Facebook didn't do much for me after I signed up months ago and I deactivated my account. Didn't really care for what some of my so called "friends" were posting during the presidential campaign either. Yesterday it suddenly pops up out of the blue and it's reactivated. Didn't even go to it, it just showed up on my screen.

Anybody else have this happen?

FaceBook is like most of the internet. I heard someone say once it's like a sewer and once you put anything in it, it's hard to get rid of it.

I wouldn't know, I've never registered. I'm not a big fan of Facebook either. The way I see it, there's a reason I don't associate with certain people from my past, or present, and I certainly don't want to feel obligated to do so online.

When it comes to extended family, I wouldn't be surprised if Facebook has created more division, rather than cohesion. Especially, when political opinions are expressed.

Reminds me of a joke.

Question: What did the Texas A&M Aggie do after he had accidentally dropped a quarter into the crapper hole of the outhouse.

Answer: He didn't figure one quarter was worth retrieving, so he tossed in another one to make it worthwhile.

According to emails, I have a whole bunch of facebook friends, and never had an account.

I used Facebook once to get into the Zetts of W.V. fish pages, but I haven't fallen into the trap of opening the friend’s quagmire. I was interested in how Facebook was set up and so now I am reading "Hatching Twitter" about how Twitter came about.

In my mind Facebook is pretty much like a lot of things in life. Some good - some bad.

You choose how much or how little time to use it. You decide who and who you don't "friend".

I recently re-connected with a guy that was my best friend in the Boy Scouts more than 40 years ago. After high school, college, marriages, we had lost touch. Now we communicate on Facebook and have attended some football games together. Pretty cool! Same thing with a niece that lives in a Hawaii...I would almost never pick up the phone and call her..but via Facebook I stay up with her and her kids and actually can peek into their daily lives. I enjoy being able to watch her kids grow up in a day to day way since she is in Hawaii and I am in Texas. Facebook makes this option available. It's not the only option, but it is one great option in my mind.

There are countless instances like this for me on Facebook.
But like almost anything...it's not for everyone...2EachHisOwn.

Here is a picture of 3 guys (me on the far right) that went all the way thru elementary school, Boy Scouts, and high school together, that have re-connected decades later via Facebook and rekindled friendships.



ps: heck even PondBoss is on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/PondBossMagazine

Zep: If this were a Facebook page I would click "Like". Your story is like mine, I've found friends from my former employment, guys (and gals) from kindergarten through high school. Facebook is only as good or as bad as you allow it to be. If there is someone that you don't want to be a "Friend" with you don't accept them as a friend, or if they are a "friend" and you don't want them to be you "unfriend" them. Lots of Pond Boss Forum members are on Facebook and represent us well.

Don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with facebook per cei or that others like it. Just not my cup of tea and i found it odd they reactivated it without my permission.

Like Hotel California. Once you check in, you can never leave

It's all about collecting data that otherwise may not be available to those looking for it.

They are starting to realize that they are loosing people as fast as they were getting them. Now that they are public if they can re activate an account from their end and make it look not as bad they will.

Face book stock is a transparent dangling carrot. Its there but a true evaluation is near impossible.

I have never signed up and never will. My kids all are.

You want a really good tip check out "Reverb" all you ever need for news from the internet and it learns you and your interest.

Cheers Don.

I have mixed thoughts !!!

I dislike it very much as it seems you can waste alot of time reading stuff that is not really important. That said, I'm forced on now that my daughters post pics of my grandkids on there all the time.

I'm with Cecil. I get extremely turned off w "friends" who automatically think their political opinions are universal. I also enjoy keeping my life private and don't want to get others' "edited" lives. I may have an account (tho I've never made a post) because I get reminders on email. The only thing is they call me Jeff. I'm fine with that.

It does have its merits though. My son was in a bad accident and has been in a coma now for 3 weeks. He is currently in a long term facility but is expected to recover---thankfully. Facebook has really helped w/arrangements and keeping everyone abreast of developments. It has also saved us from answering hundreds of calls.

I have friends and family who are on Facebook with me who lean darn near communist to one's that make the Tea Party look mild. I find it entertaining reading the political rants. Doesn't offend me either way. I am just glad it is America and people are even allowed on Facebook and are allowed to voice their opinions, whether I think they are wrong or not.

I like to share photos of my daughter with family and share photos of fishing and hunting adventures with friends and family. With Facebook you can be as open or as private as you wish.

From my previous post: "Facebook is only as good or as bad as you allow it to be".

If your "Friends" are like mine, and you were on Facebook today you would be proud of all of the patriotic posts, pictures from WWII and later of friends dads, brothers, etc. who were in the military.

Today is a good Facebook day.

I have enough communication through email. Glad to say that I have never had a facebook, linked in, or any of the other networks that I have been invited to join. Rather communicate with the Pondboss folks!

IMO, facebook has been more positive than negative.

If you participate in online forums, like we all do here, then you are not really far away from deriving benefit from facebook.

Now, as far as facebook becoming a public company, I could never understand what its economic model was all about. Same thing with twitter (not a user myself). Everybody always talks about ad revenue, but for my part, I've never even clicked on an online ad.

While there are always many methods of personal communication, look at the trends....phone calls gave way to emails & texting; have those given way to twitter? What's next??

Information regarding users does have an economic value, it can be sold or used for targeted advertising.

This targeted advertising sometimes drives me crazy! lol

I will do a Google search for maybe a certain Levi jean and low and behold the ads I start seeing are all about jeans.

I recently was looking for a certain alarm clock, and now my computer is flooded with ads for clocks.

I clean out my cookies, but I not sure we can ever win against these data gathering wizards.

Thanks, Shorty, but I still don't quite get the value. I think it's because I'm somehow immune to internet advertising. I use Firefox and I see no ads. The only internet advertising I see is through spam emails.

Prayers to your son Brook & your family also (from all of us in central Ohio). Good luck buddy!!!

Sunil just curious. When you said "I see no ads" I switched over to my Firefox and logged into my Facebook account and I see ads along the right side of my Facebook. AT&T Wireless ad, a bariatric surgeon ad, another says "Sponsored Ad" for a Law Firm. Am I doing something wrong?

Or the government.

Ditto!

Thanks, hang_loose, for bringing that back.

So sorry, Brook, for missing it.

Positive thoughts for your son and your family.

Zep, I don't know what I may be doing right or what you may be doing wrong.

I don't see any ads on fb, and I don't see any ads here either.

Type "Bose Wave Radio" into google. Click on Bose website. For the next year you will have Bose Wave Radio ads everywhere.

I'm experiencing the same thing after visiting some websites... Due to some of the questionable "research" I occasionally engage in, this type of targeted advertising could prove embarrassing if someone else were to use my computer. lol

So, that's why they're called "personal" computers!

You have your browser set up wrong. When I close mine it deletes all history and cookies.

You can stop those adds by installing Add Block Plus. It works and it is free. We have had it for a couple years. No adds on facebook or other sites.

Yes, I feel bad for you sorry slubs!!!

No ads here, and I have no clue what I'm doing.

Must be those teen geeks who fix my laptop every now and again.

Does AdBlockPlus need to be installed for each browser?

I use Explorer, Google Chrome, and some Firefox.

I see on their home page it says "Install for IE".

Will that one install work for all my different browsers
or will I need to do multiple installs?

Mulitple installs.

I have it installed on Firfox but not IE.

Thanks Shorty!

If you still have adds pop ups and your computer is running slow this is the best cleaner you can find. This is a safe link added for the download.

Malwarebytes

Keep running this scanner. Then run a system clean up. Reboot and repeat till the scanner comes up clean.

This will take that annoying McAfee the heck off too. I use avast and Ad-ware to keep clean too but the above will get in a clean parts most all other cleaners will not get.

Cheers Don.

Your suspicious looking avatar probably elicited the attention of the NSA, prompting them to install alpha-spyware on your pc, which in turn, keeps your browser clear. If I were you, I would immediately drop that laptop into a Goodwill donation box and buy a new one. Choose a less conspicuous avatar, something more effeminate, a basket full of kittens, perhaps.

You're welcome, gw

This AdBlockPlus appears to be working great...
and it's FREE!

Thanks Guys!

I just have mine drop everything as soon as the browser is closed. Need to remember your passwords tho. An occasional cleaning is also involved, but not much.

You know, gw, that avatar was given to me against my will by Dwight.

And....

I have no recollection of that, Senator.

What do I need to do to fix this JKB? I mainly only know how to use Mac. I very seldom fire up the dinosaur.

If you never plan on using it again, then you could go with deleting it rather than deactivating it. They like to make it hard to find the delete button, but its there if need be.
delete facebook

Thanks Beaver Boy. Not sure if that was what I actually did or not.

John on a Mac, it's under the Firefox menu on the top Mac bar. Just click on preferences, and it's all there under the privacy settings. I also block all 3rd party cookies to keep advertisers from tracking.

Facebook = Internet unfortunately... I hate it and i want to deactivate my account but how is that possible? All my friends get in touch with me via Facebook. Most of the groups have no websites anymore. They use Facebook. If i don't have a Facebook, i will be away from the World.

At the end of the day, technology advances are a double edged sword.

Take smart phones for instance. Imagine conducting business without one....such speed of information.

But, now there's a record of everywhere you've been when you have your smart phone on you.

I use facebook to post pics of food and hone my comedy gold.

You also post a lot of bogus crap on there too, Fattay!!!

Like what??
The awesome Pearl jams videos??
The super cool Carlsbad Cavern shots?
I will admit...I post a lot of crap.

Can't forget about posting your record times at Target.

Yeah!!!!!!!!
The holidays are really going to hurt my attempts at a new record!!!

Facebook gives me great information in regards to my employee's pet's health status.

Bruce, that's very heartwarming. I know how much you love cats.

...and gerbils.

I bet I post more crap than you. Wait my stuff ain't crap. Lol!

My wife is a private investigator, she uses Facebook all of the time to dig up stuff on people. Beware what you say and do.

Wise words. That goes for the entire Internet. All you have to do is type someone's user name or actual name in a search and you will come up with all kinds of interesting information. It's an identity thief's dream come true.

US Marshals found a buddy that way. Luckily it was resolved that day.

I ran across an ex girlfriend that way

I didn't know she "OWNED" a County animal shelter

I don't have a facebook account, but was trying to look up someone else who once lived in the area.