Someone here TODAY made a comment ealier

[ScreamingWhisper]

about my number of posted comments being small based on when (in date) of my becomming a member of DU.
My question back is "Why?"
Does everyone have to be a vocal (written) activist?
I'm probably reading more than is necessary, but not EVERYONE lives with an "always on" connection and some of us have to connect and make comments
from the workplace (when the moment presents itself).

I re-signed for an internet connection at my home SPECIFICALLY to make this comment thread.
SORRY...but not all of us have the budget to sit in front of the PC all day and make commentary.

SORRY again DU and Skinner if I don't meed the criteria, but my comments are just as valid as the 1000+ contributer!
IMHO THIS is why we seem to keep eating ourselves from the inside-out. Allow the casual opinion along with the Veteran posters!

[annabanana]

1. I'm sorry

I certainly didn't mean it to be taken as a dig. (And I certainly have been accused of having too much time on my hands for this kind of tomfoolery.) I know there are many registered members who read and read, and only speak when they really have something to say. I, however, am a bit of a magpie.

[ScreamingWhisper]

4. Appology accepted Annabanana.

Life is way too short to make enemies of friends. :toast:
I'm having one, let's toast magpie!

[rooney]

I lurked around DU

for about two years before I registered. That was about 8 or 9 months ago and I still have not posted but about 50 posts. I am familiar with the names and some personalities. So many of you write so well and know all of the facts about law and history. That is just not me, but I do so want to be a DU'er.

[ScreamingWhisper]

26. ..a cofession pleae don't hate... PLEASE!

I've spent the majority of my 36 years thinking and evaluating much going on in the world.
My life, my new family, my career....
I considered myself a republican for most of those years. Early years were more "conservative-democrat" until
my great friend (die-hard) liberal <HI Henry!> said "You can't be..." conservative and Democrat. Then I ZOOMED toward
the Conservative side because I thought that was where I should be.....
Now I see that EVERY politician makes his gold based on where his bed may lie (lay).

I'm still finding my bed, anf GOD KNOWS I look for every available POSSIBLE opinion.
It's not really LEFT, it's not really RIGHT!
It's just human, I guess.

Flame me if you wish...I'm just trying to make sense of the world for myself and my son, later in life.

[ScreamingWhisper]

28. I didn't realize how much of my soul I'd just laid out....crap!

[Arkansas Granny]

29. I don't see that you have anything to apologize for. I'm probably

more conservative than many who post here, but I don't consider myself to be a conservative. Nobody expects that we will all have the same opinion on every subject. That's what makes some of our discussions so lively.

[ScreamingWhisper]

31. THANK YOU! I was actually afraid to make my comments before

...specifically because I thought I'd be...what? cast out?

[Arkansas Granny]

32. I've come to realize that as long as you use manners and are

respectful of others feeling and opinions, you can say just about anything you want to on DU and not be cast out.

[ScreamingWhisper]

34. My wife has to make a call to family

so I hafta log-off.
Thank you for listening and reading. I promiseed "annabanana" earlier to talk more
and i will. Thanks for being there.
will logg-on later If I can.

[Chimichurri]

50. Wow! Imagine if the republicans had the courage

to do what you just did. If they possessed a fraction of the integrity you have shown the world would be in a much better place today.

Thank you for being a stand-up citizen and for reaffirming why I'm a liberal.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Don't be discouraged - not posting isn't a bad thing by any means

I hope you continue to monitor, and post now and then.

[annabanana]

3. please accept a star as an apology

for any ruffled feathers...

[ScreamingWhisper]

11. I feel like the "jay Leno" from American Idol

Starrsie and such!

[annabanana]

5. Cheers!

:toast:

[MADem]

6. It's simply a question of the known vs. the unknown

People with a track record are known to other posters. You see a name with a high post count, and you pretty much know, based on past experience, if you will tend to agree or disagree with a person.

I am NOT, repeat, NOT suggesting that you fall into the category of people who sign up, frequently with several names (sockpuppetry), and post lightly and inocuously for months, only to pounce and troll when a hot-button issue comes up, but this sort of thing has been known to happen. That tends to make people a bit suspicious, especially if the views of the poster are rather contentious or suddenly at odds with progressive ideals.

Hey, it's the internet. Thick skin comes in handy. And you'll probably stand a better chance of getting a reply from the person to whom you posed the question if you go back to the original thread and ask it of the poster there. The pages move fast, if your target isn't online now, they could easily miss this post entirely.

ON EDIT--I see you found each other, so nevermind that last bit!

[ScreamingWhisper]

15. Yea, The internet is comfortably anaymous

Or ass-ie-mounous depending on the opinion. Thicker the skin the better. I just wish I could do more. I observe and comment at work and church, but anyway... wished I could do more here <sigh...>

[jarnocan]

7. a valid point

Sometimes it is better to read / listen more and write /speak less.
Also sometimes GREAT to take what you find out here and share with others....
I have a thousand posts -sure but likely only around only around 40 were probaly read, and 4 of them were really worthwhile :)
Hopefully your comments were interesting.

[ScreamingWhisper]

17. I was gonna say: I have two eyes, but only one mouth...

...So read more than speak." but I guess everyone knows this.....

[Redstone]

8. I don't think Skinner has any "criteria" for posting frequency.

Nor do I, or many other DUers. If someone does, I don't know why.

I, for onw, will form an opinion of you based on the content of your posts, not the number of them. And I think the majority of DUers will as well.

As long as those posts aren't trollish in content...we do have to keep an eye out for the trolls.

Redstone

[mike_c]

9. unfortunately, it's a sad fact of online life...

...that numerous folks come here specifically to disrupt the dialog on DU. There is at least one website that is more-or-less devoted to that enterprise, and a few others where registering on DU for the purpose of disrupting this community is common sport. Other disruptors are just one-off folks who don't like what they find here, so they want to crap in our nest. Most disruptors are snagged, exposed, and tombstoned while they have postcounts similar to yours. That has made DUers a bit sensitive to the issue of contentious posts by new members (or members who simply don't speak up much). That's unfortunate, but there it is.

My advice is to simply understand this and bear with it. EVERYONE here had low post counts once so we've all been in that situation. Unfortunately, those of us who've been around for a while have seen lots of disruptors come and go, too, so I don't see that experience as counting very far toward rectifying the potential for injustice. It's also worth noting that virtually everyone who has something valuable to say will encounter vehement opposition from other DUers sooner or later, so it helps to develop a thick skin early on. Your blood pressure will thank you later.

Welcome to DU.

[ScreamingWhisper]

18. Thanks... and I feel more welcomed

[Jigarotta]

10. me, I only read content, not post numbers.

don't go digging into 'profiles'. etc.
I'm funny that way.

[cboy4]

12. My post total is way low compared to a lot of people who signed up

two, even three years after I did in late 2002.

I do far more reading than I do responding.

Don't let it bother you too much.

You're a DU family member, regardless of how many posts you've racked up! ;)

[peace13]

13. Don't take it to heart

I have been reading since 2003 and was a member for over 6 months before I ever posted anything. I have yet to break 100. Don't worry about it! Peace, Kim

[Thorn]

14. me too

I have been a regular lurker on this site for a long time. I mostly read from work, where it was not acceptable to do personal surfing. I figured lunch time was my time. I didn't want to push it by posting. I finally broke down and signed up and I don't tend to speak unless I have something to say. There isn't any criteria. The more informed people there are, the better. Peace.

[ScreamingWhisper]

21. With U brother (work that is)

Join in a brew:toast:

[tanyev]

16. It just means you are stronger at fighting the addiction than I am.

Will somebody please get this monkey off my back?!?!?

[upi402]

19. resistance is futile

keep coming back!
:hi:
as often as you can

[Vinnie From Indy]

20. DU can be a rough and tumble place

All true debate platforms are inherently that way. I am glad you are here. Thanks for posting this!

[SnoopDog]

22. It is not the quantity of posts - it is the quality of your posts!

:hi:

(By the way, I just recently learned about the hand waving, etc, little yellow people pictures about a month ago.)
:dem:

[MazeRat7]

23. Well, I'll read yours before someone with a year and over a 1000+ posts...

I dont' check that often on profiles. But generally speaking if someone is posting over a 1000+ every couple of months they are a member I take what they post with a very large grain of salt since mostly they are only using up bandwidth and not saying much.

So don't be discouraged, post when you want, lurk as often as you want, and fuck the rest. Those who measure "status" buy the number of posts only have a lot to learn about content over volume. There a lot of great newbies and old timers saying some amazing things... and yes there are a lot of "me too types"... the trick is sorting out the copy cats from the true originals.

*peace.

MZr7

[Cha]

38. Or some of us

need to comment on all the bushit. :toast:

[aQuArius]

24. My boyfriend has been a member since 2001...

and has less than 2,000 posts. I have never believed the number of posts reflects your validity. :hug: Hey, I have a busy life, I don't have the time to log-on daily for hours at a time either!

[Avalux]

25. Content is what matters, IMHO.

There are those who can rack up 1000+ posts in a few weeks and that is often questioned too (sometimes for good reason, lol).

I'd hope though, that most DUers judge a post by what it says more than the statistics of the poster. We're not all that superficial. ;-)

:hi:

[keopeli]

27. I have some stories of unfair things that happened to me at DU

but, in each case, it was a misunderstanding and apologies were made. That's all that matters to me.

When my post count was low (back during the 02 election!), I was questioned by a couple of zealous moderators, but we were all emotional and accepted apologies all around.

I understand that a low post number is a red flag for a possible disruptor to the site and so your posts come under more scrutiny. It was not until I volunteered as a moderator that I understood the pernicious nature of these disruptors and also how fair the moderators try to be.

For instance, I'm sure you've noticed the "Welcome to DU" messages that abound when you have a low post count. Largely, these are very nice moderators (or former moderators) who have been trained to look for low post counts and to take a positive tack when monitoring posts. So, those "Welcome to DU" messages are both positive reinforcement and an example of the internal monitoring against disruptors, both of which I favor.

By the way, I use the "Welcome to DU" thing all the time myself. I guess it's just habit - and it certainly is well intended.

All that being said, I'm glad you seem to have resolved your concern.

And welcome to posting at DU! ;)

[ScreamingWhisper]

30. I appreciate Trying to make my way,,,

[spacelady]

33. Well I hope you feel welcome now and all the maudlin comments are

doing you proud, but now look, you have been welcomed here and I sincerely hope you keep coming here, but don't expect any more touchy-feely oogly googly hand-holding, you just need to jump right in and make yourself known!

Now I need a hug.

[ScreamingWhisper]

35. oh yea. Wifie's cussin

but okay :grouphug:

[spacelady]

36. Thank You! Somebody heard me!

Me so bad.

[Jazz2006]

40. Lol ~ I heard you too, spacelady....

:hug:

[spacelady]

42. Sometimes I have to CHIRP! or some other noise...

[pookieblue]

37. I tend to read more than I post

it's seems that the others are better at saying what I want to say..

One can only post so many times "yeah I agree with him" or "What he said". LOL

[Jazz2006]

39. Not to worry, ScreamingWhisper, post counts do not mean anything

And (as you now know) annabanana wasn't being critical at all ~

Sometimes words on a screen aren't interpreted the way the writer intended, and it is particularly easy for misunderstandings to arise on a computer screen that would never have arisen in live conversation.

But don't be afraid to jump in to any thread that you feel like commenting on ~ it's a great big comfy tent :D

[hfojvt]

44. sure post count size does not matter

by the way, I've got some real estate to sell. :evilgrin:

[spacelady]

45. Size doesn't matter? Who would have thunk ?

[Jazz2006]

47. Ahhhahahahaahahaha!

Good one!

:rofl:

[MadMaddie]

41. All are welcome here....

and that includes you....welcome to DU:hi:

[Minnesota Libra]

43. Yes, rude comments and the ignore button seems to be over used............

.....at DU. "hug:I'm very sorry for the way some DUers have treated you and I hope your post teaches them a much needed lessen. :grouphug:

[Jazz2006]

48. To be clear, though....

the post in question by annabanana was not at all insulting or demeaning or nasty or mean.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1321687#1321712

[Minnesota Libra]

49. I post quite abit so I got the opposite message early on and I............

....took it to be sarcastic. I guess it's all in our personal perspective and definitely in the issue being discussed at the time. Some people at DU prefer to "preach to the choir".

[tech3149]

46. The world (even DU) isn't a perfect place

I lurked here for a year or so before I even posted a response on a thread. I've gotten snarky comments on a few of my posts(some deserved, some not). Don't take it too seriously. None of us are perfect or see things in exactly the same way. Remember that and consider we all are here for one common cause. We don't want to see our country destroyed.

[Nictuku]

51. I don't post often

And I've been a member for (years? I can't figure out how long I've been a member).

I don't read all the threads either. The benefit I find most useful of DU is the news stories that are brought to attention (usually on the Greatest page).

It helps me keep informed (since we can no longer rely on MSM). It also helps me catch things that might be on TV that I want to see. I'm west coast, so often programs of interest that are discussed (on the Latest page), enable me to either watch it or set my recorder.