Word from Raging in Miami...

[Blue_In_AK]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I got a nice response from Raging this morning to my inquiry as to his welfare. ITF and I, among others, were concerned that he might have gotten in trouble with the authorities over his Cuba trip or might have gone back down there and had some problems, but he assures me that he is A-OK, just had to back away from DU for a while to concentrate more on his business. He's doing fine, business is great, and he wants everybody not to worry about him.

[babylonsister]

1. He snuck in this a.m. and I caught him!

And BTW, if you have a minute, or 8, watch this video. I was really moved by it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x737

[Blue_In_AK]

3. That was incredible, Babylon Sister

Thanks for pointing me to it.

[babylonsister]

4. I thought it was, too. I'm glad you watched, Blue. nt

[Blue_In_AK]

5. My husband had tears in his eyes.

He's thinking of sending it to a girl he knew in highschool who keeps sending him all these stupid right-wing forwarded e-mails. I told him to go for it. I don't think she knows who she's dealing with. (You yourself are proof positive that not EVERYBODY who comes from Houston is a right-wing wacko. :) )

[babylonsister]

6. That's funny because

I'm from NY! I only live here but have for awhile. I actually cried; must have had a weak moment this a.m. but it all just hit me, watching them put the gravestones up. :(

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Now, THAT'S funny

because my husband is actually from New York, too, although his family left for Texas when he was about two, and he lived in Pasadena and then East Texas from then on until he finally made his escape to Alaska to be with me 3-1/2 years ago.

[babylonsister]

8. Small world! I We live

real close to Pasadena, too. And 'made his escape' would be accurate. ;-)
My husband's job(s) got us to TX and all told we've lived here longer than
I did in NY. Sigh.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. I went to Pasadena High School one semester

and South Houston for two years, graduating in 1964. That's where HullBoss and I met. As soon as I graduated from U of H in '68 I was out of there.

[JeffR]

2. Great news

Off topic, check your inbox! Quick!

[superconnected]

10. Tell raging thanks, because I couldn't win a photo contest with him here.

:)

Glad he's okay!

[intheflow]

11. Hurray!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Thanks for contacting him. I was worried about the Cuba thing. :scared:

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Here's the full text

Hey Blue,

There is nothing to worry about because everything is all right. I've just needed to step away from DU for a while because it was just consuming too much of my time and I really need to focus on my business. I'm a man of extremes, so I can't just do things in moderation. It's all or nothing at all, which is why I had to step away from DU.

The other reason is I just got really fed up with some of the ignorant attitudes here towards Hispanics. Not just about illegal immigration, but issues pertaining to Cuba and Colombia.

But those people are a small minority and what has always kept me coming back were people like yourself and Intheflow and many others whom I respect.

I didn't make any announcement when I decided to stop hanging out on DU because I did not want to create one of those dramatic threads where everybody who likes me wishes me well or asks me to stay and a few others end up saying, "don't let the door hit you on the way out" or something to that effect. We've seen that thread one too many times on DU.

I just figured I would slip quietly out the back door and by the time anybody realized I was gone, I would be too far away to be convinced to stay.

So it was mostly a matter of needing to be more productive in my life. And it has paid off because business has improved. I will be making periodic stops on DU, but for the most part, I still need to focus on my business.

So please tell the others that I am doing fine and I appreciate that people were concerned about my whereabouts. (feel free to post this message or send it to others).

[intheflow]

13. That's a great note.

I especially respect him for avoiding the DU Drama Diva exit thread. He's right; we have seen that thread one time too often. And knowing how virolently some people opposed his strong pro-Latino views, that would have been an uuuugly thread. It might even have been locked, and what kind of a send-off would that have been? Pretty dysfunctional, that's what kind.

Im glad his business has picked up. I'll bet we see him getting a Pulitzer one of these years for on of his news shots.

** Edited to say that spell check isn't working for me tonight! :grr:

[JeffR]

14. Thanks for sharing this, Blue

Viva Carlos! Hoping he'll drop by one of these days, and wishing him the best whether he wants to drop by or not. And what the hell - Viva Miami! I miss my hometown most when the frost is on the pumpkin.

[ConsAreLiars]

15. Thanks for the update.

I sort of guessed that it was something like that, but still had a niggling concern that it might be something worse. He has a real talent, both for photography and for bringing important insights into our larger community, and I hope (selfishly) he will rejoin this small group (at least) in the future. In any case, putting time into his work as a photojournalist will undoubtedly be more productive, not only for his business, but also for the greater good generally. He is a truthteller, and a good one.

[Blue_In_AK]

17. Yes, he is...

One of the major highlights of my trip to DC September 2005 was spending some good quality time with Raging at whatever that pub was where we all met the Friday night before the march. I love his passion for the cause.

[CC]

16. Great to hear.

Thanks for getting a hold of him and letting us all know. I check his Magic City Media site about once a week. I figured as long as it was up he was ok. I was tempted to use its "contact us" a few times though.

Bedtime for me, beyond no fall here still working on the kitchen, but have some cabinets up.:bounce:Might be completed by Thanksgiving. Everyone will know because I will post pictures.

[wakeme2008]

18. Sorry do not miss him and his how great Cuba will be when Castro dies

:shrug:

[Blue_In_AK]

19. We don't talk politics that much here in the photo group

and we love Raging's photos. I personally like him as a person, as do others here who have met him. Everyone's entitled to their opinion.

[wakeme2008]

20. You talked politics when you asked me to donate money

you can not have it both ways. :shrug:

[Blue_In_AK]

21. My politics wasn't a back-handed attack on another DUer...

so, yes, I think I can have it both ways.

[wakeme2008]

22. good bye

[CC]

23. Wasn't the donation

request in a different forum? Yes, it was in General Discussion Politics Oh and BTW if you check out the rant thread you will see that not only did she get things straightened out with people there she got a gentle reminder on the rules.
We love Ragin's photos and the work he does. You are welcome to your opinion but maybe you should use the forum you had the differences with him in to state them instead of bringing it here. Many of us in the photogroup wondered where he was and were concerned about him. Blue did us a favor in getting in touch with him and letting us know he was fine.
So if you have photos to post or comment on, ideas as to the monthly contest or any other positive ideas for the group let me offer you a warm welcome to the group. Be warned we do get greedy for more photos and please use this group as a place to unwind,relax and escape from the ills of the world.

[JeffR]

24. .

:toast:

[RagingInMiami]

25. Thanks for the kind words everybody

You guys are great.

Like I said in my PM to Blue_in_AK, I needed to pull away from DU in order to focus on my business. I was getting too immersed in GD debates that consumed too much of my time. And it wasn't like anybody was knocking down my door looking to hire me.

So I needed to focus on marketing myself to larger publications, which is what I'm doing now. Because of that, I ended up getting an assignment (article and photos) for The Miami Herald, which I'm working on now. And I've made a huge proposal to Mother Jones (article and photos), but haven't heard back from them.

I've also been in the process of getting my website redesigned, which will allow me to keep it updated, unlike the site I have now. I ended up having to pay somebody because it just got too frustrating to do it on my own.

I've also been doing some work for this new local Website called Category305.com that was launched by a group of disgruntled former corporate journalists, so I fit right in. Here is an article I wrote about the computer voting machines.

http://www.category305.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=363&Itemid=147