Look For The Union Label

Written by: puddle on Aug 19, 2008 4:03 AM EDT

Linked to groups: blog for America Test and Poll Group, Blog For America, GraphicsForAmerica

Linked to campaigns: Obama for America

is a song that's in my hum-under-your-breath resevoir.  Soilidarity Forever is a song I can sing in Chinese.  I also know both the words and music for The Internationale. . . .

BUT

It was suggested, over the weekend,

By puddle on Aug 19, 2008 3:44 AM EDT

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THURSDAY EVENING GREAT AMERICAN CONVERSATION (OPEN) THREAD

Written by: puddle on Jul 31, 2008 7:21 PM EDT

Linked to groups: GraphicsForAmerica, Blog For America, blog for America Test and Poll Group

Since Thankful can't post one due to computer stuff: Here ya go.

 

Make good use of this space.

 

 

♥

THE PUBLIC SQUARE (OPEN THREAD FOR TUESDAY EVENING)

Written by: puddle on Jul 29, 2008 7:04 PM EDT

Let the great American political conversation continue and flourish.

 

xox

The nuclear option

Written by: puddle on Jul 13, 2008 2:52 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Blog For America, blog for America Test and Poll Group

- Two options really

By Charles Chamberlain on Jul 13, 2008 10:44 AM

Either the Watercooler continues forever or we treat off-topic comments like all other successful blogs in the world do and delete them completely. Which would you prefer?

I would rather keep the community we have here together and allow for open discussions on an open thread. But if no one who comes to the Watercooler is willing to respect the concept of this open thread community then.. perhaps you are right and we should no longer "persist in this nonsense" and just delete stuff instead. Is that what you want to see?

Odd, really to see the tactics of a HQ who has had  George Lakoff blog here.  The difference is between authoritarianism and consensus building.  What you're saying Charles, is that the howitzers haven't worked, and now you're promising the nuclear option.  Reminds me of the parents you hear in public places threatening their children thusly: You want something to cry about?  I'll give you something to cry about.

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The nuclear option

Written by: puddle on Jul 13, 2008 3:33 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Blog For America

- Two options really

By Charles Chamberlain on Jul 13, 2008 10:44 AM

Either the Watercooler continues forever or we treat off-topic comments like all other successful blogs in the world do and delete them completely. Which would you prefer?

I would rather keep the community we have here together and allow for open discussions on an open thread. But if no one who comes to the Watercooler is willing to respect the concept of this open thread community then.. perhaps you are right and we should no longer "persist in this nonsense" and just delete stuff instead. Is that what you want to see?

Odd, really to see the tactics of a HQ who has had  George Lakoff blog here.  The difference is between authoritarianism and consensus building.  What you're saying Charles, is that the howitzers haven't worked, and now you're promising the nuclear option.  Reminds me of the parents you hear in public places threatening their children thusly: You want something to cry about?  I'll give you something to cry about.


We've had guest bloggers, and have been asked to keep their threads on topic, and run a parallel open thread alongside the book thread, and exactly *that* happened.  The difference between that and this is: the open thread was on the front page, and in no way different than the book discussion thread.  What you are offering us is so called "separate but equal"  -- and if you know your history, you know how well that worked *in practice.*


You are being deeply dishonest with yourself if you have convinced yourself that the watercloset is anything but a place to flush bloggers who won't obey you.  THAT is what we are feeling: a profound insult that goes way beyond name calling.  A deep disrespect for who we are, have been, what we have done, and what we do.


No person of color was ever fooled by being told that their separate water fountain was "just as good" as the white water fountain.  That the ride in the back of the bus got you where you wanted to go just as did the ride in the front.

 

I don't know how to ask you to rethink what you have accoomplished -- perhaps the request is bigger than the soul you possess?  But I do ask.

 

And thank you for listening.

 

p.s.  ~~ in my personal view, a DFA leader from Florida or N.J. asking you not to front page their local news and projects makes sense ~~  this is, or was, a national blog.  That  would not seem to mean, to me, that they wished for a change in the national blog. . . .  I do know that Chris Chapman came to this blog, often, blogging about what we in West Virginia were doing.  He was roundly insulted by a former blogger, protested, left, and has never returned.  That former blogger continued, unabated for a good long while afterwards.  HQ took zero steps then for  the good of the blog.  I personally like to hear of what the local chapters are doing.  But if that means no comments not pertaining to that post may be made, that's simply nuts.  Run parallel threads.  But get rid of the watercloset in the third basement down. Please open your eyes before this blog is totally destroyed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out of the parlor, into the chickencoop !!

Written by: puddle on Jun 11, 2008 10:13 PM EDT

Linked to groups: blog for America Test and Poll Group, Blog For America

DFA lays another egg!

This was a rough first draft.  I was crying when I wrote it.  After chilling, I wrote another.  But it's been suggested that this wasn't so bad, so here it is, warts and all.

Fascinating,

the endless attempts from the big wigs at BFA to let us know we are the little wigs.  I.e., Social engineering run amok. 

On my dating site, chatters are ruthlessly banned.  Now, you'd think on a *dating* site, chat would be encouraged. . . .  So many got so banned for so long, they started their *own* site.  Two years later, with less than two hundred members, it's spawned four matches, and several marriages.  A superbly better rate than the site they came from.  And the new site is just friendship, not even a DATING site.

If anyone cared to go back and read the posts from the beginning until now, they would discover that this blog has NEVER, EVER, been on topic.  They would also discover that that is *exactly* and *profoundly* the strength of this blog, and the community it created. 

By taking that core  and heart and moving it to the status of chit-chat, you are deeply and profoundly insulting every blogger who ever blogged here.  With the possible exception of "Daniel Rooney" who never chits or chats.

If you want a hot-shot big time blog, like Kos or Atrios, or the Mahablog, fine create it.  But dammit, pay *some* attention to what you actually DO have.

Maha, btw, gets ten or fifteen comments to a thread, and she's a hellava lot better than this blog is ever likely to be.

Bad management of this blog has already created an alternative which has often had higher traffic than this one. 

 

About jc, from listener

Written by: puddle on May 21, 2007 3:39 PM EDT

As I read the below, I am reminded of when my mother died, and the family was sitting around the funeral home putting together her obiturary.  Everytime we'd count paragraphs, some one would point out, that now the obit was going to cost $700, or $800, or. . . .  So we'd pare a few more important things she'd done, and recalculate.  Finally someone, in frustration, "Well, if we want a cheap obituary, we'd better get a new mother!" 

jc's life was like that: huge and glorious, loving, active and messy.  She loved much, did much, and was loved by so very many.  Now listener's work: 

My heart goes out to jc's beloved family following her death on Mother's Day (May13th), so soon after her 50th birthday (March 20th), and the death of her grandmother (March 31st) and mother (April 19th).  I am sure that no words could possibly assuage the grief of her family and her blog family.  But one thing I do know is that Judy "jc" Cadoret's profound effect in my life and the lives of so many others deserves to be recognised and honoured.

Those of us who knew Judy, through her thoughtful, truthful and timely comments expressed on several blogs, are in utter shock at news of her death.  May it give everyone comfort to know that she was greatly appreciated, highly respected, and loved by people all over this nation and in other places around the world as well.  Her fine graphics moved, informed and encouraged us.  I hope her sister, Jan, or someone near to the family may be able to continue her fine work, and keep her excellent work viable online for purchase.  Judy had an incredible ability with colour and space, and an exceptional gift in being able to put another person's view into visual form and in just a few minutes.  Her compassion for others was a teaching, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  She will be sorely missed.

But she will never be forgotten.  Already bloggers are mulling how best to keep Judy's talent and intent viable in our community, through a special memorial to be decided on.  Also, a display of her outstanding work will be a highlight of this year's national DemocracyFest to be held in Manchester, New Hampshire next month.  At very least such a memorial needs to honour jc's frequent question to us, which was always her challenge to us and her encouragement of us:  What have you done for Howard Dean lately?  Perhaps at D-fest III, Howard Dean could speak to what might be needed of us, as the Dean Family Bloggers, in the coming year.

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THE LAST THREAD IS REFUSING TO LOAD ALL THE WAY. . .

Written by: puddle on Jul 28, 2006 5:54 PM EDT

Since it won't load all the way to the bottom, posting isn't possible. Can this be fixed? Soon?

I am the Democrat from the Great 5th District

Written by: puddle on Jul 2, 2006 10:44 PM EDT

Greetings to you.

I am the Democrat from the Great 5th District, and it is my honor and
delight to run for Congress against Steve King.

My opponent, and this Congress, has worked on the job less than any Congress
since 1948. Harry S. Truman called that 1948 Congress the
"Do-Nothing-Congress."

This Congress, while being lazy on the job, has thrown away your treasure,
has given you an unwarranted war, has given every unborn and existing child
a mountain of debt, and has tried to eliminate hundreds of educational
programs. This Congress has simply rubber stamped an indifferent
administration.

My opponent has turned his back on America, has insulted most of the people
of the world, and you are paying the cost!

This Congress has not been real. This Congress has run from life and
created diversions. My opponent even tries to re-write history.

I know real. I lived it, from early childhood on a small farm. I know
real. This Congress has raised the interest rate on education loans, kept
Pell Grants flat while tuition keeps going up! This Congress has voted to
keep some students from having any assistance! (Joyce currently serves a
the Director of Student Support Services at Southwestern Iowa Community
College.)

The next generation of inventions and discoveries will come from the curious
and educated. I want the power of the learned mind in Iowa.

I want the talented and educated working in our hospitals and nursing homes.
I want brilliant and trained employees in our factories. I want the
creative entrepreneur building new technologies in Iowa.

I will work vigorously on the reauthorization of "No Child Left Behind" so
teachers can spend their time teaching, so the tests will be statistically
sound, and so adequate funding will be available.

I know real. When you send a child off to serve your country. There is the
pride, and the concern. Remember all those who serve our country, and
especially those who have died or been hurt while in service to our country!

I will work in Congress to push for a strategic, tactical, and diplomatic
end for this war. We will defend our nation, but I will never vote for a
war based on nebulous, half-baked arguments and unsubstantiated information.

From Congress I will work to empower diplomacy first and always, while war
will be the very last resort.

We must support our military before, during, and after they serve us. But I
will constantly say, "Don't dare waste our tax dollars, or don't try to
steal by fraud from our military.

I know real. When you have a physical or mental pain, very little money, no
insurance, and too much fear to sleep at night. Health care that is
accessible, portable and affordable is on my list for action in Congress.

I will work for every family and independent farmer. I will work to have
"Iowa Produced" marked on food around this nation and world.

I will work tirelessly for renewable energies. I simply say leave Middle
Eastern oil in the ground. I want Iowans as owners of "Iowa Gold."

Homeland security must mean every border and every entry point will be
secure. Under my watch this great nation will own its seaports and
airports. Your security will not be bid out to foreign nations.

We will find ways to welcome legal migrants from any country provided they
mean this country well and will work to strengthen all. Every migrant will
help create our "coat of many colors."

We must find effective ways to offer orderly opportunities to gain
citizenship.

I will work for fair trade. I am pro-worker and I will work to strengthen
the worker first, so corporations will have the very best workers.

I will work to strengthen small and medium sized companies. I want the next
generation of companies growing up in Iowa.

I will take "Iowa Quality" to Congress.

Can we talk? I mean really talk.

I know real. Becoming a young widow with two small boys to raise made me
ask, "Now what?"

Over the next five months you get to answer this question, "Now what?"

Do you want a change in Congress? Put a dollar in my campaign every time
you want to vote against Steve King.

It's time to "Take King off the throne and put 'Iowa Quality' in the House!"

November victory is yours to create with me.

Thank you for being Iowans.


With thanks,
Joyce Schulte
~~~~~~~~~~~
puddle steal this for a main post

BLOG WITHOUT BORDERS BLOWN

Written by: puddle on Jul 2, 2006 9:53 PM EDT

For anyone frustrated by the last thread.