A truly dramatic change.

[No Elephants]

Media invariably show a President at the beginning of his first term and at the end of his second term and marvel breathlessly at how much "the Office" aged him. Well, here's a news flash for the news folk:

Look at a 12 year old and a 20 year old. Eight years ages anyone, even if what to wear to prom is their most stressful decision during that time. Duh. And the years between 52 or older and 60 or older are not anyone's best years. Yes, people gray and bald during those years more than they do when they are younger. Duh.

But, here is FDR riding (with Hoover) to his first inauguration in 1933. He had turned 51 about five weeks earlier, his birthday being January 30 and this being the last inauguration to occur on March 4.




Here is FDR riding to his second inauguration in 1937, only four years later, just about to turn 55.

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1242868.1358556853!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_635/president-franklin-roosevelt-inauguration-1937.jpg

Here is FDR riding to his third inauguration in 1941, 8 years after his first inaugural. at almost 59. (Look especially at his eyes.)



And, here is FDR, a dying man, at his fourth inauguration in 1945, 12 years after his first inaugural. He is 61, just about to turn 62 He died April 12, 1945. He looks at least 75.





Note the weight loss and, again, the eyes.

Hard to imagine the stress of the Depression, watching the Supreme Court declare remedial effort after remedial effort unconstitutional, fighting the deficit hawks, watching Hitler in Europe, then serving as a war time President, imposing rationing, etc. And, throughout all this, being crippled and trying not to make that obvious to the public. (How he had the energy to cheat on his wife amidst all that beats me.)

[Enthusiast]

1. You make some excellent points.

This is a really good OP.

After that first inauguration FDR had an incredibly daunting task. He mostly pulled it off. If this was one of the more populated forums we would have the usual influx of FDR critics. Of course FDR deserves some criticism but the naysayers always focus on the few negatives to the exclusion of all the amazing progress. If we recognize these FDR accomplishments it would throw water on the massive effort to abolish New Deal programs. It amounts to more right wing rewriting of history.

[No Elephants]

2. Thanks, Enthusiast.

Since I apparently write most of the time for an audience of one, I am glad you liked the post.

I am cognizant of the Manhattan Project and internment. And, obviously, of the infidelities.

I have mentioned those things in many posts. I don't find it necessary to mention all of them every time I mention FDR, though.

I did not, for example, find mentioning all of them in a post about the toll the Presidency took on his body. (There's even a rumor that he had gone blind in one eye.)

However, I am going to give FDR the benefit of the doubt and say that those things, too, took a toll on him. Not the toll they took on the Japanese or on Japanese Americans, certainly, but a toll. Those decisions could not have been easy for anyone.

Then again, cry me a river about the toll they took on him because those things were his decisions, even if he thought that he had to do them in order to keep Americans as safe as he could.

However, the criticism about FDR from Democrats (no less!) these days have more to do with Obama than with FDR. (Doesn't almost everything?)

Not too far into Obama's first term, pundits were saying things like "We needed FDR, but we got Hoover." And, for some Democrats today, even praising one Democrat--any Democrat past or present--is seen as implied criticism of Obama and therefore anathema. Moreover, we did not even need FDR.

FDR was a remarkable, courageous, visionary American President. He created things that had not existed previously in America and had the courage to go for them--at least until he caved to the defiit hawks. We already saw the things that did work and didn't work and why. So, we did need anyone as original and fearless as FDR, though it would have been nice.

Anyway, I am a great fan of FDR, Truman and Johnson, as far as their domestic fiscal policies and their having the courage of their convictions and their tenacity about getting things done in the face of opposition. Always have been. If that happens to reflect badly on those with different intentions and priorities, sue me.

[Divine Discontent]

3. hey! :)

I've told you many a time, you write for more than you think. We have plenty of lurkers, and I pretty much lurk and read most of the OP's and any comments when I get a chance. So, I'm sure your OP's get read by more than just a couple of us.

I wish I was able to be on more, but my sibling's been in the hospital about 10 of the past 15 days (and it keeps me busy regardless), but I try to use your advice about making people's stays in the hospital better!

This was a really good OP, and I'm so glad I'm not the only one who got to read it! :) In fact, it deserves a banner! LOL... I love making you banners... I can't stop myself. You are cool, and WE are so lucky you came back to DU and kept filling our heads with interesting stuff like this that we'd NEVER see on the new site.

[No Elephants]

6. Thank you for the banner! You do such neat things with graphics.

Are you artistic off the computer, too? (A decent stick figure is a victory for me.)


Not sure, but I might post, even if no one read the posts. (I like to vent, LOL.)

However, can you imagine what DU2 would be like if Enthusiast mocked my OP's every day?

As far as you, I don't know how to say this without seeming indifferent, but you know that is not the case, so here goes.

I am always happy to see your screen name on the board, but I don't mind if you don't post. This is what I tell my younger relatives: "You're always welcome, but never obligated." I really hate feeling guilty. I hate even more if people feel guilty because of me. So, you never have to explain or apologize.

I am sorry to hear your brother has been in the hospital so much. I promise you that you are making his hospitalizations easier on him, even if you just call. You are so positive and caring and intelligent and enjoyable and talented and on and on. Who wouldn't feel better after hearing from you?

Something encouraging to look at or listen in a hospital room is always welcome, too. Don't know about him, but I enjoyed magazines more than books because short articles required less energy and focus. And, if the doctor allows, some snacks or food wouldn't hurt. (Even on all liquid diet, though lemon ice or other flavored ices are usually allowed.) One woman in the hospital when I was had brought her own pillows and pillowcases (hand embroidered, no less) with her. So, it depends what comforts him.

Being in the hospital is no fun, but neither is trying to keep a patient relatively happy. So, big hugs to both of you.

[Divine Discontent]

9. well, thank you! :) and yeah, he's pretty miserable in the hosp, and tries to get me to stay longer

than I stay, and I stay many hours, and almost always his only visitor. I'd want someone around, so I keep that in mind. I take him in snacks that he can eat, and comparing it to hosp food it's like the best food ever! ha Thanks for the hugs, I'll force one on him. :)

And oh my you did it again ---


"However, can you imagine what DU2 would be like if Enthusiast mocked my OP's every day?"

That is freakin' hilarious!? Enthusiast, why didn't you come up with that idea and harass her posts as lacking in some degree? LOLLLLLLLL Seriously, NE, you say some of the wittiest things. :)

Off the computer I can sing, that's about it, but that's something I enjoy. Something that looks fun that I don't do, is knitting. I saw a show on male knitters on PBS or such, and it was neat. Do you do that or any crafting?

[Enthusiast]

11. I'm the most accommodating peaceful

person you can imagine. I would rather just slink off forever than mock No Elephant's OPs. Even if I didn't have a sense of affection and camaraderie for her. Of course there are deficiencies in all our posts that could be analyzed and hatched over. Some people live for that. I can't be that way.

Sorry about your brother, DD. I had four extended stays in the hospital. They all sucked, some worse than others. The moment I came out of anesthesia after back surgery I knew my back problem had improved. It was wonderful!

[No Elephants]

12. Thanks, but you are the one with the wit and humor.

A lot of the things that you think are so witty on my part, I typed with a totally straight face. I don't notice the humor until you point it out.

So, I am like the theoretical monkey at the typewriter who turns out Hamlet by accident, while you are the reader who says, "OMG that monkey just randomly typed Hamlet without knowing it."

If Enthusiast mocked my posts every day, I would post this every day.


:wtf: :cry: :dilemma: :evilfrown: :mad: :grr: :rant: :spank: :argh: :nuke:

:yoiks:

Something that looks fun that I don't do, is knitting. I saw a show on male knitters on PBS or such, and it was neat. Do you do that or any crafting?

Hi, Divine Discontent. I'm No Elephants. Have you ever seen my typing? That is how good I am with my hands. Can you just imagine what my craft projects would look like?


Actually, I did crotchet a few things and did okay at it. (It's really easy and I followed written patterns.) I lost interest after a while, though. My mom could knit like nobody's business. Beautiful. All kinds of cables and fancy things. No patterns either. She would just make it up in her head. All she had to do was, every now and then, hold up whatever she was making, and she would figure out in seconds where the shoulder or cuff or collar or next fancy stitch should go. She was like the ninja homemaker. Cook, bake, clean, iron, sew, crotchet, knit. And everything to a degree and with speed and consistency that Martha Stewart can only dream of achieving.

Poor thing. Seems like every Saturday I would lose a sweater that she had knit me. I'm amazed that she didn't kill me in my sleep after the first ten lost sweaters or so.

She wouldn't even yell at me. She would just make another. I was very little then, maybe 5 or under, but still. Looking back, she had to have been a saint.

How wonderful that you sing. What a gift! I can't do that either. Totally tone deaf, among other things. (Are you starting to see a pattern here?)

[Divine Discontent]

4. so glad you're still here! and, also, since I heard it's bitterly cold...

[Enthusiast]

5. Thank you very much, my friend.

I don't even know how to make my letters bold, underline or do some of the most basic computer functions. You do some great stuff!

[No Elephants]

7. On this board, things are a bit of a pain and trying to explain is even more of a pain. .

To bold, type this, but with the straight brackets--the ones that are lower case.

{b} text you wish to bold goes here {/b}



I used uppercase brackets because the b's, the brackets and the backslash would disappear if I typed it exactly the way it should look.

Ok, now I will type it exactly how it should look, with the lower case brackets.


text you wish to bold goes here


To italicize, do the same thing, but with a lower case i instead of a lower case b. For underlining, you use a lower case u instead of a lower case b.

You could click on "HTML look up table" above and slightly to the right of the subject line of every post and the table will show you exactly how everything should look.

Or, you could just forget it and keep on as you have been.

[Enthusiast]

8. Thank you. I believe I understand you.

Sometimes I need someone to hold my hand. I'll use your instructions from now on.

[Divine Discontent]

10. that's it!

good job!

[No Elephants]

13. Excellent.