Three Things I Have Learned From DU

Perhaps I would have learned of these issues from my own initiative, or from other sources, and with twice the legwork, but I learned them here, from a variety of knowledgable, intelligent, and informed members.

1. Tort reform. When this was made a hot-button issue by the GOP some months back, I got the inside dirt which separated the wheat from the chaff. With the emotionalism and propaganda weeded out, I came to a much deeper understanding on why the Republicans fought so hard for it.

2. E-voting reform. This one explains itself.

3. The breakdown of the faulty intelligence leading up to the Iraq war. You couldn't find this stuff out in the mainstream media. Well, not for at least literally two years later. DU seems like a crystal ball because of this kind of 'breaking news'.


What are three things you have learned, which makes this place invaluable to you?

I learned it was more a constitutional issue, and I had to seperate my personal revulsion about guns from the larger issue that we should protect our right to own one.

I also learned to stop arguing about abortion. I don't think it gets anyone anywhere.

Precisely because of the same reasons. I haven't changed my mind, but you just have to know how many brick walls your head can stand, and I got tired of the concussions.

Although I have never liked guns, I learned that even if the laws were changed, the culture cannot be legislated away. I adopted a live and let live policy, which hopefully will keep the friction at bay.

here and other places. I have finally learned that, no, my head does NOT like repeated contact with that brick wall. Somehow, I occasionally manage to get sucked in anyway. The sad thing is, sometimes what sucks me in are comments that are so obviously TRYING to be inflammatory.

the moran guy
that kittens are very cute.

in GD: that there are very many passive aggressive and outright aggressive people STILL posting on message boards on the internet.

some things never change.

as far as actual knowledge goes, i rely very little on the opinions, but read some of the really good articles people put links too. those i find very interesting. you know the kinds of threads that sink like stones.

But many articles are no less opinion than many DU posts. Often on DU you have article writers (albeit perhaps more or less talented amateurs rather than a "professional" like Tony Snow) that you can respond to and to me that is better than just reading an article.

no, what i said is, i find the articles informative (depending on what they are and what source it comes from) and sometimes a source of acquiring actual knowledge

i do not rely on message board opinions to cultivate actual knowledge.

i often find plenty of INFORMATION in the posts/personal opinions, but that is always subject to verification/further study, and in many cases, the personal opinion stuff is quite worthless.

i find many posts very entertaining.

No offense to anyone in particular, but I sometimes get the impression that about 90% of the people on here either haven't left their homes in about 20 years or are posting from the computer lab in their psych ward.

Seems like about 45% of the posts are of "the sky is falling!!!" variety, and another 45% are the opinion of the overly optimistic. (ie people who seem to think that Rumsfeld will be courtmartialed and led away in handcuffs on the evening news due to an unflattering piece about him in Newsweek or something).

About 10% of the comments seem to be thoughtful ones on the article in question; the rest all seem to be comprised of folks concerned with advancing their own agendas, folks who haven't even read the article in question, folks who lob vitriol at one another because they disagree on a relatively minor issue or the above-mentioned sky-is-falling-Rove-will-be-executed-on-the-evening-news! variety.

So, yeah. I definitely like the articles better.

Not left home in about 20 years, or posting from the computer lab in your psych ward?

I'm a psych ward man myself.

( The "reasonable" ten percent work for the CIA and other government agencies -- Hi agent Mike! :hi: )

:P

There is NOTHING 'innocuous' about your sex threads. :D

That, my friend, is really, really frightening.

I learned about the Crawford Peace House and I read their board frequently.

I learned Richmond has some totally frickin' amazing DUers.

In time, you get used to it. ;-)

Richmond is home to underpants, I believe! One of the best! :D

I live here, too. And, underpants practically caused my death by not warning me about the hurricane.

:hide:

Besides, you know you are my Crewe buddy! ;-)

You do not have any entries in your inbox.
You do not have any records in your buddy list.
You do not have any records in your Ignore list.

i JUST added you to my buddy list.

breaker 1-9 good buddy, can i get a radio check?

i sometimes get pm's. very, very few.

ignore list: refuse to do it.

you a no wanna be my buddy?????

more than my tiny brain could handle on world economics (thanks salin).
it is the people that make this place invaluable to me. Y'All know who you are! :loveya:

She is the PhD of my energy policy education! She deserves mention, especially. :loveya: Your contributions are important to me too!

wrapped up in subjects as serious as energy policy. salin, NSMA and i spent a lot hours researching and conversing at that subject and others as well. you're the Mack Yak of coffee, your contirbutions keep me sane :D :pals:

get a warning from the mods.

The world does *NOT* spin around *my* ass. x(

Thinkin's not drinkin' (Actually that was from Moe on the Simpson's, but I wanted to throw it in here)

And there are no such things as ghosts. Although some people have Magic Ponies.

This place is invaluable to me because you can always get the news faster and more accurate than any msm source, there is always something to learn here and the majority of the people are really just good people (me being an exception).

Definitely ahead of the game on the news.

And you're fine! You share my predilection for good bbq, I recall.

But I was talking about "good" people. B-)

Man was that an eye opener.

The whole anti-war arguments and the ex-CIA guys coming out of the woodworks to say DON'T DO THIS. They have all been completely accurate and not one of them could get print or airtime other than on commoncause and truthout and fromthewilderness etc.

the tort reform that you speak of-do you mean how the legislation doesn't say anything about lowering or freezing insurance rates and that the only thing it actually does is lower the insurance company's liability?


I only listed two things there have been many many more.

Are more than adequate. And yes, you nailed it on the tort reform.

I believe I shall henceforth refer to them as LINOs — those who are really no different than those they profess to oppose. (You know who you are.)

2. Straight guys can flirt with lesbians and not get beaten up. :bounce:

3. I'm not as hideous as I thought. Seriously, y'all have really boosted my self-image, and I love yas for it. :grouphug:

Living in Texas, even here in Austin, it's easy to feel politically alone.

Second, I second your submission of tort reform, especially Stella Liebeck and McDonald's. Big eye opener.

Third is a tie between all the news articles that get buried in the major media and ignored by local press. Pick one. Chances are I'd be much more ignorant if I didn't come here.

I learned I'm not alone. :D I also learned that there are some great people here. And I honed my Naughty Girl skills nicely. :P

Whoisalhedges is a man, not a lesbian, although not that different. :evilgrin:

I've learned that just because you may feel ignored, you may have made an impression on someone, and that's why I continue to be nice to pretty much everyone. :hi:

And I've learned that trof is a cheeky, saucy little feller.

Duckie