March 3, 2013

On death and Meta

This post is firstly for my Dad, who passed away a few days ago at the age of 95, and for those here who have lost loved ones in their close inner circle.

It's secondly to thank hrmjustin, Behind the Aegis, Warren DeMontague, libodem, pipi_k, Wait Wut, susanr516, and Sissyk all at once for their kind words in hrmjustin's thread, where I had mentioned Dad's death in passing, within a comment on a Meta incident earlier in the day. I thoughtlessly threw a bit of a curve ball into hrmjustin's thread, but instead of noticing that faux pas, he was simply his gracious kind self, as always.

And now here comes the Meta part. (I'm going to bemoan an oversight, which I intend to simultaneously correct.)

Meta has shown me the best and the worst of DU. The worst is frequently mentioned about Meta, but the best almost never is. I guess it takes adversity to provide a "frame" to see that in. Or put another way, it may take meanness to bring out nobility of spirit, or bigness of character -- which I see in many in Meta, not just a few. Maybe that's what keeps drawing me back here.

So this thread is thirdly also to you, "the salt of Meta" if you will. You are so intelligent, and witty, and brave, and caring... and contexts to show that come up all the time here. It's a pleasure to read your thoughts and become to some degree familiar with how your mind works, via this window.

The song I posted below best expresses not only my thoughts on death, but my thoughts on you "salt of Meta" characters as well (I mean that, smilingly, in the most complimentary way). I'm glad to read you here, and I feel that I have gotten to know who people are better in this forum than in any of the others. For four years I had posted on DU, still wondering after several thousand posts what the background stories referred to meant, until I saw them explained during incidents in early Meta. I couldn't really remember who one poster was from another much, until Meta started. Comprehension gradually replaced bewilderment.

Thank you so much for all that you give us -- in the words of still another songwriter -- "For Free". (Joni Mitchell http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=oQJMq0IZbxI , remove the space to go there, couldn't get the "link" function to work on this)

Please consider this thread and the thought in the song below "to you" personally, and an all-of-you-at-once "thank you!" for all your thoughts of comfort, encouragement, and insight, that you give so often to not just me, but to so many of us here on DU.

"For A Dancer", Jackson Browne

Keep a fire burning in your eye
Pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down
I don't remember losing track of you
You were always dancing in and out of view
I must've always thought you'd always be around
Always keeping things real by playing the clown
Now you're nowhere to be found

I don't know what happens when people die
Can't seem to grasp it as hard as I try
It's like a song I can hear playing right in my ear
That I can't sing
I can't help listening

I can't help feeling stupid standing around
Crying as they ease you down
Cause I know that you'd rather we were dancing
Dancing our sorrow away
(Right on dancing)
No matter what fate chooses to play
(There's nothing you can do about it anyway)

Just do the steps that you've been shown
By everyone you've ever known
Until the dance becomes your very own
No matter how close to yours another's steps have grown
In the end there is one dance you'll do alone

Keep a fire for the human race
And let your prayers go drifting into space
You never know what will be coming down
Perhaps a better world is drawing near
And just as easily, it could all disappear
Along with whatever meaning you might have found
Don't let the uncertainty turn you around
(The world keeps turning around and around)
Go on and make a joyful sound

Into a dancer you have grown
From a seed somebody else has thrown
Go on ahead and throw some seeds of your own
And somewhere between the time you arrive and the time you go
May lie a reason you were alive but you'll never know

February 27, 2013

Re: "suppress discussion of women's issues"

A Solid Gold Classic -- not from years ago, but yesterday -- in which seabeyond tells me to STFU.

I was flabbergasted, because this is the person who constantly complains about everybody wanting to shut her up, and shut women up. She defines any differing view as trying to shut her up, but she can come right out and say it to me and that's just fine in her view of things.
Wowser.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1240229573#post69

That was in response to a very innocuous comment just above that one, in which I said that women who dissent here are collateral damage to the "cause". No names named, no groups mentioned. I even made the subject line simply "K&R" to make it as anti-inflammatory as possible, while still making the point to the OP. What I got, unbidden, was "fuckin" this and that, amid a whole load of word salad.

She then went on to prove my point by other posts to me in the same thread -- run right over me, say any attacking thing she wants, to defend her position.

I just find this amusing in a "wow, look at that train wreck" kind of way. The serious point though is, as OP stated, it's almost impossible to discuss anything, especially any women's issue unless it's "the party line". Clearly, it's to exclude and shout down alternate views, or any criticism, no matter how calmly stated.

February 25, 2013

11 hides, 49 star members ignoring, and 52 blocking mail, yep that's a paragon of virtue.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=144296&sub=trans

But then, considering the tactics which are beloved by this faction, it really isn't surprising that someone like that would be the "rock star of the week". Good choice, well done.

But um, I do find it odd that a MAN was singled out for such glory and adulation. What, no woman could fit the bill? Guess not.

And... the cute graphic is clearly intended to be heartwarming, but what strikes me immediately is the lack of any noticeable hands of color. It looks like white people congratulating themselves.

Good job! I give this thread a perfect "10".

February 24, 2013

Aww... still haz a sad over the alert failure yesterday?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1240226814#post40

February 22, 2013

Lol, thank you Coke Machine!

And of course, jurors. That's some funny stuff right there. I don't do this often but I must...

February 22, 2013

"Nevermind, I'll find someone like you... "

45 years, and never did. Came close, once though.

February 21, 2013

Just curious... was there an alert on the picture itself

that this post is referring to? (post #6) Did anyone alert on that? And does anyone have the jury results on it? I'm assuming that it was juried and left to stand?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022407000#post6

If nobody alerted on it, why not? Why would a crude comment about a crude pic be more worthy of outrage than the pic itself?

February 14, 2013

Always one of my faves, thanks for posting it!

That song made P&G stars. (I thought Gordon was a cutie, too -- I was 14 then.)

Another McCartney song done by another artist, a big hit although it didn't go to #1 I don't think, was this one by the Everly Brothers in 1982... "Wings of a Nightingale", up there on my list of faves too...

February 14, 2013

"Only one thing I did wrong, stayed in Mississippi a day too long..."

...
Well my ship’s been split to splinters and it’s sinkin' fast
I’m drownin’ in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it’s light and it’s free
I’ve got nothin’ but affection for all those who’ve sailed with me
...

http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/mississippi

February 14, 2013

"What About Love?" by Heart

"Life is simple -- it's either cherry red, or midnight blue..."




For those who prefer blues over rock...




Happy Valentine's Day! And especially to those kind folks who gave me hearts