DU has lost a great friend: Mike McArdle, AKA "birdman"

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 order

The 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.html

Stopping the Rush - October 3, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/10/03_rush.html

The Fourth Son Walks Tall - September 24, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/09/24_son.html

Dear Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys - August 28, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/08/28_cheese.html

Apologies Now Being Accepted - August 22, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/08/22_apologies.html

The Other 16 Words - July 19, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/07/19_sixteen.html

Why Howard's not George - July 15, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/07/15_howard.html

Bringing '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.html

Dead for a Lie - June 7, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/06/07_lie.html

Lemon Bill Sets an Example - May 9, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/05/09_lemon.html

Commander-in-Costume - May 6, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/05/06_costume.html

Washington Bobs - April 23, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/04/23_bobs.html

Murmurs from the Urban Heartland - Dean Meetup, Philadelphia - April 5, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/04/05_dean.html

Bush Gives Iraqis 48 Hours to Dance in Streets - April 1, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/04/01_dance.html

Mr. Potato Head Goes To War - March 25, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/03/25_potato.html

Apocalypse Next Week - March 8, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/03/08_apocalypse.html

The Umbrella Man - February 19, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/02/19_umbrella.html

Trying to Have Iraq Both Ways - February 8, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/02/08_both.html

The Un-American Factor - February 4, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/02/04_oreilly.html

The Most Dismal State of the Union - January 28, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/01/28_union.html

The Poodle and The Puppeteer - January 11, 2003
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/01/11_poodle.html

Saddams UnderWar - December 6, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/12/06_underwar.html

The Rash Judgement Show - December 3, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/12/03_rash.html

The Goldwater Syndrome - November 16, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/11/16_goldwater.html

The Era of Bill Clinton is Over - November 11, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/11/11_clinton.html

Tuesday, A Cynic's View - November 7, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/11/07_tuesday.html

Darryl's House - November 2, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/11/02_darryl.html

The Vote, The War and The Cynic - October 19, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/10/19_cynic.html

Dead Men Have No Oil - October 18, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/10/18_oil.html

Fill Your Tank With Iraqi Children - October 8, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/10/08_tank.html

Evil, Banality, and the Little Man on the Podium - September 17, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/09/17_evil.html

On the 9/11 Anniversary, Dignity be Damned - August 31, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/31_911.html

As The World Churns - August 24, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/24_churns.html

Perle Handled Propaganda - August 20, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/20_perle.html

National Leadership's Crawford Vacation - August 9, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/09_vacation.html

Rush Limbaugh: The Coal Miner's Friend - August 2, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/08/02_miner.html

Circumcised War - July 27, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/27_war.html

One Week in the Life of an Operation TIPS Volunteer - July 19, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/19_tips.html

All Newt's Children - July 13, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/13_children.html

The Pledge-o-Matic - July 9, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/09_pledge.html

Doing it the Easy Way - June 28, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/06/29_easy.html

The Diva and the Double-Dipper - June 26, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/06/26_diva.html

Ich Bin Ein Embarrassment - May 28, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/05/28_ich.html

A Beginner's Guide to Presidential Troubleshooting - May 21, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/05/20_trouble.html

The Perils of Poor David Horowitz - May 9, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/05/09_horowitz.html

My Favorite Republican Hits Rock Bottom - April 24, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/04/24_dornan.html

Need a Hand, Little Fella? - April 22, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/04/22_fella.html

Don't Tread On Me Nursing Home - March 21, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/03/21_home.html

A Framework of Lies - March 22, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/03/22_lies.html

Hurtling Toward Sarajevo - March 15, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/03/15_sarajevo.html

Colin Powell Wraps it Up - February 19, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/02/19_wraps.html

Tough Tony Spanks the Pope - February 11, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/02/11_tony.html

Whatever Happened to the War? - January 29, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/29_war.html

Alan Keyes Has a Dream - January 23, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/23_dream.html

The Enron Fall Guy Tape - January 16 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/16_tape.html

The Lost Island of the Bubbaphobes - January 10, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/10_bubba.html

The Potemkin War - January 2, 2002
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/02_potemkin.html

Dubya, Baby December - 19, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/12/19_dubya.html

The Autumn of Fear - December 13, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/12/13_fear.html

Time to Move On? - November 27, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/11/27_florida.html

Punk Politics November - 20, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/11/20_punk.html

The Great Bumpkin - October 31, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/10/31_bumpkin.html

Gettin' Down with the Great Satan - October 17, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/10/17_satan.html

The War on Terrorism - 2028 - October 9, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/10/09_2028.html

The Pro-Deathers - September 28, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/09/28_death.html

Bush is not America - September 22, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/09/22_bush.html

Get Old and You're Lower than Garbage - September 1, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/09/01_old.html

Jesse, 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.html

Al, About '04... - July 20, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/07/20_al.html

High Noonan - July 17, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/07/17_noonan.html

The Cynic's Approach to Democratic Victory - July 3, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/07/03_cynic.html

Farewell, Strom - June 21, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/06/21_strom.html

Peddling Paranoia - June 15, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/06/15_paranoia.html

Conservatism Is Curable - May 16, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/05/16_curable.html

Poster Boy for the Gun Culture - May 8, 2001
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/05/08_poster.html

I met Mike in Philadelphia too. I had no idea his list of articles was so long.

I am sorry to hear this news. I enjoyed his posts and articles, and I will miss him. :-(

Thanks for that tribute. Goodbye Bird!

It's birdman sharing a beer with WillPitt

:toast:

till we meet again in Heaven.

:-)

Condolances to his family. :(

...I'll miss him. I always enjoyed reading his work.

:(

Mike's writing was full of conviction and humor. I certainly enjoyed his articles, and they were especially enlightening to me as someone who wanted to put his thoughts down in writing but didn't know how. Mike's passing is a loss to the intellectual community here at DU.

:cry:

Rest in peace, Mike. We shall carry the banner in your name.

....you will be missed. :(

I enjoyed his work.

He will be missed here.

Dear Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys was a classic that I forwarded to everyone. RIP, Mike, you will be sorely missed.

:-)

His articles were always fabulous. He'll be missed :-(

who knew him personally. I only knew him from his articles (which I loved). He'll be missed around here. :hug:

Thanks for posting a summary of all his articles here.

RIP, birdman.

--Peter

He will be missed..... :-(

:(

x(

Rest in Peace fellow Du'er.

wherever you are. :toast::toast:

You will be missed!

:cry:

Condolences to his family. His articles were excellent. His voice will be missed.

continue to touch many readers. Peace be with you Mike. Thank you for sharing a part of yourself with us - and with the many nonposting readers of DU. May the knowledge of how many minds you touched and challenged be a comfort to your friends and family.

:(

of Mike's much appreciated efforts to the cause.

Gloria

DU has lost a great man.

RIP, Mike.:cry:

I read Mike's articles with great enjoyment.
His skill, wit, and perspective were valuble to me.
I did not know him, but I will surely miss him.

Many condolences to Mike.

In reference to my subject line, John (The Birdman) Bryant is an extremist crank with anti-Semetic views and in no way is to be associated with Mike.

For reference only, Bryant's website is

http://www.thebirdman.org

This life was made the better by your words...a light that shines dimmer today without you, was made bright to begin with because of you.

You will be missed

May he rest in peace.

What a tragic loss. My sincere condolences to his family and friends, and we have lost a member of our "family" too.

May he find peace, and live on in the memories of those who loved him.

Condolensces to his family.

I'd read several of these and thought about what a wonderful gift he had for injecting humor into something that had to have disturbed him to make him want to write at all. It's a gift, not many of us have it. So sad -- my sympathies to those who knew him more personally, and to his family and friends in 'real life' as well.

You were a stand up Dem.

:(

RIP, man. I always loved your writing, especially the one about the "cheese eating surrender monkeys." My condolences to his family.

You will be missed. :cry:

he and I saw beak to beak on a lot of things. He was a really pragmatic person and I loved his writings. Gosh darnit.

may your family be well.

even though i didn't know him personally and didn't really have any conversations with him on here. i did enjoy seeing his posts on many topics and will miss seeing them.

condolences to all of us and especially to his family and loved ones.

Bless you Birdman!

It seemed like every time I had an article to write, there was Mike McArdle with an article, too, and he had plenty more to write about, and a much better way of saying it all. I feel kind of like I knew him, even though I don't know if I ever spoke to him.

I could write a million articles and I would never be on his level. He will be missed.

My condolences for the family.

Mark W. Brown

and my deepest sympathy to your family and friends.

:(

REQUIEM aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen

ETERNAL rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

From the Liturgy of the Hours.

Laura

My thoughts to all who knew him

RIP and God Bless.

I mourn his passing.

eternal peace.

I always enjoyed his articles and responses.

My thoughts are with his family.

KC

:-(

Rest in peace, Mike

Thats so sad.
He wont like us live to see the liberation, thats sad, but thanks for telling us, my condelences to his family and friends here at DU and elsewhere.

You will embark on a fair sea,
and at times there will be fair weather, but not always.
You will meet storms and overcome them.
You will take it in turns to steer your boat through fair weather and foul. Never lose courage.
Save harbour awaits you...in the end.
- Daphne Du Maurer

May peace be with Mike's loved ones and friends, along with our sincere condolences and heartfelt thanks for sharing him with us. RIP sweet birdman, and thank you for steering the way for us, your DU family. :hug:

:-(

Rest in Peace, Mike.
And thanks for your contribution to DU.

DemEx

I remember his posts and my heart goes out to his family.

Rest in peace birdman.

was the first one I read on DU. God Bless his family in this time of sorrow.

Condolences to family and friends. His voice will be missed.

and many thanks for your words. :loveya:

and Mike will be one of the Angels working for us to win in 2004! Let's dedicate our future win to Mike!

Thanks Mike, I wish I could have met you. Prayers to the family and friends.

....to tape an envelope to the side of the computer with email addresses of people to be notified in the event of our passing. Do it today. We're only connected by our ability to get to the keyboard.

I salute this fine writer who gave himself so freely in our struggle for liberty and equality.

The birdman name always gave my face a quick smile. Will miss.

.

All peace to his family.

Those other 16 words, I had not read his last offering...Get Well, Mr. Limbaugh.

I am humbled by his words. The heart, compassion and true feelings for those less fortunate shine through. If you haven't read this, do yourself a favor and take a few moments.

Godspeed Mike, may peace, love, and kindness find you in the afterlife.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=110&topic_id=1635#1640 (Wed Oct-15-03 04:09 PM, Thu Oct-09-03 12:23 PM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=708446&mesg_id=708571 (Fri Nov-14-03 06:09 AM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=706486&mesg_id=707235 (Thu Nov-13-03 09:49 PM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=704505&mesg_id=704766 (Thu Nov-13-03 02:13 PM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=396010&mesg_id=396649 (Wed Nov-12-03 03:51 AM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=690851&mesg_id=691160 (Tue Nov-11-03 02:34 PM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=212580&mesg_id=212839 (Tue Nov-11-03 01:16 PM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=212580&mesg_id=212849 (Tue Nov-11-03 01:12 PM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=684667&mesg_id=684737 (Mon Nov-10-03 11:52 AM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=676146&mesg_id=684398 (Mon Nov-10-03 10:32 AM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=676146&mesg_id=684324 (Mon Nov-10-03 10:11 AM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=682792&mesg_id=683778 (Mon Nov-10-03 06:37 AM)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=19900&mesg_id=19950 (Thu Nov-06-03 12:07 PM)

It is times like this , that I recognize
what family we are to each other here .

I'm thankful for of his writing .

:-(

You have GOT to be kidding me!

:cry:

My condolences to his family.

may Mike be in Peace.

Very sad. :( :cry:

Peace be with him.

Make room at the table, FDR.

;-)

Bi fein a d' reuil-iuil os mo chionn,
Sorchair orm gach foirche is fonn,
Stiuir mo bharc air bharr an liuinn,
Chon cala tamh an samhchair thom,
Chon cala tamh an samhchair thonn.

Birdman. :(

I remember reading a lot of those articles and enjoying them a lot. Sometimes it seems like writers are underappreciated, but Mike was a huge asset to this website. I loved so much of his work, and though I did not know him personally I feel like he was probably a really great guy. My thoughts are with his family and friends, and with his extended DU family.

Maggie

I always enjoyed his writing, whether it was his posting or his articles. A terrible loss, a man that we will all miss.

My condolences to his friends and family.

RIP

I always enjoyed his writing, whether it was his posting or his articles. A terrible loss, a man that we will all miss.

My condolences to his friends and family.

RIP

Thanks for posting the links to his articles.

:(

You will be missed Mike.

News like this leaves me speechless... Damn!

Please pass my condolences along...he was a great guy!

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.

(I just edited my post starting this thread to include this information.)

:loveya:

I thought I was prolific...this guy was a non-stop evil-skewering MACHINE! I take my hat off to him. I hope he's gone somewhere better than this world.

Peace,

The Plaid Adder

I enjoyed Mike's writing so much. He effortlessly managed to write in a humorous, yet serious way - something I strive for in my own writing, but frequently miss.

Good writers go to heaven - vaya con Dios, Mike

I will miss you

Susan Bruce - fellow writer

I never had the chance to know him. I feel deprived.

Thank you, Mike, for sharing your many gifts with us, especially your outstanding writing and great humor.

Godspeed, birdman.

I was a big fan. My condolences to his family.

He will be missed.

Rest in Peace Birdman, you truly have wings now...angel wings.O8)

thanks for being.

Thank you for everthing, Birdman. Rest easy.

I enjoyed his articles but I had no idea he had written so many! He will be a missed presence here, I am sure. Rest in peace, Mike.

He will be missed. May he rest in peace and may his family and friends find peace in remembering his greatness.

Sorry to post this only now. I have been caught up in my own problems. I will miss him very much and enjoyed his articles immensely.

A grim day in the DU neighborhood.

May he rest in peace.

Amen.

I'm sorry to hear that a fellow DUer died....*sigh*

May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us...

Kaddish

:-( Rest in peace, birdman.

I've read some of these articles and I can already tell what a great caring person he was.

I'm just now reading some of his columns.
Damn he was good.

A terrible shock.

...

I only knew him through his writings, but that is enough to know this is a major loss indeed.

May you rest in peace Mike

L-

What is going on?
I swear it seems that sooo many wonderful voices,
of all forms of artistic expression, have left us over the
past few years.
Why?
We need them more than ever.
May his family and friends find comfort in the fact that
their loved one lives on in the hearts and minds of his DU family
through his enormous talents and gifts that he shared with us.
Rest in Peace Mike.
BHN

*sets off to read all of his articles*

We have indeed lost a gifted writer and a dedicated DUer.

I have followed the writing career of Mike McArdle. His articles were always thought provoking and funny. I will miss his contributions but I want to thank Skinner for providing the links to his past writings. I plan to spend time rereading all of them.

May he rest in peace.

Undergroundrailroad

We love you and will miss you.

:beer:


P.S. Thanks for the links, Skinner! Bookmarked !!

:kick: