16 Days Ago......an observation.

I am puzzled because I have seen different styles of posts and responses on the forum but I haven’t seen a thread that is hunting a bot. Can you name the bot and which thread is it hunting? I find the forum difficult to navigate so it would be great if NAS would fix it and make it autist user friendly. That would be one thing that would make connections with people in common a much nicer experience.

The diverse styles of communication and different interests of the people who use this forum is a good thing, but I am aware that some people can come across as angry, impatient and intolerant. This may be for all sorts of reasons - it could be my perception, the other persons autistic traits, mental health or the issues going on in someone’s life and so on. Some people want to control what other people say. 

Unknown said:

all of whom I presume will simply want to be in personal contact with one another here?

I think that anybody who makes a post or responds on a thread here is looking for contact with other people, and hopefully nobody is left without any interaction. You asked about what needs to happen “to keep things rolling … or at least interesting”. I can’t answer that, but I quite like talking about current affairs, material culture archaeology of Pre Pottery Neolithic to Iron Age Levant and early human cave art. I haven’t found any archaeologists here that I can engage with as my interest is niche. I don’t have the energy to talk about things that don’t interest me, or to engage with people who are aggressive, but most people have been nice. 

Unknown said:

What do YOU think needs to happen here, to keep things rolling?...or at least interesting.....for any genuine human autist here

As I haven’t anything more to add at the moment, can I turn ask you what you want to see here to keep things interesting? 

ArchaeC said:

can I turn ask you what you want to see here to keep things interesting? 

I like exploring the woods and wilds.  I don't like paths (I hate "pathways.")  I don't like signposts.  I like to discover what is over the next hill, by walking around the trees, to get to it.  If I want directions, I'll ask for them - but I will want to choose who to ask based on their appearance, gait and behaviour.  Maybe I'll find some scat on the floor......and become fascinated by it......and not bother reaching that hill after all.  Maybe a bear will jump out at me?  Maybe some "rando" human will chance across me staring at scat on the ground.....and we'll get chatting, about scat?!  Perhaps I'll glimpse a deer?

I think, in essence.....my time here in the gaze of others, is nearing it's close .......so really, the question is posed to those people who ARE here....because their ain't many places for folks like us to be around each other....just to chat and explore....like perhaps, only some autists hope for?  The question I posed in the OP that I think might be of most importance is;

Unknown said:

all of whom I presume will simply want to be in personal contact with one another here?

That is all I wanted when I came here........and was thankfully what I got.  I want others to be able to find that here too.

You are beautifully poetic Number! I think I understand that you are after a gentle journey of reflective discovery. Please correct me if I’m assuming too much. I have difficulty engaging with people and talking about random things, but sometimes interesting posts like yours turn up, and it is good to talk. I would be sorry if you didn’t continue here. 

Sorry the photos are a bit messed up and I have replied to myself! This website isn’t easy for things like this!

Thank you Martin. I like many things to do with ‘lithics’ which is a general archaeological term for stone tools, debris and raw material from an archaeological site. Here is the definition of ‘coprolite’ in archaeological terminology, from my old copy of ‘The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Archaeology’ referenced in photo. I may have to do the three photos one at a time. 

Again... I appreciate the confirmation from a known scientist and "bloke who has proven himself knowledgeable on most/all matters of science that I know to extend beyond my own)....and who's opinion I respect and choose to pay attention to.  Thank you sir.

Disambiguation - ArchaeC - please be assured that I mean not slight to you and your knowledge, by this independent heartfelt thanks to Martin here too.  Frustratingly, I know that you would feel no "slight" in that regard......but I also know that "we" must perform to a "wider audience" these days, when communicating in public fora, for fear of being misunderstood.

Targeted links, on specifics, from folk like you are SO welcome.  It saddens me that any alternative reality could exist in the perceptions of others.  Thank you.  I will dig-in later on that.....and I most sincerely thank you for your time....."bothering".....as it were!

The suffix '-lite' means stone, ultimately derived from the Greek 'lithos'.

Another link eeeek! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305440314003938

Parasitic evidence in coprolites! 

We were both correct in our understanding of coprolites!

I am glad you asked me about the definition, because I am not an expert in the study of coprolites and I can be mistaken about things. In archaeology, the people who study these coprolites generally are part of the archaeological laboratory team, or the samples can be sent to a separate lab attached to a university or research institute. I recall reading the results of lab reports in archaeological site reports. I “ducked ducked” (search engine, I don’t  google any more) the term and came up with this link (SORRY!). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-020-01242-8  I have even seen history programmes talk about medieval coprolites! I am not an archaeological scientist. In the past, I have let other people do the scientific analysis and I would have read their results and considered if and how that might fit into my analysis of the site and object. If you search online with something like “coprolite archaeological definition versus geological definition” or try paleontology, geo archaeology. You should be able to read more. Archaeology overlaps with anthropology and in the US, anthropology has a different definition to archaeology too. Coprolite analysis is amazing but I think I would rather have your fossilised remains in my home than a medieval t…!

I do love old stuff, and old knowledge.  Having a desiccated tur d in my life......is not my idea of joy & happiness.....btw.......what do you think of me ?!

On a more serious note, and again, tbh, I have always believed that coprolite always referred to the fossilized "form" of that matter.  Not wishing to "cast shade" on you nor your expertise (AND because I MUCH prefer to learn from humans [as does AI]), are you sure you are correct?

Disambiguation = I intend no offence in asking for your "degree of confidence" in your answer.

It’s  not obvious to me that your coprolite is a true fossil. The term coprolite is used differently in archaeology than in geology or some other disciplines. In archaeology, coprolite can refer to remains that are not fossils, but may have a fossil like state, in that the remains are desiccated or partial mineralised matter remains. The different terminology between disciplines happens all the time but perhaps more so in archaeology. I had visions of getting your coprolite analysed and discovering all sorts of unknown facts. It is still a wonderful thing to think of what went before us!  

Yea - following a thread like this in just a nightmare!  In answer to all your questions, I can safely answer "don't know".....but its old enough to be a fossil, obviously, and clear enough to be evident.

I am losing track of the order if this thread - a common occurrence! Please excuse if I miss replying. Gosh scat and coprolites, how fascinating! Is the scat from the cat or from one of your explorations? Where is the coprolite from, who or what and how old? Archaeology is such a broad subject but some archaeologists and scientists specialise in scientific analysis of coprolites and things like food remains. Analysis has unveiled all sorts of hidden secrets from the past. I can understand you wanting to share your thoughts in private message format. I have been hesitant to use such a format, although I haven’t seen any complaints about abuse or security other than complaints that messages were held in moderation. I am realising the time-sink issue all too well. Self discipline is required on my part, not easy.

Thank you - talking scat is one of my special interests!  [that's a joke by the way......although I do have a coprolite....that makes me happy!]  I'm sure I won't  "flounce-off" from here, nor feel the need to leave for reasons of mental health, nor (hopefully) be too "of my age" with protestations about how things were much better in the "ye olde days."  I prefer sharing my thoughts in the private message format, because it is very hard to try and share something interesting, meaningful, personal or thought-provoking on these public pages......for very obvious and evident reasons.  Honest and real Q&A conversations/interactions that I find helpful and interesting are very often best conducted in a private setting.  Before I came here to this place, I had far fewer people of my tribe to do that with.  For me, this place has been very important.

This place can also be a tremendous time-sink.....if you're not too careful.

Thank you - talking scat is one of my special interests!  [that's a joke by the way......although I do have a coprolite....that makes me happy!]  I'm sure I won't  "flounce-off" from here, nor feel the need to leave for reasons of mental health, nor (hopefully) be too "of my age" with protestations about how things were much better in the "ye olde days."  I prefer sharing my thoughts in the private message format, because it is very hard to try and share something interesting, meaningful, personal or thought-provoking on these public pages......for very obvious and evident reasons.  Honest and real Q&A conversations/interactions that I find helpful and interesting are very often best conducted in a private setting.  Before I came here to this place, I had far fewer people of my tribe to do that with.  For me, this place has been very important.

This place can also be a tremendous time-sink.....if you're not too careful.

Sorry the photos are a bit messed up and I have replied to myself! This website isn’t easy for things like this!

Thank you Martin. I like many things to do with ‘lithics’ which is a general archaeological term for stone tools, debris and raw material from an archaeological site. Here is the definition of ‘coprolite’ in archaeological terminology, from my old copy of ‘The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Archaeology’ referenced in photo. I may have to do the three photos one at a time. 

Again... I appreciate the confirmation from a known scientist and "bloke who has proven himself knowledgeable on most/all matters of science that I know to extend beyond my own)....and who's opinion I respect and choose to pay attention to.  Thank you sir.

Disambiguation - ArchaeC - please be assured that I mean not slight to you and your knowledge, by this independent heartfelt thanks to Martin here too.  Frustratingly, I know that you would feel no "slight" in that regard......but I also know that "we" must perform to a "wider audience" these days, when communicating in public fora, for fear of being misunderstood.

Targeted links, on specifics, from folk like you are SO welcome.  It saddens me that any alternative reality could exist in the perceptions of others.  Thank you.  I will dig-in later on that.....and I most sincerely thank you for your time....."bothering".....as it were!

The suffix '-lite' means stone, ultimately derived from the Greek 'lithos'.

Another link eeeek! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305440314003938

Parasitic evidence in coprolites! 

We were both correct in our understanding of coprolites!

I am glad you asked me about the definition, because I am not an expert in the study of coprolites and I can be mistaken about things. In archaeology, the people who study these coprolites generally are part of the archaeological laboratory team, or the samples can be sent to a separate lab attached to a university or research institute. I recall reading the results of lab reports in archaeological site reports. I “ducked ducked” (search engine, I don’t  google any more) the term and came up with this link (SORRY!). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-020-01242-8  I have even seen history programmes talk about medieval coprolites! I am not an archaeological scientist. In the past, I have let other people do the scientific analysis and I would have read their results and considered if and how that might fit into my analysis of the site and object. If you search online with something like “coprolite archaeological definition versus geological definition” or try paleontology, geo archaeology. You should be able to read more. Archaeology overlaps with anthropology and in the US, anthropology has a different definition to archaeology too. Coprolite analysis is amazing but I think I would rather have your fossilised remains in my home than a medieval t…!

I do love old stuff, and old knowledge.  Having a desiccated tur d in my life......is not my idea of joy & happiness.....btw.......what do you think of me ?!

On a more serious note, and again, tbh, I have always believed that coprolite always referred to the fossilized "form" of that matter.  Not wishing to "cast shade" on you nor your expertise (AND because I MUCH prefer to learn from humans [as does AI]), are you sure you are correct?

Disambiguation = I intend no offence in asking for your "degree of confidence" in your answer.

It’s  not obvious to me that your coprolite is a true fossil. The term coprolite is used differently in archaeology than in geology or some other disciplines. In archaeology, coprolite can refer to remains that are not fossils, but may have a fossil like state, in that the remains are desiccated or partial mineralised matter remains. The different terminology between disciplines happens all the time but perhaps more so in archaeology. I had visions of getting your coprolite analysed and discovering all sorts of unknown facts. It is still a wonderful thing to think of what went before us!  

Yea - following a thread like this in just a nightmare!  In answer to all your questions, I can safely answer "don't know".....but its old enough to be a fossil, obviously, and clear enough to be evident.

I am losing track of the order if this thread - a common occurrence! Please excuse if I miss replying. Gosh scat and coprolites, how fascinating! Is the scat from the cat or from one of your explorations? Where is the coprolite from, who or what and how old? Archaeology is such a broad subject but some archaeologists and scientists specialise in scientific analysis of coprolites and things like food remains. Analysis has unveiled all sorts of hidden secrets from the past. I can understand you wanting to share your thoughts in private message format. I have been hesitant to use such a format, although I haven’t seen any complaints about abuse or security other than complaints that messages were held in moderation. I am realising the time-sink issue all too well. Self discipline is required on my part, not easy.