Top Comments: 5/13/08 NNSL/Meetup Edition

Welcome to Top Comments, where we recognize comments made in the past 24 hours that for whatever reason are just too good to let fall by the wayside.

If you find a notable comment during the day click the date/time stamp to get a direct link, copy it then send to topcomments at gmail dot com by 9:30PM Eastern! Don't forget to include your screen name so we can credit you! Anyone can submit comments- if you didn't do so today, please do it tomorrow- your as-yet-unnamed diarist will thank you!

Even if you could not vote in the WV primary today, you can mine for top Comments. (Note: if you are a WV resident who could have voted but didn't, then you must nominate extra to make up for your slacker behavior.) Send those goodies in today!

Sixty-four days until Netroots Nation!! I have my registration, hotel, plane tic... ::whisper whisper:: umm, and I'm buying plane tickets tonite. I am so excited that July is within sight!! I love seeing, hearing, and hugging everyone, and don't get me started on The Patio (tm)!! Erm, the speakers and panels and Official Stuff are pretty good too :-)

Not everyone can make it to Austin, though. Here's two alternative ways to meet your fellow Kossacks...

First up: Netroots Nation in Second Life! Enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow Kossacks, Democrats and other progressives without even having to get out of your jammies! Last year many of the sessions from YearlyKos in Chicago were shown live in SL, and SL attendees could ask real-time questions via instant message to volunteers who asked them aloud. In addition, there were SL-specific parties, get-togethers, and brilliant snark that would have done the Patio Crowd proud.

The group of people who came together during YKSL last year has stayed vital- and grown! Under the Thinking Liberally umbrella we've always got more events going on than any one person can attend. From the Virtually Speaking lecture series (this week: Darcy Burner!) to Friday night's Dancing Liberally (the best and smartest party in SL!), we iz bizzy lerning!  We also are one of the most newcomer-friendly groups of people you could hope to meet, always ready to help those straight off Orientation Island find decent hair, skin, clothing and something to get rid of the annoying penguin-walk that SL provideth.

Just a few days ago the following announcement was sent out:

Having worked out the details of what resources NetRoots Nation will provide to NetRoots Nation in Second Life, there will be an informational and organizational meeting on Tuesday at 7pm SLT (SLT=Pacific time), at The Donkey in Café Wellstone.  Everyone is welcome. Tell your friends.

The goal this year is to provide more programming specific to the SL community. If you'd like to be involved in the discussion, come on over now or any time. If you've never been to SL before... Moody Loner has written a series just for you... and drop me a line if you'd like a friendly fact to greet your newly-created avatar inworld.

Second option: What if you want that see-your-fellow-Kossack experience but can't make it to Austin, and the idea of NNSL isn't quite the same? Well then... That's what meetups are for!!  Local (under some definition of local) gatherings at houses, restaurants, outdoor venues, you name it I'm sure there's been a meetup held there. Really, I'm sure, as I've been to ones at all of those :-).  All it takes is one person to say "hey! Let's get some folks together..." and you're on your way!

Speaking of which... Boston area Kossacks, I'm having a gathering at my house on Saturday, May 31st. Common Sense Mainer and I have been gathering everyone we know who might be interested, and I thought there might be a local Top Commenteer or two out there willing to come to Casa Brillig for grilling and snarky fun. If you're interested, leave a comment or drop me and email. If you know of other Boston-area folks, please send them a link to this. Yup, that's how the grassroots works!
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And now for Top Comments!! First up is that embodiment of all that is grassroots activism: your submissions to the TC mailbox!!

From carolita:

lotlizard shares a bit of interesting information about Runny's other nefarious activities and lysias points out a painful truth in IsraelHand's 20th Hijacker Charges Dropped.

From brownsox:

Stroszek is mystified by Republicans' France-bashing.

From mayim:

If clyde had included better access to health care as one of the things to be increased, the typo in this would have been even funnier.....

From Someone who did NOT give me their dKos name:

quote of the day - OReillys Nightmare on WVa spin

From Larry Madill, another good WV one on John Kerry

From fellow SL'er Moody Loner:

In Not Brit's diary, this side-by-side comparison by Hudson says it all.

From gloryous1:

As sorval says... Regular republicans ARE Bush republicans.

From sardonyx with some formatty goodness from me:

DocGonzo has a post that will make you go what HE said.

Lee Malatesta has this to say on immigration reform.

ILean Left relates a family story.

And now a couple from me:

RadioGirl makes a good point about not alienating the people we want to join us.

Johnny Gentle Famous Crooner reminds us another thing about That Picture.

Lastly, Top Mojo as obtained using the mojo-to-excel magic of cskendrick as tweaked by sardonyx...

Top 30 Comments excluding Tip Jars and C&J:

  1) i agree by desiunion — 158
  2) Actually by f furney — 123
  3) Did I see markos in Charleston? by desiunion — 105
  4) Wow congratulations, Dad! by bumblebums — 102
  5) "If only we were Republicans . . . by Rick in Oz — 97
  6) Agreed by Not Brit — 91
  7) he's just stalling...again by o the umanity — 90
  8) The terrists only come in two flavors by IsraelHand — 89
  9) he is just trying to score points with his base by TurkeyCreek — 88
10) More links by MaskedKat — 85
11) This kind of Reminder by JML9999 — 85
12) They destroyed his mind so now he is incoherent. by Shockwave — 81
13) I knew this was coming. by JoeW — 77
14) And let us not forget... by GOPhuckYourself — 75
15) Outstanding suggestion and horrible memory. by Doc Allen — 72
16) Be afraid. Be very, very afraid by Califlander — 70
17) ... by ImpeachKingBushII — 69
18) Our whole country would benefit by RadioGirl — 68
19) Makes one thing clear by ProgressiveSouth — 68
20) How many "20th hijackers" were there? by Sharon Jumper — 67
21) It is a great letter... by victoria2dc — 66
22) Oh well, it was a good run by Sun dog — 64
23) early voting, too by wvablue — 63
24) New Orleans Still Fucked by DocGonzo — 63
25) they didn't let it ruin their "beautiful mind"... by ImpeachKingBushII — 62
26) wait hold on by Stroszek — 61
27) I was watching her speech by Larry Madill — 61
28) what if you were told the vote wouldn't count by Stroszek — 60
29) I canvassed in Martinsburg on Sunday by democrattotheend — 58
30) Oregon speaks volumes about the value of a good by Ptown boy in NC — 58

Top 30 Comments with no exclusions:

  1) Tips for a Change. by Not Brit — 945
  2) Instead of tips... by ipsos — 530
  3) tip jar by slinkerwink — 472
  4) Tips for prevention by droogie6655321 — 443
  5) It beats any sternly worded letter so far... by markthshark — 404
  6) Tips for math skills! by SLKRR — 329
  7) Tip jar by occams hatchet — 323
  8) I'll keep this by IsraelHand — 304
  9) Oregon by JedReport — 263
10) Tips by SneakySnu — 253
11) Tips/Recs for Democracy by dansac — 234
12) Recommendations for more than W. Virginia by Steven R — 230
13) Tips to perk my spirits up? by Robert in WV — 181
14) Tips by Buckeye BattleCry — 179
15) i agree by desiunion — 158
16) Recommendations for Reality by kubla000 — 149
17) Thanks! by WV Democrat — 143
18) These people are criminals... by David Kroning — 141
19) Actually by f furney — 123
20) Bless and honor them. by noweasels — 119
21) Tip jar? by True Independent — 114
22) Did I see markos in Charleston? by desiunion — 105
23) Wow congratulations, Dad! by bumblebums — 102
24) Tipped and Rec'd... by Lava20 — 99
25) "If only we were Republicans . . . by Rick in Oz — 97
26) Thanks for this diary and for reminding by ksh01 — 97
27) Agreed by Not Brit — 91
28) he's just stalling...again by o the umanity — 90
29) The terrists only come in two flavors by IsraelHand — 89
30) he is just trying to score points with his base by TurkeyCreek — 88

OK- what do you like best about meeting your fellow Kossacks? When was the last time you went to a meetup?