General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSome of you have been on this site for over a decade.
What was your favourite moment?
(sits down, cross legged. BIG eyes).
drm604
(16,230 posts)I don't think much else compares.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,085 posts)I avoided saying ditto for obvious reasons.
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)election night 2008. I had the tv on and was surfing DU. It is hard to describe the emotions that night. It was awesome.
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)deutsey
(20,166 posts)it was nice to join the DU community in bidding that dickwad adieu.
I also have found a lot of solace here during the rough times we've experienced since 2001. Maybe not so much these days because so many of us are at each others' throats, but DU in general has helped me feel not so alone when shitty things happen...9/11, Wellstone's death, Iraq, etc.
ecstatic
(32,566 posts)Best moment, especially considering the hell Bush* put us through, the hurtful Kerry loss, etc.
ETA: I wasn't actually on DU that night, but I went to bed really happy.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)at the '04 convention. the buzz that went up here was electric.
i knew that night he could be the first black president, as did many, many folks here.
That night places in the top five of my life.
RiffRandell
(5,909 posts)I happened to be, of all places Austin T E X A S!!!!
At a convention. On Nov 4th I had just arrived in town. Maybe 5 pm ish. Went to my hotel. Then wandered around a bit looking for a bar/grill..wandered into the Driskill--gorgeous big old hotel you Texans know, I am sure.
I heard some crowd noise....
I walked up the huge main staircase, turned right and OMG.. walked into the TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY---- P-A-R-T-Y!. Maybe a thousand people ?, (maybe I am stretching it a bit) several big screen TV's-- news stations on.
....snacks, munchies and a couple bars. How could I leave--
About an hour later more people started coming in, then more..Soon the stairs were packed, all the way out the door,, line around the corner. The hotel personel would by then only let people in when someone left because there was no more room.
When each state was called for the BIG O.. pandemonium and more booze..
Anyway, ya'll know what happened, and when it did I was stunned..totally stunned..and everybody went absolutely bonkers !! I mean the place went effin' INSANE! everybody cryin', sceamin'... huggin' and kissin' perfect strangers. I've never experienced anything like that in my life...
geckosfeet
(9,644 posts)Geez. 10 years.
Response to drm604 (Reply #1)
Th1onein This message was self-deleted by its author.
Turbineguy
(37,208 posts)AsahinaKimi
(20,776 posts)The worst was when Bush was re-elected. OMg...I was so angry.. I thought from now on all our elections would be stolen.
yuiyoshida
(41,759 posts)George W. Bush being Whisked away in a Helicopter....
This was great moment too...
npk
(3,660 posts)Couldn't stop watching the election results. That was fun.
I thought that all of our problems were solved. Silly me.
Elwood P Dowd
(11,443 posts)though the late night stuff in the 2006 races was a good one too.
Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)dawned.
HockeyMom
(14,337 posts)Obama winning a SECOND TERM!!!!!! Sweet.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)In terms of DU being ridiculous for DU's sake, I'd have to say the Moon Bombing threads.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,083 posts)Over my dead body will they bomb the moon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sibelian
(7,804 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,309 posts)Those were worth savoring.
Along with the moon bombing threads, they elevated the level of bat guano crazy to new heights.
fizzgig
(24,146 posts)arcane1
(38,613 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)There were several threads. By the time we got to the people talking in all seriousness about "Star Person Fran Incarnate" and the advance guard telekinetic action taken to protect the star folks lunar colony... fuck.
Good times.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Have you got a bookmark for the super-wooey one?
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Hey, at least I admit it.
Don't have any of them bookmarked, but here's one more I found:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6728139
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Thank you.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)I moved over in time some minutes, and moved (astrally) over in space a certain distance and then, operating from "there", went out psychically to LCROSS and Centaur booster as they were streaming towards the Moon.
Next I enwrapped LCROSS in a telekinetic force and redirected it onto a course to the left so it was aiming towards one Moon-diameter's width left of the Moon's left side. Then the same was done with the Centaur booster rocket.
After LCROSS and Centaur were speeding on their new course, I engaged first one, then the other, with strong dissolution energy to unbind the Strong Force bonds holding their atoms together as molecules. Moving from top to bottom, I un-did the Strong Force bonds, causing the component materials of these space vehicles to come apart at the molecular level. This process also safely dismantled the advanced munitions which were secretly aboard these space vehicles. Nothing left but a expanding array of atoms.
I could somewhat feel other lightworkers at work, too.
Good work, fellow lightworkers!
Mission accomplished!
lovemydog
(11,833 posts)that's hilarious
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Ah, those were the days...
arcane1
(38,613 posts)I remember seeing, I think it was in a comments section somewhere, that the water vapor discovered by that experiment was "proof that we made the moon cry"
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)it wuz bad.
Codeine
(25,586 posts)That's art, dude.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Welllll, you knowwwwww... we had such a
BETTER CLASS OF TROLLLLLLLLLLLLLS IN THE OLDEN TYPE DAYS
lol
it's true
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)neverforget
(9,433 posts)When I read some of that today, it still cracks me up.
bowens43
(16,064 posts)truedelphi
(32,324 posts)warrior1
(12,325 posts)NOLALady
(4,003 posts)It doesn't compare to the 2008 election, but it had to be hands down one of the most hilarious threads on DU.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)I think I remember that!
murielm99
(30,656 posts)Oscar!!!!
arcane1
(38,613 posts)That was definitely the biggest WTF moment that I can think of.
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)the thread.
mcar
(42,210 posts)It was epic!
Reading that as it happened was priceless.
hlthe2b
(101,715 posts)Ohio Joe
(21,656 posts)If it's the one I'm thinking, it's before I started at DU but it was shown to me by someone, sometime ago... Still perhaps the best post ever:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=624815
Voice for Peace
(13,141 posts)I think my best times here have been rolling on the floor
laughing at the wit and brilliance of DUers.
Number23
(24,544 posts)That's just classic right there.
Ohio Joe
(21,656 posts)"Not the remote, the animal"
heh... Lots of great material in that thread
muriel_volestrangler
(101,151 posts)It was Oscar!
DUers were in fine form!
giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)malaise
(267,808 posts)It is hysterically funny - tears are rolling down my face wit laughter - seriously this is delish!
Hekate
(90,189 posts)lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)but kind of rubbery. The tail is not striped. It's
light black and has bristly short like horsehairs
that stick out when it's startled. Right now it's
asleep on the top of a bookshelf. I don't know how
it got up there. It's snoring and sounds like somebody
shaking a can of plums.
REP
(21,691 posts)I think the link is in his .sig or profile
Tess49
(1,577 posts)A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)Last edited Mon Mar 3, 2014, 08:49 PM - Edit history (1)
P.S. Although I still believe certain things in that thread
were made up entirely of hole cloth. Please also you will
notice there was never a photograph of it posted, despite
several clear if not polite requests.
kwassa
(23,340 posts)or so you said.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)"Sit down, Sir!"
Oscar kept standing.
"Stand!" I say.
He did.
"Are you aware of the meelee you created today climbing that tree and throwing walnuts at everybody? You threatened the civilization of the entire village."
He raised one eyebrow as if he had not understood a word I said and furthermore had no desire to.
"I want your word that this is the last time I hear about such undifferentiated aggression." I made some Old World gestures to illustrate my point, involving my thumbknuckles, hipbones, and nostrils.
As he looked deep in my eyes, he gave up a timid walnut-scented fart, which I mistook as a sign of reluctant understanding, or even better, shame.
Oh, how the bridge of our communications was cluttered with obstacles and mysteries.
Staring at him as he stared at me, each refusing to budge, I begun to notice what a troublingly picturesque mug he had, and it gave me a brainstorm.
Namely, I could make a few easy bucks by taking pictures of Oscar's mug and pasting them on those tourist postcards of dumb points of interest that Ethel Sampson sells in her curio shop. Then go peddle them around the village myself.
Even when he was laying around snoring and drooling with his mouth hanging open and his tail fluttering around, Oscar was more interesting than a bunch of fading pictures of "The Hmmm Moat Getting Fumigated" or "Old Tire Suspension Bridge" or "Shane Washington Frowning In Front of Her Fortune-Teller Garage Shop."
Then I thoughttwo birds with one stoneget Shane to hawk the postcards while shes campaigning for mayor. That way I could take a nap and wait for the dough to roll in.
I looked away first to let him think hed won, and he settled into his bookcase bed and begun snoozing away triumphantly. I got the Polaroid and snapped a quick one but bam!he woke up hysterical from the flash and took off like ball lightning who known where.
I set down the picture to dry on the coffee table and began to calculate how much to charge per postcard, when here he raced back in, grabbed the picture and ate it whole, boom. There it is, then it aint.
"Nice going," I say. "You ate my meal ticket."
He gave me a overcast look. I wondered about him ingesting that gunk, the magic developing glue. But he seemed as normal as ever. He had a stomach like a iron lung.
He sat about a inch away from the Polaroid camera on the table, gleering at it like a mortal enemy. He was right in front of Shanes green and pink tulip wallpaper, and he begun to disappear before my eyes, as in become unseeable.
Frankly, his fur started turning into the same colors and layout as the tulip wallpaper. In other words, his fur begun camoflauging itself.
I wanted to call somebody to come see it, or not see it, but I was scared to move. This had to be Old God trying to guide me to make a little cash off the situation.
But if I snapped a picture of it, people would think it was a picture of wallpaper. I could draw a black line around where he was, but it would look like something died, been outlined by a policeman, and carted off. Who would want to send that home on a postcard?
Then I was afraid hed get stuck in that wallpaper pattern. It was bad enough as wallpaper, much less as him.
It struck me that this had to do with the camera and getting his picture tooken. He must have heard about Indian folklore where you lose a slice of your spirit if your face gets caught in that box. So he tried to stop being interesting enough to take a picture of by turning into Shane's wallpaper. It all made sense now.
I got up slowly, placed the camera in the back of the closet, shut the door, and pretended to lock the lock thats not on it.
Immediately he begun to relax, breathe regular, and change from wallpaper back into his normal colors and patterns. He contributed one more walnut-flavored fart to the environment, and collapsed like a fur accordion into a six-hour nap. It had knocked him for a loop, turning into tulip wallpaper to save his soul from being took.
kwassa
(23,340 posts)Don't give me no overcast looks when you say that.
This stuff is hilarious.
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)My very favorite DU thread of all time. And I could always find it if I could find you.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)That's in an unpubbed version.
I wish Oscar had an account here, he'd sure put it in his sig.
Thanks for liking that mixed animal.
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)unpubbed. Foolish publishers know nothing. Oscar would be a mega hit. Oscar would have his own show on Nickelodean. Oscar should be a star.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)that I cannot disagree.
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)Allow me.
.
.
.
v
v
v
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)Had to turn em on.
I'm going, like, where the hell are those arrows going?
Thanks. I think the mixed animal is good for lots of what ails.
BainsBane
(53,001 posts)and I have two contradictory questions based on alternate theories. 1) Whatever became of Oscar? 2) You made the whole thing up, didn't you? It was a dry run for a story.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)2) Except for a few minor details altered to protect the innocent, it is an utterly factual piece of wonder. I had no plan to make it a story at all. I was just feeling good one late evening and the OP came out of nowhere, free as a bird. The Lounge was a lot busier back then, so I was ready to see it slide down the page & out of sight, as other goofy OPs of mine had done. But then the delightful responses began and I took them and ran. It did turn into a book which was scheduled to be published by MacAdam/Cage, an indie in SF, but the recession hit and M/C gradually went under, leaving the animal still looking for a home.
BainsBane
(53,001 posts)Among the minor details altered to protect the innocent, did any include Oscar's species?
If yes, that would explain number 1, assuming he is human. If not, how does a creature act as an independent environmental consultant? And what did you ultimately determine his species was?
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)In fact he raised up one side of his top lip
when I suggested that you inferred
that he might be human. He was watching General Hospital
at the time, so a curled lip may have been simply due
to getting his study of humanity interrupted.
As for independent environmental consultant:
he is obviously completely independent, except for total
dependence on me for food, shelter and entertainment.
Then he consults the environment, determines if there's anything
in it that he wants, then how to obtain it with a minimal
of work, then how to eat it or hide it in any of 50
stashes he has around the neighborhood, then how to
return asap to his previous state of annoyed enlightenment. Independent environmental consultant, hence.
BainsBane
(53,001 posts)Last edited Wed Mar 5, 2014, 07:37 PM - Edit history (1)
Or blend of species?
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)There was actually something about a pregnant situation
of his. It was much more than a pause.
BainsBane
(53,001 posts)and I'm back to calling bullshit. Entertaining as this all is, I don't believe you. Still, it was a very funny thread. I only wish I had your imagination.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)myrna minx
(22,772 posts)A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)Thanks & you're welcome, myrna. It was a DU-wide venture.
struggle4progress
(118,039 posts)salin
(48,954 posts)we had a lot of fun with that thread... and some side conversations on other threads. Author A-Schwarzenegger.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)and claims. Especially when we infiltrated a conference of voting machine makers and made fools of them and their PR firm.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)fixing something rather than just talking about it.
What came out of the efforts here from 2002-2006 had very real effects in the country. We were outgunned, outresourced, outlawyered, and outmoneyed, and we still delivered a serious ass-whipping to a multi-billion company. The effects of what went down here have continued to plague Diebold. Say their name and people respond, "Say, isn't that the company that made the dodgy voting machines?"
We put lie to the claim that you can't beat a bunch of lobbyists backed with huge sums of corporate money.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)... and between friends and family, I knew MANY. I had my husband review the thread first (he's a programmer/systems analyst) and asked him if it was not only possible but probable. Then I sent an email blast.
Yes, it really was a good feeling to be able to DO something and finally know it had an effect, even though all these years later the battle is not over.
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)but people are keeping a close eye on the touchscreen machines and it seems every cycle some nasty failure heralds the junking of another set in favor of paper. These days its more a clean up operation, stamping out little pockets of resistance.
The "conspiracy" angle was always a problem and the voting machine companies tried to play that up against us. I caught hell on a number of occasions as I was one of the activists who managed to get onto a select committee in NC. People would want me to spout of on the "obvious vote rigging" but I refused. I explained to them that you have to stick with what you could prove, stick with the facts. What we could prove was that Diebold had lied over and over again and that the machines were child's play to tamper with.
In the end, Diebold's voting machine division, bought in 1999 for $200+ million if memory serves, was sold off for $15 million.
The major problem these days is voter suppression. Some of my tinfoil acquaintances enjoy pointing out that after we discredited paperless voting, the Right shifted to voter suppression. Actually, the Right was using that tactic all along and just found more creative ways and money to expand on it. It is a far "safer" tactic to use than screwing with a voting machine.
questionseverything
(9,631 posts)from the article....Results Drastically Changed
The election numbers have radically changed in Monroe County since the May 18th election. At least as reported on the SoS website, and as confirmed by local officials.
It's not all that unusual for the unofficial numbers to move a bit following election day, as absentee and provisional ballots are counted and added in to the totals, and as precinct numbers are double-checked for accuracy in the post-election canvass. It is, however, unusual, for vote totals to get a great deal smaller rather than larger in the days following the election. And that's what seems to have happened in Monroe County --- radically so.
Somehow, more than a thousand votes disappeared entirely, as the election results in the Dem and GOP Senate primaries have almost entirely changed.
////////////////////////////////////
yes diebold is dead as far as vote counting goes but the same kind of machines are out there and as the bradblog article shows the reporting of votes is every bit as important as the counting
my own congressional district, which is the democratic downstate carve out, includes 4 college campuses and yet we have a wing nut republican for a rep...at least that is what the reporting company owned by Spanish elites tells us.....http://www.soesoftware.com/
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)Throughout our discussions with county officials Serio and Lance, it quickly became apparent that the problems in Arkansas --- at least in Monroe --- are likely to get much worse before they get better, as the county has plans to buck the trend in the rest of the country, which is moving away from 100% unverifiable e-voting systems, back to paper ballots.
This story is 4 years old, what has happened since? Also, the story notes that the TS systems have paper printers attached to create an audit trail, but that they have jammed without anyone noticing.
File that under "You can lead a horse to water..."
The adding of paper audit trails to TS machines was a direct result of the holy Hell we raised starting 12 years ago. In my state (NC) they are required by law, and there is a set audit procedure in place for post election verification which randomly picks precincts and checks the digital count against the paper count. The law also states, in essence, that should discrepancies appear, paper beats electron.
Safeguards are no damned good unless they are used. You mention your own district, but give me no information on it so I could look it over and see if anything looked hinky. The situation you describe can arise, and generally does arise, from various legal/semi-legal and blatantly illegal voter suppression tactics, rather than voting machine tampering.
As I have stated on many occasions here, on the TV machine, to reporters, and to groups in a number of states:
1) Technically, you could rig an election by tinkering with a voting machine. Realistically, folks are not going to go to the trouble due to how many people have to be involved in the conspiracy. And you DO have to have a LOT of corrupt people to pull that off. Also, if you are caught (and tampering with a computer and not leaving evidence is harder than most people think), what you have done is a prima facia felony. The other means of "rigging" elections (vote caging, purging voter roles, poll "watchers", parking police cruisers in front of polling places in minority areas, intimidating billboards, misleading robocalls/emails about poll times and dates, etc) are either legal, or VERY difficult to prosecute. So as a straight forward, low risk "high return on investment" tactic, tampering with voting machines is unlikely because of the danger and cost.
2) All the voting machine problems I have reviewed over the years have four possible explanation:
a) Software error: These things run on Windows and are subject to the same bugs all other software is subject to.
b) Operator error: Election officials/volunteers are not computer tech/gurus/scientists, and as such they can get tripped up on tasks as simple as exporting results to a spreadsheet and uploading them to a web site.
c) Machine failure: Computers break. When you consider that these are very specialized computers than only get used about once a year, but have to be brought out of storage, transported to precincts, set up, calibrated, used, then broken down and packed up for the return storage, failure of a certain percentage of machines is expected.
d) A dark cabal of partisan individuals who have conspired to rig the election.
The simplest explanation for a phenomena is probably the correct one, so I go with the first three if they fit the facts, over the fourth unless someone can come up with some compelling evidence for the fourth (And again, tampering without leaving evidence is pretty hard).
3) ALL of the election officials I have met over the years (in the hundreds), even the ones who disagreed with me and hated my guts, struck me as honest and conscientious about their work. These people get a LOT of grief for what they do (administer the machinery of democracy at its most basic level). They HATE controversy and like their elections to go smoothly without opening the door and finding a battalion of reporters on their doorstep (or worse, legions of lawyers bearing papers with Latin). The major problem I had with them was they were sold a bill of goods by the voting machine companies ("Since there are no pesky paper ballots to count, your election will run quickly and be error-free" . It takes a lot of effort to disabuse them of the sales hype. And since they don't have computer security professionals on staff (they should, but good luck getting that job budgeted for), they trust the sales people as "experts" since they have been working with these people for years.
Are there bent election officials out there? Certainly, and their insider access give them all sorts of ways to tamper with the vote, but practically all leave some evidence a proper investigation will catch, thus there's that whole felony thing again. So, if they are going to tamper with the results, they are more likely to "lose" some actual ballots, since "misplacing" ballots is not a crime.
4) The idea that most elections can be hand counted is wrong. People point to Canada as "hand counting Mecca", but it is an apples/oranges comparison. Their election rules are mandated at the national level and their ballots are pretty simple, only a handful of races. American elections, by contrast, are conducted according to 3000+ sets of laws, one for each county in the country. Also, ballots can be lengthy and complicated, which means logistically it would take a VERY long time to count the ballots with the resources currently available to your average county. Also, realistically, the more complicated the ballot, the more likely a human will miscount. The more a ballot is handled, the more likely it is that the ballot will be damaged or lost.
5) The best of all worlds, least of all evils, system currently available, is a paper ballots, tallied by an optical scanner. The optical scanners would tested for accuracy by election officials (not voting machine company employees/contractors), and a statistically significant random number of precincts are hand-counted after the election to insure accuracy.
In conclusion, there are still places that need to ditch "paperless" systems, but they have been growing fewer every year. People, especially voters, are more aware of the problems of TS systems and more likely to point out any problems they encounter. Many states have enacted anti-BBV laws to insure paper audit trails for TS machines. This world is a VERY different world than 2002 when TS machines were set to quietly become the national standard and few people saw the consequences of such a standard.
I would call that a win.
questionseverything
(9,631 posts)harder to catch the moving numbers...that is why I showed you the Spanish software company
I agree in some ways things are better than in 2002 but in some ways they are worse...you listed several tech problems with the machines...that made it easy for Kathy n to "find" an entire city of votes in Wisconsin couple days after the rest the state thought results were in
recently in Virginia 1000's of votes were "missed" in the vote accumulation before activists pointed it out
http://fatallyflawedelections.blogspot.com/
http://www.sweetremedy.tv/fatallyflawed/media/RTA_Fraud_Flyer_3_7_12.pdf
yes this case is 7 years old now...paper ballots do not do any good if only the machine gets to count them
in lots of states it is illegal to hand count even for a recount
the paper trail does not necessarily match the voters intent....in a former job I "programmed" diebold cash registers,(followed instructions in their booklet) even tho all the data was the same fed into it,the numbers printed out were different depending on what question I had asked it
anyways I am out of time but I stand by this....if the average person can not oversee every part of the election process with no special expertise it is not free, fair or democratic
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)on voting machines back in the day when we uncovered the fact that a portion of the code in Diebold machines was written by an Eastern European with a felony conviction.
In a position paper I wrote back in 2006 (I think) I stated that the US Government should actually make the machines and write the code itself, that voting machines were "sensitive" technology that had NO business being made by "private" concerns, foreign or domestic. Several projects were discussed in the LINUX community to write an open source voting system, but it simply petered out
That is one area I wouldn't mind getting back into myself, but somebody has to get me a grant, since my days of self-financing are over. While I worked in the movement I never took any money except to cover gas and hotels, despite being offered a few jobs by voting machine companies and their lobbyists to help "fix" the problem. I refused these offers since it meant my actions immediately would be impaired by taking a paycheck from the people I was trying to reform. So, I always paid my own way. These days I am not as young as I was and can't afford, literally, that kind of work.
Anyway, even that suggestion (taking voting machines away from the private sector) was fraught with controversy as the more conspiracy minded folk thought we would be playing into "their hands", so what do you do?
The lack of a national standard on voting machines is still a problem, but not one I see getting solved in the current political environment.
In NC we established a model law that other states have followed, some closely, some not so closely. But realize that no paper-based system, whether it is hand-counted or computer counted is worth a damn without strict audit controls. In accounting, it doesn't matter if you are writing in a ledger like Bob Cratchit or running on Quickbooks, unless someone is auditing the books, the numbers can be fiddled. Same thing applies for elections.
So again, ultimately we have to ask how successful were we? Well, we (about a 10-20 DUers, the number varied over time) took on the entire U.S. voting machine industry, with billions at their disposal and more lawyers than we had by about 200:1 (when we had a lawyer). We endured ridicule, legal threats, criminal threats, press indifference and public ignorance. After we were done, one company had left the business entirely, selling its voting division for a fraction of what it paid. Studies had been conducted on various voting machines at prestigious universities backing up our finding. Laws were re-written and new ones written to address the issue. And just as importantly, the story was covered in ALL major electronic and paper media and the public as a whole became more aware of the problem.
The major problem these days is public apathy in the face of more overt threats to voting like Citizens United and voter suppression by the legislatures. Again, why risk a felony rap to tamper with the vote when you can stop the people you don't like from voting in the first place?
So, we are back to the question: Did we win, lose, or draw in the Great Paper Ballot War? I am, admittedly biased, but I did "serve in the war" and was a consequential participant in a few memorable battles. I see it as a win, with that war being pretty much over but for the mopping up. In the meantime, the Great Voter Suppression War is now the hotly contested war, with my war fading in importance. If we emerge victorious from this war, we made find ourselves fighting Paper Ballot War 2: Electric Bugaloo as the emphasis returns to impeding accurate vote counts.
...if the average person can not oversee every part of the election process with no special expertise it is not free, fair or democratic
Well, what the "average person" can do has changed over time. At one time (within the last century even) You had voters who could not read nor write, which would have made them unable to oversee a election, even when the ballots were counted by hand. The next generation of voters will be far more computer literate than previous generations. Anyone who insists all ballots must be counted by hand is being unrealistic unless they can explain how we will change all 3,000+ legal standards for conducting elections (when I served on the NC Select Committee on E-Voting I was given a the book of NC's laws that govern elections. It was over 800 pages long, and the law we brought into existence added about a half dozen more pages).
Until that question answered, it is logistically impossible to count the ballots accurately and in a timely manner, thus computers must be used. If they are to be used, making sure that no one has their "thumb on the scale" is not that hard to do, but requires LOCAL voters to fight the battle. Those of us who fought the Great Paper Ballot War set the ball rolling by getting the issue national attention, digging up plenty of evidence that paperless voting was a bad idea to be avoided and even getting actual laws changed/written to address the problem. The responsibility for dealing with this problem at the county level is now in the hands of the citizens of those counties.
So, that is why I believe our part (the folks who worked on this issue for about 6 years on DU) is done, and we can call it a win.
questionseverything
(9,631 posts)I admit I have never researched nc before today
a quick look at the state web site showed me you have the same soe software as we do here in central Illinois
I wades thru the precinct by precinct results for presidential preference may 8 2012 for coddlecreek,iredell
http://www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/Elections/Election-Results-Display?ED1=05xx08xx2012&EL1=PRIMARY&YR1=2012&CR1=A
used the first link Download Election Results By Precinct Text File
found results for Obama, no preference, santorum, romney, paul ,gingrich and no preference
adding those results should cover every ballot cast (or so I assumed)
cc1...1398 cc2...1283 cc3...1823 cc4...1342
but I could not find a number for total ballots cast by precinct at state web site
so I went to the county web site
http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/Iredell/36645/85933/en/reports.html
click 3rd report down for ballots cast detailxt.zip 34.7 kb
I found
cc1...1539 cc2...1404 cc3...1991 cc4...1435 or 523 uncounted votes or undervotes, seems like a high number in 4 precincts especially when there is a no preference category
or maybe I am missing something because I am not familiar with area
//////////////////////////
to be clear I think going from paperless dre to dre with paper is an improvement but we are far from free and fair elections, I am not trying to put down your winning a battle but the war is far from over
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)Iredell uses paper ballots and OpScan for all voting:
http://www.ncvoter.net/machines.html
May 8th was the primary and I am not surprised to see a lot of missing votes/under votes for Obama since he had no real opposition. A lot of people just didn't bother (If you want an education on voters and their habits, volunteer in a precinct. I was amazed at the number people who didn't do well following written instructions, even when they were explained to them)
I'll take a closer look at the numbers later when I can dedicate more time to pouring over them.
questionseverything
(9,631 posts)please look when you have time
was there a green party pres candidate I missed? or maybe a non partisan ballot?
to be clear I think paper is better than touchscreen but both can be manipulated if the votes are not counted openly
here is my local results from same Spanish company
http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Bloomington/38384/77192/en/summary.html
I have at least gotten my local election board to tell us how many dem,rep,green ballots were taken
we had 298 undervotes in the presidential...only 66 of them were dems
Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)(except my contributions were more behind-the-scenes).
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)nothing prepares you for a fight at this level - except a fight at this level. I had some experience in the Big Leagues (long story I've never told here) but it still knocks the wind out of you until you get your feet.
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)The price was pretty damned high, but we beat the odds.
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)Generic Other
(28,979 posts)Connecting dots. That was a lot of people's hard work.
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)splitting up tasks and boring into the data.
BeyondGeography
(39,280 posts)A bunch of the die-hards were waiting for the report and we experienced pure thread joy when the news was posted. The feeling was Iowa could do for Obama what it did for Kerry, and it damn near did. Huge win, and the poll was dead-on, too.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)IIRC at one point there were 55 active threads about Steve Guttenberg in the Lounge.
Steve Guttenberg is a virus
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x3754091
cbayer
(146,218 posts)I watched the TV, followed on DU (moderating) and blew my air horn when the election was called.
There was more unity on DU than I had ever seen before.
cali
(114,904 posts)mike_c
(36,214 posts)Hi drama with great entertainment value! Not sure I spelled CJ's last name correctly-- it's been many years.
Election night 2004 was pretty dramatic, too, although not in a good way.
And the Hate Mail.
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)I thought of Walt Starr, too.
Response to mike_c (Reply #22)
librechik This message was self-deleted by its author.
Brother Buzz
(36,213 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)that was probably the funniest thing I have ever seen here.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)It touched a nerve. It touched a funny bone nerve with a lot of us apparently.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)CottonBear
(21,596 posts)As the parent of a pre-k kid, I really like the but pictute!
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)all the posts on Diebold and the 2004 election. That is the kind of analysis will never, ever happen again.
That election, not in a good way
2008 election night. For a fleeting moment it felt we were going to be listened to.
I have become far more cynical about politics since.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)She has a couple of posters who bring great info into her OPs. She provides some of the best ongoing analysis you will find on the internet. We have also had some excellent analysis and stories about Iran, Libia, and Syria. The work done by members here on these issues is very comparable to the Diebold posts. This was also one of the best places on the internet to keep up with the Occupy movement. The excellent news stories and duers opinions have never left as some like to think.
OKNancy
(41,832 posts)I think the thread was started by nothingshocksmeanymore.
They were hilarious. I made up a few limericks.
ETA:
OMG I found it. It's from 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x334038
Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)how funny she could be. Also, there was a post from Padraig18 who apparently turned out to be a disrupter but wrote some really nice stuff in the LGBT room.
OKNancy
(41,832 posts)whatever happened to flamingyouth? I really liked her too.
Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)I remember flamingyouth but don't remember what happened there.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)heart.
Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)about his love for Cubanliberal (I think that was the guys name). I remember he worked in a bookstore and would post in the old GLBT forum at all hours. He was one of my very favorites from the early days.
Broke my heart too.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Thank you!
Phentex
(16,330 posts)seabeyond
(110,159 posts)CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)barnabas63
(1,214 posts)...but could have been better, as I recall.
CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)Some of my favorite moments were when Elizabeth Edwards posted on DU.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)Codeine
(25,586 posts)How long did the resulting "ten business days?" meme last around here? Hysterical.
cally
(21,589 posts)The anti-war information and activism against invading Iraq.
fishwax
(29,146 posts)I lived in Oklahoma at the time, and seeing through the BS often made it seem like a very lonely world. I was truly grateful for DU as a refuge.
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Taking back House and Senate was wonderful
bvar22
(39,909 posts).....and gaining the majorities in both houses.
That night, I actually believed we had stopped The WARS.
DU went downhill after we took control of the government in 2009. The primary wars in 2007-08 were no picnic, either. Prior to those events we were more united (and more liberal). 2006 was the pinnacle for me.
-Laelth
xiamiam
(4,906 posts)that's when my head exploded as they say. i can still see me sitting here watching it, and reading the comment thread with my jaw dropped to the floor. that's when things changed here..ya know, for us or agin us
madinmaryland
(64,920 posts)were looking up for the 2008 elections. It looked like the end of the conservative era was close to being over and never to return.
bluestateguy
(44,173 posts)The 2002 midterms, the California recall, Jack Kerry. And of course our prescient warnings about the Iraq War were ignored, and later vindicated.
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)I was happy to see the Democrats win some long shots like the Missouri senate seat that Limbaugh helped us win
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)Election night 2008 was great, but in the final week it became obvious Obama was going to win. 2006 we had to sweat it out and made the wins a lot sweeter and laid the groundwork for the End of the Bush Error. Having to watch his arrogant chimpy McFuckWad ass the next day, humiliated and beaten was great.
murielm99
(30,656 posts)"Call Congress...Right fucking now."
Habibi
(3,596 posts)--don't remember the exact circumstances, but probably having to do with Bush and Iraq, and there was a feeling of doom here. When that thread happened, it was an instant release valve. People got silly on that thread, and the mood lightened considerably.
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)I wasn't an active participant then (just lurking), but DU came together big time for everyone that day.
It was a sight to behold
Blue_Adept
(6,384 posts)I can still see that event with where I was at work on the computer, reading DU, seeing the threads going on about it and the way for the next 48 hours it was a whirlwind of information, corroboration, debunking, solidarity and more. That was a defining moment for the forum for me and why I've stuck around ever since, though I didn't do much in the way of posting across the reboots.
I still remember when the place started since I had run my own website, non politics related, that was using the DCForum software and there was a lot of discussion on ways to utilize it and DU was one that worked over the core software in a big way.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)I can't imagine what it must have been like. I remember everybody going nuts here in the UK.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)Hekate
(90,189 posts)Absolutely a great moment in DU History: Hurricane Katrina. Somewhere, someone writing a history of the intersection of social media and politics should get the Admins to pull all those threads together for their wonderful first-hand accounts.
I didn't get here until about September 2002, so I missed the Bush Coup de'etat and 9-11, for which I am sorry. OTT I might not ever have been able to finish my dissertation if I were already on DU -- politics means a LOT to me, but it is time consuming.
eShirl
(18,466 posts)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Colbert_at_the_2006_White_House_Correspondents%27_Association_Dinner
On April 29, 2006, American comedian Stephen Colbert appeared as the featured entertainer at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, which was held in Washington, D.C., at the Hilton Washington hotel. Colbert's performance, consisting of a 16-minute podium speech and a 7-minute video presentation, was broadcast live across the United States on the cable television networks C-SPAN and MSNBC. Standing a few feet from U.S. President George W. Bush,[1] in front of an audience of celebrities, politicians, and members of the White House Press Corps,[2] Colbert delivered a controversial, searing routine targeting the president and the media.[3] He spoke in the persona of the character he plays on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a parody of conservative pundits such as Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.[4][5]
Colbert's performance quickly became an Internet and media sensation.[6][7] Commentators remarked on the humor of Colbert's performance, the political nature of his remarks, and speculated as to whether there was a cover-up by the media in the way the event was reported. James Poniewozik of Time noted that whether or not one liked the speech, it had become a "political-cultural touchstone issue of 2006like whether you drive a hybrid or use the term 'freedom fries'".[8]
It was absolutely sublime.
Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)I was so happy to see that psycho kicked out of here
closeupready
(29,503 posts)I don't have a link, but if asked, I could probably find it.
Summed up the problem with homophobia on DU (ongoing), plus most of the drama that has occurred over the entire history of DU. Sadly, she no longer posts on DU. That whole thread was inspiring as a gay man who's participated here at least since 2004.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Also - NO IDEA you were gay
closeupready
(29,503 posts)countryjake
(8,554 posts)See reply #163 here on Skinner's "Mending Fences" thread in the GLBT group.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x173419#173647
It was probably the most decisive and eloquent post that I've ever seen here on DU.
closeupready
(29,503 posts)But especially in that post.
enigmatic
(15,021 posts)SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Sid
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)but "Don't tutch the but" and "don't bomb the moon" are probably the most memorable for me.
Rex
(65,616 posts)I use to love reading the rants of Bob Boulderlag and Top Ten Conservative Idiots. LBN is still the best place to get current news.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Taking both chambers of Congress after 4 years of Bush destruction and still before the great recession. That was a good time on DU.
-Laelth
MrScorpio
(73,626 posts)knitter4democracy
(14,350 posts)It was during the saga of that poor woman in Florida who was brain dead whose parents wouldn't let her go. Someone posted the picture of a guy who had a huge crucifix on a trailer that he's then stand up at the pro-life protests. That became a meme around here for awhile.
Better is every time we rally around one of our own and help out. It happens less often these days, but it's always still something to see.
DinahMoeHum
(21,737 posts)knitter4democracy
(14,350 posts)Still makes me giggle.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)Hekate
(90,189 posts)I still think I coined the actual phrase (my parents used to say "Christ on a crutch!!!" occasionally) -- but maybe it was a case of spontaneous generation and several of us got it in the same moment.
knitter4democracy
(14,350 posts)I still say it sometimes.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Generic Other
(28,979 posts)and get weird looks. LOL.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)Something about,
Walt Starr: ". . . then ban me right now!"
Skinner: Okay <zap!>
It was a DU keeper.
That was a keeper!
kentuck
(110,950 posts)"Enronomics"
Jersey Devil
(9,863 posts)Second would be Betty Grable winning the "DU Pinup Girl of 1944 Contest"
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)Texasgal
(17,029 posts)was the Bill O'Reilly falafel/loofah story!
DU was so fuuny, we all had pics of falafel in our sig lines!
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)The world was going nuts and DU was an anchor of rationality in the midst of spinning chaos.
Election night 2008 was powerful but not the same thing at all.
WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)...copying the flyer here, and watching as thread after thread popped from people in their own communities handed out the same flyer, or handed out their own, and then shared their experiences.
That's what this place was about back then. There was a coming-together, in the midst of pitch darkness, and a sense of shared purpose.
Beyond that: CALL CONGRESS RIGHT FUCKING NOW
No data to follow.
9/11 here, and the days after, kept me sane. 2006 and 2008 were tremendous.
I've been thinking about it since you posted this. I have a hundred answers.
Oscar.
What not to say when watching The Passion.
Elizabeth Edwards.
Hunting Freepers back in the day.
But the CALL CONGRESS RIGHT FUCKING NOW thread still gives me joy.
warrant46
(2,205 posts)Who was kicked out because he was too Rude to Bush and his minions (He died of agent orange in 2011)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x546654
senseandsensibility
(16,713 posts)I was here, remember it "live" so to speak, but can't remember who it was. Anyway, funny stuff.
mcar
(42,210 posts)But for a while there were loads of them. People understandably frustrated with the abuses of the Bush administration but who couldn't quite verbalize their call to action .
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)mebbe not
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)senseandsensibility
(16,713 posts)I think I remember Tyler Durden. Poor guy. Was he scared off DU after that?
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)kentuck
(110,950 posts)Remember her?
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Autumn
(44,755 posts)smokey nj
(43,853 posts)babylonsister
(170,962 posts)intheflow
(28,407 posts)Epic! It felt like an act of political resistance, posting my name in that thread. I'd recently found out the Denver police had me in their spy files for anti-war and anti-Columbus Day protests. It was a scary time. That thread was an act of civil disobedience.
alittlelark
(18,886 posts)But the thread was too long for me to get thru...
It was a wonderful exercise in self- determination/expression.
We NEEDED it at the time - it was Grounding.
Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)Lots of good people back then who were trying to make a concrete difference.
mike_c
(36,214 posts)Lots of familiar names that don't post here any longer. Some for the best. Some whose posts I miss reading.
Of course, it's a bit embarrassing to read my own post in that thread, LOL. I was still in my defiant phase.
on edit-- I just wanted to add that I actually did pick up a cyber-stalker because of that post. He was an active duty soldier-- he wrote letters to my dept chair, the university president, the CSU Chancellor, and for all I know, the governor of California. Gawd love academic freedom. And tenure. But nothing ever came of it other than my being told-- just letting me know-- that the guy was writing letters up and down the food chain. I'm told that he complained strenuously about the influence of liberal professors on impressionable minds.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)...
drm604
(16,230 posts)but does anyone remember that guy who was owed beer and experiences? I don't recall his name. I think he was banned when he flipped out on a moderator.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)When asked to stop spamming in his sig lines, he gave a FU to both the DU2 mods and Skinner. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=437&topic_id=3505&mesg_id=3529
drm604
(16,230 posts)He always had that picture of Burgess Meredith.
lovemydog
(11,833 posts)and I had no idea what he was trying to say.
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)who liked to claim he was owed beer and travel money.
drm604
(16,230 posts)I think the exact quote was "I am due beer, travel money, and many experiences". It's a shame he acted out like he did, he was different but interesting.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)He made no sense at all, but it was a kind of "he's OUR bizarro boy" thing.
He got this "weird guy crashes party and no-one knows who invited him" thing down pat.
Phentex
(16,330 posts)could post the millionth post. I think we wanted to see the column size change in the most viewed thread. We are silly sometimes.
Wonder how old Shell Beau's baby would be by now?
intheflow
(28,407 posts)texanwitch
(18,705 posts)It is going places.
CottonBear
(21,596 posts)Last edited Wed Mar 5, 2014, 09:41 PM - Edit history (1)
I loved the Kudzu thread.
I drive past an enormous kudzu patch daily and I often think to myself: "Kudzu. It's going places."
Good times on DU!
texanwitch
(18,705 posts)I did my part to keep it going.
Kudzu is a interesting plant.
It has lots of uses, really.
CottonBear
(21,596 posts)It's true!
Also, livestock like to eat it.
And, it's really hard to get rid of it.
And, the vines are used to make baskets.
rem made an Athens, GA kudzu patch very famous.
texanwitch
(18,705 posts)They have about twenty goats so far, a few babies are due.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)After 8 years of Bush and suffering through his horrific presidency (with a Kerry loss in there), it was a moment of victory for DU. And then, everything changed. Instead of having a common enemy to band together against (Bush), DU splintered and a crop of Obama haters arose.
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)Warpy
(110,905 posts)especially when Rove popped his cork on Pox News when Ohio went for Obama. You could tell he thought it was in the bag for the Republicans, voters be damned, those pollsters didn't account for crooked voting machines.
I also liked winning the occasional DUzy. Too bad we're all so damned witty, DUzy editors seem to burn out quickly.
xiamiam
(4,906 posts)those were back to back but up until that time, the entire media offered no criticism of anything bush and cheney. du was the only place to find like minds, then, when sheehan camped out, things started to change. It was an important shift. katrina coverage came from duers living in new orleans and posting up to the minute events and needs. once again, I got better info by coming to du. I also enjoyed the many actions in which we participated, calling or emailing congress. Those were quite exciting and effective. I was equally excited when Obama was elected although I knew when I listened to the afghanistan surge speech, also right here on du, that I had been fooled by him. Rahm also started his internet message management program just before that..its been downhill on this site ever since.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)...on Mother's Day so they could see Casey's cross.
Bush and his handlers were fools when she came to the pig farm. Had he even sent out a bottle of cold water, he would have looked like a gentleman, a mensch, a human being, a gracious ruler who understood his own role in her grief. But no, nothing -- they behaved according to their true natures.
Cindy and the vets who walked with her had to leave their van far from the gates, and they left their water and were not allowed to return to get it. They were forced to walk in a roadside ditch. They stood at the gate in the Texas summer sun, and finally left when Cindy started to become ill from the heat.
Wherever Cindy is today, I hope her heart has found solace.
yuiyoshida
(41,759 posts)I snagged a button and an Autograph.
Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)These kinds of threads frankly leave me a little depressed for what we have lost here as a community.
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)So many DUers converged in front of the Crawford coward's ranch.
Sarah Ibarruri
(21,043 posts)Zorra
(27,670 posts)CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)is a shit statement.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)Hadn't thought about him for a while...
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)Filthy asshole divisive fucking troll! Second happiest tombstone was OperationMindCrime.
Both those fuckwads got to stay on DU WAAAAAAAAAY too fucking long!
kwassa
(23,340 posts)I thought him using the troll as a form of performance art.
SomethingFishy
(4,876 posts)They were the trifecta of stupid!
Puglover
(16,380 posts)NewJerseyMaverick put me in a good mood for a month.
Speaking of filthy asshole divisive fucking trolls, that is.
The Wielding Truth
(11,411 posts)kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)bluestateguy
(44,173 posts)It showed people that Karl Rove is not invincible, and he can be beat, that the voting machine conspiracy theories were garbage and that the American people are not always as stupid as we say they are.
GoneOffShore
(17,309 posts)So many outrages. So little time.
Kudzu.
Pit bulls.
Fried chicken.
The Olive Garden.
Driving the speed limit in the left lane.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)It was eating my soul.
GoneOffShore
(17,309 posts)Well, apart from the soul eaters.
It was the ultimate Ouroboros of DU.
Where outrage went to expand and fill all dimensions.
A black hole of reason.
But strangely compelling.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)It was actually causing weird distortions in m brain about how I thought about the average DUer.
GoneOffShore
(17,309 posts)Of course sometimes GD does that to me and I retreat to the Lounge.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)I miss the cyber-dada there, though. It's far too sensible these days...
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)There was a lot of poisonous shit in there that should have been hidden and wasn't. If we'd been willing to shut down the slag fests, it might have worked.
GoneOffShore
(17,309 posts)LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,309 posts)HERVEPA
(6,107 posts)lonestarnot
(77,097 posts)When they flew bushitler out of D.C. good fucking bye turd and the night President Obama was elected. Yes almost equally exciting!
JanMichael
(24,846 posts)"oh shit, my house is on fire."
From inside the house.
Blaukraut
(5,689 posts)bigmonkey
(1,798 posts)Not quite as intense as the Oscar thread, but once it got rolling, it had some pretty good moments.
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)adirondacker
(2,921 posts)DinahMoeHum
(21,737 posts). . .twice. Over beers and a bottle of Herradura Anejo.
Getting some faces to the names.
WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)Generic Other
(28,979 posts)Andy in Seattle. A memorable eulogy.
progressoid
(49,825 posts)And hopefully some of the below too.
rudyb
(22 posts)Na Ne Na Na hey hey good bye............to the chimp!
IDemo
(16,926 posts)Mojorabbit
(16,020 posts)bmbmd
(3,088 posts)When people needed help. Like Andy.
Lars39
(26,093 posts)lovemydog
(11,833 posts)had to come back here to say thanks for that link.
'Crucify him!' made me laugh so hard I nearly hurt my stomach.
Lars39
(26,093 posts)Still has the power.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Hekate
(90,189 posts)Oh. My. God.
I am SO bookmarking this thread, for all the links. All that great stuff that's in the archives!
Lars39
(26,093 posts)Yep, tucking this thread away for future use also.
Trajan
(19,089 posts)So many names from the past ... whatever happened to matcom? ... I'm almost afraid to ask ...
Lars39
(26,093 posts)and left, iirc.
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)And that me and my peeps were not alone through the days of Bush & Co.
MrMickeysMom
(20,453 posts)Back in the day I followed many threads, but the fact that I learned what DU was all about all derived from the first day I found it.
I wonder how that happened?
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)and began caucusing with the Democrats in May 2001 to give the Democrats tenuous control of the Senate. I was really hoping that that would end the bu$h juggernaut.
go west young man
(4,856 posts)like Time for Change and Peace Patriot as well as many others.
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)Because yeah, the previous 8 years sorta sucked ass in a big way.
And really, it's been a good five years since. Quibbles on some issues aside, overall, the pall of suckage has lifted. And that means so much.
Earth_First
(14,910 posts)[center][/center]
Gman
(24,780 posts)Definitely the most memorable.
rocktivity
(44,555 posts)Last edited Mon Jun 18, 2018, 11:56 AM - Edit history (29)
with the help of Howard Dean's fifty state strategy. Otherwise, Obama would have been impossible. Runners up:
Georgie's "Mission Accomplished" Banner
The Kaloogian Photo: Instanbul or Baghdad?
Outing Jeff Gannon
The Al Qeada Job Application
The Moran Family Reunion
Not Buying The "Pretzel-Dunce" Story
Neil Munro Could Dish It Out, But Couldn't Take It -- (Click Here for Video)
Steve Colbert: "The Emperor Has No Clothes -- And There Isn't Much Of An Emperor, Either!"
(Click Here for Video)
2012 Republican Convention, Democratic (Underground) Backdrops
(Click Here for Video)
Let's Keep This (Thread) Kicked Till Franken Is Seated Or Hell Freezes Over
rocktivity
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)The day that Al Gore conceded, I started my new job in California. We were new to the state, didn't know anyone. At the same time, Bush was selected by the USSC to be the next President. When I started hearing about missing W's on keyboards and other lowbrow propaganda from the new administration, I wasn't seeing anything in the mainstream press decrying this. I still don't remember how I first got to DU--maybe I saw something in a post somewhere. In any case, when I did start reading the forums, I felt at home, I felt sane. I felt like someone else was noticing the same crazy stuff that was bothering me. I dove in headfirst, and I've been here ever since. It's a very different place now, but the fact that I still read DU every single day goes to show it still has value.
If you're looking for one particular stand-out moment though, I'd have to go with "Call Congress Right Fucking Now!!!". I still laugh when people repost that thread.
sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)intheflow
(28,407 posts)Codeine
(25,586 posts)God those were epic.
Also the Non-Denial Denial, the Mexican Metric Snowstorm, and the Man-Made Tsunami threads.
redwitch
(14,933 posts)Then there was the time I posted that people shouldn't post when they're drunk...
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6739759
The thread that followed was pretty hilarious. Unfortunately, I don't think that poster ever posted again.
Codeine
(25,586 posts)That STILL pops up in every single one of that dude's trolling threads.
Texasgal
(17,029 posts)I still get a chuckle when someone posts that missive on one of his dumb threads.
name not needed
(11,660 posts)On Sat Feb 15, 2014, 08:13 PM an alert was sent on the following post:
It's the RB TexLa show!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4506363
REASON FOR ALERT
This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.
ALERTER'S COMMENTS
There are a couple of members who like to harass and online bully by bringing up unrelated topics to a current discussion
You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sat Feb 15, 2014, 08:24 PM, and the Jury voted 1-5 to LEAVE IT.
Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Posting nonsense in annoying... and can be harassing... but I don't see anything that rises to the level of being hidden in this post. For goodness sakes, just put the poster on ignore and maybe they will go away.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Alerter: these links are not 'unrelated'. They show a pattern of RB TexLA trolling DU with flamebait; they inform DUers who may not know RB TexLA that they have not misunderstood the OP; it really was intended as flamebait, as is typical for this user.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I don't hide with you
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: General douchebaggery, but not worthy of hiding. The ignore function can be your friend.
Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.
Texasgal
(17,029 posts)Love it! " I don't hide with you"
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Who IS this guy?
fishwax
(29,146 posts)H2O Man
(73,321 posts)I think that was a highpoint for DU .....at least it was for me.
A couple journalists from MSNBC got information from the group effort that became known as "The Plame Threads." I posted some information about the grand jury investigation that could not be found anywhere else -- not in the corporate media, nor on any other internet site. During the Scooter Libby trial, the things I had posted about on DU were confirmed by the prosecutor's documents admitted into the court record. It was a definite DU peak, that still stands out.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)The information that came out of those threads was really amazing. I agree, all those research threads were the high point for DU.
2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)iamthebandfanman
(8,127 posts)but my favorite time period on DU was the end of 2001 until the summer of 2004.
TrogL
(32,818 posts)Oscar has already been mentioned. I was in the thread.
Whisp
(24,096 posts)shenmue
(38,501 posts)People went nuts and partied around here! They were taking pictures of cakes they made!
DUgosh
(3,052 posts)There was free spiked punch in the lounge.
enki23
(7,786 posts)Such good times.
Well, not really. But they were times.
lpbk2713
(42,696 posts)A period of time of think of as the Dark Ages.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)Trust me, you haven't lived until you've gone looking for owls with XemaSab while absolutely tanked.
Skittles
(152,964 posts)and Skinner promptly did
Jeff In Milwaukee
(13,992 posts)was doing some kind of upgrade an inadvertently tombstoned himself.
And Walt Starr was the Du'er in question who got his wish.
intheflow
(28,407 posts)intheflow
(28,407 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,309 posts)OOooo - If I had a sock puppet, I'd name it OttoRemo!
Hekate
(90,189 posts)If nothing else, we can all use the laugh.
ariesgem
(1,634 posts)Then Bush's exit...
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x3168000
and the obligatory copycat:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x3168037
and stuff like this - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x7740666
( note the 666 above...wooooooooo )
And I personaLLy did Love sniffa's "pro-wrestLing in the Lounge" period
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x8462014
And the chicken wars - cornflakes vs flour nearly shut the whole site down!
Don't tutch the but!
And Robb is a dingbat.
And I miss many DUers like Andy and Scott etc but we won't go there
Hekate
(90,189 posts)I loved those threads -- could never really keep up, but I loved them.
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)but nobody caught on. Or I didn't do it right, lol.
Still, I think we always retain that flashing wit. There was just a time when everyone experimented more with the forum and had fun with it.
Those days shall return, I hope.
Hope you are well Hekate!
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Hope you are well, too.
Tsiyou later
kentauros
(29,414 posts)I recall that what made me more of a regular in the Lounge at once time was people in GD "complaining" about the silliness going on over there, specifically a "questions only" thread. Well, that thread alone drew me in, mostly going back and forth with GreenPartyVoter
livetohike
(22,084 posts)I miss newyawker99 who recognized birthdays and all the newcomers who posted for the first time and those who reached milestone post counts. We've really grown in numbers since those days.
HubertHeaver
(2,520 posts)No link. I don't want to be axed.
TheMightyFavog
(13,770 posts)That whole thing was utterly ridiculous.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)What have I unleashed...?
CHICKEN?
CORNFLAKES?
HubertHeaver
(2,520 posts)Bonobo
(29,257 posts)They helped break news regarding the computer election rigging, doing an-depth analysis of the tabulations and the oddities.
DU has never reached a high like that.
Although it was clear that a Democratic president would do damage to what DU was, I never thought we would cannibalize each other the way we do regularly now, looking for right-wingers, misogynists, white righters, homophobes, DINOs, Cavers, Putinists, Snowdenites, etc. behind every door.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)GP6971
(31,016 posts)ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)at the time. It was during the 2004 Primaries... I was a HUGE Deaniac (I have a signed photograph of him with me and PassingFair), and I got accused of being a Dean hater all the time. I guess I was doing a good job. I also, at times, got accused of being an Edwards/Kerry?Gephardt/Etc. hater.
In those days, mods were not allowed to participate in or start flamewars... I wish Hosts kept to those standards.
Puglover
(16,380 posts)primaries. We were busier then hell. Always. Working with Wakemeupwhenitsover, Call Me Wesley, Heidi etc. was a boatload of fun.
Never much drama just work and good fun.
Yeah I miss the old mod standards. I still wish we had kept the mods, made breaks from the moderator forum MANDATORY and instead of deleting posts, hidden them. I think that would have worked well.
Don't think too much of the capricious jury system. Too arbitrary. IMHO THAT makes DU suck.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)Depending upon the time of day, active posters, and interpersonal problems, the jury system is a mixed bag. It wasn't really broken, so I'm not sure why we fixed it.
Hope you have a great weekend, Puglover!
rurallib
(62,344 posts)Best single night was election night 2008, followed closely by 2006.
Favorite single thread: the death of Oscar Mayer which turned into our version of the MTM Chuckles the clown episode
don't have a link ---- do have a cat bugging me
kwassa
(23,340 posts)It would start out with an OP something like "Preposterous Statement"
then the reply would be "Obvious Rejoinder"
and then ..... and then .... for a hundred replies or so.
very funny stuff.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)Those were some of the funnest threads.....
randome
(34,845 posts)Granted, I had a lot of exposure in that one but still...
[hr][font color="blue"][center]A ton of bricks, a ton of feathers, it's still gonna hurt.[/center][/font][hr]
treestar
(82,383 posts)flvegan
(64,389 posts)I miss that MrCoffee guy.
And there's a lot more to the above post that I don't remotely have time to go into.
treestar
(82,383 posts)There was much jubilation and taunting of Freepers that was a lot of fun. There was a lot more unity back then. The critics from the left didn't seem to appear in droves until Obama was elected, and they were already there when he was.
Iris
(15,632 posts)It went on and on fire years.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)WHAT?
I don't even know whether to believe you.
What am I talking about, it's DU, of course I believe you
JVS
(61,935 posts)on how to make re-washable menstrual pads.
And here it is
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2335135
I don't know what to say. At all.
G_j
(40,366 posts)flowers? We did it for someone else also, but it escapes my mind who it was right now.
fishwax
(29,146 posts)G_j
(40,366 posts)I think that was a pretty impressive community effort.
fujiyama
(15,185 posts)I was partying out and about. Didn't see the threads until well into the next day as I was nursing a wicked crazy hangover.
But I've been around for other great nights and very not so great nights (election '04 was the worst). I enjoyed the '06 midterms. Taking back the House and Senate were great, and Rummy getting canned the day after was just icing on the proverbial cake.
Some really memorable threads and memes:
Wes Clark man-boobs in Haiti
Earthquake/Tsunami '04 caused by DARPA (I loved how the admins basically said "anyone denying plate tectonics is an idiot and will be banned"
The Passion thread (Olive Garden!)
And breakdowns of certain trolls that lasted much longer than they should have...
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)Life got busy for me and I drifted away and in the interim my account was somehow deleted. I came back for a wbile in 2006 and then again, life got in the way. (My mother became ill and I had to help my father with her care.) I came back a couple hears ago. In all this time, I still would have to say the best moment is the re-election of President Obama. (I wasn't posting in 2008.)
KT2000
(20,544 posts)LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)Demonaut
(8,909 posts)texanwitch
(18,705 posts)It was a very long thread.
It was going somewheres.
Salviati
(6,002 posts)The story of Oscar:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=624815
Freepoween 2003: everyone 'dressed up' like freepers:
https://www.google.com/search?q=freepoween+site:www.democraticunderground.com&safe=off&hl=en&biw=1600&bih=785
alittlelark
(18,886 posts)....we donated all we could for his treatment - and a nasty RWer froze the $$$ that could have saved him.
The # of ppl and the support that was offered was a beautiful thing to see....
Perhaps not my favorite, but a beautiful, salient moment for this site.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)This is a cool thread and many posts are great reminders of the good times.
But the fact that we 10%ers -- those not of the 90% who backed the invasion of Afghanistan -- had a place where we could join and commiserate.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Truly had me laughing. Something about him not understanding why he was in trouble for getting naked, putting on a mask and snorkel, and laying on top of his desk during break. Something was going on with this poster during a couple of weeks and his humor was off the charts.
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)to raise money for Andy's surgery...its stands out as a non-political thing DU's do.
snooper2
(30,151 posts)Auntie Bush
(17,528 posts)Bush in his cod piece on carrier deck looking like pilot. We had such fun here ridiculing him.
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)He slinked out of here like his hero, Joe Lieberman after one of his three ways with McCain and Graham.
LWolf
(46,179 posts)The only favorites I can think of since '07 are those during the primaries, with DU polls ranking Dennis Kucinich as first choice for DU, followed by Edwards, with Obama and HRC far, far, far behind. Repeatedly. They made me feel at home. I think those were posted by Bobthedrummer? Those, and some of the shots, still and video, of OWS at its peak.
Some others...the posts in solidarity against the war drums leading up to the '03 invasion; some of the videos of protests across the nation posted at that time.
Many of the posts in the old "Meeting Room."
And Walt Starr's "goodbye," although I wish he, and so many other greats now gone, were still here.
Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)A DUer would post a thread calling for action and would get an overwhelming response. People stepped up and participated regularly -- we even had a DU Activist Corps. DUers marched, protested, and tried to make things happen in the Real World of politics.
Today DU is mostly an unmoored shout-fest.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)But that's the whole Internet, now.
knitter4democracy
(14,350 posts)Hence my lurking more and more.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)...and the nourishment I got here was a big part of what I took out into the world. I'm grateful for that.
Tikki
(14,537 posts)Tikki
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)Andy Stephenson... hands down. His research on the players in and of Diebold was a glass shattering moment for me (as was the right-wing response to his illness, a response that I still maintain contributed to his death). His premises and conclusions were so airtight as to drive even one of the Diebold suits from DU when he tried to defend his company's practices.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)CANDO
(2,068 posts)And only 1,560 +/- posts! Without a doubt, the most joyous moment was electing a Democratic President and the very first black President to boot!
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)sibelian
(7,804 posts)Hekate
(90,189 posts)marions ghost
(19,841 posts)with his art. I will never forget how bleak those times were. It is still hard now and a lot needs to happen-- but at least we are not without resources and validation.
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)He was the first poster I recalled missing when I first read this thread. Then I got searching for old threads and forgot ole Swampy.
His artwork was awesome. He made the BFEE lizard people come to life!
He lived through Katrina, but suffered a great deal because of it.
I miss Swampy a LOT.
to Swampy and with hope he has lots of crawfish to eat and music to play
LeftishBrit
(41,190 posts)From a more local point of view, Blair resigning in 2007.
I've enjoyed fun threads like the haikus and limericks, and lots of funny threads on the UK forum.
davsand
(13,420 posts)Some brain-trust at Free Republic went off on a rant that all of DU was actually the product of one mind--Will Pitt. We had an extended thread where we all posted that *WE* were Will Pitt.
Will also never forget the experience of 9/11 and seeing the reports come in from DUers in NY and DC. Some very moving stuff here--very visceral because these were our community members--people we had established relationships with. I remember also being absolutely petrified for the safety of some of our members who were professional pilots at that time.
Laura
Purrfessor
(1,188 posts)ellie
(6,927 posts)My favorite moment was when Obama was elected in 2008 and again in 2012. I think my post(s) was (were) titled, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)I stayed home and watched the election returns, they came to my house afterward. SUCH a relief to believe that we might have a chance to clean up Bush/Cheney's gawdawful mess.
ellie
(6,927 posts)Solly Mack
(90,740 posts)For many different reasons. Some hilarious. Some so epic in their snark they stand out above all other snark. Some so poignant in their shared grief. Some in shared joy. Shared outrage.
fishwax
(29,146 posts)I can't remember exactly how it worked, but there was some glitch in a thread in GD that people could post to and it wouldn't show up in the normal view of the thread, but once you posted it you could see all the posts in these invisible subthreads. I can't remember who figured out how to do it, but someone in the lounge picked up on it and posted a link to it, and for a few very delightful hours everyone was trying to figure out how to access this secret DU underworld.
I remember the secret had something to do with (I think) having to click on reply to a post in the visible thread and then replacing the Message ID in the URL on the page that followed (this was back on DU2) into the with the message ID from one of the invisible posts.
I don't know, I may be remembering the minor details wrong. All I know is it was a great deal of fun in the midst of a sort of contentious time on DU. Eventually the whole thread got nuked, though. I think the lounge thread referring to it may even have been nuked. So, alas, there is no evidence left.
Anyone remember that?
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)Everyone with any computer skilz just had to try it. I merely lurked...and laughed.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Make7
(8,543 posts)I was browsing GD sorted by author and I ran across an OP that was actually a deleted sub-thread from the previous day. On DU2 there were no reply links in deleted messages but you could make a reply URL by substituting the message ID into another reply link, so as a joke I decided to reply to the Deleted sub-thread by asking, "If this is a deleted sub-thread, what happened to the rest of the thread?"
After a couple dozen replies to me (since there was no reply link in that OP) a few people figured out how to reply to the OP. However, someone (I think it was mikelgb) discovered something sinister in making your own reply URLs - you could make a reply end up in a new thread that wasn't the thread you were actually replying in - and the DU2 software wouldn't list the "new thread" in the forum listings but people could see the post with a direct link. They could also reply just like in a normal thread. I believe Renew Deal dubbed it the sideverse, which seemed to be what most people started calling it. There ended up being multiple invisible sub-threads occurring on that thread before it was over.
Another funny thing about the 'Deleted sub-thread' thread was that people kept recommending it and it stayed on the Greatest Page even after the 24 hour time limit. There was no stopping it. Until someone deleted the whole thing, which I guess was what was supposed to have happened in the first place.
fishwax
(29,146 posts)The sideverse -- yes indeed. My gosh, that was just a fun day all around.
fizzgig
(24,146 posts)but i remember the invisible kick. that was used to cause some shit in the lounge.
salin
(48,954 posts)I found DU in the wake of 911. I left lurking and started posting in the first days of 2002. I learned much about how insane (and unregulated) the derivatives market was (and what it is) in the unraveling of the undoing of Enron. So many lessons could have been learned by policy makers and federal regulators - that could have averted (and perhaps predicted) the economic meltdown and recession (depression) in 2008.
A lot of collaborative research and discussion threads. Amazing amount of learning. During that time (2002 - 2004 until the Dean/Kerry wars started during the primaries) - a lot of work was done in collaborative research. Very dynamic place. A much smaller place back then - still contentious - I think it feels more contentious now due to the size of the community.
Pathwalker
(6,596 posts)floor of the Senate. He was filibustering against the "Patriot Act", and he was so impressed by the support from DU that he said "there's a Democratic Underground running all through this nation... took my breath away, and made me smile through my tears.
I still remember Nostamj, too
lovuian
(19,362 posts)"our Little Lambs" going through the Iraq war alone and not with DUErs would have been horrible
spanone
(135,633 posts)each day is a favorite moment
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)CottonBear
(21,596 posts)CottonBear
(21,596 posts)sibelian
(7,804 posts)But I guess it probably started to repeat itself.
LAWL. LIBRULS.
lovemydog
(11,833 posts)while filling up your SUV with gas. Good luck getting to the gun show!'
librechik
(30,663 posts)CottonBear
(21,596 posts)You could print them out in advance of the debate and the drinking!
CottonBear
(21,596 posts)I loved meeting up in Atlanta and Athens with ulyssess, CatWoman, burythehatchet, Lurking_Argyle, Caspar, MG Krebs, Ulysses with Mrs.Uly and baby Chris, RubyDuby in GA with Mr. Ruby and baby Carter Dean, Mike and Kathy Malloy, XanaDUer and many others.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=146&topic_id=5390&mesg_id=5390
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=7555853&mesg_id=7555853
Meetup with Mike and Kathy Malloy in Atlanta: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=4807842&mesg_id=4807842
There are too many funny and memorable Lounge moments to recount. I do miss Matcom's lounge threads and my many DU conversations and PMs with BOSSHOG.
BOSS and I shared a love of pink lawn flamingos, garden gnomes, gardening, Cajun and creole cuisine and New Orleans.
Berthavenation posted the first response to my first newbie thread. She was very kind.
I lurked starting in 2001 and joined in 2004.
DU kept me informed, amused and sane during the horrible Bush years.
As a Georgian, it was horrifying to see our state go first ALL Diebold in the nation and, subsequently become a red state. The smearing of Max Cleland by Sack of Shit (Saxby) Chambliss was one of the worst things I have ever experienced. My former senator and former GA SoS , Max Cleland, is an amazing person and I was/am so appalled of how he was treated here in Georgia by the GOP.
I consider it an honor to be a member of such an amazing community of fellow Democrats!
You are the best! Cheers to you all! I LOVE DU!
BainsBane
(53,001 posts)I'll put in my vote for the "I like Cjeek Dgg" thread in Meta. That was hysterical. Another favorite was the "I know prostitutes" thread. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022950178 While that OP of the latter is no longer among us, his comedic contribution will endure.
kentauros
(29,414 posts)Liberty Belle
(9,528 posts)I stayed up all night sending the petition asking her to challenge the vote to the leader of every progressive group in CA that I could find, Dem Clubs etc, and asked them all to forward to their members. A day or so later there were over 30,000 petitions and she was the only Senator to stand and challenge Bush's victory. Too bad none of her colleagues had the backbone to do the same, but the truth was heard, thanks to Barbara Boxer.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)THE THREAD THAT NEVER DIES...
baldguy
(36,649 posts)fizzgig
(24,146 posts)even the lounge got in on that one
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3134331
Samantha
(9,314 posts)There was a movement to impeach the Supreme Court 5 who threw the 2000 election to Bush. If you are a DU member, you probably know almost all of us thought that was a political decision and one that should never have been rendered. The press conference announcing the movement to impeach the 5 judges that threw the election was scheduled to be held at 5:00 in front on the Supreme Court. The day of the announcement: September 11, 2001. And so history of that day's events eroded the movement scheduled to launch that day to hold accountable the 5 Supreme Court judges that handed the Oval Office to George W. Bush*.
We learned many things from that 2000 election, not the least of which was the mechanics of how to actually manipulate the results of voting. I knew nothing about that subject until I started following the 2000 election 2 to 3 hours a day during 1999 and 2000, spilling over into 2001. I learned so much, as did so many others here.
In 2004, when many of us were outraged over what had happened in Ohio, giving the election once again to George W. Bush*, we sat up the night before the Electoral College was to vote. The outrage over the manipulation of that defining vote was palpable here. That specific night, in one thread, many people relayed incidences that alone justified an official investigation. One of these was when the electricity went down at one key polling place, the totals at that time had been observed and noted here, but when the electricity came back on, whoa...the numbers did not jive.
While at the criminal acts were being relayed and speculation was posted about what would happen the next day, for instance, would there be any protest speeches when the vote was hold, I remembered some advice by Jonathan Turley given a short time before Bush's first inauguration and put that with some words of David Bois in Courting Justice, written after the 2000 election. I started this thread at 12:11 on January 6, 2005, and the political electricity started sparking. Eventually, one poster faxed it to 20 senators and another emailed it to 29 press outlets. The discussion continued throughout the day and was fascinating. It was a good-faith effort at stopping the Electoral College from "giving" the election to Bush, despite the election tampering in Ohio, the determining state.
Several Democratic Senators were scheduled to speak the next day prior to the vote, and we knew they had the information. The truly interesting thing was not everyone who had been scheduled to speak, actually spoke. Some not scheduled to speak, suddenly did. But despite the best of efforts to stop that vote, you know how it unfolded. But the important thing here was knowing we could all come together to make a difference. From each experience, we learn more and improve both our defensive maneuvers as well as our attacks.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x244396
Other experiences I will NEVER forget are: accidentally meeting Helen Thomas in a restaurant one day and posting about the experience here, attending a book signing by Al Gore and sharing that here, meeting Richard Clark twice at book signings and writing about those events here. Those were the days....
Sam
LeftishBrit
(41,190 posts)Found a thread on this:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/100259242
JVS
(61,935 posts)GreenPartyVoter
(72,377 posts)say that as always I am thankful that DU is here. What a great support system for maintaining sanity in a messed up world.
newcriminal
(2,190 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)watching right-wingers and Bush fans get thrown off the site for spewing the exact same garbage - attacking liberals and defending predatory, corporatist, anti-Constitutional, warmongering policies - that the DU corporate propaganda brigade now gets away with every single day.
onethatcares
(16,133 posts)I still don't have 7500 posts.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)How nice to meet you.
onethatcares
(16,133 posts)welcome to the club.
I remember looking for some other progressives after the appointment and through Buzzflash, I ended up here.
Back when the Plaid Adder and the Hate Mail bag were weekly features, Back when BBV was the rage.
I still love this place. It feels like home, a little dirty, a bit ragged around the edges, needs a bit of paint,
but it's structurally sound.
MadrasT
(7,237 posts)NoGOPZone
(2,971 posts)Bobbie Jo
(14,341 posts)to this day.
Classic DU
DebJ
(7,699 posts)I wasn't on dial-up, but it would take forever to load............
On Edit: I just did the google on 'graywarrior' and got 27,200 hits
valerief
(53,235 posts)joshcryer
(62,265 posts)DU moment? Better Believe It's increasing shift to right wing sources and dozens upon dozens of people falling for it.
Before that, possibly a breakdown with "smiling North Koreans." I'll never understand that one.
Before that, I'd have to say Obama winning the nomination and Hillary not doing the unthinkable and calling for a brokered convention. I sat there watching it live as the votes were counted. There were dozens of Hillary detractors that truly believed, all the way up to the end, that there would be an attempt at a brokered convention. It was asinine.
Before that, winning back the House in 2006. It was a foregone conclusion but there was a sigh of relief that it happened. Unfortunately it was short lived and had little impact on the MIC, much smaller than one would have hoped.
I would say, emotionally, before that, was 2004, and the Dean scream and subsequent crash for Dean's chances, but that was a terrible moment, so I don't like to look back on it. And yes most DUers were Deaniacs, it was a really really tough time for us as a whole. Most fell in line behind Kerry but I stopped posting almost entirely in that time. It was really stressful. I can't think of it causing much of a purge though because I recognize a lot of Deaniacs to this day.
pacalo
(24,721 posts)kentuck
(110,950 posts)and bruised up his face pretty bad. The conjecture was that he had been drinking.
Shandris
(3,447 posts)...the elections.