Is it just me or are the DU registrations pouring in now?

[KurtNYC]

Last time I took notice, registrations were around 52000. Seems like in three weeks they went up to the 54670 that we have now.

Welcome to all! You have come to the right place.

:toast:

[Bronco69]

1. I just hope they aren't freeptards registering now in hopes

of disrupting on election night.

[MacDo]

2. Or we

could be likely voters trying to find common ground......Not me though, I already voted Kerry two weeks ago by absentee.

[KurtNYC]

3. From what I have read from some "newbies"

they include many people who lurked or visited once in a while but recently felt much more compelled to become part of the discussion.

[VaYallaDawg]

4. I'm definitely in that category, Kurt

[Laura Croft]

6. I'm new

Sorry haven't registered earlier, been busy.

[Rainbowreflect]

16. Welcome!

:hi:
I lurked for a long time before signing up.

[jdj]

41. raiding all those tombs takes alot of time.

welcome to DU.

[Rhoderick]

55. Me too

[Willy Lee]

5. Yes, I am new here

You all are awesome.

(Am I at 100 posts yet? Almost there!!)

[hightension]

22. I've found a wealth

of information here.
And before registering, I've always ended up following links I've found here, and then ended up on different tangents, before remembering to come back again.

[lynintenn]

24. THATS ME! n/t

[d_b]

38. Oi

:-)

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

44. Exactly.

[GalleryGod]

9. At least 33% are,indeed!

:wtf:

[flygal]

12. That's why I donated...

so people wouldn't think I was a freep. I usually do donate to sites I use but not this soon.

[movie_girl99]

21. same here....

this can be a scary place for newbies

[Jacobin]

31. Hi there MovieGirl

It can be a little intimidating when people get all wrapped up in an issue, but we are very glad you are here. :hug:

Welcome :hi:

[Digit]

49. Welcome Aboard! This is a great bunch of people, really!

You will learn alot, and get a head's up when things are happening.
Plus, some of these people are absolutely hysterical!
:hi:

[Kanary]

25. Great way to welcome people.

Yet, those of us who are looking at reality in terms of the election are constantly yelled at for not being "Positive" enough.........?

Kanary

[m berst]

28. Welcoming those who are somewhat shy or timid

Good point Kanary, and as one new member pointed out, the place can be a little intimidating. Not everyone is a pompous self-assured windbag (mea culpa :) ) and many of the more quiet people have much to offer if they are given an opportunity and are allowed to express their feelings without getting pulverized.

Since Iowa I have been telling Dems to stop beating on Nader and Greens and progressives and to focus on non-voters and Republican voters who would bolt from Bush if given the chance. Is it any wonder that people drop out from the political fray when we see the suspicion and hostility people have indulged in this year in the Democratic party?

Not everyone is a 24 hour a day political junkie, and if people say unsophisticated things, or are not completely up to speed on every issue, then so be it. Knowledge and verbosity aren't the only measures of a person's contribution. New people shouldn't have to feel compelled to engage in endless games of one-ups-man-ship (sp??) to participate IMHO.

I lurked for a year and was busy with several other boards and campaigns before I finally registered here, and I have had my nose bloodied a couple of times in my first week. The gains far, far outweigh the losses, though.

So new, kind, gentle and sincere people - pay no attention to the loud mouths like me :) and don't be intimidated.

DU is full of lots of very good people who are kind and considerate, so I hope that everyone who is interested enough to register will stay and participate.

I am too new as a member to tell the community in general to be nicer, but here and there I do suggest to a particular member that they could be more considerate and less hostile.

The Bush supporters should be easy to spot and counter IMHO. I had a troublemaker at another board ask me this morning "do I sound like a Bush supporter" after running people ragged for a couple of days with taunting and provocative posts and being confronted by me. Here is how I answered -

There is no such thing as the way a Bush supporter sounds, that's the problem. Bush supporters don't represent a particular point of view or philosophy or set of principles, rather the utter and total absence of all of those. They are like chameleons that take whatever form is needed to cause trouble for the rest of people in the the world, whom they call liberals or terrorists or whatever label is handy and might be most effective for the purpose of confusing, scapegoating, and attacking others.

They are about 5% of the population, the same sad 5% that always exists in any society. They are the weak and poorly adjusted and emotionally crippled people who were not able to successfully make the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Once in a while these people form an alliance and reinforce each other's emotional immaturity and perverted urges and all put on the same "uniform" and run in a herd - taking on the outward trappings of a movement or a group. While the Bush supporters look like they are a political party, they are really more like a cult - drawn together because of shared emotional and spiritual deficiencies, hoping to fill the emptiness inside by merging their personalities into a pack of people with the same urges and fears.

Since they really are just empty shells and are mimicking real people and putting forward false constructs rather than their true selves - like actors playing roles - it is impossible to know what a Bush supporter sounds like. They sound like whatever they need to sound like at any given time to get the job done depending on the circumstances. The job is disruption, spreading of fear, sadistically hurting other people, and undermining and destroying everything they touch. Like a cheap hooker, they can be whatever you want them to be, but it will be hollow and empty and tawdry, and cost more than it is worth and you might catch a disease if you aren't careful.

[Kanary]

29. "not able to successfully make the transition from adolescence toadulthood

Bwahahahaha! Very good depiction. :thumbsup:

My point, for quite a while now, has been that it's time for us to also recognize the mote in our own eyes.

By, as you say, "beating on Nader and Greens and progressives", we are not only not successfully making that very same transition, we are shooting ourselves squarely in our collective feet. Adulthood means that we look at these things, and recognize how unproductive it is, and make amends to those we have used as targets for our own frustrations.

I will take exception to one thing you say........ telling those who are more kind and gentle and sensitive to "ignore" the urts not only doesn't work, but just alienates more. We have to recognize that we DO lose people every time harshness is employed. And, the people we lose *ARE* the more gentle and loving people.

Some of us have good boundaries because we've been through enough abuse in our lives to recognize the value of boundaries, and just don't tolerate attacks and rudeness.

We can't build a strong party with attacks, and we can learn that now, and go forward strongly and caringly, or we can learn it later, in the ruins.

Kanary

[m berst]

42. true

"...telling those who are more kind and gentle and sensitive to "ignore" the urts not only doesn't work, but just alienates more..."

Right. Yes. "Don't let them bully you" I should have said, maybe.

[Kanary]

53. "Don't let them bully you" BINGO! ^_^

Protect those boundaries.... :)

Here's to almost 100 posts, m berst!

:toast:

:bounce:

Kanary

[m berst]

54. just like a donkey

I may be slow, but I get there.

:toast:

[Kanary]

56. Beats the heck out of being an elephant....

;)

:hi:

Kanary, trying hard to keep the spirits up right now..... :shrug:

[Eurobabe]

51. just in case....

keep handy at all times:

[Kurovski]

58. "troll away" is also available in handy "Alert" form

Just click on the alert button seen on the left-hand bottom of an unsightly troll's post, and watch as those bothersome and unsanitary trolls disappear like magic!

It's the kind of super powerful troll protection you deserve!

[Village Idiot]

7. Probably in response

to the general announcement that DU may be "off limits" to those who are not registered come election night...although I am sure there are a number of freeptards queueing up, too...

For the freeptards - "You eat Bush, you don't vote for it!"

For the faithful - "GO KERRY!"

[flygal]

8. Good to be here! Can't believe I just found this place..

What sucks is how addicting this place is. It moves so fast and there's so many good reads!

[faithnotgreed]

36. how right you are! welcome

[Tsiyu]

10. Welcome To All Newbies!

We were all newbies once!

You are now registered on the most unique, well-run, addictive site on the internets....


:toast: :party: :kick: :kick: :kick: :party: :toast:

[catmandu57]

11. I remember when we numbered in low thousands

It was slower, and, more thoughtful, but, growth is good. There was a palatable excitement as we approached then passed milestone numbers. To all of you newly registered, welcome. For all of our newly registered disruptors welcome also I'm turning the other cheek.

[prayin4rain]

13. Yeah! I love this site... I used to only read Latest Breaking News

for about a year, then began reading the other forums, then began writing a couple of weeks ago. I really enjoy this website.

[TNOE]

14. Yep, I think there were like 8,000 when I registered

It's a GOOD thing that so many have joined the cause.

[Sarrek420]

15. Happy To Be Here

I admit that I've known about DU for a year or more, but I was busy trying to deprogram some freepers over at the WWIIonline forums - a very difficult proposition I might add.

Its actually through the WWIIonline forums that I was made aware of DU. So I guess some good came of it - even though the freepers there love bashing the DU.

Thanks for the Welcome guys/gals...
:party: :beer: :toast: :beer: :party:

[seemunkee]

17. n00b here

Been reading for 2 months finally decided to join up.

[karlrschneider]

18. Good on ya and WELCOME!

:toast:

[Jacobin]

32. Welcome to DU!!

:hi:

Batten down the hatches, because we are in for a rough ride, and with a little luck, a big WIN on Tuesday.

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Yep, we had a good thread going about newbies and why they are here

It would seem the election is really moving people to speak up and be heard. A good sign!

[sickofit2]

20. I am a new !

I am newly registered here but have been a long time reader. This is the only place I go to get my news and information. This place is the best and I am so grateful for the good work and open debate of everyone on here... Thanks DU!!!!

[Kanary]

33. Hi, sickofit2!

:hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

Welcome to DU!

:toast:

Kanary

[Kanary]

34. dupe because of mistaken message.....

:shrug:

[archineas]

23. lurk lurk lurk

i was a long time lurker...i stumbled upon the auntie pinko column on what a straw man argument was. i've been reading since.

while not a politically active person over the years, being a gay educator in northeastern ohio, everything political in this area has just angered me to the point of participation, and i've been hanging on every shred of information about this election since at least may.

i know that i have, compared to many, a low post count, but i'm working on changing that, albeit slowly.

much to my partner's chagrin, these forums will probably get more of my attention next tuesday than he will...

j

[Holikernsy]

26. nice

Its so good to know there is a place like this.

[Bronco69]

27. To all of the newbies...

Welcome! I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone by suggesting you were all lurking freepers. I was lurking over at Lucianne.com awhile back (I like to see what the enemy is up to) and I saw a post where some of them were talking about coming over here to register so they could disrupt on election night. I sincerely apologize if you are a legitimate newbie, welcome. If you are a freeptard or from lucy the bat's site, screw off. :-)

[LiberalAndProud]

59. Beware to Freepers! Truth is spoken here!

[jarab]

30. "Welcome!" to all the newbies posting in this thread. eom

...O...

[funkhowser]

35. newbie

Have lurked here for ages, finally decided to sign up.

Sorry, but I can't donate right now ... am losing my job on 2/1/05 and with two teenage princesses, finances are kinda tight (that, and loads of medical bills).

[ydya]

37. I didnt know about DU till last month....

I lurked for a week or so and then registered. I still cannot believe I hadn't heard about it till last month. I was walking around frustrated that the closest thing I could find to a forum of like-minded people was the Daily Show. And thats just not enough.
Glad that I did finally hear of this though. Good to be here.

[IdaBriggs]

39. Welcome to the Newbies! Looking forward to getting to know you better! nt

[Gidney N Cloyd]

40. 54671

Hi! Lurked for a long time and finally signed up! (I particularly didn't want to be on the outside looking in on Tuesday.)

[slutticus]

43. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

HA! I beat newyawker99!!!

[gjb]

45. Newbie from Canuckistan Reporting for Duty

[superblah]

46. I lurked for a while

before I decided to register. :toast:

[kittycat1164]

47. Checking in from Lexington KY

Thank you for wonderful threads and thoughtful people!!!! Became a donor so that I can be sure get my fix on Tuesday, and to support this WONDERFUL site. THANK YOU ALL!!! :yourock:

[RetroLounge]

48. Welcome newbies!

Glad you found us.

:hi:

RL

[Digit]

50. Welcome all newbies!

[tsuki]

52. It took me a while to find you.

I am just not wired like the younger generation. But, I thank God I did. It's scary out here when you think you are the only one. Now I know we are MILLIONS. It gives me more than hope.

[CelticWinter]

57. I lurked for awhile

before I decided to become a member...this is an addicting site and I love it, even tho it took me forever to figure out what the heck a freeper was LOL. Im still learning what all the little abbreviations mean, but I'll get there.
:)