole post history I would 100% be more willing/likely to consider it

@mmasnick also hilarious that what set this off was an interview where Taibbi destroyed what little reputation he had left in part by refusing to say anything that might provoke Musk, then Musk shredded him anyway.

The newest episode of the Abandoned America podcast released today and explores Gould Street's fascinating history, including the public utility wars in Baltimore, a forgotten inventor, and much more: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saying-goodbye-to-gould-street/id1619808235?i=1000618876347

@GreenFire@mstdn.social good lord, maybe I'm just a bit jaded because the amount of spam and blocking I have had to do elsewhere eclipses this platform by so much. Pruning a bit here feels like nothing. And I don't need an admin for that unless it's really outlandish

@noondlyt@mstdn.social that's my hope. I want this place to keep succeeding until it threatens corporate social media tbh but that's going to take discipline

@bikepedantic@transportation.social yep and it's only going to get more difficult as the entire platform grows

@TheCoolest@dftba.club @Pheneatis@mstdn.ca I think what I've been seeing is that people are silencing m.s until they figure this out which seems completely fair. And the app thing - I do hope they add more. The changes just went in place though if I'm not mistaken so maybe with a little time this will have a happier resolution. But the selection of instances was a HUGE turn off for a LOT of people

@TheCoolest@dftba.club @Pheneatis@mstdn.ca the problem is deciding who to include which, let me tell you, is going to be an ego shitshow

@atomicpoet@calckey.social @paninid@mastodon.world thanks for the info! That's a great feature

@Npars01@mstdn.social @paninid@mastodon.world yes! And much as everyone rips on Twitter, often deservedly so, that has been a good thing, at least I think so

@paninid@mastodon.world @atomicpoet@calckey.social that would be super cool. I've had my eye on that and if I were to switch that's probably where I'd go

@MarleyandMe@mastodon.social it was in good enough condition to restore, apparently!

@mike@thecanadian.social IDK how you're missing it but I have seen a LOT of it on my timeline from a number of larger accounts so 🤷‍♂️

@corbden@defcon.social I don't know the details of the situation but I'm sorry that you went through that, having been dogpiled I know how stressful it is.

@corbden@defcon.social ah right, thanks for the clarification and glad you stuck it out. But yes, the migration thing needs a fix. If that was why I had to port my account I'd seriously consider just calling it quits. I'd really love to see the migration tools improved and think this would solve a lot of the interinstance issues for users

@Euan@speedlines.stctp.zone how incredibly sweet. Thanks so much for sharing this.

@meercat0@mastodon.social I agree. They're supposed to be saving the central admin structure but about 95% of the campus either has been torn down or will be

@meercat0@mastodon.social oh, not a bit - this place was solid as a rock. Built for longevity 😊

@BruceHalperin@sfba.social oh right. That was my favorite of the series. I believe they filmed at the abandoned Six Flags, which I photographed, although I didn't recognize it in the movie

@dsmdexter@mastodon.social thank you so much, I had no idea if anyone would find the stuff I found out interesting! And believe me I'm doing my best ❤️

@dsmdexter@mastodon.social thank you. I've been in a pretty solid funk lately about creating and sharing work when the avenues to do something with it are all drying up. I mean, about a lot of other things too, but that is one of them.

@corbden@defcon.social aaaagh that's so awful. I'm so so sorry, for the loss, your added stress, and the callous response. The holier than thou crowd definitely has a base here. Also a reason interinstance drama is something I want no part of unless it's really important (and honestly I hate JK Rowling but whether you like the game, to me, is not)

@Pheneatis@mstdn.ca @TheCoolest@dftba.club thanks! That's awesome

@Deus@mastindia.co no problem! This place has been somewhat fortunate (?) in that the guy who owns the land is pretty aggressive with trespassers so they haven't got tagged to hell yet

@LarsFosdal@mastodon.social I have to agree. On a technical level the sculptures are really well done.

@docdieterlen@urbanists.social I agree completely. Every year these are unsheltered they're a little closer to rubble and moving them again would probably destroy them

@shadyspotlight@mindly.social I believe they did; I got in through one of the salvage guys

@loathsomecowboy@wonkodon.com oh, that's neat. Did she tell you any stories about it?

@meercat0@mastodon.social oh trust me I have been in some very foolish places https://www.abandonedamerica.us/hudson-river-state-hospital

@slestak@ohai.social oh neat! Maybe I'll get out there sometime

@MarleyandMe@mastodon.social me too. You gotta have a win every now and again to keep going.

@BruceHalperin@sfba.social which one?

@RobinBobcat@meow.social I believe so. It was removed from the factory and restored after I photographed it

@donw@mastodon.coffee exactly! Thank you!

@swansflight@mastodon.social you're welcome! Thanks for checking them out!

@Illdisposed@mastodon.social get me in and sure!

@embuco@mastodon.social @dsmdexter@mastodon.social thank you - and goodness, I'd love to have seen that factory, that sounds so cool

@Jerry@hear-me.social thank you! ❤️