The required anonymity upon which FDL is missing, for good reason, in FB. That’s because it was designed, properly, to let people form networks, and real names are required for that, when different networks want to combine. But most FDLers will shy away from that initial requirement, and then are confronted with much more social complexity than FDL needs, IMHO. Why should I care about “being friended?”

That’s not the FDL ethos, where anyone can visit and comment, and thus build up their FDL persona. Why, in order to retain my own anoymity, I had to struggle in order to make FB accept my pseudonym: So there, I’m “SOS von MA.” Others have resorted to similar stratagems — some worse than others. How would I know, for example, that Pach was participating in FB as “firedoglake?”

In my memos, I have analyzed what I believe to be FDL’s current most desperate need: the ability to carry on conversations after the life of whatever’s the current base-post has completed. What is needed, imho, is a simple web-based BBS adapted to the FDL blog, which would be largely untouched — still the best community on the web.

I’d appreciate some feedback. Preferably via email, since there’s no way I could ever find my way back to this defunct string. I only happened on it by accident. Whereas if there had been a BBS topic, that problem would not exist.

Thanks for listening, if indeed your eye falls on this lost post. And thanks, from the bottom of my heart, for the hard work, conviction and inspiration you have shown in creating and nurturing FDL.

/SOS from MA

As for guilt about breaking Facebook’s rules . . . huh? This from a hard-nosed play-straight kinda gal.

But because I think it necessary to keep my political opinions, often expressed with considerable snark, separate from my professional identity, I use a pseudonym and an avatar that isn’t me. I’m certainly track-downable, but not worth the trouble to do that.

And I won’t be doing any harm on Facebook. I also felt the usual Catholic guilt for violating rules, any rules, which proves that decades of churchly schooling endures like kudzu. I’ll probably find it necessary to do penance of some sort. Maybe watch all of Bush’s next presser, if he dares to have another.

msmolly @ 85

I still don’t understand 707, but I will learn. You all are great!!

it originates with LOL – laughing out loud. some knucklehead inverted it to upside-down LOL = 707, as if you were laughing so hard that you tipped over backwards in your chair.

welcome!

Ah, thanks! TOO funny! I’ll learn! Also, hopefully, Facebook. I think my grandkids are into that!

I still don’t understand 707, but I will learn. You all are great!!

it originates with LOL – laughing out loud. some knucklehead inverted it to upside-down LOL = 707, as if you were laughing so hard that you tipped over backwards in your chair.

welcome!

But really, I don’t know how much I’ll visit Facebook. Most of my FDL time is from work (gasp!), and Facebook is blocked.

Mod note: name repair by request