I have some very sad news. Earlier today, we received an email in our office to let us know that a member of the DU family has passed away. Mike McArdle was a prolific writer of articles for the DU homepage. He has been writing for us since the very beginning of DU under his real name, and under the pseudonym "birdman." In his articles, he had the unique ability to make us think and make us laugh. I think he has probably written more exclusive articles for DU than anyone else, except Auntie Pinko and Bob Boudelang. He also posted on the message board under the username birdman.
We do not know the details of his passing. The email from his brother-in-law says that he died on Friday, November 14, while at work.
I met Mike at a DU gathering in Philadelphia in early 2002. He was very warm and friendly, and witty. He was a true American patriot.
He will be deeply missed. We have sent flowers to his family, and we are going to run a retrospective of his writings on our homepage tomorrow. They are also listed below.
May he rest in peace.
Skinner
DU Admin
ON EDIT: This is from the obituary in the Philadephia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, 11/18/2003 - 11/19/2003:
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Peace Center of Delaware Co., 1001 Old Sproul Road, Springfield PA 19064; or Little Flower Manor, 1201 Springfield Road, Darby PA 19023. THE (PROBABLY) COMPLETE DU WRITINGS OF MIKE McARDLE:listed in reverse chronological orderThe Bombshell That Bombed - November 11, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/11/11_dud.html Get well, Mr. Limbaugh - October 17, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/10/17_well.htmlStopping the Rush - October 3, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/10/03_rush.htmlThe Fourth Son Walks Tall - September 24, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/09/24_son.htmlDear Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys - August 28, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/08/28_cheese.htmlApologies Now Being Accepted - August 22, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/08/22_apologies.htmlThe Other 16 Words - July 19, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/07/19_sixteen.htmlWhy Howard's not George - July 15, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/07/15_howard.htmlBringing 'Em On - July 4, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/07/04_bring.html (scroll down)
Get Out Of Iraq - An Issue For 2004 - June 14, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/06/14_issue.htmlDead for a Lie - June 7, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/06/07_lie.htmlLemon Bill Sets an Example - May 9, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/05/09_lemon.htmlCommander-in-Costume - May 6, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/05/06_costume.htmlWashington Bobs - April 23, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/04/23_bobs.htmlMurmurs from the Urban Heartland - Dean Meetup, Philadelphia - April 5, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/04/05_dean.htmlBush Gives Iraqis 48 Hours to Dance in Streets - April 1, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/04/01_dance.htmlMr. Potato Head Goes To War - March 25, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/03/25_potato.htmlApocalypse Next Week - March 8, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/03/08_apocalypse.htmlThe Umbrella Man - February 19, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/02/19_umbrella.htmlTrying to Have Iraq Both Ways - February 8, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/02/08_both.htmlThe Un-American Factor - February 4, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/02/04_oreilly.htmlThe Most Dismal State of the Union - January 28, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/01/28_union.htmlThe Poodle and The Puppeteer - January 11, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/01/11_poodle.htmlSaddams UnderWar - December 6, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/12/06_underwar.htmlThe Rash Judgement Show - December 3, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/12/03_rash.htmlThe Goldwater Syndrome - November 16, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/11/16_goldwater.htmlThe Era of Bill Clinton is Over - November 11, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/11/11_clinton.htmlTuesday, A Cynic's View - November 7, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/11/07_tuesday.htmlDarryl's House - November 2, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/11/02_darryl.htmlThe Vote, The War and The Cynic - October 19, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/10/19_cynic.htmlDead Men Have No Oil - October 18, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/10/18_oil.htmlFill Your Tank With Iraqi Children - October 8, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/10/08_tank.htmlEvil, Banality, and the Little Man on the Podium - September 17, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/09/17_evil.htmlOn the 9/11 Anniversary, Dignity be Damned - August 31, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/31_911.htmlAs The World Churns - August 24, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/24_churns.htmlPerle Handled Propaganda - August 20, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/20_perle.htmlNational Leadership's Crawford Vacation - August 9, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/09_vacation.htmlRush Limbaugh: The Coal Miner's Friend - August 2, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/02_miner.htmlCircumcised War - July 27, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/27_war.htmlOne Week in the Life of an Operation TIPS Volunteer - July 19, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/19_tips.htmlAll Newt's Children - July 13, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/13_children.htmlThe Pledge-o-Matic - July 9, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/09_pledge.htmlDoing it the Easy Way - June 28, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/06/29_easy.htmlThe Diva and the Double-Dipper - June 26, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/06/26_diva.htmlIch Bin Ein Embarrassment - May 28, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/05/28_ich.htmlA Beginner's Guide to Presidential Troubleshooting - May 21, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/05/20_trouble.htmlThe Perils of Poor David Horowitz - May 9, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/05/09_horowitz.htmlMy Favorite Republican Hits Rock Bottom - April 24, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/04/24_dornan.htmlNeed a Hand, Little Fella? - April 22, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/04/22_fella.htmlDon't Tread On Me Nursing Home - March 21, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/03/21_home.htmlA Framework of Lies - March 22, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/03/22_lies.htmlHurtling Toward Sarajevo - March 15, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/03/15_sarajevo.htmlColin Powell Wraps it Up - February 19, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/02/19_wraps.htmlTough Tony Spanks the Pope - February 11, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/02/11_tony.htmlWhatever Happened to the War? - January 29, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/29_war.htmlAlan Keyes Has a Dream - January 23, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/23_dream.htmlThe Enron Fall Guy Tape - January 16 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/16_tape.htmlThe Lost Island of the Bubbaphobes - January 10, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/10_bubba.htmlThe Potemkin War - January 2, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/02_potemkin.htmlDubya, Baby December - 19, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/12/19_dubya.htmlThe Autumn of Fear - December 13, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/12/13_fear.htmlTime to Move On? - November 27, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/11/27_florida.htmlPunk Politics November - 20, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/11/20_punk.htmlThe Great Bumpkin - October 31, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/10/31_bumpkin.htmlGettin' Down with the Great Satan - October 17, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/10/17_satan.htmlThe War on Terrorism - 2028 - October 9, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/10/09_2028.htmlThe Pro-Deathers - September 28, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/09/28_death.htmlBush is not America - September 22, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/09/22_bush.htmlGet Old and You're Lower than Garbage - September 1, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/09/01_old.htmlJesse, Roger, and the Ballgame - August 28, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/08/28_jesse.html"The Bill Show" - August 4, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/08/04_billshow.htmlAl, About '04... - July 20, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/07/20_al.htmlHigh Noonan - July 17, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/07/17_noonan.htmlThe Cynic's Approach to Democratic Victory - July 3, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/07/03_cynic.htmlFarewell, Strom - June 21, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/06/21_strom.htmlPeddling Paranoia - June 15, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/06/15_paranoia.htmlConservatism Is Curable - May 16, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/05/16_curable.htmlPoster Boy for the Gun Culture - May 8, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/05/08_poster.html